Happy One Year!!

Yesterday Josh and I celebrated living in our home (Anne) for one whole year! Before I go on I will explain the name thing. People name cars, boats, and various other things so I thought why not name our home. I know it's weird and people definitly look at me strange, but I wanted to so I did. I named our house Anne, because it is a classic name as is our home. The house is painted green and white like Queen Anne's Lace, it is an airplane bungalow, and it was built 100 years ago. Those three descriptions brought me to the name Anne. Love it or hate it if you want, I think it's fabulous!

We moved in on June 26th, 2010 and have been busy ever since. In our first year as homeowners we have tackled ants, tilled and planted grass, dug up 200+ bricks, cut down eight trees, redone bathroom walls, installed ceiling fans, hung trim in the dining room, installed a dishwasher, added more cabinets to the kitchen, survived a hail storm, fixed a thermostat, painted four rooms, hung blinds (kind of), and put up a porch swing. I'm sure there are several smaller things we have done, but I can't remember. Our first year was extremely hectic and I'm sure this next year will be too. We plan to replant the backyard, put up a fence, get a new roof, pour concrete around parts of the house, and maybe do some work on the garage. We love being home owners, even when things don't workout so well, but what we love even more is doing these things together and making memories. Here's to another year with Anne.

Dolly

From the previous post I mentioned a puppy named Dolly, now she is not our dog but we play a large role in her well being. I'm happy to report that she is making a dramatic come back. The vet Josh and I took her to wanted us to put her down immediatly, which wasn't an option. Her owners, John and Laura, took Dolly to their vet who predicted she could beat the small case of pravo that she had. After being fed pedia-lite, peto-bismal, several IV fluids, and a few treats given by yours truly she is a playful pup once again!

A Weekend of Lessons

What we thought was going to be a fairly uneventful weekend turned into an adventure in a matter of minutes. Friday started out with a trip to Junction City to see my amazing cousin and her beautiful family. We had dinner and then watch Isiah play T-ball, one of the cutest things I have ever seen. After dinner we were headed to Great Bend for the Billinger family reunion! On our way we watch a spectacular lightening show, I tried to record it on our phones but the lighting sucked. Saturday was a day of family, most of the Billinger clan showed up creating a loud high engergy filled event. My aunts and cousins came up with "party" names for everyone, so you are now meeting Jimmi and Angie for the first time! I also won a 102 year old stained glass window in the silent auction that was from a church in St. Peter, Kansas . I'm not sure where I'm going to put it yet, but it's beautiful. My great grandparents donated the land and help build the church so the town was renamed St. Peter after my great grandpa Peter Rome.

Sunday was a day for relaxation, until we made the trip back to Topeka. The drive as always was very uneventful, it wasn't until we reached or house that things went sour. The little puppy, Dolly, that has been staying with us is terribly sick. Over the weekend she shrank in size and refused to eat or drink anything. At 10pm I told Josh we were taking her to the Vet, which didn't end well. The vet was not nice and to sum up the evening I left in tears holding a 4 month old puppy. Needless to say she's skinnier and still isn't eating, she has drank a little bit of water but that's it.

So, to recap our weekend we were able to create memories with family, get closer to our family, relax, and care for a dog that we don't own like she was ours. It's just a reminder of how every day we need to keep focused on the important things in life, making sure to let go of all negativity. There's too much out there that we miss if our priorities are not straight. As for Dolly she's taught me how short life can be so short and that I am a giant sap when it comes to animals. Please remember to live life to it's fullest and pray for Dolly's recovery.

Obsessed

I have a new obsession and it has nothing to do with Josh! My friend introduced me to pinterest. It is a website full of weird, random, wonderful things. I get on was a day and have a hard time getting anything done. I can log into my page and just dream. Make wishes for places I want to go, the way our house will look someday, food that looks to good to eat, and then I pin them ALL!! It's an addiction I swear, but I feel it's a somewhat healthy addiction that everyone should enjoy. So please check out this website and become an obsessed fan with me.

The Most Amazing Sound

So, last night as I'm painting the porch swing a vibrant shade of blue Josh comes out and wants me to listen to a text message from his sister. Lo and behold the most amazing sound comes from that one single text, it's a baby's heart beat!! Kelley, Josh's baby sister, is at the end of her first trimester. She found out she was pregnant around Easter, which is a beautiful time of year. At first we weren't sure what to think, but now none of us can wait to see that beautiful face. Kelley is due December 5th, and you can bet we will be making a drive to Garden City to see the new Lamb addition!

War against Sugar Ants

We have waged war with these fun little bugs called Sugar Ants. They have invaded our house before and we beat them with some creative tactics. This year the ants have come full force and those little tactics aren't working. Over the weekend we had put some fertilizer and spray around the house, in the house, and all over the yard. At this point we have one a battle of the Second War against Ants. Things we have learned 1)Ants don't like cinnamon, salt, or talcum powder 2)They find any way possible to get inside your house 3)If you roll them into little balls they die and 4)Ants can simply drive you so crazy that you will want to rip your hair. One adventure down and hundreds to begin!