Jack and His Monkeys...

Jack organized all his monkey and insisted on a few pictures!

These are the ones that sleep at the foot of his bed. We had to arrange them on one side, so he could have some foot space at night!  Check out the monkey hanging around on the right side of the picture

These monkeys are his red sock monkeys. 

Thesemonkeys are on the top bunk and all dressed in Cubs gear!
 Jack actually bought the red monkey at a Chicago Cubs game!

This picture has nothing to do with monkeys, but shows how Moose is never a step away from the boys!  When Moose first came to live with us, she chewed up a monkey pretty bad. Jack was so sad.  Since then, she hasn't touched a monkey!  I think she knew that the way to her boy she 's heart, was NOT by chewing his monkeys!  She is so smart!! Now she just lays on monkey pillows and reads Garfield comic books!

Major Bed Head!!!

The other night I could not get comfortable when trying to sleep, so I tossed and turned all night!  I think it had something to do with the three hour nap I took that afternoon!
I finally fell asleep around 1:00 (at least that is what I believe  - that what the clock said the last time I looked it.) I then woke up at 6:20 am and COULD NOT fall back to sleep. So I gave up on sleep and got up to start the day. And then I caught a look in the mirror!! WHOA!!

I had some MAJOR bed head going on!! Look at that HUGE snarl in the back of my hair! I use to get these when I was five years old because my hair was so thin and feathery!

(I decided I should put a more "appropriate" shirt on when taking a side shot...)

It looks like a bomb went off in the middle of my head and blew my hair to the side!!

Seriously, I did not touch this hair!  It's all business in the front and party in the back!! This "do" is proof to how lousy I slept that night...and no, I did NOT take a nap the next day, but I slept REALLY well that night! So well, I didn't even have to wash my hair the next day.  Oops, to much information?

Caught in the Act!

Check this out!

I as taking a picture of Jack and he blinked! I actually caught the blink!
Now that's good photography...not really, it's just creepy and make my eyes water!

 

Crazy Rich Asians....

I just finished the book, Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan.

Side note: I wanted to read this book, but saw that our local library did not have a copy...not that it was checked out, it just wasn't in their inventory!  So, I noticed a place on their web site where you can suggest books for the library to buy.  So I suggested Crazy Rich Asians and bingo it was approved and I got to be the first one to check out the book!  I KNOW!!

Back to the book...here is the summary from Amazon...

"Crazy Rich Asians is the outrageously funny debut novel about three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting, and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia's most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back."

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. At first I thought, "Oh great..Rachel and Nick are the perfect couple and all is going to be a bed of roses. Ho hum." Well, it starts that way, but as soon as Rachel arrives in Asia, the claws of the other girls come out, she is shoved into the Asian culture, faced with "old" culture and forced to handle extremely rich Asian families...all of this without any warning form her boyfriend, Nick. I never really understood why he never gave her the heads up!  There are some side stories that I actually enjoyed more then the Rachel and Nick story. There are even a few little twists in story and who doesn't like a twist?  I did find myself questioning, "Do people like this really exist?" I can't imagine being as rich and the characters in Crazy Rich Asians! It's a great summer read!!

 

 

Update...

The house is moving right along and Jason and I are so excited for it to be completed!!
Let me take you on a little tour...

This is the front of the house. The big "door" on the main floor will actually be a bay window in the bathroom. In the bay window, we will place a free standing "claw" type tub.

I am standing by the existing house, looking north. I am actually standing in the new living room and the back wall is where our new master bedroom will located.

Looking up from the living, you can see the railing on the second floor. I labeled the door into my scrapbook room. It is at an angle.

When I go up to the landing and look over the railing, you can see our master bedroom a bit better. You won't always be able to see the bedroom, because there will be a wall there!  You will be able to look over into the living room though.

From the landing, I look down the hall and see into my scrapbook room!

Another view from the living room...a look at the steps that go up to the second floor.

I thought I should show you the outside area!  This is the north wall..you can't really tell where the windows will be at this time.

This is the back of the house. The windows will be this large. We wanted to enjoy our fabulous view of the woods!!

This is the back of the house showing where the three seasons porch will be located. s you can see, there will be sliding doors into the porch area...we will also put sliding doors into the porch where the windows are located on the existing house.

Check back soon for more updates...we now have a roof and walls!!

 

A Sunday Morning Mile...

Last week, Sam and Jason both took part in the Ankeny Summer Fest Sunday Runs. Jason ran a 5k and Sam ran a mile. They both did very well!

Sam finished second in his age group. He is preparing to do the kids triathlon n Saturday! For that he will swim a 200, Bike four miles and then run a mile. He has actually been training all summer, so he is feeling pretty good about the upcoming race.

Jack and I watched from a nice shady area!

Jason got third in his age group!  He even got to go up on the winner's stand!

Here are the proud runners!!

A Junk Tour...

As you all know, I love to go junking. I haven't done a lot of junking lately, because I need to use what I have and I just haven't had the time to get out there and do some digging around!  Though, I do have my eye on some great junkin' events coming up this fall!
Anyway..I thought I would take you on a tour of my backyard to see how I have used some of my junk purchases!

This is my absolute favorite junk piece! I have been looking for an old tub or some time...one that I could afford! Last fall I did find one and was super excited to use it this summer! For the fall I put greenery in it, but I really bought it to use for holding drinks!!

It was perfect for a drink holder when having friends over for a BBQ last weekend!

I saw this at a junk show...old cheese graters as lights. There are candles underneath the cheese graters and look great in the dark.  Just don't touch the handles when the candles are lite...HOT HOT HOT!! I usually have three graters, but needed a bug candle this evening!

I LOVE having loads of candles and tiki torches lit around the yard in the evening. This little bug candle sits on an old chair...well, it's now a stool, it use to be chair.

Another candle! This set up is right out our sliding glass doors. I love the old vintage chair!  It's held up very well for a few years. The tin in an old Morell five gallon bucket. I would never put anything in it, but perfect for a little table! I have another one in my front garden bed to add color. The buckets were five bucks a piece! 

These planters were FREE as was the bench!! The previous owners had left the planters on the edge of the woods. They were turned upside down and had sunk into the dirt a good six inches. All you could see was the legs of the planter sticking out. We spotted one right away, but it was awhile later we found a second one.  It took two people to get them out because they are HEAVY!! When I move them, I actually have to roll them on their sides!! They haven't moved for some time!!

The previous owners left the bench behind because it would not work at their new house. Lucky us!! it is one of my favorite patio pieces!! This is like a little shrine to our friends Lee and Nancy!!

My mom found this "yard art" or plant holder for ten dollars! I love this one!! It can hold large flower pots and my Clematis LOVES to grow up on it..an extra bonus!  That Clematis was a bonus from the previous owners! When we landscaped, we thought for sure that the Clematis would be killed, but when I put out the planter, the Clematis grew up there and bloomed! 

A different angle of my 10 dollar yard art.

I found this old wire chair for 5 dollars!  The bird bath was another item the previous owners had left behind in the woods. It took three people to get that baby out!! When we pulled it out, it landed where you see it now and I have been informed, it is NOT moving...ever!  I usually put a big fern in the bird bath, but not this year.

With our addition, that means a junkin' trip or two will be in my future!! Yea!!

 

Happy Anniversary!

Jason and I have been married for 14 years today!
We have been together for 21 years.
We have been friends for 28 years! 

This is us, as friends, not high school sweethearts as some believe, in the year we graduated, 1988.
Jason and I didn't start dating until we were seniors in college...1992.
We were at a bar and started talking about the good old days
and really haven't been apart since that night.

And here we are 25 years later since the above picture was taken.

(The four fingers represents the 4th of July!)

Tons has happen in those years...it's been a roller coaster of a ride with ups and downs.

The best thing though, is that we are both willing and wanting to keep riding the roller coaster together!

Happy Anniversary, Jason!!

 

Happy Birthday, Jack!!

Happy 8th Birthday, Jack!

Jack now...and on the day he was born!

Sam meeting Jack for the first time.

And eight years later.

Where does the time go??
*sniff*

 

We Have Walls!

We have made some GREAT progress in the last week.
We are still behind abut 2-3 weeks, but it is just nice to see the house "shell."
Let me take you on a little tour.

I have enlarged the pictures and realize they are cut off a bit on the right side, but I was hoping you would be able to read some of the labeled areas. This is the main floor. To the left is the existing house. The wall on the left will be knocked out to join the two areas. I am taking the picture from the new living room.

 

The back of the house will be our bedroom, closet and bathroom areas. The boards on the floor show where there will be a wall dividing the bedroom from the living room. I am standing by the wall that will be knocked out.

When you walk through the bedroom door, you can turn right to go into the bedroom, straight to go into the closet or turn left to the bathroom.

 

This is the north side of the bathroom.
I am standing by the bathroom and shower area when I took this picture. :)

Now I am standing by the sink area in the previous picture.

The stairs lead downstairs or upstairs...let's go up!

When you reach the top of the stairs, there is a landing. Where the widow is located, that will become a door to connect the new area to the existing area. Where I labeled "here" and  "here" there will be a railing that overlooks to the living room below. I am standing in the office area...otherwise know as THE SCRAPBOOK ROOM!

I am standing on the landing and Jas is enjoying my scrap room!!

You can view the bedroom from the landing. You won't be able to see the bedroom when the house is completed because there will be a wall. You WILL be able to see into the living room.

 

This is how the house is looking from the front.

This will be my view from my scrapbook room. Hopefully it won't have a garbage bin the size of Texas for that long!

And this is the view of SOME of the scraps from my scrapbook room...these should be IN the dumpster the size of Texas!!

Hope you enjoyed the tour!
Check back for updates!!!