Quick Takes Friday

1-
We are settling into the new house and farm life a little bit more now. I have to admit that the transition to being an actual farm wife has been pretty difficult for me. It wasn't quite the same amount of pressure while living with the in-laws, so it was a bit of a shock when I had to do everything on my own. Particularly with the unpacking.

2-
My Bible Study group is currently going through the second in a series on Proverbs 31 by Kimberly Hahn called "Graced and Gifted". We were supposed to meet last night, but the woman who was hosting is 8 months pregnant and overdid it dealing with her 2 year old who has been throwing up for two days straight. In the end, we cancelled...but I did finally get around to reading what we were supposed to discuss last night (we'll discuss it in two weeks at my house) and I found a section that made me feel a little better about our current situation. Kimberly Hahn talks about a move right after her husband started his first job as a college professor. He was not able to really help with the unpacking process because he was so overwhelmed with work, and she had a 4 year old, 3 year old and 5 week old. She unpacked one room (in which she liked the previous owner's decorating) and would shield her eyes and just look at the room as a mental boost. I still haven't found that room (the girl's room is getting closer!) Anyway, she said it took about 6 weeks, unpacking at least one box a night to get unpacked and get the house livable. And I realized that although I don't have as young or as many children, I do have to make our house a home on my own (and I want to do a whole bunch of redecorating!) So, I can't expect our house to be perfect any time soon.

3-
Eva really wants to start school again, so my priority today will be to get the school stuff under control so that we can start again on Monday. Still trying to figure out how I'm going to work in painting the kitchen while doing school...maybe school in the morning, and then paint as much as I can during naptime?

4-
This weekend I get a little break from reality. Hubby was listening to the radio in his feed truck last week when the radio show was doing a movie review thing, where if you call in and review a movie, they will give you free tickets. I guess it is usually tickets to one of two movie theatres in the Denver area, but on this particular day they were giving away tickets to the Symphony. So, because we have free tickets (assuming there are still some available when we get to the box office...I don't think the symphony sells out that often...I really hope it doesn't tomorrow!) I got a hotel room on Priceline. Grandma gets the girls, and we'll get to leave at lunch time tomorrow, and then not come back to the farm until lunch time on Sunday. (Hey, it's away from the farm and to something cultural!)

5-
I got my hair cut this week...and I am resolving to put more effort into my appearance (given that my general amount of time is zero, it shouldn't be too hard to increase my amount of effort!) Both girls also got haircuts, and they look adorable...but older. What is it about haircuts that make your kids grow up overnight??? Serendipitiously, our haircuts (which I scheduled two weeks ago) fell on the same day as our family portrait for MIL's church photo directory. We really don't attend the church that often, other than special days (we did Ash Wednesday there, and will do Holy week there, too, probably.) I tried to avoid being in the directory (our parish just did one two years ago) but got suckered in...then we got suckered out of $125 for two 8x10s with one frame (and one 8x10 was allegedly free...) Oh well, the girls look cute in the picture!

6-
We are in desperate need of some tables for our living room. Our old house was so tiny, that when we wanted something to put a cup of coffee on (okay, today it is my morning tea) we would just drag over the kids little table. Well, their table isn't within dragging distance in our new living room...and we have no end or coffee tables. Currently, I have a two tiered step stool postioned between the couch and the recliner to function as a table. I looked at four thrift stores this week, and will probably drag hubby to more this weekend...I also think that we may go shopping at hubby's great-uncle's house to see if he has some spare furniture (okay we know he has plenty of spare stuff, as an antique junkie) that we could buy from him. He's been a little strapped for cash recently, so it would help us and help him if we can find some stuff there...now I just have to get that all set up!

7-
Hubby's little brother and his wife got moved into their farm house this week. The move did not go particularly well...it's kinda fun to watch newlyweds fight while moving! While they were loading up the rental house in town, a pig wandered through their yard, causing a minor distraction. Hubby posted pictures on facebook of the pig, SIL petting the pig, and then the police getting the pig back home. BIL did not find any of this amusing, and complained to his mom (and anyone else that would listen) that the pig made it so that loading up took an extra hour. Hubby reports it was more like a 20 minute distraction/delay. I don't know how the unpacking is going, but they have a lot of stuff for newlyweds!

More quick takes at Conversion Diary! (and I hope Jen's family feels better soon!)