Friday, May 15, 2009

A Good Night's Rest

The average American spends a third of their lives sleeping...that means 194, 821 hours! For the last year and a half, I have been falling behind on my sleep quota. It has been a very long time since I have had consistent, restful sleep.

When Greg and I got married we purchased a really good mattress and it served us well for about 12 years. The last year on that mattress was a bit iffy but we couldn't afford to replace it quite yet. When we found out we were moving to Ransomville, I told Greg there was no way we were moving that mattress one more time, 7 times was plenty!

Just prior to moving we bought a new mattress at Sam's Club. It was the nicest one they carried, well, at least the most expensive, and it was one we could afford. Yes, we tried it out, it was not a rash decision. We didn't use it until we moved and the first 2 months were quite nice. After that the back and hip pains started. I just thought I was getting old. I was/am. Then it was restless nights, waking up tired after "sleeping" for 8 hours. There were days I needed toothpicks to keep my eyes open! It had a layer of that much-touted memory foam on top but after just 3 months, there were deep pits on both sides of the bed. It was the kind of mattress that shouldn't be flipped but at one point we actually flipped it over and slept on the wrong side. It was a lot like sleeping on the box spring, but with an egg crate foam topper it was actually tolerable. Are you getting the idea for how bad it was??

I have muttered many unkind things to that mattress over the last year. I considered sleeping on the sofa many times. To say I was annoyed and ticked off is an understatement! Often during my sleepless episodes I would craft a mental letter to the Serta company spouting my discontent with their POJ (short for "Piece Of Junk!). What is a girl to do after owning a mattress for almost 2 years? We could not afford to buy another one but it was clearly reaching the point that we couldn't afford not to replace it!!

Last month I went onto the Serta website to get the customer service information so I could actually send one these letters I had mentally crafted. While browsing the site I read over their warranty information. I discovered our mattress had a 10 year warranty and perhaps our POJ qualified for a replacement. My heart skipped a beat! I immediately phoned Serta and the customer service rep asked me a few questions about the mattress... did I have a receipt, where was it purchased? We have to keep all household receipts for pastoral tax purposes so I was able to find the 2007 receipt, yeah!! She advised me to take the mattress back to Sam's Club and exchange it. What?? Obviously, the one bad part about buying a mattress at Sam's is that you have to haul it yourself. I was in a bit of disbelief so I called Sam's Club to verify. There was no way I was going to haul it down there only to be told sorry, Charlie! Sure enough, she told me to bring it in! Not only that, but because I had my original receipt I had the choice of replacing it or getting my money back. Thank you Lord!! It took a few days to find the time and a truck, but we hauled it back and right as rain, she gave me every penny back in cash. Good riddance!

We didn't dare look for a new mattress until we were sure we could get our money back for the POJ. After securing the cash, we headed to JC Penney where they were having a mattress sale. We tried out every model on the floor, at least 3 times! The lesson we learned was that we need a firm mattress, so after about an hour of debating we chose a Sealy Posturpedic firm pillowtop. Even with the sale, it was more money than the POJ but still much less than paying for an entire mattress. We told the salesman we had a truck with us to take it home. Imagine how disappointed we were to hear it would be 2 weeks before we could get it! I suppose it just makes this whole saga even more comical! Except that I am not laughing.

We went home and spent the next 2 weeks camping out in our own home. Greg on a cot and me on an air mattress. Yes, it made for a romantic anniversary! Yesterday, a big white truck pulled up in our drive way and unloaded our brand new mattress. The heavens were singing, I tell you! Well, at least I was. Greg is out of town for Annual Conference so I had the bed all to myself the first night. Ahhh, it was delightful. I am hoping to catch up on some of those lost zzz's really soon.

Now I wish I had called sooner but that is the lesson learned. Don't suffer through life with a POJ!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

15 Years!

Fifteen years ago today, Greg and I got married. Where does time go? Some days it feels like yesterday and other days it feels like a life time ago.

When I met Greg he was going to MCC, getting an associates degree and working at Wegmans. Today he has a Masters of Divinity (and is seriously contemplating a Doctorate!! ack) , is ordained and pastoring in his 4th church. We have two wonderful boys who are growing up way too fast! We have experienced the passing of loved ones and found new people to embrace along the way.

Anyone that tells you marriage is easy is a liar. I have been stretched in ways I never thought possible and I am not just talking stretch marks from being pregnant either! But I will hands down say that being married to Greg has been the greatest blessing. He is a wonderful gift of God and I am so thankful to walk through life with him.

I searched through all of our photos and can't find a recent one of us together. We will have to work on that soon. For now, here is a photo of the day the journey began...

Look at us, kids I tell ya!

I changed my settings for leaving comments, so anyone visiting should be able to now leave one!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Cleveland Rocks but Boston Rules!!!!!!!

The last few weeks have been crazy at the Harp house. I will try to catch you up over the course of several posts but they may be a bit out of sequence.
On a very last minute whim, we took the boys out of school for 2 days and drove to Cleveland. Why Cleveland you ask?? Because of the Boston Red Sox, silly!! Going to see the Sox play at Fenway is a dream that we will probably never realize. Three years ago we traveled to Toronto to see them play the Blue Jays. We had been talking for some time about going to see the Red Sox when they were playing the Indians and when I checked the schedule, the only time the Sox were in Cleveland was this past week. Hence the last minute frenzy! We got four tickets about 20 rows up from home plate, and saved 50% because of spring ticket sale prices. We got an incredible hook-up on a hotel room from a friend, so off we went.
We arrived Tuesday night in time for the boys to enjoy a swim in the pool. On Wednesday we drove into Cleveland and spent most of the day there. The city was very nice, clean, easy to get around, minimal traffic, lots of things within walking distance. We had lunch at Fat Fish Blue, a cajun type eatery that a local directed us to. Here is Josh with his burger...and no, he wasn't able to finish it!

We walked through town and the boys stopped to pose like a statue in the park...

Then we came upon this huge rubber stamp, a definite photo op!

Cleveland is the home of the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and on our way there, we passed a couple of large guitars. Definitely another prime photo op...

We are the bitty figures in the photo taken in front of the Hall of Fame. That place is filled with all kinds of memorabilia, it was really cool!

After the Hall of Fame we walked to Progressive Field. The stadium is incredible! I loved everything about this place. Before the game started the guys walked the upper decks to get the full effect.

The game was awesome. The Sox were down 5-0 for awhile but as usual, you can not count them out...ever. They rallied to tie the game in the 8th and finally won it in the 10th inning. You should have heard the fans. There were plenty of Red Sox fans in the stands and the Indians fans had no problem displaying their distaste for us, lol! Late in the game, the beer makes people look like fools, lol! I think Kaleb feared for his life a bit a few times and didn't like the looks he got when we rooted for our team. He did like that the Indians lost though! It was an exciting game for sure. Here are the boys and I when it was done...

They had to do a bit of homework on our trip but they think it was worth missing a couple of days of school.
We do not travel much as a family but this 2 day trip was a fun way to inject some fun and adventure into our lives!
I am hoping to get Greg and Josh to post about their time in Mississippi, but if not, I will at least share some photos with you.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Crazy Ideas

We woke up to snow today and I don't like it!! Thankfully it will warm up in a day or two and it will all be gone. Winter just needs to be done, over, gone!
So by now most of you know I enjoy cooking and baking. I haven't had a lot of time for it lately with working but I can't stay away from it for long. The natives get restless and hungry and eventually tire of cereal at every meal. They haven't actually tired of cereal yet, that would indeed be a small miracle, lol! It's probably because we have thrown pizza into the mix a couple of times. I subscribe to the Taste of Home magazine and visit recipe sites on-line so there is no shortage of inspiring, mouthwatering recipes to try. I have a confession to make...I get fixated on strange things once in awhile. I will see an idea and no matter how strange or odd it may be, I want to try it. Last year it was making homemade vanilla. That has proven to be a great experiment and I have joyfully used it and given it away. I have gone through 2 full quart jars and better get started on a second batch before the last 2 quarts get used up! I know, THAT is a lot of vanilla!
Though I can no longer find the original source of my latest fixation, this new idea has stayed with me for several weeks, begging me to see it through. Are you intrigued yet?? The latest and greatest thing to come out of my kitchen is.......homemade marshmallows!! Get out, I know!! Who ever even had the thought that such a thing could be done?? I only use/eat marshmallow on rare occasion in Rice Krispy treats or when camping so why this idea held on so strong I have no idea. Greg thought I was out of my mind. I loved my brother Chris' response, "What?! Are store bought ones too expensive for you??" Smartie pants, lol!!! Though I often try to make my own version of things to save money, this time it wasn't about saving money. And I should add it was probably more expensive. But it had to be tried to see if fresher/homemade indeed equalled better in this case. And, like I said, I can become fixated and the only solution is to see it through and be done with it. After securing a few ingredients, I set out to make marshmallows last Saturday. Mix a bit of this, cook a bit of that, whip it all together. The KitchenAid stand mixer that Jon bought us as a wedding gift (almost 15 years ago!!) purred like a kitten on the counter that day. Oh the smell of sugar and vanilla was so incredible!!!! The only bummer was that after pouring the gooey bliss into a pan, it needed to sit for 10-12 hours before cutting and eating! Oh the torture of it all. At least it looked like marshmallows and I dearly hoped they would taste like marshmallows. Actually, I was hoping they tasted better! Check out the final result...

Incredible isn't it??? The recipe I chose filled a 9x13 pan and a loaf pan. In the end I couldn't wait to cut into the smaller batch. I took the cut up samples to church with me that afternoon. I walked up and down the aisle (before church started) handing out samples to folks. I caused a bit of a stir. It was pretty unanimous...they are awesome! I got lots of, "You MADE these??" Yep, in my magic kitchen! I was a hero and the kids kept coming back for more until every last bit was gone. I think all that sugar hyped people up for an even livelier worship time!!
I could share the recipe with you but then you would figure out I am not all that my husband hypes me up to be, lol!
Have a great day!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Sing It...

One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn't belong... Do you remember that Sesame Street tune? Can you guess what is different in the picture below?

If you guessed that Kaleb is the only one without glasses, you are correct! Kaleb wants you all to know he DOES belong though and we definitely agree!

Back in January I noticed that Greg was sometimes singing different words than what was projected on the screen. Not good when you are the worship leader, lol!! He was also straining when using his computer. I finally called and made us both appointments to see the eye doctor. It had been 3 years since my last exam so it was time. Well, my wonderful husband went straight to bi-focals!! He has had a bit of an adjustment but glasses have certainly helped his reading enjoyment.

Josh came home from school in February with a note from the nurse that he should see an eye doctor. After our trip to Myrtle Beach, we took him, and sure enough, he needed glasses. Actually, he only needed one glass but seventh graders aren't really into monocles these days! He never told us he was having trouble seeing at school, but now he says things are definitely better. He mostly wears them at school so around the house I forget he even owns glasses.

I apologize for being such a lax blogger. We are in a bit of a speed warp these days. I was working full time while my co-worker was away on vacation. All the while continuing to seek full time employment. It really puts a strain on the family and house! I have worked at various things to various degrees for many years but none of it has been consistent, full time work. Honestly, I don't like it! I don't like that it means I don't cook meals much anymore and that
the family is often scrounging for food because there isn't enough time to get to the grocery store. The kids are constantly asking where the clean cloths are. Plenty of families do it everyday and I hope to eventually adjust. For now, I am glad that Cindy is back from Florida!

Greg and Josh are very busy preparing for the mission trip to Mississippi. Greg is coordinating a team of about 25 from church to go to Pass Christian to help rebuild Katrina damaged homes. He took teens from Pearce there several years ago and this trip will be a mix of adults and kids. They depart on Easter Sunday afternoon and will return the following Sunday. Two weeks ago we held a spaghetti dinner fundraiser and this morning is a garage sale. Of course the whole week leading up to today has been consumed with preparations. Some of you may find a letter in your mailbox this week asking to help out. We are still a bit shy of the fundraising goal but I know God will provide for all their needs. Did you know there are still thousands of people living in FEMA trailers more than 3 1/2 years later?? Every year there seem to be new disasters and issues so for most people I am sure Katrina is not even on their minds anymore. But down there it continues to be a daily issue. This will be Josh's first trip of this kind. Kaleb and I will stay behind on this one. His birthday is that week so we have plans!

In other news, the snow is all melted! We have moved into spring and spring storms. Last night I heard a dripping noise in the kitchen and it wasn't coming from the sink! We have a leak up on the roof somewhere. Thankfully we caught it before any damage happened to our new kitchen ceiling! On the next fine day, Greg will have to get up onto the roof and do some repairs.

That is enough for today! Hopefully my next post won't take a month.
Blessings and love to you!!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

To the Beach and Back!

We have safely returned from our travels! We had a wonderful week away visiting with friends and family. Here's a recap of our week.
We set out early Saturday morning for Jen and Mario's house in VA. Pennsylvania is never a thrill, in my opinion. It seems to take forever to drive through and the ups/downs/turns can make even the best rider car sick. The roads in some areas were snow covered so travel was a bit slow but we did make it through. We enjoyed a nice supper and time to visit in the evening. Jennifer has been bitten by the stamping bug so there was fun stuff to talk about, Mario just rolled his eyes! Sunday we headed for the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in VA. WOW!! It was stuffed with cool planes, gliders, space stuff and more. There were planes suspended from the ceiling so every turn had something new to look at. Greg actually got choked up at the sight of the SR-71! We saw the Enola Gay, a Concord jet, early helicopters and military planes. I was amazed at what the human mind can conceive! That someone designed some of these early flying machines and then was daring enough to test them out boggles my mind, lol!
Here is a collage of some of our visit to the museum. Click on the photo to get a bigger view.

Early Monday morning we set out for our final destination...the Viele's house in Myrtle Beach. I will say that they boys were such troopers in the car. Those video players are worth their weight in gold! No fighting or arguing the whole way. It was so good to see Mike, Elissa and the kids. They are growing up so fast! We moved here before they moved south so it didn't really hit me that they lived there until we saw it for ourselves. It is such a great house and they were so gracious to give us their bedroom for our visit! We didn't go with any plans so it was nice to relax without an agenda. We went to the beach twice and one afternoon we visited the aquarium. They had some cool fish there. We all had a chance to touch a stingray and Greg and Josh held a horseshoe crab. Again, I was amazed at God's creation! The sea is just filled with interesting (and some ugly) creatures. We enjoyed a great seafood meal on the inlet...yummy hush puppies! We stayed up late playing dominoes. We laughed and played and just spent time together. Wonderful! Below is a collage of our visit.

We took a ton of pictures but I was so disappointed when I got home and realized we didn't take any of Jen and Mario or Mike and Elissa! What were we thinking??
Here is a photo Elissa took at dinner Thursday night.

This photo looks like it was taken outside, but it was actually inside the aquarium. Aren't my guys good lookin'?

At one point on our drive, Greg and I commented how glad we were to actually be following through on our trip. So often we dream up plans and don't follow through due to money, time or some other reason. But not this time. What a blessed time it was!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Newsworthy

Twice in one week...wow!! But I have something you may enjoy reading. The Buffalo News did an article on our church this past Sunday. It included a photo of Greg and Pastor Bill too. For the moment, it is listed on their website as well, you can read all about it here...
http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/niagaracounty/story/573200.html

It is a pretty good article but I think they made a typo, we don't have 160 here on Sundays, we wish!! Someday though, maybe even this week with all the press!! And we won't even be here to witness it. I can't wait to see how God uses this opportunity!