Just a quick post with a kind of fun picture from the women's retreat back in Sheboygan last weekend. I love me some flipflops, even on a late October day in Wisconsin - by the lake nonetheless! (I didn't dare put my feet in the water though - a month ago, definitely, but it's almost winter here now, I know better than that!)

Runnin'

I feel like I'm running a marathon length race at a sprint speed lately. Life has been pretty busy, with a lot of things I'd love to share on the blog, but I also feel I need to do them justice by giving them the attention they deserve in the telling of the stories. Some of them funny, some of them tear-inducing, some of them controversial.

Let's see what I can do to at least give you a little update on what's been going on and what's been going through my head.

My weeks have been a little crowded. Monday nights is Life Group with the peeps from Blackhawk. Tuesday nights is stained glass class with Nicole. Wednesday night has been condo updating/moving night recently. Thursday night is working at Pier 1. Friday night has actually been open. Saturday night doesn't have anything regular going on but often gets filled up. Sunday is working at Pier 1 and worship at Blackhawk. Monday it starts all over again. I don't mean to complain about any of this, it's been fun, it just makes for some busy days - and nights.

I've promised condo redecorating pictures, so here they are! Some at least...

The whole process at my new "house" a "home" (that sounds so strange to say!) is still a work in progress, but it's getting there.

The Crossroads Community Church Women's Retreat was this weekend and was really good. I had a blast catching up with some of my girlfriends in Sheboygan, listened to a wonderful speaker, and am still processing a lot of the stuff she taught. That's one of the things that needs a little more thought before I go into it too much... but hopefully more to come.

While I was in Sheboygan, I also got to catch up with some other friends. Dinner (at Chili's of course - one of the best restaurants in town!) with Andy and Brandon and then just a lot of catching up with those guys. If you're reading this, thanks AD, it was much needed.

And one other thing I've been contemplating blogging about.... politics. Something I'm completely passionate about, but am a little tentative to start talking about on here. Just not sure how it will all go over (not that that is the point), and want to be able to accurately state what I think. For now, let's just leave it at this... I'm loving watching the 24 hour news coverage of the campaigns. I know it drives other people C-R-A-Z-Y, but I'm getting my "once every four years" fix of it right now and soaking it all up while I can! We'll see if I work up the courage to tell you what I think about all of it within the next week.

Enough of the random blogging for now. Hopefully there will be a more cohesive post in the very near future. Thanks for hanging in there with me if you're still reading.

And one last thing - a big hello to all the Sheboygan women who might be stopping by after either finding out about or being reminded of the blog! It was awesome to see you this weekend, catch up, laugh, and cry with you! I'll be back soon, and leave me a hello in the comments if you are here!

More later - K

A quick update:

1. Bedroom painted Rhythmic Blue - check!
2. Master bathroom painted Ocean's Kiss - check!
3. Kitchen painted Village Green - check!
4. Living Room (all but the big green monster) and hallway painted White Stallion - check!
5. Erin visiting this past weekend for a ton of help at the condo, some shopping and even more catching up - check! (So glad you came darlin'! I missed you and needed some girlfriend time! Can't wait until you're here for just some FUN rather than work!)
6. Start new part time job at Pier 1 for a little extra cash and a sweet discount - check!
7. Negotiate part time job for the spring with the accounting firm to prep taxes - check!
8. Finish stained glass project from Tuesday night class - check! (The picture doesn't quite do it justice, but you'll see it again when it gets hung in my master bedroom.)
9. Fight this nasty cold that came at just the wrong time - (waiting for the check on this one)
10. Attend the Crossroads Women's Retreat this weekend at the Osthoff in Elkhart Lake - can't wait to check this one off!

Plenty more pictures to come - condo updates and retreat pictures early next week! Hope your week is going well!

-K

Closed!

Closing on MY condo was today! Everything went well - totally exciting (to have my own place and be doing it on my own), and completely nerve-wracking (to think of the magnitude of it), all at the same time. I'll get over the nerves, but stay excited! Enjoy a few "before" pictures for now. Plenty more to come!

View from the main door onto my porch!

Living room - with two sided gas fireplace!

Kitchen - the red has already been covered!

Master bedroom - again, the red is gone!

Master bath - do I need two sinks? No, but it's fun!

Second bedroom - the yellow will be something different eventually.

"Where people of goodwill get together and transcend their differences for the common good, peaceful and just solutions can be foudn even for those problems which seem most intractable."

-Nelson Mandela

Happy Fall.

It was the PERFECT fall day today. What a surprise to have an 80 degree day in October in Wisconsin. Nicole and I took advantage of it with a trip to the pumpkin patch, with a hayride (with two different pairs of horses - Max and Eric, and Dick and Dock!) to pick out any pumpkin you could carry, and a 15 acre corn maze to get lost in. We didn't get lost, but actually made it through pretty quickly. There was no messing around for us - we were on a mission, and didn't have any use for the "emergency" map they gave us. Two perfect pumpkins and two pairs of dirty shoes and jeans later, we were on our way to the Wollersheim Winery to check out the remodeling and get a bottle of Prairie Fume. I'll take a Saturday like this anytime!

Let's hope Nicole doesn't mind that I put her picture on the blog.

Hang in there with me...

I'll be back soon enough. Just a little crazy busy and stressed out right now, and not ready to be totally vulnerable about what's going on by putting it all on the blog. I'm sure I'll be sharing a whole lot of it soon enough!

I realize I've been a little absent from the blog world lately. A bit of an explanation...

It seems like life has gotten a little crazy in the last week or so with the news of the condo actually happening and everything that comes along with house buying. I'm keeping it short, but do ask for your prayers that everything goes smoothly with the remaining arrangements that have to fall into place to make things happen. Hopefully there will be house pictures and painting pictures coming your way soon - along with more updates about the everyday life stuff that's going on with me!