Nano!! Part II

So, we are officially at war with the nano. It just so happens that I am married to a master of google earth. Incidental use, purely incidental. According to his PhD calculations, the loop he did the other day was exactly a 5k. So, I set out to run that loop. Okay, I cut a few corners, but I did at least 3k, maybe even 4k. According to Nano, I ran 1k. This thing is mean! Starting to remind me of Hal! On top of that, according to google earth, I am covering some serious contour lines, like at a 90 degree angle. Nano!

Love and Windows

I've been meaning to blog about this for awhile now. A month ago, Opa came for a visit solely to replace our windows. Yes, we are one of those families who got the energy-efficient windows as a result of the stimulus. But even with the stimulus, this is something we never could have afforded without the precious gift of free labor that Opa gave to us. He stayed for 10 days, rising at dawn and working until dark to replace our windows. It was brutal work. Husband stayed home for a few days too to saw through our stucco and get the old windows out. I know he had a wonderful time working with his dad and learning from him.

Anyone who really looked closely at our home before this would have noticed that we really needed new windows! Most of the panes had water damage and so light was really diffused in addition to the windows never looking really clean.

If I didn't have a tiny white angel standing on a chair next to my countertops begging frantically for hot chocolate I would say a lot more about windows and eyes and love and taking down bars to let more in and out and how some people love by flying 1000 miles and working themselves to the bone and how our house is a million times warmer now and that too is symbolic.

Did I mention, also, that it was a record coldest week in ever that particular week? So not only were they tired, they were freezing!

But in a word, Thank you Opa, for loving us enough to fix our windows. As you can see, we are enjoying them very much!

Love and Tea Parties

In the cute or sad category, you will see above my "frugal beautification project." I was feeling valentiney but didn't want to spend upwards of $20 at Hobby Lobby to "make something," which always ends up happening when I visit Martha.com. So, with some colors scraps, kitchen skewers, and a flower pot that we already had. Heidi and I sat down with scissors and paint and created these cute heart flowers and painted the pot pink. For nothing! Go us. We had some leftover cantelope seeds from last season so I planted them and they came up! Perfect for my "is love alive?" theme. Yes, love is alive, and it is growing.
But still, real flowers are way, way better. Thanks, Pinks!!

One of my favorite moments ever.

Come on sister, smile! Sister is starting to show a little wear and tear these days--this would be why.



Here are my sweet babies playing tea party. And poker. Actually, at the J home we have coffee parties instead of tea parties. I'm hoping that if they start drinking it now they'll end up in the normal height range instead of gargantuan like mommy. Kidding, kidding, kidding. Anyways, this is what we do during the winter when the temperature is below 50 and we can't see the sun. That means we can't go outside. Just like Laura Ingalls Wilder, our entertainment must be found indoors. I haven't given them wood shavings yet, but we're thinking about it.

Nano!

This morning I finally used my ipod nano properly. I thought. I ran for 20 minutes (uphill, in the snow) with Una, made my way from one side of our mountain to the other (around the base, not over), and then walked for 10 minutes, briskly, you know, to burn maximum calories.

Now, I know I'm not the fastest runner in the world.

But this is ridiculous.

According to the Nano, my pace was a 62 minute mile. I ran .54 miles and burned 53 calories.

Oh, I pray this is wrong.

Go Here. Now.

If I haven't blogged much lately, it's because every time I have a minute with the computer, I end up at this blog in tears. This blog was worth visiting all along due to Kelle's talents as a writer and artist, but this birth story is the most amazing I have ever read. Pure redemption.