WOW - Check this out!

Um....where did I go???? 

There is no doubt our fall schedule - out of the home five nights a week; something scheduled six days a week is busy - but we were handling it well...and it's easing up already. (This week we finished pre-marital counseling with a lovely young couple...so now we have commitments four nights of the week....its the start of margin).

BUT....the reason for the absence of posts has more to do with the incredibly SLOW laptop I had.....it took Stacia 30 minutes to simply sign on to her Facebook page!!!! It took about 20 minutes to turn the computer on. Things would go missing. Grrr.....and yet....I kept posting.....

UNTIL I injured my shoulder about 4 weeks ago. I couldn't type or text....or really sit still even. I hadn't been in pain that required movement since labor 14 years ago.  I went to the doctor and was given a shot and muscle relaxants and told to alternate a couple of anti-inflammatory meds around the clock. The drugs made me sleep and I slept the first week away. I felt a bit better by the second week, but still couldn't type and was doing all I could to simply complete school and prep for Bible study, attend pre-marital sessions.....I felt good this Monday and had a doctor appointment. I avoided a shot as I could do everything requested of me in the exam....but after all the manipulations, I couldn't sleep again Monday night.....and was back taking 800 mg of Ibuprofen every 8 hours..... I also can't SLEEP for more than a couple of hours before the pain wakes me up....but THAT is MUCH better than the past 3 weeks when I couldn't lie on either my side, or my back, without pain. I've been sleeping in "my" recliner in the nook (Mom's old recliner that Dad brought up).....streaming Netflix and reading to get my mind off pain.  This is week four - and I am still in pain....but it's more of a dull ache. I have been told to go back on the meds if it hurts and to avail myself of a hot tub - which I don't have. ::snort::

Injury, slow computer....no motivation to be online. 

Michael had an appointment in Anchorage on Wednesday.  I stayed home as I was doing some serious Thanksgiving prep. He came home with TWO gifts.....

LOOK at this thing. It has a GOLD lid....and it is fast. Michael told me it would be the fastest computer I've ever used...and it is.  I was NOT expecting a Cadillac of laptops - I'm used to the Pinto of laptops. It's an I7 HP Specter. It SINGS....I've been told it has plenty of space for graphics and will be fast for editing videos too. It seems some would like me to get the YouTube Channel running again.....It took hours to edit video each night and I wasn't very good at it....but maybe I will agree to a weekly update. We'll see....first I have to transfer everything from the slow computer and return it to IDEA (Our home school charter program).  The speed amazes me! Our computers were very fast in Japan. We can't get those Internet speeds in the states (at least as civilians).....even with our sluggish Internet up here under the mountain.....this is as fast as our computer in Japan - maybe faster.

He also came home with THIS - a total surprise.  The color printer has been down for months and Michael was researching buying a new print head or a different printer. It made it difficult to work on graphics for women's ministry AND impossible to print photos for his sister....

This is a Color Laser printer/copier/scanner. 

Michael found a great "Early Black Friday" sale.....and both were significantly under normal retail prices....the laptop costs nearly 3x what I've spent on the laptops I've previously purchased.....but oh, how it sings! 

I'm motivated to work on the computer.....but first....I will work on RETREAT SESSIONS..... I don't think I've shared  I will be traveling to Mt Hermon Retreat Center to speak at the Travis AFB PWOC retreat the end of January. The computer has been so slow I've been handwriting my session notes. It's been frustrating to come back and not be able to ready what I'd prepared.....because when I get on a roll I write too fast to be legible. I'm set now. I thought I'd be escaping from the snow when I flew to California.....hmmm....no snow here. I GUESS I NEED TO MOVE TO ARIZONA!!!

Before There Is Thanksgiving There is the Great Cranberry Hunt of 2019

MONDAY - I PLANNED to  do our Thanksgiving shopping, and then make truffles, snack mix, cookies and cheese cake.

In reality, I spent considerable getting Dad set up for Medicare. We still have to find a licensed insurance agent to buy a supplement, but his meds will be covered under D and that's the cheapest option for him. Unfortunately, we discovered there is NOTHING like medicare advantage in Alaska. NONE of the options cover dental and vision and we'll have to pay that out of pocket. OUCH.... We were both a bit bummed and sober when we left the office. Dad suggested a sandwich and soup at Sophia's.  PERFECT.

We came home, I got dinner, Michael and I went to the church to meet with a darling couple about to become Mr. & Mrs.

TUESDAY. I woke determined to get the shopping done. I was there bright and early...and stayed for 3 hours.  I was not able to pick up Dad's meds or cranberries.

Ready to get home and begin baking - Note the absence of snow!

 Stacia, Dad, Arielle and Benny were on hand to unload the van.

"Heavy, Baachan, heavy!"

We checked back at Freddies for meds and cranberries at 2 p.m. The truck with the cranberries was predicted to be in. It wasn't. We did get one med. Evidently, they called Dad about the other med. I need to hunt down the message.

Stacia and I got busy and made brownie bites and the inside of truffles.  That's all we got done  before I needed to get working on dinner and out the door for Gather Bible Study.

I checked Freddies after Bible study. 9:49 p.m. and I scored cranberries. I bought 5 lbs. I will NOT be caught without cranberries again. I may even sell baggies of cranberries to those who didn't have the foresight to buy extra for Christmas dinner. ::snort::

WEDNESDAY. Stacia and I managed to work in time for our Brave study.  We like going to Sophia's....Michael had an appointment in Anchorage. We decided I would stay home so Stacia and I could focus on getting as much of the cooking as possible done before Thursday.

We covered truffles in chocolate....these were not sugar free. We made 4 kinds before deciding we did not have time to make the other 2 kinds.

crunchy peanut butter toffee truffles

Krista got home from work and made a cheese ball. She asked what else she could help with - I promptly set her to making two mini-cheese cake recipes I adapted from WW. I made them SF so Dad and I can eat them. The jury is still out on the WW version of  chocolate cheesecake,  but I LOVE the vanilla cheesecake. I chopped up some sugar free chocolate and added it.  I plan to use this recipe in the future and add cocoa to make sugar free mini chocolate mint cheesecakes.

Arielle and Benny came up to keep us company....and to help. Here, Benny and I whip cream - which we mixed with sugar free Lily's chocolate to make a reduced calorie mousse. We used this for Michael's pie....and as a side dish. We've since discovered how to turn it into a truffle....watch out world.

Arielle prepped sugar free apple pie filling while I made pie crusts and cut out shapes for the top of one.  I made the Chocolate Pecan pie filling and we assembled pies. I want to figure out how to make a sugar free pecan pie....suggestions? Dad loves pecan pie.

Chocolate pecan and Apple pies

Dad called Mikhail and Elizabeth (our nephew and niece).....Benny was happy to take a break with GG....for just a minute.

Michael got home from Anchorage and was FULL of surprises.....a new computer and printer. He had agreed to take care of the brine for the turkey as my shoulder protests at 24lbs....getting better all the time...but I was told to try to rest it and proceed to light duty....I'm trying to listen. I do NOT want to end up going up the pain scale again. I don't pick up Benny or Gideon.....I don't pick up roasters with 24 lb turkeys in them.

Benny was QUITE interested in this process. He and Dad came over to observe/help. 

Such a persistent helper.

 "Ewww....papa."

And there the turkey goes for 12 hours. 

First Snow 2019

We got snow on Michael's birthday, Nov 17th. That is much later than the past two years....but we made the most of it.

We had 6 inches overnight and another 2 inches before the day was over. 

Certainly enough snow to play in!  

Dash wasn't totally thrilled to play in the snow. 

Stacia and Benny made me an Olaf.

Tried some maple candy....

Gideon is bundled up for the weather....

Photo from BreAnne

 Bella's sporting a Happy Hat...

Photo from BreAnne

These two were whipping up fudgesicles...no added sugars....really good....though sort of an odd thing to make on our first snow day. LOL

Since this is a post looking back (it's Dec 2nd now) I can share the snow MELTED within a day and we had green grass, warm temps and no snow through Thanksgiving. Green grass for Thanksgiving - I wouldn't have believed it.

A Grand Day

My day began by playing with Benny. While everyone else worked. 

Very cool light. 

I am ending the day by playing with Bella and Gideon. 

Gideon combs and styles my hair 

Bella was not to be left out 

BreZaak are at a big launch party for True North Recovery Inc and Alive Alaska. Izaak and Bre are planting Alive Alaska Recovery Church. A Christ-cenetered, recovery focused church. They have a heart to walk the recovery journey with those coming out of various addictions. 

Between the grand bookends of the day I did some laundry, visited with Dad, helped Stacia launch an internet presence for Happy Hats (her micro-business), and picked up pizza to bring to BreZaak's.

I'll post a link when the Etsy and Paypal store is up. 

Why did I bring pizza to BreZaak's? Because Michael, Nolan and Alex are next door working at CoRielle's. Youth group is tonight. It's the only way we could make all the parts of the schedule work the available vehicles. LOL

Michael enjoyed a dinner break with the grands.

Papa and Bubbie!

Bella wants to play too. 

Bella and Papa. 

BreZaak and Annie got home at 9:30 or so....a successful community party. Friday night is the soft launch for the church.

*The pitsy selfies are because I dropped my new phone on the asphalt before the case arrived and cracked the screen. 

Benny the Contractor

Benny has watched so many contractors  he KNOWS the routine. He wandered around the house saying, "2....2....2....yeah, yeah window."

Photo by Arielle

Cory painted  ceilings, ordered cupboards and counters, and patched walls.

Arielle continued washing walls and started painting.

Nolan patched walls and helped paint.

Michael and Alex put in light fixtures and finished the power outlets. They are nearly done with the light switches. This involved a trip or two to the attic.

I watched Benny -  until I watched BreZaak's children.

The Tribe Goes to work for CoRielle

You may remember CoRielle closed on their first home in August. They are still living in the basement apartment. WHAT? It was a rehab loan. The home needed work. The bank required even more things to be upgraded than CoRielle would have done. They hired a contractor and began to wait to move into their home. All the paperwork clearly noted this was a rehab loan and work had to be completed by Oct 31st.  They KNEW they wouldn't move in in August...but they also KNEW that all the work would be done by Oct 31st - as required by the bank. 

As the weeks went by and work wasn't started, Cory began to do all the demo work himself. Anything to speed up the process.....he took up flooring, removed insulation (moldy), removed baseboard, doors and frames, removed all kitchen appliances, cupboards and counters, removed all bathroom features, removed a wood-stove and hearth that wasn't up to code....In the end they have the bones of a house....empty, cleared and ready for a contractor to zip in and finish by Oct 31st.  It was obvious the contractor would NEVER get it all done by Oct 31st and he hadn't done anything by mid Oct.

It became apparent...even with all the demo done....the contractor was not going to make their home a priority.....it was not going to be finished by the bank's deadline. So....the contractor is out of the picture, the bank has extended the date for the work to be done, and the  tribe has moved in to "get er done" under Cory's direction. 

Cory has spent an incredible number of  hours working
alone at the house - while working full time. 

Cory took Tuesday and Wednesday off. Michael and Alex cleared their schedules. Arielle goes over after work. Jamin and Nolan have both shown up after work.....Cupboards, counters, appliances, bathroom furniture, paint,  carpet and flooring are waiting. It WILL get done. 

Arielle is ready to get it DONE. 

They worked long and hard today. I love the way Benny shadows his Daddy and Papa.  He should know how to build a home before he's 2 years old. LOL 

I've been told the plumbing is ready for the tub and toilet to go in....3 electrical fans are up and 15 plugs ins are wired and connected. Arielle washed walls so they can begin patching and painting.

Viva la Familia! Go tribe go. I'm proud to belong to such a big group of peoples.

*Note all photos are from Arielle.

This and That

Wednesday's are our day to keep Benny at home while Arielle works. We noticed Phoenix was up to his usual tricks. He jumps in and out of the chicken yard all day. We couldn't help but open the door and point out to him that his girls were all on the other side of the fence. 

He seemed to watch us with disdain as we continued to tease him. "How are you going to protect them from THIS side of the fence, Phoenix?" 

He stretched big and let loose with an "Uncle EARL" loud enough to scare off any predator in a mile range. LOL  Uncle Earl is what his crow sounds like to us. It makes us smile. 

This afternoon Bre and the kids came by for a quick visit.  I was far too focused on grands....and fixing dinner so the olders could make it to youth group.....to remember to take photos. It was a fun visit.

We had rice bowls for dinner and headed to town for church.  Alex drove and after the drop off at church I spent 2 glorious hours of SILENCE in the library. Self-care.  We came home and discovered the first fire of the year. It's time to start burning when the furnace kicks on repeatedly in a day.

Michael is the master of the fire. 

Please note, while there is frost in the a.m., bare trees and falling temps...there is still NO SNOW ON THE GROUND and therefore it IS STILL FALL!!!!

I hesitate to share this. I know weight loss can be polarizing. I was stuck at a 22 lb weight loss for 10 long weeks. While the world screams,  "Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results," or "Nothing changes if nothing changes," 10 weeks is a long time to hold the line. ::snort:: I KNEW I was doing what my doctor wanted me to do, I was working out, gardening, hiking, bike riding, eating clean, watching portions, establishing a healthier lifestyle with no sugar and very few refined carbs....eventually....a couple of weeks ago I began losing again. I'm now less than I was when Michael retired...nearly back to my BreZaak Wedding weight (Passed JaRissa and CoRielle wedding weight weeks back)....I'm less than a lb away from a 30 lbs loss....half way to goal...and this came in the mail today! A nice little charm for my key ring.

My loss is  slow...but I consul myself with the thought that the loss is  sustainable as the focus really IS on making choices which are resulting in long term health....and which I can maintain for a lifetime. For me it's become fairly clear and simple: I can track food for a lifetime or I can track blood sugars and insulin for a lifetime. Tracking food isn't too much of a hassle. ::wink::  I went off the sugar wagon pretty heavily in Aug/Sept so I'm hoping my A1C hasn't gone back up....of course the A1C only measures 3 months at a time, so I'll likely be fine by the testing date in December.  There you have it - I belong to the Turtle Club of weight loss...slow and steady wins the race. ::snort::

No - I don't go to Weight Watcher meetings. I'm already committed to 3 nights of activity a week and we are fighting for margin in our schedule. If I could go to a daytime meeting- I would consider it.  I DO use the WW ap and have found it to be full of helpful tips, tools and such.