Another year has come and gone....

can you believe it? This year has been fun, lots of new adventures in our lives. Lots of big steps! The year started off REALLY bad for me, I woke up at 12:10 on 1/1/08 and was sick with the stomach flu. YUCK! While I was sitting at our back door wrapped up in a blanket with all three dogs sitting with me, trying NOT to get sick, I made my new years resolution. I think this is the first time I have ever kept a resolution. But, I vowed to ALWAYS have Sprite and Chicken noodle soup in the house. And, I did! : )
In February, Gary got his new bike. He was so excited! So was I, but I didn't realize how much other stuff had to go on the bike to make it the way he wanted it! But, I think he got it there. I am so glad he got it, he really enjoys riding!
We finally agreed and bought a new car! I LOVE IT! I think Gary really likes it too, he hated to drive my old car. He says that I finally have a grown up car!
In September we celebrated our 1 year anniversary in Branson with Gary's parents. That was a lot of fun. We rented a condo and were down there for three days. Got to do lots of fun stuff. Not including Starvin Marvins!
The beginning of November we bought the Insulation company. WOW! Things are going well, and I think we learned a lot when we bought it. Gary is very happy to go to work now, but I think he works for a real jerk! LOL Especially since the first time I worked for him he fired me! Things are a little slow right now, but we think most of it is the holidays, building is slow here, but there are still new homes and commercial buildings going up. So, we keep our fingers crossed that he gets the winning bid.
The holidays were great, got to visit both families for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and celebrated Gary's dad's 70th birthday on Sunday.
Seems like all we did this year was buy things! Guess we will have to work on paying them all off next year! We would love to get the shop built at our house next year, so that Gary can bring the insulation rig home at night, instead of leaving it in town where he has the shop now. It would be more secure at our house. So, hopefully we can get that done, if not, there is always 2010!
New Years will be quiet around our house. Gary will be leaving on the 31st to go to Texas with some friends to ride motorcycles. And, I will ringing in the new year with our puppies! Everyone says Gary can't go, because I won't have anyone to kiss at midnight, but I will, I will have my three babies! If we make it to midnight! ; ) It gets to be 10 or so, and my eyes automatically close.
We are looking to 2009 to be a productive year. Hoping that the economic problems start to get solved, and the economy starts to pick up.
We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season, and wish you all the best in 2009. Always remember the wonderful times of 2008 and look to 2009 as a new beginning. Love to all, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! Gary and I will be heading to my grandmothers house around noon today, then to my parents later tonight. We will be in Illinois on Saturday and heading back on Sunday!

If you are traveling, be safe and hope to see everyone soon!

Gary and Lisa

Holidays....

Most of you know we spent Thanksgiving day with my family here at home. Friday we traveled to Decatur to visit Gary's family. It was wonderful to see all his family. Kim out did herself on the food, it was wonderful. It was nice to sit and catch up with so many of his family members. Saturday we headed back to Litchfield and stayed with our friends Rod & Jamie, but we also got to visit with Brian and Lisa for a while. We attended the Litchfield girls basketball game and got to see Micki and her family while we were there.
Sunday Gary raced in the Toys for Tots race. IT WAS COLD! And muddy! I told Gary that was the worst race that I have ever been too. I don't think my feet have thawed out yet! But, Gary and his partner got first in their class! So, that was pretty cool.
The drive home took us over 7 HOURS!!!!! Interstate I-70 was bumper to bumper from St. Louis until we got off in Kingdom City. I thought I was going to climb the walls of the car. Ryan was about as irritated as I was, and bless Gary's heart, he sat there and listened to me bitch and whine the whole way and never once got mad. See why I love him so! He is such a good counter balance to me. The things that drive me crazy, really don't bother him. And the things that drive him crazy usually drive me crazy as well! LOL
Gary was back to work on Monday, and I started decorating for Christmas. I have decided that decorating for Christmas is a pain in the butt. I love Christmas, but getting all that crap out that we store all year long, just to decorate with for a few weeks!?!?! Anyway, the tree is up, the house is decorated, all I have left is putting the lights up outside. I am hoping that Gary will do that. :)
The insulation company is doing well, Gary has several jobs lined up and the phone is ringing more. Pray that it continues! I love it that Gary now enjoys going to work. I know he still has a lot on his mind, but he is doing very well with it. I knew he would, he is really good with people, and above all else, he is honest. He even told one customer that they really didn't need any more insulation in their attic, and the guy had him put more in anyway. Then told Gary that he would have him back in a couple years to add more!
I don't know what our plans are for Christmas yet. Hopefully not spending 7 HOURS on the interstate! But hopefully we will get to visit lots of family! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I know we did!

Love to all,
Gary and Lisa

P.S. Did I mention that we were on the interstate for 7 HOURS!!!!

I got fired!

The first offical week of owning the insulation company is over. Today Gary and I went to insulate an attic, and HE FIRED ME! Can you believe that? How can you fire someone that you are not even paying to work?!?! LOL Guess I don't have to worry about giving up my weekends to work with him! Those bales of insulation are HEAVY!! And it is dusty and dirty. Yuck! And, while we were there, it was sprinkling and spitting snow...so I guess getting fired was a blessing for me! :-)
Things are going REALLY well so far with the company. Since I work in real estate, I think that will help with some of the jobs. In face an old family friend was in my office on Friday, I told him about the company, and Gary is going to shoot an attic for him on Monday. I think I should get at least 25% of the profit from the job. I gotta make money some how!
We have been working on flyers and bus. cards and such all week. He has been getting several calls a day to place bids, so it is looking very good for us. The market is still slow, new construction has pretty much come to a stand still in this area, but is starting to pick back up. He will keep busy with attics for a while, especially with winter so close.
I am so proud of him. And, I can tell that he is enjoying reaping the rewards of his labor. Right now it feels like we are on the go from the time we get up until the time we go to bed, but hopefully we will soon be caught up on paperwork and get use to the extra "work" owning your own company is. Then things will settle down and feel normal.
Hope all are well! And hope to see most of you over Thanksgiving!

So far, so good!

Tomorrow is Gary's first official day of owning the insulation company, and I think he has a pretty full week. He is going to Columbia to add some insulation to one of his friends attics. Columbia is about a 2 hour drive, and normally he won't be working that far from home, but he can pick up the insulation in Columbia and not have to have it delivered. Then he has a fiberglass job that will take him a day to so.... so, at least we will already have money coming in!!! YEAH!!!! And, I know he has some other contracts but I don't know what they are. I am trying to not be "nosey". But, it is REALLY hard! Hopefully as time goes on, we will both relax! Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know what was going on with the company!

SURPRISE!!!!

Some of you already know, but for those of you who don't...... Gary is buying the insulation company! I am very proud, excited, nervous..... but I know that he will be very successful with it! I know it is going to be lots of hard work, long hours, lots of stress, and I won't even be the one doing the labor! I am so proud of him, and I know he is proud as well. We had talked about it before, but nothing serious, then he took me to lunch on Tuesday and said that he wanted to do it! Of course, as soon as he told me, I had a million questions, but I REALLY tried to not let them all fly. He gets ticked at me when I ask to many questions!
Hope all are doing well, and hope to see everyone soon!!!

Blah, blah, blah!

Since I haven't posted in a while, I figured I better do so. Not a lot of excitement going on right now around our house. Gary has two races left for the year; one is this weekend, but we will not be going to it.
We have successfully re-financed our house in the past month. And, are hoping to be able to build a garage for Gary. He needs someplace to go tinker with his toys. Especially since the grass has pretty much quit growing, so he doesn't have to mow every other day. And, we could use some extra storage. I don't think we will start the garage until next spring, but it is something to look forward to.
Right now our plans for Thanksgiving are a little up in the air. At this point in time, I believe we will be in Missouri on Thanksgiving, and heading to Illinois on Friday. We will be in Decatur Friday night to Saturday mid-afternoon. We will them be traveling to Litchfield, and Gary will be racing in the Toys for Tots race on Sunday.
And, Christmas, I have no idea. I haven't even began shopping for Christmas, I feel like I am REALLY behind since I am normally almost finished shopping by now. Oh well.....
Other than that, nothing new. The dogs are doing good, except Jasmin found some pumpkin seeds somewhere in our neighborhood and decided to eat them. And, she didn't digest them, they came up in the living room. But she seems fine now. Dewy and Piglet are still rotten, and enjoy annoying each other as much as possible.
I will try harder to keep up with this blog, sometimes I feel like I don't have time to breath let alone update this, but I promise I will try! Hope you are all doing well and hope to see everyone soon!
Oh, and Fran if you are reading this, I will have your glow box with me when we come up for Thanksgiving. Hopefully we will see you, if not I will leave it with Mom.