Envelopes

What a good week for me! Sorry to those of you having a cruddy week. Your week(s) will come soon hopefully.

Thanks to the snow, it looks like I get to only work 1 day this week instead of 3. Even though I like my job,  this is a great thing! What's even better about that is I had picked to not work today when the school year started, but last week I asked to switch this day with another day next month when our sitter is not available. That switch is working out splendidly!

Speaking of working out, I registered for the Lincoln half marathon this week. That makes for a great week, since I love a good reason to excercise. Anyone else out there going to go for the half this year?

Another reason why it's a good week - I'm getting such a kick out of making envelopes out of my old calendars. It doesn't take much around here. When I saw the link on moneysavingmom.com on how to make envelopes out of your old calendars, I set to work right away on my 2010 Mary Engelbreit calendar and squeeled outloud when I finished with each one. This is my type of craft.

I'm sure many of you more talented craft types could do much better, but I'm completely fine with my results. This one turned out perfectly.

So today I went in search of all the other old calendars that I didn't have the heart to throw away. I first started saving them because I dreamed of having a Mary Engelbreit room someday where I would frame my favorite calendar pictures and line the walls with them. Even after I figured that would never happen, I still couldn't throw them away and felt annoyed at my pack rat self. Until today! I found all my old calendars. Will you think I'm nuts if I tell you I have at least 8 of them?

See that calendar from 1996?! Ha! I can't wait to make it into envelopes!

If you decide to make envelopes using the directions of the link above, I found that it works best to fold the bottom corner up first a little past center then fold the sides in and have them meet at the center. That way you don't end up with a square envelope and needing to pay more for postage. You also need to know these required dimensions if you don't want to pay more for postage. May this lighten up your week, like it's lightened up mine!

 

What's Mr Robertson Electric Been Doing?

It's been a lot of first person writing at this here blog and that's got to change. I know you're all wondering what Brad's been doing. I would love to do an interview with him, but I'm pretty sure he would roll his eyes at the idea. He has yet to understand the joy I find in blogging. Someday I'll just get over my fear of the eye roll and see what I can get him to tell us. Until then you have to hear from me, with my limited knowledge of electrical terminology, what Brad's been up to.

Robertson Electric has had some business! It seems when we think there's no work in the future, something always pops up. I think God likes to keep testing to see how much I'll trust Him.

When Brad wasn't staying warm in the snow at the at the outdoor Vikings/Bears game, watching the kids one day a week, and traveling, he accomplished some of the following:

-Added whatever someone needed electricity wise for the sauna they put in their home (If you know anyone else putting a sauna in their home, Brad knows what to do!)
-Upgraded a couple of panels - one of them thanks to Ashley. (This is something I should interview him about.  I do know if you have above ground wires coming into your house, the city will bury them for free when you upgrade your panel. Why you'd upgrade and what exactly it means is what I need to learn more about.)
-Worked on a few basement finishes - thanks to my sister spreading the word about Robertson Electric and thanks to Lockridge Custom Homes using Robertson Electric.
-Bid several jobs - (This means there's hope for work this year!)
-Remodeled a kitchen - the electrical part that is - Thanks again to Lockridge Custom Homes
-Fixed some parking lot lights and a bath fan and did some other fixing and adding for a local company.
-Added lighting and fixed some odds and ends for Regier Equipment.
-Did some work for family - THANKS!

Of course he did it all in his effective and efficient way, and I'm not just making that up!  
I'm sure he did some other things, but I'm so far behind in updating I forget what they were. I'll try to keep you posted more often so there's less first person around here.

New Years Resolution

I'm going to try the word of the year approach to a resolution this year. My word: Intentional

That's not in terms of penalties.

I'm real intentional about exercising and not spending money, but I feel like I need to be more intentional at being a wife and mother. So this year my main resolution list looks like this:

1. Be more intentional showing Brad love every day.
2. Be more intentional about spending quality time with Elliana and Wyatt every day.

Those are the really important things. I probably failed at both of them today, but I'll start fresh tomorrow! As for other ambitions where it's a stretch to make the word intentional apply...

3. Make an intentional effort to read a book one day a week.
4. Intentionally train to run faster than my previously slow pace.
5. You'd better bet that I'm going to be very intentional about my dental hygiene as well!

My list could go on, but why set myself up for failure any more than I already have with this list of five things?

Happy New Year!

Book Review: God Loves Me More Than That

I jump at the chance to get something free, so when I read I could get free books for blogging about them, I was all about it. Thankfully they have children's books to review considering the only novel I've read since school started was one I read at work for a high school reading class. It was a great book actually.

The book I get to tell you all about is God Loves Me More Than That by Dandi Daley Mackall. I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Here's what I think:

-We have a lot of great books, but I was started to feel we had a limited supply of books that teach Biblical truths. I like having a book that gives a starting point for talking and thinking about God's love.


-The pictures spark Elliana's curiosity and she likes to ask questions about what she sees in them.

-The author tries to relate the abstract concept of God's love to things children relate to such as elephants, astronauts, and kittens. I'm not sure my three year old is making the connection, but it's a starting point.

 -It rhymes, it's easy and quick to read! Perfect for nights when we're late getting to bed but still need a book to read! 

Let me know what you think if you've read it. I'm now off to submit this review so I can sign up for another free book!

Merry Christmas!

If I did not get you a Christmas letter or you received the abbreviated, still-had-to-scrunch-and-use-tiny-print, AmazingMail card, here is our Christmas letter. I am happy with the letter, but as I think back through the year, I am amazed at all the great people God put in our lives to encourage and help us - friends, family, neighbors, paying customers...  I wish I could've mentioned everyone in the letter but most people don't have time to read a novel. I also feel like it's somewhat emotionless and misses some major events (i.e., Brad helping with harvest, our birthdays, trips...), but I was all about sticking with a theme and keeping it short. With that said, here it is with my added comments in brackets. 


The LIGHT version of our 2010:


January - Julie started a new blog. If you’d like to read her musings and other things that happened in our lives this year, go to LIGHTenupyourlife.blogspot.com [shameless self promotion but I really couldn't remember much from January]

February – Brad enjoyed LIGHTing our wood burning stove. [another month I experienced amnesia about]

March – Wyatt’s favorite place to LIGHT [meaning: be or land - Brad wasn't sure what I was referring to and thought I was talking about Wyatt as a Marlboro man.] was on the two steps in our hallway. 

April – Elliana decided she loves anything that is itty-bitty and was deLIGHTed to be a flower girl (also in September). 

May – We moved back to Lincoln not many days after we LIT Wyatt’s first birthday candle. 

June – Brad created a pantry for us by moving our washer and dryer upstairs while Wyatt, Elliana and Julie started their summer with enLIGHTening visits to the zoo and daily visits to the park. 

July – Elliana turned 3 and Wyatt learned to be LIGHT on his feet! 

August – Brad and Julie packed as LIGHT as possible when they attempted to summit Longs Peak but fell just a few yards short due to Brad learning first hand about extreme altitude sickness. 

September – Wyatt learned to “read” and Elliana LIT up a room when telling her first joke. You can watch their talents on her blog. 

October – We started to get worried about what we would do when we couldn’t be outside with our neighbors due to colder weather and less dayLIGHT. 

November – Elliana shed LIGHT on the subject of Brad not seeing a turkey while hunting by saying “maybe the turkey didn’t want to get shoot.” 

December – We celebrated the first anniversary of Robertson Electric, LLC. (Call 402.314.5335 if you need an electrician!) [I know it's more shameless self promotion, but we do what we can to drum up business.] We are especially rejoicing in God as our provider and as our One True LIGHT.


Isaiah 9:2 The people who walk in darkness will see a great LIGHT; Those who live in a dark land, the LIGHT will shine on them.


Merry Christmas!  
Brad, Julie, Elliana and Wyatt

Decay

Yesterday I was given the grim reminder that I am in the slow process of decaying, and there's not much I can do to stop it. I went to the dentist and instead of him saying, "Looks great! Keep doing what you're doing" like he always says, he tells me I have two cavities. I think he needed to be a little more sensitive about it than he was. I don't cry easily, but if I was in a poor emotional state and did cry easily, I may have shed a tear right there in the chair. I always feel proud when they say my teeth look great, and I really felt like a loser when they didn't.

Considering how I felt like scum the rest of the day, I don't know what I'll ever do when other parts of my body start to fail. I suppose I'll have to get glasses soon. I'm sure I've already shrunk an inch and my right knee is bound to need replacing if how noisy it sounds when I walk up the stairs is any indication. If I don't get a grip, I could live the rest of my life depressed!

The thing is there is nothing I can do to stop it. In regards to my teeth, I brush twice a day and floss every day. I don't drink pop or coffee and eat a relatively small amount of candy. Now I feel so helpless and afraid to eat anything that might speed the decay and start rotting my other teeth. Do you think swearing off candy will help? I may ask Mr. Dentist to give me a lecture on how to prevent cavities while he's filling the two I have.

In terms of lightening up, I know there are many great spiritual applications I could delve into right now. For the sake of not over spiritualizing everything, I'll just leave it as is. If you're interested in my thoughts on spiritual applications, just let me know. I've been pondering them in order to keep my sanity.

Thankful Thursday

We had a priceless time getting out our Christmas decorations one evening this week. It felt like we were actually creating very happy memories as a family. We put on Christmas music.  Elliana loved putting ornaments on the tree, and Wyatt loved taking things to Brad to put on the tree. I loved getting out my snowbabies! Really I can't put it into words, but it was special. It's not everyday that I dance with my giggling 18 month old to Alan Jackson's "Let it Be Christmas."

It made me all sentimental. It's interesting to me that one vivid memory I have from growing up is when we put up our Christmas tree. We'd listen to George Winston on a record, Dad would sit and drink his Swiss Mocha and my mom, sister and I would try to decide how to best decorate the tree, living room and for some reason we really worked hard on the bathroom. In my mind I remember Jill trying really hard to get us to only put one color of ornament on the tree. I supported her, but Luke couldn't handle not putting at least one of his ornaments on that didn't go with the color scheme. Every year we'd each get a special new ornament.

Life is interesting. Now my parents have no one to help them put up their tree most of the time, and I'm starting to get to enjoy putting up mine with my little kids.