The Other Benefit, or a tiny-bit insane

My poor husband. This is the state of our kitchen counter and he hasn't complained once!

So I mentioned that the low cost of firewood (really, cost of living in general) is one of the two benefits of living in Scottsbluff and my friend Holly wanted to know what the other one was. I was going to post about this in a little while when I have accomplished more, but since I am bored, and sick with my 32nd cold of the season I thought I would do it now.

I tend to pick up weird hobbies. Weird in that they are more appropriate for a 122 year old retired great-great grandma who grew up in 1890. I have taken up knitting (luckily no doilies as of yet), I can embroider linens with the best of them, and now I have become obsessed with building a dollhouse.

It all started while I was reading one of my favorite blogs and she shared pictures of her "haunted" dollhouse. It was a little on the creepy side, but it was intriguing. I have been thinking of how I would have done it differently. More spooky than truly scary. More like the silly parts of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to do it. I love Halloween and it would be a fun centerpiece.

I've been perfecting the concept, drafting ideas, reading everything I can on the web, and trying to scrounge up what information I can about a very outdated hobby. Unfortunately dollhouses went out after the 80's as a popular hobby, so there are almost zero supplies in the Scottsbluff. Luckily (and here is the other benefit to living here) we have a library that has incomplete current best seller book series, but a very well stocked 1970-1980's hobby section. There were over 20 books on dollhouses! I may not be able to read the entire Sookie Stackhouse series, but man, I can learn a lot about antiquated hobbies anytime I want. Woot woot!

Here is the first design I was thinking about using for my custom piece, a replica of the Disney World Haunted Mansion in Florida. The only problem is when I got the proto type finished I did some measuring and the real wooden dollhouse would be over 7 feet long. I'm thinking something more along the lines of a French chateau that Lady Tremaine or Maleficent moved into to go into hiding after their various princesses triumphed. More a misunderstood "evil" sorceress abode.

I have lots of ideas (literally a notebook full), and now I am practicing on a small Christmas village and then a dollhouse for the girls before I start on my masterpiece. So far I have most of the carriage house for my village completed. Hopefully I can get the whole village done by...May-ish?

False Advertising, or one of the two benefits to living in Scottsbluff

We now have our working fireplace and decided having actual wood might be a good thing, you know, in case Eric's Apocalypse is this winter. There were ads in the paper for cords of wood for super reasonable prices (one of 2 benefits to living in Scottsbluff) so we called and ordered a cord. I went to Menards, bought a rack and cover that stated ON THE BOX that it held a cord and Eric set away merrily setting it up. Then the truck came.
Well, a cord was an entire pick up truck filled up over the top of the cab. It was a little more than my rack could hold. After that one filled up Eric decided we should have a pile on the porch for easy access. When that area was filled up he decided to put the rest on the side of the house in a little forlorn pile that I am tempted to bring over just so it doesn't get lonely.

What Is Wrong With This State?

Well, chalk one up to bad parenting. I could call it a "cultural misunderstanding" but that would be passing the buck. I should have checked it out, I should have asked, but I didn't. I did the heinous act of signing my BOY up for VOLLEYBALL. Gasp. I know, what was I thinking?

I was thinking that Volleyball is a bigger boys sport than girls in California, where we grew up. I was thinking he would enjoy a sport were people weren't running directly at him. I was thinking it would be fun for Eric and Ethan to practice together.

I sent the guys off together for Ethan's first volleyball practice. A little while later I got a text from Eric saying "He is the only boy on ANY team. What is wrong with this state?" Poor Ethan, poor Eric. Luckily Ethan is too young to be embarrassed about it and Eric just was happy to have a son to play the game with. Ethan seemed to really enjoy it, and is excited to go back again next week. Yeah, a sport he likes! I guess it is worth it to be so out of the loop if it makes him happy.On the bright side, at least he's not on one of the pink or purple teams.

ps when they got home Ethan took off his shoes and Eric noticed this in his shoes: I don't know how you don't notice walking on all of that, but it just goes to show how oblivious little boys can be.

Somebody Call Ripleys

We looked out the window and what did we see? Hail the size of baseballs falling down on me.
We were going to be last night when it sounded like someone was trying to break into our house with a baseball bat. Turned out it was just the biggest hail I have ever seen in my life. We tried to stay away from any windows while still watching through the door. It was crazy. I would never have believed it if I didn't see it. Eric kept one, and it currently resides in our freezer in case anyone calls us liars and I have to pull it out and say "Boo-Ya."

Golf Ball Sized Hail Keeps Falling On My Head...

We seem to have made the news lately. We had tornado warnings, had to hide in the basement, and was a little scared with all the wind and hail (of course Livi slept through it all!) Lots of people here had MAJOR damage done to their cars and houses. We are lucky to have had zero damage, although it did hurt a little when I had to run out and move the car to the garage before the windshield shattered. The above hail had melted a little on the trip in the house, but considering I have man hands they still look pretty impressive.