Mid-life update.

I kind of went on a blog hiatus for a month and a half.  Whoops.  I love the writing that comes with blogging, which is probably why my blog has lots of wordy posts.  And since I'm kind of playing catch-up right now, I think today's post needs to have bullets...too much going on in my head right now to write about each thing, so we'll go for an overview!

• At the end of August, my brother flew to Oklahoma.  He still had a lot of his childhood things at my parent's casa and since he has his own house in New Hampshire, it was time that his immense video game collection and Star Wars items find their way to that house :)  So, he and I rented a minivan {packed to the brim} and made the 1800 mile trek to New Hampshire.  

• While in New Hampshire, I got to see Jill before she moved from Boston to Austin.  We spent a day on the lake kayaking using my bro and SIL's kayaks!  Thanks J & T :)

• Also in New Hampshire, Tina and I got to play with decorating their house :)  I think of it as playing...Tina probably thinks of it as work.  The pic on the left {below} is the winter-y look. The pic on the right {below} is for spring!  Much more light and airy.  

• The new house is coming along...slowly but surely!  When I got back from New Hampshire, I found a GIANT surprise: Mom removed all of the popcorn ceilings throughout the entire house. I was completely and utterly shocked/ecstatic.  What this has ended up meaning is, other projects got added to the to-do list because of the popcorn being gone.  In layman's terms, we're pretty much gutting the whole house.  One of the bigger projects includes raising the floor in the sunken living room {which was one of the things dating the house the most}.  

before

during {bye bye columns}

after!

• Don't worry, there's still more work to show you, but that's just to give a few teaser pics of the house :)  more Doma Diaries posts to come in the near future!  
• My old iphone 3gs was on it's last leg a few weeks ago.  It served me well for 3+ years, but when the new iphone came out, I preordered mine immediately.  I never thought that I'd be able to keep an iphone working, but they make them pretty dang tough--I dropped mine in the OCEAN and it barely blinked an eye.  

one last picture from my old iphone :)

• After I got home from New Hampshire, my brother asked me if I wanted to start an app called Couch to 5k.  I had been meaning to start working out again, but never found the motivation. So, 6 weeks ago, we started the program together.  And today, I ran for 20 minutes {although the last 5 minutes of the run was barely a jog} for the first time since January and before getting sick in Ukraine. It wasn't pretty, but I did it!  A few weekends ago, it got realllllly chilly in Norman {in the 40's} but I still had to do my run.  So, I broke out the only leggings I had around. 

• This past weekend was one of the best weekends of the year: OU/Saxet.  Pretty sure that it was my favorite OU/Texas game to date.  Words can't explain how excited the crowd was after every touchdown we scored on them.  

Pops, Mom, and Lydia at the game. 

• I recently chopped off my bangs.  Again.  It usually happens at a very random time {this time it was 11:30 pm last Wednesday night}--like this time, when I had been painting all day.  

That's all for now.  I'll leave you with two different Oklahoma sunsets that made my heart happy.  

Boomer. Sooner.

the doma diaries: kitchen progress

I've been absent for a while now.  Like, over a month.  Whoops!  I've been busy and uninspired to write.  I also need to change my blog around and I haven't felt like tackling that {major} project because HTML codes and stuff like that are way over my head.  I was also gone to Toronto for 10 days.  And then I had a two-week time period where my group of friends all came together for pool days, fun evenings, cookouts, and good times because Bert {remember Bert?  He lives in Japan.  More here.} flew halfway around the world to visit OK for the first time in two years.  So, while he was here, the twins {background here} came to town too. And Rose's boy Mattchik {my Ukrainian name for him} came too.   Excuses, excuses.

I also have another convenient excuse right now.  My brother is here!!!!!  I hadn't seen him in one year and eight months...LONG TIME.  Why's he here?  Because on Tuesday, he and I are getting in a rented mini-van and driving 1800 miles to New Hampshire...with all of his childhood things in tow.  Then I'll get to see Tina {sis-in-law} for the first time almost two years and Jill too!  Excited doesn't begin to cover it.  We're still working like mad people over at the new house...and I've been documenting things like crazy! Just not putting them on the blog.

Here's how the room was the last time you saw it.  

Before, the awkward peninsula/chimney only had electricity coming from the ceiling.  We needed it to come from the ground though...which meant that our contractor Rick had to get very handy!

First, he drilled a hole {probably 6"x 8"} in the FOUNDATION.  This is over on the left side of kitchen where the new hutch will go.

Then, he drilled another hole in the center of the kitchen.

See the PVC pipe?  Eventually, it made its way under the foundation {through good ol', red, Oklahoma dirt}.  

He then hooked the garden hose up to PVC pipe to flush out the remaining dirt and make way for electricity.  

These pics are making it look super easy...I'm going to go ahead and bank on the fact that this was not an easy-breezy part of the project :)

ta-da!  Electricity threaded through!

The last pic for tonight's post shows a preview of what the island will look like! Some of you may have seen it on facebook, but this will keep others curious!  Toodles :) 

happy happy mother's day :)

Mother's Day 2012: probably one of the biggest Hallmark days of the year. But, I didn't get to support their enterprise this year.  Instead, I'll do a blog post :) It's cheaper and more economically friendly (although my brother did send my mom an e-card yesterday...guess I could have gone that route.).  

My mom, Lena, can do just about anything.  And if she doesn't know how, she's usually willing to try.  She carted me from every dance, piano, baton, gymnastics, acting, singing and cheerleading lesson when I was little {just for the record, the piano lessons were the only one that she chose.  Another day, another blog post...}.  Pops helped some too...but when it came to gluing rhinestones on a yet another dance costume, that job usually went to good ol' Mom.  

"Mom, I need a costume for _______ {the Nutcracker, the King and I, etc.).  Can you make it?"

"Mom, I forgot that I need to have a Spanish inspired dish for language day at school..."

"I reallyyyyy want a toy poodle.  I promise I'll take care of it..."

"Mom, this dress is 8 sizes too big {for my brother's wedding}.  You can fix that, right?" (pictures to boot, scroll down...)

My mom and I are the same person.  To. A. Tee.  If you wonder where my OCD, germaphobia {made up that word}, stubbornness, or sense of creativity comes from, look no further.  We love each other to the core, but we also like to argue with each other.  Sometimes just for fun.  Let me tell you something though, when you're 5500 miles away from home and you've got a temperature of 103.5 {as I did on March 8}, you just want your mommy.  No matter how old you are.

And since no post is complete without a few pics {or a lot, as is usually my case}, let the good times roll...

baby Jeremy and Mom 

Lincoln Logs! A Frost Family favorite.

cool acid-wash jeans

more acid-wash jeans.

the days of Pops' beard and Mom's perm.  

**pretty sure AOL instant messenger is on the screen in the computer in this shot**

At the tree my brother's elementary school class planted on the playground.  Mom is motioning to how tall the tree was when they planted it...{cough cough, some 25+ years ago}.  And now it's a massive pine, still standing after the Tuscaloosa tornado last year.  

costume time...

"Mom, we're going to sell fireworks this summer to help raise money for our Chicago mission trip...but there have to be parents supervising the whole time."

Halloween party--mom in her traditional Ukrainian shirt wayyyyyy before I ever went to Ukraine!

senior prom

OU/Saxet...

What other mom can turn a bridesmaid dress that's 8 sizes too big...

into one that actually fits?

Ukrainian bazaar time.

happy mother's day mom :)  hope it's a wonderfully wonderful day!

A few other shout-outs today too:

Today is confirmation Sunday at McFarlin.  Happy day, 8th graders :) proud of Tino and all of the adults who have contributed to such a wonderful day.  

It's bell concert day at St. Stephen's church (mom's church).  Good luck, bell choirs!  And a special surprise will be there too!

Camp HEAL (HIV/AIDS summer camp in Sergiivka, Ukraine) is FULLY FUNDED!!!! Woot woot!  Thanks for y'alls help.

Interesting blog post for tomorrow...stay tuned.  You won't want to miss it, promise!

Surprise Care Package time!

That's right folks.  When I went to the Post Office today expecting something from Peace Corps, instead I was greeted with an unexpected package!!!!!!  My dear brother and sis-in-law sent this baby and man was I excited to open it.  

I literally SQUEALED when I saw the pop-tarts sitting there. Even better?  They're the confetti kind which is a limited edition I saw online and have yet to try. 

So many goodies!!

Thank you thank you Jeremy and Tina.  The design mags, notepad, Easter goodies for my kids {let's be real: the Cadbury min-eggs are for me.  I'm not sharing my fave Easter candy...}, a mini-umbrella, and a Zippo hand warmer!  Oh, and a card that plays the ENTIRE Boomer Sooner song! I can't wait to show it to my friends.  I loved the Easter card too, which I'm guessing my brother had something to do with.

Am I right, Jeremy?  :)

I wrote on my sis-in-laws' facebook wall at 4:30 pm saying that I was trying my best not to open the mini-eggs yet.  

That lasted a whole 'nother hour before I opened the bag.  Turns out I have no self control when it comes to food from home.  Whoops.  I am putting the pop-tarts away for a rainy day though!

Speaking of precipitation, it snowed today. For a lot of hours. Didn't stick very much.  I am not getting out my winter coat again.  Nuh-uh.  No way.

A birthday shout-out is in order for today as well :)  March seems to be an incredibly popular month for my friends to be born?!  Today is Miss Britney's birthday--a dear friend with a true servant's heart.  

She drives a red bug in real life!  Not just this mini one... :)

Lydia, Britney, Grace--Mexico 2010

I first got to know Britney during the summer of 2010 on the 3-week mission in Mexico called Juners.  During those weeks, I watched Britney come out of her shell and truly become a leader for the younger ones on that trip.  She was always willing to lend a hand, no matter the {nasty} job.  Her love of life is truly contagious.  And, she has a wonderful sense of style :)

She also looks great in corn-rows.  

after a week of corn-rows, we were sad to take them out.  

an ex-gymnast.  look at that form!

I've never met a red-head who could tan like she does.  She's darker than me, which isn't saying a lot, but we won't get into that now...

at Passion 2011

Passion girls going to see Beth Moore

Hope your birthday is filled with love and lots of things that make you feel special today, Britney :) sending you a hug from 5500 miles away!