Hello from North Carolina

Guess what?  The Smart family has moved.  We have left the home state of Maine for the Southern part of the United States.  To say it has been an adjustment is to put it mildly.

About two years after we moved to Waterville, Maine the husband went into work one day and was told that the plant was closing down.  There were rumors that some people might have jobs available in other parts of the country or in Mexico or China.... but there were no details.  We just knew the plant was closing at an undetermined time.  So the husband put in a transfer request, basically reapplied to the same company, and we were given the option to move to NC.  It was a very tough decision.  All our family and friends live in Maine.  However, this was the third time the husband had lost a job due directly to the economy in Maine.  He does a specialized kind of job... so we decided the Universe didn't need to hit us upside the head a forth time and we decided to move.  Even if the job in NC didn't work out, there were so many opportunities in the new state for someone with the husbands skill set... it was really a no brainer.  At the same time the eldest and her young man (now fiance) decided to move to Seattle Washington.  The husband, youngest and I moved to NC and a week later the eldest moved to Seattle.



We have settled in quite nicely.  Everyone seems so friendly here, and the weather is so glorious.  Our eldest daughter got engaged, and now they have decided its time to move closer to family which makes me incredibly happy.  Our youngest daughter is finishing up her Senior year in High School and will be starting college in the fall.  I have started up a soap making business again, but i went with a new name this time.  Still in the process of get the soap store up and running but we are getting there.

I am in the process of starting a few new blogs, one on soap making as well as one on my general life including eating gluten free etc, Figured it might be a good idea to get back into the habit of blogging. If there is anyone out there reading this,  leave me a message and say howdy.

Lots of love,
Regi

Mother's day

I love you Mom, and I miss you!

Happy Mother's day!

Current happenings

Spring has arrived.  I am so thankful, what a long cold winter it was.

 I am working on a few projects, one of them is a knit blanket for a brand new little nephew that will be born in August.  The blanket I made for Jericho, his big brother to be, was pretty... but we didnt know if Sarah was having a boy or a girl when I chose the yarn, so I made it from a variegated baby yarn in pale blues, purples and white.  The new blanket is definitely different, it's going to be very bold. 

The yarn for Parker's blanket.

 

Jericho's blanket

 Maddy is doing well with the homeschooling.  Right now I would say that World history and Latin are still her favorite classes.  We need to start lining up her materials for next year, but I still have lots of time to find just the right stuff for her.  Tentatively next year she will be taking English, Geometry or Algebra 2, US History, Latin 2, another lab science as well as some "fun" classes.  Fun being the point... so it will be totally Maddy driven.  We have some local art classes, including stained glass, pottery, as well as things like Karate etc.  She will also be getting a part time job in the fall... and sometime over the next year will be taking Driver's ed through a local program.  We will also be utilizing a SAT program to help her get ready for that in the spring of 2014. Her Junior year is going to be a busy busy year for us.

In July, the husband and I will be going on our first vacation (alone without children) in 23 years.  A group of our friends, that we met online, get together every year in July for a weekend.  This year the stars all aligned and we are able to go. *knock on wood*  Its also the year of our 25th wedding anniversary, so we decided to extend our trip past the weekend and visit the area.  I am so excited, and nervous, and excited, and just can't wait, and excited...

Eileen has moved into a new place with her young man.  He is a full time culinary student as well as a  full time sous chef at a local restaurant.   Eileen will be returning to college in the fall. She is also working full time as a pharmacy tech at the state's biggest hospital.  She is a pretty busy young lady but she knows what she wants to do with her life and is moving herself that direction.  I am very excited for her.

Its a lovely day outside... there is a soft breeze and the sun is shining.  Its a very nice day and I hope you are having a great day as well.

~Regi

Hello from great beyond

Well no... I am not dead.  But you would think I had fallen off the edge of the planet with the length of time since I last posted.

 Just kidding, but things have been a bit busy and my life at the same time seemed a bit boring.  I just didnt think I had anything to share with my one or two loyal readers.  *grins*

Since my last post we have sort of settled into our new home.  Our eldest daughter ended a 6 year relationship and came home so we could help her heal her broken heart.  She then found a new job, a new place to live, and a new love of her life.  Funny thing...this guy actually seems to want her to be happy.  Who would have thought such a thing possible eh?  We have also started homeschooling Maddy again.  Which, come to think of it, was why this blog was started in the first place, to document our homeschooling journey.  I have also left my job at Walmart.  While I miss my friends at the store, right now my place is here.

So anyways...that's whats up with me... in part anyways.  I will try to remember to pop in from time to time.


*hugs*
Reg

The Move

I can't believe its over.  Sure we still have a few things at the old place, and some cleaning to do but even that is almost done.  It will be nice to have it all completed and then we can totally focus on unpacking and getting settled in here at the new home.

Maddy is turning 15 today... hard to believe my baby is 15 and almost ready for drivers ed.  She is going to be a sophomore in high school come the fall... where did the time go?  Happy birthday my little firecracker baby!!!

Jasper is settling into the new house quite nicely.  Loves his run in the back yard and sitting on the window seat in Madelynne's room.
 

I am going to miss the wonderful gardens our old house had... I guess I will just have to put some in here.

 

I really think we are going to like it here in Waterville!!


~Reg

Changes

Isn't Jericho the cutest.  Look at those little toes. I can't wait to spend more time with him.  Which brings me to my next topic.

Lots of stuff changing around the old homestead.

 We are moving from the country back to a city.  Back in 2008 when we moved here, I was so excited about the peace and quiet... I so had it set in my mind that I was a country girl at heart, that I didn't allow myself to be unhappy with the way things were.  So what if it took 30 minutess to get to the nearest grocery store, or there was no delivery for pizza.  I wont mention the first 2 years here struggling with an antenna so we could pick up 3 channels, 2 of which were the same programming but different stations.  There wasnt a single cable company that came out this far and the landlords at that time were very anti-Dish.  Who cared that if we lost power we had no water or working plumbing.  You just had to walk across the road to the lake and get water to flush the commode.  Anyways... after almost 4 years here we are moving again.  This time to a city larger then the one we used to live in.  Waterville Maine... home of the Waterville High School Panthers and oddly enough the same city my sister and her family live in.  We definitely didn't plan it that way.  We tried to find a place nearer to the husbands work.  They have a fantastic high school there and we were so excited about Maddy possibly going to that school.  We had no interest in buying a house with the economy the way it is... and the job field, we didn't want to tie ourselves to another community the husband would have to commute from.  Been there done that and its not fun.  So... we were looking for a house, not an apartment, and one where we would be happy for the next 3 years at least.  Once Maddy is out of high school we will have a better idea about the future of this new company the husband is working for, and just might be ready to buy a house or some land.

  The new place we are renting is nice... I can't wait to get moved, but the journey there is going to be a bit long and a bit rough.  It will work out though, just have to keep telling myself that, and all will be well. The best part... it's in a city.  They have actual coffee shops, grocery stores and a big old library all within a minutes drive or walk.  We will be 45 minutes closer to the eldest daughter, and the husband will be 25 mins from his job.

We have decided that the night we move in, we are going to celebrate by ordering pizza and getting it delivered.  Ahh... the good life.

*grins*  I guess I am a city girl after all.

~Reg

Jericho is here!

Jericho Michael was born on March 28 at 12:39pm.  He, his momma, daddy and Mimi are doing well. My sister is beside herself in love, and I don't blame her at all, he is totally a sweetheart. I got to hold him yesterday, smell him and just stare into his little face.  Everyone says he looks so much like his daddy but I can definitely see Sarah in him.

This is Jericho and his mommy.  Sarah looked incredibly tired but so happy to have her little man with her finally.

My youngest daughter holding the newest member of the family.  He grabbed right a hold of her finger and with that a piece of her heart.  She told me later she had never seen a baby "so brand new." She seemed to think it was pretty awesome.

Welcome to the world little Jericho... we are all so glad you are with us.

*hugs*
Reg