Parents’ Online Organizer, Scheduler, Planner

Are you ready for school to start? Are you ready to organize the class parties, swim team parties, snack schedule for the soccer team, carpool, field trips, volunteers, school carnival and more? You can coordinate it all online at Jooners. You can organize volunteers by entering the event, time, date, and make a list of your needs for the event. As people sign up to bring or do something it automatically updates the list. This way as others sign on and view the list, they know what is still needed to pull off the perfect school carnival or cheerleader fundraiser, etc. It even has a carpool planner–it has a carpool calendar for the whole week, how many drivers needed, drop off and pick up location and times. You could plan carpool for school, football practice, preschool and more! No more phone calls to the entire class or entire team–everyone has up to date, real time, information. There is a snack duty list–perfect for preschool snack assignments or snacks for after the kids’ games–plan the whole season. If you want, the web site will send a reminder of the event, or assignment. I am totally excited to use this site for PTA. It says the following features are coming soon: family packing, home improvement, parent teacher conference, team rosters, classroom parties. Meantime you can you the list feature or event planner until these features are up and running! Oh, and you can have several groups within your one account. Group each of your childrens’ classes, group for the soccer team, PTA, friends, family reunion and more. Now, when they ask for a room mother or someone to head up snack duty for the entire soccer season, you won’t duck behind the bleachers, you’ll quickly volunteer and say “Sure, I’ll do it!”–get everyone’s e-mail address and you are ready for an organized, successful school year.

Antelope Island Day Trip

My former college roommate and I took our kids to Antelope Island for the day! It was fun to reminisce about our old apartment, friends, boyfriends, college etc. (She was a great roommate–we laughed day and night when we lived together.) We drove all over the island with the gas light on empty hoping we wouldn’t run out of gas amongst the herds of bison. The kids looked at brine shrimp with a magnifying glass, took mini hikes, loved all the spiders, roped pretend steer at the ranch, saw bison, horses and birds.

Thanks Tanya for hosting us!

Project of the Year

We are finishing our basement…ourselves. Okay, let me clarify-My dad is doing 95% of the labor and we are buying the stuff. My mom is his patient assistant. They are seriously hard workers! They put their lives on hold, drive 11 hours to my house and stay for two weeks at a time and put in 8+ hour days while I stay upstairs. (I know this sounds rude, but honestly I think they prefer I stay out of their way.) I try to make them a good dinner each evening and talk design plans. Each time my dad arrives I have new projects like installing a dozen counter height outlets in my future office, figure out how to put a European faucet in my American bathroom, put a spotlight above my kitchenette that turns on/off with its own switch separate from the rest of the lights in the family room, install a doorbell ringer in my basement–which requires him to punch out the wall upstairs and string the wire between my walls and hope it comes out somewhere convenient downstairs and more random projects. And while he’s here I usually give him a list for the main floor-like hang up some artwork in my kids’ room, fix my busted outdoor faucet, and replace my ice maker filter. Anyway, we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We are currently painting! When he’s done with the basement I have images in my head of crown molding and a tile back splash in my kitchen. What do you think Dad? Oh and our deck is getting rickety.

During this project of the year and possibly of the decade we have had to bring all the junk, food storage, baby stuff, 6 years worth of saved kids’ clothes, cribs, seasonal decor and our EBay business to the main floor-it’s pretty much a nightmare for a person like me with OCD tendencies.

We hope taking a year to finish our basement and living in a bit of chaos will be worth the $21,000 we think we might be saving by being our own general contractor and my dad doing most of the labor! I think I could become a general contractor after this. Here is a look at our progress:

January 13, 2008 I can’t believe I am exposing this mess to the world, I am usually very organized, but when I was pregnant with Jackson–I got to the point that if something needed to go in the basement and it wouldn’t break I would open the door and kick it down the stairs, hence a major mess.

Before Shot

February 9, 2008 We got organized, de-cluttered and dad started framing.

June 2, 2008 We had some unexpected life events that put the project on hold,  but we got back on track and everything was framed, plumbing and  electrical roughed in. My dad only got shocked about three times, and broke one window with the nail gun. Jason put up all the insulation–he said he could wear goggles or a face mask but not both..he chose the goggles. So, he sacrificed his lungs to improve the family home. What a man!

June 5, 2008 We hired out the drywall installation, mudding, taping and texturizing. (Notice the surround sound wiring and high wall outlet for our non existent theatre system and wall mounted flat screen high def TV.

Today/July 27, 2008 We have primed all the walls and ceilings. Yesterday we started painting the ceilings with actual paint. We’ve been using a sprayer–have you ever tried to paint your ceiling with a sprayer? It’s an adventure, basically our system, I do a karate stance so the paint gun will be at the proper angle, turn my head/neck up at an awkward angle and every few minutes Jason has to clean off my protective eye wear because they are covered in paint. I am wearing a full polyester haz-mat suit that does not allow for air circulation, painter’s hood, and latex gloves and old shoes. My husband is 6′5″ and it seems they don’t make jumpsuits that size-so he is completely covered in paint by the time we are done. The next day we have severe neck cramps from having our heads at unnatural angles half the day.

My paint colors are:

Ceiling and Trim-Ultra Pure White
Bathroom-Weekend Getaway (cool name, eh?)
Everything Else-Papaya
Carpet-HELP, I have no idea what to do.

Family/TV Room

Bedroom #3

Bathroom

Guest Room/Exercise Room

Our paint sprayer is posessed

Storage Room

It will be great when it’s all done! We will double our finished living space, and ALL the toys are going downstairs. THANKS DAD and MOM for all the hard work, time and sore muscles.

If anyone is still reading the longest post of the year about the project of the year, I am thinking a housewarming party will be needed to celebrate the completion of the basement-has anyone ever actually been to a housewarming party? I have always wanted to host one, it seems a little narcissistic though. Perhaps I could combine it with a holiday gathering.

The Visitor

In a world of six billion people, it only takes one to change your life.

Jason and I love to watch alternative films-something a little more unique, not just fluff. There’s only two theatres in the area that show these type of films– the Tower and Broadway. Of course, when the Sundance Film Festival comes to town, we get 24 hours a day for two weeks of crazy good films. I highly recommend this film regardless of where you stand on the highly controversial issue of immigration-this film will shake you up. Get out there and see something good!

Memory Game

My former colleague has this on his blog. , so I am playing along with the game. I am a little scared of what memories people may put on here…

Here are the directions:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn’t matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It’s actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I’ll assume you’re playing the game and I’ll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Miscarriage and Infant Loss Scrapbook Supplies

The memory of a lost child is so sacred. They say it is helpful and healing to make a scrapbook or memory book when you have a miscarriage, stillborn, or an infant die at a young age. I have learned that looking for supplies to honor that baby is not healing. Walking through the baby section of a scrapbook store or searching web sites full of baby items is not comforting. When you have lost a baby the traditional words and artwork are painful. Today is the two month anniversary of when I delivered my little boy. Coincidentally, while looking at some support sites, I found some scrapbook supplies that are more appropriate and will be healing to use as I create a personal album for my angel baby. I hope that this short list of resources will be beneficial to others who would like to make a memory book.

Vellum Quotes that are appropriate to the event-they have 6 different sets; some for those who did not meet their baby, some who held their infant who was already gone, quotes for baby’s who were perfect in every way but gone too soon, scripture based quotes, etc. Click here.

Remembrance Kits provide bereaved families keepsakes to validate a heavenly baby and an opportunity to create a unique memorial, capture special moments whether you have photos or not, 12 x 12 paper, embellishments and more Click here.

Digital Scrapbook Kit On Angels’ Wings includes paper, elements, word art and fibers for each of these 6 categories: loss of a baby/child, loss of a parent/grandparent, loss of a friend, loss of a pet, loss masculine, loss feminine. Click here.

“The Lord called me by name… “Free word art with a nice quote. Click here.

Another good idea is to just type up poems and quotes that touch your heart and put them in a special box or album.

I didn’t do an exhaustive search, these are just a few that caught my eye. If you know of a great kit or resource, please leave the link in the comments. My favorite find is the vellum quotes.

_____________________________________

To My Dearest Family

Where I dwell, there is no pain
There is no cold, no dreary rain
I find a rainbow every day
And touch the sun’s most warming rays

I know you wish that I were there
So you could hug and hold me near
So you would see my bright eyes shine
Yet I am yours and you are mine

You ponder years that’ll come and go
The little one you won’t watch grow
But treasure me safely within your hearts
For there we shall not be apart

I gaze on you from heaven above
I sense your thoughts and feel your love
Please realize, here I am at peace
I pray some of your pain may cease

God did not create a “never”
Hence, once again we’ll be together
Until such time that we shall meet
In altered words may I repeat:

I am safe…I am with you…I love you
Your Angel Baby

-Unknown

Lake Travis, Family Reunion and Vacation

Welcome to the Lonestar State

We had a family reunion at Lake Travis near Austin, Texas with my husband’s mom and siblings. My brother and his family coincidentally moved to the area recently, so I was able to spend time with them also. Here are the highlights of the past 11 days:

-Birthday present from Emily
-”Where is the game room? Where are the stairs?”
-Pool Time

-Whalerider
-Deer and deer poop

-Boating on Lake Travis
-Being pulled on the raft–the water was great; (Jason, let’s buy a boat)

-Emily trying to get back in the boat; Troy, “Stop laughing,”
-Biggest Loser Winner Presentation, Congrats to my man!
-Sunsets

-Helpful lakehouse neighbors
-Serious parade loot for the kids (candy, footballs, full size toys, toothbrushes, and more junk)
-Lakeside fireworks in a smallish town-it was like being in the movie Hope Floats
-Friendly Texans
-Southern Hospitality
-”Y’all are gonna be my lead car…”
-Cousin Time

-Sonic Ice
-Fire ants
-Scorpion
-Feeding the turtle lettuce; Jessica was there really a turtle?
-Indoor smores
-Jetskis; Kathy/MIL and Jason falling off the jetskis
-Docking the jestskis, “They don’t have reverse.”

-Helping fellow boaters find their lost ski
-Sunscreen/Bug spray
-Rice Krispy Treats
-Fresh guaco
-Catch Phrase!
-Ping Pong Tournament
-Baby Caleb’s Blessing

-Bumping into a friend from elementary and middle school-Crazy!
-Family Photo, my son put his back to the camera the entire time
-Le Madelines, twice-Take me to Paris, s’il vous plait!
-Schlitterbahn water park; At 85 degrees Texans get goose bumps and Texan kids’ lips start turning purple
-Wolfpack
-WALL-E
-Outlet mall shopping
-Pure gluttony
-Austin Java & Co.; Breakfast tacos like my sister makes ‘em!
-Hot and Humid
-Round Rock Donuts-they’re orange and oh so good
-Cousins playing

-Mini Fireworks Show put on by my brother

-Rockin’ River Pool
-Kawaii’s Shaved Ice Snowcones
-Chuy’s queso

Thanks Kathy/MIL for making this possible, and thanks to Troy/Jessica and Zane/Jenn for letting us stay at your house after the lake! We are so glad we were able to be there for Caleb’s blessing. Steph-we’re glad you came down–good luck as you begin a new path in life!

American by birth, Southern by the grace of God.