The Deal is Done

We signed on the house yesterday so the deal is done. I saw this smiley face and thought is was an accurate depiction of the mixture of feelings. On the one hand it feels good to be able to have my husband happy with more room to move around (and let's face it... I will enjoy a larger kitchen with everything fitting - theoretically- in the cupboards).

There's a hint of excitement in the smiley face with having a sewing/craft room all to myself and each boy getting their own room to cut down (again... theoretically) on the arguing/messing around in the early hours of the morning and at bedtime that causes so much stress and conflict.

But there is also a little look of crazy fear in there don't you think? Starting all over? Will I have another nextdoor neighbor just like Dede who makes me go to Enrichment or am I just going to have to do these things on my own now? Spread my wings and fly as it were. oh wait... I just realized something... the lot next door is... EMPTY!!!! and it is 1/2 acre!!! any takers???


It can be hard when you know you are doing what you are supposed to do. We have felt right about this house and even though I am nervous about starting over and a little crazed about trying to prepare this house for sale and sad about leaving my friends (my eyes are actually tearing up as I think about it) - we have to do what we feel is right in the big and little choices from day to day. I make mistakes all the time but I can say that I have been surrounded by some amazing examples of people who have and continue to inspire me. That is just one of the reasons why I have loved living here. My friends and neighbors have been my example in so many things.

So really... if you need info on that lot next door...

Almost Done???

We're in the home stretch but there is still one day and a few hours to go so I'm not counting my chickens before they are hatched. Anything could happen between now and then. Because anything and everything HAS happened or not happened over the last month as we have waited and waited and waited on our offer for this house.

I was thinking about all the paperwork that I have had to submit in order to obtain a loan and I saw the above picture and thought it was fitting. Everyday I would get a phonecall... Robin could you send your 2006 taxes. next day - Robin could you send your 2007 taxes? next day - I don't suppose you have the company K1s for 2006 and 2007? next day - Robin could you send bank statements for every single bank account you own and investment you own? (do you have any idea what you are asking???) oh and do happen to have 2008 taxes yet ... and W2s for 2006, 2007, 2008 please? oh and could you also fax your social security cards to prove that those are really your numbers? And while you are at it could you give us a pint of blood? no kidding... he really said that... that last thing was the only thing he was kidding about though. Then they discovered that my social security number on my W2's were wrong for 2006 and 2007 so we had to go through a dance to get that corrected. Fun stuff trying to get a loan.

Now I understand the credit union radio commercial where the lady camps out in the lobby of the credit union saying she brought a recommendation from her high school teacher etc. etc. and she is going to stay in the lobby until she gets approval on her loan - while she waits she will learn a musical instrument.

Whose idea was it to move??? oh yeah.... Brett's. I love my husband.

What I wouldn't do for this man. This whole moving thing is just surreal for me and I don't think my brain will accept and believe it until it is done. I'm like that with vacations too. I don't believe I'm really on vacation until I arrive at my destination. Then my mind accepts it and gets in the groove.

I have lived here for 10 years and I love my home, I love my friends and my neighborhood.








It will be hard not to be here anymore. Change is inevitable though. It comes whether we will it or not. I'm grateful for the experiences that I have had here and I still have a couple of months while the boys finish out the school year to enjoy our last weeks here (should the closing go through properly).

Just want you guys to know that I appreciate you. It is friends and neighbors that make living somewhere not just a good experience but a great experience! You're the best!

Can You Believe It?

Brett watches some interesting things on t.v. sometimes that I often find myself saying "I can't believe it!" But have you ever examined your own life and said "I can't believe it!!!"

Let me digress for just a moment. We have lived in our home for 10 years now and I have just loved being in our neighborhood. (there are many things I would change about my house but I must say that I love my house payment... it is nice and small). Brett started looking around for a new home once we went up to 4 boys. I have held him off for 2 years (I'm quite skilled at holding him off with large purchases - this method allows me the time to save for the large purchase or he changes his mind and focuses on something else.)

Now that we are trying to get our home ready to be sold (should we find the right house) I am discovering many "can you believe it" items.

For your consideration I present them to you ... please don't think any less of me ... as organized as I like to be I can also be the Queen of Procrastination apparently.

Can you believe that all of this...



and this...



fit in this?



Can you believe that we finally choose a door color for our front door after 10 years? black - original- I know.



Can you believe that 4 years AFTER having laminate flooring installed we finished the laminate in the closet floor (I did have to hire someone else to get it done.)


Can you believe it took 13 years to choose a master bedroom set... before then we used Brett's childhood dresser for our clothes (and an overcrowded closed).

Can you believe it took six 18 gallon containers to pack all my photo and memento binders? (I still have more photos and mementos to put in binders so that really isn't an accurate count... call me a pack rat)


Can you believe that when Brett finished our laundry room he never put a heating vent in it? I don't think he ever will.

Can you believe after 9 years the wall at the bottom of our stairs is FINALLY painted!!!! Yeah!!!!



Can you believe that I was given an ice-cream maker machine in our first year of marriage (14 years ago) and it is still in the box. Everytime I go to put it in a garage sale or take it to D.I., I put it back on the shelf in the storage room because MAYBE one day I might make home-made ice-cream. REALLY????




Can you believe I might actually move and have to start all over? I can't.


Addendum: We thought everything was going to close on the house we put an offer on however there has been a major hiccup with... you guessed it!!! The second bank. I hate to name names but let's just say I'm not impressed with the customer service, people skills or professionalism of WAMU and will never bank with them. So we don't know at this point if closing will go through or not.

Too Much Fun???

We went south this weekend to visit my sister and hear my nephew give a talk in church after returning home from an LDS mission in Madagascar.



We arrived on Saturday and April sent us off to the community center so the boys could get out some excess energy.

Is it possible to have too much fun??? Here is what the boys did...












Today was church and attending April's ward to hear Chase speak. I loved Chase's talk which was based on a 2008 conference talk from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin. He talked about "come what may and love it". We can have adversity and trials in our life and although we may not be happy the very moment it is happening we can learn from it and we can try to have humor. It was great to see my nephew again and hear some of his experiences from his mission. We are so glad to have Chase home safe and sound and enjoy his great sense of humor much closer to home.

Sadly, I am now back home and must get back to work tomorrow on painting trim, molding, closets, bedrooms and doors. Can I go back to my sister's??? Please???

It Only took 6 Months!!!

As you know adopting the boys has me coming and going.

It reminds me of when I was growing up and we had our swimming pool. I would hold my breath and go underwater and roll in circles waving my arms straight out at my sides to rotate myself around. I would count how many times I could make it around in a circle underwater before my breath ran out. Then I would race to the surface. But going in circles was sometimes disorienting and when you thought you were swimming up you would actually be going down and hit your head on the bottom of the pool. But then you realize where you are... and quickly push off the bottom of the pool and shoot to the surface quickly breathing in air before your lungs burst!!! You made it!!! A little bruised and disoriented but you're okay.

This is how I feel somedays. Bruised and disoriented...I'm not Wonder Woman, Super Girl, Isis (for those old timers who remember her from Saturday mornings) Hawk Girl, or Cat Woman (although I dig her outfit) - I do however tell my boys that I have super hearing and they believe me.

It felt like a great accomplishment, however, to finally get my niece's baby blanket done. It ONLY took me 6 months. No... I was not working on it the whole time. Only a little bit here and a little bit there. Life is crazy and disorienting... remember???


Hopefully future projects will not take so long but I'm not holding my breath... or maybe I should...and do a few rolls... see if I can break my old pool record.

By the way... I have added a new link on my site... Give Away Today which gives away free things. You might want to check it out. This post is to help me win a free item from Material Girls Quilts. You may want to check it out and get in on the action. Click on Give Away Today to find out for yourself.

Tick Tock... Tick Tock

If I had a clock with the minute and hour hands on my wall I would hear the ticking of the seconds pass away. I can in fact hear the ticking in my head as each moment passes and I have not heard whether our offer on the home has been accepted or not.

I'm sure the bank rep has a really good reason for not calling the real estate agent back for two weeks or responding to her gigillion faxes she has sent. Perhaps the rep is on vacation in sunny Hawaii with Crash trying to help her choose her favorite student, or perhaps the rep is in line trying to win the lottery for a Wicked ticket after hearing how much fun April, Nutty Hamster Chick and I had... maybe the rep is recovering from sinus surgery - in which case I must extend my condolences and SOME understanding as to the length of time it is taking for a response.

However.... tick tock... this is getting ridiculous and I am getting very little sleep trying to guess as to whether we will end up with the house or go past the deadline the first lender gave and forfeit the chance of getting the home. SIGH.

Time. Sometimes it seems like there is never enough - like I don't have enough hours in a day to accomplish all that needs to be done. Other days it feels like time moves at a snail's pace (like now). I know I need to be more careful how I spend my time and cherish it more.

I do know that I'm amazed at the fact that the boys have been with us already for two years. That is beyond belief. Where did time go? I don't know.

We love doing the simple things together like legos, toss across, Sorry, Mr. Mouth, Jenga, Twister, movie night with popcorn and treats. Spending time as a family is what the boys really love...







How we spend our time determines the memories we create. Have some great memories today!

Easter Fun

How many Easter Hunts can one family squeeze in in a day??? Our family managed 8.

The Easter Bunny visited our home while we slept and left some fun things for the boys.


Then we drove over to Grandma C's. Hunt #2 was for Smiley's age group. He did fairly well with mom dragging him along (his legs are little so he needed some assistance to go faster) Hey!!! the point is to win right???


Hunt #3 was for Giggles and Wannabe's age group. Giggles is really fast and faster still when it comes to egg hunts. He needs NO HELP from mom.




Hunt #4 was for Sheriff's age group and by this time mom was really getting competitive and was pointing out to Sheriff where the eggs were. Poor kid was getting turned around as he would go for one egg and I would shout to him to go somewhere else. Settle down mom!!!


Hunt #5 was for everyone... adults included. My total egg count for this hunt... one. Yep! One. I'm not the only disappointed soul however....




Hunt #6 was actually a treasure hunt with clues devised by my in-laws that had us running all over the place. Lots of fun and one of the clues even made fun of Brett backing into the basketball pole at his grandma's which had everyone laughing... except Brett of course.

Hunt #7 was at Grandma G's and was for all the kids.


Hunt #8 was also at Grandma G's and was for everyone. This is the hunt where everyone hopes to find lots of GOLDEN EGGS because they have lots of cash in them. I made up for my pathetic showing in Hunt #5 and came away with 4 golden eggs. Yeah mom!!!

Of course the best part is not the candy, the money, or the loads of chocolate.... the best part is spending time with family.




We are also grateful that Giggles is still alive after his attempt to make everyone laugh by putting his leg over the balcony at Grandma C's. No one found it funny as it would have resulted in a long fall to the concrete below. Giggles was not giggling when he got in trouble from his dad. (thankfully I was getting food plates ready for kids... I think I would have died of a heart attack if I had witnessed it).


At lunch today I put green marshmallow Peeps on the boys plates as a treat and told them that they had to "eat their Peeps last". I got a few snickers out of that comment and Smiley said "we pee on the toilet". Every time one of the boys talked about the Peeps on their plate Smiley would snap his head around to me wondering why no one was getting in trouble for saying "peeps" and he would say "no!!! we pee on the toilet".

Later today we watched The Lamb of God video with the boys and talked about Jesus. The boys were riveted to the video and I think watching it helped them to understand a little more what the Savior did for us and that he lives again.

It has been a wonderful weekend. Hope you had a great one too!