Anatomy of Grey (Gray)

As you may know we are basically flipping a house right now.  Instead of flipping to sell we are flipping to move in permanently.  We sold our starter home more then 6 months ago and have been living in a metal building out in the country that belongs to my sister-in-law.  I am sure that even she didn't realize how long we were going to end up in her house.  We are officially the guests that stink for being here too long.  However, it has been good to get to know my new niece and to get to play with my nephew by simply walking out the door. However with all of our stuff in boxes, we have been borrowing living supplies.  I am hoping to see my winter shoes sometime in the near future.
First the termite held us back over a month.  But we are finally on a roll.  We finally have all the walls back up and we have begun the painting process.
It is a big undertaking for me creatively.  It seems overwhelming- it is like building a new home.  However, if I make any mistakes I know that it will cost money, but mostly our own time until we can move in.  We finished painting the front room Dovetail Grey by Sherwin Williams.  I liked the color so much that I decided to put in my laundry room also.  We finished paining that and then I was stuck wit the dilemma on what color to paint our family room.  Gray or Green?  First I never exactly know which spelling of the word Grey to use.  Second, I like color and Grey is kind of like the absence of color.  However, the grey I choose has browns, blues, and greens in it.  It looks different in different lights.  After mostly choosing the grey, a facebook survey and a confirmation from my 2 year old that she liked the grey better.  I decided to also paint my family room the Dovetail grey.  We painted the hallway Barcelona Beige and I debating currently whether or not to paint the fireplace the beige.  Currently it is a truly orangish red brick that has some water stains on it that will require quite a bit of scrubbing.  I will try to post pictures.  I will post pictures of the completed laundry room before and after so that you can see the color.  When we finish the flooring in the front room I will post pictures of that.  It is quite a process as I am sure anyone that has done home remodeling or building can tell you.  Merry Christmas would be moving into the house, but for now I will keep making decisions piece by piece one at a time.

Termite Terrors

We just purchased a new to us old house a month ago and we were in the process of "fixing" it up.  Which to us meant new paint, new flooring, cleaning and perhaps a few modifications of the layout within the next 10 years.  However, after only painting 2 rooms and ripping up only half of the old flooring we decided to get ambitious and pull off the old outdated paneling that was dragging down the family room and the kitchen.  There was sheet rock underneath the paneling so "ALL" we were going to have to do is tape and bed the sheet rock, sand and then we could paint.  A few sheetrock panels had to be replaced due to them using tiny left over pieces but overall, not a huge job.  I even had a great adventure of learning how to "mud" over the old nail holes.
UNTIL...  ( I feel as if there should be some scary music inserted here)  we found termite damage.  At first it wasn't too bad.  We were even going to stop pulling off the paneling there because the rest could stay on until we did the full kitchen remodel which wasn't going to be in our budget for a couple more months.  However,  luckily, unluckily we decided to keep going.  All of a sudden we saw LIVE termites crawling up the wall one by one.  Eating our wood studs and our old sheetrock.  So we kept pulling and pulling back sheetrock and paneling until... we cried.  Okay maybe I was the only one crying, but still.  It was devastating.  After all the termite inspector not only gave it the all clear but said that there was no termites currently residing in our home not paying any rent.  Instead there they were  eating out our wood.  HOW DARE THEY!!!!!
My husband luckily knows how to replace stuff, but even he was down in the dumps.  We called over reinforcements. Got every thing treated.  Came back this weekend to replace the studs and the sheetrock.  Meanwhile I still haven't been able to do anymore painting- which is the part I am truly excited about.
I even learned how to screw in screws into sheetrock.  I told him that I should film him and put the lessons on pinterest, but he said he wasn't interested.
This is not the kind of adventure that I wanted to have, but it seems all the adventures I am having lately are those that are unplanned. So take that termites- go away and don't come back!!!!!
You are no longer allowed in my house.

Operation Amy

Lately I have been consumed with work.  This in itself is not much of a surprise.  I take my job as a teacher very seriously.  At the beginning of every year I over work myself and throw myself into my job way too much.  I am going to take my life back.  Starting tomorrow.  I am going to take care of myself.  I am going to take care of my house.  I am going to take better care of my family.  I am going to take care of my relationship with GOD first and foremost.  I am going to do things for me. I like  being the best at things.  I can't help it I have always liked being the best.  Unfortunately that means sacrifice.  But the times have changed, I want to be the best.  But I want to be the best I can be personally.  Where should I begin?  First I need a plan.  A plan for eating healthy, working out, time with God, time with my family and time with myself.  I need to get rid of some obligations that keep me from doing these things.  I realize many of my blogs start this way.  I have tried over and over to reinvent myself or start with a bang and keep chugging.  But this time I am aiming for sustainability.  I am aiming for well, what every working mom would like to have....
How do I get there? It will be an adventure.  Please pray for me along the journey.  They train is taking off and the destination is a better me.
I think I will start with my relationship with GOD, it seems to me that all things else will follow once my relationship with my creator is stronger.  One of the pastors at my church on Sunday was talking about the importance of spending time with the Creator.  How all labels good or bad will not "stick" and the importance of them will fade once you spend time with GOD.  My first goal along my journey is to pray.  It is as simple as that.  I need help, sometimes I am good, sometimes I just want to look good.  But most of the time I am a horrible prayer, not in the words that I use, but the lack of time in prayer.  Sure I pray before most dinners, and every night with my daughter before bed.  But I need prayer time beyond that just for simple discussion.  So that is goal number one.  I have a feeling that time in HIS word is not far behind.  Adios!

Grumpy

I am grumpy today.  It is probably from having to get up so early (both my dog and my daughter were asking me to get up several hours earlier then usual.)  I confess I was up late looking at pinterest and other websites.  I think sometimes I make up for my lack of television viewing capabilities by being obsessed with the Internet.  However, I was also creating some things that I had found on pinterest and was putting my own spin on them for my classroom.  I made a morning routine chart that I am going to put up. I also made a who picks up thing for my classroom.
However I am also grumpy knowing that my vacation is almost over and that now I have to constantly hear how little money we have after going to San Antonio this past weekend.  In addition, I came back from vacation and my dog was "not right" so I took her to the vet and they thought that she had a hurt neck or back and so they took some x rays.  Bad news is that they think she might have a chip from her spinal cord on one vertebrae.  We have to kennel her and give her medicine every 8 hours.  I feel sorry for her in the kennel crate.  She wants to get out and be with the family, but the doc said to restrict her movement.  Now you know that the vet bill is also not cheap, pretty much the same cost as our vacation.  Therefore, I officially get to hear how little money we have saved this month and how our new house is going to wipe us out so I absolutely can't spend any money.  It is hard because teacher supply places are having sales and I usually like to get myself some back to school things.
The lack of ability to shop makes me more grumpy.
I also would like to run tonight, but I am admittedly kind of scared to go running in the country more so then I am scared of running in a city.  In the country if you hurt yourself on your run you can't crawl up to the nearest place and get help.  I might be stuck out there until morning and since I am a night person my husband will probably just think I am up on the Internet again.  Also I know there are coyotes out here and snakes like to crawl up on the road and night.  These things are out here during the day, but it is way to hot and I don't like to run in the morning.
I take my dog back tomorrow to see how she is doing.  I am praying the blood tests all came back normal and that she looks like she is in better condition and healing.
This grouch is going to bed so I don't have another morning like I did today.

Working On and Out

I have spent the last couple of days working on the science curriculum for my district.  It has been interesting really looking at the TEKS (standards for Texas) and trying to figure out how they translate for kindergarten in my district.  I was worried that there were only 2 of us writing the curriculum for the entire district (52 Elementary schools.)  However, it worked out fine. It didn't seem to be my best work, but it was a start at a tast of curriculum writing.
Tonight was really awesome because I got to watch my favorite show on TV So you think you can dance and then afterwards I was very inspired to get up and move so I went on my first real run in a long time.  I didn't run for awhile after my triathlon because my ankle was messed up and then I ran only a couple more times and really quit.  This week I have been feeling especially plump and so I decided to get back on the wagon. I downloaded Nike + to my iphone and away I went.  Jimmy had decided to leave without me about 15 minutes prior because SO you think you can dance was still on and he didn't want to wait.  I talked him into taking littles.  So therefore I all had to worry about was my pace and pushing myself.   I even saw a deer along the way.  My dog Beth came along and she did great not on a lease out here in the country roads.  I ran a mile and I am super proud because my pace was under what I expected it to be considering I haven't truly run in almost a year.
I think before I go to bed I am going to try either a workout I found on pinterest or from my nike workout app from my phone.
I love pinterest and have become almost addicted.  I love being inspired to do so many things.  I hope I can actually follow through with some of the ideas and work on them this summer before I have to go back to work for real.
We purchased a refrigerator and it is being delivered tomorrow despite the fact that we don't have a house.  Crazy I know.  However, we have been keeping an eye on it for awhile and it went almost a 1000 dollars off.  I can't wait until I get my refrigerator up and running!

A Good Name

I have several passions in my life.  They include teaching, learning, traveling, loving my family, and above all my Love for the Lord God.  I want my blog to reflect my passions. I have been experimenting with names and I can't seem to come up with one I really like. I also want to include my struggles- to get back on track as far as exercise.  Updates on my current house hunt and other important events in my life such as my father in laws current rehabilitation from Guilian Barre are also very important for me to include. I have thrown around a few names and I may keep switching names periodically to try them out.  

My father in law was accepted to go to Baylor Rehabilitation Hospital in Dallas for at least 3 weeks.  I hope that he is able to recover quickly and I pray that he stays positive.  I am going to try and make him a poster to hang on his wall that includes pictures of his travels and events since I have known him that he can post on his wall to hopefully give him some inspiration. 

I have been doing "school" with my daughter this summer and learning about letters and bible verses. We have been having fun and trying to learn our colors and letters.  I know that I should probably be working with numbers also.  She has even learned a few bible verses through some sites I found on pinterest including totschool.  I think the website is 1plus1plus1equals1.com.  I was confused about the name of the site until I saw that it represented the holy trinity- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in One.  The lady that runs the site has most of her stuff for free and it is a great mission.  It makes me want to use my gifts more to help others especially in the early childhood area.

Many times I don't have confidence in my abilities to help.  I get "shy" and think that I don't really know anything or why would someone want to listen to me.  

However, I do get compliments all the time about my daughter and how advanced she is for her age. Part of that I just attribute to genetics and general personality disposition.  However, other parts I attribute to her wonderful babysitter and maybe some of it is because of me and her dad actually working with her. 

I will try and post pictures of some of the things she (we) have made.  

Yesterday we went to Fossil Rim- my daughter enjoyed it, but when the animal occaionally stuck their heads in our windows she didn't like it.  I on the other hand got to feed deer, zebras and wait for it yes a giraffe.  I have gone a couple times before, but I have never gotten to feed one of the giraffes before.  I was super thrilled.  They also had a small petting zoo with mostly goats that the kids could pet, which my daughter loved.  It was hot, but we had a great day.  It doesn't look like travel is in our plans this summer because we are trying to find a new house, but I am trying to do everything I can with the family around the metroplex because I can't really do these things during the school year as much.  I hate that summer is on the down hill slide already. 

Tonight we may go to a drive in movie, but it seems pretty hot, so I am not so sure what the plans will actually, until then if you see several changes in the name of my blog it is the same old me chaning my mind as usual.

No Matter Where

Many changes have occurred over the last several months that have kept me away from the computer. My family decided to put our house on the market so that we could start the process of buying a house.  Our house sold within the first 24 hours with several offers.  We quickly moved out within several weeks to my sister in law's metal shop next door to their house in the country. Within the weeks we were moving out, I was out of town 2 times, once for my a wedding shower for my brother and his fiance and once for a convention in Houston.  I even got a speeding ticket on the way down to Kerrville, which was super annoying.  My little daughter had her second birthday complete with pony and petting zoo. Then all of a sudden I was living out of boxes in time to head back down to Kerrville for my brothers actual wedding.  All of this happened in April.  May started out smooth, but quickly turned into even more turmoil.  My father in law was placed in the hospital and was diagnosed with Guillain Barre Syndrome.  Within a week he progressed from bad to worse with us being called in to say our goodbyes.  However, God performed miracles through prayer for medical technology good doctors and great nurses.  After about a month and a half of being in ICU he was released to another hospital.  He was in the ICU there a couple of days and was placed into his own room.  He is now able to sit in a special chair for several hours and stood up twice last week.  He has a long way to go but we are able to praise God for a new miracle in Jimmy Don's life every day.  They say Guillain Barre can be reversed. We are simply ecstatic that he is alive. 
In other miracles my husbands grandpa has come to know the Lord through this miracle. He saw the power of prayer and how it worked.  He has decided to get baptized. 
In the mean time I have a hard time not having a house.  I am also on restriction from spending too much money, and we are not planning on any vacations this summer which might make me insane.  I grumble.  We have had the possibility of 2 houses, but one was a fixer upper that was going to cost too much money for us to fix up and the other house our offer was not the first one.
I am out in the country which is difficult for me since I am a city girl.  I love going to the country, but I hate having to drive everywhere.  I also get tired of the bugs.  I had never even seen a scorpion until I came out here.  I have officially had 4 in my house.  One I killed.  I also live with all sorts of beetles that I have never seen before and couldn't begin to classify, flies, and wasps.  My husband and I kill at least one or two each day inside our house. I can see them on the ceilings at night sleeping. 
I really want to go on vacation sooooo bad, but we are trying to save every dollar to put down on a house when it comes in our price range on the market.  That is another thing- I am scared that we will not be able to get a house in the neighborhoods we would like in our price range.  After all we are government workers.  It is difficult to wait. 
I say that then I feel horribly guilty.  My father in law can't swallow and yet I am complaining because I can't go on vacation?  I get frustrated with my husband easily.  Everything is topsy turvey and I am not sure when it will calm down.  I have to keep reminding myself that NO MATTER WHERE I am God is with me always.  He has a plan for us.  He wants the best for me. Lord help me to praise your name and trust in your holy plan for our lives.  I know you will bless us and keep us even when I fall short of your glory and begin to lose my patience.