Sunday, August 31, 2008

First Day of School, etc


So, here are some pics of the Birthday girl and her first day of 2nd Grade. She got a boy teacher this year and isn't quite sure that is the best thing, but we are assuring her that it is. Boy teachers are fun. I think there is just a little playgroup rivalry between the kids with the girl teachers and the kids with the boy teacher. She doesn't have many of her "best" friends in her class, but she is excited to meet new ones. She also started soccer this week and was really excited because they allowed her to play up a level so she could be on a team with girls her age. She loves soccer and is a pretty good little player. Her coach was pleased with her skill level! First game next Saturday. I am jus so proud of her, because I HATED soccer...mostly because of all the running I think. She is a great little athlete. She doesn't mind the sweat or the heat or any of it.


So, for her birthday, I stole the idea from my good friend Sally and made Tarin breakfast in bed...not just any bed, but my bed. She got to watch cartoons and eat german pancakes and muffins in my bed (on Dan's side of course). Ella got to watch cartoons, but not eat. Later on we had some friends over for cake and ice cream. She did have a small birthday party with some of her friends on the street. They did what she has been begging to do for her birthday party for years....jumped on the trampoline and got squirted with the hose. When that was her biggest request, how could I not do it? We made homemade pizzas and then watched the new Cheetah girls movie. It was fun. I was a little nervous about doing it without Dan, but I had some other reinforcements (Thanks Liv). That is why we kept it nice and small. Livia took all the pictures that night....maybe one day I will get them.


The first day of school is always fun because all the kids on the street walk together and the mom's get a chance to hang out a little in the morning. It is so nice to be outside at that time of day (as opposed to the walk home from school in the devil heat). Sometimes we just let the non-school goers play outside while we visit. Each year the number of non-school goers is decreasing and soon I think we will find ourselves with noone but ourselves...REALLY, could that ever happen? Here are some pictures of the first day! She looks a little nervous, right?


The Kids on the Loop


Tarin and Mr. G.



So, you may wonder what Walker is doing everyday now that his big sister/caretaker is in school all day....here are a few of the things he has been up to! Washing his hair....

And doing the laundry.

Yesterday we went to Six Flags with Jen and Jerry. We had so much fun. It was hot, of course, but not busy at all. There was NO waiting in any line. It was so much fun. We got to ride all that we wanted to and the kids got to ride what they wanted to. Thanks Jen and Jerry for a great day. The day ended with a visit to Chuys YUMMO! Aside from the voices from above in Jerry's chair, the dinner was un-eventful with no spills or mis-haps from the kids. The kids were very well behaved and it was a great end to an incredibly busy but fun day! Here are a few pics from the day!


Nothing like a little meet and greet with Scooby and Shaggy.

This is where we go to get cooled off.


The Log Ride....everyone except Walker and I....Next year Wa...next year.. And we bid you farewell until the next post.


TTFN!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Update - WE SURVIVED

We made it home alive from our round 2 trip to Utah this summer. It was such a great time to see everyone. Of course, the best times of all, were after the kids went to bed and my mom and sister and I went to see Mama Mia and then hanging with the folks watching the olympics and of course the fabulous night out with Rob and Carin. I also got to go to my Welling family reunion in the Uintahs. It was fun to re-connect with all my cousins. Another reason I love the blog...we have all found eachother (or maybe I just found them). It is great! We had such a great time. I love spending quality time with my siblings and parents. It is just a nice time for all. It was nice to feel like I was home again even if it was just for a little bit. The highlight for Ella was playing with Grandma's new kitty. Maybe one day I will dedicate a post to the saga of the baby kitty. It is a pretty funny story and should be documented at some point.

We had a little pre-birthday party for Tarin with our friends in Utah. Kellie and Morlie were down from Dutch John (flaming gorge) and Ivy and the kids came to the North Ogden pool with us. Thanks to Grandma we even had cupcakes, what would we do without her? If I were a good mom I would have taken my camera and taken some pictures, but I am not, and I didn't. I haven't quite figured out how to do a camera and Walker at the pool. One day I will put a video of him on the blog. He is fearless and LOVES to be under the water. He rarely chokes on it and just loves it. It makes the pool all kinds of good fun for me. My pal Jen says I need to record it because anyone who hasn't gone swimming with the boy will believe me. He is a funny kid.

So, here is the scoop. Dan has already started his new gig. His region is Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. We can live anywhere within those three states. The old rep lived in Oklahoma and that seemed to work out well, so that is what we are shooting for, plus the cost of living there is great (gas is still $3.30 a gallon). We aren't going to be moving until we sell our house, which has not had a showing yet, might I add. So, Dan's schedule is like this for the next few weeks...come home tonight, late, and leave early tomorrow until Sunday. Home Sunday afternoon, leave Monday night, home Friday night, but thanks to Labor Day he won't leave again until Monday night or Tuesday and home Friday....leave Monday...and so on and so on. Fun Stuff, huh? That will be the routine unless they throw in some Minnesota training classes and then he will be gone Mondays through Sundays. That is the gig. Doesn't that sound fun? I feel badly for Dan because he isn't going to have much down time at all. I guess that is the nature of the beast! That is all for now...headed to the airport!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

On the Road Again

I guess my trip to Utah at the beginning of the summer with three kids on the plane by myself wasn't too bad because I am going to give it another go. My dad was nice enough to give us some FF Miles and is getting us home for a little break from the stress we are under right now. I am not gonna lie to you, it is going to be so nice to be away from all the worries of our life right now. I can't wait for some comfort food, etc. in the great state.

I feel so grateful today for my great friends here. They are so supportive and so understanding of all the issues in our life. They never judge and are ALWAYS willing to help. Not to mention, made my birthday just AWESOME! Thanks guys for the night out and the week long celebration! You know who you are! Dan also threw together a great night out with Ben and Al and the kids. It all ended with a mint chip ice cream pie...YUMMO ! I am SO grateful for Dan who works so hard for us. He is under quite a bit of stress and still seems to have a smile on his face when he walks in the door. He loves his kids and is seriously the BEST DAD EVER! I am beginning to think I should go to work and he should raise the kids...I think he'd do a better job than I am. I know this is seeming a little bit like a post off the other funny site but I am seriously feeling SO BLESSED! I am hoping a trip home with rejuvinate me and help me turn my attitude back to the willing/grateful person and get rid of the negative person I have been the past month or so.

Anyway...that is alll...HERE WE GO AGAIN! Back to the airport! Wish us luck!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

The Cycle is NOT broken

So, for those of you who haven't heard, yes after our longest stint in any house we have ever owned (this is our 3rd house within 4 years) we are moving yet again. Dan has been offered a promotion as a field rep for his same company. His territory will be covering Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. So, we will be moving to one of the three states, most likely Oklahoma. This business has been brewing for a few weeks..and started out with us thinking we were going to lose our job, so we are feeling very grateful and "seriously so blessed" that we are in the position that we are and not one that we could be in. So, now that my house is completely the way I want it, it is time for someone else to enjoy it....IF we can sell it. The market here is pretty crummy, but if you know anyone moving to TX who need a really great house, send them to the house blog by going to http://www.texasforsalebyowner.blogspot.com/.

Another thing I am really grateful for is that Dan survived his first and hopefully only motorcycle accident this week. At about 5PM every day I try really hard to keep myself busy so I don't think too much about him riding home on his motorcycle and then I just breathe a sigh of relief when I hear the rumble from a mile away. (I can tell it is him for sure, because Willie recognizes the rumble too.) But this day I got the phone call I dread. Yep, he had been in an accident, but he called me and he was fine. Apparantly some guy in front of him slammed on his brakes and Dan locked up his own, rear-ended the car in front of him and then fell over with the beastly bike on top of him. He WALKED away with only a few scrapes and bruises. The most amazing thing about it is...NOONE STOPPED TO HELP. Can you believe it? He was laying on the ground under his motorcycle, and the cars behind him drove around him to get by. One of the passer by's was even a co-worker of his. I was just amazed. Luckily he wasn't hurt and he got up and was able to lift his bike up and walk away. The bike has some damage, but relatively minor to what it could be. A guy in our ward had the same thing happen to him last month, and he broke his collar bone. So, once again we are feeling "seriously so blessed." (but not in a funny sarcastic way like the other blog....but seriously like I mean it).

So, that is a reason I haven't been posting much lately...too much up in the air to discuss my feelings freely. But now that it is mostly all settled, we are good to go. I am doing quite a bit of stress eating, which is new for me. Usually I don't eat when I am stressed, but this week alone I have made 2 batches of homemade oreos, banana bars, caramel popcorn, and started in on some ice cream...not to mention the 2 trips to MCD's for fries. It is a good thing I am still doing some running...or I would be seriously hating myself...oh yeah, and started in on a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos....gotta get more Diet Coke...just remembered!

So, the cycle continues. We keep adding a few months on to our stint in each house, but the average is about two years. Hm....maybe next time we can stretch it to three years..."Home Equity," what exactly is that? I have heard about it, but don't really understand the concept. So, wish us luck, again on this new adventure! HERE WE GO!