It is officially summer vacation! Yay for sleeping in and not having to make school lunches. Boo for "bored" kids and fighting. We get a short summer this year. St. Louis starts school on the 14th of August. Douglas is at the title company right now hopefully closing on the house. He still didn't know if it was all going to happen. Hooray for this process being over soon. I. CAN'T. WAIT!
Jackson had such a great teacher this year. We will miss her. She gets Jackson. She told me once that he is one of the favorite students she has ever had. She refers to him as "gifted". Talk about a proud mother moment. Jackson is a good kid. I am proud of who he is becoming. I made his teacher a monogram out of crayons. It was harder than I thought it would be. Her last name starts with an "S" and making an S out of crayons was tricky! It turned out cute though and I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of it. I guess there is a lot going on or something.
My neighbors Brian and Nancy Bigelow had a last day of school/going away lunch. It was so kind of them. The kids had a great time running and playing in the water and the adults sat in the shade and chatted. Nancy had made sloppy joes, coleslaw and other good stuff. It was really nice of them.
Douglas gets home tonight (huge sigh of relief). I have a baby shower for my good friend Elizabeth Shobe tomorrow morning, a dance recital for Paige and we need to go purchase some appliances. Busy day.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Today
The movers come tomorrow. My husband lives in St. Louis during the week. I go to bed really late. I don't eat enough. It was one of "those" days, you know, the kind where you almost burst into tears at Paige's dance dress rehearsal when you realize that your camera battery is dying and by the time you get the phone out to try and video the event (no cameras allowed at the actual recital), the dance is over. One of those days when you lose it with the kids when you go into their room and they have switched beds, opened the blinds and are screwing around when it is already WAY past bedtime. One of those days when you realize there is still SO much to organize before the movers come.
I am excited for this day and the few that follow, to pass quickly. The packers will be here at 8am tomorrow. They didn't get the memo that I don't do early mornings and I have a kid to get off to school at 8:30am. On a side note, I woke at 8:30am today (I guess my lecture about not waking me in the morning sunk in). We got Jackson dressed, fed and to school by the second bell at 8:42. Don't ask me how. He enjoyed his second hot lunch of the year today. I am just too cheap to pay for hot lunch. Plus, it is such gross food. I just can't do it.
We should close on the house on Friday. Whether we will or not, is yet to be seen. What a hassle. I will be so happy for it all to be over. Both realtors involved were pretty useless. I am happy to have my own house with more space though. It will be such a luxury. We are blessed and I recognize that. The kids are excited too which is such a relief. The plan is to load up the car on Tuesday and head out early. I am so anxious to be there. The movers should unload on Wednesday and then Douglas has to fly to GA (a little unexpected, but it is what it is) Friday to pick up a car. We are proud owners, for the first time in our marriage of our own, two cars. Then, we will have about a week before we load up again and drive across country to Utah for a couple of weeks.
Paige was a pill this evening. That child. She needs to go to bed around 6pm, but that isn't practical so we have to deal with her being tired for the last two hours before I can get everyone down. With swimming on Tuesday and dance on Wednesday, this has been a crazy two months! She looked so, so cute in her ballet costume though. She loves dancing and is quite good at it.
We ate out tonight. I think we will be doing that for the next week or longer. I just can't cook on top of everything else. I am soon heading to the kitchen to clean up and hopefully run one of my last loads of dishes. I really can't believe my time here is coming to a close. And, I can't believe that I am going to be living in St. Louis, Missouri. I am not ready to start over. Michigan was a rough two years, socially. Thank heavens for a couple of good friends and amazing neighbors.
The suitcases are packed. I am sure I left something behind for myself. That always seems to happen.
Bennett is a joy to all of us. He is getting up on his knees and wants to get around. He turns in circles, but hasn't quite figured out how to move across a room. That is good right now. He is finally sitting well too. Nice carpet will be a welcome thing for him!
Jackson finishes school on Friday. I will miss his teacher. She has been so great for him. He is reading on an L level (far beyond his grade). He devours books. I can't keep enough in the house. I need to find a library in Eureka right away. Did I mention our house will be in a city named Eureka. Such a silly name. Oh well.
I don't feel like I have been the best mother lately. I have been tired which is directly related to my patience and tolerance. I will be happy to be with Douglas again and not have work (pictures, that is) that I have to work on at night. I need to go to bed at least a little earlier. I think that would help a ton. I have been so grouchy lately. Blah. Hope it passes soon.
Speaking of late, it is already that and I need to shower for tomorrow and finish up in the kitchen.
I am excited for this day and the few that follow, to pass quickly. The packers will be here at 8am tomorrow. They didn't get the memo that I don't do early mornings and I have a kid to get off to school at 8:30am. On a side note, I woke at 8:30am today (I guess my lecture about not waking me in the morning sunk in). We got Jackson dressed, fed and to school by the second bell at 8:42. Don't ask me how. He enjoyed his second hot lunch of the year today. I am just too cheap to pay for hot lunch. Plus, it is such gross food. I just can't do it.
We should close on the house on Friday. Whether we will or not, is yet to be seen. What a hassle. I will be so happy for it all to be over. Both realtors involved were pretty useless. I am happy to have my own house with more space though. It will be such a luxury. We are blessed and I recognize that. The kids are excited too which is such a relief. The plan is to load up the car on Tuesday and head out early. I am so anxious to be there. The movers should unload on Wednesday and then Douglas has to fly to GA (a little unexpected, but it is what it is) Friday to pick up a car. We are proud owners, for the first time in our marriage of our own, two cars. Then, we will have about a week before we load up again and drive across country to Utah for a couple of weeks.
Paige was a pill this evening. That child. She needs to go to bed around 6pm, but that isn't practical so we have to deal with her being tired for the last two hours before I can get everyone down. With swimming on Tuesday and dance on Wednesday, this has been a crazy two months! She looked so, so cute in her ballet costume though. She loves dancing and is quite good at it.
We ate out tonight. I think we will be doing that for the next week or longer. I just can't cook on top of everything else. I am soon heading to the kitchen to clean up and hopefully run one of my last loads of dishes. I really can't believe my time here is coming to a close. And, I can't believe that I am going to be living in St. Louis, Missouri. I am not ready to start over. Michigan was a rough two years, socially. Thank heavens for a couple of good friends and amazing neighbors.
The suitcases are packed. I am sure I left something behind for myself. That always seems to happen.
Bennett is a joy to all of us. He is getting up on his knees and wants to get around. He turns in circles, but hasn't quite figured out how to move across a room. That is good right now. He is finally sitting well too. Nice carpet will be a welcome thing for him!
Jackson finishes school on Friday. I will miss his teacher. She has been so great for him. He is reading on an L level (far beyond his grade). He devours books. I can't keep enough in the house. I need to find a library in Eureka right away. Did I mention our house will be in a city named Eureka. Such a silly name. Oh well.
I don't feel like I have been the best mother lately. I have been tired which is directly related to my patience and tolerance. I will be happy to be with Douglas again and not have work (pictures, that is) that I have to work on at night. I need to go to bed at least a little earlier. I think that would help a ton. I have been so grouchy lately. Blah. Hope it passes soon.
Speaking of late, it is already that and I need to shower for tomorrow and finish up in the kitchen.
Sunday, June 03, 2012
Valentine's Day
Douglas had group meetings all evening so I celebrated with my little valentines. Nothing says Valentine's Day like fondue!
Niagara
Niagara is a very typical tourist town...people everywhere, outrageous prices, kind of gross, BUT, Niagara Falls is so, so amazing!! The hotel we stayed at was really cool. The huge window overlooked the falls (as you will see in the following pics).The kids loved swimming in the pool at the hotel and there was a amazing breakfast at the hotel. It was a really fun family vacation.
Niagara, as captured by Jackson!
So amazing. Standing next to the falls was kind of scary...so loud and the water rushed and moved so fast.
The older kids and Douglas went on the Maid of the Mist. I guess it was really wet and cold.
This is the view from our hotel room!
who's that good looking guy?? Well, hello there!
This is the walk to the falls from our hotel (it was actually a lot farther than it looked).
Proof that Bennett was there too!
and me!
cute kids! Thank heavens for $ store ponchos.
Buffalo, New York is on the other side of the falls.
Riding on the Maid of the Mist
I am just guessing, but this may not be the smartest or safest way to wear a poncho.
The kids passed the time taking pictures of Bennett. There were quite a few on my camera when I emptied it.
Niagara, as captured by Jackson!
So amazing. Standing next to the falls was kind of scary...so loud and the water rushed and moved so fast.
The older kids and Douglas went on the Maid of the Mist. I guess it was really wet and cold.
This is the view from our hotel room!
who's that good looking guy?? Well, hello there!
This is the walk to the falls from our hotel (it was actually a lot farther than it looked).
Proof that Bennett was there too!
and me!
cute kids! Thank heavens for $ store ponchos.
Buffalo, New York is on the other side of the falls.
Riding on the Maid of the Mist
I am just guessing, but this may not be the smartest or safest way to wear a poncho.
The kids passed the time taking pictures of Bennett. There were quite a few on my camera when I emptied it.
Palmyra
I found a fantastic rate for a hotel in Niagara on the Canadian side. We thought it would be a great graduation celebration for the family. So, we headed out on a Wednesday. It was about a 5 hour drive to get from Detroit to Niagara. We stayed the night in Niagara the first night and in the morning, loaded up and headed to Palmyra (about a two hour drive). On the way we stopped in Rochester, NY to visit my college friend Jen Bigler Richards and her husband Bryson and their three boys. It was so great to catch up!
We got to Palmyra in the early afternoon. The weather was amazing and it was such a neat experience to see these sites where so many amazing church history experiences took place. It was calm and serene, a perfect location for Joseph Smith to prayer to God. Douglas and I really enjoyed touring the different sites and felt the spirit testify to us that Joseph Smith is indeed a prophet of God. It was a really cool experience.
This is the log cabin where Joseph lived when he had the first vision. It is down the road from the frame house they lived in for a short time before they lost it for financial reasons and had to move back to the log house again.
This is the main room of the log house. There was a small "master bedroom" off of this room.
This is where they would have cooked.
This is the door they think Joseph most likely would have gone out when heading to the woods to pray.
Here Jackson is reading the Bible verse, in James, that inspired Joseph to pray to God and ask which church to join.
Jackson
Paige
This is the upstairs. This main room is where the 6?? (can't remember) boys would have slept...one twin bed and a double. Yikes! I can't imagine sleeping with so many and I am sure it would get SO hot up there!! The little room behind is where the two girls would sleep. Amazingly enough, this is also the room in which the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph year after year...and all his siblings slept through it!
As you walk from the log house to the frame house, you can see the Palmyra temple in the background. I bet Joseph never imagined that!
This is the barn next to the frame house where Joseph hid the plates one time.
This is inside the frame house. This is where they lived when Martin Harris came back to tell Joseph that he lost the plates. He paced in front of the house for a long time and sat on the fence until Hyrum came out to see what was going on. As soon as he entered the house Joseph knew that the manuscript was lost. He never blamed Martin, only himself.
This is the front of the frame house where Martin paced. The house had been altered when other families lived in it and then restored to the original house when the church bought it back.
Sacred Grove
She insisted on a "silly picture"!
Palmyra temple
This is the visitor center by the sacred Grove.
The Hill Cumorah where the plates were hidden. It was quite a hike to get to the top!
The Granger (I think that is the name) printing house where Joseph had the first 5000 Books of Mormon's printed. This was a really cool tour! So interesting.
And that, is Palmyra in a day. Such a great experience. I am so glad we made it happen before we left Ann Arbor!
We got to Palmyra in the early afternoon. The weather was amazing and it was such a neat experience to see these sites where so many amazing church history experiences took place. It was calm and serene, a perfect location for Joseph Smith to prayer to God. Douglas and I really enjoyed touring the different sites and felt the spirit testify to us that Joseph Smith is indeed a prophet of God. It was a really cool experience.
This is the log cabin where Joseph lived when he had the first vision. It is down the road from the frame house they lived in for a short time before they lost it for financial reasons and had to move back to the log house again.
This is the main room of the log house. There was a small "master bedroom" off of this room.
This is where they would have cooked.
This is the door they think Joseph most likely would have gone out when heading to the woods to pray.
Here Jackson is reading the Bible verse, in James, that inspired Joseph to pray to God and ask which church to join.
Jackson
Paige
This is the upstairs. This main room is where the 6?? (can't remember) boys would have slept...one twin bed and a double. Yikes! I can't imagine sleeping with so many and I am sure it would get SO hot up there!! The little room behind is where the two girls would sleep. Amazingly enough, this is also the room in which the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph year after year...and all his siblings slept through it!
As you walk from the log house to the frame house, you can see the Palmyra temple in the background. I bet Joseph never imagined that!
This is the barn next to the frame house where Joseph hid the plates one time.
This is inside the frame house. This is where they lived when Martin Harris came back to tell Joseph that he lost the plates. He paced in front of the house for a long time and sat on the fence until Hyrum came out to see what was going on. As soon as he entered the house Joseph knew that the manuscript was lost. He never blamed Martin, only himself.
This is the front of the frame house where Martin paced. The house had been altered when other families lived in it and then restored to the original house when the church bought it back.
Sacred Grove
She insisted on a "silly picture"!
Palmyra temple
This is the visitor center by the sacred Grove.
The Hill Cumorah where the plates were hidden. It was quite a hike to get to the top!
The Granger (I think that is the name) printing house where Joseph had the first 5000 Books of Mormon's printed. This was a really cool tour! So interesting.
And that, is Palmyra in a day. Such a great experience. I am so glad we made it happen before we left Ann Arbor!
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