Family Fun Day!

It's late. I should be in bed, but I'm still on a Good Day high!

We were up and out the door by 10 am, which was actually doing well since I was still in my PJ's at 9:15 am. We went to the Mall with Mindy, Logan and the baby. The trip was to pick up a watch at a jewelers and we were just going along for the ride.

We ended up at Build-A-Bear... The kids are now the proud owners of a Unicorn named Emily and a Horse named Horsey. You can guess who got what, by the brilliant names. It was actually quite fun getting to stuff them, put sounds in them and naming them for their birth certificates. We skipped the "Dress Them" station and I still left with $50 less dollars.

This evening we drove down to see my aunt and uncle, their newly remodeled house and to deliver my cousin's quilt. Everything went well. Dinner out on the deck was lovely. *Mental note to have a nice deck on our next house.* My cousin LOVED her quilt and it made all the heartache trying to get it too her worth it. The wine glass charms I got for my aunt were a hit as well, since she would never go out and buy them for herself and the 2 personalized ones I made myself were well received too. There was much congratulating and celebrating, See You Later hugs and no tears. They will likely be up to visit next spring!

Tomorrow will be the last day we get to spend with Mindy and her family. They are leaving for vacation on Monday and won't be back before we leave. It will be very sad because despite all of the crap that happened while she was pregnant/right after the baby was born, she is still a good friend (and not acting like she was) and I will miss having her as a neighbor. She is also saying how we will NEVER see each other again, so I know this is a Goodbye of sorts.

I best get to bed, so that I'm not even more of a mess in the morning. *sniff*

When you can, you can't.

I'm feeling creative tonight.

I already got out my stamps and was making some cards, but I really want to scrap and all my stuff is in boxes. I don't have the energy to go digging through everything to find what I want, without making a huge mess. So here I sit, downloading fonts and printing Layout ideas on the computer instead.

Ugh.

I guess I should go put sheets on Tristan's bed before it's bedtime...

Chipping away at the To-Do List

I have been feeling so scattered lately, so I sat down last night and played with my new stamps and watched some mindless TV.  That actually helped quite a bit.  I had the motivation to load the dishwasher and pick up the living room before I headed to bed, but I'm dragging some today because I stayed up late.

I got the back yard mowed this morning.  It had been about 3 weeks -Yikes! I waited until 9:30 am, as to not piss off ALL the neighbors who may be sleeping in, and it was still really hot.  I came in and went straight to the shower!

I folded laundry, a side-effect of not being able to find a clean bra and started a new load.  I have one load left to wash and I will be caught up.  I really love not having Joe's 3.Outfits.Every.Single.Day to wash.

I cleaned out my Blog list and my favorites list on the computer.  Of course, I read my usual ones while I was there.

I made Airport Shuttle reservations for the 14th from the Rental Car place.  We'll need to be there between 5:45 am and 6:15 am, to get to the airport for a 9:30 am flight.  I am so excited to get away from the traffic!

I worked on the Insurance Valuations for the Movers.  They still aren't finished, but I have more done than I did yesterday and right now that is a big step!

I still add 3 more things, for each thing I cross off, but hopefully I won't forget anything important! If there is anything left to do in 2 weeks, I'll have to let it go and have Joe take care of it.  He doesn't have the emotional attachment to things like I do.

Some Insight

On Sunday/Monday morning, we went South to visit our friends Erik and Tara.  I finally got to hold Baby Graham! We had planned to just stay the day, but ended up getting there late and Joe had been enjoying a few cold drinks, so we stayed the night.

Monday was Tristan's birthday, which sadly got pushed to the edges because it was also the only working day for Joe to get in touch with ALL of the moving/relocation people.  He was able to set up our packing/loading days, arrange for our hotel and rental car for those same days and booked our flights to Juneau.  He will fly back on Aug. 10th, the same day the rented minivan will be delivered and it will be our last night in the house.  The movers come on the 11th and we have them booked through the 13th, if we need the time.  We fly out at 9 am Saturday the 14th and should be in Juneau by lunchtime Saturday!

Joe is in a temporary apartment/extended stay hotel in Juneau now, so we will be staying there until I can find us a place to move to.  Once we have a place, the mover's will deliver and unload all of our stuff.  I'll have about a month to get everything arranged once we arrive up there.

So as of August 10th, I'll be checking in from the library and I'm going to try Audioblogger.  I hate hearing myself speak, so that might be short lived.  I'm excited to get going, but have 2 weeks left here to get through. 

Tristan had a great birthday! We had pizza for dinner, one of his favorites and cake for dessert.  He's been getting his gifts all month long, so all we had left to give him was a Matchbox Car Wash.  That is in addition to his Leap Pad, a new Leap Pad Book, a sword and a stick pony.  My parents (Mom) sent a huge box yesterday with a car carrier, 10 new matchbox cars and a book.  Both Great-Grandparents sent money and Joe's parents sent a card.  He also learned how to say "Three Years Old" and will answer correctly when asked.  :o)

For the question on if I am sad or excited? The short answer is Both.  I am sad to leave my house and my friends, but excited to live somewhere new and meet new people.  I'm excited for the new opportunities this promotion will allow us to be a part of.  We will be able to afford to travel more, help more people and not live in fear of not having enough money.  I am sad that my excitement causes people to be sad.  That is possibly the worst part of all of this.  It doesn't matter how many times I move, there are always people that are staying behind.

Mindy has been very sad and it makes it super hard on me to hang out with her because I don't just get Weepy.  You know, controlled tears and still able to talk.  I am either Sad (still not acting like my normal happy self, but no tears) or I suffer a total Meltdown, complete with puffy, red eyes, snot running everywhere and that annoying sobbing cry, none of which is pretty.  I also prefer not to Meltdown in front of the kids.  I'll cry later when there's no one around. 

I also draw a line between "Goodbyes" and "See you laters."  We have friends and family that have, and will, travel great distances to visit us, wherever we are.  My family is so spread out that they are just all excited to have a new place to visit! Joe's family is less excited, but many of them have the means to come and visit, if they choose to do so.  We have friends that we may not see again on this side of Eternity, but that is still "See you later" for us.  There is another whole group of people, many of whom I've never met in person, but will still be missed while I don't have a computer.  I consider them friends as well and I'm pretty sure most of them will be right where I left them when I get back. *winks*

Round 5, Day 1...

Joe headed back to Juneau this morning, which meant another 4 am trip to the airport.  It is the last one.  Next time, we will all be flying out together.

We came home and I showered, got everyone dressed and headed back to town, to the dentist.  I had to get a cavity filled and make a deposit at the bank.  Since I wasn't very excited about walking around town with my face half numb, we came straight home.

I tried to nap this morning, but the kids were going strong until 4:15 pm, as soon as I started cooking them their dinner.  I need to go lay down because I feel a migraine coming on and I think I can stop it with enough rest.

I'll do a bigger update tomorrow.  :o)   Don't forget Amazing Race is on tonight!

Happy 3rd Birthday!

To my sweet baby boy! 

 

Things are better now...

It's still hot, but I'm sitting here with a wet cloth on my head and that seems to helping wick away the heat.  It's over 90* in the house.  Blech.

Updates:

Joe and I got some things worked out this morning and I think we're better now.  We both made some assumptions and once I got my feelings hurt, I was less than bubbly, which then made him think that I was mad at him and he didn't go out of his way to be extra nice and so on...  It is also hard when your spouse is like a visitor at home. 

We have a new battle plan for the move, to be implemented on Monday and Joe will actually be here to talk to these people I've been trying to deal with.  Since I'm just the spouse it is proving difficult for me to get certain things moving.  We also read the paperwork carefully and we should not have to pay a CENT out of our pocket for travel, housing food or car rental expenses.  Joe will be here in town on Monday to take care of all the "heavy lifting" for me.  :o)

We just ordered dinner, cuz it's even too hot to BBQ.  We're heading down to a friend's house tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to update until Monday.

Have a Great weekend all!

Headlines

• Sleeping on the couch the first night Joe is home is sure to start a fight, even if it's because it was still over 80* upstairs at 11 pm.
• I take back almost everything I've ever said about Mindy.  She insisted I take their Blazer to get Joe at the airport last night - it has A/C and I never would have lasted in our car, with the kids and the temps on the road over 105*, for the two hours it took to drive 60 miles.
• Men can be extremely insensitive without even realizing it.  I didn't even get a hug until we had loaded the kids and the luggage in the car.  There were also no comments regarding the new shorts I had on (newsworthy because I never wear shorts) or the fact that I was wearing my contacts, instead of my glasses.
• Joe was mad that none of the pictures I took  from our vacation had the kids together, facing forward.  I note that there was no request for one and I'm not a mind reader.
• It's still early, but already HOT! The house is at 75* and it's not even 9 am.

The Good, Bad and the Ugly...

The Good:

1. I am free of stressful appointments through next Monday.

2. Joe comes home tomorrow evening.

3. There have already been people out to see the house.

4. Grace actually likes going to the dentist.

5. I found 3 pairs of shorts on clearance and paid the equivalent to the full price of one pair.

The Bad:

1. Grace stepped on a bee/wasp/hornet and was stung today.

2. It is HOT! It's 86* in the house right now, at 7:30 pm.

3. Joe was not happy with the housing options I had set up.

4. I have a cavity.

5. Joe will only be home for the weekend.

The Ugly:

1. One of the painters decided to use my bathroom and what I found when I got home required a plunger.

2. The total weight of our worldly possessions is just over 4 TONS!

3. The forecast for the weekend has the highs in the 95* range.

4. I think I got a sunburn, only on one arm, while standing outside for about 30 minutes this afternoon.

5. The kid's behavior at Mindy's house this afternoon.

Blogger Ate My Post.

It was all crabby and whiny too.

Oh well. 

I don't have the time or the energy to retype it. 

So you get 5 lines instead.

Hope your week is less crazy than mine!

It's Official

The sign is up. 
 
Now all the neighbors know we are moving. 
 
This is causing great anguish among some.
 
And like a BIG wooden stake into my heart.
 
For some reason, THAT made it all real to me.
 

I don't work...At least, not for money.

Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to afford me.
 
I've done my 8-5 and it's quittin' time. 
 
I started on the phones bright and early this morning, calling everyone on the Wait.Until.Monday list, plus scheduling an eye appointment for myself and a dental appointment for myself and Grace. 
 
I managed to cross 10 things off my list, but 3 of those require further attention and the addition to tomorrow's list. 
 
I took the kids to Wal-Mart for a few things and then to Home Depot for an outlet cover, that is the wrong size.  Tristan was so tired that he fell asleep on the ride home.  While eating and chewing his Cheetos snack.  We went by a certain cemetery and Grace asked (again) if we were in "Stone Hedgehog."  HAHAHA! She cracks me up!
 
The kids played in the sprinkler and I started to clean up the house.  Grace had too much to eat, too fast and thought she was going to be sick again.  I told her not to eat anything else and she snuck a cookie.  She's my Mini-Me and she hates that I know what she's doing and thinking.  She asks me if I'm using my "Special Eyes" - you know, the ones in the back of my head.  heehee.
 
Kyle the Realtor came about an hour ago, to sign the papers for the listing.  We now have a key box on the front door and the sign goes up tomorrow.  We decided on a price of $189,950 and I hope it will sell fast!
 
I have a few things I'm going to have to get done tonight, but I'll be heading to bed early.  I stayed up too late last night, watching 3 hours of Alaskan Crab Fishing and then Something About Mary. I think I went to bed about 1:30 am.  I've got to be up and ready tomorrow morning for a painting estimate at 9 am.  Needless to say, Joe was less than thrilled that I was going to climb a ladder to paint the trim myself.  That's our last hurdle before we start showing the house, so I'm hoping they can get it done this week.
 
This next week isn't totally crazy yet, but I do have something planned for everyday.  I've got a work day planned for tomorrow - mow the yard, wash the walls, blinds and windows, do something with the kid's rooms and spot clean the carpets.  I will overflow into Wednesday if I have to.  Wednesday night, I'm having dinner with a friend (and the kids) at Olive Garden.  Thursday morning is Dr. appointments and Joe comes home on Friday.  We'll go visit our friends, Erik and Tara this weekend and finally see Baby Graham, who just turned 3 months old.  I'll wash and repack Joe most of one day and Tristan turns 3 on Monday!
 
Have a Great Tuesday Y'all!

Big and Rich

No, it's not what I am. HeeHee.

Ever since Snap-ah posted about her Country Music obsession ;o), I've been on a quest to find the song she was talking about. It's Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy and Joe's been talking about it for weeks. I've never caught it on the radio, I didn't know the artist and I missed it on the CMT Countdown the other day at Mindy's house. So, after I drove myself nuts, I finally found a link from our local country station to their website.

I am so in love! I dug around the site for a while, looking for a sample of the song, but what I found instead was like pure gold! The site not only has audio for Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, it also has their "anthem" Rollin'. The full versions! They also have the story of how they got started and why there is rap/rock influences in their music.

If it wasn't Saturday and 25 minutes to town, I would go get the CD Right.Now.

Oh, the site? Big and Rich Go check it out!

20 Questions

A work in progress:


q&a : april 2004 : the questions

 
one. who am i?

 
two. who knows me best?

 
three. how old am i? (or how old do i feel?)

 
four. the most important thing in my life is _____________

 
five. i always carry _____________________

 
six. something i always do _____________________

 
seven. i'm at my happiest when _____________________

 
eight. on a monday morning, you can find me ____________

 
nine. my favourite mode of transport

 
ten. my eyes are _____________________

 
eleven. my favourite material posession

 
twelve. to relax, i like to _____________________

 
thirteen. the town i live in is _____________________

 
fourteen. my worst habit

 
fifteen. my guilty pleasure

 
sixteen. when i look at someone, the first thing i see is _______

 
seventeen. i think _____________________ is beautiful

 
eighteen. one thing i can live without

 
nineteen. one thing people don't know about me

 
twenty. my life is ___________________

the answers

That will have to wait until, umm, Monday...

Nuts.  I mentioned a while back that perhaps my biggest flaw was Having To Be In Charge.  My point is this, I'm not and it sucks.
 
My prime examples:
 
~Tristan missed talking to Daddy last night because I was ranting about having booked airline tickets and maybe *I* wasn't supposed to do that because there are 3 other people working on it right now.  They won't be in the office until...Monday.
 
~I can't get any answers to my 5,628,294 Relocation questions until...Monday.  Don't people move on the weekends?
 
One of those questions happens to be what our login information is, so that I can get the answers off of the website.  Doh! Joe picked last night to make the comment that perhaps Detailed Communication is not his strong point.  As if I didn't know already.
 
~Joe cancelled the appointment to see a rental house because he is swamped at work.  He will be going to look at places on...Monday.
 
~I have an appointment to meet with Kyle the Realtor on...Monday.  I have to figure out how I'm going to paint the trim on the house (2 story) without leaving the kids alone on the ground to mess with the ladder.
 
Until Monday, I'm sorting more paperwork, cleaning out closets and bagging stuff for Goodwill.  I'm paying bills, updating snail mail and email addresses and trying to organize things so I'll be able to find them quickly with everything in boxes.  I had a slight breakdown last night when I thought of all the UNpacking I'll have to do, not knowing where anything is, when we get our boxes delivered in Juneau.  I would much rather pack everything myself, label each box with my shorthand and have a mental picture of where everything is.  I also have a phobia of Big Moving Guys Packing My Underthings.  I guess I'll just have to get over it. heh.

Today's Bits

First off, I'm not sure I like the new toolbar.  How am I supposed to know what font I want? heh.
 
Do you ever have one of those days, with a really long To-Do list and when you get to the end of the day, you look down and realize you've gotten exactly 2 (TWO) things crossed off?  Yep, my day today.
 
I did manage to get to the bank to get money to Western Union our house payment and then I got sidetracked. 
 
The kids wanted to go to the pet store and we had a ball watching the kittens play.  We saw a saltwater tank with a crazy crab that kept climbing the tank heater and a hermit crab we thought might snag a new shell right in front of us.  Grace and I laughed ourselves silly over two mice on a wheel.  The bigger mouse would run too fast and the small mouse would hang on and ride the wheel, upside down and going backwards.  I almost spent the $20 to buy a tank, a wheel and those 2 mice, just for the entertainment.  Seriously, it was pee.your.pants funny!

The Craft Store was having a sidewalk sale and I got 7 yards of fabric for $1 a yard and 2 laser die cut sheets for scrapbooking.  I got my hair cut at the other shopping center and then we got some groceries (Number 2 item on the list).  The kids were actually crying to go to more stores, instead of heading home, but it was HOT and I was tired.
 
We had lunch when we got home and I was talking to Mindy on the phone when the Ice Cream Man came by.  I got treats for the kids and a popsicle for Mindy, which led to us spending about an hour down there - including dinner again.  I was still full from the salad (Yes, you read that right) I had for lunch and the kids took no more than 5 bites combined.  We left at 7:30 so that I could be home when Joe calls and I can get the kids to bed on time tonight.
 
I borrowed a few movies from Mindy and I still need to watch the AR from this week.  I hope it cools off soon, since it's 81* in the house and that's cooler than it was before.  I need to get the fan back out of the garage for sure!
 
Some news I saw today - while checking out the "Martha Stewart Gets 5 Months In Prison" story - Jorja Fox and George Eads were fired from CSI!  They refused to show up for work, demanding more money on their current contract and they fired them.  At least I'll know what happened when the season starts and they are gone.
 
I better go do a quick search for painters that I can call tomorrow for estimates.  Joe is looking at a possible rental at 10 am, so we might just have a place to move stuff too.  I need to do the Insurance Valuation tonight too, just so it's ready for the movers.

Half Day

Well, I had a busy morning on the phone to the Relocation Gal, Joe and the Realtor Guy.  I have to get the house ready to list by next week, which means I will be painting the trim this weekend.  Unless, I can find a company to come out and do it for me for a reasonable price.  I have to wash all the interior walls and find some touch up paint for the areas I've had to spackle.  I have a feeling I'll just be painting the entire living room and hallway.  I had to make reservations for Joe's next flight back to Juneau today.  I found a decent rate online - $636.20 for a round trip.  He reminded me the other day that the kids and I will only be getting one-way tickets... Gulp!
 
I got the kitchen cleaned up and the dishwasher run.  I got the water bill paid, up at City Hall and ordered some fabric online for a swap.  I'm almost caught up on answering emails, so I took the afternoon off and went to Mindy's.  We watched the premiere of Amazing Race (and now I can watch the taped one from this week) and we stayed for dinner too.  We came home about 8 pm and the kids got plunked in the tub.  I changed Grace's sheets, put them in clean 'jamies, snuggled them in bed and they are probably sound asleep already.
 
Tomorrow, I have another list to work through, but I will.not.stress about it right now.  I'm trying to go through each room and sort/toss anything we aren't moving, but since we have movers coming to pack, I can't put stuff in boxes or it won't be insured.  I need to do an Insurance Valuation form and get it faxed back this weekend too.  I might need to move the house listing back, but with 4 (!!) other houses on the market on.our.street (within the last 2 weeks) I can't afford to put it off much longer.  I can't imagine how insane I'll be, if I have to keep the house ready to show at all times and not being able to pack stuff away in boxes.  It might just be better to wait and list it once we've gotten everything out.
 
In completely different news, we finally have people in the house behind us again.  It's been vacant for almost a year.  They have little kids and I'm trying to avoid getting to know them and then being bummed when we move.
 
The neighbor across the street (a single guy about my age) was in a ATV accident on the 4th and was in the hospital for 5 days, with knee surgery and a broken wrist.  His mom has been out taking care of him and I finally saw him outside yesterday and went over to check on him.  I had been worried because he was out of his normal routine and I hadn't seen him in about a week.  He was using a walker and still has pins and such in his leg.  It's going to be a long road for him.  He's been a great neighbor, a bit of a yard fanatic, but then he told Joe that he was just trying to keep up with us.  Keep him in your thoughts and prayers if you would - he's a really sweet guy!
 
Well, I need to go finish some laundry and get to bed.  I'll see you all in the morning!

Last Week's Recap

Since I have a few minutes hours (and I seem to be glued to the computer anyway), I'll give you the quick (but still long) overview of the last two weeks.

Joe got home the night of the 2nd and we were busy with mowing/weeding/cleaning and a realtor interview on Saturday.

Sunday, (the 4th) was church in the morning (our last visit there), shopping for groceries and fireworks on the way home and burgers on the grill when my parents arrived. There was much exchanging of gifts and picture taking. We started lighting our little fireworks before dark (it was still well after bedtime!) and when we were done with those we took a couple walks through the neighborhood. The kids finally crashed about 10:30 pm and those of us grownups stayed out in the backyard, until after 11 pm, watching the neighbor's fireworks pop right over the house and in the cul-de-sac's up on the hill. My mom said she'd never seen anything like it before.

Monday, my planned day for errands and such - also a holiday. Oops. We ended up taking 5 truckloads of junk to the dump, including the horrid couches and my craft cabinets. Joe and my dad pressure-washed the house, so that we can paint the trim before we put the house on the market. We were supposed to have dinner/dessert at my aunt and uncle's house, but they didn't call until after 9 pm and that was with a lame excuse.

Tuesday, we were up early and out the door by 7 am. I had to wake the kids up too, which I hate doing. At least they were in a good mood. We got gas in both vehicles, ate Breakfast Squares in the car and got to the ferry for the 8:40 am sailing. We stopped for brunch in Sequim with a dear friend and headed straight out to the coast after that. We made a stop in Forks for a potty and when I called the bank to check our balance, I ended up on the phone for 20 minutes clearing up a deposit issue. I so love the extended call area on our cell phones.

Anyway, we got to the campground about 3 pm and I realized that the site I had reserved online was sandwiched between the campground road and Highway 101. My Kids Will Wake Up In The Middle Of The Night, Get Out Of The Tent Without Me Knowing And Dart Into The Road Mom appeared and tried to switch the site with the camp host, but since I had made a reservation, it would have cost us a total of $90 to switch sites. Hyper Vigilant Mom came to the rescue and decided being reasonable (and frugal) was best and we would just have to watch the kids more carefully.

We got the tents up, cars unloaded and headed for the beach. Beautiful! The weather was partly sunny or overcast all day and actually was that way for our entire trip!



Dinner was 2 kinds of Zatarain's boxed rice (Cajun and French something), with Polish Dogs cut up in it- Ethnic food at it's best. Joe was in charge of the fire and S'mores were enjoyed by all, including my mom, who said it was the first one she'd had in 40 years. Growing up, we never had campfires or roasted marshmallows in the evenings.

Wednesday, we went on a Ranger led Tidepool Walk on this beach.



And saw cool stuff like this.



The kids got wet and sandy, I took a bunch of pictures and just enjoyed hanging out on the driftwood and rocks until my parents were finished taking pictures and exploring.



We had lunch in Forks and then drove to the Hoh Rainforest, were we hiked and took more pictures. We were back in camp for dinner - Boxed Mac and Cheese with Flaked Salmon and more S'mores. We saw a raccoon after dinner in our campsite. My mom was pushing Grace in the hammock and he (or she?) popped up over the log right next to them, clearly not expecting them to be there. We saw it again after the fog rolled in, slinking down the side of the road and ducking into the bushes if we got too close.

Thursday, we got up and broke camp by 10:30 am. We drove up the coast and out to Cape Flattery, which is The Most NW Point of the Lower 48 states. The lighthouse is on Tatoosh Island.



The kids managed the 1.5 mile hike like pros, except for a small peeing in the bushes mishap, followed by a diaper overflow in the parking lot back at the car. The drive home was long, despite a stop at our favorite hamburger place in Sequim for dinner. We pulled up to the house at 10 pm, put the kids in bed and we all took long, hot showers!

Friday, we were supposed to have a moving consultation at 9 am, but they didn't call. That ended up being rescheduled and we got ready for Joe's Employee Luncheon at his old store. Lunch was MORE burgers. They were holding a raffle for the employees to throw a pie in a manager's face - a morale booster thing - and Joe got to put a pie in his old boss's face. Rather funny! We shopped for BBQ stuff at Fred's and then headed to Costco to pick up the rest of the supplies for the BBQ. We renewed our membership (at the checkout) because it is one of the few places to shop in Juneau and it will be worth it. I ordered pizza for dinner to give myself a break!

Saturday was the Highland Games. Very fun! We managed to not get sunburned and I took the camcorder so we could have the audio forever, so no digital photos of the day. I AM one of those strange people that LOVES bagpipes and the marching and the kilts... :o) We skipped the concert in the evening and stopped at the SuperCenter Wal-Mart on the way home instead. How very exciting, I know. We got diapers, wipes, a new booster seat for Grace and a few Rubbermaid storage boxes. Dinner was a Burrito Casserole, quick and easy.

Sunday, my parents left about 9:30 am for their two-day drive home. We had about 3 hours to get the house ready for the BBQ and the invasion of all 6 of Joe's sisters, one brother, 3 Brother's In Law and 8 little nieces and nephews, plus 4 other families (and kids) we invited to see Joe before he left. I have video, digital and film photos from the insanity.

Here they are, lined up left to right in birth order. Hannah, Joe, Sarah, Racheal, Florence, Katie, Emily and Scott. There are 2 more brothers that weren't here this weekend, the oldest, Gabe, and the Number-6-Brother, Jimmy.



And one of all of us. I'm the 3rd from the left, Joe is next to me and Grace and Tristan are behind the big orange bat. :o)



One family of friends stayed late and we sat up playing cards until 10:30 pm. Considering my week - that was really late, but it was a good thing because Grace had eaten so much junk and pop that she got sick. She was still up, watching a video and she started complaining of a hurt tummy. I walked her into the bathroom and she threw up - mostly into the toilet. She seemed fine otherwise, so I gave her some water before bed and she woke up fine the next morning. I figure it was the sun and heat with all the sugar. It affects me the same way and I got sick a few times as a kid from too much sugar.

Monday, I was up early because of MY sugar sick stomach, but felt better after a few hours. My aunt arrived shortly after the kids woke up at 9 am (!) and we were relieved that my aunt just wanted to hang out and relax. I had planned a couple of hikes as options, just in case she wanted to go and do something.

As it turned out, we only drove into town to set up our new checking account (remember the errands put off because of the holiday on Monday?) and had MORE burgers for lunch at Dairy Queen. We stopped at the fruit stand on the way home and I made Chimichangas for dinner - a recipe I adapted from my aunt. The kids had fun playing with her dog and the kiddie pool too.

Joe panicked after dinner and went to town to get his haircut, buy dress shoes, white work shirts and more undies. He got back about 10 pm. I was up until midnight washing, drying and packing for him, while watching the movie The Missing. He was working on his expense report from his last trip, so neither of us got a good night's sleep.

Yesterday's post brings us to today.

I've taken the day off. I've been on the computer almost all day, looking at my photos and uploading them to Snapfish, reading blogs and forums and generally procrastinating on anything I can think of. I've got piles of things to work on, tons of stuff to stress about and I refuse to deal with it until tomorrow, at least. I might take tomorrow off too.

Information Overload - I'll Start With Today

I am back! Well, to be completely honest, I'm back, but I'm tired and whiny today.

There is so much to tell and I can't even see straight right now. Joe left this morning and we had to pack the kids in the car at 4 am again, for the trip to the airport. I got a 3 hour nap last night and I so wish it was because we were up having fun. There's not much exciting about 4 loads of laundry between 9 pm and midnight so that you can pack enough underwear and socks.

I slept in my clothes, on top of the blankets, so that I wouldn't miss the alarm. Thankfully, I woke up to the smell of coffee brewing (I LOVE the timer feature!) at 3:10 am on my own and had a few minutes to collect myself before the day started, only to realize that I felt horrible due to the lack of sleep.

I should also add here that my aunt was here yesterday and overnight and she was also getting on the road at 4 am to make it back to Montana by dinner tonight. She was asleep by 9 pm and didn't even hear Joe come in from the store at 9:45 pm.

The drive to the airport was uneventful, the kids didn't sleep and they cried buckets when Joe stood on the curb to wave and blow kisses.

The return trip home was much more interesting. I was still feeling very nauseous, had to stop at a super disgusting gas station bathroom so that Grace could pee and prayed the whole time that no one would steal Tristan, since I had to leave him in the car, alone, around the corner from the bathroom door. I couldn't have both kids out of the car, in their pajamas and no shoes, in a neighborhood that they are likely to step on needles in the parking lot... Yea - what a great mom I am.

Then, being super tired and having to drive anyway, I thought that an exit lane (actually clearly marked Exit Only) continued through for carpools and I nearly got us killed when I swerved back onto the freeway right next to a truck twice our size, instead of just taking the exit and getting back on the interstate. I didn't get a speeding ticket, even though I was doing 15 miles over the speed limit most of the way home, including right past a cop. My guardian angels were working overtime today for sure.

I was crashed on the futon by 6:30 am and got up to get juice for the kids about 9:30 am. I moved the show upstairs (to the bedroom TV and the DVD player showing Sleeping Beauty) and got 2 more hours of sleep before Mindy and Joe called. I made pancakes at noon for breakfast. I've been a zombie all afternoon and the kids have not napped yet. I forgot that I had a charity pickup scheduled for this morning and now I'm going to have to take the stuff to Goodwill myself, as well as the poor guy seeing me dressed as Death Warmed Over A Teeny Tiny Bit.

I missed the premiere of Amazing Race last week - both times. Mindy has it TiVo'd, but I have to take the kids down there to watch it, unless I can get her husband to put it on a tape for me tonight. I'm going to need to record tonight's episode because 1) I won't make it until 10-11 pm tonight and 2) I can't stand to watch them out of order. She offered to have us down for dinner, but I don't think the kids can take it. I'd probably just fall asleep on the couch...

It's probably best if I just stay here, feast on the full fridge of leftovers and fruit and, as soon as the kids are asleep, I can crawl back into bed.

AAACK!

I'm almost back...

I read blogs for a bit this morning (almost caught up) while trying to get over my ooky stomach feeling. The one that comes after I've had too much sugar late at night. Well, that and the stress of dealing with 7 of Joe's siblings, plus spouses and kids and neighbors and friends for 12 hours of Backyard BBQ fun! I have pictures for later. Now I have to go hop in the shower and clean up the carnage before my aunt arrives in about an hour. Yes, it's not even 8 am yet and the kids are still sleeping. It could be a very long day.

Not Dead Yet...

Checking in again...

Got back from camping last night about 10 pm. We were out shopping today, including a membership renewal at Costco and an employee lunch at Joe's old store. Tomorrow we are heading to the Highland Games. Sunday, we are having a huge BBQ for all of Joe's family, and most of the neighbors, are coming to say goodbye to him. Monday, my aunt is coming for the day. I should be able to get back to the computer Tuesday or whenever Joe heads back to Juneau.

Quick Update

We survived the 4th. Great fireworks in the neighborhood. My parents are here safe and sound. We leave tomorrow (early) for 3 days of camping. The "boys" have been busy going to the dump (4 trips so far) and now they are pressure washing the house to paint the trim. My sewing/craft stuff is in boxes now and we have no couches.

I'll check in on Friday. :o)

See Post Below...

I've been off slaying dragons all day. *winks* Well, at least it feels like it!

We got home last night from a very long, but fun, day about 7:30 pm. We got the car unpacked, Joe gave out all his goodies and we showed him all of the fun stuff we bought. I was good at Ikea, only spent about $60 and it's all stuff we will move with us. I spent another $50 at Sears on summer clothes (clearance!) for the kids. Joe brought me back a WONDERFUL fleece coat (that fits perfectly) and is an awesome periwinkle color!

I was up a little after 7 am and hopped right onto the laundry monster. I got the house picked up enough that I was happy to invite the realtor in at 10 am, to do a walk through on the house. The second agent will be coming Monday at 10 am and then we choose between them for the agent we feel best about. The good news was that the agent today didn't see anything that HAS to be fixed, but we do need to finish painting the trim.

We got the futon from Mindy's finally. Joe and Nolan got it back upstairs in Tristan's room. Tomorrow, we will be trying to get both kid's beds in Grace's room for the week, while my parents are here. Tristan took a quick nap on the couch and then we headed to Target. We spent more money there today than we have in a long time.

The relocation check came today, so we got summer clothes for Joe and I got 4 new shirts. I couldn't find any decent shorts, so I might have to improvise. The kids got a bunch of new toys to help keep them busy while we work on the house. Grace got a Princess tent (one of those pop-up ones) and Tristan got a stick pony and a sword. We got an Eddie Bauer Insta-Bed (with the self-contained pump) for camping too. We also got a pressure washer so we can finish getting the house ready to show ourselves and I got the usual laundry and dishwasher detergent. I also got to take Grace to the bathroom twice and Tristan all the way to the car to change his diaper.

After Joe's near panic attack at the total from Target, we headed home to unload and let Joe get started on the lawn. While he was doing that, I got the kids set up in the tent with a video and juice and ran to the store for groceries - alone! It wasn't too crowded, considering it's a holiday weekend and Saturday. Dinner was Hamburger Helper and now I have a few minutes to breathe.

I really should go take a hot shower, bathe the kids and get the diaper bag ready for church in the morning, but I think I'll go watch Joe play with the new pressure washer.

Happy 4th Everyone!

I am a...

My Inner Hero - Warrior!

I'm courageous, straightforward, and charismatic. I'm a born leader, but I'm also not afraid to face danger on my own. Nothing stands between me and victory... nothing that lives to tell the tale, anyway. If you need someone to charge into battle for you, call on me.



How about you? Click here to find your own inner hero.

Your Profile:

You're tough, courageous, and up to your eyebrows in chutzpah. If you're still in school, your teachers probably talk a lot about your "potential." If you work, your boss calls you a "pro-active self-starter," whatever that means. You don't shy away from hard work, that's for sure. When it comes to leisure, you'd rather be out hiking or biking or snowboarding than sitting around watching TV or reading a book. You care about your health, and have strong opinions.

Above all, you're a man/woman of action and a born leader. You see obstacles as challenges and hardship as an opportunity to build your character (and your muscles). You're not afraid of conflict - in fact, you're not afraid of much of anything. You tend to dive into things headfirst and sort out the consequences later.

Your Mission:

You were put on this earth to lead others. They will follow you, because they are bowled over by your forceful personality, your charisma, and your willingness to do what they're afraid to do. You are the one who has to make things happen, because everyone else is too afraid of rocking the boat.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to Start Something. Something small, or something big. Start a club at your school. Propose a new project to your boss. Invent a new family tradition. Start a small business. Start SOMETHING.

And don't dally about it. We WILL be checking up on you.

A Warning:

Try to remember: it's not all about you. Yes, people tend to do what you say, but don't abuse that power. Don't be a bully, even if you feel like the weaklings really deserve it. Have a Paladin teach you how to "make nice" when necessary. You have the potential to become a great leader, but only if you curb your tendency to be thoughtless, egocentric, and well, sometimes just plain rude.

And by the way, just because you don't understand something, that doesn't mean it's "stupid." Get a Wizard to figure things out for you instead of just giving up when your attention span runs out.

Hitch the Wagon, We're Off to Town...

I've been looking forward to today!

We get to go see Pez and shop at Ikea. We leave in about an hour, so we can stop at the car wash.

Daddy comes home at 5 pm, which is early enough to get home and get the kids in bed on time. *evil grins*

I've got to get in the shower and make the bed and pack the diaper bag and get the kids ready and make a quick trip to the store for milk. No problem... *winks*

Stop the ride! Or at least slow it down...

I swear that sunny days go twice as fast as cold and rainy ones and it's not helping my current time crunch.

Yesterday was a house cleaning, pool-splashing blur. We made an early trip to the store and I got a pair of sunglasses, which means I also dug out my contacts. I took some time to read the newest Lowe's Creative Ideas mini-zine in the sun, while the kids played in the pool. I got the bathrooms (all 3) cleaned and the kids played in the pool while I got the stovetop cleaned and put new foil on the drip pans. I watered the garden and the kid's played in the pool, ending in a water fight. :o) I also found this new game Astro Pop.

This morning I hung a different shower curtain in the guest bathroom, in preparation of having to show the house. I got the downstairs babyproofed before my friend Candy came over, with her 3 boys to play. They left about an hour ago and we are all worn out! I still need to change the sheets on our bed, wash a load of laundry and get the futon back from the neighbor's house.

Tomorrow Daddy will be home! We will be gone all day, so I have to make sure the house is picked up before we leave. We're meeting Pez at Ikea for the afternoon and then heading straight to the airport.

Sometime this weekend, I need to shop for last minute camping gear, buy the rest of the summer wardrobes and get general groceries. We need to set up a new checking account while Joe is in town too. I realized today that I should probably get my sewing machine in for maintainance while we are gone, since there isn't a service tech in Juneau for my brand of machine. My list just keeps getting longer and longer!

We have an appointment with the Realtor on Saturday morning to go over the marketing/listing information. They want to be able to get the house on the market as soon as next week! The moving company will be calling on Friday for their consultation and I have talked to the realtor in Juneau too. Everything is moving so fast.