Time Flies...

I just realized that it's been over a month since I posted anything... oops! I keep meaning to! Updates in our lives... really, work, school, and weekends with the kids seem to take over all of our time, so there isn't much to update. We were given a small dining room table a few weeks ago, which has been such a blessing. :) It's nothing spectacular, but it's nice to have a place to sit together and have dinner. Josh and I make a point to sit at the table a couple of times a week (we don't get to have dinner at the same time all that often during the school year) and we love family dinners together with the kids.

We'll have the kids with us next weekend, and we're talking about trying to make root beer together. :) I'll take pictures and post them, so stay tuned... :)

Girls Weekend

My weekend in Washington D.C. and Virginia was wonderful! As you can tell, we did take in a few sights... this was as close as we got to the White House, but we did find a nice couple to take a picture of all of us! This is actually the only picture of the three of us together that I have!

I love being with my sisters. :) They are wonderful friends, and ladies that I just enjoy spending time with. It was a fabulous weekend together!

Baking Cookies

Today was a baking extravaganza! I have found myself this year offering to bring cookies to classes that I really enjoy... just before I went to Virginia, I had a wonderful group of students, and promised them cookies. So, this afternoon I baked 4 different kinds of cookies: 8 dozen chocolate chip, 8 dozen oatmeal chocolate chip, 6 dozen peanut butter, and 6 dozen snickerdoodle. I am exhausted! I think I should remember this moment the next time I offer to bake cookies. :) No more baking for at least a week!

A mini-van?

For those who do not know, my Jeep broke down this week... while in the shop, I had to rent a vehicle. Unfortunately, from the time I reserved one online until the time I picked it up the following morning, all the economy vehicles left the lot, and I was left with a mini-van. I planned to take a picture, but, well, didn't. :) I have to admit, the van itself was a nice, comfortable, roomy, and drove really well... I might have to consider one in the future. :)

My Jeep will be repaired, but is on its last legs. I will most likely be replacing it within the next six months. It is a sad, sad day...

Happy New Year!

To my fellow bloggers... Happy New Year! I hope everyone has great big plans, and that this year will be better than the last. :) As for me, I am still working on my resolutions... I want them to be realistic, and need to pare down the list so there are fewer, but more achievable, goals to work towards. What is on your list? Of course, there are the typical ideas for weight loss, paying off debt, and saving money, but most of all, I want to be happy... to improve relationships, create stronger friendships, and find joy in each and every day. I hope each of you are able to do the same!

The View

I am so excited that we had a White Christmas! Boise hasn't had this much snow in more than ten years. It's beautiful!

While it cannot be seen here, there is a dock on the side of the lake where we often see fishermen. I'm not sure what they catch, but it seems like a great way to pass an afternoon. :) This summer we're going to buy a couple of poles and spend a little time fishing!

This is the best part about our new home... the view! We can sit on our patio and watch ducks and beavers on the lake. Across the lake is the Greenbelt, a wonderful bike and walking path that is maintained for 20-some miles. We have easy access to the Greenbelt, and use it regularly when it's not covered in snow. :)

The Apartment

The kitchen, and walk-in pantry through the doorway. The washer and dryer are also in the pantry area, but I now have 8' or so of pantry, 4 shelves high... it's fabulous!

The dining room. I know, there is no table. We're working on that part... I want a tall, square table in a medium-to-dark wood, with a matching hutch. We're saving our pennies.

The entertainment center area. The plan is to find an armoire to sit in the space that will hold everything... armoires big enough for the television are hard to find, though! For now, while it isn't the most aesthetically pleasing, it is functional.

The living room

This is our new home! Although the space is layed out differently, we actually have just a touch more square footage than we did before, and quite a bit more storage space. Areas like bedrooms and bathrooms look pretty much the same from house to house, so those are not included. :) However, these are the interior living spaces that we enjoy!