We're going camping today and staying till Monday! I'm so excited!! Synnove woke this morning with a TERRIBLE cough, and Soren hasn't stopped crying since breakfast. I'm SO ready to get away for a few days.
When I get home I'm gonna be starting on a BIG painting project...my entire downstairs. That also includes trying to "fix" my UGLY brick fireplace. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix it? I don't know that I want to just paint it...I was thinking of touching it up somehow (after I try to clean it of course). I've also decided to paint over ALL the cedar (every single wall in my 1300 square ft. basement is covered in cedar...ceiling to floor. I'm gonna paint them white and some sort of tan color. Keep that in mind when thinking about the fireplace. You can sort of get an idea of my basement in the pic of Adam taking out the old woodstove in the last blog.
I would LOVE to hear any of your fabulous ideas.. =)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The LONG update...
I've been slacking with this whole blog thing lately, mostly because I've just been too busy to take the time to do it. It's now Saturday, and my darling husband has taken the kids down to the "shop" (the giant building that houses all of our "toys") to sift through old aluminum roofing panels to put on our new wood storage shed beside our house. So, I have a few minutes to update you all on what we've been doing in the last couple of weeks.
During the last week in July, Adam was gone for another week for work, so the kids and I packed up and stayed the week at my parents' house. That was also the week of the County Fair, and I think we managed to go 3 out of the 5 days. My mom always buys fair passes and kindly shares them with me so I don't have to pay to get in...otherwise we would go 1 out of the 5 days. Synnove enjoyed the rides this year and wanted to go on the "alligator" (dragon roller coaster) many times. Soren wasn't too keen on the rides...he enjoyed the first 10 seconds and wanted to get off. Here's a picture of them playing on the display tractors. Soren did NOT want to get off!
Early the next week, Synnove decided to take her Power Wheels 4-wheeler down the cement steps behind our house. This picture doesn't show it well, but she got a big fat lip and bruised cheek. This is probably the 2nd biggest boo-boo she's ever gotten...the 1st being when she slammed 4 fingers in the door.
During the last week in July, Adam was gone for another week for work, so the kids and I packed up and stayed the week at my parents' house. That was also the week of the County Fair, and I think we managed to go 3 out of the 5 days. My mom always buys fair passes and kindly shares them with me so I don't have to pay to get in...otherwise we would go 1 out of the 5 days. Synnove enjoyed the rides this year and wanted to go on the "alligator" (dragon roller coaster) many times. Soren wasn't too keen on the rides...he enjoyed the first 10 seconds and wanted to get off. Here's a picture of them playing on the display tractors. Soren did NOT want to get off!
Early the next week, Synnove decided to take her Power Wheels 4-wheeler down the cement steps behind our house. This picture doesn't show it well, but she got a big fat lip and bruised cheek. This is probably the 2nd biggest boo-boo she's ever gotten...the 1st being when she slammed 4 fingers in the door.
That Saturday we went to the Regatta Parade! The kids loved all the candy. And, surprisingly, Synnove really REALLY wanted to see the clowns. After the parade we went over to my grandparents' house for a little family reunion with some of the people on my grandpa's side of the family. 
The next day, my sister and future brother-in-law came over for dinner. We needed Chris to help us cut a few trees down by our house. He owns his own landscaping business and is an experienced tree-faller. He cut 3 alders on the side of the house to make room for the wood storage Adam would be building that week, and he cut this monster noble fir behind our deck! We didn't want the root system messing with the foundation of the house someday. I have a video of it, but it wouldn't upload properly. 
Here's the conqueror up close =)
The NEXT day, I met up with my old friend Margo and her two darling daughters, Abby and Norah. We went to Tapiola Park and had ice cream and Dairy Queen. Margo now lives in Albany where her and her husband are music teachers. Margo's mom Carol was my first Sunday school teacher way back in the day...I was probably 5. Margo and I were good friends as teenagers, worked together at Subway for a couple of years, and I eventually followed her to George Fox University! She's a great friend =)
Being gone for most of the day, Adam was able to clear away some of the mess we made with the fallen trees and start preparing the plans for the new wood storage. On Tuesday, we made a trip with fellow Svensenites Don and Alice (my uncle and aunt) to Longview. Adam and Don went to get supplies for the things that they are building (Don is working on a new chicken coop). And, Alice and I made a trip to Walmart, Ross, Michaels, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Winco. Their daughter Heidi stayed home with Synnove and Soren. We had a BBQ that night.
Here's a pic of the new wood storage...in progress.
Once Adam couldn't go any farther with the wood storage, he started a new project...taking out the old wood stove in the basement. That same day we were planning on going to the stock car races in St. Helens. We weren't planning on purchasing a new one THAT day...but...It's a long story, but by the end of that day we had a new wood stove, my parents had a new wood stove, and my Uncle Don and Aunt Alice had a new wood stove! Adam managed to pick 2 out of the 3 up in Cornelius at Coastal Farm and Ranch (the 3rd was on order) and then met us at the races.
The new wood stove is too pretty for our ugly basement...I'll try to remember to post a picture when it's all installed. This is the old one....
The NEXT day we were planning to go to church, but the kids had a really rough night. We didn't get home from the races till almost midnight because there was a semi-serious accident that took up a lot of time during one race. Then Synnove woke up from a terrible nightmare and wouldn't go back to sleep. We didn't go to church, but we had already planned to have some friends over for a BBQ that night...so we cleaned house and got ready for that. We all had a great time and look forward to doing that again soon.
This last week was relatively uneventful (thank goodness). I've been buying and selling things on Ebay, and I have continued to work out on the elliptical and am trying to stick to the diet plan. Synnove and I cleaned the chicken coop yesterday (dirty dirty work!!), and Adam went to Beaverton to visit his dad. Today, Adam is putting the roof on the wood storage and Adam's mom and niece and nephew are coming for a visit.
Here's one last picture of my grandmother (dad's mom) and all her GREAT-grandbabies. She wanted the picture taken for an "event" that's taking place next month. She's going to be inducted into the Warrenton High School Hall of Fame =)
My kids are on the left, Grandma is holding Tayanna (sp?), Wesley's baby, and Wendey's kids are on the right...Halle and Michael.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Exercise Woes
About 3 years ago my darling husband bought me an elliptical trainer for my birthday. It was something I really REALLY wanted and was ecstatic to get it. It arrived at our house in Cornelius while I was at the store and they just dumped it in my driveway. This was no wimpy trainer like the ones they sell on infomercials...this was the real deal. So, you can imagine how incredibly heavy it was. It arrived in several pieces, but the base was fully assembled. I can honestly say it was the heaviest thing I have EVER lifted. Adam and I had to carry it all the way upstairs to our bedroom. We put it together...I think it took 2 or 3 hours. There were several parts broken, mostly the superficial plastic parts, so I was still able to get on it. It sounded horrible...grinding at every step.
Needless to say, I was frustrated. The next day I called the company and they had to send out a technician to look at it. Over a week later a sweet old man came to my door smelling strongly of Ivory soap and carrying a tool bag. He was probably in his mid to late seventies and he was the ONLY tech within reasonable driving distance (Salem) paid for by the manufacturer. Of course, he had to order parts, wait for them to come, and come back another time. Two weeks later he came again and fixed it. It sounded like a dream...smooth and quiet.
After he left, I put baby Novie down for a nap and decided to start my daily workouts. I was sooo excited to finally shed some baby weight!! Ten minutes into my first stint it started to squeak at every other step. It was extremely annoying. I couldn't hear the show I was watching, couldn't concentrate, and was in fear of waking my sleeping angel. Heaven forbid! It bothered me so much that I had to get off and couldn't get back on till it was fixed. So, I called the company again and they sent the sweet little old man again. He came a week later, took it apart, and had to order another part. So, he came back days later and basically jury rigged it into not squeaking anymore (the part didn't completely fix it). He told me stories of his grandkids and raising his kids on a farm and becoming very handy fixing tractors and implements. He left, I got on, and it seemed to work fine.
I went on it daily for a few weeks...mind you, the squeak DID come back, but I tried to ignore it. Obviously, it was a chronic problem that was never going to go away. I looked online to find customer reviews on the same machine and everyone else seemed satisfied..."such a quiet machine that works great!" Why do I always get the dud!!?? THEN, it got a problem with the console and we had to order a whole new one...blah blah blah. Despite my efforts to continue my daily regime, the squeak got the better of me and I just couldn't do it anymore. Then I got pregnant again and got into the no-exercise mode.
That poor machine that cost us an arm and a leg just sat in our room collecting dust for 2 years! Thankfully, we didn't have to move it downstairs and into our new home....the movers had to. I was actually excited to get it into our new house because I could do a workout downstairs while the kids played and I could be in the same room with them. They could be a distraction to the squeak, and I wouldn't have to worry about waking either of them.
We finally got around to putting it together a couple of weeks ago, only to find that two major pieces were missing. We looked EVERYwhere for them and in every box packed by the movers. They were nowhere to be found. Of course, when the movers leave your home, they make you sign a form saying that all your stuff arrived safe and sound. Yeah right, like I could go through all the boxes in a few hours and take an instant inventory. Both the pieces were steel shafts that they probably stole to sell and buy meth with...who knows. Thankfully, you can still order parts for it, so $111 later we got them in the mail. Adam began putting it all together when he realized ANOTHER piece was missing...not to mention all the plastic that was broken off the pedals in the move. Another $35 later, it's finally all put together!
I had no doubt that the squeak would still be there...and for sure, it's there. And yes, the kids and the TV are a welcome distraction and it doesn't bother me as much. At least it works! And even though it cost me a whopping $146 to fix what the movers stole/broke/lost, I'm thankful I wasn't the one who had the move it =)
Needless to say, I was frustrated. The next day I called the company and they had to send out a technician to look at it. Over a week later a sweet old man came to my door smelling strongly of Ivory soap and carrying a tool bag. He was probably in his mid to late seventies and he was the ONLY tech within reasonable driving distance (Salem) paid for by the manufacturer. Of course, he had to order parts, wait for them to come, and come back another time. Two weeks later he came again and fixed it. It sounded like a dream...smooth and quiet.
After he left, I put baby Novie down for a nap and decided to start my daily workouts. I was sooo excited to finally shed some baby weight!! Ten minutes into my first stint it started to squeak at every other step. It was extremely annoying. I couldn't hear the show I was watching, couldn't concentrate, and was in fear of waking my sleeping angel. Heaven forbid! It bothered me so much that I had to get off and couldn't get back on till it was fixed. So, I called the company again and they sent the sweet little old man again. He came a week later, took it apart, and had to order another part. So, he came back days later and basically jury rigged it into not squeaking anymore (the part didn't completely fix it). He told me stories of his grandkids and raising his kids on a farm and becoming very handy fixing tractors and implements. He left, I got on, and it seemed to work fine.
I went on it daily for a few weeks...mind you, the squeak DID come back, but I tried to ignore it. Obviously, it was a chronic problem that was never going to go away. I looked online to find customer reviews on the same machine and everyone else seemed satisfied..."such a quiet machine that works great!" Why do I always get the dud!!?? THEN, it got a problem with the console and we had to order a whole new one...blah blah blah. Despite my efforts to continue my daily regime, the squeak got the better of me and I just couldn't do it anymore. Then I got pregnant again and got into the no-exercise mode.
That poor machine that cost us an arm and a leg just sat in our room collecting dust for 2 years! Thankfully, we didn't have to move it downstairs and into our new home....the movers had to. I was actually excited to get it into our new house because I could do a workout downstairs while the kids played and I could be in the same room with them. They could be a distraction to the squeak, and I wouldn't have to worry about waking either of them.
We finally got around to putting it together a couple of weeks ago, only to find that two major pieces were missing. We looked EVERYwhere for them and in every box packed by the movers. They were nowhere to be found. Of course, when the movers leave your home, they make you sign a form saying that all your stuff arrived safe and sound. Yeah right, like I could go through all the boxes in a few hours and take an instant inventory. Both the pieces were steel shafts that they probably stole to sell and buy meth with...who knows. Thankfully, you can still order parts for it, so $111 later we got them in the mail. Adam began putting it all together when he realized ANOTHER piece was missing...not to mention all the plastic that was broken off the pedals in the move. Another $35 later, it's finally all put together!
I had no doubt that the squeak would still be there...and for sure, it's there. And yes, the kids and the TV are a welcome distraction and it doesn't bother me as much. At least it works! And even though it cost me a whopping $146 to fix what the movers stole/broke/lost, I'm thankful I wasn't the one who had the move it =)
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