Once again, no pictures, but we got our internet set up today and I am back! We all made it to California on Wednesday and straggled through a couple of half-sick moving in days and are now feeling much better. My sweet niece Angie helped me unpack the kitchen and sang Mary Poppins songs to the boys to keep them entertained. My brother-in-law John helped Josh put up all the beds and broke down a ton of boxes. We've been to the grocery store and Target and Josh went to work for a full day yesterday and we are ready to exhale.
If you remember, this house has no bath tub. Right now Josh is giving the boys their first bath in the Rubbermaid bin and it seems to be going well. Sam has learned how to climb out of his crib and has been taking hours to go to bed each night and skipping his naps. He freaks out whenever he can't see Josh and came running and screaming into our bedroom last night at about 3am. He has definitely had the hardest time with this move and I can't wait for him to feel comfortable here. Today when we walked downstairs for breakfast he said, "Sam's house. Michael's house. Daddy's house. Mommy's house." I think he's getting the fact that we won't be leaving here and I hope he'll settle down soon and sleep better.
Josh and I are both well now and feel like although this was a very hard move, we were blessed in so many ways to make it as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. I actually had sunshine the whole way I drove on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which is usually dark and rainy. I had a woman at a rest stop help me keep the boys in the bathroom with me. I got sick at my parent's house and was able to spend the day in bed knowing the boys were happy and in excellent care. Josh got to a hotel in time before he got sick and missed a snow storm in Arizona while he was in the hotel.
There are so many ways we have been blessed. I cannot wait to go to church tomorrow. I feel starved for some spiritual strength. I am sad that it won't be at our old ward but am trying to remember that every ward I have ever loved was once new and unfamiliar. We just had such special experiences in Virginia that it makes it hard to say goodbye to those friends who went through those experiences with us, but we know that life keeeps going and we'll have those kinds of friends here too, eventually.
In the meantime, I am frequently bursting into tears while unpacking and realizing that I have so much space to put things. We can see the moon and stars out of our windows at night. My bedroom and bathroom feels like a bridal suite at the Ritz and the kitchen makes me feel like a cooking princess. I wish all of our friends in little dark apartments in Virigina could move somewhere more affordable and live more comfortably. It's very uplifting and I can tell Josh and the boys love it too.
So, ahh. Exhale. Deep breath and ready to go meet new friends at church tomorrow.
Pictures soon to come as soon as I find the cable to download them! Thanks for all of your encouraging comments. I love you all and the blogosphere!
Soccer Practice
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
California Here We Come
(I can't upload my pictures at my parent's house, so I'll have to add them later.)
Let me just offer you all a piece of advice. Never move across the country in January.
All moves are stressful and end up taking more time than we've planned for them, but this move has turned out to be quite the adventure - and we're only half way there.
Packing was slow-going with the boys, but we managed to get everything done in time. Unfortunately, our truck was a little too small and not all of our things fit on it! I felt like the pioneers who had to lighten their handcart or wagon loads as they approached the mountains. What would we leave behind? The laundry basket, the boys' easel, the boys' small table and chairs, the infant car seat (which a friend will ship to me), and the TV. This was all very disconcerting.
Our helper on our drive across the country is Josh's brother, John. After they finished loading the truck last Wednesday night, John went to bed for about 20 minutes before spending the rest of the night sick in the bathroom. None of us slept very well. Sam wouldn't go to sleep at all until Josh and I were in bed at midnight, so he was set up for a terrible day the next day.
In the morning, John was too sick to leave but the apartment was stripped down. There was no food, no toys, no lamps so the only light was in the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the dining room. I decided that I had better get myself and the boys out of there so at 11am we left home in the minivan by ourselves.
The boys did well watching movies in the van, but the first rest stop was interesting. I didn't take the stroller in because I thought we'd be faster without it and it was very cold outside. The boys were great following me into the rest stop. I carried Michael and Sam walked beside me. I changed their diapers and they played with the air-hand drier. Then it was time to get back into the van. That didn't go so well. They ran around outside, which is fine, except they ran in different directions and I kept loosing sight of one or the other of them and worrying about kidnappers. I carried them both the the van, kicking and screaming all the way. That's how it went for the rest of the rest stops on the trip.
We made it to Columbus, Ohio that night where Josh had reserved us a beautiful room on the 16th floor. They had valet parking and a bell boy and brought up 2 pack and plays for the boys. It was really helpful to just take the boys into the hotel and not worry about the bags. My friend had given me a going away card and slipped a $20 bill in there, which I used to tip everyone.
The pack and plays had extra towels for the boys, baby blankets, and travel-sized Johnson & Johnson baby products in them. I gave the boys a bath and they loved the fancy bathroom. I took a lightening-fast shower myself and came out to find Sam covering his ears with his hands because the radio was on so loud. Michael was sitting in the drawer of the night stand playing with the radio. It was hilarious.
I finally got them both in bed, and then I heard a plop followed by Michael saying, "I did it!" He had learned to climb out of the Pack 'N Play. He eventually fell asleep too, at about 11:00, and we all woke up at 7am. So now the boys and I are feeling pretty tired.
We checked out and got into the van which had been pulled up, loaded with our suitcases, and warmed up for us by the valet parking guys. I drove to McDonalds' for breakfast and after a few minutes of thinking I had a flat tire, I pulled over to check it out. It must have just been rough pavement because the tire was fine. Whew!
We drove to Terra Haute, Indiana (just on the border of Indiana and Illinois) and stopped for lunch at Bob Evans. My parents had driven the 3 hours from St. Louis to Terra Haute and met us for lunch just as I was trying to keep the boys in their high chairs while getting a few bites of lunch for myself.
I drove the last 3 hours with my mom in the van so she could help with the boys. At home, my Dad hurried into the house to turn on all of the Christmas lights for us. It was so welcoming to see the beautiful house with Christmas decorations still up after leaving that dismal, empty, dark apartment.
By now the boys were so tired and so confused. They kept saying "home." They didn't sleep well here and Sam spent most of the day and night crying. He wouldn't sleep in the crib here so I slept on the floor with him all night.
Then, I got sick. I got the stomach flu with a fever just like John had. And, just like the boys had last week. I spent the day in bed yesterday and my parents had to take care of the boys all day long. I kept hearing them say little things or hear their feet running around and them playing toys in the basement. They seemed happier than when I was taking care of them! Tomorrow we will fly to Sacramento with my niece who's coming to help me on the plane.
This morning I feel better but still kind of uncomfortable and Josh is as sick as a dog in a hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona. He and John are driving the moving truck and our van all the way to Sacramento had have to get there by 2pm tomorrow so they can pick us up from the airport. Our flight leaves St. Louis at 7:30 am, which is going to be really hard since they boys aren't napping well and are finally sleeping in a little bit.
Josh was going to arrive in CA today and have the truck unloaded with beds and cribs set up by the time we arrived. Now I don't even know if he's going to make it to the airport to pick us up.
Wish us luck and stay tuned for the next installment!
Let me just offer you all a piece of advice. Never move across the country in January.
All moves are stressful and end up taking more time than we've planned for them, but this move has turned out to be quite the adventure - and we're only half way there.
Packing was slow-going with the boys, but we managed to get everything done in time. Unfortunately, our truck was a little too small and not all of our things fit on it! I felt like the pioneers who had to lighten their handcart or wagon loads as they approached the mountains. What would we leave behind? The laundry basket, the boys' easel, the boys' small table and chairs, the infant car seat (which a friend will ship to me), and the TV. This was all very disconcerting.
Our helper on our drive across the country is Josh's brother, John. After they finished loading the truck last Wednesday night, John went to bed for about 20 minutes before spending the rest of the night sick in the bathroom. None of us slept very well. Sam wouldn't go to sleep at all until Josh and I were in bed at midnight, so he was set up for a terrible day the next day.
In the morning, John was too sick to leave but the apartment was stripped down. There was no food, no toys, no lamps so the only light was in the bathrooms, the kitchen, and the dining room. I decided that I had better get myself and the boys out of there so at 11am we left home in the minivan by ourselves.
The boys did well watching movies in the van, but the first rest stop was interesting. I didn't take the stroller in because I thought we'd be faster without it and it was very cold outside. The boys were great following me into the rest stop. I carried Michael and Sam walked beside me. I changed their diapers and they played with the air-hand drier. Then it was time to get back into the van. That didn't go so well. They ran around outside, which is fine, except they ran in different directions and I kept loosing sight of one or the other of them and worrying about kidnappers. I carried them both the the van, kicking and screaming all the way. That's how it went for the rest of the rest stops on the trip.
We made it to Columbus, Ohio that night where Josh had reserved us a beautiful room on the 16th floor. They had valet parking and a bell boy and brought up 2 pack and plays for the boys. It was really helpful to just take the boys into the hotel and not worry about the bags. My friend had given me a going away card and slipped a $20 bill in there, which I used to tip everyone.
The pack and plays had extra towels for the boys, baby blankets, and travel-sized Johnson & Johnson baby products in them. I gave the boys a bath and they loved the fancy bathroom. I took a lightening-fast shower myself and came out to find Sam covering his ears with his hands because the radio was on so loud. Michael was sitting in the drawer of the night stand playing with the radio. It was hilarious.
I finally got them both in bed, and then I heard a plop followed by Michael saying, "I did it!" He had learned to climb out of the Pack 'N Play. He eventually fell asleep too, at about 11:00, and we all woke up at 7am. So now the boys and I are feeling pretty tired.
We checked out and got into the van which had been pulled up, loaded with our suitcases, and warmed up for us by the valet parking guys. I drove to McDonalds' for breakfast and after a few minutes of thinking I had a flat tire, I pulled over to check it out. It must have just been rough pavement because the tire was fine. Whew!
We drove to Terra Haute, Indiana (just on the border of Indiana and Illinois) and stopped for lunch at Bob Evans. My parents had driven the 3 hours from St. Louis to Terra Haute and met us for lunch just as I was trying to keep the boys in their high chairs while getting a few bites of lunch for myself.
I drove the last 3 hours with my mom in the van so she could help with the boys. At home, my Dad hurried into the house to turn on all of the Christmas lights for us. It was so welcoming to see the beautiful house with Christmas decorations still up after leaving that dismal, empty, dark apartment.
By now the boys were so tired and so confused. They kept saying "home." They didn't sleep well here and Sam spent most of the day and night crying. He wouldn't sleep in the crib here so I slept on the floor with him all night.
Then, I got sick. I got the stomach flu with a fever just like John had. And, just like the boys had last week. I spent the day in bed yesterday and my parents had to take care of the boys all day long. I kept hearing them say little things or hear their feet running around and them playing toys in the basement. They seemed happier than when I was taking care of them! Tomorrow we will fly to Sacramento with my niece who's coming to help me on the plane.
This morning I feel better but still kind of uncomfortable and Josh is as sick as a dog in a hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona. He and John are driving the moving truck and our van all the way to Sacramento had have to get there by 2pm tomorrow so they can pick us up from the airport. Our flight leaves St. Louis at 7:30 am, which is going to be really hard since they boys aren't napping well and are finally sleeping in a little bit.
Josh was going to arrive in CA today and have the truck unloaded with beds and cribs set up by the time we arrived. Now I don't even know if he's going to make it to the airport to pick us up.
Wish us luck and stay tuned for the next installment!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Skipping Christmas
I would post about Christmas, but I'm getting ready to move in 2 days and Michael and Sam spent the last 24 hrs throwing up. I'll have to do it later.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
My First Last Thing
Wednesday was my last dance class in Virginia. Maybe my last dance class for a long time. I danced from age 10 through high school, then not at all until we moved here six years ago and I found out a woman in our ward taught lessons in her basement studio. She studied at the University of Utah and in New York with some very famous choreographers and she's taught me so much. I have looked forward to going each week to be with other ladies who needed to unwind in a creative way. It kept me in a little bit of shape and kept my knee from hurting. It helped me relax and get my mind off of whatever was stressing me out at the moment, be it work or babies. It let me have a moment of beauty in a week of labor. I loved it and I will miss it.
Until this year we were doing ballet, I even went back on pointe for a year or two, but this year we wanted to let our hair down a little bit more and not have such a strict discipline. So, she taught us some lyrical dance. We practiced making our movements fluid instead of percussive movements like in ballet. We practiced moving our centers of balance around and stretching a movement out as long as possible before moving into the next step. The goal was to have the dance look like one long movement, not a series of steps.
Here's what we accomplished.
Until this year we were doing ballet, I even went back on pointe for a year or two, but this year we wanted to let our hair down a little bit more and not have such a strict discipline. So, she taught us some lyrical dance. We practiced making our movements fluid instead of percussive movements like in ballet. We practiced moving our centers of balance around and stretching a movement out as long as possible before moving into the next step. The goal was to have the dance look like one long movement, not a series of steps.
Here's what we accomplished.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Birthday Time Again
Last Friday Michael and Sam turned 2! They were so excited for their birthday's since they can understand a little better what it is this year. Michael has a favorite book where a horse has a birthday party with party hats and a cake so he was mostly excited about the birthday cake!
We had a few of their little friends over for grilled cheese (soup for the moms) and cupcakes. I bought helium balloons which kept them happy while I made lunch. Josh got to stop in for a few minutes and see them blow out their candles.
The post-chocolate cupcake activity was climbing up, across, and down our couch. They were laughing hysterically! I had to apologize to this little girls' mother, who wasn't at the party, and hope she doesn't start doing it at home.
That night we had more cake after dinner, and then opened presents. Sam blew out his own candle! It's pretty cute.
We got them some books and a train set. They are fascinated with it and love taking it apart, which is frustrating because they never put it back together. Grandma and Grandpa sent flashlights and we had a fun night playing and dancing around and singing "Happy Birthday" a million times.
When we had leftover birthday cake the next night, Michael made us sing "Happy Birthday" again before we could eat it. He loves it! The other day I told him that we have Christmas to celebrate Jesus' birthday. He got mad and said, "No! My birthday cake!" I think we have some more work to do explaining this whole thing.
They boys are so much fun and so interactive. They communicate so well and play together and with us and melt our hearts everyday. They have tantrums now and then, but it's all so much better than when all they could do was cry, and cry, and cry. Now we play, sing, dance, laugh, hug, read, and snuggle.
We told them we're moving all of our things to our new house in California and they are beginning to understand that all of the things we put into boxes will be coming with us. The new house has a fireplace, a staircase, and a backyard (all things we haven't had here), and they're getting excited about it.
Next year when they turn 3 they'll be California boys!
We had a few of their little friends over for grilled cheese (soup for the moms) and cupcakes. I bought helium balloons which kept them happy while I made lunch. Josh got to stop in for a few minutes and see them blow out their candles. 
The post-chocolate cupcake activity was climbing up, across, and down our couch. They were laughing hysterically! I had to apologize to this little girls' mother, who wasn't at the party, and hope she doesn't start doing it at home.
That night we had more cake after dinner, and then opened presents. Sam blew out his own candle! It's pretty cute. We got them some books and a train set. They are fascinated with it and love taking it apart, which is frustrating because they never put it back together. Grandma and Grandpa sent flashlights and we had a fun night playing and dancing around and singing "Happy Birthday" a million times.
When we had leftover birthday cake the next night, Michael made us sing "Happy Birthday" again before we could eat it. He loves it! The other day I told him that we have Christmas to celebrate Jesus' birthday. He got mad and said, "No! My birthday cake!" I think we have some more work to do explaining this whole thing.
They boys are so much fun and so interactive. They communicate so well and play together and with us and melt our hearts everyday. They have tantrums now and then, but it's all so much better than when all they could do was cry, and cry, and cry. Now we play, sing, dance, laugh, hug, read, and snuggle.
We told them we're moving all of our things to our new house in California and they are beginning to understand that all of the things we put into boxes will be coming with us. The new house has a fireplace, a staircase, and a backyard (all things we haven't had here), and they're getting excited about it.
Next year when they turn 3 they'll be California boys!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sabotage
Today I tried to have a healthy lunch but my efforts were sabotaged. I made myself a yummy pita stuffed with vegetable hummus, cucumber, and tuna and gave the boys grilled cheese on wheat, pan-fried hot dogs, and grapes. Sam took one bite of his hot dog, said yuck, and spit it out. He ate half of his grilled cheese and they handed it to me saying, "Mommy eat it."Since I was afraid he wouldn't take a good nap if he didn't eat something and I was too tired to make him something else, I handed him my sandwich and asked him to try it.
He loved it. He ate the whole thing.
And I . . . got to eat cold hot dog bites. Thanks Sam!
I know I should be grateful he prefers fresh food over salty, fattening, nitrate-filled preserved mystery meat. I guess I need to stock up on hummus instead of hot dogs on my next trip to Cost*co.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Just Say No to Cement
I don't think this will fulfill my dream of having a backyard for the boys to play in. We're looking and looking and looking for a rental home in Sacramento. Some of them look so nice, until we see the picture of the backyard. "Maintenance free" they say. I say "fun free" in the 110 degree summers. Where is the grass? I thought the water shortages were only in southern California.
I heard today at the boys playgroup that it's against the law in Virginia to let your kids play in your yard unless you're out there supervising them. Isn't that the point of having a backyard? How are moms expected to get anything done if you can't plop your kids in front of the TV because it kill brain cells and leads to obesity, and you can't let them exercise by running and playing outside? I think it's a conspiracy to get kids into day care. Where is the support for the stay at home mom?
In other news, no picture, Michael rode a tricycle at playgroup today. I was cheering like crazy! He loved it and Santa has been advised that both he and Sam would like starter tricycles for Christmas this year! Anyone know of any 2 for the price of 1 deals on trikes? Oh to only need to buy one bike and then hand it down to the younger kids. Not for me. Oh well, as I always say, two at once is better than zero!!! Much, much better.
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