Moving-- Day ?

Already I have lost track of time.

All I know is paper, boxes, packing tape & sharpie marker.

I am intimately involved with Aleve and Diet Coke.

Hmm.. I may have forgotten to feed my family today...

Now, I am out of boxes and out of Diet Coke, so I must stop for the night.

I must lay down and watch The Bachelor.

Don't judge me, judge the network..

NEW DRAPER HOUSE

Stairs going up to the main floor.

I am standing in the lower family room.

This is the entry way and I am looking towards the master suite.

The stairs going down to the next level are to the right.

Love the master bathroom..

It is gorgie!!

Looking out the master bedroom window

cute kitchen & cute *but crippled* hubby

On the lower of the 2 decks..

Hopefully, we will soon have a hot tub out on the deck..

Posing on the one of the decks.. Love the scrub oak..

Maddie's bathroom

The stairwell paint looks yellow.. it is NOT.

I wanted to post a few pictures of the new house. I hope this does not jinx me! We should be closing in a couple of weeks and be in around Mid-March! Wahoo!

Super cute house with amazing views and lots of room for the hooligans (and the kids :)!

Moving- Day 2

FREAKIN' CRAP, I HAVE A LOT OF CRAP!

excuse my language..

BUT HOLY SHIZ, I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM!

I AM GOING TO NEED A SEMI-TRUCK JUST TO MOVE MY

HOME DECOR ITEMS.

ONCE AGAIN, MY MADDIE IS RIGHT.

I AM THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD.

WHAT COULD I HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN THINKING?

HOW MANY PICTURES DOES ONE HOME NEED?

I AM CURRENTLY ON MY 42ND BOX..

NO NECESSITIES PACKED YET..

42 BOXES OF PURE STUPID.

AND I AM NOT DONE.

I THINK I MAY HAVE AT LEAST 35 MORE BOXES OF

IDIOT TO GO WITH MY 42 BOXES OF STUPID.

PRAY FOR MY SOUL...

Moving-Day 1

Holy crap, I have alot of crap.

Cute Maddie Magoo has been helping me pack. She needs to earn some money for a few things..

1. She hit a curb and needed a new wheel on her car ($72)

2. She got a speeding ticket ($115)

3. She wants a dress for prom ($$$)

So, I have her busy packing and cleaning. She boxed stuff for 6 hours yesterday and then realized that she had packed nothing of NECESSITY. Only pictures, and mirrors, and decor.. She has decided that she wants to live in a house with no pictures hanging on the wall. No nonsense like, decorative boxes or vases or flowers or mirrors. She is very disturbed by all of this paraphenalia that I think makes a house a home. She just thinks it makes a house cluttered and difficult to move.

I may be starting to agree with her.

I HEREBY SWEAR THAT I WILL NOT BUY ONE MORE PICTURE FRAME OR MIRROR OR VASE OR DECORATIVE BOX. MAY I BE STRUCK DUMB AND LAME IF I GO TO TJ MAXX AND SPEND ONE SINGLE DOLLAR ON ANY SORT OF HOME GOOD.

(my fingers were crossed, Todd.)

We are the champions!

We beat the stupid, mean people in the home bidding war! This does not mesh with the flow of my life and it makes me a bit nervous. I am wondering if somewhere, someone is laughing hysterically..

"I can't believe they bought the house! Are they idiots? Don't they know about the fault line that is under bedroom number 3? I hope they enjoy the termites that reside in the basement walls!"

Well, I laugh right back at you, you nameless laughing mean person (or figment of my imagination). We are super excited about being the winners and look forward to moving in to our new house. We are probably going to be closing in 2 - 4 weeks. Which means I will be an even more crazier person until at least mid-April.

P.S. If you are the praying type, please include sweet Todd in your prayers. We were wrong to underestimate this simple little ankle surgery. He is at a pain level of 12 on a scale of 1 to 10 which is the equivalent of "holy mother, please cut my leg off or take me now!". It is going to be a super swell month of packing and pain... You better include me in that prayer while you are at it!

Surgery Day

So today is Todd's big day-ankle reconstruction time. I am sitting (once again) in a waiting room while my dear one is being cut upon. It really is almost routine, which is kind of sad. We are blessed to have INS at several hospitals in the valley.. And by INS I mean.. What if I didn't work at TOSH and what if Todd didn't work at Jordan Valley and the University? Now we just have to get Maddie employed at Primary Children's and maybe Tanner could work at St. Marks or IMC. That way we would have INS at even more hospitals around the valley just in case Todd slipped on a banana peel while out and about. He is such a sweet, but fragile man. Love you my hubby, even if your bones are made of tender kindling and your soft tissue is not soft but unyielding... Thank you for being brave and facing your 13th orthopedic surgery with dignity.. You are the Jackie Onassis of my life.

You know I will post pictures later. How could I not with a cute husband in a hospital gown with his junk hanging out the back. So special.

We should find out in the next day or so if we won our bidding war battle with the other stupid homebuyers. I only hope that we are without any other hardships from now until moving day. But my luck we will have something random like an earthquake that is isolated to just my house or a spider or rat infestation or maybe Sophie suddenly goes crazy and decides her doggy diet sucks and that I look like a giant pot roast, etc... Listen, if you can dream it it can happen to me.

Just fine

My life is just fine.  Or was just fine today.  We are just fine. And by just fine, I mean I am not freaking out about Todd's upcoming surgery or our upcoming move.  I decided today to be just fine.  And I was.  

The day started off sketchy.  I woke up anxious- nervous about Todd's surgery and how I was going to cope (AGAIN) and how he was going to cope (AGAIN) and what I needed to do to prepare the house and kids and myself and Todd... I was also all freaked out about the move that we will be making in the next month or 2.  We have found the PERFECT house for us and have decided to pursue making it ours... however, at least 6 other home buyers have decided it is the PERFECT home for them too, so we have found ourselves in a bidding war.  So, anxiety and stress pervaded my mind.. Todd talked me down from the ledge and with sweet words and encouragement (and a bubble bath) he directed me into more constructive thoughts.  So I felt, just fine..

We will get through another surgery.  By now, an ankle reconstruction is almost not a big deal. ALMOST, being the key word.  Todd will by unable to bear weight for 4-8 weeks depending on how extensive the surgery is, but he will, in the end, be JUST FINE.  I have faith.  

We will also get through another move.  It seems as though we have had a few too many stressors lately to throw a move into the mix, but, what can I say, except it just seems like we need to do this.  I know alot of my friends and family think we are crazy, but let me tell you and assure you that we are... indeed a little bit crazy.  The only reason we are not entirely crazy is because of you all who believe in us and support us and love us despite our craziness.  We are going to be just fine.. even if we don't out bid all of the other stupid buyers who think that my future dwelling is theirs.  Stupid, mean people.

My bubble bath so perked me up that I worked out.  (I know that is kind of wierd, but just shut up.. I do what I do and I can't explain it...) Let me tell you.. with all of the stress, it has been awhile and I worked out like a 40 year old mother of 4 who hasn't had a full nights sleep in about 6 months.  But, that is just fine.  It is the effort that counts right??!!

Because I worked out, I decided to completely negate all of that effort by hauling my family to Kneaders to get some fabulous sourdough pancakes.  I know the french toast is heaven, but to me it is only Telestial where as the sourdough pancake is most assuredly Celestial with a capital C!!   Freakin' Heaven!!  Super fine after that..

Came home, did some laundry, did some chores, did some cleaning of closets with my teenaged son. Todd dispatched same teenaged son to destroy some old cabinets we were no longer in need of.  Luke and Sadie were in awe of Tanner's strength and skill with a sledge hammer. Actually, so was I..

Went to lunch with my ladies that I visit teach and my partner (Chile's- whoot, whoot!!) and then did some errands with my husband.  Came home and found my babies playing with all of Tanner's unwanted items from his drawers.  MADE MY DAY!!! So perfectly perfect-- them playing with old belts and headbands and football pads and weapons, so freakin cute.  So beyond just fine.. warmed my soul.  

Made pizza tonight for the kids.  Actually Sadie and Luke made their own.  Sadie made hers a smiling face with pepperoni legs.  

Then I had a dance off with Sadie and Luke and Maddie.  Todd watched for about 15 seconds and with a shake of his head was off to watch something more entertaining  (picture a uncoordinated praying mantis with blonde hair dancing to a Britney Spears song.. how is that not the most entertaining thing imaginable!?). I kicked some offspring trash and then got my sweaty self up  to get ready for my date night with Nat and Brandon and cute husband, Todd.

We went to see, "Just Go With It".. it was funny.. a bit on the naughty side, but funny. Ate popcorn, licorice, and drank Diet Coke with a little splash of Mr Pibb for good measure.

Such a spectacular day, I think I might be just fine.  I could even be just fine tomorrow, too.  

Sweethearts 2011

Maddie asked her best boy friend to Sweetheart's this year. His name is Kyle and he is on the basketball team and a great fun kid for Maddie to hang out with. She had a lot of fun with him and I had fun knowing that it was a friend-type situation, ya know what I'm sayin...

It was girl's choice, so she asked him. The day date was fairly simple--so happy that other families are trying to be chill about these day dates. Not extravagant, just fun. They came to our house in the morning and made frosting and then had a cake decorating contest.

SIDE NOTE: THIS WAS THE SAME DAY AS MY 40TH BIRTHDAY PARTY. I CLEANED MY KITCHEN 9 TIMES IN ONE DAY... IT WAS AWESOME. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME FROM MY TEENAGED DAUGHTER.

I was the judge of the contest and I declared it a tie. They played some Just Dance 2 on the Wii and then Maddie ran them all home to get ready. She was a little stressed that she was only going to have 3 hours to get ready. 3 HOURS! I can't for the life of me understand what you do for 3 hours. If I have 30 minutes, uninterrupted, I can transform myself! What the crap does she do in there for 180 minutes? I don't know, but I do know she looked so beautiful when she finally emerged from her "cave of wonders".

Here is the proof..

So after she roared away from the house, late as usual, I thought we wouldn't see her again until a little after midnight.  Oh, how I was wrong.  She came roaring back an hour or so later to get Kyle's boo tun ear (love that word) that she had forgotten.  I was secretly pleased because I could get pictures.  Little brat that she is, she had warned her friends to stay in the car or I would take hundreds of pictures of them.  Lucky for me, her friends didn't listen, so I was able to get a few dozen pictures of them.  I especially like Kyle's look of pure horror as Maddie comes at him with the pins.  

Then went to dinner at Olive Garden where the fun continued. Pictures were taken by a friend of a friend and then they tried to go to the dance. However, Maddie had forgotten her tickets (so typical) and so they had to come back home again so she could grab them. They were at the dance for 10 minutes and then of course off to the night activity... Cosmic bowling in their dresses. Sounds like a trip to the ER to me, but whatever. They got there and it was CRAZY and they couldn't get a lane so they went to a friends house and hung out. I certainly hope it was hanging out mormon style...if ya know what I mean.....

Happy Valentines Day to all of my Sweethearts.. you know who you are. I love you all!

This is what 40 looks like (you have been warned!)

This post will forever remind me of the day that any grain of vanity and pride left my body.  As you will see from the pictures, I have no sense of right or wrong.  I let it all hang out at my party and, let's just say, it is a DARN good thing that I don't drink alcohol because who knows what would have happened!! Let's just say it was not the most mature or dignified of affairs, but HALLELUJAH FOR THAT!! I, for one, had a grand time with my grannie panties and shower caps.  Who knew that it would be so freeing to wear a size 3X pantie!!?? 

I loved every minute of it, especially the minutes spent hugging my friends and family who took time out of their busy lives to come to my party which marked the end of my life.  You are all the freakin' best and I had the time of my life (and I never felt this way before, I swear, it's the truth and I owe it all you).  

Lots of great memories were made.. wendy and patty in my grannie panties, todd and brandon in the grannie wigs, melony singing my some broadway tunes at the door, my beautiful sister and her boys surprising me, my friends dancing to Outkast, natalie and todd doing Sadie's nails, Sophie wearing my grannie panties on her head, breaking my hip... all so much fun. 

I really dressed up for the affair.  I quite like my coral plaid polyester jacket.

Got my hair set.

Bought me some new readers at Wal-Mart after my "greeter" shift was over.

Some of the girls from work.

Obviously, from a much younger generation than mine.

"Ssshh... you must be quiet to hear my sizzle..."

My grannies as french cut grannies..

Natalie making Rachel's nails gorgeouso!

Don't be jealous, I have had work done..

Jodi, Daysha and I rockin' the club.

My favorite part of the night was my Sara coming to my party.

Did not know she was coming.

Or maybe I forgot... hmmm, awkward!

Cutest friends ever!!

Jesse and Jenny  and Nolan

I take no responsibility for this picture. 

I think Patty may have had a small stroke right when this picture was snapped.

That is the same pair of grannie panties that I wore.

They have their whole body in one leg opening.

I am so going to become anorexic..

Same grannie panties that I peed a little in when I was doing the dance.

Whoopsie Daisy!

Once again, Patty is out of control.

Jenny is hot.

Wendy is checkin' my perm out.

She wants some of that curly action.

This is my cat lady face.

This is my senior citizen jump.

This is my interpretation of a Mary Tyler Moore moment..

or Singing in the Rain moment..

something that only old people watch..

falling, falling, falling..

I broke my hip!!

Nevermind, it was not broke, just dislocated. 

I am fine now.

Good as new.

My interpretation of Antoine Dodson, tough guy.

Nevermind my white skin and purple flashin hair.

Just look at my scary & intimidating face.

Cutest grannie ever!

Herriman Cougar Club, charter members.

Sophie is exhausted after all of the dancing she did.

Heading for the shower.

Those crazy grannie panties..

Gotta love 'em.

 PS... WENDY, YOU ARE A DREAM COME TRUE!  THANKS FOR A GREAT PARTY! I WILL MAKE YOU SOME FLAPJACKS ON YOUR BIRTHDAY OK!? OR IF YOU WANT, I'LL FRY YOU UP SOME SPAM, FOR A SPAM SANDWICH... GRAPE JELLY?? YOU DECIDE.. WHATEVER YOU WANT! THIS GRANNY WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU SOMEHOW, SOME WAY...