Pictures and Catch-up

OK, so this may take a day or two, but I wanted to get started. The trip to LaCaille was fun. And, because we were with a school group, we didn't have to read a menu, so we didn't have to disgrace ourselves with our non-existent french. I had the salmon, and Madi had the chicken. It was really good. I think most of the charm of the place is the atmosphere as much as the food. Here are a few pictures.

This was the bananas foster. Unfortunately, we should have asked for it to be non-flamed. The alcohol didn't all burn off, and it tasted kind of bad. The flames didn't show up in the picture.

And now, here is what everyone has been waiting for: pictures of our remodeling. John took these pictures at the beginning of the month. I will follow these up with some updated ones. Lots has been accomplished.

John has really worked hard. I did the painting in the bathroom, and I really enjoyed doing it. John has done most of the work. I have the material for the curtains in the rooms, too, I just haven't had time to sew them up. I'll get you a picture of the fabrics I've chosen soon. We are also waiting for the carpet to put down the stairs in the TV room and the bedroom. At the moment, we don't dare walk down the stairs without shoes on because we left the tack strips there after stripping the old carpet.

There are some more updated pictures to be downloaded, but I'm going to get this much posted tonight. The rest will come in a few days.

We're excited about the trip to Shakespeare! Talk to all soon!

(Although it says April 27th at the top, I didn't post this until 4/5)

"Tag" Answers

Ok, I guess I've been tagged. So, here goes---

1. Who do you love?
I love John, my two lovely step-daughters, Madison and Arden, and I love our precocious Gabe. I also love my Mother. I love most of my students, but here are the end of the school year, I will also love saying goodbye to them.
2. How long have you been married? We have been married for 6 years.
3. Who said "I love you" first. I did. We were talking on the phone one afternoon, and just before hanging up, I said it. And, just as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he said "I love you, too." Talk about walking on air for the next little while.
4. How long did you date? John and I had our first date on June 26th, he proposed on July 26th, and we were married on December 21st.
5. Where did he propose? In his living room, after we had met with the girls to tell them our intentions. Talk about making me nervous! After taking the girls to their mom, he formally proposed. An hour later he took me to the airport for my visit to Reno for 5 days. And my friend spent the whole 5 days trying to talk me out of it.
6. Who is taller? John is. I can wear heels and still be shorter that he is.
7. Who is smarter? John knows so much about so many things. And he remembers so much, too! The girls have inherited that from him. I can't remember whole entire books or history events like they do.
8. Who does the laundry? I do. John does a pretty good job, but we share the chores around the house, and I take on the laundry.
9. Who pays the bills? I do. But John had to teach me how to do it on the computer.
10. Who mows the lawn? John does. He really is an expert! And the lawn looks great when he is done. I can mow, and have mown, many lawns in my life. Growing up with my Mom and Grandma, mowing the lawn was my job during the summers. We had this old electric mower that you had to make sure you didn't run over the cord. In Tooele, I had a huge yard that had to be mowed on a weekly basis. It would take me about 2 hours to get it done.
11. Who cooks dinner? We both do. On week days, I cook dinner, but John is a great help on Sunday dinners. He really is a great cook! He makes a great gravy, prime rib, ribs, and other delectible menu items. I have actually learned quite a bit about cooking from him. Living on my own for so long, I didn't really know how to cook for more people.
12. Who drives? John does most of the driving, but he does trust me to drive when he is tired. Like Shelley, that is very satisfying to know that he can relax when I am driving.
13. So now I will tag Jennifer, and Sara, my sisters-in-law. They have probably already been tagged, but I don't know anyone else to send it to. Just answer the same questions, or make up some of your own if these don't apply to those you choose.

Catching Up, Again!

We're still here! John and I have been painting and working on the basement. I even painted the bathroom, both coats, myself. It is going to be great! We are finally seeing the end of this project, but the upstairs is still staring us in the face. It is going to be a busy few weeks. Summer vacation is definitely looked forward to.

It's late again tonight, and I haven't downloaded the pictures from LaCaille, but Madi and I had a great time. Of course there are always those people who say, "My so an so went to France, and they said this is nothing like it." But, since I haven't been to France, I thought it was pretty good. We even at escargot.

I'm taking the time to look at everyone else tonight, I just wanted to let you know we are still here. Take care, and I will catch up on pictures soon.

One very long, and not so good week.

This has not been the best of weeks. It started the day before my birthday when I discovered that my driver's license expired the next day, and I didn't have a chance to get it renewed until last Thursday. I didn't get a reminder letter, and they can't figure out why. But, things just got worse from there. On Monday, it was supposed to be a teacher workshop/workday, but it ended up being a make-up day for the snow day we had in February. Not too bad, except that it SNOWED! How ironic!

Wednesday I had a concert with both schools. I do one school at 6:00 and the other one at 7:15. It makes for a long day, and I didn't get home until 9:00 p.m. By Thursday, I was beginning to feel that everyone wanted everything from me all at the same time. Mom's nurses want things picked up "today" (not happening), her aide wants small items that can be substituted "today", John wanted the files cleaned out "today", and Gabe wanted to go play "Now". Ok, so I am working up to a good excuse for what happened next. I was feeling a tad bit stressed, but I wanted to get a jump on the laudry issue, so I just put one load in the washer before Gabe and I went for a walk in the park. When I got home and put the laundry in the dryer, something fell out -- my cell phone! I had washed my cell!!!! Does it work? Nope. Understandably, John isn't exactly pleased with me. At first, I dried it as well as I could, let it dry overnight, even blow-dried it. And, unbelievably, it came on! But it wouldn't charge. Yesterday I took it in, and they said it isn't the battery, it is the phone. Now, it won't even pretend to work. So, for the time being, I am cell-less.

Tomorrow Madi and I are going with a group from my junior high to eat at LaCaille. It is a great deal: we get the meal for half the cost it would normally cost people. It should be fun. Even the junior high students are on their best behavior. I will get home here asap, collect Madi and then meet the rest of the group by 5:00. I will take a camera and add them to a future blog (hopefully soon).

Here's to hoping the next week will be a lot better!!!!