All you need

I've discovered in the past few days at my mom's house that all you need when you have two active boys is:
Sun (preferably combined with hot weather)
Swimsuits (which double as clothes and pajamas)
Slip N Slide
Kiddie Wading Pool
A dog
Water
Big Yard with lots of grass
Something filling to eat for lunch
Ice Water

Mom, if I didn't hate hot weather so much, I would move in with you.

Now we can stop the Mylanta tap

Man oh man,
if you could feel the pain of my stomach. Stress always works in me in a physical way and this latest adventure with the dog has been no exception.

But luckily....
She's been found!!! Missing dog flyers really do work. Jeremy had posted about 100 flyers around the countryside of Aumsville and starting yesterday afternoon people started phoning in visual reports of a skinny, black, sweet-looking dog. After compiling the locations of most of the sightings, Jer was able to pinpoint an area where he thought she was. This morning, another phone call from a nice family with a lot of land said that the dog was on their property right now. Jer was there in five minutes and called for her saying, "Chili, time to go on a walk", and she just ran straight into his arms.

Happy Happy ending.

First Casualty of the Move

Seriously...

We lost our dog. There, I said it. I'm just gonna come right out and announce it. Somewhere in the countryside hills of Salem, OR, a black flat-coat retriever wanders - scared, alone, without her collar, and totally black which renders her unretrievable once nightfall hits.

Last night, Jer dropped her off at a co-worker's house. This friend has about six acres outside of Salem and a huge dog run and two giant mastiffs. According to the story, Chili took one look at the 200+lb dogs and wiggled out of her collar and TOOK OFF. She hasn't been found.

Don't say anything to my kids if you see them!! We're trying to keep this on the down low in hopes she'll turn up this week. She is honestly the nicest, sweetest, best dog in the whole world. Jeremy and I feel like we've lost a child. I never felt sad or sorrow for those flyers posted on streets announcing a lost family pet. But now, I know how they feel. I'm hoping God will remember that time a few years ago when I found a Jack Russell Terrier wandering around my neighorhood and I took him in and posted five signs on sandwich boards around the neighborhood announcing that I found him. His owners picked him up in a few hours. I'm hoping the karma of the universe will pay us back on that one. Say a quick prayer tonight that she'll be found.

Seriously, I would take a box of broken dishes anyday over this event.

Sample schedule of a vagabond family

Thursday - distribute children to various neighbors and hope they don't come back into our house because we're trying our dardnest to empty it and clean it. After seven exhausted hours, tramp up to friend/neighbor's house to eat delicious meal. Exhausted Husband of friend/neighbor watch four children (mine being the most wild of the bunch) while me and my friend dolly cart six oversized planters from my old house to her house. Meet the new owner of my house moving boxes in. Drive one hour to grandma's house in Kirkland, Wa and crash on the couch.

Friday - wake to thundering pawsteps of two crazy dogs (one of them being my dog) wrestling each other at 6am. Drag exhausted children to downtown Seattle to return lockbox and directional signs to realtor's office. Battle traffic on floating bridges. Drag children to Costco to pick up dinner to take over my dad's house. Spend most of the evening stressing because my dad is not used to two crazy boys and big dog running around his house. Sleep at my dad's house.

Saturday - wake early. Wake children - take them to breakfast and announce that we're going to a museum today! youngest child throws a little fit and says, "I'm not going!! I dont' like airplanes. Take me to Grandma's!" drive youngest to grandma's and sheepishly ask grandma if she doesn't mind taking care of a dog and a 4 year old while me and my dad take my oldest to a museum today. 1 p.m. - I'm exhausted and just want to take a nap. that evening, try to take the whole family (grandma, grandpa, uncle josh, me, my kids) to a pizza place for dinner. Both of my kids throw huge collossal fits at pizza place. I call my husband, who is still in Oregon, in tears. Sleep at Grandma's.

Sunday - wake. Drag children to grandma's church. then go to train station to pick up husband. Life gets better.

monday - bribe teenage uncle to watch my kids while husband and I finish up and tie off all things Seattle. takes about five hours. Get on treadmill for about 40 minutes. Then get on couch and spend rest of day there. Kids having a much better day. Life is better when Daddy is in town.

Tuesday - packing bags, finishing up all paperwork, loading up station wagon for Jer to drive dog/stuff down to Salem after dropping off exhausted/tired mother and two crazy boys at airport to spend a week in hot hot hot SLC with Nana, Poppy and the black guy.

Will fly directly from SLC to Salem in a week in order to spend one week in a one bedroom hotel room with the whole family (including the dog) while oldest child starts school and I silently pray that our home loan will not collapse because of the whole mortgage industry. Set to move into new house on 9/11.

Holey Smokes!!! How do people do this????

Homeless and Rich

It's official - we closed.
Equity check wired to bank account. We're Rich!
No place to call home for about 2 week. We're homeless!

More later because when you're homeless, you only get selected bit and pieces of time on computers at other people's homes.

The troops have circled their wagons...

Watch out Maple Valley - we're leaving!!!
Jer arrived last night. Mom comes tonight. PODS containers arrived this morning. Jer has dismantled much of our furniture. The boys are helping Dad secure our boxes and belongings into the containers. I've taken most things off walls. Mom said she would teach me how to pack a kitchen and she'll pack my knick knacks. Jeremy's mom is having us over for dinner Wednesday. Our buyer signed her papers this morning. We sign our final papers tomorrow. Maria, the cleaning lady, comes Thursday for a final once-over. Then we're outta here!!!

Thank YOU TROOPS!!!!

Rebellion

I don't wanna pack boxes today...

It's the MOST wunderful time... of the year

And I'm not talking about Christmas either.

Someone once asked me what my favorite holiday is and I promptly replied, "The First Day of School", and then bowed my head in a silent salute to schools everywhere.

As I registered Jackson and Blake for school today, it hit me. I have two weeks until school starts!!!! Now for those of you who have perfect children and children who sit and mind you and children who do everything you tell them to - you probably won't relate to me. But for those of you who have boys - namely more than one boy - or children who literally bounce off the walls - school comes as a wonderful wonderful respite. I love my boys, but I love them more when they get to go off somewhere else for hours and learn something and then come home to me.

I gleefully plan out school clothes and school supply shopping as one may plan out their holiday lists. I dream about the breakfasts I'll make before school and the dinners I'll make after school. The air is getting colder and crisper, the leaves are changing, the sun isn't out as long. Oh, this is SUCH a great time of year.

A Fugitive From the Law

I was looking at my schedule today and it reminded me of something really stupid and really funny and really retarded all at the same time. I have to renew my driver's license today. It expires this year.....on my birthday......my birthday is in March......do the math.

I honestly keep forgetting and then putting it off and then before I knew it - it has been almost six months expired. And you dont' realize all the things you need a driver's license for until you can't use it. I mean, yes, it comes in handy for when you get pulled over for speeding (which I almost was pulled over for on my drive to Salem last weekend), but you need a valid license to renew your car tabs online, to buy your husband a bottle of red wine, and to wire money from your bank account. I did not realize you needed a valid license for all of these things and I'm sure for a lot more. I'm glad I haven't tried to travel on the airplane because the last thing I need is to apprehended at airport security for using a nonvalid ID.

So today, I will turn in my fugitive status and pay a babysitter $10/hour so I can sit in line at the stupid DOL and wait two hours to get my Washington license renewed only to renew it in another month in Oregon. Ha Ha.

Happening Fast...

Today I start packing my boxes as all of our contingencies have been cleared up. We close on the Seattle house next Friday (week from tomorrow) and we will be officially homeless for about 2 1/2 weeks. Good thing we have forgiving family in Utah who are wiling to take in a tired pregnant mom, two crazy boys, and a big dog. So sleepover/party at Nana's house - if you're in the area, please stop in for a visit.
Since this is my first house selling experience, I have to say that it really it all they say it is - a really big pain in the ass. Everything from staging to showing to selling and then all the steps and hoops you have to jump through to complete the sale of the house - it is really really really a lot of work - both physically and emotionally. I can see now why people set down roots in an area and refuse to move again. It's a lot easier when you rent and you just give your landlord a month notice.
Things are moving smoothly along on our Salem house - mortgage loan secured (check), earnest money deposited (check), inspection scheduled (check). Couple of more hoops on that one and we're good to move in on 9/11.

Along the lines of baby #3 - we know that the baby has a head and skull and brain which, if you know our family history, we had a baby boy about six years ago that was missing these important features and did not survive. It also has two arms, two legs, eyes, fingers, toes - all good stuff. I'm counting my blessings because at this stage in the game, I'll take all the good stuff I can get. Because of the baby we lost, I'm considered "high risk" until we can rule out all genetic anamolies and that is by week 20 - so according to my calculations that is about 8 weeks away. Things will go by fast. Some people say they want a boy, some say they want a girl, but I truly just want a whole, healthy and complete baby.

Cheers to all of you!!

WE BOUGHT WE BOUGHT WE BOUGHT!!!

So..........

some may say impulse buy over the weekend since we picked out, offered, accepted, signed, sealed delivered in two days. I say, life is short. Live large.MOre info later.

WE SOLD WE SOLD WE SOLD!!!!

Ya'll I'll tell you what.....

The summer of '07 has been one that will go down in history as the summer that my patience and faith and courage and strength was tested. But as of today, we are in contract to have this house sold!!!!!! I won't shout it too loud because we still have two contingencies that have to pass (one of them is inspection), but the best part of this whole deal is that the buyer wants a closing date of 8/24!! And if you look at your calendars, that is 2 1/2 weeks away. Just a week ago I thought I would never be out of this place and now I will be homeless in a little over 2 weeks and not that I'm complaining either.

We'll have it all settled by this time next week, here's praying and hoping and wishing and praying it will all work out.

Yes, I'm Preggo

I know for the few of you who read this blog, you probably have already heard, but thought I would make the wide broad announcement since I just passed 12 weeks and all is well. You will love this lovely comment I heard this week - probably the first of many. I told my next door neighbor that I was pregnant and she exclaimed, "Oh Okay, Holly (her daughter) was just saying how last week you look like you're putting on weight."

Thank you Ultra-Sensitive Neighbor for letting a 3month pregnant woman whose husband is living and working a state away and whose children are home for the summer that she is noticeably putting on weight. Why don't you say I look ten years older than I am and we'll just call it a day.