Northerly News

This week is dragging a bit...Paul is in Chicago for the week for school. We couldn't go and my nerves are bit shot. The terrible twos are full blown now, yesterday Tayton fell off the top bunk bed- in a seated position- Thank God! It knocked the wind out of him and I was pretty worried with his weird cry and limp body. The kids and I prayed for him right then and there, and up he rose during the prayer and ran across the room! Not even five minutes later, he was back up on that bed and trying to slide down again! The thing is that we were all in room when the fall happened, I was right there watching him and he is just so fast- I couldn't catch him! But he didn't learn a thing from it so I fear it will happen again. We tried locking the bedroom door today and then had a very hard time getting it open so...I don't know. Man, that kid gives me the gray hair!

Tonight he and Shifter(dad's cockapoo) ran laps through their house, both tired by the end. Didn't make bedtime any easier tonight though. Ugh. It's been a tough week, two more nights to go till Paul is home. He says I can take off the whole day Saturday so that will keep me going. One good thing is that Tayton has been sleeping all night for about ten days now! Very very nice!

We finally got our carpeting installed this past weekend. What a job! We installed our own in a bedroom before, but it was plush and this was like a sculpted berber/plush. I don't know how to describe it, but Paul and I worked til 2am last Friday night, kicking and stretching that carpet and the tack strips were ripping right out of the floor! So we managed to get it all cut and seamed well and after sore red knees on both of us, we called it a night. Saturday we were back at, even tried a bigger tack strip which didn't make a difference, but we figured out two things. Stretching with a power stretcher was part of the problem- we were stretching it too much, thus the tack strips couldn't hold it and you really need to cut and tuck it as you go. Needless to say, we decided to never again install carpet ourselves. It was all finished by 6pm Saturday though and does look really nice. We got all the baseboard on, door trims, and still have a little more to go and we'll be set for our final inspection. We still have to get our mechanical permit and inspection for the ductwork. All the hoops...but we're getting there, it's been a year already.

Our state fair came and went last week. The kids and I went one afternoon, Katia and Tayton rode on the ponies. Tayton kissed his on the nose when the ride was over!:-) Then Tyler went again with his friend and rode all kinds of rides. It's such an expensive thing here- wristbands are $18 a piece, and admission for kids is always free, but adults are $6. We knew we wanted to go through all the animal barns and pocket park to fish and we accomplished all that. Our fair was nicer this year though. The days of past when you were harassed down the midway to play games by the workers are hopefully gone. Our fairgrounds hired a new team and it was so nice, a very pleasant change. Both kids said they were happy to just be there to see friends and walk around. Bless their hearts.

We had our board meeting at church last night. I've learned so much from it. I love using my brain again- trying to figure out budget stuff. The board seems happy with my work and they are always so thankful. Next month, looks like I'll be working with the youth group again. I'm looking forward to it. The studies are not only geared for the kids, but also for the coaches(leaders). We have verses to learn right along with the kids and can achieve the same levels as them. It'll be a good motivation for me to really learn and remember verses, I hope. And my own kids have told me that I need to earn gold with them. It's going to be a busy fall!

It's chilly at night, I'll have to close the windows tonight as it's supposed to get down in the fifties. The goldenrod is out up here and my allergies are back. I thought I missed out of them this year. The days are cooler too- only in the lower seventies. I've been hanging alot of laundry on the line thinking partly that it must save on our electric bill and I read just the other day that one load saves 50 cents and that you only save $78 a year. Hmm...is it worth it? I don't really like crunchy clothes, but do love the smell of sheets on the line. Maybe I'll scale back and use the dryer a bit more now.

That's my news.. hope all is well with everyone.