stickyfeathers

ready, set, go!

this morning we are getting ready for our trip to duluth.  tucker has his 15 month check up!  then we are going to finish getting the wardrobe we need for the wedding next weekend.  i'm sure that is going to be a TON of fun.  i'll update you on what we find for both tucker and myself.  matt already has his duds.  thank goodness.  oh, i'm also going to get tucker pull-ups.  he always wants to take his 'dirty' diaper off.  so, i'm going to get some pull-ups, a potty chair...and hope for a little luck on the new mission to train him! 

matt left with his dad to go to duluth this morning and get the rest of the materials to put the siding on our house!  hopefully we will start on that this weekend.  i'll have to share before and after shots!

then, tonight we are going to watch derek and deven race stock car in superior.  a bunch of us are going down...it should be a great time.  i'm pumped because we will be in the pit and i hope to get a bunch of sweet photo's.  can't wait to share those as well!

last night after matt, tucker and i got back from a walk, i took my camera out and took some shots of my garden...mostly my peoni's.  i wanted to get them before the rain destoryed them or they died.  here is one of my favorites! 

have a good day!  it is finally the weekend!

it's all about the clutter.

i have an issue.  i have clutter in every single room in my house.  i would post pictures, but it is embarrassing.  i mean, i'm not dirty or really messy...just cluttery (if that is even a word). 

i think about my clutter all the time.  the funny thing is, a few days ago, i ran across this article, which led me to this article...about clutter.  unclutterer talked to 'clean sweep' host peter walsh about clutter.  in the article, peter states this:

Clutter comes in many forms and the reasons why people hold onto it is similarly complex. There are two main types of clutter: Memory Clutter – which reminds one of an important person, or achievement or event from the past – and I-Might-Need-It-One-Day Clutter – this is the stuff held onto in preparation for all possible futures that one might encounter. Keeping things from the past or sensible planning for the future are great things – it’s when the objects take over that there’s a problem. With many of the people I encounter, their primary relationship is with their stuff. Instead of owning their stuff, their stuff owns them. This clearly is not only unhealthy but also a real stumbling block to happiness and a fulfilling life. If your stuff is causing problems in your life or relationships it’s time to do something about it!

okay...it all makes sense to me now.  i am all about the 'i-might-need-it-one-day-clutter'.  i save things that i want to use one day, but know deep down that i never will.  my system is so messed up.  it starts out in the kitchen or on my dining room table (or as my husband calls it...'the shelf').  the stuff will hang out there before i eventually will move it into a box/bag/drawer in another place in the house.  clutter buildup is horrible on my dining room table because right now it also is doubling as my desk...eeek!  it is really bad if we are having company over, because i will really clean up the areas we will be in and all the clutter gets moved into...the bedroom.  we have a large bedroom and seriously...a third of it is just clutter.  i have bins full of clutter...like right now...two to be exact.  most of my clutter is paper.  things i believe i will have to fill out, look back at, or use sometime in the next century. 

here is the weird part of it all...i actually get excited when i throw things away.  throwing away a pile of junk mail, old newspapers, outdated coupons...makes me happy.  so why can't i let go of more crap?  i wonder if my clutter is actually getting in the way of complete happiness like peter says.  hmmmm. 

maybe this issue is in my genes.  my grandfather collected things like you wouldn't believe.  everything from books to coins to snowmobile parts to guns...i mean the list goes on.  my mother (i know you are reading this) collects just like him.  with the exception of her 'den' her clutter is pretty clutter...many cool things that decorate her house.  however her 'den' is the catchall...kind of like my bedroom and dining room table.  then there is my dad (you are probably reading too).  keri says he is a packrat, but seriously, he does use all this stuff.  there are times when i have needed something and he has it, knows right where it is, and let's me use it.  plus, his is the invisible clutter...the stuff nobody else sees because it is tucked away somewhere (like the basement). 

anyways, i just had to talk about the clutter.  i love to be organized, but i feel like i hit a wall at home with the clutter.  i know a lot of you out there have clutter.  how do you deal with it?  if you don't have clutter...what the hell is the deal?  do you just use it or toss it immediately?  this is partly a confession about my cluttered self, but also a shout out to all of you...how do you stay organized? 

i need help.  or maybe i just need peter walsh.  :)

how many days until the weekend?

no, seriously...how many?  i can't wait.

i put together an album tonight from wisconsin.  i know some of you wanted to get your hands on some pictures so here you go.  enjoy.  the kids really did have a good time together.

i made tucker his 15 month checkup for friday.  he has to have one shot.  poor guy.  i am looking forward to see how much he has grown in the past three months.  he is not going to see his regular doctor, but no biggie.  it will be nice to have a new face.  dr. maria is awesome anyways. 

tonight i got a third of the slideshow done for my brother and tina.  oh, i am such a nerd these days...doing this and then watching them...is making me cry!  i'm such a huge baby!  i have no idea why.  i usually don't cry about stuff like that.  anyways, i can't wait.  their big day is almost here.  so exciting.

well, i better get to bed.  tucker woke up at 5 this morning...ready to go.  i got him back to sleep after what seemed like forever.  ah, lord.  let's hope that does not happen again.  ick.

let's wrap this all together...

since the middle of last week, life has been crazy.  first we went to wisconsin for matt's grandpa's funeral.  we got to be with family the entire time...which tucker really enjoyed.  the twins and him played so well together!  we were outside quite a bit...there was so much to play with!  here are a few of my favorites...although i took about three hundred pictures during the days we were there.  yeah, i went nuts with the camera.  oh well.

the wake was on friday night.  there was over 500 people that came to pay their respects.  it was amazing that he touched so many people's lives.  the funeral on saturday was very nice.  they carried babe to the cemetery in a horse drawn hearse.  it was beautiful and unique.  the owners had just finished restoring it and babe was the first to ride in it.  i did feel a little weird taking pictures, but others were too.  after i got home and put them on my computer, i really am glad i took them.  i will include more in the album from the trip when i put it up.      

we had some issues with tucker's pants for the wake and funeral.  this kid can wear a size 18 month in some pants, 12 month in others...so i figured i was safe to get him a size 12 month in dress pants from the children's place.  oh no.  him and the twins could have fit in them.  then...we bought him a belt, which worked on friday night, but on saturday morning, i ripped the belt in two.  yeah, i know i am super strong and all, but lord.  so, he was a little saggy, but still cute on saturday.  i really don't have any pictures though because it just wasn't the time.  then on top of it all, it was super hot out.  i give a lot of credit to tucker.  he was such a good guy the entire trip. 

then we got back on saturday and i began getting ready for tina's bridal shower i was throwing for her on sunday.  jenn helped (thank you so much) and we got everything done.  i was at max stress mode during the shower, but it was nice and tina got a lot of really great gifts.  my mom made her these cool shutters that like every girl in our family has/wants.  here is tina with one of her shutters...

there really has been so much going on in our lives.  i know i am forgetting about half of what i wanted to post about. 

i will be posting an album from our travels for the family to snag some pictures from.  hope you guys enjoy them.  i love the pictures of all the kids! 

ah, thank god monday is almost over.

on the road.

this morning we are leaving for wisconsin.  i am trying to get some things done before we leave (like saying goodbye to my computer as you can see).  i am printing out our card and my computer is having issues.  isn't that always nice?  anyways, the boys are still sleeping and i have about half of what i need to get done completed.

we are stopping in duluth to get some shopping done.  my mom is going to watch tucker while we shop...thank you!  it will be a lot faster without the gremlin with. 

well, i better get going here.  no time to waste.  i'd like to have everything done by the time they wake up!  i hope you all have a good week...

we'll miss you grandpa babe.

on father's day, matt, tucker, corey, jess, and i went to visit grandpa babe.  most of the family was there.  it was so sad to know that you were saying goodbye, but on the same hand, we all knew he would find peace when he let go.  our love is with him always...

this morning, grandpa babe passed away.    wednesday we are leaving to be with the family.  the wake is friday night...funeral on saturday.  he is going to be missed by so many...

while we were there sunday, we visited the park/boat landing that babe had donated to the town.  it was so nice there.  it was father's day and i got to take some pictures of matt and tucker together by the lake.  happy late father's day babe.  we love you... 

my head is spinning.

tina's bridal shower that i am throwing her is on sunday.  i am going to miss her bachlorette party on friday...which bums me out.  i was looking forward to a night away with the girls and getting to see where tina grew up.  i hope that does not seem selfish.  it just kind of stinks i won't be able to 'celebrate' with the girls.  i hope they all have a wonderful safe time!  girls...i'm thinking a night of 'pinks' next weekend?  what do you say?

i am going to help tina put together a slideshow of her and dustin for their wedding.  i'd like to get this done soon so i'm not doing it last minute.  i love doing these, but i usually find myself wishing i would have started much earlier so i wasn't pulling my hair out at hour 23. 

i have to try to find something to wear to the wedding.  i got two of the dresses i ordered in the mail today.  i hate them.  that's right...they are getting sent right back.  i hate them because (insert body drama here) they don't look right.  i'm thinking i'm going to start cutting off the fat with a butter knife. 

i still have not completed my last two assignments for amber's class yet.  i really want to find a class on photoshop because i'm not doing what i can and i have not had the time i have wanted to sit down and learn by trail and error.  i actually know i will be able to complete both projects while in wisconsin.  i was inspired by the change in scenery while we were there.  wish me luck and i will share when we return.

i have also added some more pictures to the gomper's gallery.  here is one of my favorites...except for these days, it is harder than ever to get the kid to actually look at me.  i usually don't care, but i wanted him to for this picture.  him and 'auntie' jenn are so cute!

   

it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

matt had his doctor appointment today for his carpal tunnel.  he has a mild case at this point and they are going to try to fix it with braces.  god, there was a point that i was wearing them to prevent carpal tunnel...as all i did was type in my job.  the funny thing is (melissa d. and i were talking about on the way home today) that people take them off in their sleep!  i did, melissa did, even her mom did.  that is the weirdest thing.  anyways...he got back in two harbors in time to bring me out to lunch.  he even told me he was looking at some new vehicles...the altima and a new grand prix.  he must have been in a good mood to be looking at new vehicles for me.  it was good to go out to lunch with him. 

when i got home from work, tucker was sleeping on matt.  they were so cute in the chair together.  while they slept (bad mommy...letting my kid sleep that late in the day...oh well), i cleaned up the house, did some laundry, made dinner...and then started sorting some of my eh...photographs.  it felt good to get a little head start on the evening.

after dinner, tucker and i played outside while we waited for jenn to get off work to go for a walk.  here is one of the pictures from in the backyard.  he had his hood on because the bugs were horrible!  i swear they could probably carry you away! 

she got here and we took off.  he loves to go walking!  hell, i would too if someone pushed me around in the stroller.  ha!  it feels so good to walk...and i get to hang out with jenn too!

tucker was full of quarters energy tonight and no lie, he went to bed after ten.  he was dancing and running all over the place, blowing raspberries, and literally bouncing off the walls.  after about eight o'clock, this kid has the 'intoxicated' walk.  matt calls him a weeble wabble...he weeble's and wabble's but he don't fall down.  it is funny.  so, i took out my camera tonight and got a few more pictures to share.  we have the classic kissy face picture, followed by my attempt to get a nice one of us together...but he was obsessed with looking at something other than the lens.  oh well.  i put a few in his album too. 

well, i better get to bed.  it is already friday.  hell yeah.   

a basket of random.

this entire week, i have not taken a single photo.  what is going on?  i have my last two assignments due in my class (i am so sad it is coming to an end).  i have been carrying my camera to work with me even, in the event that inspiration strikes.  there were two times that i would have had the best photo for this week's assignment which was 'taking a photo that told a story'.  here were my two examples.

one night, melissa and i are coming home from work and as we passed hiker's parking lot (where all the hiker's park when they trek off on the superior hiking trail)...what do i see?  why, it was an almost naked man...wearing nothing but super tighty whitey's.  and trust me, this was a guy that could wear them because i wanted to slam on my brakes, whip out my camera and take a picture of him changing in front of his car...for my assignment of course!  melissa can vouch for me, i wasn't just imagining things.  now, all i have is the memory.  aaaaah.

so then, yesterday at lunch, melissa and i are crusin' down 7th...when all of a sudden on the sidewalk to our right, there is willie nelson...okay, it wasn't actually willie, but this guy could have been his brother!  this guy had the long white hair and such and was carrying a guitar that was duct taped all over...along with a suitcase and some other crap.  this time my camera was back in the office otherwise i might have turned around and stalked the guy...snapping pictures as he trekked through two harbors.  another missed opportunity for me.

today i will pick up my camera and start shooting again.  i haven't even taken a picture of my kid this week, which is unheard of. 

so what have i been doing this week?  well, i've spent hours and hours online trying to find a dress for my brother and tina's wedding.  i could shoot myself for not just ordering something weeks ago.  anyways, i've ordered three dresses from nordstrom that will be here tomorrow (after already ordering one from vs that i didn't like).  wait, two will be here tomorrow and the third one, which is the first one i wanted, is backordered until august.  i am hoping that by the grace of god, it will arrive before...but i'm not holding my breath.  so, it will be round two of online dress shopping.  i hate dresses.  i never wear them.  but i want to wear one for the wedding.  we'll see.  i'll post pictures later and maybe get your feedback on what looks good.

i ordered some sandals online for tucker and i.  mine were perfect, tucker has already outgrown the size 5 that i got him.  i put them on and his foot was hanging off the back.  not good, but they were so stinkin' cute!  tick me off.  i also ordered some things from the container store for organization...which included photo boxes.  i have two huge boxes full of prints that i need to organize.  it is horrible.  maybe that will be my goal for next week.

on saturday tucker and i get to see kim and max.  we are excited about that! 

on sunday, we are going to wisconsin to visit matt's grandpa.  he has cancer all over in his body and is not doing well at all.  the last time we seen him at easter, he was trying to keep his spirits up, but now he is really weak and not even getting out of bed.  please, say your prayers for him.

the tucker bonus:  his top teeth are finally coming in.  i think i posted that already, but two of them are really visible now.  i will try to get a picture and post that soon.  he looks so cute with his new teeth!  oh, and he has also popped the screen off one of our new windows twice!  cripe, i don't have to wait until he is a teenager for him to sneak out, he's going to be doing it when he is two years old! 

oh, and tucker is going on a little trip today with ashley and david!  yes, he is going to duluth with them as they have some errands to take care of.  should be interesting to see how he does!  i told ashley it was good practice for her and david!  hope you guys have fun on your field trip! 

there is tons more to update, but this is a big enough bite to chew for now. 

a very productive weekend.

there was a lot accomplished at our house this weekend.  here is the rundown.

on friday night, we went out with friends.  the only thing i accomplished this night was getting a buzz.  you know what, it felt good!  i never, ever, get to that point anymore.  but, since we were out early, i was able to stop drinking, switch to water, and be fine by the time we came home.  i was very grateful to my gram and meg for watching tucker that night.  i needed a night out.  i hate saying that, but sometimes it is just the way it is.  good music, good friends, good times.

saturday morning came too fast after friday night...but we all made the most of the beautiful day!  tucker and i hung out with jenn all day.  we went to the store and got everything to make taco dip (yum), came home...made it, ate some, then went for a walk.  it was great to just hang out.  oh, and melissa came by and showed us the little kitty they found behind their garage...the vet told them it is only two weeks old.  so they are taking care of it.  she is only seven ounces!  lord!  here is a picture of little bobbie sue. 

      

now, onto the important stuff.  i love my husband.  he (and his dad and brother) worked their butts off on saturday and put all of the windows in.  the task is complete.  okay, we still need to frame the inside in, but that is a minor detail.  they are awesome and i will show pictures at some point.  i'm just so happy this job is done.  it got me excited about our house again...gotta love that. 

so yesterday afternoon, when they were finishing up the last window, nana cook came in to play with tucker (we were also going to bbq...).  anyways, i got a ton of stuff done while i had him occupied.  i did laundry, cleaned, i mean really cleaned...the bathroom, cleaned tucker's room (this kid has so. many. clothes), did the toy mix from room to room, vaccumed the whole house (there was some sheetrock/sawdust i had to take care of), did dishes, put away all of our clothes...like actually hanging them up and putting them away...not leaving them in laundry limbo, and eventually took a shower as i was a huge grub at that point.  then we all just kind of hung out after we bbq'd.  oh, and my brother and tina brought me over my birthday present...a birdhouse on a perch that i will post in my garden.  and get this...my brother even picked it out.  that is incredible. 

last night, right before everyone started going home, i could feel my mood turning.  i hate when i feel like this.  i don't know what happens.  it just feels like i have a short fuse and little things bother me.  eh, it sucks.

which brings us to today.  the short fuse was still lit and i was cranky the better part of the day.  i hate feeling cranky.  i just have a lot on my mind...which i am not going to share.  i am better now and that's all that matters. 

the day in a nutshell:  this afternoon we went to matt's aunt's house to visit and eat.  we hung out, had dinner, then had to come back into town for my cousin's wedding reception.  she was married in march down in indiana, so they were having a gathering here to celebrate.  gosh, we walked in and everyone was kind of dressed up...matt and i are in our 'sunday best' with t-shirts for crying out loud.  tucker had been playing outside all day and eating dirt (okay, so he wasn't a total dirtball, but you get what i'm saying here).  i was like, ohh, maybe we should have dressed up for this?  not a big deal i guess.  it was family.  we weren't there too long, as it was getting late and tucker had to get home, get something in his belly, and get to bed.  when we got home, matt went down to work to check on his project they are running.  things are doing well with it...which is great not only for matt, but for the entire plant's production.      

this weekend we got so much done.  next week we will be getting our new siding delivered.  now that will be a project, but the house is going to look so awesome when it is complete!  the color is coastal sage, we will do white trim and whatnot, and i am thinking i will have black shutters.  then i am going to paint some of my wooden/steal garden furniture bright yellow, red, or pink.  that will make it pop for sure.  oh, i'm so excited!

i'm not even sure i covered everything i want in this post.  i always am thinking about what i want to write, but i sit here and my mind races with what i have to do tomorrow, what i should have done today, what we are doing next weekend.  lord...is there an off switch for that part of the brain?  i need it!