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38	14

Timestamp: 2011-02-07 18:54:02 UTC

Which would be 38. Cindy and 14. Camille – congrats, ladies!  I’ll be in touch with you via email.

farewell

Sooo, we’ve been wanting to re-home Max for a while. I found out (back in the spring when I had some bloodwork done) that I’m technically allergic to dogs, and I’m pretty sure Drew is, too. We put the crate out back when we pretend-sold our house and Arianna started crawling. No way I was going to bring him back into the house, like ever.

Problem was, he was lonely out there and he chewed several shingles off the side of our house. If shoes ever got left out there, they were history. (Including a brand new pair of Adelaide brown fall shoes. Yes, mad.)

Anyway, I had listed him on Craig’s list a while ago but then didn’t follow up with the calls in time and had to re-list him two weeks later. Nothing, then.

Yesterday morning I received a call from a guy wanting more information; he ended up coming over and playing with Max and then took him and all his stuff! He and his wife are in grad school and have one son. I seriously could not have asked for a better solution.

Total God thing.

YAY!

Two big things happened today. The first is Drew finished Kindergarten, but unfortunately I have no photos of that (yet).  My girls and I went to the Closing Exercises and then went with the other K parents to his classroom.  They recited more memory work just as a class and we picked up his years’ (best) work.   Then we met everyone at a playground for a picnic, which got rained out.  The kids got to play for at least an hour first and I managed to sneak them some lunch.

Andy couldn’t be there because today was also the day his friend could help remove the tree from our yard. (It totally pays to know people.) THE TREE IS GONE!  Here are the photos he took (it’s completely crazy, I know):

And, finally clean:

Our backyard and trampoline are bruised and battered, but salvageable.  And it wasn’t lightning afterall – it was carpenter ants.

I KNOW.

So, remember the bathroom?

We went from this:

To this:

TO THIS:

(I usually have white yarn bath mats but they get dirty-looking so easily. I finally got some darker ones at BB&B.)

The new tub:

The crumbled wall I showed you at the top of this post (looks a little different now):

That’s right! I finally got my lazy rear into gear and painted the trim in the bathroom. It’s not a perfect paint job (still some problem areas from the silicone caulk) but hey, it’s DONE.

Back to life, back to reality

I took my mom to the airport today (snuffle).  I didn’t mention, however, that she got a $300 voucher for giving up her seat on the way here.  (More trips to come!)

Last night I went out with a few friends for my birthday.  Nothing like stretching a birthday out for a week!  I had a great time and I hope they all did, too.  Forgot to take photos though, unfortunately.

The house we stayed in at the beach had three bedrooms, and my middle girls slept in the one with the double bed.  My end goal has always been to get them to sleep in the big bed here together so that I could move the baby into Adelaide’s crib.  Since M and A were now used to sleeping together from our week at the beach, I decided there was no better time to just do the transition immediately when we got back.

Adelaide tends to sleep sideways.  But overall, it’s going fine.  Most importantly, the baby has done FABULOUSLY.  Slept both nights, ALL NIGHT, which is a first for her, with no crying (thank you, paci).  I was pretty sure she’d sleep all night if I moved her out of my room (all my other babies did that), but I was nervous about doing that transition while also transitioning the other girls.  I was nervous they’d wake each other up and then wake the baby up.  (Also, our sound machines are coming in REALLY handy right about now.)

This morning I heard Arianna crying around 6 and I ran in and popped the paci back in, just to see what happened.  She immediately fell back asleep and slept till like 9.  You have NO IDEA how thrilling this is.  :)  (Well, maybe you do.)

Also while we were gone, I got my consignment sale check in the mail.  In case you were wondering if all my sweat, blood, and tears hard work had been worth it, the check was for $287.  So yeah, WORTH IT.

And, just for kicks:

(Trying out my new lens. Unfortunately the flash fired before I caught it and she moved a little out of focus. But her expression just makes me smile.)

Don’t you wonder what they’re thinking sometimes?

An open letter to Dirt Devil

Dear Dirt Devil:

It’s not that I’m ungrateful for the new vacuum you recently bestowed upon us, especially since we had only filed a warranty claim on our old hose. I appreciate the gesture, really.

But here’s the thing: I would never in a million years have bought this piece of crap new model. Why, you ask?

The reasons I bought the original Cyclonic Upright: THE PUSH BUTTON-RETRACTABLE CORD. This is worth its weight in gold. I despise the manual cord-winding on the new model.

The hose right on the front with a touch-button release and brush bristles built in, no attachments necessary. The hose even pulled out seven or so feet. (The new model? Came with about 4 separate attachments. They don’t even really store well on board. And the new hose falls out of the machine randomly and so you think you’re vacuuming but you’re really not. Frustrating and annoying.)

The old one lays almost flat; I could almost vacuum under my bed. This new model barely goes past a right angle before the front lifts off the floor. The whole thing is much more cheaply made (and also? is over a $100 less than the one I paid for. Yeah.), and the wheels are plastic and look like they’ll break easily. The old model was sturdier.

And the little details…the old model had an on/off button right on the main handle. The new on switch is on the bottom and tucked in very inconveniently, which causes me irritation right from the start.

The old model had automatic height adjustment for carpet pile height and hard floors; this one you have to stop and turn a dial when moving from carpet to hardwood (which I will have to do constantly in this house of hardwoods and rugs). Also, the old one you just step on the front anywhere and the handle is released; this one you have to step on an actual button. Generally inconvenient.

So, all that to say, I’m very very very disappointed you discontinued such a great vacuum and replaced it with such junk. Bad move, Dirt Devil, bad move.

For now we’re vacuuming with our old beloved Cyclone, spit-shined and fixed up with electrical tape. You can have your piece of junk warranty model back.

-Moriah, an unsatisfied homekeeper

DPP Day 8: (Cheater Post) Girls’ Room

I mentioned back in November that we were in the process of re-doing the girls’ room. Andy’s parents had brought a new-to-us crib that his dad graciously painted white.

Today the rest of the furniture came! (Which was a total surprise because I never did get a shipping confirmation.) And, conveniently, my folks still had a few hours before their flight so my dad was able to put it together. (Thanks, Dad!!)

Before photos can be found here and here.

AFTER:

(Please excuse Pooh’s state of undress.)

The bed is actually a twin-over-full bunk bed. We didn’t put the top on because we don’t currently need it and we also don’t have a twin mattress yet.

Madeline and her mama are thrilled.

Where I left off

I realized after I hit publish yesterday morning that I failed to mention we got home from shopping Saturday night, three of my kids still crying, and I realized I didn’t have a house key.  I wasn’t about to re-buckle everyone and drive to Andy’s work just to get his.

So instead I did what any rational woman would do and asked the neighbor to come over and remove the screen and storm window on the one I was pretty sure I had left unlocked. (I had.) We sent Drew through to go unlock the door. I was very glad to climb into my bed that night.  (Especially after staying up to do several loads of laundry.)

Sunday I took Arianna to church for the first time. I kept her in one of my slings and she slept the entire morning. EVERYONE commented on her hair.  (All four of my babies were born with a ton of hair so it seems the most normal thing in the world to me.)

My brother and sister-in-law came over to spend Sunday evening with us.  Pizza and ice cream, great conversation and funny kids.  What could be better?!

The van report

So, a quickie update on my van. IT CAME HOME TODAY.

Basically in my conversations with Honda of America, I discovered that the re-manufactured transmission we had to put in two years ago was under a 36,000 mile/3 year warranty simply because we had paid 25% of the cost. I was unhappy about paying A PENNY for it at the time, but now can see what a blessing that ended up being.

(Because if we hadn’t paid anything, we would have had to replace it all by ourselves this time.  And the reason we had to pay that portion was because the original warranty had been up for 2 years.  It was Honda’s little compromise for us.)

We also had them replace the front brake pads.  Because we knew it was time and, you know, those are sort of important.

All that to say, we spent nowhere near the $1,800 I originally thought we’d have to come up with and we have our van back in all its working glory – ready to cart around these FOUR kids we now have.

SO THANKFUL!

The rest of vacation. The end.

I’m going to try to wrap up the rest of our trip in one post, using The Handy Bullet Format.

• On Friday morning Andy and I met my cousin Bryonie and her husband Josh for coffee and bagels at Einstein’s. (It was the first time being with them in person since they lost their precious babies in the spring.) The Lord really blessed our time together and we all had a great time of fellowship and fun. They came with us to pick up Drew and Madeline from VBS and then we went back to my parents’ house. Visits are rarely long enough, but at least we got to spend half the day with them.

• My mom had wanted to take my kids to the North Pole/Santa’s Workshop, since we used to go there as kids. We stopped there Friday afternoon on our way up to the cabin, and then when the cashier rang up the admission price of $85 for all of us for the mere two hours we’d be there, we turned around and left. I mean, really. So we stopped for ice cream instead and then drove straight to the cabin.

• My mom roasted marshmallows for the kids that night in the fireplace. I think Madeline ate about eleven.

• After the kids were tucked away in their beds, we played a rousing game of Taboo. The twins are never allowed on the same team. I mean, fair is fair.

• I had a very hard time breathing at 9,000 feet and woke up twice during the night in a near-panic. I’m sure it didn’t help being pregnant.

• Saturday my dad took Andy, my sisters, and their friend Patrick 4-wheeling. Drew was supposed to go but chickened out at the last minute. I was so not surprised. I think it was because he wasn’t going to be buckled in a proper car seat and the boy loves following the rules. He also didn’t like that they were driving on grass.

• When they got back we took a walk to see the horses.

• Andy and dad fished a lot of Saturday. I took a nice long nap.

• Bry and Josh got back up to the cabin in the afternoon, so we had tea together. My grandparents and Aunt Becki also came up to have dinner with us so it turned out to be a good-sized crowd.

• We played Taboo again after dessert and every last adult played. (Why is “wonderbra” on one of the cards?)

• My dad, sisters, and Patrick stayed up there Saturday night but my mom and our little family drove back to their house and didn’t get home until midnight. Fortunately my parents’ church service starts a little later and we made it there (mostly) on time.

• My grandparents had all of us over to their house for lunch, including my Uncle Miles and his family. Drew found a new buddy in my cousin Julia (he didn’t seem to notice she’s about 15 years older.) We had our dessert out on the deck and Madeline pretty much just ate whipped cream. She licked it off the cake and strawberries and then kept asking for more. Aunt Becki came to the rescue with a spatula and scraped the bowl for her.

• Our drive home Monday was uneventful, save for our DVD player breaking late that afternoon. Adelaide probably pushed too many buttons with her toe and the thing decided it had had enough.

• We stopped in St. Louis and stayed with my cousin Courtney and her hubby. Too short a visit, but glad to see them anyway.

• Got home late afternoon yesterday and went straight to pick up Andy’s car from the shuttle service. I went immediately after to Walmart for a fridge/pantry re-stock and I’m so glad I did because that meant I didn’t have to go anywhere today. We had also cleaned out the car (Drew vacuumed, one of his favorite things) and got almost everything unpacked. It’s nice to start mostly from scratch the day after a long trip.

Cherries, Part 2

Man, I love VBS.

Adelaide’s cherry outfit, made yesterday (don’t mind the microwave):

(Alternate title: The Cutest Thing Ever.)

I also added the pom-pom fringe to the hem of Madeline’s dress. We’re fancy like that.

Unbelievable

Alternate title: IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!

Alternate, Alternate title: The Key that is Dead To Me

So I mentioned I found my original set of spare keys – the very last van key we were down to. My keys were found two days after we paid $213 for a locksmith to re-key the van and get a brand new key.

Now, Saturday morning Andy had all three kids buckled in and ready to go to the children’s museum. He stuck the key into the ignition and… nothing. The car wouldn’t start.

Tried again. Nothing.

{heart, sinking to floor}

We were sure it wasn’t the battery and most likely not some other starter-related parts because the engine would ALL BUT turn over. Maybe the timing belt? Dunno.

So we called USAA and found out we have roadside assistance. Great! They called a tow, who showed up in less than 30 minutes.

That would be my van, strapped to a tow truck, about to he hauled off. Sniff.

Andy decided while the mechanic was solving our transportation problem, he’d be the fun dad and take Drew and Madeline to the museum in his little car. I sidetracked Adelaide with milk, her blanket, and a nap, and went on my merry cleaning way.

A couple of hours later, Andy calls and says they can’t find a THING wrong with our van.

And then they had asked him, “Are you sure it’s not the key?”

The key. Right. He WAS using that old key, the one I had just found.

Turns out we had assumed (wrongly) that the new key was coded to the car – but apparently it was a whole new code. And so the old key no longer works.

(Dear Old Key, you have cost me a whole lot of money.)

Anyway, so we had the neighbor run over (Adelaide? asleep?) so we could go pick up the van and pay them a whopping $157 for telling us there is nothing wrong with our car.

When I happily jumped in my van later to run to the store (alone!) before Andy headed out to work, the first thing that hit me was my van suddenly smells like an ashtray.

I paid $157 for my car to smell like an ashtray. Thanks, Gator.

(Real name, true story.)

Total cost of the Key that is Dead To Me: $370.

Let it be a lesson to you.

By the way

I found my keys. They were stashed in the girls’ box of hairbows. We’re thinking Adelaide.

I’m so relieved – but it was a very expensive way to get a spare!!

Tying up loose ends

I had to take a mandatory break from all things internet because our wireless card finally gave up the ghost. The replacement came in the mail today. Which is really good because we have some bills due. (I doubt I could call the mortgage company and ask for an extension due to a broken wireless card.)

(They’d probably ask if I knew of a thing called Panera and free wifi.)

(No, apparently I don’t.)

So, with all this extra time on my hands, I finally got around to fully winterizing the kids’ drawers and closets and got my summer stuff carted off to the attic.

My room looks rather like it got hit by a winter clothes bomb. Maybe I’ll even get it all put away before spring comes! But for now, the mound is serving as a wonderful landing pad for Drew sprinting down the hallway.

That was Tuesday. And while I was busy digging around the attic, Andy bravely took our girls and their friend James to the children’s museum and even stopped to get ice cream on the way home. Yeah. I never would have done that. (A drive thru, maybe.)

I’ve also had lots of time to catch up on the book I’m reading, which I had all but forgotten about. And it’s due back in two days, but I needed the internet to do anything about that as well.

It’s handy, the web.

Oh, and also, Jenny-the-hairdresser and I agreed to leave my hair for now and get a ‘real’ cut in a month or two. She had just planned on dry-cutting in a few layers and I at least succeeded in doing that.

Have a happy Friday! And hopefully I won’t have to go MIA on my blog again for a while…

The First Gust of Wind

See?!

I kid you not, I walked back into the kitchen after finishing my swag bag post and immediately saw that. I called for Andy; we looked at each other and bust out laughing.

What can I say? We’re easily entertained.

Found!

As Nicky was picking up her boys this evening, Madeline ran into the kitchen exclaiming and carrying my phone: “LOOK MOM! IT WAS IN MY PURSE!!!”

Note to self: check Madeline’s purses next time anything goes missing.

The Wasp Saga Continues and also, First Day of Preschool

Yesterday morning Andy was standing at the kitchen sink and got attacked by another wasp. In our own kitchen! He’s sure it came in from along that wall somewhere, maybe the window or the light fixture?

We remembered we had seen one outside entering the electrical meter box thingie. Andy took the kids down the street to the hardware store and bought some wasp spray. When they got home, they came inside (for obvious reasons) and Andy opened the box door.

He was expecting maybe ten or so wasps to be in there. Instead, a huge ball of at least a hundred were waiting for him. He sprayed the life out of the can and ran. (Unfortunately I failed to capture it on video.)

So that was probably our problem; they were getting in by following the electrical cables into the house and through the walls. Nice.

Hopefully that will be the end of it. Good riddance.

And thanks to Fay, we started preschool this morning in the middle of a downpour. It’s a good thing Andy was around to take Drew or he would have been late. I’m a little out of practice for getting three little kids and myself out the door before 8:45 a.m.

(Okay, I never was in practice. Ahem.)

As Drew was eating his breakfast, I was telling him he needed to hurry so he could go to school and his response was “Yeah! Because I’m growing up!”

True that.

Pressing the ‘reset’ button

So. Was there something I was going to tell you?

Oh yes.

After three months of pondering, praying, and out-and-out fence-sitting, we have finally decided to move back down to our house in the South.

Just in time for the summer heat. Yay.

The new job for Andy begins roughly the first week in July, which means that this here month of June? Crazy, in a word. We have the other wedding trip next week and we will have exactly two weeks to finish packing up the house when we get back. Insane, I tell you.

Tonight the kids are spending the night at the grandparents, so hopefully Andy and I can get our brains organized and hammer out a game plan. We also plan to have ourselves a little date because hello? Free babysitting.

So, is your head spinning? Me, too. I know you’re probably wondering why on earth we’ve chosen this drastic change of plans and also, you know, what about that whole seminary thing?

The short reason is we’ve been slowly coming to realize that seminary isn’t for us, at least for right now. And it happened at the same time the rental lease was up on our house with no one lined up. A house to live in is quite convenient, especially if it’s yours.

And also the minor detail of a wonderful career opportunity just happening to drop in Andy’s lap.

So we decided to take a deep breath and jump!

And so here we are, pressing the ‘reset’ button and moving on back. ‘Thrilled‘ doesn’t even come close. I never dreamed this would happen! We are, however, sad to say goodbye to the friends we’ve made here; sad and reluctant to leave Andy’s folks.

But at the same time, we’re determined to see this past year as a blessing and full of opportunities that we otherwise wouldn’t have had… Andy might have always wondered about seminary. Our kids wouldn’t have gotten to know their grandparents so well, not even close. And surely I wouldn’t have had such a great relationship with them as I do now. Our marriage has also grown from this year, that I can’t deny.

Yes, I can see many reasons the Lord moved us up here, even if only to move us back now. It’s been a hard year, I’ll be the first to admit. But it’s also been a year of incredible lessons, for which we are thankful.