Don't worry, I'm fine....

I think I made my Dad worry about me with my blog yesterday. I guess it was kind of depressing, although it really wasn't meant to be. It was a moment questioning, why? Anyway, I hope I didn't depress you all to much.

Today was a fairly good day, except.....Well, you know the day when you know you're not dressed the best and you go to the store and see the person who is always dressed better than you at their worst.....Yeah, that happened to me. On the way to the store I was even thinking, "I bet I'll see her because I'm dressed shabby,dorky, fill in the blank....And I did! I did not apologize for my appearance because that just makes it worse....Anyway, I hate it when that happens!

My newest nephew, Matt, who is an electrician, came over today. He is going to help us with our kitchen lights! We are going to put 6 small potlights in the box, and a new flush mount above the sink, and maybe two pendants over the breakfast bar. We are also going to put in some under cabinet lighting. I'll send a picture when it is all done. It is very exciting. I love home improvements!

I'll write again soon.

Love,
Janice

Is this it?

Lately, I've been thinking about life. I'm thinking that it is way to short to spend it in a mindless rut of survival. You know what I mean, just trying to make it through the day with everyone still alive. For the last couple of years, I've been in survival mode. I'm sure it was timed with having to move back to CA from a place I loved where there are people I love, however, there has got to be a way to make it work here too. I question God's purposes for putting me in this mindless rut of survival but I do know He has a reason, which is comforting. I sometimes think I should do something radical to simplify life...move to something cheaper (my house payment is about to eat me alive)....cancel all extra expenses that detract from life (TV, internet, etc.)....live in a Christian commune (do they exist?)....move back to WA. I don't know, I just want something different. I want my kids to be different (in a good way). I think it would be really nice to be having some fun. I welcome any ideas you loved ones can dish out.

Is this it? I hope not!
Janice

It's like Washington Rain!

Hi there loved ones. It has been raining for a couple of days now. It makes me miss my Anacortes. Lauren told her Sunday school teacher, "I'm allergic to rain." She happened to be walking past the Sunday school room we were working in when she said it, so we heard it. She's a weird cookie!

We had our monthly family birthday party today. I had a great time sitting by the fire. I miss sitting next to a fireplace and being cozy. I know you are thinking, "But, you have a fireplace." We don't however have a grate to put anything on, tools, a gas log, nothing. Plus, I'm afraid the girls will burn themselves on the glass. I miss my last fireplace, it flipped on with a switch. I miss everything about my last place, especially the location. Okay, I know I'm whining!

Moving on.....tomorrow is a no school day. The teachers are there but the students are not. It means we don't have to get up early and I won't get any calls to sub tomorrow. Yeah! I like that.

Well, I'm off for now.
Love, Janice

Potlights/Recessed Lighting

This is a picture of my ugly kitchen light.........Nice, huh? And below it is a picture of potlight/recessed lighting. I think it looks much nicer. I found this picture online (it's not my house). I wouldn't want you blog readers to be confused.


I stayed home from helping at the boy's school today. When I woke up I hurt all over! This little illness has kicked my butt! Anyway, I am feeling better just achey and tired. Dreaming about fixing up my house always makes me feel better though. I love you all. I hope you are all having a great day.
Love,
Janice

Getting Better!

The girls, Noah, and I have all been sick. It's taking us days to feel better. It's weird because it can be managed with Motrin till the fever comes back. We have just all felt like ick and very tired and cold! We have a cough too. I'm starting to feel normal again, but man, I hate to be sick! It makes me be a homebody and I start climbing the walls! Anyway, that's the reason my blog hasn't been updated...no oomph.

We are going to finally do something with the light in our kitchen. It's the last thing (in that room) that needs to be updated. We are thinking of what we are going to do. We took a trip to Lowes tonight and go some ideas...but I want potlights like on Divine Design! We'll see how it goes.

That's it for now, sorry, running out of oomph.
Janice

Murphy's Law Attacks!

Like I predicted, everyone is starting to get Brooklyn's illness. Lauren and Noah now have it and I think I have a touch of it. Kyle went to school today but he might be next! He said he felt fine. I don't have time to be sick. It's awfully inconvenient! I have no patience for illness! Sorry, my Type A is showing!

Anyway, that's what is new here. Exciting, eh? It doesn't make for such good blogging material, but it's real.

Love you all,
Janice

Okay, Okay!

So I'm getting yelled at by my blog groupies of which there is one! Ha! Ha! I'm sorry for not blogging faithfully. I'm still here, yet only partially because my brain can only be at 10 places at once. Beyond that, I exceed capacity!

All is well here, except Brooklyn is sick. She has had a fever since Tuesday. Poor thing. She is pretty miserable. I'm sure Lauren or one of the boys will get it next. It's the Mom's murphy law....You finally get one better, then one more gets it, then the next, then the next....And so it goes. Luckily, I can stay home right now!

To catch you all up here is the top things that are going on in the Shepard house right now:

Mary Kay~ Okay, it's fun for Janice! Nice for everyone else when I get paid!

Illness!

Dog training! And he needs it!...eating off the table, getting in the front yard,
playing too rough with the kids...

Trying to clean the dang house! I can't seem to catch up!

Enjoying my Roomba! It's the little robot vacuum. It's working while I'm blogging!

Surviving Saturdays until February. Andrew has been working every Saturday since, I can't remember when! He is giving up Saturdays in February to do CT (computerized tomography) somewhere else. Although, that hasn't exactly come through yet! I'm biting my nails on how we're going to pay our bills till it does!

That's about it. I have not gotten to see my neighbor blogger friend, Karen, yet! I hope to see you soon! I know you only live down the street. It's pathetic on my part. I did sub in your son's classroom for a little while the other day! He is charming!

Have a great day all!
Janice

Oy! Homework!

My favorite thing about Christmas or any vacation is the lack of homework! As of yesterday, it begins again. Not only that, but my son, Noah, has many missing assignments that have to be done (according to the progress report that gave me a heart attack!). Anyway, homework is a thorn in my side! Luckily, his teacher gives him a chance to make it up. I doubt he feels so lucky! He is going to be a busy boy for the time being!

Enough of that, I just got exciting news that I'm now a Mary Kay Senior Consultant. my niece, Amber, signed up yesterday. She is my first official recruit. She called me and said, "I think I'd like to sell Mary Kay." I think that is the easiest recruitment ever. I know she will be good at it.

On my other job front, I have decided to apply to teach in Yucaipa for the next school year. We will see. They have rejected me in the past. God will be in charge of this one. Well he was in charge of the last one too, he just said no. That always hurts. I'm going in with the assumption that nothing will happen so if it does I'll be pleasantly surprised. I'm in the process of getting letters of recommendation from three district employees,so that might help. It appears that it would help us financially, but you never know what God has around the corner. I'm just glad he is in charge and I don't have to worry about it.

Well, that's it for now.
Janice