Apologies, and Stuff We've Been Up To!

Wow, it's been so long since I posted on here that blogger has changed how you do it. That's sad. I apologize for not posting in several months, and rest assured that I have popped on all the time to read everyone's blogs, even though I rarely comment lately. I love seeing what everyone is up to but don't often have the time to write things myself.

To cover all the things we've done since I last posted would be an insanely long post. So I'll just do a few!


In April our ward's cubscouts did their annual Pinewood Derby. We were smart this year and bought some weights, but not enough and had to glue on some change. Oren thought that was pretty funny, and his car weighed in at exactly the 5 oz. limit. 

 It was a little boring for some watching cars race over and over and over.

Here we are at the line up! This was a very fancy track with a computer hooked up that calculated each car's mph, and declared the winner down to 100th of a second!

Nathan can't wait until next year when he gets to do a car too! Daddy was able to come this time, which the boys loved, and we even had Grandma and Grandpa rooting for our scout. 

The boys have been busy in school with various things. One thing all the 4th graders had to do this year was an Idaho History project. Oren chose to a map of the Oregon Trail. Since there is a state park dedicated to part of the Oregon Trail in Idaho and he had to plan and do a family hike as part of his scout requirements, we killed 2 birds with one stone. We drove the 90 minutes or so (with another 1/2 hour spent at Best Buy before starting out exchanging our broken car dvd player yet again...) and checked out the visitor's center to learn about the trail.

 This photo was a complete accident while I was trying to get a shot of the Snake River. I have no idea how I did it, but I thought it was neat nonetheless.

 This was the view we had on our hike up to the wagon ruts. The trail was nearly a mile one way, but it was paved and easy to walk.

Then we got to the wagon ruts and hiked around on them for a while. The boys thought it was really neat that they were walking where pioneers walked. Maybe even some of our ancestors made this journey! 

The boys Aunt Tera (the legs in the back) was very happy to be hiking back to the car. She came with us for an extra pair of eyes and hands since I didn't know what the trail conditions would be like and was a little hesitant with it being just myself and all 4 boys. Alone. In the middle of nowhere. They were all a little tired at this point!

Nathan, trying to hide in some bushes. He didn't realize I have a lot of zoom power on my camera! :-)

This is one of my favorite shots of the whole day. We drove a little further up the road to Register Rock, where we got to see what is basically a huge rock with lots of names scratched into it by pioneers who camped in the area. 

What I hadn't realized was that they were standing right on the edge of a drop down to this little creek. Let's just say that I was very glad Daniel stayed right by Oren for once!

There were some large rocks around the site without names on them, so they climbed up on one and I was able to get some nice group shots of them. This is the best of the lot, and the one that went into frames for Grandmas! Grandma W has hers, and Grandma D will have one as soon as I can get it in the mail!

Our other activities have involved getting the walls of Oren and Nathan's room finished, although that's as far as the decorating has gotten for them. We're still working on the fence, which is going extremely slowly with Mark not having time to dig the 2 remaining holes, or install the panels. My hands can only handle so long with the post-hole digger, or the rock breaker/lever thing, before deciding not to function for 2-3 days at a time. We're also having a time deciding what to plant in our front garden bed, or what trees to put in around the driveway.

Which is the fun part about owning our own home. We get to plant stuff! And paint stuff! And put holes in walls! The hard part is that while Mark is in school, I am in charge of the kids and the house and the yard. All by myself. He helps when he has the time, but with 300 evergreen plants ranging across 9 zones to memorize in less than 8 weeks, that time is few and far between. And I am only one person who can only do so much! All these grand plans for everything and I am having to learn patience, something I am not good at.

But I'm learning. And he's learning. And the kids are learning. And that's really what it's all about in the end! 

Oops!

Somehow it's been over a month since I last posted!

Let's see.... We had Christmas, which was fun and Daddy had the day off unlike last year. We gauged things just right, and had a laugh when the gift from a sibling topped everything Mom and Dad, and Santa, gave. Zhu Zhu pets apparently go over big with my kids, and she had found a great deal so snapped them up since she had our family for Christmas. We had a huge play area for those things now with all the accessory sets she found for $3. (And there's no poop to scoop like with a regular hamster, my favorite part!)

Then we had New Year's. Mark had that off too, so we had his brother and his wife, as well as one of their friends, for games and goodies. Stayed up way too late but had a blast playing a game we've owned for over a year but hadn't ever played yet.

The boys started a new school when we came back from Christmas break. New routines, new rules, new friends. My morning starts far earlier than I like, although not nearly as early some people I know. They've adjusted really well and like their teachers. I found out too that since we're a rural school now, when William starts next year he'll be going full day, but the days alternate. So he'll ride a bus to and from with his brothers but he'll only go every other day. We were very happy to learn this since it means I don't have to take him or pick him up like we would have to if he had attended the school in town next year, those kindergartners only ride the bus one way as they are half-day school.

Then we had our pink-eye fun. Mark was the only one who didn't get it at all, but he's not home much to pick up fun things from the kids. Once that started to go away, I had a lovely sore throat and the resulting cough is finally starting to clear. I married the best man ever: he didn't fuss about the state of the house, he'd fill the humidifier before I could and get it all set up for me at night, he double checked to make sure I didn't forget my antibiotics... So I payed him back the best way I know how. I made sure his sock drawer was full. :-)

Latest is that my dad was over on my side of the state for a job and was able to come visit a couple evenings. True to Dad, a simple house tour turned into going under the house to check out my well pump pressure tank, because our water pressure was really screwy. Turned out that the cut on/cut off switch was bad, so he left instructions on what to get and then came back the next night to crawl back under the house and replace it. Of course, the pressure gauge is off too, which we didn't know until we had a pressure switch with a known cut on/cut off pressure point. But that's a lot easier to replace and is simply so you can observe the pressure, so I'll fix that myself later. We're very grateful that he would take the time to help us with our house, even if that wasn't our intent when we invited him to visit. I had several questions I had wanted to ask him, but wasn't expecting him to fix anything. I also came away with lots of information, which is just as appreciated.

I'm itching to paint my bathroom. That's right, the one I asked for opinions on yellow vs blue those weeks ago. Still hasn't been done. But on the docket is also a new skirt- fabric picked up yesterday that I've been in love with for a while, a quilt for Oren who is using a large baby quilt of his brother's currently, picking curtains and comforter for my room... Several organizing projects, the last few boxes to unpack, artwork needs hung. I need to map out the lay of the house, well pipes, septic, leach field, existing fencing and planting, and irrigation sprinklers so we can create the master plan for our landscaping. I need to find or build a bookshelf for my cookbooks. I need to rebuild the shelves in my pantry before they bend in half and break under the weight of the cans.

So many things to do, with so little time. Distracting, overwhelming. What to prioritize my time and money on? *Sigh*

Movin' On In!

We finally have internet again, so I can sit down between unpacking boxes and finishing Christmas gifts, and jot down an update!

Moving day went really smoothly thanks to several handy-if-not-happy-to-be-lifting-heavy-boxes helpers. We got the biggest truck Uhaul had available and loaded it to the very top. Plus several van loads of miscellaneous stuff that had to stay at the apartment as we cleaned it, or pictures, or curtains... all that last minute junk. The loading took about 2 hours, and unloading about the same. Things were organized enough that by the time Mark got back from returning the truck, my sister-in-law and I had put together ALL the beds, including bedding! As well as moved around furniture so there was a place to sit and rest.

In the mornings we tried putting the house together, which for the first few days involved trips to the hardware store to find dryer vents, dryer cords, well filter replacements, prices on fridges, and boxes of Magic Erasers. Boxes were rapidly emptied and broken down flat to be taken to the grocery store's box crusher at some point.

In the afternoons we headed over to the old apartment to clean and scrub and wipe and sneeze and vacuum and patch holes. We had been told not to shampoo because they'd do the carpets anyway when we left. Then there was a new manager who did the walk through, and told us that if we had cleaned them ourselves she would have called it good! Ugh! That would have saved us a good $75 of our deposit! But by that time we were just ready to be done and agreed to have them shampooed by professionals. If we ever rent again, there are certain things I will have in writing before signing a lease. Period. Other than the shampooing, paint, and a few sets of blinds, everything looked good.

While unloading the truck, I set aside all the Christmas decor, so we pulled out the tree and decorated it as a family Sunday evening. Very simply done so Daniel would have less to break, and suprisingly he's leaving it alone! Stockings have been hung by the wood-burning stove with care on the nails that the old owners kindly left there. :-)

Soot, by the way, sticks to everything and has to be scrubbed off of skin with soap and a loofah. But it hadn't been cleaned since last winter and was very dusty, ash all over inside, and soot clinging to the glass on the doors. We couldn't get a fire to stay lit in there until I cleaned it out thoroughly the other day, and now a decent fire will heat most of the house for an entire evening. Mark even has an axe so he can cut the wood down to size from the local lumber yard. They sell leftovers from the huge logs they use to make log cabins, and you can load your car and pay by the cubic foot. Walking into the house to the smell of a fire going is wonderful and toasty warm! Mark grew up with a stove, so he's in heaven...

And.... we've been picking out paint! One of the bedrooms is bright pink. And although William actually likes it, we'd rather have a room with a more masculine feel to it. Samples have been purchased and painted on the wall, and the colors chosen for wall and trim. Now, before I decide it's too much work, we just have to borrow a ladder and prime the walls!

Ah, for a garage!

It dawned on Mark and I the other day, that moves I remember as a child, the military packed everything up. Except moving to Oklahoma, but I don't remember much about that as far as boxes are concerned. Our move from Rexburg to Rigby as newlyweds didn't involve much packing as we didn't have much yet.

Even moving from off base in England to on base, we had the movers who came and boxed everything, drove it to the base, and dropped it off at the new house. Spoiled? Maybe a little.

For the first time, I am attempting a major move without any outside mover help. Collecting boxes that were luckily saved from our move here, my sister-in-law's move here, and the local grocery store and discovering Mark was smart enough to save a huge bunch of packing paper. I've got flat boxes stored in several nooks and crannies, and packed ones stacked in the living room, bedrooms, and closets. We've been through several rolls of tape and still have more to go.

The hard part, other than all the crazy over getting the loan which is a complete blog post in and of itself that will not get written for a while because I'm still suffering residual stress, is living with the boxes everywhere! If we took Mark's mom's offer to store them in her garage, then the elder's quorum would have to help with the furniture here, and then go to her house and load boxes there too. With only 9 days to go it's just easier to leave them here. But our life is now stepping around box piles! I plan on taking a picture the day before moving day, because we'll be packing things like clothes and last minute stuff we'll be using until it goes into the box, and the house will be full. All the chaos will be worth it to unpack in our own place, but for now, I sure wish we had our own garage to stick all these dratted boxes!

A little house tour

So, it's not officially our house yet, but I thought I'd post some of the rooms I get to play with. Yes, the house is small. But our budget was even smaller, and the selection was tinier still. So we are going to make the best of what's out there and plan on spending a lot of time outside in the yard this summer!


Here is my living room, with my happy little helper. William was great about holding the measuring tape for me while we were there for the inspection, so I could get a head start on furniture arrangements. There is a large, stone hearth in the corner past where William is standing that houses a wood burning stove for an alternate heat source. And when I say large, I mean 5 feet by 5 feet! That's 25 sq ft of my living room!



Pink bedroom #1. This will be Oren and Nathan's room. The walls are going to get a coat of paint in some boyish color, and the closet doors are likely going to come off. I'm thinking a curtain instead. Not sure yet though.



Pink room #2! Very pink, with dark green carpet- the same carpet is in the master bedroom but those photos turned out quite dark. This one is William and Daniel's since theirs will need to house more toys, and it's a tad bigger than the other room. Both rooms have ceiling fans, which will be a lifesaver in the summer with no AC. I'm thinking a pale green on this wall because of the green carpet. Very soothing. Again, not 100% sure yet.



My kitchen! Is it pretty or what?! So much more space than I have right now, with room for a bigger fridge when finances allow. The light fixture isn't quite my style, but works and provides enough light for now. Considering the square footage of the house, the kitchen is very large. But since I spend the majority of my day in the kitchen, it makes sense to make it an enjoyable room. It's also one of the most expensive to renovate, which makes me glad that the cabinets, counters, and floors have already been updated.



And this is just because it was cute, if you'll ignore the pile of laundry in the background. Daniel was exhausted tonight and passed out on the couch beside me. Our cat, Shadow, generally avoids sitting near the boys. But with Daniel safely asleep and unaware that his favorite toy has climbed up on the couch, Shadow snuggled up close and fell asleep too.

Shadow, by the way, was very aptly named. He gets stepped on. A lot. Poor kitty....

Feeling little butterflies

I had posted that we were officially house hunters last. Having a tight timeline, we moved quickly and spent several hours online compiling a list of homes that met our requirements of space and function.

The funny thing?

None of the houses I picked to see would have worked for the way our family lives. At all. Amazing what a difference seeing the layout and size of rooms in person can do.

Our wise agent, however, had pulled a house that was more than our budget from the lender and smaller than I thought I needed. This was the only house out of the ones that we looked at before we moved last year and the numerous ones online, or the other 4 we saw in person, that felt like home! The kitchen space is perfect for me and includes space for all of my cake decorating pans and paraphanelia, the dining room fits our table. There is an actual laundry room and not closet in the hallway with bifold doors that like to try to break when children run down the hall!

The huge storage shed out back makes up for the smaller closets. The wood burning stove with stone surround gives me a mantel for decorations.

And the best part?

It's on an acre of land. A whole acre! A yard for the kids with a playhouse in the mental works for next summer. A produce garden tucked away in a corner. The covered patio is going to be perfect for sitting and watching the boys play without mommy frying in the sun. Or grilling and enjoying dinner outside on the table I can make. Plus ample room for Mark to practice his landscaping design classes to make a truly welcoming front garden space.

Updated enough that I don't have to do major work inside, but just enough cosmetic stuff needs done to keep me happy. Like painting the pink room a nice shade of green/blue/yellow/gray (Still not sure!). Or ripping out the carpet in the master bath. And the hideously modern light fixture in the kitchen that will make way for a more traditional style but not stuffy pendant/chandalier thing. Maybe even updating the towel racks in the bathroom!

With some juggling and special permission from the lender, we were able to meet his counter offer, and got him to agree to our closing terms and leave the fridge. The seller really struggled with the idea of making a little less and having to help with closing costs, but realized that he wasn't going to get a better offer in this market. And may have likely gone several months before getting another offer at all.

So if all goes well and there's nothing major on the inspection on Monday... we should be closing on the 9th of December! And Mark gets to tell all his friends that he bought his wife a house for her 30th birthday. :-)

Whoops, been a while.

Wow, didn't realize it had been this long since I'd posted.

Not really a lot has happened. We had some birthdays. And of course, Mommy forgot to take pictures of Daniel's... Genius. And I haven't really had the chance to sit down and do something with William's yet.

William has been officially diagnosed with ADHD and we are working to find the right medications for him. It wasn't as hard a decision to medicate as it was with Oren. Probably because we had been doing our dye-free diet since Oren was in kindergarten. And because I know how Oren was able to be himself on the right meds. He's doing really well on it so far, except he can't swallow the capsules so we have to open them and sprinkle the medicine into applesauce, so it's not extended release anymore.

Daniel brought home a cold from the nursery, and it apparently has a long incubation time, because he got sick last Saturday but Nathan and Oren are just showing symptoms today. Lovely.

And, just a little thing I suppose, but.... we are officially house hunters! We talked to a lender, and have a realtor looking around for something to fit both our family- and our rather limited budget. Nothing fancy at all, nothing brand new and shiny. But ours. Choices look slim right now, although we have a few on our list to see next Friday. It probably seems odd to be wanting to buy a house while still students, but this apartment is just not working. Buying at our budget gives us a smaller payment every month than rent is, and we'd like to be here for a good while. With Mark's student status, we have to find something and close before the end of the year or we have to wait until he's done with the next school year in July. So either this is going to be a whirlwind couple of months... or a very disappointing and long wait.

See, nothing really big happening here! :-)