Week 1- 2013

The band warming up.

Bryce and I went to Decorah for New Years Eve.  I love dancing in Decorah because everyone is so free on the dance floor.  It was so fun.  Intergalactic Cowboy Orchestra plaued.  After the countdown, Bryce and I went to Brenda's to spend the night under ultra-warm woolen blankets.  In the morning we went to Scott and Lisa's house for a New Year's day "Good Luck" dinner with black eyed peas and collard greens. 

When we got home Bryce and I had the ambition to clean the house and check a lot of things off our to-do list from last year.  This including switching out almost all our chemicals with naturally made products and building a closet.  We got a new cordless drill while in Decorah, which helped a lot too.

Otherwise I have been busy at Whimsy Market.  I was expecting a sudden, lull, but things haven't slowed down too much.  I am trying to have some more classes to bring more people in.  Amanda Rhine came down from Decorah to talk about a liquid supplement she uses.  Unfortunately no one came, but we did have some good conversations about her summer programs at Discover Happy.

Today we went snowmobiling at Cheri and Jonathan Moser's family farm.  They had the snowmobiles.  It was the first time driving for all of us and we had a lot of fun.  Even Link rode around a little with us and didn't want to get off.

2013 Goals

The categories are listed 1-12, so I can do one each month from each category

Lifestyle Changes
1. Drink pop only one day a week (if at all)
2. Stop eating fast food completely (or less than 1x a month)
3. Learn to make my own cheese
4. Make a worm tea bin
5. Get rid of everything under the kitchen sink (chemicals)
6. Learn to use the pressure canner for vegetables
7. Get rid of everything we can in the bathroom (chemicals)
8. Purchase an animal (processed)
9. Stop using shampoo and conditioner
10. Get a cleaning schedule in action
11. Have another baby, if possible
12. REDUCE (sell as much stuff as I can that I don't use)

House Goals
1. Put closet in bedroom
2. Put up shutters
3. Put up kitchen shelving
4. Put in upstairs shower
5. Paint the rest of the guest room
6. Clean siding
7. Get new front door
8. Put in a back patio
9. Fence in play area
10. Get a new floor in the kitchen
11. Redo the stairs/stairway
12. Set up a better recycling area

Art Goals
1. Finish mosaic
2. Illustrate my children's book
3. Take a class toward getting my art ed license again
4. Make an artist chair
5. Create a photo tour of my town
6. Record a song or short cd
7. Pinterest DIY yarn
8. Pinterest DIY sewing
9. Pinterest DIY paper
10. Pinterest DIY glass
11. Pinterest DIY wood
12. Pinterest DIY wreath

Financial Goals
1. Get and set up quick books
2. Create a will or revocable trust
3. Put $3000 in Link's savings account
4. Learn about the stock market
5. Set up a Roth IRA/retirement

6. Get another part time job or small side job
7. Have all credit card debt below $8000
8. Have Bryce switch to Veridian Credit Card
9. Have Bryce do some continuing ed for job
10. Have Bryce get a raise
11. Look into further assistance
12. Pay of a loan completely

Random goals without a timeline
1. Read the Grant Wood book and visit locations
2. Read the El Kader book and write play
3. Make a photo album from high school stuff
4. Make a photo album from college stuff
5. Enter a project at the county fair
6. Take lessons on the auto harp
7. Go to a Quaker meeting in Decorah
8. Visit the Mosque in Cedar Rapids
9. Plant Link's placenta and possibly a tree
10. Get Lasik
11. Get my passport
12. Learn metrics

Week 52

Four generations of Durbin men.

This week was all about a few days in Paducah for Durbin Christmas. 

Link and Naomi (pre-blizzard in Kentucky).  This is who I think Link looks the most like.

One of Link's great gifts.  He also got a hand knit sweater and hat from Agnes' mom (in Norwegian pattern).

Link had a lot of fun with Bryce's cousin, Landon.

Week 51- 2012

1. I finished the Lego table for Link.  He loves it.

2. We continue our Norwegian/Scandanavian theme Christmas with our advent calendar and tree (decked out it flags).  Link is so use to reading books by our author of choice every time I say the word "by" he smiles and says "Jan Bread" (Meaning Jan Brett).  We made a Norwegian ornament of weaved paper as well.

 3.  We did Christmas with my mom's side of the family and my family opened gift too.  It was a lot of fun with the Giuntas, including a great game of spoons and lots of laughs. Link got a Leapster from Grandma and Grandpa that he really enjoys.  While most of my family was watching Green Bay versus the Bears, Agnes and I watched Norway versus Montenegro.  In what sport you ask?  Handball.  It seems like such a whimpy little thing in the name, but it was quite entertaining.  It's like a mix between soccer and basketball.

4. Monday Link and I went to Dubuque.  He was excellent all day.  We went to Menards and I bought myself what I really wanted for Christmas, a miter saw.  We went to several other shops and ended the day at Olive Garden (using our gift certificate), which according to Link "smells like bread!"

5. SNOW!  Lots of it.  So much so that school was canceled.  I tried to take Link outside during the blizzard and the wind blew snow in his face and he was done.  So we stayed inside and made a ton of crafts (button snowflake, shield, weaving heart ornament, etc) and cooked (broccoli soup, homemade bread, etc).

6. At story hour Link made a pine cone bird feeder.  He was very excited about putting it up.

7.  After yoga the group got together for a cookie exchange.  It was awesome.  Natalia is not only a phenomenal yoga instructor and attorney, she is also an amazing chef.

8. I woke up Wednesday to what the chiropractor told me was a "rib head out of place."  Fortunately I was able to get in right away, but it still took my breath away every time I looked right for the next couple of days.

9. I opened Whimsy Market back up on Friday and Agnes joined me for the day.  She made the day fun, even making me laugh so hard that I was wiping away streams of tears.  On Saturday the Bruxvort Colligans "The River's Voice" came and sang for the store patrons.  They were excited to visit with us, and Sam was excited to see Link.

10. Dad came over to look the car over once more before we head to Kentucky tomorrow.  He also found a few other projects to tinker with.  We thought he reminded us a lot of Santa in this photo.

2012- Week 50

1. It snowed and we took family photos.

2. Link wrote his first letter to Santa.  He asked for a back pack and his typical candy canes and sack of toys.

3. I took a Quick Books class in Elkader.  I am still debating if I should get it, but it seems pretty great, so I probably will.

4. I got a new phone.  Not a smart phone, but a samsung freeform.  I can text a lot better with a keypad.

5. The last time I went to Goodwill in Decorah they gave me free movie passes for shopping local.  When I got home, the coat I purchased had two free pizzas in it to Happy Joes in Decorah so on Saturday Link and I went to Ice Age- Continental Drift, then we went to have a free pizza at Happy Joes.  We were not planning on using the other pizza coupon so I let Link choose someone to pass it on to.  The family he chose was very appreciative and Link was so happy he made someone else happy.

6. Bryce's parents gave us money to repair our piano, but this week we found one nearby that costs even less than the repairs so we are purchasing it instead.

7.  Agnes had a home basketball game so I went.  She got to play a bit, which was nice.  She seems to be a little bit more concerned about what she is eating now and I am wondering if basketball has anything to do with it. 

8.  The editor of the paper did a story on whimsy market to highlight the local craftmanship I support in the store. 

9.  My friend Adam met with me over lunch to discuss the possibility of working his company Fire Farm to do Facebook/Pinterest promotion.  I am very excited about the possibility.  We were interrupted by the fire alarm and someone calling his cell to tell him it was his fire alarm going off. 

10. We did another Essential Oils meeting at Whimsy Market and I ended up purchasing a starter kit.  I am excited to get them. 

2012 Goals Accomplished

Lifestyle Changes
1. Buy 99% of meat and eggs from local sources
2. Make 99% of all our bread
3. Replace a household cleaning product with a self made
4. Make a worm tea bin or get a compost machine
5. Plant a bigger garden
6. Buy/eat only locally grown vegetables
7. Trade out non-stick pans and plastic spatulas for iron, stainless steel
8. Can vegetables or make jam
9. Replace a bathroom product for a natural fragrance free product
10. Learn to make cheese
11. Look in the fridge/pantry and pick something to make from scratch instead
12. Switch something buying from store to co-op bulk

Professional Goals
1. Use credit at Photo Pro in CR
2. Make a new photography brochure
3. Become a home vendor of a product
4. Print t-shirts
5. Choose a wholesale company to partner with
6. Read the Barbra Winter's Book Again
7. Finish the Art Punks website and get it up
8. Create an art chair
9. Start a day care
10. Create a play area for day care
11. Finish children's book
12. Publish children's book

House Goals
1. Have electrical done in the bathroom
2. Plaster and paint bathroom
3. Plaster and paint kitchen
4. Roof the house
5. Clean siding and put up shutters
6. Have ceilings done
7. Have floors done
8. Strip the wood
9. Fence in play area for day care
10. Paint/Seal the basement
11. Put bathtub upstairs
12. Set up a better recycling area

Financial Goals
1. Record expenses again
2. Don't buy anything in Prairie du Chien
3. Do taxes and get refund
4. Have credit card below $8000
5. Create a will or revocable trust
6. Set up a Roth IRA/retirement
7. Put $3000 in Link's savings account
8. Pay off $6000 in college loans from AmeriCorps
9. Cut one of our biggest monthly expenses in half
10. Have credit card below $6000
11. Learn about the stock market
12. Give to a charity

Random goals without a timeline
1. Read the Grant Wood book and visit locations
2. Read the El Kader book and write play
3. Make a photo album from high school stuff
4. Make a photo album from college stuff
5. Get Lasik
6. Take a sister's day trip or vacation
7. Go to Amy's Scrapbooking Saturday and do paper crafts
8. Get a dress pattern and sew own dress
9. Take piano lessons again
10. Go to a Quaker meeting in Decorah
11. Visit the Mosque in Cedar Rapids
12. Bike at least once a week
13. Improve time in the Bix or run the Quick Bix
14. Take dance lessons and perform in the dance reunion
15. Plant Link's placenta and possibly a tree
16. Enter a project at the county fair
17. Learn to do my own taxes
18. WWOF in Australia
19. Go to the Duqubue museum of art

Santa Claus according to Link at age 3

Bryce and I have never really figured out if we were going to tell the fable or truth about Santa, so we have just kind of ignored it.  We thought maybe friends and family would tell Link one or the other and he would ask questions, but he hasn't, so today I asked HIM questions.

This is what he said:

1. Have you ever met Santa?  Yes
2. Is Santa real or pretend? He is just like us.
3. Where does Santa live?  Umm, Elkader
4. Does Santa ride in a sleigh with reindeer? Yes
5. Do the reindeer fly? Some do, some don't.
6. Does Santa bring you anything? Yeah, candy canes
7. When does Santa bring you things? When we go see him at the stores and stuff.
7. Does Santa ever come to your house when you are sleeping?  No, that's silly.
8. Does Santa leave presents under your tree? No, that's silly.
9. Who brings you presents? Everybody
10. If you could ask Santa to bring you something other than candy canes what would you ask for? A sack of toys.