Just living the dream...

So we have adjusted quite well with our new home. We have pictures and paintings on the walls, closet shelves, functional kitchen, laundry room set up, etc. The only thing missing? Yes, our new carpet. I will not be posting any new photos of our house until that carpet gets installed. Home Depot delayed us another week! So now the carpet doesn't arrive until Monday...and then a couple days after that, it should be installed. We have paid in full and waited for a few weeks now. Ugh.

It has been nice to have a break from the snowy weather. The sun has been shining and melting that snow load off our roof. Huge icicles forming...awesome!

The kids' bunk bed arrived a couple days ago, but I will not assemble it until the carpet gets installed. It is too big and bulky and most likely would have to be taken down, so we will wait on that! Unfortunately the kids see the box and the picture of their new bunk bed and they want it built yesterday! We bought new bedding for Samantha because this will be her first "big" girl bed. Kent still has his John Deere comforter, so it's all good:)

My third week of school was better, even though I had tests in both classes yesterday. My second test in Biology and my first in chemistry. I am not holding my breath for the chemistry results. Biology test I think I did better than the first test. Just trying my best!

I had a big accomplishment this week...I FINALLY completed the copyright application, paid for it and sent my original music on a CD, off to the Legal Zoom copyright offices on Hollywood Blvd. in LA. It will take a few weeks to process it, and then they will send me my official paperwork; AND THEN I can get my music out there! I am not just limited to my Christmas Cd's. My music is still my ultimate passion and dream to get it out there and share to the people that appreciate it:)

Jeff has been working nightly out in his shop, building that steam engine of his:) It is nice that he has his space out there and that it is functional for his projects. Jeff has been so great with everything! I would be so lost without him. He is AMAZING and I love him more and more everyday:)

More snow pictures!

Jeff is up on the roof getting the snow off to where the wood-burning stove vent will be placed out of the roof. The guy is supposed to install our stove on Tuesday. It is about freaking time! I watched him so he wouldn't fall off...it was very slippery. Can you believe how much we have?! Look over on the right of the roof...it is crazy thick! And the other photo is Jeff shoveling a path out of his shop.

It's coming down like frozen cats and dogs!

Okay, I couldn't post again yesterday because we lost Internet service. Here is the latest...

The I-40 was shut down yesterday evening at 6:00pm through noon today (if not earlier). Since this storm started yesterday through this point, we have about 31 inches of snow! Now, all week long we received snow, which brings the total snow fall this week to over 42 inches. Yes. The storm is not over yet, either. We are hoping to get a chance to run to Flagstaff later today or tomorrow for some much needed items. But we will play that all by ear because we don't want to slide off the roads either. There was a break last night from the snow, that turned to rain; but fortunately, it wasn't a whole lot of rain, and then it turned back to snow. Jeff was on his tractor ALL day yesterday plowing. He got soaked from all that snow fall. He is once again starting up the tractor to plow some more, because it just keeps coming down! So there it is. This snow journey continues!

Storm has started!

Well, we are about six hours into this massive snow storm, and it has only just begun. So far there is over a foot of snow out there! School was cancelled today (that made me so happy, like a kid a again)...will be posting more later!

So, what's new with you?

Well, we are running on such little fuel, it is not even funny. We haven't stopped "doing" in weeks! It is a lot of hard work and time trying to get our house in order. The drywall process finally finished on Friday. Jeff and I primed the walls this afternoon; on top of going to our other house (which is now a rental), cleaning it to get it ready for our renters; which they just received their keys today! We finished cleaning like mad people so our renters could move in early before this massive snowstorm hits next week. It is official, we are completely out of the other house and they are moving in. That is a major blessing!

So since the drywall was completed, and Jeff and I primed the walls, we start painting them tomorrow. Our house is still out of order, piles of our stuff everywhere. I will however be able to start hanging pictures on the walls once that paint dries.. I can also lay out the furniture around the house, but will have to keep it all basic, due to the carpet that still needs to be installed. We figure that probably won't happen until a couple more weeks. SOOOOOOO CAN'T WAIT FOR OUR CARPET! Want to get rid of the stained, stinky, drywall dust/plaster layered carpet.

I also started school up this past week. I had a really hard time in Chemistry on my second day. It wasn't good at all. I hope that doesn't continue. I think I am intimidated by my instructor. Sometimes that happens. My biology instructor has a lot of energy and he seems cool; there is just so much to be learned. I always get way ahead of myself and stress out, so I know I need to seriously live in the moments of the day, and not "what will be."

The kids are still with their grandparents. We should be getting them back on Tuesday (but then of course we have this big weather event). I miss them so much. The moment I dropped them off, I had tears in my eyes because I have never been away from them for longer than a couple of days. It was good timing though, with all of this construction and stuff.

Jeff is thrilled that we finally got out of our other house and that the renters signed, paid and received their keys. He is organizing his workshop to make it workable to continue his steam engine project.

So we are surviving another week. Getting closer to our goal with our beautiful home make over.

Happy Birthday Mama! We love you so much!

Disorganization continues...and yes, we have been sleeping in it (except for a night).

So it is Sunday, and I have pictures of the house "as is" appearance. Some right when we moved in to show the walls of the house and the other pictures showing the drywall. Lets just say this has been an experience. We moved in on Tuesday and we had the help of Jeff's Dad and Gayle. They were fantastic help. We stayed in the house for a few nights until Friday night. Friday was the first day of the drywall to be put up; and we are supposed to be out of the house during the day so the guys can work. Well, when we returned that night...drywall EVERYWHERE! Even where they were supposed to block and tarp up our living room...so drywall dust all over the living room furniture and everything else I didn't have protected because they said they would block off that room for us. I understand that this is a messy job, but come on. Thank God drywall dust can be cleaned, because it is dust. Not like paint splatters or something like that. With all of the drywall pieces everywhere, heat disconnected and no shower heads in the showers, we had to make a decision to where to sleep Friday night... so we decided to go stay at Motel 6 in Belmont, which is just 6 min. away. Lets just say, Jeff and I did not sleep well at all. Motel 6 is the cheaper motel experience for sure. The only good thing is they accept pets, and we would be free of all the drywall mess. The floors were linoleum or something like that because we had to stay in the "pets allowed" room. So ALL through the night we would be hearing Jake's "click, click, click" all over the floor. Last night we actually stayed at the new house. The guys picked up all the drywall pieces so we thought it would be better to sleep with the drywall dust than to go back to Motel 6, plus, it is less expensive. It was VERY dusty...but I managed to dust the living area (will be recovering it before the workers return Monday morning). The kids shared the couch (so cute). Jeff had to connect the forced heat last night because they disconnected it, and he temporarily put the shower head back on so we could have a short shower. I did sleep better last night amongst the mess. Even though it is just crazy filthy, it looks 100% better than before. We will get through this, and are super excited to see the finished project! Also, we paid and ordered our new carpet yesterday. It should be installed in about two weeks. LOVE IT! So here are the pictures so far...sorry for the delay.

Walk through tomorrow...moving in Tuesday & Kent has the croup cough.

Poor kid. I hate it when he gets sick. Kent seems to get sick more than Samantha. He is also prone on getting the croup cough. My folks tell me it is hereditary (case in point, I ALWAYS got it as a kid). Kent took after my health. With ear aches, croup and possibly a little bit of allergies. He is a trooper though. He still wants to talk, talk, talk, talk, and talk. He does get a little scared when the coughs get loud. I tell him it is okay...your body is just trying to get rid of the frog living in your throat. Kent always wants to know why that annoying frog has to live in his throat sometimes. Cute. So far, Samantha is healthy. I pray that continues and for Kent's quick recovery.

Walk through at the house tomorrow. EXCITING! Keys handed over on Tuesday! We are so ready for this move to happen. So much has been going on during my winter break; and of course...SCHOOL starts AGAIN on the 12th, next Tuesday! Ahhhhhhhhh! Human Anatomy & Physiology and Allied Health Chemistry. I could just scream. One day at a time.