Goodbye, Neighbors

Saying goodbye to good neighbors is tough. Saying goodbye to my neighbors is...well...weird. You see, my house backs to a cemetery and the cemetery is moving. Yes...all 1500 graves...moving. When we bought this house, it didn't bother use that a cemetery was in our backyard. Quiet neighbors! We thought we were safe from building and development. WRONG!

Here is the overhead view of the property. You can see the lovely circular design of the cemetery. My house backs right up to all that geometric splendor. It almost looks like a crop circle.

We first heard about moving the cemetery this winter and it has moved quickly. It is mainly nuns from the Sisters of St. Joseph Order buried there. So I guess with no kids or grand kids to complain about the move, off they went!

There was a closing ceremony that the kids watched from the fence. The attendees carried banners, rang bells, sang songs and said some prayers. Everyone there seemed fine with the idea of the big move. So who were we to complain? What would be the use of complaining? It's not our property.

Then the black tarp went up and the backhoes started working. I have spared you the pictures of that! Needless to say, it has been a weird summer in our house. The blinds remain closed and the curtains drawn, just in case. I would hate for the kids to see something that would scar them for life. The work starts early in the morning so there has been little sleeping in for the kids this summer. BUMMER for mom!

So, we say goodbye to our neighbors. The quiet neighbors. The good neighbors. The neighbors that have never caused a problem. We will miss the beautiful headstones and statues, the nuns (living ones) that take walks out back and always smile and wave. We will miss the "park" we had in the yard because we know someday it will be replaced with something not nearly as lovely. RIP

Back to School

No, the kids aren't going back to school yet. It's me! At least I hope so. I have my graduate school interview tomorrow and could use some well-wishes and prayers.

The decision to go back to school now was a hard one. But like all things, once I make up my mind...consider it done! I am interviewing at Barnes College for the acute care nurse practitioner program. I will be 2 years of craziness with a full time job and 3 kids but worth the sacrifice to return to the ICU. That is the area of nursing I love and miss. I know it's crazy to say I miss the ICU but what I do now is pretty crazy too!

I'm sure it will mean less time for blogging. Nothing to write about if there is no time for projects and thrift store shopping! But I hope to have the occasional stroke of mediocrity to talk about!

Let's not get ahead of ourselves...gotta get in first. (They will never let me in with grammar like that!) So say a little prayer for me Wednesday at 11:00 as I sit before the panel and try to convince them to take me!

Take It Off

I am learning s.l.o.w.l.y. that just because I have something, doesn't mean I have to use it. When we were putting our old house on the market, we removed a lot of "extras" around our house. This included photos, knick knacks and even furniture. I took the top off of my china cabinet to make the dining room look larger. I LOVED how it looked! Then we moved....and I put the silly thing back on! Why?! I'm puzzled. Strange that I would put it back on but I guess I just thought I was somehow REQUIRED to use it because I bought it. I never said my thought process was normal!

Sorry for my usual BAD photography...here is the china cabinet on the buffet. I know...hard to see anything but the glare!

Here it is now...

Ahh! It's so much better! The mirror and thingies on the sides are from Hobby Lobby...on sale of course. The lamps are the hunter green Goodwill lamps that I painted. The shades are also a Goodwill find for $4! These shades replaced the orginial ones I had bought and left the plastic on just in case.

A little collection of Goodwill finds that just needed a white coat of paint and all is well.

Rogaine?

First of all, I'm back! My computer seems to be fixed and I have downloaded all of my pictures back to it! Yippee! Thanks to Ian for retrieving my photos and burning them on a disk and thanks to Mike who stay up all night (literally) to download all my software and whatever other computer stuff it needed.

So here's a little project that I did that took 5 minutes! Lots of folks are incorporating moss topiaries or moss balls into their decor. I am still trying to accessorize the foyer table that I painted. I had put the items together quickly (with the help of my neighbor) and now I am trying to fine tune it!

For the project, you just need a styrofoam ball (green is best) and a bag of moss. I chose to hot glue it on but you could also use spray on adhesive.



It is a messy project, so be sure to put newspaper or something down on your work area.

Here is the final result....


I put it on a container I bought at the Salvation Army Thrift Store for a few dollars. It is a beautiful piece with birds and vines! PERFECT! Just don't get too close....there are a few bald spots! Maybe a little lopsided too! Typically me!

Now all the table needs a different lamp and artwork. Back to the thrift stores!

Happy 4th!

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

3

IF you have a son, you understand the tears I have today. If you only have daughters, you will think I'm a complete idiot. The little wild man turned 3 today! How can this be?! Wasn't he just born? Somebody make it stop...please! I can't handle this growing up thing!

My mom warned me about the bond between a mom and her son. You see, 4 daughters and 1 son for her. AND Bro (that's my brother) was (is) rotten! When mom visited me and the little wild man in the hospital the day he was born, she told me I would now understand there was something different she felt for my brother. Not more love, just a different love. WOW! Was she right! People (you know who you are) tease me about how I am around my son. I just gush when I talk about him. It's actually a little pathetic! Don't get me wrong, he gets in LOTS of trouble, but he also melts my heart! Have you seen his blue eyes? He melts EVERYONE'S heart!

So we have gone from the above picture to this...

in just 3 short years. I can't begin to imagine what the future holds for this momma and her baby.

Happy Birthday, Little Man! Thanks for letting me rock you to sleep tonight! I love you!