Archive for September, 2009

September 28th, 2009

Grapes, Pears, Scuppernongs, and Muscadines

I decided I have two options of what I can do with my time right now.  I can sit here ranting and fussing about how I’ve found even more stuff to add to the to-do list…like the fact that we totally need new faucets throughout the house, but the tub faucet is definitely leaking…or I can head outside and enjoy how nice the weather is today. 

Currently it’s 80 degrees out, but it’s a calm and cool 80 degrees.  There’s a ton of cloud cover and there is no humidity. Thank you lord!  I’ve been begging for the hot and sticky southern humidity to go away for at least one day so I could enjoy a little time outside.

I really need to head outside anyway because I haven’t realized how many grapes we have hanging this year just begging to be picked.  I guess I totally forgot because most of our vines only produce once every 2-3 years, and normally I’m disappointed because we don’t have any.  This year we’ve got an over abundance of grapes, and I definitely need to get outside and get some before they’re gone. 

Then I need to hit up the Scuppernongs before those go bad, and oh we’ve got tons of pears again this year.  The tree isn’t so full it’s about to break like it was last year, but it’s still pretty dang full.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get enough Scuppernongs to make Scuppernong Jam this year, but I know we definitely have enough Muscadines hanging like crazy at the pasture to make plenty of Muscadine jelly.  I just need to drag Hubby to the pasture with a few sheets so we can gather them before they’re all gone, too!

September 28th, 2009

Overwhelmed By Lack Of Time

I feel our before the baby arrives to-do list is getting longer and longer.  I think it just hit me today how much we still have left to do before Elliana arrives, and we really don’t have that much time left to do it. 

Sure November 26th seems like a good while away, but then I remember that it’s really not.  Plus we have no guarantee that this little girlie won’t decide to pop into this world early or decide to chill out on the inside for a bit longer.  If she’s anything like me I showed up 3 weeks early.  My mom always said I couldn’t stand not knowing what was going on out there, so I had to come out and see.  Who knows?  She may decide to show up right on time so she can be a Turkey Day baby.

As far as preparing the nursery goes we’re almost finished with that.  We’re down to a few minor things left to do because honestly there’s not a whole lot we can do anyway.  We’re stuck with ugly wooden paneling on the walls (just like almost every other room in the house), so we don’t have to paint. 

I’d do anything if I could convince my Grandparent’s to let us rip the paneling down, but my Grandma absolutely refuses. I’d even offer to pay their motorhome insurance for a couple months if I could get rid of the nasty brown stuff, but she likes the paneling *shudder*. She’s one of those little old ladies who thinks it’s “classic” and in perfectly good condition.  I say there’s drywall behind all the ugly paneling that is screaming to find it’s way to the daylight again, but as long as my Grandma is making the rules that’ll never happen.  That’s one of those things you just have to deal with when your Grandma is your landlord, and you don’t pay rent.

Anywho, the only other thing we have to do in the nursery is put down a rug.  The floors are ugly linoleum, and right now the easy fix is to throw a rug down.  I’ve even got a nice room size rug that will fit perfectly, but I’ve got to drag it out and clean it up as it’s been in storage for a few months.  Later on when we have the time we’re going to install hardwood floors.  We already have the flooring…getting Hubby to install it is the issue.  We all know what he could have been doing while he was laid off for 3 months, but we call see the flooring is still stacked up in my utility room!

The list for the rest of the house isn’t so pretty.  There are other rooms that need painted, floors that need repaired, door knobs needing replaced, and the list goes on and on.  After all the repairs are finished we have to finally settle on what we’re going to do about the heating situation since the nursery and bathroom are both on the side of the house that is wood heat only, and I don’t want to chance using the wood stove with a newborn.  At least she’ll spend a majority of this winter in her bassinet in our bedroom where she’ll be warm and toasty.  Then we’ve got to baby proof everything!  I totally feel overwhelmed and like we’ll never be ready for her in time.

September 18th, 2009

Ordering Gifts

After talking to Hubby on the phone for a few minutes on his break I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t really need to over think the anniversary gift this year.  His suggestion was that instead of trying to surprise each other we just each order one thing we want. 

That kind of works out because I’d end up ordering my own gift anyway! LOL!  Every year Hubby asks me what I want, and then when it comes down to the last minute he normally says to pick something out and order it. 

The traditional anniversary gift list says we should be giving each other sugar.  LOL I’m pretty sure we’ll be trading some of that but not in the form they’re talking about!  The modern list says Amethysts are the gift of choice.  Well that’s a possibility, but we all know I’m not a big jewelry person.  There are a couple cute necklaces I’ve picked out from this month’s Avon catalog, but I think I might just end up ordering the super cute wall candle sconces I’ve been checking out and calling that my gift. My only issue there is deciding if I want this set or these.

I guess after 6 years we’ve fallen into a routine of anniversaries not being such a big deal anymore.  I was just hoping we’d make this one a kind of big deal this year simply because it’s our last anniversary as a twosome.  Next year we’ll be calling up one of the Grandmas to babysit just so we can head out to dinner and a movie or something.

September 18th, 2009

Anniversary Gifts

Yep it’s still raining here for the most part.  We’re getting a slight break right now, but I doubt the porch will have enough time to dry before another shower rolls through.  All this rain has kept my mood quite blah over the last few days, but I’ve got to kick my butt in gear and get some planning done.

Sunday is our 6th anniversary, so I’ve got to come up with something for us to do.  I know we’ll go out for a nice dinner, but this year I have absolutely no clue where I want to go eat.  I totally don’t have a present for Hubby yet either.  He totally wants some video surveillance equipment for the back patio just so he can see his precious motorcycle. He’s using the excuse that it’ll be a great way to keep an eye on the baby, too, but I guess he doesn’t consider the fact that I’m not exactly going to be letting her run around outside by herself…especially not anytime within the next few years.

I may give in and get him a small little setup anyway as long as he agrees to put a camera facing the driveway as well. My lazy side thinks it’d be super awesome if I didn’t have to get up and look out the window every time someone pulls in the driveway. I could totally pretend I’m not home when an unwanted guest arrives! Most people call before they stop by anyway, but there’s always that one person that drops by unannounced.

Other than that I really have no idea what I could get him because he hasn’t really mentioned anything he wants.  I mentioned that I want DJ Hero Renegade Edition, but I won’t be getting that until October.  Then again we might as well save the $200 because once the baby gets here I’ll never have a chance to play it!