Aunt Janes Visit

Aunt Jane was here from Arizona last week to attend her high school reunion. She has always been a "special" aunt to me. I thought I would share a few of my memories with you.......
*Aunt Jane taught me how to drive in her little yellow Renault. In those days small cars were an oddity. * She pierced my ears when I was in high school. She used 2 ice cubes and a needle. * I loved her clothes....she let me borrow her clothes sometimes...I felt so "Cool" in them. I wore her clothes in my Senior pictures. * She is very talented. I remember her learning to tole paint. She has done alot of different crafts throughout the years. *Jane is very generous and compassionate and is a good Christian woman. I remember going to church with her as a girl.Here she is with Grandma Cameron and Aunt Ellouise.....my other "Special Aunt" See you next time Aunt Jane!!!!

It has been about 20 years since I had a yard sale....and then again, I've only had 2 before this one. They are very fun to go to, but not my idea of fun to have. BUT....it ended up being lots of fun! Our family is planning a church history tour next summer and I thought doing this would be a good way to help the cause. Richard did a great job on the signs, don't you think? I was up until 2AM Friday morning getting things separated and priced. We used 6 card tables, 2 sheets of plywood(put on top of sawhorses), some shelves from Joshs room and I even put a piece of board on top of a big rubbermaid container to put stuff on. Richard found a plank that was about 7 or 8 feet long and we put it on top of some bricks and put shoes on it. My neighbor even had a round rack to put clothes on. This picture was taken on Saturday after we were done (Not Sunday like it says)The next picture was taken in the garage in the wee hours Friday , but I didn't remember to get one with everything put out in the driveway. Sorry so dark!!!
I began cleaning things out in June and my pile kept growing. We had just donated alot of stuff to the young women for their garage sale, so I really didn't think I would have much. By the time I got done, I had alot of stuff I could live without. I had a little bit of alot of stuff....crafts, fabrics, clothes, jewlery, lotions and perfumes, kitchen stuff, coloring books and a few books and games. I had decorating stuff like shelves, mirrors, silk flowers. We had a dog run, dog house (Lady never would use them....she stays inside mostly), canning jars, shoes....you get the drift! It is AMAZING what people will buy. I had my old earrings on on index cards, like 4 pair per card and old necklaces in baggies...they sold out in NO TIME!!
Oh, Richard was worried about me being alone taking care of the money, so we decided it would be a good idea to use a pouch. I actually used 2....one had bills and quarters in it and the other I used for nickels and dimes and paper, pen and tape.
I put really cheap prices on things. I walked around visiting with people. I placed an ad in the paper for Friday only because I wasn't sure how it would go and I didn't want to be tied down for 2 days if I didn't want to. I also put it on Craigs list.....a first for me. As it was we did do it Saturday, but we just put our signs up again for that day (Since our signs were generic). I must say I was totally exhausted Saturday night with all this yard sale stuff AND doing Josh's room. We were very blessed to have such a sucessful sale. I KNOW Heavenly Father wants us to go on this trip! The weather had called for rain, but we woke up to clear skies on Friday morning.

The Boy Returns.........

Well, here it is!! Josh was SO EXCITED!! We finished it up just minutes before he arrived home. Well, it's not completely done....I still need to find some car posters. Every place that I went to didn't have car posters, so someone told me to check the mall. He already had one car poster, so I got it up. And, I got some frames last night to put the Mormon Ads in. I'll get them up then post that wall.
I ordered the wallpaper online, and it came late Friday. We were exhausted from doing the yard sale, so Richard put it on Saturday morning while I manned the sale outside. We quickly put the furniture back in place and I got the bookcase done while Richard picked Josh up. Josh LOVED everything. For hours after he came home, he kept hugging us. He hugged Richard and told him thank you. Richard siad "I'm glad you like your room".....Josh answered.... "No Dad,I LOVE my room!! "
Here's Josh with the items he made for his basketry merit badge!

A Little Glitch.....

A little update on the room.......

I was in bed last night and about 2AM there was a knock on the front door. We jumped up and looked out and there stood Josh. Apparently he had had a panic attack and was having difficulty breathing. Long story. Anyway, Josh now knows we are doing his room. He slept in it when he got home. I had been on the internet last night when they tried to call for us to meet them to pick him up. The camp is in southern Oregon and a 3 hour drive. Needless to say, because I was on the internet (we have dial up), they we unable to get ahold of us. They left a message, but I didn't check because it was so late. They brought him all the way home.
WELL....he wanted to go back today, so Richard drove him back this afternoon. He will still be surprised when it is all done.
On top of that, I put an ad in the paper and will be having a yard sale on Friday. I have been getting things ready as well as painting.
More later.......

Painting Progress

Believe it or not Richard was eager to help me today. He is such a helpful husband!!
I did all the trim work and he did the roller. He got 2 coats on, but I still need to put the 2nd coat of trim on. Hopefully the border will be here tomorrow or Thursday so Richard can get it up. The color is called chalkware and it's the color of our downstairs. I had a full gallon from when we added on to the house, so I only had to go buy one gallon today. One gallon wasn't quite enough to do the job. We figure we can use the xtra paint to do our room next Stay Tuned........

Whistle While You Work......

For the past month I have been planning to surprise Joshua by re-doing his room while he's away at scout camp. I thought you might like to see the transformation.
He left this morning at 4AM for southern Oregon. I began right away with getting things cleaned up and moved out. I talked to him yesterday and asked if I could clean up his room while he's gone. He was all for it. He had mentioned to me a few months ago that he thought the walls in his room were too girly. I had painted it when Jenny turned 12 and was away at her first year of girls camp. Now that Joshua is a teenager himself, I wanted to give him a room more boyish.
While he thinks I'm just cleaning, We'll be painting it and putting a border around it. I got a new bedspread and a valance for the window. No drawings on the wall, but it will be a BIG surprise. Richard clicked a pic of me while I was cleaning (He's into the blogging spirit). The last picture I clicked very late tonight, after I got everything stuffed into the closet and hallway. We'll leave the bed in the middle while we work. STAY TUNED.........

I've Been Tagged..........by DEBI

JOBS I'VE HAD
Retail clerk: Kanes Tot's and Teens (6 months), Payless Drug Store (4 years), Fred Meyer (8 Years)
USA Today Distributor- 10 years
Evergreen School District: 6 years- Health Screening, cafeteria monitor, learning support, Early Childhood Education Staff Assistant (PRE K- Debi calls it my babysitting job....I could say the same for her aide job!!)
Being a mom.....PRICELESS


PLACES I'VE LIVED

Vancouver Washington
Austin Texas
Mt. Kisco, NY
(Did I live in Portland too??)

A side note....I've moved 30 times that I could count....I probably lived places I can't remember.......... AND I went to 10 different schools in 12 years.
(No wonder I've lived in the same house for 15 years and my kids have all gone to the same schools)


FAVORITE MOVIES
You've Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle
Sound of Music (I'm not copying you Debi....honest)
ALL the Harry Potter Movies
Hook
Jumanji

FAVORITE TV SHOWS
Currently....Cash Cab, Rachel Ray Show

FAVORITE WEBSITES
BLOGGER.COM....for all my favorite blogs!!!
LDS.org
Google/Google Maps/Google Earth
Travelocity
EHS Boosters.com

FAVORITE VACATION SPOTS
Oregon/Washington Coast
Anywhere my family is....Utah and Texas (but just to visit)

PLACES I'D RATHER BE
At home.....EVERYDAY....being a homebody!!

There is nobody left to Tag....but Jenny, It's your turn!!

Camping Out

Now I really don't want anybody to get used to my blogging so frequently, BUT.......
Dad and Rose gave us a tent back in May or so, when they were cleaning out their storage room. Since we sold our travel trailer a few years ago, this is a wonderful addition for us! It's already been used by Richard and the boys for a campout, and now Josh has been camping out in our backyard.
Austin and Josh spent Tuesday night in the tent with all the comforts of home (well, almost.) They had cushy air mattresses, a television set and lamp....AND Austin brought his X-Box so they could play video games. I popped them some popcorn and took them some drinks and fruit snacks. I must say though, that I am a fraidy cat. I needed to leave the door unlocked into the house fo them and I was worried about the boys with NO protection, so I slept on the chair in the family room, with the window shades open so I could see them. I know Josh goes on campouts in the woods all the time without me, but it's a mom thing. I didn't sleep well at all (I kept checking on them), but it was a small sacrifice for my son to have wonderful summertime memories!
I unleashed a monster when I let him do it just one night, so it was hard to refuse him another night. This time we talked Jon into staying out with him (I told Jon he needed some bonding time with his little brother). Now tonight I can sleep in my own bed and I gave them a key to get in so I could lock the door. We plan on taking the tent to the Ward campout just before Debi and Melissa get here. Richard and I decided we could have our I scripture reading in "the tent". Jon refused to let me get his picture during scriptures so I got one of Josh. (The date is wrong on the picture it should be 08/01/07))