Hard At Work

My husband works in the office in the front of the building, and runs the shop in the back of the building. To get to the back of the building quickly, he rides this Amish scooter that is parked outside by the front door. I just couldn't imagine him doing this...but I finally caught him in the act one day last week when I stopped by...

Doesn't he look embarrassed happy to see me?!

Around The House

I was dusting Brady's room this morning and noticed gum wrappers on his corkboard.

Really?  Is this a new collection or is he just too lazy to find a garbage can somewhere?  You don't have to tell me...I already know the answer.  Does he think pinning them on this board is quicker than throwing them away?  Interesting.  When we re-did his bedroom, we got rid of his little waste basket...so I guess I should put another one in there.

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Speaking of Brady's room....do you remember the desk Eric built a couple of years ago?



Well, it's not working out.  It doesn't fit in Brady's room with the double bed and dresser.  We have it in the spare room for the time being....but we're turning that room into a t.v./hangout/game room for Brady.  (When I say "we're turning it into," I mean we haven't done a thing yet.)  Brady has only sat at the desk a handful of times.  He prefers to do his homework at the kitchen table.   I feel bad that Eric made it...but I'm putting it in our garage sale next month!  I hope I can at least get half of what it cost to make it.  Probably not.

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I took my ugly lacy curtain thingys off the side windows near the front door this afternoon to wash them. 

 I love the extra light that comes in through these windows with just the silky curtain...but I hate the look of the silky curtain.  I would love to replace them with something else.  Do these two little windows by the door have a name?  I looked on Pinterest to see if I could get some ideas...but couldn't find anything.  I would really like to redo our foyer...area rug, bench, table, etc.  My husband has asked that we wait on these things until we get our kitchen done.  Oh, didn't you know we're updating our kitchen?  Yep, as soon as we get the truck repaired, the van windshield replaced, tennis camps, dentist appointments, a trip to the beach and who knows what else!  Maybe someday I'll have that kitchen reveal on my blog...until then, I've got nothing!

Happy Wednesday!



 

We're Big Drinkers

Well, it looks like it anyways!

This is actually the fridge that's out in our garage.

And, the inside fridge has milk, orange juice, unsweetened ice tea and a gallon of lemonade and half a 2 liter of diet coke.

Our fridge isn't usually this stocked in the winter.  We tend to drink more in the summer.  Recently my mother-in-law won a gift card for $100 to a nearby grocery store and split it amongst the three families.  I decided to use the gift card towards drinks.

Believe it or not, Eric and Brady are big water drinkers.  Me, I'm working on it. 

It's been almost 14 months since I gave up soda.  I did buy a diet mt. dew at the airport this summer and took one sip and threw it away.  It tasted terrible.  That's all I've had.  However, in place of my diet mountain dew, I've been drinking diet ice tea.  I guess I traded one evil for the other! 

On December 15, out of the blue, Brady announced that he was giving up soda for a year.  He says he's hoping that after the year is up, he won't like the taste of it anymore either (like me).  We have always allowed him only one soda a day.  Usually he chooses rootbeer without the caffeine.  There  have been a couple of situations since he gave up soda that have come up where soda was the only option.  He wouldn't budge.  He's so determined like that.  I have no doubt he will make it all year without.



What's in your fridge?!

A New Girl In Town?



Actually, make that lady.  Lady Gaga.

Lady Gaga has been seen around our neck of the woods for a few months now.  Her boyfriend, Taylor Kinney is from here and his parents live in Lancaster County.  She was first spotted at the Log Cabin, the restaurant where Eric proposed to me.  Since then, she's been seen at a nearby pub, the grocery and a cafe downtown.  Rumor has it that she is purchasing a home next door to her boyfriend's parents for 1.7 million dollars. 

I can't believe out of all the places in the world she could live, she would buy a house in our boring area! 

Anyhoo....if Lady Gaga and I start hanging out and become bff's...I will be sure to let you know!  Unless, she wants some privacy...I will just say my "new" friend Stefani. ;)

A Fashion Wannabe

I found these earrings today at a thrift store for $1.00.

(They're a coral color..and much prettier than my picture shows!)

As soon as I saw them, I knew they would go perfectly

with this outfit that I saw on Pinterest.....

Now, if I could just find the outfit!

I'm not very good at putting things together...I'm pretty basic over here. 

I think that looking at outfits on

Pinterest might be helpful for someone like me. 

 And maybe a personal shopper and a

little extra cash might be helpful for me too!

Have a FUN weekend!

~Kerri



Finally!

Yesterday, I said goodbye to my cell phone of 8 years......

(I'm the last person in the state of PA to have one of these flip phones)

It has served me well....and although I will miss the easy-ness of it....

I am so excited to get a new and improved one!  One that has texting, and internet and all

kinds of other stuff that I have no idea how to use yet!



Isn't she pretty?!

And, she's all mine except Brady seems to think she's ours to share......but, no.  Not this time.

Eric tried to suprise me almost 2yrs ago with a new phone...but I returned it.

I wasn't ready for the change.  Now, I'm older and wiser...and want to be cool like the rest of the population.

Text me!  :)

~Kerri

A Little Tour Through....

 We live next to a little touristy town called Intercourse.  After 19 years of living in this area...it doesn't seem so strange anymore that this small Amish town is called Intercourse.  It just is...and we don't think anything of it.   That is until someone comes to visit and thinks it's funny.  One time when my dad came to visit, he bought a shirt that says "I love Intercouse."  Except the "love" was a big red heart.  Gross, I know.

On the first day of school, Eric and I always go to Intercourse (hee hee..ok, maybe it's still kinda funny!) and have breakfast.  I thought I would show you some of this little town...since it's probably not on your list of must see places!  I could have taken about a thousand pictures...there's so many neat little shops.  Howwever, after about a hundred, my husband had had enough.

We had breakfast at the Kling House....so good!  They only serve breakfast and lunch.  The town pretty much shuts down at 5 o'clock.

Thousands of people visit Intercourse everyday...especially spring, summer and fall.  We were there early that morning...the crowd had yet to arrive.





Have you seen the Fix It and Forget It cookbooks?  The author of those books lives nearby. 

This is her store.

So, there you have it....a little peek into Intercourse, PA.

Pretty exciting, huh?!

Now I am feeling like I can talk about anything on my blog! ;)

~Kerri

How Does Your Garden Grow?



One of my favorite things about summer (my list is really long) is being able to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the Amish stands we have on every corner in our town.  I would love my own garden.  No, let me rephrase that.  I would love to reap the rewards of having my own garden...but I really don't want the work.  Plus, I'm not a fan of worms and dirt.  Yuk. 

We've been going through strawberries like crazy.  An Amish girl told me yesterday that strawberries will probably only be available until the end of the week.  Brady and I planted strawberries from a kit on Mother's Day, and he checks it everyday and there's nothing.  It doesn't look like there's going to be anything either, ever.  I'm thinking tomorrow when I buy more, I will put a few in his container outside...I wonder if he would fall for that?!

I bought all of these veggies and the strawberries for $9.00....much better than what I would have paid at the grocery store.  Speaking of the grocery, I decided to take some coupons along yesterday to the store and see if I could save a few dollars.  You know I'm hooked on that coupon show...except they're crazy, and I'm not.  Anyway, my bill came to $101.00 and after my discount card and coupons my total was $66.00.  I was pretty happy with that.  Of course, I didn't get anything for free...but one of these time I will!  It's my goal to walk out with one free item!  One of these days!

One last thing and then I'm done.  I feel like I'm rambling here.

Have you tried this greek salad dressing?  It's so good.  I usually prefer the creamy dressings like ranch and blue cheese, but I'm trying to find healthier ones.  This is my new favorite!



Do you have a garden?

~Kerri

This And That

I wanted to share the view out our kitchen window.  My picture doesn't really do it justice.

It's the prettiest view we get all year!  It makes me happy everytime I walk into the kitchen.

Last week I helped out with  Brady's 2nd grade field trip to Longwood Gardens.

It was a beautiful day....and the gardens were gorgeous.  I took tons of pictures.

I was in charge of this rambunctious group of boys!

They actually did very well...although I think they would have had just as much fun playing in the

 parking lot as they did walking around the gardens!  Boys!



Tomorrow is our anniversary. 

 Eric took the day off from work.  We haven't decided what to do yet...but it doesn't really matter.  He is my favorite person in the world to hangout with and it will be so nice to have the entire day to ourselves.   Oh, and Eric's parents are keeping Brady overnight on Friday.  Yay!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!

~Kerri

Hi Ho Hi Ho....



I ordered this tote from Thiry-One and it came in the mail the other day...

I love it!  There were so many patterns to choose from...I had a hard time deciding

which one I wanted.   The colors are really fun and it's the perfect size for packing my lunch.

Why do I need to pack my lunch?   Well......

After being home for 8 years, I am heading back to work!  I'm subbing at the elementary school.  Last week, I did title one tutoring.  Tomorrow I will be filling in for the school secretary.  Obviously, it's only part time as needed...but, I'm hoping something more permanent will open up in the future.  I will have to wait and see!

I have loved being able to stay home all these years.  It definitely wasn't the plan.  The plan, was for me to stay home with Brady  just the first year.   We didn't think beyond that and didn't think it would be possible financially.    That first precious year came and went...and the thought of me going back to work never crossed our minds.  It wasn't something we even talked about.   We cut lots of corners and made sacrifices along the way...and we wouldn't have had it any other way.  When I think of how blessed I have been to be home full time with my one and only child, I am overcome with emotion.  I am one grateful mama!

Since Brady started school 2 1/2 yrs. ago...I have been home alone during the day.  It was a big adjustment for me the first few months with him being gone all day.  I was lonely, and felt like school had taken my little boy from me.   Of course,  I got over it and have come to enjoy my alone time.  My husband has always enjoyed me being home too.  We meet for lunch a couple times a week and he takes days off here and there so we can hangout/ go shopping together.  He has always supported me in whatever I have wanted to do.   And, it's because of him that I have been able to be home all this time. 

So, hi ho hi ho...off to work I go!

I'm excited and ready!

~Kerri~

Recycled Sub Containers...



...make great cookie giving containers!









 

Recycle your contianers!