Random Stuff

So – it’s time to update the blog (my motivation for writing)

Last weekend my parents, siblings, and all kids (with the exception of my youngest brother, Andrew, who was on business in Germany – lucky dog, but we missed him!) got together for our 1st “Joe and Pam Cottle Reunion” (there’s got to be a better name than that.  Suggestions, anyone??).  I’d give a run-down on all the happenings, but fortunately for me, my dad did an excellent job on that front already.  See the family links on the right?  Pick the one named “Mom & Dad” and enjoy the awesomeness!  I will just state here that my favorite parts of the weekend were the museum (especially, since it seemed to be a hit with everyone) and Tom’s burgers (we’re thinking maybe we should open a hamburger stand as our new form of income) and lots of quality visiting time and the testimony meeting that closed things up.  Thanks so much to everyone who bore their testimonies.  I so appreciated your expressions of faith, and the different things you chose to share.  I feel really blessed to belong to such a family.  We are far from perfect, but I think we love each other and we love Heavenly Father and we try to live that way.  I have felt much stronger spiritually since listening to all your thoughts.

Summer weather in Denver.  I know I keep harping on this subject – but it has been so unusual this year.  Everything is still so green here (though I managed to neglect my window boxes and all the plants died.  Debating whether to try and plant some fall-ish plants or just leave them empty).  And we’ve had so many storms.  During the reunion we actually had one evening that felt like fall – cold and wet and windy.  Walking through the green spaces around our home I have so enjoyed the various wildflowers and grasses.

100_1404

And there’s been lots of wildlife too.  We heard (for the first time) the uncanny shrieking scream of a fox looking for a mate (seriously, it is very unnerving to be woken up by this scream), we’ve had bear sightings in our green spaces (which are really far from the foothills!) and even a couple of cougar warnings (not sure if I believe this one or not).  And the prairie dog colony on the way to school seems to have grown by leaps and bounds – lots of yipping and standing sentinels!  Maybe the wildlife hasn’t changed that much – but I think the abundance of green stuff must surely increase the populations of the bunnies and rodents, etc.  Anyway, I’ve enjoyed all the storms – both for the water and the nature displays.  Not quite as spectacular as Kansas weather, but still enjoyable.

On the home improvement front, I talked Tom into adding a corner drawer to our built-in kitchen desk.  He’s been busy on it for the last day.  I’m so excited to be able to use it!  I’m pretty tired of having all my desk “tools” fall off my file box – and not being able to easily get into my file box.  Anyway – it probably won’t make for great pictures, but just imagine the satisfaction I’m getting from a newly organized section of my home.  (And along those lines, I re-organized my linen closet and kitchen cabinets again.  Mostly just to put things away that had drifted – but oh, how much better I feel now).  My last projects have been to make window valence boxes for the two upstairs bedrooms so that we could re-use the window blinds that are now gigantically huge compared to the new windows.  Instead of mounting the blinds inside the window frames (as usual), they are now mounted inside the valence boxes and hang on the outside of the windows.

100_1464

And lastly – a little find from “dumpster diving” (not really – but it was sitting out on the curb looking decidedly dirty and worn).

100_1468

A good washing with liberal application of Spray-n-Wash, a few rips mended, and voila – Haley’s favorite “seat in the house”.  Light enough to take downstairs for watching movies, and a cozy place to read at night

Lastly, can I just say how stupid some school districts’ registration processes are??  Why do I have to stand in line for an hour and a half just to turn in a few pieces of paper and pay a huge fee (and they say public schools are free …)?  In this day of technology, surely there is a better way?  one that doesn’t include super long lines?  Spencer is in the midst of serious blues – doesn’t want to go back to school.  I have to say that his break flew by.  He had a big list of things to do this summer, but other than spending a couple of weeks in Utah, he didn’t get most of them done.  Just like most of us …

Hope you made it this far – if you have, now go update your own blogs!!

4 thoughts on “Random Stuff

    • Author gravatar

      I love your post Johanna. I look forward to reading all of them from our family. We loved being in Denver and spending almost a week with you. It was over too soon. I agree we have to work on a clever name for our reunions. Get your thinking caps on guys. Maybe I should sponsor a contest. What do you think?

    • Author gravatar

      i love the chair. dont you love it when that happens? great post.

    • Author gravatar

      Would you consider reviewing this new Christian book? I can mail you a copy if you like. Just let me know.
      TITLE: Learn to Study the Bible
      AUTHOR: Andy Deane
      ISBN: 978-1-60791-576-8

      PUBLISHER: Xulon Press
      DISTRIBUTORS: Spring Arbor, Ingram, Calvary Chapel Distribution
      BOOK WEBSITE: http://www.LearnToStudyTheBible.com

      Book Summary:
      Pastor Andy Deane’s new book teaches you forty different step-by-step Bible study methods to help you discover, apply and enjoy God’s Word. Each practical method has a handwritten example to demonstrate it and make it easy for you to follow the steps. Learn how to study the Bible with so much variety that you’ll never get into the rut that routine brings ever again. Learn to Study the Bible has more Bible study methods than any other book out there!

    • Author gravatar

      I love this weather. I thought I was going to die over the weekend but the Lord heard my prayers and blessed us with more rainy cold weather. I love it! Nice find with the chair. Sometime people throw out the best stuff.

Leave a Reply to Cynthia Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *