Christmas in April and more...

I'm sorry I haven't blogged more on here - really don't have exciting things going on in life. Ya know, work, eat sleep. :)

My mom is on the mend! Most of you know already, but they didn't get clear margins when taking the piece of bone out of her pelvis, so she still has the cancer. She will have to have a CT scan every 3 months to see how it is growing and in the future will have to have a big surgery removing her pelvic bone completely. For the time being, the cancer is very very slow growing and she's beginning to return to normal life. She will start work the first full week in May.

AND NOW, my reason for this post. :o) Kauleen and I went to a Christmas seminar/trade show yesterday in Olympia to learn more how to animate our Christmas lights (like this one:

I bought the computerized programs/boxes ($800) from Animated Lighting. (this above is done with the competitor Light-O-Rama).

Upon attending this seminar/trade show yesterday, it was kind of frusterating because we found out we only do not know a damn thing! We know nothing on electricity, nothing on how this is going to work, etc. These lights are the thing that we fight about most.......but yet I WANT TO DO IT! :( So, now I am just contemplating selling it.

I'm going to do a little research today and maybe email a few people about explaining to me a few more things.

Anyone want to help me set up my Christmas display this year - maybe starting in September??? :) Any electrician's that can help??????

Let me know!
Randi

Post Picture Testing for Erin!

Far Due Ramlings...

I haven't posted for a long time (since Christmas *gasp*) so thought I had better write something!

We are ready for Spring to arrive. Our Daffodils are peeking about 5" out of the ground already! The Tulips are peeking too! I can't wait for spring! We are going to try to plant our own garden this year.....if time permits.

The latest news in our household, is waiting to find out if my mom has cancer. Many of you reading here probably already know about this - but for an update of what's been going on, here is my parents blog:

http://punteney.blogstream.com/

Kauleen just got back from spending a few weeks with her sister and 2 nieces (3.5 and 1.5 y/o) in Arizona. She was helping her sister get prepared for the BOY/GIRL TWINS!!!! (due around March 15thish) So, she'll have 3 girls and a boy! VERY fun, but she's going to be very busy. Upon her return, she got the flu! *yuck* She never gets sick (and got a flu shot!) but she was probably just run down.

We plan on heading to the coast mid February for some much needed relaxation (depending on my mom's surgery schedules).

We've kind of put the baby stuff on hold for now - maybe to spend a year just being selfish and doing our own things. I'd love to have a baby, but it is so emotionally draining/exhausting just TRYING (not to mention $$$!!) *shrug* It will all come to be. I am only 26. :)

That's it for now. :) I'll try to write more soon.
Randi

Merry Christmas

Christmas_2006.avi

My 2006 Mr. Christmas Outdoor Decorations Display Animated Lights Randi

Christmas 2006

PlanetChristmas2006
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

Here is a lit picture of my house decorations for the year! :)
Come on by and hear the music and watch the lights dance! - 6-8pm every day!!

Randi

Old Sweet Susie Kitty

Susie Kitty
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

Goodbye Sweet Susie - You will be forever missed.

Put to sleep on November 27, 2006 after a battle with kidney infections and anemia.

Randi and Kauleen

This - N - That

Lots been going on here latley.

We've been preparing our 2006 Christmas Outdoor Decorations for the past few months. I have my lights flashing to music and made a few trees, a few 3 foot letters that flash "J-O-Y" and it is absolutly awesome!!! If you're family and want to come by and see it - do a driveby! I have it on from 6-8pm every night. :)

We've been having some troubles with the oldest cat Susie. She's in what we believe is early stages of renal failure. :( So, she's had more hospital stays the past week than our pocketbook can handle! She's back in there tonight......we'll see how it turns out.

That's it for now. I took a movie of my lights, but it is NOTHING compared to in real life - so, if you have the chance - do a driveby.

MY 2006 CHRISTMAS DISPLAY (without Music)

scarecrow and lion

scarecrow and lion
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

We had to do a trade show for work yesterday. It was called "The Magic of Real Estate". We chose to do the Wizard of Oz Theme. Here's Kauleen and I! :) We won first place.

:)

Posting

Yeah....I haven't posted for awhile! :) I check other peoples blogs and get annoyed when they don't update all that often - and here I go - without updating. There are many reasons for that, but lets just say.........I'M HERE NOW! :)

My mom is visting for a few weeks while the men do their "hunting" things. She'll then be celebrating her 50th Birthday a few weeks later :)

I am getting very excited for Christmas. I don't know if you've ever seen it (and don't assume its the one you've seen!) but I want to do this with my Christmas lights: (It is the 2005 one!) The cost if $399.00 just for beginning. SO, I'll be saving my pennies for next year! Anyone want to donate Randi's Christmas Light Fund? :)

For this year, K and I went out and bought 4 tomato plant stands and will make Christmas trees out of them. We also plan on making 3 foot letters spelling "JOY" that I got off of online. We'll be putting some music to the display and plan on starting as soon as tomorrow with making some of these items. They will be out shortly after Christmas and I will try to put a video online! :)

My sister Ryan hasn't been doing very good health wise and has been in and out of the hospitals for what doctors cannot figure out. Nonetheless, it has been a very stressful time.

I went to a Naturopath earlier this month to see about my sensitive stomache (have had it since I was a wee one!) and headaches, PMS, etc. To maybe go a more natural route. She has suggested I do an elimination diet. That means, for 2 weeks, there is a list of things I CAN eat! (Chicken, game meat, lamb, some veggies - no night shades (tomoatoes, potatoes, peppers) no citrus fruits, no dairy, no eggs, no wheat.

It'll be tough, but like I've been telling K - I can't wait to find out what has been causing me all of this trouble all along!! I've been having allergies like no ones business latley too - and it isn't even allergy time!

After I do this 2 week diet (and K has stated she'll do it with me!) we'll then challenge each food separately (for example, milk. I'll eat my regular diet foods, but then add in 1 serving of milk 3 x in one day. I'll wait 24-48 hours for a reaction and if I react, then wait for those symptoms to pass before challenging the next food which may be cheese.) If I do not react, I can keep that food in my diet and pursue the others.

It will be very challenging and I plan on babying myself to the maximum. :) I'll try to get outside and do a few extra things that I normally wouldn't do (maybe a walk each night for my health sake....and mind sake) and just relaxing. We'll be doing this towards Thanksgiving too. BUT if we don't do it now - we'll never do it.

That's it for now, lots more going on in life........just that's enough for now.
Love to all!!
Randi

Family Post

mom randi kauleen and dad wedding
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

Here's the whole family - Dad, Me, Mom and Kauleen :)

Snoring Dad Wedding

snoring dad wedding
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

This picture was taken 15 minutes prior to walking down the aisle.

Quite comical huh?

Ryan's Wedding

gpa punteney randi and dad wedding
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

Here's just a sample of the beauty of the wedding! :)

Randi

Baby Shower Gift

Baby Shower Gift
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

Kauleen and I are so proud of ourselves for this cute gift we made! I'll post more tomorrow about the going-on's in life.

Musings of a Sunday Afternoon...

I haven't posted anything worth while on here latley, so this may be a long one! :)

I am preparing to have a few days off at work (starting Wednesday P.M.) and cannot wait.

We have a new person starting this week. I am thankful I will not be training her (as of yet). She'll be using my spot upon leaving on Wednesday P.M. She is taking over for someone else in the office who's husband is transferring.

I am very excited about some CD's I was able to purchase through my CD club. I've had to buy 2 CD's but haven't really been able to find many CD's that I'd want (and I have 12 free ones right now!) They should be coming in the mail. I also have bought me a pair of brown "dress-ish" shoes. I have such a horrible time finding shoes (size 11!) and the pair I have is so comfy cozy - even IF cracked to the sole. (I cannot wear in the rain!). I am thinking of having a shoe ceremony to bury them. I also bought another pair of skecher tennis shoes off of ebay. K thinks I am going shoe crazy (which I may be) but when I find shoes - I GOTTA BUY THEM!

I think I'll leave these thoughts here for now......and put other thoughts in emails to people.

Love to all!
Randi

Our Commitment Ceremony - ENJOY!

Create your own video for free at www.onetruemedia.com

Whistler BC

bear
Originally uploaded by kauleen_randi.

Yep, I got this close. See that railing?? I was standing on a dining deck. I'll maybe get more into the story soon, but for now - enjoy my findings of a bear! IT WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

Randi

CSA / Fruits and Veggies

We are in the midst of a great time of year. K and I have been able to participate in a program called Community Supported Agriculture and have since June 9, been recieving fresh, organic, veggies, fruits, and etc. It was been exciting to see what we'd get each week. We've gotten a few things that we are still trying to figure out exactly WHAT to do with them (ie, swiss chard!) but we're planning on making something this week. :) This past week, for example, we got: Radishes, scallions, kale, lettuce, raspberries, strawberries, herbs, artichoke and swiss chard. YUM!!! :)

Also, today Kauleen and I went and picked strawberries. We had planned on buying a flat to make jam, but for half the price we could pick our own (and had our own containers). Welll........we ended up picking 30lbs!! (can we say, strawberries coming out our ears!) We'll be freezing them, giving them to friends and family.....and enjoying some jam with them (We already made 4 batches today!).

Off to rest and relax.
Randi

Life's Quirks

I am long due for a blog entry. :) I have been so busy latley that I haven't even gotten on the computer to do my "normal" routinely activities - and my dad's room has the computer in it - so I've been a bit out of commission.

I am enjoying sometime by myself right now - in a quiet household. Oh the joys. It has been everything but that around here latley, making it a bit more stressful (although it's been fine - just not routine) and we're ready to have that back. My dad will be gone this week and then we'll be heading into retirement week (June 30th, yep, you heard it - MY DAD'S RETIRING!!) :) At the early age of 49, he is blessed to be able to - truly blessed. :) So, with the retirement party scene, then the 4th of July, I'm going to have a household full, plus some. I am going to need a vacation!!! (and a massage!!)

I just finished out the local rotary rose sale last week, helping my boss and an older man in the club. He sold 256 dozen roses!! THAT was his best ever. He used to own a funeral home and knows lots of people. He even sold to a wrong number that he dialed! (funny man!) I am glad that is over - er - I should say - mostly over. There's still the counting of money, but for the most part.......we're done and I'm more than glad!

I didn't get too many comments on my little video, so I hope you all enjoyed it. :) We are in the process now of figuring out a sewer pump (where we want to put the cabin as to where the sewer runs - is not under ground! eeeeeeeekkkkkk!) So, we'll bury it under ground (our line) and then pump it to the correct line. That is just the beginning. We need to have a ditch dug for water and sewer, a concrete slab poured, and our dates are tentatively set for August 11, and 12. YAHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :)

I've been in the wedding mode around here latley trying to get some things planned for the bridal shower and make sure everything is coming along as it is supposed to be. THAT'S been stressful too. I paid a little bit more than I had wanted to for a place to have it (our house is just not big enough) but it was really where the sister wanted to have it - so that's kind of cool. Lots of memories for us in this building for wee little up until now. It'll be kind of cool to reflect. :) AND...it'll be a dinner bridal shower - which'll be a little "unique" in itself. Hopefully maybe with some music and dancing too - we'll see.

Susie went in today for her 3 month check up on her thryoid - we should be getting the bloodwork next week sometime. It'll be interesting to see what it is at.

The cats have all been real pains in the rearends latley. We love them dearly, but getting awoken every night to a yowling deaf cat who can't hear when you yell, and when you squirt her runs farther away and yowls louder - GRRRRRRRRR! (oh, and did I mention I have a squirt bottle by my alarm clock for squirting purposes? It is used almost every night!) Rosa's been a turd, and I think its just that everyone is out of their routine. Kauleen bought some flea medicine today to see if that'll help. We don't have fleas, but sometimes I think the cats are bothered by them. It seems to help.

Works been going just fine - sure has picked up some latley, but I'm just treking along. I have a lady coming in this week to take over the courier job. I just hope it all works out with her - I haven't ever had a good feeling. :( I was held back for the current courier to move ahead of me. Kind of sucks. There are somethings coming down the pike at work that someone is moving. If that's the case, it'll make Kauleen and I not be able to have vacation anymore together. If that's the case, I'll probably be finding another job - and/or we'll move.

I hope you all are doing well. Love to you all.
Randi

RE: Cabin Movie

The old mobile area is K's and mine. The views are all from our property. The put together "motel" and "cabin" are on my parents property.

Hope you enjoy!!