Envy-One of the 7 Deadly Sins?

Blake and I have been saving our money and looking forward to a special family car.  Our GMC Acadia.  Then one morning we walked outside and there it was sitting in front of our house. Unfortunately, it was our neighbor's brand new car with dealer plates still on it.  It is a beauty to behold.  I'll walk out there just to pretend it is mine.  And then I get in my Pontiac and drive into the sunset dreaming.

New Photos!

Check out my slideshow at the right.  They are from our trip to Utah/Idaho and there will be more photos to come.  My mother-in-law has more photos that I'll put in later.  Click on them to make them larger.  Enjoy.

Home and Home again

We are home (I mean our WV home).  We enjoyed seeing our families but I must say that I'm glad to be back with the humidity (it's like a warm blanket), dirty laundry, and empty fridge. I just reread that and it makes our vacation sound horrible.  It really was great and a greatly needed break -- not thinking about work and responsibility was refreshing.  I want to say thank you to our parents for putting up with all our stuff laying around and having a great time with us. Who knew a family of four could need so much stuff (I know I was thinking that while dragging the suitcases through the airport).  It was great having backyards for the kids to run around in and get lost in.  We loved spending time with grandparents, cousins, and aunts and uncles. Paige's favorite thing of the whole trip was Suzette's scooter.  She kept telling daddy that he needed to buy one.  That sounds good to me.   I was a little nervous driving around on it with my baby afraid that I would tip over. So thank you Suzette for doing all the rides. Lane was excited to learn that he has some older cousins that are as excited about football as he is. Dad, give him a few more years before you ask him to join your Fantasy Football League.

15 Years of friendship!

I'm probably different than most people in that there are very few people that I've known for 15 years. My husband doesn't even make the list yet. I was raised in the military and have had many friends but rarely do they last longer than the time we are stationed at that particular Air Force Base. Since my parents retired in Logan, UT it has forced me to retain friendships and to learn how to grow with them over time. I've been blessed with a small group of these special friends. These were the girls who you laugh with in the college library while everyone gives you dirty looks (and we didn't care, we laughed louder), when those special songs come on the radio you automatically think of them, they remember those stupid boys you liked even though you wish they didn't, and on and on...
I had lunch with a couple of them today and was so glad that they knew me. Really knew me. These are times that you cherish each other and know that even though family life, kids, school and everything else may postpone these type of lunches that when you do get together again all is well. You are normal to them and special. At least that is how I feel about them (maybe not the "normal" part but definitely special). Girls, thank you for overlooking my mistakes and my regrets and seeing me. Who knew that meeting one girl in McDonalds could lead to 15 years of this. Thank you for a great day.

My baby is 5!

(I'll attach photos once I get home with my camera dock.)

My baby girl turned five and we celebrated her birthday today. The celebration was all about kitties. Pin the Tail on the kitty, Kitty cake (thank you grandma Vicki), and an introduction to webkins. She even felt the need to crawl around as "Rose, the kitty-cat" all day long. Paige was so excited that it was her day. She woke up saying that she was so glad it was finally her birthday. I guess she's been waiting a whole year.

My mind often reminisces on important days and I find myself thinking of what 5 years has done for me and our little family. When I think of Paige's personality one word comes to mind... Spit-fire. (Or would that count for two words.) It's hard to sum up someone's personality in a few words but I'll try to share a little about her as a 5 yr. old. Paige is a very passionate girl. She can be very angry or stubborn and very loving and kind. She loves animals and wants to be a veternarian when she grows up. Lane is her best friend and she is very loyal to him. I think she will be a daredevil when she gets a little older and it would not surprise me if she was the class clown. She definitely cracks jokes when she knows she is in trouble. She is the sweetest little girl and we are so blessed to have her in our family. Happy Birthday, sweet baby. I'm glad you're ours.

Unreasonable, Demanding & Excessive

Those are 3 adjectives that were given to Blake and I this last weekend.  Once again, No House For Us.  The short story is that there were some safety issue that the home inspector found that we wanted taken care of before we moved in.  The garage had no fire-rated sheet rock (it didn't have anything at all,  just insulation hanging down which was installed wrong) and we asked that that be fixed and some electrical problems be addressed.  I think the seller put more value in her orange painted kitchen and bright teal master bedroom than actual safety concerns.  I won't get nasty about it because I really do have faith that everything happens for a reason and that when you pray for answers, you really will receive them (sometimes differently than you expect).  One positive thing about apartment living is the free heated pool.  That is how we've been spending our days and I think I'm pretty lucky that I have a husband that encouraged me yesterday to take the kids to the pool to hang out for a few hours.  It so rough, but I'll make sure I work on my tan.        

Bikini or Zucchini?

We have been getting a lot of rain from that big storm that messed up the Midwest.  We hardly slept last night because the thunder was so loud.  So on the way to the store we took a long way there so we could see how many roads were flooded out.  It is so amazing how fast the flooding happens.  The water comes from everywhere.  The city park was flooded out and I was just there yesterday afternoon playing.  I've also been able to take the kids to the pool here at the apartments and Paige said something the other day that made me laugh so hard I thought I would share it.  We had a little friend at the pool with us and Paige leaned over to me and said, "Mommy, she is not modest.  She's wearing a zucchini."  Ends up, she meant a "bikini".  Paige says the darnedest things.  The other day Paige was mouthing off and I was being firm with her and giving her the "I mean it" look.  She got the same look on her face and said, "Feisty, my dear friend, feisty."  How could I keep a straight face?  Then she asked me what feisty means.  I'm not quite sure how to explain that one.  Well, that's just a quick little tidbit. I'm going to bed if the thunder will let me tonight.