All summer I've been looking forward to my family coming to visit! When we bought our house, one thing we loved about it was the extra space that would accommodate my family staying with us when they are out. Our Omaha house held 2-3 visitors, but it was tight. Last week was the week: Our house held 9 people!

Enjoy some pics :)

Now I'm exhausted, have a sore throat, and am laying in bed eating Hall's Fruit Breezers and chocolate chips. It's a terrible combination, but I was about 400 calories in on the cough drops and thought I might as well eat chocolate too.

Jon and I have a serious case of the ants waiting to move into our house. It has been a parade of delays with the bank. Chase Bank -- stay away. As weeks pass and we're still living out of boxes in Jon's parent's basement, I have noticed an evolution in our excitement.

The really-not-that-important:
"I can't wait to decorate!"
"It's so pretty!"
"I'm going to organize everything!"
"I'll run around partially clothed whenever I feel like it!"

The still-arguably-menial:
"We'll be able to set our thermostat."
"We'll be able to cook together."
"We can finally unpack our winter clothes."
"We can sleep in since our commute will be so short!"

Okay, so far they are all equally menial and there is really no categorical significance:
"We can pass out Halloween candy!" We missed that landmark by so much I prefer not to think about it.
"We can celebrate my birthday in our new house!" Maybe next year.
"We can host my family for Thanksgiving at our house!" Again. 2013 will be a big year.
"We can set up the Christmas tree!" ... Ahem.

Bottom Line:
We can feel like normal married people again. My inlaws are wonderful people -- generous, hospitable, hilarious. They have a beautiful house, cook delicious food, and occasionally do my laundry. This, by the way, is completely over the top and almost embarrassingly nice. Did I mention we are living here for free?

All of that said, it's just not the same to be married and living with parents.

The bank is saying we may close on Friday this week. Of course, this is the 6th closing date they've given us so excuse me if I'm not making a paper chain or renting a Uhaul or something.

This week for me has been particularly hectic. I worked 7 days in row and am not exactly sure when I have my next day off. It sounds like it may not be until next Saturday :(

We're having issues with closing on the sale of our Omaha house, issues with the bank underwriting our loan to buy a house out here, issues with home inspections, issues with my contract for work. I'm trying not to worry about it. Matthew 6:25-34

For today, I decided to slow things down and write letters to my Grandmas. Grandmas are some of the best people on earth! I love mine. There are also some Grandmas I love that belong to other people, but I stuck to my own for this activity :)

 For the month of October I'm doing one thing a day that is a step towards a simpler way of living -- less cluttered, less wasteful, less distracted. My goal through this month of less is that by taking a new step every day, I will be able to live in a way that is more organized, more stewardly, more purposeful. Read more about it here, and let me know if you're joining along!

One of my favorite places to shop online (besides Target, obviously) is Etsy. If you haven't been there before, Etsy describes themself an online community of people selling handmade or vintage items. As an etsy-lover, I would say that things for sale range from embarassing-craft-sale to one-of-a-kind high end items that I can't afford. I am resisting the urge to link any "embarassing-craft-sale" items because I am trying to be less mean.

This past winter my parents became empty nesters and started their own Etsy shop, Hammer & Thread. There may be a connection between those events. My dad is the woodworker, and my mom is the seamstress. I'm the knitter ... with nothing listed right now! Heather-made items will be up for Christmas; July isn't exactly knit-wear season. Here are some of my favorites from Hammer & Thread's current items for sale:

Heartland Strategy Board Game



Upcycled Step Stool (Made from High School Bleachers)




Dutch Shuffleboard



Girls Dress 9-12 mo.

Another cool feature on Etsy is the treasuries -- These are basically collections of related things that you like, and is a fun way to browse through different shops. Anyone can make a treasury, and many treasuries are public, meaning others can look through your lists. Here are some of my favorite finds:

Go Green Home Products
For All your Pregnant Friends
For Little Girls
For Little Boys
Creative Playtime

Since helping my parents start their Etsy shop and spending a little more time on the site, I've found that I'm more inclined to do my own shopping for home products, gifts, and project ideas using Etsy. I've bought everything from screen printed kitchen towels to Iowa artwork to organic body butter and bridesmaids gifts. There's something special about buying a product directly from the person who made it!

Now that I have about 1100 pages of review material to commit to memory before boards in July, I'm noticing that almost everything else on my to do list is becoming more appealing. Digital scrapbooking. Running. Laundry. Updating my blog with graduation pictures.

Fall is such a bittersweet season. 
Summer flickers out in proper order 
with the beauty of reds and yellows glowing in morning sun, 
the easy weather, 
the fields dry and gold – a breathtaking way for nature to die. 

The glory of summer’s slow hot days fades to the chilling glint of winter. 
The blinding glitter of new snow, 
the sunless skies, 
bare branches in the wind waiting for spring – winter, beautiful and awful.


We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us (2 Corinthians 4:14). God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: he shall receive me (Psalm 49:15). 

“Taste and see that the Lord is good,” we sang through tears. 
Spring after winter. 
Life after death.

Grandpa's CT scan showed that his cancer is also in his bones, spleen, liver, and lungs. It hurt to see him so uncomfortable and mostly unable to communicate. We played violin for him tonight in the hospice room. He's always requested "The Holy City" -- that's what I wish for him.


"I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve Him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

We got too good at croquet, and there was fruit on the ground...

http://extinguishedscholar.com/hannah/Hannah%20Vander%20Wilt/Pear%20Pitching.html

So besides the fruit fun, we had alot of other fun with Hannah and Nate. I actually worked alot this week, but when i was HERE it was fun :)

A brief anatomy lesson for whoever said that-- those are my knees down there.



Pull snaps--I apparently will never pursue a career in explosives (one dream gone). My five-year-old cousin however...

"Hey Isaac, you want some pull snaps?"
"uhhhh... do you have any dynamite?!?!"

I got to wear a dress, you got to wear a hat, and next year we get to go to the same school!! yayayaya!!

Yesterday was my mom's last day of chemo! Now she gets Christmas off, and in January she'll start radiation 5 days a week.


I've been memorizing choir songs this week, and I can't get the words out of my head--but they're good! So I'll share. (And I'll skip the Latin song...)

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near;
Praise him in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, who over all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen how thy desires ever have been
Granted in what he ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord, who doth prosper thy work and defend thee; Surely his goodness and mercy shall daily defend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with his love he befriend thee.

Happy 50th Anniversary to my Grandparents!

Saturday I spent celebrating with my relatives--ate a lot, laughed at my aunts fighting about their childhoods, played cards, raced under the church pews (and got kicked in the face), took enough pictures to remember my relatives until the next time I see them, and watched my sister's sad and hilarious attempt at recieving a skateboard lesson. And ate some more.

There was no homework involved. Which is probably why today was basically devoid of the joys of life-- namely, everything besides homework.

Okay so here's your long awaited picture of me minus ten inches of hair!! ...This is actually after me and Holly had a hose fight in the back yard. It was so fun!! We were yelling and screaming so much that Sarah came over from next door because she wondered if everyone was okay.. oops. Anyway, so I have just been attacked by a hose, but you get the idea. It's short!! And I'll try to find a better picture for you on my computer.

Hi Nate and Hannah-- we miss you, but not your milk allergies, because we are having the delectable cheesy mashed potatoes for dinner. They are actually in the oven AS i type.

Hmm. work this weekend was really slow. As in, friday I worked from 8-5 and did nothing of any value to the business for approximately... 6 hours?? I really tried. I windexed everything in sight. And engaged in lots of other random cleaning activities, but the problem is that I had been cleaning all wEEK already because it had been slow then too... Anyway. I found a list of all the random holidays people have invented; for example, friday was "coast guard day." My apologies to any of my friends who may be in the coast guard whom I did not personally congratulate on friday. I did get to go on the plant truck though, which was pretty exciting. Probably only because I have been working myself up to GO ON THE PLANT TRUCK all summer! I also read a huge selection of books on house plants (and pretty much all plants. trees. lawns. gardens.) and I think I have learned how to successfully diagnose overwatering, underwatering, and salt damage.

Mom went back to the doctor Friday and they had the test results back from surgery. It wasn't great news--there was actually more cancer in her than they thought. They thought it was only on one side, but it had actually been on both sides. Also, two of the three lymph nodes they first thought were clear of cancer turned out to actually have cancer in them. Nobody has really said what this means in terms of maybe having surgery again or the possibility of radiation or chemo or some combination of all of those things. Mom is feeling better though, and she came shopping on Saturday --briefly--(but who can resist no sales tax day) and went to church with us this morning, so thank God that she is recovering so well!! (and I think she'll take a nap this afternoon.)

Last night we went up to visit my mom. I had to work all day...by myself... :( but my dad got to be there pretty much all day. Surgery went very well, and the good news is that there is no cancer in her lymph nodes. (yay!!!) She's on a morphine drip, so the pain is fine. Mostly she is just really tired--her iron levels in her blood were low already and then they dropped, so if they're lower tomorrow she'll probably need a blood transfusion. Thanks from her (and all of us) for all your thoughts and prayers, cards, emails, phone calls, hugs, and flowers. And! cookies and banana bread (which we brought to her but she couldn't eat, because apparently they don't classify as clear liquids.) It's okay though, because we let her smell them, and then the rest of us made faces of complete enjoyment while we ate them for her.

Happy birthday Hannah!!!!

After an abnormal time in a van... we're finally here! Tomorrow we can hopefully get things unloaded and unpacked, although I'm not really sure where Nate and Hannah plan to fit everything, because there is no basement and it seems to be the habit of my family to avoid organization and stash everything below ground level. (Mom, if you're reading this, sorry. But it's true).

Currently I am so confused I'm not sure if it's time to go to sleep or time to eat supper. Neither, perhaps. But basically I kindof slept most of the first day, passed a time zone, slept most of the second day, passed another time zone, ate random foods of varying types and at varying times. Hopefully I go home and everything straightens out. I have WAY too much energy right now and I don't really think sleeping on the floor would be a good cure for that.

But besides getting rid of my exess energy by going running somewhere (which has been forbidden), my biggest wish right now is that Nate and Hannah hurry up and buy a vaccuum so I can clean all the carpet.