My most amazing friend

I have some pretty wonderful and amazing friends in my life; I am truly blessed! But my friend Trish is just very amazing and inspiring. Right now she is in Cincinnati, OH with her daughter Elizabeth. Elizabeth (one of Trish's 15yr old triplets) just underwent her 63rd (I think) airway surgery. They rebuild Elizabeth's airway by taking a piece of her rib out and then cutting open her neck and inserting the bone into the airway. Yea, quite a major surgery. Trish, who happens to be the only bread winner in their family due to her husband's fragile medical condition, has to take 4-8 weeks off of work to stay with her daughter during the recovery. She did the same surgery when Elizabeth was 3yrs old; she watched her daughter virtually die before her eyes three times. Then, when Elizabeth was around 11 there was another major surgery too. And here we are again. I cannot imagine doing this. Trish sounds stressed and worried - who wouldn't be?!? Elizabeth is in pain.

I have known Trish since we were 3yrs old. Our lives have taken many different paths and adventures, both together and apart, but we have remained good friends. I think that is the sign of a true friend, one who is meant to be a part of your life for ever. It hurts to see someone you love struggle like this. But, she faces all these many struggles (and there have been more struggles in her life than seems possible!) with such grace, it just amazes me and inspires me. If that is her life's purpose than she is doing what she was destined to do! I just wish it was not so often and so extreme.

Think good thoughts for my friend Trish, Elizabeth, and their family. They need it!

Painting - Stage 3

Well, we put the 1st coat of the tan on the top of the wall. The color combination reminds me of *something* but for the life of me I cannot figure out what! Anyway, I like it, but still think the white and teal color looked fresher and crisper. Some day I just may repaint the top half white. But for now I still like the tan so much more than the previous wallpaper!!!!!!!

Stage 2 of Painting

So, we painted the bottom half of the dinning/toy room today. We picked out an awesome teal-y blue; I LOVE it more than I thought I would!

We picked out a tan color for the top half, but I am not sure I want to paint it. I really like the white color a lot. It is so fresh and crisp and really opens up the room. It is, however, very different from all the other rooms in our house. Well, I have the paint, I'll see how it looks I guess.

Ugly Flower Wallpaper is Gone!

When we bought our house - 4 years ago! - we intended on removing all the wallpaper. The wallpaper in the dinning room/toy room was just horrible, we thought. I had since come to accept it, and did not cringe every time I walked into view. However, I really did want to update it to our style. So ....

We purchased a steamer and began working Sat. evening. I worked for less than 2 hours and removed about 1/3 of the paper. Sunday afternoon I started again, and in less than 3 hours had removed it all! I cannot believe how easy and quickly this paper removal went!

In the planning stages...

So my friend inspired me to do one of two things very soon here. (I need to get to the beer store to do this, and well, that is not the everyday trip, especially with gas costing over 4.25/gallon now and me driving a huge gas guzzler!)

So, i am going to plan a beer bento lunch. Not for the kids, obviously : ) but for us adults! I have been toying with the idea of having it as a little party for some close friends. But here is the gist of the idea: Pair together a beer with a food that really seems to compliment the beer. So, have three or four beers and a food for each one. Nut Brown and a good brat or sausage, Corona (or some other good "light, summer " beer) and lime with guacamole and chips ... you get the idea. So the beer and the food would make a whole package for the party/bento :)

For those of you that live too far away (like China!) I'll have to make sure you get the "recipe" and can re-create it for yourself!

Red Tail Ale

Bill bought a 6-pack of my favorite beer, Red Tail Ale, the other day. Ahhhh. This is one of the things from CA that I do often miss. Although, Killians Red is not too bad a substitute. But the bigger problem is that CA seemed to have such the pluthera of small and micro-breweries to choose from in the everyday grocery store, and here, well not so much the selection.

In order to purchase a "good" beer you basically have to make a seperate trip to a high-end party store. Luckily we have found two in the semi-near area that have managed to serve our needs. Now I have to remember to seperate the good beers from the average beers when I take back the returnables, and then I have to remember which store to return what bottles. Ah, such the hassles of a good beer.

And then there is that Beer Tasting Party we keep talking about. Yea, it has been four years or more since we talked about that one! sigh. We suck at party throwing. Or, planned ones at least. Iam such a spontanous person that I have difficulties planning well.

Oh well, I have a cold Red Tail in front of me and I am happy!!

Exaustion!

I have been rather quite lately. But only online. My life has been turned upside down it seems. With the end of school and all that means with field trips, parties, and performances and the like, plus Annika's birthday, then add in the Community Garden we are helping with, and now that school is out I am watching little Ikey more and the girls also have swimming lessons Mon-Thurs, I am getting ready for our sub's annual meeting and family picnic plus planning the Simmons-Kreeger/MI-CA clan summer camping trip, and dear Lauren has declared that she wants to be home schooled this summer ..... did I forget something? Oh yea, ME! and even more so, BILL!

I finally threw in the towel today and scheduled a babysitter for tomorrow night. Don't care what we do, but me and the man are going out!