lizardblog ( the blog of liz creech

February 27, 2006
What if.....

I had been born in France?
I had been born a boy?
I had chosen to marry someone else?
My mom hadn't taken me to church my whole life?
My father hadn't died when I was 5 months old?
I hadn't ever start working at Macaroni Grill?
I had blond hair and blue eyes like my father?
I was a picky eater?
I was another ethnicity?
I hated animals?
I was independently wealthy?
I didn't homeschool?
I hated reading?
My children had never been born?

Conor was asking me something about the French language and it started me thinking "What if's". It was just something interesting that popped in my head.

posted by Liz at 12:36 PM - permalink - -

February 21, 2006
What is going on

Alan and I bought new bicycles last night. That is going to be our avenue to better health and weight loss, we hope. Of course none of that happens if you don't actually ride the bike, and I believe we will.

Met with a realtor last night, she was curious to look at the house because it had not sold and wondered "what is wrong with it" just like many people who see any house on the market for a long time. She wasn't ecstatic about it but she didn't have a list of bad things to say about it either. I also got an email from a previous website we had it on, I haven't gone back and researched that yet, but a contact none the less. So, we will see what happens. We are still trying to take a break from it all.

Well, not much else to report at the moment. I just wanted to put something up.

posted by Liz at 8:51 AM - permalink - -

February 16, 2006
Missing

I am going to be missing the mocking bird at the old place. He used to serenade me every morning. And I hope who ever finally buys it puts out stuff for the hummingbirds. They should be showing up relatively "soon". I went over there this morning as I dropped the girls off and heard the mocking bird. Just got to thinking about all the nice things over there.

Alan gives a bit of an explanation as to what we are going to do next. I still want to get over there and dig some stuff up.

posted by Liz at 9:19 AM - permalink - -

February 15, 2006
Spring, spring, spring, spring......

Got some ideas for the yard stirring around in my head. I need to get my hands in the dirt. I just got too. Every other year or so I try starting things from seed. Usually it doesn't work. I think this is a year I need to try. I have been saving the paper egg cartons we usually get for a bit so I would have my own little organic starter trays. Now, I just have to find all my seeds and decide what I am going to try and start.

I would also like to get some window flower boxes for the upper windows of the house. I have never had them and thing it would bring a certain air to this house. A rain chain up front would be cool too. I just need to get some things going and see where it leads me. The general plan is for us not to be in this house for very long, meaning less than 10 years. It took me almost 6 to begin to get the other house where I thought I might like for it to be, and then I go and leave it. I think I need to go dig some stuff up from over there and bring it here. Yeah, that is what I need to do.

I need to start a compost pile too. I usually just use chicken wire and some stakes and that works really well. Alan's mom gave me a paper shredder yesterday and I am going to use all that paper in the compost and for mulch. I am going to have the best fed yard and flowers in the neighborhood. And people won't understand how I do it without all the chemicals. Duh, flowers do better with natural stuff!!

I guess we will see how this year starts me off and go from there with the landscaping things. Need to get those hummingbirds here like they were at the old house. They are so fascinating. The other birds too but with no trees it might take awhile for them to settle in. Never too late to start though!!

posted by Liz at 11:00 AM - permalink - -

February 13, 2006
Four Things

I guess Alan thought this was the only way to get me to blog so here you go:

Four Jobs you have had in your life:
1. Sophia's Hallmark - I enjoyed walking around reading the cards and laughing. I worked for my boyfriend's mom who was the manager.
2. Bears Clothing store. It was just up the mall corridor from the card shop. My boyfriend and I had broke up so staying at the card shop would have been a bit awkward.
3. Rose's Department store. That was right before I went off to college.
4. McAlpins - before it became Dillards. That was right before and a little after Alan and I got married. - There have been more but the list says only 4.

Four goals you have set for yourself this year:
I am like Alan in that I don't normally set goals. I just do what needs to be done but I can make some up I guess.
1. Sell the old house.
2. Finish painting the new house.
3. Get some gardening done.
4. Get a patio in the back yard.

Four movies you could watch over and over:
1. Goonies
2. The Quiet Man
3. Princess Bride
4. The Wizard of Oz

Four places you have lived:
1. Louisville, Ky - til I was 5
2. Somerset, Ky - I had my 6th birthday there
3. Richmond, Ky - til I graduated from College
4. Lexington, Ky - til now.

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Fort Lauderdale, Florida - me, my mom, and 2 sisters, and sometimes my Granny and Grandpa went every year for awhile.
2. Gatlinburg, Tn. - A lot
3. Europe for a 2 week tour with my high school chorus. We visited Holland, Amstedam, Germany, and Paris. I actually had some JOY perfume from there - it stunk.
4. Drove 30 hours without stopping for a trip 2 day stay in Idaho. I met some great people out there.

Four websites you visit daily:
1. Ebay
2. Our bank
3. Alan's blog
4. That is all I go to every day.

Four of your favorite foods:
1. Pot roast with potatoes and carrots, gravy and cottage cheese - haven't had it in years though - not like I like it anyway.
2. Chocolate - in any form as long as it tastes good.
3. Donuts - hard to resist.
4. Wine - not a food I know but if I didn't have restraint I could have it EVERY DAY!!

Four places you would rather be right now:
1. In the yard gardening.
2. At the movies.
3. Reading in the bathtub.
4. Sleeping on the couch behind me.

Four people I am tagging to do this:
1. Trish Hiduk
2. Beth Keck
3. Brian Phillips - cause he never blogs
4. Trudi Matthews - cause it has been a month since she has blogged and I like what she has to say when she has time to say it.

posted by Liz at 2:08 PM - permalink - -

February 08, 2006
One Week Left

Ok, folks this is amazing to me. Of course I have never sold a house before but I personally thing the time I have been trying to sell this one house is stupid. I keep hearing from other people and realtors that a house in good shape should sell fairly quickly, like in less than a month. The journey on this house has been 10 months SO FAR. The contract I have with the realtor now ends on Valentines day. Then there is the decision of what to do next. Seriously, there are good comments from realtors who have shown the house, but people always seem to find ONE thing that just won't do. Not a 2 car garage, not enough parking, not enough room (that one came from a couple with a 2 year old and a 10 day old baby - WHAT?!!). So, I am at a loss, as my realtor seems to be as well. Alan and I both are very tired of the whole process.

In other news....there is none. And that isn't a bad thing. Just doing the routine, and kind of hoping it will change soon. I work pretty much 6 days a week to keep up with both mortgages and I am tired of doing it. I want to be home with my family. But isn't that the plight of almost all moms? The get wore out from being home and under demand and then if they work outside the home they get wore out from having to go to work every day and under all the demand and they miss their family. Well, some of them do anyway.

I find it very interesting how second class a stay at home mom is. Damn hard work if you ask me. There is a lot to do with no reward. I also find it interesting that a lot of moms seek sympathy for being so tired all the time. There was a user name on another site that was "tiredmomof7". Why put that out there other than to seek sympathy for your situation, believe me I am empathetic. Anyway, that was just sitting there in my head and I thought I would put it out there.

posted by Liz at 8:44 AM - permalink - -

February 03, 2006
Have you ever thought back?

I think we all do this. Think about people in your past. Wonder "What if they found my blog?". What would you want them to know after so many years?

I would want them to know this (in no particular order of importance):
-I am happy.
-I am a better person than I was 20 years ago.
-I grew up well despite many things.
-Yes, I think about you every now and then and wonder how you are doing.
-That I would like to yell at you for some of the things you said and did to me.
-18 years of marriage and you all thought I would end up getting divorced many times like my mom.
-I wonder if you have learned to truly communicate with the people you love.
-I love to garden.
-God means so much more to me now than then, in a more real way.
-I like and am happy with who I am.
-Too bad you don't know my family - they are the best!

I am sure there is more but that is what came to mind in a short period of time. I have had old classmates come in to Macaroni Grill and it has been nice to see them. Too bad there wasn't time to sit and talk and reminisce. I sure hope we have a class reunion this year - it will be my 20th. DAMN! 20 years out of high school, 16 out of college. It is amazing how life happens and flies by.

posted by Liz at 12:44 PM - permalink - -

spiritual

> vine & branches
> vineyard central

blogs

> Garden Escapades
> Trish Hiduk
> Maryann
> Alan Creech
> The Vine
> Little Houses
> Amber Bishop
> Jody Nixon
> Laura Ogle
> Debi Warford
> Jason & Brooke Evans
> Eric Keck
> Beth Keck
> Pete Matthews
> Trudi Matthews
> Brian Phillips
> Bryan Sherwood
> Malie
> Kim Johnson

Homeschool

> vegsource homeschool
> discovery school channel
> saxon math and phonics

general interest

> john rosemond's affermative parenting
> lisa welchel
> thunderstruck
> Homestar Runner

gardening

> Kids Gardening

books i like

Here are some books I suggests if you are looking to homeschool or just for information. I gleaned a lot from them. Our church gets credit if you buy through these links.

In their Own Way
by Thomas Armstrong

Seven Times Smarter
by Laurel Schmidt

How to Talk So Kids Can Learn
by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Teen Proofing
by John Rosemond