Hi!

I'm so proud of myself for updating my blog at least once a week. IF it hadn't been so busy this week at work and with life, I would've updated it mid-week - I thought about it a few times. A lot has been going on....

Last weekend K & I went to the Skagit PFLAG Picnic (Parents, family/friends, lesbians and gays) kind of a support group locally. We hadn't been to any functions, but really enjoyed our time. I ended up getting us to this ladies house an hour earlier than the picnic *oops* but it allowed us to meet people more on a personal level, than with 55 people there. We saw some people we had already knew and met knew people. It was great being around a group of people that is all loving and accepting. :) The picnic is open to everyone.....so let me know if you want to go next year! :)

Dad's enjoying California. The traffic I guess is horrendous. He bought himself a new toy this week........a laptop. Talk about jealous.

I've made my decision though, I'm sticking with the animation for the lights. I am excited to do Halloween a bit too. I will be getting started on my radio sign (and am hoping maybe my Grandpa can help me make something sturdy for the sign) and then finish my Merry Christmas letters.

At work, some changes are coming down the pike........which will help me greatly.

Kauleen and I are coming up on our 4th year Anniversary on Sept. 6th :) She sure is a huge blessing to me. We were going to do something, but decided that we'll save up and do something maybe later in the year.

My sister and her husband are in town right now hanging out. They came over to help my cousin do hair for a wedding. We have a mutual friends' baby shower to go to this afternoon. Baby Abby. :)

I am thinking of cutting my hair off!! I got some inspiration from a family member (MJ! I love your hair!) and am kind of just sick of my hair. Here's the picture.......

My sister tells me that I had my haircut like this already, just styled differently. NOW, I'm not the one for styling - am very special when it comes to that. I just can't do it. I'm lucky I can figure out how to STRAIGHTEN my hair, let alone do anything else with it. SO, I need something very messy/straight forward. PLUS, I don't want bangs. I've grown my bangs out now (hard work) and I never want them back!!

I think that is it for now. Hope everyone is doing well.

Love you all!

Randi

Lazy Saturday...

Hello Everyone!

It's the weekend again, yahoo!! This work week went by pretty fast thankfully. I'm having a lazy day. I had plans to get a lot accomplished, and don't even have the energy to do anything FUN (getting my toes done) let alone anything NOT fun (cleaning, work, etc.) No energy. Could that be from having gone to bed after 12am last night (after a Seattle Mariner baseball game, thank you to our company and awesome seats/tickets!!) and getting up to an alarm at 7am? :) I think a nap is in store after awhile.

Tomorrow Kauleen and I are going to go to a local PFLAG picnic gathering. We haven't ever been to anything of this sort, but had heard of it awhile ago. I contacted the head person of the local PFLAG Skagit and she invited us to the picnic at her house. I am totally going out of my comfort zone for this one, but hope to meet maybe some like-minded people and make friends.

This coming weekend Ryan (my sister) and her husband will be here from Thursday-Sunday. I haven't seen her since March so it'll be fun to hang out. She is coming over to help out my cousin with a wedding (doing hair..)

The weekend after that is Labor Day and tentative plans are to spend that with my parents. We'll see if it works out. I get very overwhelmed in having this busy of a schedule. Makes me want to curl up in bed and hide!

I'm still contemplating the christmas light/laptop scenario. A battle within myself.

That's all I feel up to posting today.........maybe something a bit more enthusiastic soon.

xoxo.

Work Week's Done!

Some weeks just feel as if they drag on forever! This week was kind of nice because we didn't have something planned we had to do *every* night. We came home, cooked dinner, did some exercising, weeding, and read and/or played on the computer. It was just enjoyable!

We don't really have any plans for the weekend - just hanging out. We're going to drop some yard waste off at a local dump place and then hit a few garage sales, maybe a farmers market or 2 :o) That's about it. Sunday we're discussing going into work (we could use the extra money).

My dad leaves in one week for his job in California. I hope he enjoys himself.

This coming Friday we get to go to a major league baseball game on the company! That'll be a fun time. We'll help Kauleen's sister paint their new house on Saturday. AND on Sunday, Kauleen and I will step out of our comfort zone and go to a PFLAG (Parents, families of lesbian and gays) - kind of like a support group/can't think of the right words for the other part of it! BUT, that'll be fun. They hosts meetings in town once a month and this is their once a year picnic. :) I hope to get involved.

I'm still tossing back and forth the Christmas lights..........I'll let you know the decision when it is made.

I counted 52 ears of corn this afternoon!! AND probably a good 6 beans :) We also have a few cucumbers coming on......and the Kohlrabi is about done.

I'm pooped. I'm headed off to bed.
Randi

Goals, blah, blah...

Kauleen and I have been working on a goals latley - what we really want to do. Our latest has been to pay off debt. We are $18,000 in debt (that includes a truck!) and we were hoping to have it paid off in December. Well, that isn't working as we had wished with the paychecks, etc......but we're now aiming towards March. The stinky thing with paying off debt, is any extra money goes towards it - period. That means, no new clothes (unless maybe at Salvation Army - but if you have long leggies like myself, you'll NEVER find pants tall enough!) and maybe your toes done and/or a massage here and there - but very rarely. It just is kind of a downer. I'd love to have those things paid off (can't even imagine how we'd live with that money coming in) but I guess I just need to get creative with the things we *can* do and not focus on the things we *can't*. Help me? anyone ideas???

In discussing our goals, Kauleen and I had discussed maybe taking a trip to Mexico for her 40th Birthday. Well, in paying off debt......that's not going to happen. So, we decided we could take a small trip (Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Glacier) and I said I didn't really care where we went - especially if I had a laptop. Well......... that then soared into......If you sell your Christmas stuff, you can buy a laptop. *ugh!*

NOW, I love my Christmas stuff. I got a lot of damn cool stuff for this years display - but also know that I'd use my laptop way more than I'd ever use my Christmas lights. ALSO, if I did sell my Christmas stuff, come this Christmas - I'd probably want it back.........BUT Kauleen has promised that if I don't make her help me figure out what lights plug in where and how to get them there - she'll put lights in every nook and cranny of the house.

So, that's been my toss up lately. Christmas Stuff or Laptop?

What's your suggestions???

If you'd buy a laptop - what brand/why? I am thinking HP, built new for me, and/or Apple (that'd be a HUGE change for me - but they seem a bit more reliable!)

I haven't had any energy latley - zip - none. I just want to go to work, come home and crash. I get that way sometimes......and it passes.

Tomorrow is Wednesday! YES!!! :)

I'm signing off..........
Randi

Our Weekend In A Nutshell...

We had a very fun weekend, somewhat non-eventful. Friday night we had planned to do something fun, but by the time rolled around to 5pm, all we wanted to do was come home and crash! We ended up grabbing some chineese and just hanging out!!

Saturday, we had a few errands to run (library books, down comforter at dry cleaners, etc.) and then we were waiting for the arrival of Braxton, our hairdresser's kid (who is 4!). We get free haircuts, and we watch him overnight.

He is never quite happy being dropped off, but calms down after about 5 minutes. We laid down immediatley (had been sleeping in the car) and he slept from 12:50-3:20!! He was so enjoyable when he woke up! We took him to the beach, played in the water and with the sand/rocks, rolled around in the dirt, played on the toys, cooked some hot dogs and only ate the bun with ketchup and mustard! :) and just enjoyed each other. We came home and he took a bath and then we watched Barnyard (funny movie!) and we all crashed!

This morning we woke up at 7am *yawn* and played for a bit outside weeding, playing in more dirt :) and blowing up the basketball, etc. We tired him out because when mom came to get him around 11:00am.....he was sleeping on me, again! :)

He was attached at my hip. He sat on my lap anytime I sat down. He stood by me anytime I stood up. Literally, attached :)

After he left, we enjoyed some quiet time.....at lunch and ran into town to do some errands (Grocery shopping - oh joy!)

We decided we're going to try for the next 2 weeks to not eat any flour, sugar or dairy (specifically the dairy for me). I haven't been feeling the hottest latley, and when we did the elimination diet, this is pretty much what we didn't eat. So, we got some carrots out of the garden, 3 kohlrabi, and we got some grapes, watermelon, peas and cucumbers. We've cut everything up for fresh/easy eating. :) I am sure this will make us feel better about ourselves too.

I've started reading the 2nd Harry Potter Book. I'm enjoying it. Kauleen has now started the 7th book......and is enjoying it too. We are just finishing up the laundry for the work week :)

Tomorrow is K's grandma is turning 94! How amazing it'd be to live that long! :)

Here's some pics of the beach! :)

Love you all!!

Friendly Sniffing.....

friendly sniffing B & W
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

This was taken last night too - of Rosa and Clover. They ended up swatting right after this.....but you do not capture these moments with cats very often! :)

Garden Kitty

Rosa B &W
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

I took this picture last night of sweet Rosa :)

Raspberries

rasbperries
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Strawberry

Strawberry
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Onions

onion
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Randi in Garden

Randi in Garden
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Grandma's Apple Tree

gma apple tree
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Kohlrabi and Rhubarb

Kohlrabi and Rhubarb
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Growing Corn

corn
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

K's dad is a Master Gardener. He told us from day one we wouldn't get any corn. We've stepped out to prove him wrong. We probably have about 8 ears growing!! :)

Rows of Corn

corn rows
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Beans and Cucumbers

beans and cucumbers
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Our cucumbers are kind of sad. We started them inside, but we had such a cold winter.... we do not know if they will make it. We have 1 BEAN on our bean plants :)

Carrots

carrots
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi

Cabin Video....

I didn't forget to post the garden pictures :) I got too tired!

(who is KQR, btw?)

I made this awesome video of our start to........not quite finished cabin in Grand Coulee. :)

Enjoy!!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Thursday Thoughts....

Let's see, what's been going on since I last posted. Hmmmmmmmmm...

My parents were here for the weekend (attending a bridal shower). We enjoyed our visit, as always.

We found out that Dad is taking a job in California. It sounds as if he'll be on his way as of this coming Monday. Quite a change from being retired and doing nothing.......but if he enjoys it - and my mom is happy - that's all that matters.

Kauleen is on the 6th book of Harry Potter and has recieved the 7th book but is re-reading them. I have read the 1st book, and really want to read them all, but am not a huge reader (one thing I wish I enjoyed doing more of!)

Work has been really busy with vacations, etc.

We are sending in our "Domestic Partner Registration" :) we'll have the rights to visit each other in the hospital if either of us should ever get sick.....or have a baby for that matter :)

I'm going to attach some pictures of our garden. It's growing so good! I've never had a garden before, so this has been a fun experience.

This weekend, we'll be babysitting for 24 hours! We trade haircuts for babysitting (awesome trade!) but we normally do it for about 12. It'll be fun! The little man is 3.....and is at the "learning" stage. EVERYTHING is fun! Then Sunday we'll relax and re-charge for the week ahead. Weekends are NOT long enough.

Post a comment if you read my boring blog........I'm curious as to who reads it. Since I rarely post, I rarely see the comments! Silly me!!

XOXOXO!