March 3rd...Really?

We got a massive amount of snow last night and I'm not the least bit happy about it. When I say "massive"...I mean just enough to stress everyone out but not enough to keep us snowbound at home. Grrrrrr.....it's MARCH for crying out loud!! I think we have about a foot accumulated in our driveway which we will have to shovel tonight. Normally, my neighbor takes care of it with his 4-wheeler/plow combo but he was nowhere in sight this morning. Not sure if he's out of town or what. But anywho....that means we'll have to dig ourselves out when we get home. NOT my idea of a good time. Thankfully, the snow is pretty powdery for the time being so it shouldn't be too difficult...just annoying. And, of course, we were dumb enough to buy Tony a little front-wheel drive car that is useless in this kind of weather so we are carpooling these days. Enough said about that. He tortures me and makes me listen to Rush Limbaugh all the way to town in the morning!!!! Double Grrrrrr!!!!!!

Anyway, in other news...American Idol was on again last night and it was the girls' chance at the Top 10. They were AMAZING!! We counted at least 9 out of the 12 that ROCKED IT...but there's only 5 spots and 7 will go tonight. You MUST tune in!!! This is GREAT television y'all!!! I am SO hoping my picks make it thru. I really like Ashton, Thia, Kendra, and that country girl...her name is slipping my mind. At any rate...they all deserve to be there and it's going to be heartbreaking to see their dreams crushed tonight when they get sent packin'. BUCK UP LITTLE CAMPERS is what I'll be screamin' at the TV. :)

OK...I suppose I should get some work done. That's all I got for now. Have a great Thursday and I will be catching up on some blogging later with pics from past events that I have failed to provide you with.

Take it easy, y'all.....XOX. Nanette

American Idol (Slow News Day...Sorry!)

Let me introduce you to Scotty McCreery!! America's newest rising star (imho) in country music!! My #1 pick on American Idol this season...GO SCOTT!! :) I know, I know...I'm a geek for watching "Idol" but it truly is one of the best shows on television this time of year. Tony and I miss football SO BAD right about now so it's nice to have something we both enjoy watching so much. My soft-spot for country music has drawn me to this contestant and I really believe that American Idol or NO American Idol...he is going to go FAR in the country music business. He makes me sqeal with delight when I hear him sing. He has God-given talent and is a breath of fresh air amongst the others in the group...althought MOST of them are amazing in their own right. If you aren't watching already...it's not too late! The talent this year is incredible and I think we will be happy no matter WHO wins it this time around!

Rollin' Into March...Under a Deep Freeze!

Wow! I can't believe it's been 9 days since I last posted! And March? WHAT? We would expect that spring is right around the corner but it's been SO cold out it doesn't seem possible. Over the last several days we have experienced a roller coaster of weather and it's just about to get worse. I heard this morning that it's been almost 3 weeks since it rained....which makes sense because it's been either clear and REALLY cold or it's been snowing. Hard to believe for this time of year in SE Alaska!! Rain isn't ideal...but at least you don't have to shovel it!! :) Anyway, so we've just been hanging on and staying warm and waiting for spring. Jake can't wait for spring break...and ME TOO! I've decided to take the week off work to finish unpacking the house. Did I mention this already? I probably did...oh well. Just consider it a "reminder". It will be my first (and hopefully last) "staycation". Google it if you don't know what that means. I can barely stand the thought of actually staying HOME when I have an entire week off work but 1. I NEED TO UNPACK!! and 2. I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO TRAVEL! (That's what happens when you buy a house!) Sigh...enough said on that one. I swear, tho, if I hear ONE MORE PERSON tell me they are going to Hawaii I just might SMACK 'EM!! Seriously!! What is the deal with EVERYONE going to Hawaii lately?? SIGH!!!!!!

Anyway, work has been crazy...we've had two new candidates come thru in the last week and we hired one today. We recently lost two therapists (3 actually) so we've been short staffed as of late. But today, we offered a job to a very nice therapist named Annie. She comes to us from Seattle and she fits right in. She even loves rain! I guess I should back up a bit and mention that we also recently hired a very nice man from Idaho....and we like him too. So, we are slowly getting back on track and will hopefully hire one more therapist soon to be completely staffed. It's been a bit stressful to say the least...it always is when people go and new people come in. You have to start all over getting to know them and their "style" etc...etc....it's quite a "dance". It's not easy and sometimes you get very attached (which stinks when they leave!!). We can't help but become like a family down there...a great, big, diverse, dysfunctional family!!! LOL!!! I'm kidding...it's not always dysfunctional. But if you know anything about Mental Health...you know what I'm talking about!!

But enough about work...I try really hard these days to put work behind me and focus on enjoying our new home. I haven't done any new projects since finishing the bathroom. Unpacking is my main focus for now. I need to get the guest room together also...which I'm rethinking these days regarding the "location". Right now it's right under OUR bedroom...I don't think it's going to "work". LOL!! There's NO privacy for anyone. I don't want to make Jake give up his room...and if I use the other room downstairs I will HAVE to paint...and right now it's DARK BLUE. It would be a big job to paint it. Sigh...I guess I don't have to paint right away but it's so darn ugly!! I want the guest room to be an "oasis" so to speak. Maybe that will be project #2. Actually it will be #3 since the room is currently FULL of boxes...and I'm not even kidding. I will have to take a pic so you will see what I'm up against in the next 3 weeks.

Jake is doing great in school...I feel I should mention that. I can hardly believe he's in 6th grade and almost in Jr. High. We have a teacher conference next week...then spring break the week of the 21st...then before we know it school will be out. Holy Cow...the time FLIES!! Only good thing about that is it will be SUMMER!! I can't wait for summer...my favorite season. Course, between painting the house and working out in the yard...there won't be much time for enjoying it. I do plan to try to get to Petersburg in July to see my friend at her family's cabin right on the beach. She has 4 kids and it will be paradise for Jake. I also want to get over to POW again to stay with Jaqie and her dad and hopefully do some fishing. We'll see....that's a ways off and just a DREAM at the moment. It's not as if the ferry is "cheap" and getting the time off work will be a challenge...only b/c I will need time off to paint the house when we get nice weather. PLEASE LORD...let it be a nice summer!!!!!!! Amen!!!!!!!

OK...I better go check on dinner. I can smell garlic coming from the kitchen. Just thought I'd drop a little line before too much time went by. I heard there's a big storm heading our way so maybe I'll have something exciting to report next time I'm blogging.

Hope you all are well and I'll see you soon!!!! XOXO Nanette

P.S. One exciting thing of note...the days are getting LONG!! It's getting light really early now and it's not dark until after 6pm. This is EXCITING...and...drum roll please...I have SURVIVED another winter in Alaska y'all!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! I deserve a fricken medal....Yep. :)

More Snow...

Our view this morning after waking to unexpected snow. As annoying as it is...it's still really pretty! Guess we are in for the never-ending winter. Ugh! At least I don't have to go to work today. Happy Monday!! :)

Recap

So, big daddy came home on Wednesday and all is well in our world. The week was VERY busy for me so it was super, duper awesome having him home so I didn't feel overwhelmed between work and taking care of everything at home. I spent a few nights, with Tony's help, getting my guest room somewhat "squared away" by removing the majority of the boxes (they went in the other spare room!) so I could put an air mattress in there for my gal pal, Jaqie, from POW. She had made plans to come to "town" to help see a friend of ours off who is moving north (a coworker of ours). I got both the room and the bathroom downstairs set up for her arrival. She came over via the ferry on Saturday morning. It's been SO great having her here. I tell her she's my "sister from another mister". LOL! I'll have to post about my trip over to POW last summer to stay at her dad's lodge. It was DA BOMB. But more on that later. At the moment, Ms. Jaqie is preparing a venison roast she brought over from her island. She also brought us more halibut as a gift....AWESOME! Last night we had our little "going away party" so to speak and today we've just been vegging out at the house. She leaves tomorrow...sigh. It's never enough time when we are together...but it just makes the time that much sweeter when we do have the opportunity to visit.

At any rate, tomorrow is President's Day and our office is closed. Yay!! I do have some work to do, however, as I have decided to take Spring Break week off and I need to keep up my hours in order to have the time to take in March. My plan is to unpack the ungodly amount of boxes still downstairs to be unpacked. I can't take them being piled to the ceiling in the other spare room down there. I am going to be so busy this summer I want to get it all done now...it will free up so much time later. I also can't find some things I'd really like to have!! I am excited! I'm also going to keep my friend, Cathy's, kiddo while she goes out of town that week so Jake will have someone to hang with while I'm busy unpacking etc....Cool beans!!

Anywho....that's about it for now. We got a ton of snow last night...more so in town than out here which was strange. Whatever...it's just ANNOYING. It cleared up today, tho, and the sun came out. It was super nice out today...gorgeous with all that fresh snow on the mountains. :)

I suppose I'll wrap this up and see if Jaqie needs help in the kitchen. I'm going to try and post a pic of her from my trip last summer. :) OK...I just did that and it shows up on top of this post...SIGH. Blogger is SO aggravating sometimes!!!!!! Oh well....that's my girl from POW. Isn't she cute???

Peace-Out!! Nan XO

Here it is!

And VIOLA!! No more ugly wallpaper....the color I chose is really pretty even tho it's hard to see in this pic. I plan to find a cool picture to go above the toilet to spruce it up in there.

Any suggestions on jazzing up my vanity? Can you "refinish" a vanity such as this one? New lights maybe?? Help!!


Thank goodness that wallpaper is GONE! Are you feelin' how much I hated it? I'm planning to get a little cabinet for towels etc to go in this space which is behind the door.

Found these uber cute hooks for the shower curtain. I need a new rod, tho...that one is HIDEOUS and dated. I also plan to get a skookum new shower curtain to add character...this plain, white one just isn't cutting the mustard in my opinion.

Thanks for visiting and come again for more pics of our new, humble abode!!! XOXO

Just a quick Hello....

So, it's been about a week or so since I started blogging again and so far I've only gotten 1 comment. Hmmmm...has everyone given up on me? Just kidding...I know it won't be long and people will figure it out. At any rate...Tony gets home from POW today and I'm SO excited! Seems like he's been gone a week...even tho it's only been a few days. :) It's just not the same without daddy around!! Jake misses him terribly when he's gone. I kept myself busy with redoing the bathroom and entertaining my friends I don't usually get to hang out with. Jake had a friend over Saturday night but has done well entertaining himself and hanging out with "just mom". Not sure if you all know this...but if Jake had to make a choice at home...Dad would win EVERY time. LOL!!

Anyway, I'm hoping to get pics taken of the "new and improved" bathroom as soon as I finish "pimping it up" and looking it's best. I just need a few more things. If I could replace the UGLY floor it would be the shizzle. But alas...THAT'S not happening any time soon. I still need to finish unpacking and getting the guest room ready. I think I'm going to have company this weekend...I better get crackin'!!! :)

OK...I just wanted to stop in and say "howdy" while I had a few minutes. It's really cold up here today (27) and is suppposed to stay cold and possibly snow some more. We got quite a bit more 2 nights ago. Our house gets more than most people cuz we are *just* high enough above sea level now to be ANNOYED by snow. :) I sure do miss living down by the sea!!

Alrighty-then...have a great Wednesday and I'll catch ya later!!! TTFN~ Nan XO