Good News.....Bad News.....

Let's start with the BAD news.....

Last night after eating dinner the kids we BEGGING to go swimming -- they were SOOOO HOT.  Bobby & I on the other hand seemed to be more tired from a fun filled weekend than we were hot, so despite all the whinning & pleading we settled in and decided to watch the Bachelorette (Bobby's FAVORITE show, hee hee hee).  Bobby was so into the show that he fell asleep on the couch.  All of a sudden, our smoke detector started going off.  Puzzled, I woke Bobby up (or they did) and told him to investigate, we were done with dinner and I thought that the alarms were just being weird.  Bobby unplugged the alarm on the main level and we still heard the alarm going off downstairs.  He went downstairs and I heard him say something to the effect of "Oh my God".  YIKES!!  I quickly told the kids to go outside just in case...(they were STELLAR and went directly to the garage and stayed there).  As I was getting the dogs out, Bobby yelled to me to get the other fire extinguisher.  I ran inside, grabbed the fire extinguisher in the kitchen, ran downstairs with it and gave it to Bobby.  He ran in again.  The basement was full of smoke.  I was so scared, but I kept telling the kids everything was ok and they were doing good.  I think I was trying to convince myself that everything was ok.  Bobby came out a few minutes later and the basement was so full of smoke I couldn't see him until he was at the door.  He said the fire was out and threw some baskets on the ground.  He doused his shirt with water and ran back in to open the windows.  I really, REALLY didn't want him to go inside with all that smoke, but he said it was ok, put the wet shirt over his mouth and ran back in.  I ran and got the phone to call the fire department during some point in this blur and must have done something to the phone, because it wouldn't work.  Bobby said the fire was out, but we wanted to make sure that nothing else was smoldering and thought we should call the fire department.  I put the dogs in my car in the garage (so they were safe), grabbed the kids and headed to the Arthurs next door.  We barged in their house and I asked to use their phone.  I called 911 and told them we thought the fire was out, but asked if they could still send someone to check it out.  I went back home and the fire department came.  Now, let me tell you.. the Namakagon Volunteer Fire Department is Amazing!!! They came right away and were so, so nice.  I kept thanking them for coming and apologizing for interupting their holidays.  They were all so gracious and said we definately did the right thing.  I was also MORTIFIED that my basement is such a mess.  I have really really been trying to clean down there and get rid of all the junk, but of couse, there was barely a path for them to get in.  How embarassing!!!

Here's the deal....  in my cleaning mode, I put baskets of all sizes on the hearth, to put things in as I cleaned.  I didn't thing anything of it and REALLY didn't think it was a danger.  We never use that fireplace (a gas one), so I decided to use the hearth as a place to put things. stupid, Stupid, STUPID!!! Well, the kids were downstairs playing yesterday afternoon and must have turned on the fireplace switch instead of the light switch (they are right next to each other). So, the fireplace was going all afternoon and the wicker baskets and the cloth baskets must have gotten so hot that they caught on fire.  I'm sure they were smoldering for a while and then caught fire soon before Bobby arrived in the basement, because they were the only thing that burned.  Bobby said that when he got to the door, that he saw 2 - 3 foot flames.  THANK Goodness that he reacted the way he did and knew where the fire extinguisher was.  He stayed so calm during the whole thing.  He really is our HERO!!!

If only we would have gone swimming (we were so close to going), our house would be gone!  If he didn't react so quickly, it would have been sooo much worse!  We definately were being watched over last night.  Thanks Dad! and Thanks God for keeping us all safe.

So.....

THE BAD NEWS

The Good News

We had these ready to go and knew were they were!

Our smoke detectors worked and are hooked together throughout the house and were working.

Bobby reacted quickly, safely and didn't panic.

The kids were amazing and went directly to the meeting place, stayed calm and didn't fight once!

The dogs stayed right next to the kids and weren't crazy.

Lisa watched the kids for us while we made sure the house was safe.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!

We caught the fire before it was out of control.

The only damage we have is to the fireplace (which is washable!) and mantle.

The SMOKE DAMAGE which is pretty bad, but hopefully fixable.

My basement will DEFINATELY be cleaned soon.  (whether by me or the smoke cleaning people)

I swear I will definately be keeping things more organized!

(I REALLY don't want people to see things that way again!)  

We learned a HUGE lesson without losing our house!

The Namakagon Fire Department has AMAZING People!!

Again -- I am SO Sorry for bringing you out, but THANK YOU for keeping us safe!!

You are all definately HEROES and we are eternally THANKFUL!!

and most importantly.....

We are all safe and sound!

love.....Mona

Morning Coffee

The worst part about not doing the dishes before going to bed.......

.....not having THIS cup to use for my coffee in the morning!

Good thing I have a second favorite!

Ah....energy to do those dishes!!!

love.....Mona

Playdate???

Did I hear that there is a Pladate at the Pixie Palace???

 Oh Yeh! I LOVE Playdates!!!

Oh look at all the FUN things in there -- Ooh - I can't wait!!!

 Hello -- anyone home???  I wonder where everyone is????

 Did I hear someone coming???

Oh -- maybe they are over here.....

Oh -- were playing UNDER the playhouse???  Ok....

It sure is dark under here...

Thanks for the fun game of Hide and Seek! 

See you NEXT time!!

So, squirrels aren't necessarily my favorite animals, but I really don't mind the 4 or 5 grey squirrels that we have hanging out at our house. They run around and play -- eat the bird seed - and drive the dogs WILD -- but they are pretty fun to watch!  As I was stalking my favorite blogs this morning, I happened to look out at the playhouse and saw this squirrel just sitting there looking in.  He/she sat there for a long time, just looking -- I though for sure that it was going to go inside.  It never did, but it sure looked curious.  I thought it was the cutest thing!  I'm actually REALLY glad that it didn't go inside.  Like I said -- I think that they are fun to watch, but they really are dirty little things and I really don't want them to think the Pixie Palace is their home and settle in!

We had a very productive weekend....  Bobby worked more on his shed turned sauna -- it's coming along great -- there is even a place to sit now.  One more seat to go, a little trim and then the entry area and we will have a sauna...Yey -- then he can concentrate on Bode's tree house -- he is SOOO EXCITED! (Me too!)  He also got the dock in yesterday.  It's been so nice here (an ACTUAL SPRING -- I am over the moon!) we are excited to get on the lake!  My goal is to finish the boat house this summer.  I wonder if THIS is the year?????  I sure hope so!  We'll see how it goes!  Bobby even got to take the kids fishing on the dock yesterday -- they picked worms and headed down there --but according to Bode "we got skunked!"  Oh well - there will be plenty more opportunities.  Watch out fish!!  I worked on the basement most of the weekend.  I am so excited to have my craft room finished!  I am getting closer every day.  Most of the basement looks trashed -- but I am getting there -- I have about 9 big bags to go to Goodwill so far and I have tons to go.  It feels soooo good to declutter!  AND...I can't wait to walk into by nice clean, organized craft room -- ooh -- I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

Well - I'm off to finish some laundry and spiff up our abode.

love.....Mona

Chillin'

Happy Friday!!!

We'll just be Chillin' this weekend......

Just what weekends are for!

Love.....Mona

good morning stories and a brave adventure

tonce tupon ta time (said really REALLY fast)

there was a girl named Avery

this is too hot

this is too hairy

and this is too gassy

the end

Original poem by the talented, newly awakened Dalaney this morning while snuggling in bed with her favorite sister and mommy.

We are off to the basement of dispair today to free the soon to be extremely organized, most lovely craft room from the most horrific mess one could ever imagine!  Wish us luck!

Happy Weekend.....

love.....Mona

Nosey, nosey...

Dalaney and I were just eating lunch -- crab cakes -- YUM!  I'd better be careful though, because this little girl at the ripe age of 2, is getting very distinguishing tastes -- her favorite lunches lately are crab cakes and sushi!

Anyways, she has a little runny nose, so we wiped it and she blew her nose.

I said "wow - that's an icky nose!"  as to which she replied "Yah, me need a new nose!"

I told her that her nose was so cute, maybe we should keep the one God gave her.  She then reached over and tried to take mine.  She's funny.

love.....Mona

New Beginnings

That is a funny title... New Beginnings - are there OLD beginnings?  I'm not sure.  I guess you can THINK you are starting new but really just be doing the same thing again and again.  Who knows -- that's not really what this post is about - just what goes through my mind... no wonder it's hard to get anything done!


Anyhoo - who says anyhoo?  Oh boy... it's probably good I haven't written anything for so long....


I know that it's the MIDDLE of the 1st month of the new year, but I FINALLY have some resolutions... goals...aspirations....whatever you want to call them.... here goes....in no particular order.

REDO THE HOUSE

I really like this house -- even though Bobby built it to be a rental and it has NO closet space -- I'm good with that and now that we have our brand new garage and STORAGE space in the loft of the brand new garage - yipee -- I have somewhere to store all of our junk treasures.  HOWEVER, it's time to give our little house in the woods some charm.  LOTS of charm.  Oh, I have so many ideas - where to start.... maybe the kitchen!

ORGANIZE - DECLUTTER

This is a BIGGIE but it's going to be done...goodwill and ebay - here. I. come!  And hey, the dumpster will be full up!  This one is going to be a doosie.  I can't believe that I have saved EVERYTHING.
Every. Single. Thing.

Since Bode was born -- all their clothes, toys, magazines, artwork, e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g! SO SAD!

So very very sad.

NO MORE YELLING

Seriously...

who yells at their kids for yelling? 

who has lived her life incredibly scared of being yelled at but yet yells at her own children? 

ME

and let me tell you -- I am smarter than that!  I really am.

starting now -- RIGHT NOW -- let's all take a breath.  BREATHING is GOOD!

namaste (or whatever you say at yoga class -- I failed yoga class)

So there you have it.  I'll start with 3.... more might put me over the edge.  I have to start somewhere.

Even though I have these "resolutions" I really just wanted to have a mantra this year - a word to sum up everything (I hear it's the thing to do this year -- and I'm all about following the cool people). I'm WAY to wordy, chatty, etc. to have ONE word, but I pick BREATHE.  Breathing is good. Breathing can keep you calm.  Breathing means you are alive...that you are thriving. So I pick Breathe.

So, I am going to follow suit with my not so on time self and start now, the MIDDLE of the 1st month of the new year.

Oh - and I really do want to make every moment cout and enjoy life's simple pleasures and take more pictures and really play with the kids more and give and get more kisses (I'm pretty good at this already, but you really can't get enough kisses!) and keep up with the paperwork better and excercise and lose a bunch of weight and eat healthier and read more books and go on more dates with my mister and.....

 Wish me luck!

Here's a picture of the lovely Avery in front of our little home in the woods when she was about 3 years old.

just because.

love.....Mona