Pheeeeew!

Every candle, every tart burn, every electric tart warm I own is currently activated to try to mask the smell of 60 bags of cow manure. Who cares that I'm mixing cinnamon, pine and nutmeg scents? I'm pregnant and the smell is so real I can taste it every time I step outside. If I had a potpourri face mask I'd be wearing it.

On the plus side, we should have a beautiful law in a week or two! My poor husband looks like he's been through boot camp, but his wife wanted a beautiful winter lawn, so... he mowed, he raked, he thatched, he raked, he thatched again, he (and his goooooood friend) raked, he seeded, he spread manure, he raked, and he watered! What a man!!!

When it was all done he said, "Happy Halloween Honey!" I guess with that much work it seemed like it should be for a specific occasion. ...hum, maybe I ought to consider myself lucky that he didn't say, "Merry Christmas Honey!" I think it might have been enough work to justify it.

Goodbye Baby Blue, Hello???

We just got back- hum, I guess it was a week ago now- from a wonderful little trip! We've been trying to save more money (I'm a Realtor, so you can guess how lean things are feeling), so we weren't going to do any flying vacations, but then Baby Blue died.

She was a blue 2001 Ford Taurus and she was the only car we've ever bought (or likely ever will buy) new. We got her in the winter of 2000, just months after graduating college, getting married, and moving to Michigan to start our life together. Don't tell her, but I really wanted to get a Camry at the time. However, Ford was offering great financing and Toyota wasn't offering anything. Being so young and still working on school loans, we sure didn't have cash to buy a car, so we went with the financing we could afford.

Baby Blue was good to me for over 9 years and 130,000 miles. While I didn't call her by her proper name very often, we had a connection. It was harder than I imagined to part with her, but when we found out she needed a $2,000+ repair to be drivable and started to think about the fact that most Taurus need a new $3,000 transmission around 100,000 miles, we decided it was time.

As God would have it, just days after finding out about Baby Blue's 'needs,' we were complaining to a friend, G, in California and he said that he had a Camry he was wanting to sell! We found some one-way tickets for about $100 each for just three weeks later, when Brian had several days off (for the fancy vacation we were supposed to be taking). Another wonderful friend loaned us their Altima for the three weeks, so I wouldn't be without wheels while B was at work. (we're so spoiled!) Then G generously offered us his spare room for a few days, so we got to make a vacation of it (more about all that later). After three great days in and around Sonoma Valley, we drove the Camry back home, stopping at my sister-in-law's new condo along the way.

So, here's where you come in. My pretty silver Camry needs a name! It needs to be something fitting, yet still flattering... something that inspires him/her to greatness! Thoughts?

Ode to Jana

We have this wonderful, glorious friend named Jana. By some stroke of luck she's fallen in love with my son, NJ, and seems to geniunely enjoy keeping him once a week or so. It's clear to me that she cares more for NJ than she does for me. But that's the thing about being a mom- I'd wouldn't have it any other way.

Jana is an amazing and thoughtful friend! She's constantly asking if I need some time/can she keep NJ for me! What a welcome relief a few hours here and there are! Jana works at Starbucks and frequently showers me with generous Starbucks gifts. (a Hot Venti 3-pump Cinnamon Dulce Latte is the key to my heart!) Recently, when we were gone on our marathon camping trip, John and Jana stopped by the house a few times to throw the paper inside and check on everything. John and Jana are really wonderful friends!

I'm so spoiled, it's hard to imagine life without John and Jana.

One day, a few weeks ago, my hubby walked in from work and told me John and Jana got the transfer they've been wanting and would be gone in a month or two. Granted, it had been a hard morning, but I literally broke down crying. Even today (not a particularly rough day), I'm temped to cry when I think about them leaving.

So, even thought this technically isn't an Ode- here's to you! Come see us sometime soon! We miss you already!