Toilet Trouble

From the time that Simon started walking and really getting into things, I've called him my 'Monkey' - hence the monkey costume for Halloween.  I swear, he doesn't stop moving!  He wants to climb up and over everything - it makes me tired just watching him.

Lately, he's decided -  on his own - that he wants to use the big potty.  Yay!  I only wish he were really ready.  He still wakes up wet in the morning, so we'll have to wait a little longer.  However, several times a day we'll find him in the bathroom, trying to use the potty.  He won't leave until we take off his diaper and let him sit for a few seconds on the toilet.  Once he's off he says, "I flush, I flush!"  Well, yesterday I showed him how to use his stool to climb up to the toilet and he was pretty excited about it.

This morning...he disappeared into the bathroom again.  Chris and I were talking, not paying too much attention, and after a little bit Chris decided to check on him. You know that old joke, if you spend too much time in the bathroom people say, 'I was afraid you'd fallen in!'.  Well, Simon actually fell in!

Chris found him - butt first, legs straight up in the air, and his hands just barely able to hang on to the seat.  My poor little Monkey!  Chris pulled him out and he was just dripping all over the carpet!

I'm laughing now - really laughing!  I absolutely wish I had a picture of that moment.

Halloween 2009

Every year since Chris and I have been married I've made sure to buy my Halloween candy early and waited excitedly for the kids to show up, but I was always disappointed.  The first year, we only had two families come.  The first was the little boy next door and the second was a family with 4 kids who didn't even dress up.  Bummer.

I despise the Trunk or Treat approach that is quickly becoming the new Halloween tradition, so I was thrilled to find out that our new neighborhood would be doing Trick-or-Treating - a real, old fashioned, door to door Trick or Treat!

I'm not very creative with the costumes - I always go for store-bought - mostly because I stink at sewing - my mom's amazing, but I didn't inherit the talent.  She says it just takes practice, so...maybe next year.  I'm sure it would save some money.  Does anybody else think that costumes are ridiculously priced?  But that's another subject for another post...

We didn't do much during the day; it was raining and Chris wanted to make sure that Simon got his naps in.  I'm sure it was better in the long run, but I really wanted to take them to the mall for some fun.  Instead, I spent the morning grocery shopping and running errands.  Wahoo.

Once it was time for Trick-or-Treating we got the kids ready - Simon was a monkey and Andrew was an Astronaut.

It was still raining off and on by the time we were ready to go, but I don't think the kids knew what to expect anyway so we gave them their bags and sent them out the door.

At first, Simon thought we were going in the car.  Poor kid.  He was pretty upset when we had to drag him away; he loves to ride in the car.

They were both pretty hesitant at first, but once they realized that all they had to do was knock on a door for someone to give them a handful of candy, they were all over it!

Sorry, this picture is blurry - but can you see the look of satisfaction on Andrew's face?  Priceless.

We had a ton of fun walking around the neighborhood; all the kids were out in their costumes and it reminded me of when Halloween when I was a kid.  The only difference was the rain and the humidity.  I'm used to Halloween in Utah, which means cold.  I took a jacket with me because of the rain, but I couldn't keep it on for most of the time because I was sweating to death!  So bizarre.

Eventually, Simon was excited enough that he decided to walk around on his own.  His bag had so much candy in it that he had to drag it on the ground behind him.  Wish I'd gotten a picture of that!

We didn't stay out for too long though; we'd only gone to a few houses before Andrew started asking to go home.  He kept saying, "Let's go home.  My bones need to rest!  My bones are so tired!"  ugh - no way was I giving in that easy.  I made him walk around to a few more houses.  And, in spite of his 'bones being tired' he had a good time.

At home we had some yummy Halloween food and let the kids watch Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin. Later on they played Pumpkin Bowling with Beckie and then talked to Nana, Papa and Taya and Triston on the phone.  Normally we have a Halloween party with all of the cousins, so it was a little quieter than usual, but we had a great time just the same.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We Made It!

We're finally here and moved in - mostly. There's still some unpacking to do, but we have the necessities so we're doing OK. Now I just have to figure out where to shop. All of the grocery stores are different here, and I can't just drive down Main Street to find them.  I never thought I'd say it, but I miss Wal-mart!  I also have to use the GPS for everything! It'll definitely take some getting used to.

We stayed the night in SLC before we left so that we wouldn't have to get up so early with the kids.  Simon and Andrew were pretty thrilled with the hotel.  They spent some time jumping on the beds, chasing each other around the room and hiding in the coat closet.  Here's a picture of Simon snacking and watching cartoons before we left for the airport:

 
We doped both kids up with Tylenol before getting to the airport, and luckily it made them sleepy.  I'm not gonna lie to you, we asked the doctor if he had anything stronger that we could use to knock them out.  My kids are pretty well-behaved most of the time, but when they start annoying people in public I get really stressed out about it.  Here's how it would have played out: misbehaving kids + small space with nowhere to go = panic attack for Mommy.  Not gonna happen.  However, the Dr. didn't agree and said if Tylenol wasn't strong enough then we should try Benadryl.  Sigh...so much for my quiet plane ride.

Andrew was so excited about going on the plane - we'd been telling him about it for months.  He waited as patiently as possible to get on the plane and then waited even longer for take-off.  He really did try to stay awake, but he feel asleep just as we were taking off.  Simon did too actually; the noise didn't bother him a bit.  We were worried that he wouldn't sleep at all - hence the Tylenol - because he normally won't sleep unless he's in bed.  But the second we pulled out the travel pillow he laid down across our laps and passed out.  Chris and  I were afraid to move for more than an hour, but when the drink cart came around we decided to chance it.  Of course, Andrew woke up at that point and then Simon soon after.  If I'd been able to bring the Tylenol on the plane with me I would have given them a second dose!

Andrew was perfect the whole flight - he loved the experience.  However, Simon didn't hold up as well.  He did OK for awhile and then it was just too much for him.  We spent the last hour and a half of the flight shushing him.  There was a guy who kept staring and I nearly handed Simon to him - I'd like to see him do a better job at keeping the kid quiet!  The flight attendants were really nice though and tried to help us keep the boys happy.

We landed in Baltimore (the tickets were cheaper to that airport, just in case you ever want to visit :) and after wrestling with the kids and luggage for a couple of hours we finally got into our rental car and headed for the hotel.  We stopped at McDonald's for a quick dinner and then made the drive to Woodbridge.  The kids started out ok, but Simon had definitely had enough.  He screamed at us almost the whole way there.  Once we got to the hotel we crashed - it was a long day for everyone!

We'd arranged to meet with the Realtor the next morning to get our keys and do a walk-through.  It was fun to show the kids our new house and I think they were pretty excited about it.  So, here it is - these are a few pics of the road leading into the complex.

 

This lovely sign is just around the corner from us.  We're pretty sure these folks are selling hubcaps that they find on the street...

 

Here's the kitchen!  I didn't remember all of this cupboard space, so it was a pleasant surprise.  We looked at so many places that I was confusing the details with everything else that we saw.  I only have a few complaints about the kitchen: The fridge is a little on the small side and what's with the cooktop being on the island?  It takes up all of my major counter space.  My biggest problem so far - it smells so bad in the cabinet under the sink that I'm convinced someone tried to hide a dead body there.  My mom says it smells like mothballs - does anyone know how to get rid of that smell??  Every time I wash dishes or open that cupboard I nearly pass out.  I hung a Scentsy car candle from the pipes, I've got a Glade Plug-in going and I spray it down with Lysol constantly!  Someone please help - I can't take it anymore!!

 

Here's the living room and don't worry - that yellow will be leaving soon.  Our landlord is really nice and he gave us the go-ahead to paint what we'd like.  Which is such a relief - one of the rooms in the family room is baby blue!

Andrew and Simon are taking a peak into the new backyard - it's gorgeous!  I'll never get tired of seeing all those trees :)  I wish we had a patio, but...that's ok.  There's a pool and some Tot Lots around so we'll have a good time.

The truck arrived the next day - here's a few pics of the driver backing it into the driveway.  I really didn't think he'd be able to do it, but he did!

 

 

 

Well, there it is - the moving truck in our driveway.  We managed to fit my sister's stuff and all of ours in; I still can't believe it.  Most everything arrived in good shape, and although there were a few things that got banged up, nothing was broken.  Our car also arrived without any problems - and earlier than we thought too!

My sister and parents arrived a few days later - they drove - so we spent a couple days unpacking and then the rest of the time sightseeing.  We had a blast and I'll post pics of those adventures soon!

Andrew says...

Andrew:  Mom, I'm so possessed with Simon!

Me:  You're possessed?

Andrew:  Yes, I'm possessed with Simon.  He turned off my movie!

Me:  Andrew, it's time to eat; will you turn off the T.V.?

Andrew:  But Mom, I'm still attracted to Arthur.  I'm just going to finish watching this.

Me:  confused silence

Andrew says...

Andrew is always saying the funniest things and I don't want to forget them.  So I'm going to start a series of posts called 'Andrew says...'  This way I'll always remember the crazy things we laughed at. :)

Today he said:

"Mom, I just love to watch Netflix and not move my bones.  Or my muscles."

It would appear that I'm raising a world class Couch Potato!

Graco Travel System for Sale!

I know, I don't usually sell things on this blog - it's more of a journal - but I would really like to sell this stroller and I've already posted it on facebook, so I figured, why not?

I'm selling it because we don't have room to take it to Virginia, and the car seat expires in Dec 2010.  So, it's good for one more kid - someone should get some use out of it!  We've kept it in really good  condition, so it looks brand new and of course, after I washed it and put it all back together I didn't want to sell it.  It's adorable and I have all those memories of putting my little boys in the car seat!

 

Here's the info:  we bought both the stroller and car seat 4 years ago and it's never been in an accident.  The base is included with the car seat, so it's really easy to get in and out of the car.  Just leave the base and take the car seat with you - no hassle!  We spent the extra money to get the seat that was cushioned with the GracoPedic Foam (it's memory foam) and I think it was worth it.  Especially if your kids sleep in their car seat - this one is really comfy!  It has two headrests, which is really nice for newborns - they fit in there nice and snug - no wobbly head :)  The canopy is nice too - it's a little bigger than most.  It has an extra length of plastic on the front so it keeps the baby shaded a little better.  It also has an optional boot that's really easy to attach and it helps to keep the baby nice and warm. 

The stroller also has the boot you can attach - it's easy to take on and off.  It has a temperature sensor on it as well as a clock and a little compartment on the handle (sorry the picture of the clock is turned - I couldn't figure out how to turn it the other way).  The seat reclines in 3 or 4 different positions - I can't remember exactly - and it has a 3-point harness seat belt.  It folds down easily enough that you can do it one handed.  Plus, the basket is really easy to get to - even if the seat is folded all the way down. 

 

I'm selling the whole travel system for $125.  I'd prefer to sell it all at once so that I don't have to worry about it anymore, but separately I'm asking $50 for the car seat and $75 for the stroller. 

My friend Chelsea is keeping this in her garage for me, so if you or someone you know is interested let me know and I'll give you her contact info!

Finally Packed!

We are finally finished packing and cleaning!  I tried to take a picture of the truck when it was leaving this afternoon, but all I had was my cell phone and that's never a good option.  2 mega pixels?  Whatever - my REAL camera has 10!  Oh, well.  Maybe I'll take a picture of the truck when it arrives in Virginia :)

 

My mom and I finished up the cleaning late this afternoon; we're exhausted and I'm glad we don't have to go back tomorrow, but still - it's a weird feeling to know that I'm really not going back to my house for a couple of years.  I will say though, I'm very glad that I'll have a few days to rest up before I have to start unpacking.  Let's hope that's more fun than packing!

I also wanted to thank my friends for helping me so much the past couple of weeks.  Camille and Stephanie - thanks for watching the kids!  Colleen - I can't believe you spent your entire Saturday keeping my ADD brain on track!  Chelsea - I can't thank you enough for helping me finish packing the kitchen; that was a beast!  I'm serious, next time we move, the kitchen will be packed FIRST!  And I couldn't believe it, Colleen and Chelsea, when you came back to clean.  We never would have finished today if you hadn't been there!  June - thank you so much for bringing your yummy spareribs -  I knew you could cook!

Finally, thanks especially to my mom, dad and in-laws for all their help.  Truly, I don't know what I'll do the next time we have to move and they aren't right there to help. 

I know each of you have told me that it wasn't a big deal, or that you felt you didn't help that much, but to me it really was a big help and I want you to know how grateful I am!

Words to Live By...

My sister gave me a daily quote calendar for Christmas and some of them so hilarious!  Others are completely weird - let me just say, the woman reads a different bible than I do, because there is no way God actually said what she thinks He said.  But since I usually skip past those psycho quotes, I'll share the funny ones with you.  Here's my current favorite:

"If you want to feel good about your whole day, go into your closet, find your swimsuit and put it on.  Walk out to your bathroom and look in the mirror.  Nothing worse is going to happen to you all day."

Are you laughing?  'Cause I still am!

Moving Day is Approaching Fast!

 I've meant to post about this for a few months, but since I disappeared from the blogging world awhile ago it just never happened. I think most of you may be aware that we are moving to Virginia in a couple of weeks, so this post is really for those of you who don't know :)

Chris' company (the Space Dynamics Lab) contracts with the Naval Research Lab in D.C. so they periodically send people from SDL to work at NRL.  They always ask for volunteers and we first heard about the opportunity right after Chris started working for SDL full time.  We absolutely wanted to go, especially while the kids were still young and it would be easy to move them around.  At the time though, we had just bought our house and we didn't think it would be a possibility, so we told the Lab that we were interested, but maybe in a few years when we could sell our house.

The opportunity came up again early this summer, so Chris checked into it a little more.  After talking with his boss, he realized that we wouldn't have to sell our house to move!  The company would give us a stipend to take care of expenses here and a cost of living adjustment so that we could afford to live in D.C.  After getting more info on the details things happened very quickly.  We said we were interested and they gave us two days to make the decision.  It was already something that we'd talked and prayed about and we knew that at some point we really wanted to go, so we didn't really need any extra time to think about it.

Honestly, I never planned to move this year, but I guess life is what happens while you're making other plans!  It took awhile to get all the details worked out, but things are now falling into place.  Chris and I flew out to Virginia to look for a house in August (an experience I'll post about later), and we'll be living in Lorton.  I'll send out change of address notes to everyone later.  You know, just in case you want to send us a Christmas card ;)

So...now I just have to worry about packing - Chris has done absolutely everything else.  Which is a good thing - if it were left up to me I'm sure I would have forgotten to have the utilities set up or something!  We have some really good friends from our ward, Dax and Stephanie, who are going to be house sitting for us while we're gone.  We're so excited - it worked out perfectly.  They needed a bigger place and we needed someone we trusted to take care of our house until we get back.  Plus, they get to stay in the ward - how great is that?

The moving truck comes tomorrow, so I'm trying to get things done quickly, but I really lack the energy.  This problem has created an addiction to Vanilla Coke.  Yes, I know it isn't healthy, and yes, I know that it's just going to make me chubbier, but at this point...I don't really care!

We're planning to fly rather than drive, so wish us luck with the kids on a 4 hour flight!  It could be worse - I could be driving in this car across the country...

 

Relay for Life

Hi everyone! I do plan to get back into the habit of blogging soon - I'm working on a new design for the blog and some posts - but for now I just wanted to post a quick message about Relay for Life. I'm participating in the event next Friday and Saturday with a team of friends. We've each committed to raising $100 that will go towards cancer research. I can't afford to donate the entire $100 on my own, so I'd like to ask for your help. If you're interested in donating you can follow the link at the bottom of this post and it will take you to my personal page for the Relay; you can donate online there. You don't need to give a lot, you can donate as little as $5 - but every bit helps! My MIL recently had a scare with cancer, luckily she is ok, but it really made me aware of the seriousness of this disease. So, I'm excited to be a part of this cause. I'm also planning to do a Stampin' Up! make and take at our team's campsite which will be on the Quad at USU. I'll be doing this in place of my usual SU Girls' Night Out and all proceeds will go towards my personal goal of $100. Hope to see you there!

The American Cancer Society