Cabinet Fairy

The Cabinet Fairy arrived today, and wow, did she ever deliver great bundles!  The cabinets for the study, laundry room and kitchen were delivered.  I opened all the doors and drawers just to check and see how they all worked!  Guess what -- they all work!

Mr. Fixit decided to install the laundry room cabinets first, because they are all base cabinets.  This makes it easier for one person to install, since they set on the floor.  So, tomorrow, Mr. Fixit's friend, BW will come and help install the upper cabinets.  Then I can start filling them with all of our awesome kitchen stuff!  Some of the kitchen stuff has been hanging out since the wedding -- just waiting for its home spot!

Mr. Fixit commented on the sugar cookies he got yesterday from my friend BH.  I had to reassure him that I would bake once again -- when the kitchen has been assembled!  So, in the meantime -- we will have to dream about those delicious cookies!

Friends

Some days are quite unbearable -- but then -- a friend comes along, and it all fades away!  Pretty soon you are laughing through stories, jokes and tv commercials.  Life is great again!

I was blessed with visits from two fabulous out of town friends this weekend and week.  One traveled from afar, and another from not so far, but it was awesome to have them here.  Thanks EM and BH!!  We shared some delicious meals and caught up too.  Here's wishing you a safe journey to your next destination!

Volleyball Views

Volleyball was never one of my better sports -- in P.E. -- that is.  You see, the net was so tall, and the balls were quite painful.  I would always end up with bruises on my wrist and forearm from serving.  I just decided that this was not the sport for me.

Well, the world of volleyball has changed!  My friend EM and I went to watch nine-year-old niece #1 play a match today.  No mercy for the kids, by golly -- the nets were as tall as they could be!  They did awesome though!  I learned about rally scoring and that games go to 25 points.  It was amazing how well these kids did.  Very cool!

I snapped an after game shot, because, how does one photograph volleyball when it is happening?  I think you could get either the net or the back of kids's heads.  Not good photos, I would say -- but a terrific job first year volley girls!!

Big Surprise

I love it when a surprise works!  Surprises are hard though, because it seems like it is F-O-R-E-V-E-R until the big moment arrives!  This weekend was the best surprise ever!

A partnership with a very good friend's family and some friends both near and far, resulted in the most fun 50th birthday celebration.  We roasted hot dogs, ate homemade donuts, had a hayrack ride, made smores, shared some laughs and caught up over carmel apples and sugar cookies.  The day was simply yummy, and made for the best memories!  I wish I could rewind and enjoy it again and again!

The best part of the day was seeing the shocked face of the birthday girl, as more guests arrived for the festivities.  Thanks EM for coming from DC to totally seal the surprise deal!  Happy Birthday DM!!!

A Bit Melancholy

Some days are just, "one of those days!"  I think this was one for me.  It seems that things just went wacky right from the start.  Ever have a day like that? 

Today is a busy time in the world of youth development - awards, re-enrollment, entries to return to youth from the State Fair, officer elections, upcoming achievement celebrations, new club leaders, reporting and a few other odds and ends that always come up this time of year.  I always say every year -- I can do this -- I will survive!!  Then I get a day when, I think, "Oh my, whatever have I gotten myself into?"

Today I have also been thinking about my Secretary.  Well, she is not my Secretary anymore, because she retired in January.  Today, though, I have really been missing her.  She was my right hand girl, I tell ya.  She helped me battle the end-of-the-year and the beginning-of-the-year stuff, because it all came at us at the same time.  I definitely feel the void, and wish we could hire another person, but we can't.  So, I just want to say - that I miss her - that JB!  And, I do hope she is enjoying all the fabulous fun that retirement can offer!

State Fair

Mr. Fixit and I took a break from the house -- for one day -- to visit the Kansas State Fair. Ok, so it wasn't only for visiting, I just had about 100 exhibits or so to haul back!

We visited some of my favorite fair sites, like the butter sculpture. This year the 756 pound sculpture was of two sheep. They were jumping and having quite the time in their butter pasture. I snapped a shot for you to enjoy. The sculpture is in this little refrigerated viewing room. There is plexi-glass on three sides -- so it is pretty incredible. People come every year to see this fair tradition. Did you know that there has been a sculpture at the Kansas State Fair every year except 1997? Quite amazing! I think they re-use the butter each year too, but don't quote me on that fact!

I love the Pride of Kansas Building -- I think it is my favorite building of the whole fair -- well, except the 4-H building, of course! The Pride of Kansas Building has large pumpkins, watermelons, cool looking gourds, wheat, milo and all kinds of Kansas Agriculture products there. It is an awesome way to experience Kansas -- in one building! I couldn't resist taking a picture of this cool pumpkin that someone transformed into a jar of Jif peanut butter. Yummy!

Mr. Fixit enjoyed visiting with some businesses about building stuff and seeing the classic car show. We even rode on the fair ski lift ride, and saw the entire fairgrounds from the sky. Super fun! Then it was back to work, taking exhibits down, loading them in the van and trekking home. The fair is officially over for another year!

Mountain Mist in Progress

The painting thing is totally progressing! I bit off a big part of the painting pizza this weekend. The laundry room is done. Check! After a day's worth of ladder exercises and 4 gallons later, the kitchen and dining area is done too! Mountain Mist is the color - which is a light gray. Mr. Fixit and I both thing that it has a hint of blue or purple in the gray. Whatever the case, we decided that we like it!

The first room of tiled floor has been completely laid and grouted. So, here is a sneak peek of that floor. This floor was laid in the office area. The floor color is several shades of gray and a hit of white -- kind of a marbled effect. The grout color is called "Mushroom." I wonder who gets to name all these things? That would definitely be a job I could get into!