Chatter Boxes

Now that most of the Christmas cards have been delivered, I thought I'd share some of the outtakes. We had your typical Christmas photo experiences - running to beat the self-timer, trying to get everyone to look at the camera, trying to keep a genuine smile after sitting in the cold for 30 minutes. It was great fun.

I even made John come back out to do it again because the best picture from the first batch - my sweater was weird. I bet no one would have even noticed - but I noticed and it bothered me.

So here you go...all the pictures that didn't make the cut. Some for obvious reasons.



Hurry! Hurry! The light's blinking!



The wind gust!



Sheena: "Oh - What's over there?"

Here's the finished product of the Christmas Tree hunt.



Ohhh...Ahhh!

And the fireplace that was made for just such an occasion.



The dining room all decked out.



The entry way to welcome you.



Merry Christmas!

We're in full Christmas-mode now.

John and I headed out last weekend to find the perfect tree for The Lodge. We both had certain requirements. John wanted it as tall as possible (it's in the living room with a vaulted ceiling) until I reminded him that we didn't have enough stuff to decorate a giant tree and decorating half of it was not permissible.

We walked all over that Christmas Tree Farm and found just the one. I know it looks like every other tree surrounding it but I assure you it's not. It's totally different. I also assure you that I am not as tired as I look. I'm not a morning person and it was technically still morning.



The lumberjack.



Kids - Don't try this at home. I just love the smell of free cut evergreens. More than once John has found me with my face buried in the tree.



Stay tuned for pictures of the finished product. Coming Soon!

Sheena helped us rake leaves last weekend. It was really cold and windy that day so she donned her purple quilted coat and helped us weight down the leaves.

Happy Fall!

To see previous "To Whom It May Concern" entries look here and here.

Dear Sick People,

Stay home. The world is not going to stop spinning because you had to stay home from work. It it better for everyone if you snot and sneeze in your own house. If you insist on coming to work, please do not walk up and down the hallways coughing into every open door you see. Can I interest you in a mask and some antibacterial gel? This is a hospital for goodness sake - we're not in short supply.

Sincerely,
Mrs. First Door on the Right

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To Heather and Jenny,

Thanks for watching us last weekend. We enjoyed our time with you. Come back to visit anytime you want. Sorry about the toaster oven. Mommy should have told you about it before she left.


From,
Carhartt and Sheena

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Dear Bugs,

I guess we showed you! I know that you are God's creation and most of you are good for something. However, you are not welcome in my home. You are free to enjoy the vast surrounding area (except mosquitoes - you are evil and should die), but the indoor space is off limits. If you continue to violate this request, you will be executed like the others. I trust you'll make the right decision.

Regards,
Mrs. I Have Poison and I'm Not Afraid to Use It

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Dear Delta,

I'm sorry I bad-mouthed you about making us walk from the far end of the terminal just to turn right around and go back through the same gate. You thought ahead and made it very easy for us to catch our connecting flight. I shouldn't have been so quick to judge.

I also commend you for the yummy cookies you provide in addition to peanuts.

Sincerely,
Grateful Passenger

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Dear Nampa,

You're getting so big (relatively speaking). John says you're not as smelly as he was led to believe. I tried to tell him you were just having a good day.

By the way, your mayor can really rock.

From,
The Lady in the Obnoxious Red Rental Car

John and I just got back from my 10 year college reunion. We had great fun seeing everyone. Thanks for spending time with us and for having such cute kids. I really miss that part by not living closer.



This is my cousin's little girl. We got to babysit one morning. John's teaching her how to play the guitar. She almost had it!





All these girls were roommates of mine at one time or another.





And here are some of the cute kids who are either watching fireworks or awaiting the great company of the heavenly host.

Here we are on Halloween. John is a sophisticated suburbanite who married a backwoods country girl. Hee Hee!

I'm having a good hair day. It happens so infrequently, that I think it should be documented.

That is all.

Wildlife was an aspect of country living that I anticipated. I figured there would be face to face encounters with some furry friends...maybe a snake or two.

We (and once again, by "we" I mean John) trapped a good-sized snake in the garage and transplanted him to a cornfield nearby - after giving him three chances to slither on on his own. We have some sort of noisemaker that is supposed to deter mice from setting up permanent residence in our house.

I fear the day I meet this guy. I've been on board with this country livin' idea but that may all change when faced with those evil eyes and sharp little teeth. I've never touched a firearm in my life but, if handy, I'd pull the trigger without hesitation.



One of my favorite things about living here so far? The frogs. They're everywhere. They cling to our windows at night, scurrying up and down the glass catching bugs that hover near our porch lights.



(For the sake of keeping things real...I would like everyone to notice the background in the picture above. This picture was taken the same night I took pictures of our finished house. Remember the "golden" pictures? Anyway, in the reflection you can see the dining room/kitchen. That white blob in the picture is a bag of trash...just sitting in the kitchen. I am a domestic goddess!)

Now back to the frogs.

They pop out of the flowerpots - making me and the dogs jump with surprise.



They camp out on our front porch rocking chairs (yes, we have front porch rocking chairs...how else do you sit and watch the world go by?)



It's like the plague only cuter.

I survived the weekend-o-fun. Thanks for the concern. Other than the hour we were missing 5 teenagers in a busy downtown hotel...it was a rousing success.

It's my day off today and that means one of three things is happening. I'm in a coffee shop. I'm shopping for home decor. I'm sitting at home with a service man.

Any guesses?

That's right...it's door number three. Bob, tell them what they've won!

Okay, so you don't win anything but I will share the experience. This story is mostly for my relatives.

It all started way back when. I was in the 2nd grade and my mom taught school in California. Each classroom had a short little organ that they used for music class. I started piano lessons from a strange little old man who used to record our lessons on a cassette tape. I guess so I could listen to it during the week. I would practice on that little organ in my mom's classroom while she graded papers and worked on lesson plans.

We moved to Chicago when I was in the 3rd grade. We lived in an apartment and I took lessons from a seminary student's wife who lived down or up one floor (I don't remember which). I had a key to their apartment and I could go practice even when they were gone. The little old lady that lived directly above them would open her window to hear me play. I can't imagine that my little 3rd grade skills were all that impressive but she was very sweet to listen and encourage me.

We didn't have a piano of our own so with every move, my parents got creative and found me a place to play. My sister took lessons too and decided to build her own piano out of construction paper on the fireplace hearth. I think that's when my parent's decided it was probably time to find a real piano.

My grandparents lived in Idaho and were downsizing to a smaller apartment. They loaded up their piano and drove it half-way across the country to our house in Kansas City. They even brought the painting that always hung above it.

I now have that piano as one of my most treasured possessions. It's moved with me (except to Europe but if I could have figured out a way to do it...I would have.) to my apartment, my condo, and now my new home. I play it nearly every day. During the construction, it was housed by a friend and every day I felt like something was missing (although said friend did let me come over to play it - thanks friend). This piano is my therapy, a significant part of my worship, and my creative outlet.

After many moves and many years (Manufactured in 1951) - it was time for some serious restoration. Several hammers (the part that hits the strings) were broken, several key tops were cracked and yellowed.

All the plastic parts (and there were many) were replaced with maple. All the key tops were replaced with a new finish. She got new felt, new flanges (whatever that means). She's tuned to perfection and restored to her original beauty.

All thanks to this guy. Meet Mr. Piano Man.



He took all the insides out piece by piece (that's what is on the floor). It's taken almost a month to make all the repairs.



Mr. Piano Man and I have spent a significant amount of time together today. It's his birthday. He's 71. He's told me stories about pianos and I made him pumpkin cookies. It's been delightful.

So there you go Robinson family. Just thought you'd like to see this. I know Grandma would be proud.

Just a few highlights from the week in list form to save some time.

* We had four dinners at home this week. That is remarkable for a few reasons. One, we were both home. Two, we were home at dinner time. Three, I cooked four separate, well-balanced meals, with no leftovers. I think it's my new apron. It's blue gingham and very June Cleaver-esque.

* Yesterday afternoon I went to the snack shop to get a can of root beer (it was that or chocolate chip cookies and I'm working really hard at not eating junk or drinking caffeine - hence, the root beer). When the cashier rang it up, my total was $5,029.60. She said my total out loud before she realized that probably wasn't right.

*I bought a new phone on Wednesday - it's shimmery pink. John says it's the girliest thing he's ever seen. Yes, yes it is.

Behold...




* My husband cleaned up dinner dishes and did laundry last night. Now that's hot!

* I'm spending the next 24 hours with 24 teenagers inside a water park. Lord help me!

You're now caught up. Thank you all for the well-wishes and good thoughts. We feel them!

Here's a video I took of the race in Jefferson City. A lot of people have asked if John was participating in "The Race" (referring to the Tour of Missouri). This video proves that we are in fact just spectators.



We made it home safe and sound (albeit a little soggy) on Saturday. John and Chad rode about 40 miles from Sedalia to Clinton, MO in the rain. It was quite the accomplishment and I've very proud that they stuck with it despite the weather.





Carrie - look away from the screen - you're not gonna like this!

Here's a snake on the path.



Check Katie's blog for more pictures. Thus concludes the great Bike Tour of '08. Thanks for checking in.

There's been a slight change in plans. We're now in Sedalia, MO after spending yesterday in Rolla, MO (John's College Town). We're living like nomads as we follow different stages of the race. John and Chad rode into Rocheport Wednesday afternoon after riding 25 miles from Pilot Grove. Here they are riding into town. Yesterday we started the day in Rocheport, MO with some shopping and breakfast and made our way to Rolla, MO to see the finish of Stage Four. Here's the current leader (in the yellow jersey). Christian Vande Velde of Team Garmin. The big finish We made our way that night to St. James, MO where we stayed a the Valley View Cabin surrounded by fog and rain. We had a great big breakfast at Diana's Diner in St. James and ventured up the hill for the "King of the Mountain" (first biker up the "mountain" gets the most points). The bikers raced by our blanket on the shoulder of the highway and we loaded up the car to get to Jefferson City, MO to see the finish. We're now in Sedalia, MO in this historic hotel. Katie and I will drive home tomorrow and John and Chad will bike along the Katy Trail.

It's the beginning of day two. The boys are probably still sleeping. I haven't heard from them yet this morning. Last night the plan was to spend a lot of time swinging on the front porch swing at Aunt Polly's (The B&B).



Check here for the play-by-play on Day One.

I'll try to keep this post updated today but I'm not sure how much internet access we'll have. Today is a short bike ride (just a couple of hours) to Rocheport. We should all be there by lunch time. We're staying here tonight.

Today begins the great bike tour of 2008. John and his friend Chad are biking along The Katy Trail to see different legs of the Tour of Missouri. Garmin is the title sponsor of a bike team (who from here on out will be referred to as "the professionals" - at least by me. John will probably use the more respectful title of "Team Garmin"). This same bike team participated in the Tour de France. John worked on the GPS product used by the professionals.

Here's the plan:
Day One - John and Chad will bike from Clinton, MO (The start of the second leg for the professionals) to Pilot Grove, MO - that's 61 miles for those keeping track at home.

Day Two - Pilot Grove, MO to Rocheport, MO. Katie and I will meet them there after a grueling 2 hour ride in a car with air conditioning and cruise control. The wives are all about making sacrifices to support our husbands.

Day Three - We'll drive to Jefferson City, MO to catch the start of the third leg for the professionals.

Day Four - This is a rest day in Rolla, MO where I will get to see John's alma mater and frat house (I'm honestly frightened about this particular activity). We'll decide whether to see the start, middle, or finish of the professional race. Kim and Katie drive home (4 hours this time - Phew! I hope we can make it!). John and Chad bike From Rocheport, MO to Boonville, MO (No - I did not make up that name. That's the real name of the town).

Day Five - John and Chad bike from Boonville, MO to Clinton, MO where they will reunite with their four-wheeled vehicle and drive home...tired, sore, and happy.

I asked John to send updates on their progress and will post those updates here. Check back often to see how they're doing.

Trip Journal:

Journal Entry #1. "The time is 11:02am. Just finished watching the race start. Chad and I are headed to the Clinton Community Center to park the truck, change clothes, and hit the trail. Final Destination – Pilot Grove, MO 61 miles. Chad’s supply of gummy bears is holding up so far."





"12:19 pm - Journal entry: Brutal Headwind" (said out of breath and gasping)

"12:35pm - Wind less now. More trees. Total distance so far 5.5 miles."

"1:09pm - Tried to stop for lunch at Calhoun. Both the 'Jug Town Feed' and the 'Whistle Stop' were closed. We will continue on to Windsor."

"2:33pm - We just finished eating in Windsor. Country Fried Steak, homemade *something* salad, mashed potatoes and gravy. Back out on the trail after a rest." (The cell coverage is limited so he kept cutting out - I think this is close to what he said. I listened to the message several times and couldn't figure out what kind of salad they had - but I'm pretty sure we can all live without that information.)

"3:19pm - We’ve gone 25 miles so far. We are coming up to Greenridge. The head wind is back. However we did cross over the highest point of the trail so supposedly it’s all downhill from here. We met four bikers just outside of Windsor that are following the race too. They’re celebrating their 60th birthdays together."

"7:25pm - Kim I NEED SOME INSPIRATION! We have 3.5 miles to go. Oh, there's a tunnel coming up - I didn't know it was there. Chad says he wants to sleep in the tunnel."

"8:02pm - We're here. Phew. We're staggering down the street looking for the best pizza ever made. We look like we're drunk (I assure you they were not!). The word on the street is that the Casey's Station has the best homemade pizza (I think it's because so many people bike to it that after 61 miles on a bicycle - gas station pizza does taste like the best pizza ever.) Aunt Polly's is great (that's the B&B they're staying in tonight). She has beds."

This will only mean something to the locals.

It's offical. I've gone from this...



to this...



I do feel different.

The line for the ladies room was quite long when I arrived. I opted to go down one floor and use that one. No one was there and I marched right in.

I - ahem - sat down and glanced at the back of the stall door. There was a plaque near the latch that simply had the manufacturer's name etched in the metal. The company's name is "Hiney Hiders".

I thought it was funny and giggled right there in the stall. I laughed more when I thought about working in their office. "Hiney Hiders this is Kim, how may I direct your call?"

With the house well on it's way to being complete...it's time to put things in it. We don't need a lot but a few items here and there to finish off a space or complete "the look".

Here are a couple projects I've been working on. It's amateur work at best but works for what we need. I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

First up...my $7 table. There are a hundred places I wanted a little table. I scoured flea markets and found this beauty.



Okay...so it needs some lovin'. It's okay. I have love to give.



Coat of primer, two coats of paint, and a piece of wood to fill in that hole...

Viola!



It's cute and I like it. I'm still debating it's placement but I'm sure I will find the perfect spot.

Project #2...

I wanted a headboard for our bed but couldn't find one I really liked and with the pricetag I wanted.

"Hey!" I thought, "What about that fireplace mantle in the basement?"

You see...several months ago our friends remodeled their living room. They removed a giant mirror that was over their fireplace (which they also removed). We had the mirror re-cut for our master bathroom. While picking up the mirror, they said, "Do you want that mantle? We're just gonna throw it out on big-trash-day tomorrow." We took it thinking maybe we could sell it at a garage sale or maybe use it someday when we put another fireplace downstairs in the basement.

The wheels started spinning and after many minutes of measuring and calculating, work on the mantle headboard began.

I didn't get a true "before" picture because I forgot. I was just so excited to get started. Imagine this is white instead of primer grey.



We added two painted boards to the middle.





And Voila!



A grown up bed!