Habitations

So my in laws rock. Big time. The girls and I have been settling right in and feeling totally at home here. Teri and Darrol have gone above and beyond to make us feel welcome and like this is our home too. They bought paint to spruce up my room and Olivia's room (I have yet to paint mine, but I plan to do it in the next few weeks).
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Auntie Michelle painted Olivia's room (above) the same color as her old room. They have an abundance of toys and books, the girls haven't even played with all of them yet! The only things we brought were our beds (respectively...or beds and cribs respectively), clothes, toiletries, Woody doll and two Barbies.

Auntie Candice, shortly after painting the jungle room in our old house, painted the nursery room at Teri and Darrols in a Noah's Ark theme. Needless to say Bianca feels quite at home with all the critters to help her to fall asleep at night. Candice is so talented and this is probably my favorite of all the murals she has done (she also whipped up an Under the Sea theme for her daughter's room).

The girls really get a kick out of all the attention that they get from the Mema and Papa. The other day I told Olivia we needed to get home to get Bianca down for a nap and she started crying saying "But I want to go to Mema's house.... I don't want to go home!". Then I explained (yet again) that Mema's house was our new home. Then she said "Oh, Good!". I think it has also really helped the transition that the girls love it here and have not once asked to go to our old home.

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I have my own space of my room that I can retreat to at night if I want down time and I always

know Darrol is down for watching a movie with me if I feel like company. Darrol is like me, a night owl, so we are almost always up til the same time. Tonight we watched Salt together after the girls went to bed.

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Having other adults in the house has helped me to be more prepared about dinners. The girls can get so finicky about food sometimes that it would discourage me from making a roast dinner just for myself. Last week I made a roast dinner (two roasts in the slow cooker to provide meat for two nights), sweet and sour slow cooked pork and BBQ pork (again in the slow cooker). I also baked brownies!
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We still have our busy, busy schedule... which I really love. I like having one outing for the day (sometimes multiple outings!). I have totally been getting into playing more basketball lately and I am loving it! All the sweating from running around and playing basketball at night has been freaking up my pores a little and I am kinda having a pimple breakout. The things you do for the love of the game ;)

Online

As of today I officially have internet at my new place (AKA in-laws). I am so excited!! Be ready for me to get back to blogging my brains out ;)

Withdrawls

The first week in our new place has been going really good. The only frustration has been my lack of internet access, and I have been having some serious withdrawls let me tell you!

My in laws have been wonderfully accommodating and the girls have been transitioning super well. They get so excited when Grandmema and Grandpapa come home from work. I prepared myself for a really rough first week for the girls to get used to it and have been pleasantly surprised. I am not ruling out rough times coming down the pike, but for now I am really enjoying how peaceful everything has been so far.

I probably won't be having consistent internet access for the next little bit so consequently I won't be blogging that many posts, sorry!

Phase One

All my necessities are now moved into the in laws place. AKA my new home. We each have our own room, and for the most part I have everything all set up. This is my little space, my little oasis and I've got to tell ya, it feels really comfy and homey in here.
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Steve (bro in law) also set up my computer for me and I sneaked Teri's air card to upload this post. I can't quite seem to get my speakers to work for some reason, but I will try and have Steve work more of his computer mojo for me tomorrow.
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I am exhausted in every way possible and my bed is calling to me. I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow!

Tornado

I feel like a tornado was whipped through my house. The floor plan of my house is very open and I have always enjoyed having open clean spaces. No clutter, clear counter tops, beds made. Now all my clear space has been eaten up by boxes and bags and stuff everywhere.
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I always have to take a deep breath when I see and tell myself it is only temporary. And it is only temporary 'cause I got to tell ya folks..... our house is SOLD. As in officially is closed today, there is a big old SOLD sign hanging at the end of our driveway. I can't tell you what a relief it is, but yet bittersweet.
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We know that we needed to sell our house, but there will always be a part of me that will mourn for the place that holds all those early memories of the start of our family. I know that we will make memories wherever we go and that a home is something that you carry in your heart, that dwells with you where ever you make it. We had a lot of love here and I believe that love is tangible and has seeped into the walls of this, our first home. That love imprint will always be here, hopefully being added to by the love it will see from the next family to make this a home.
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Tonight will be the last night I sleep here.
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But I know that as I cry while I type this, I will be able to take a piece of this home in my heart with me. I will always remember it and the memories we made here and that speaks peace to me.


But with the sadness that comes with the closing of a chapter I also feel excitement and hope with the opening of another. We have a chance to make a new life for ourselves. Pay off debt and get a good footing for our future. I feel so blessed that we have this opportunity and even though it means living apart for a little while longer I feel so much hope for the road that lays before us.

With all this start of a new year, rebirth and new roads I decided to go for the gusto with my hair. My last trim did wonders for the over all health of my hair, but I decided that all these fresh starts needed a little bit sassier of a Vashti.

So I now have shorter spunky hair! I have the front pieces pinned back today, but it is an inverted bob so it is longer in the front then in the back. So all this Army wife sass is going to bust out this move this weekend, with the help of some very wonderful friends!

Clarification.

Apparently people at church today have thought the following. That either A) I have already moved down to CA (I missed one Sunday because we attended Marcus' parents ward when he was here and another Sunday for taking him back to the airport... which apparently means I have up and moved already) OR that B) My moving on Saturday means moving to CA.
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When I told people that we would still be here (Whatcom County) until at least March-ish, they were either surprised or sad about it.
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So either you are happy that I am still here, or sad that you are stuck with me until then ;) In all seriousness no one really told me that they were sad that I was going to be here longer but it was just was cracking me up to see people do double takes that I was at church. That and then people grabbing me and telling me how much they missed me (thinking I had already been long gone and just came back for a visit).
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All this moving shenanigans is sure keeping me on my toes!

Moving right along.

Thanks to Kaitlyn, who is a packer extraordinaire, half of my house looks like this.

And the other half looks like this!

Finally, FINALLY we are nearing the end of this whole selling our house business. I sign the papers on Tuesday and it closes on Thursday.

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We have been under contract with the buyers since SEPTEMBER, which basically feels like forever to me. They have a government home loan, which basically means moving at a snails pace for every piece of paperwork. But it seems like we are finally reaching the end of this whole saga.

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I feel so blessed that we were able to find buyers period, especially in this economy. I will be putting 99.9% of all our things into storage and the girls and I will be moving in with Marcus' parents. I am so excited to be able to start paying off debt!
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I will be moving out of here on Saturday 15th (one week from today), so if anyone local wants to come and help us out with loading up the truck or cleaning, we will be starting at 9 AM. It should go pretty quick!

Thoughts on a lonely Friday night.

So I have been marinating on something today. In reading status updates (I am a SAHM Mom. Yes blogging and facebook are extremely entertaining to me). I have a friend (well I kinda know her, she lives far away and I haven't seen her physically in a REAL long time). She updates quite frequently, often really funny quips.
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I have noticed that any of her posts that are kid related are either complaining, sarcastic musings of their crazy life. I for the life of me could only find a few that were positive about her kids. Now I don't really talk to her, so I don't know if she is also talking like that to people in person, but just from the status updates (and having not met her kids) I am lead to believe that they are ornery, back talking, lazy you know what's. I also have it on good authority that the kids themselves are very decent. But if I just had limited information (IE facebook) I would think they are holy terrors.
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The thing I have been thinking about is this. When I am talking about my crazy life, how often am I talking about my kids in a good light? Like I am just not talking about facebook and blogging. In my conversations, what would other people think my kids are like by how I talk about them? Crazy hooligans who scream and cry and run through my house like maniacs? Naughty little munchkins always getting into mischief??
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I think it is important to talk about our lives with each other, share our struggles and trials and help each other along. But I also see a difference between sharing a concern or ranting about how naughty so and so was about this or that. It just really made me think that I could be a little more positive in my speech, in all aspects. It is so easy to focus on the negative, but talking about the positive always helps me to feel more positive and that spills over to all areas of my life.
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Going along with the theme of New Years Resolutions, I am going to try a little harder to see my children in a positive light and talk about them in a more positive light.

Movies

I am over at Kaitlyn's (when am I ever NOT here??) and just got done giving the girls bathtime. I went to go turn on the TV to put on a movie for their wind down. The channel that the TV was on was showing the movie the hurt locker and the particular scene that was on right then had a black guy in his ACU's.

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I said "Who is that?" (thinking they would all yell "Army Guy"). But they all yelled out "IT'S MARCUS", in perfect unison no less (well except for Konks because she can't talk yet, but even Isla yelled it out). I was dying, it was so hilarious!

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They were all chanting "Marcus, Marcus!!!", "Let's watch Marcus movie!!". It was only on that channel for all of three minutes, but it was the most hilarious three minutes ever.

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I could see if it was a white guy...but a black guy?? I know he has been gone for a while but I am pretty sure he hasn't been gone THAT long ;)

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Can I just say that it will be brutal when we move? I honestly feel like I have four daughters because I love Blaine and Isla as much as my own.

Oh say can you say?

Grandpa Ed got Olivia these books for her birthday. She is in LOVE with them. To say in love would actually be a gross understatement. He also got her the little Parrot named Hooey as a stuffie.
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The first time I read that book to her went something like this... italicized are my thoughts.
"...I just look in the mirror to see what I say, and then I just say what I see".... great job Ed.
"....so it's much cheaper, you see, to buy boxes for foxes then to fly with a box full of Grox's"..... Ed should have to read her this book every night!
"... there are crack's in my shack and smoke in my stack and a shnack in the sack on my back..." Seriously, ED!!!!
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Those are even the easier ones to say, I would quote the more difficult sections, but Olivia insisted on sleeping with that tongue twister monstrosity (yes I have half the book memorized already)! In all seriousness it is a fun book and my reading skills needed the workout. I can mostly read it at a normal speed with minimal tongue slips and back flips (oh geeze.... it is leaking out unknowingly now...).
As per usual we are reading the favorite of favorite Dr. Seuss books.

Mom! Konka is being naughty with my books!

She wouldn't have that smile on her face if she actually had to read the book. As soon as she learns how to read I fully plan on making HER read it to ME every night and see if HER tongue will end up in Saint Louie!

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The corners of the book are hard and she kept wiggling around when I was reading to her. Then she would go "Ouch Mommie! You hit me with the book!". Then I would tell her that I was sitting still and she was wiggling and it was her wiggling that was making her hit the book. Then she told me. "NO!! Mom!! I AM sitting still!....NO! I am wiggling STILL!". As if you could wiggle but not move at the same time. I tried to explain it to her but she was emphatic that she was wiggling still. The terrible tongue twisters were frying my brain at that point so I just gave up the fight. I just asked her to stop wiggling so still right next to the book.

Big goals, little goals...somewhere in between goals.

I love this time of year and the breath of fresh air it brings. Optimism that with the start of a new year you can revamp things and make you life better.

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Quite often I find myself never achieving the goals that I so confidently set out for, but for at least a month I ride that "I am going to be a new me" high.

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Some of my many goals wandering around in my brain are as follows:

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HEALTH:: I really want to eat more healthily. I was able to lose a b-load of weight last year (New Year's goal that I actually accomplished...like first time EVA!). And for the most part I have maintained that... maybe up 5 or 7 or 10 lbs during the never ending buffet of amazing goodness that surrounds the holidays. So even though my weight has stayed relatively the same, the inches all over have increased since the fall. Who knew eating Ramen noodles EVERY SINGLE DAY could make your stomach bigger by 4 inches?? (That is just on my stomach...also gained inches every where else. The only place that it is welcome is in the boob department---(losing weight = flat as a board.)

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So I don't have drastic things I want to change there... Just incorporate more veggies and fruits (like as in actually eat some during a given day). And probably have my girls eat more of them too. We are on entirely too friendly of terms with Ramen in our house.

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MOMMYHOOD:: Read at least a story each day to the girls. Try to have one on one time with each of them daily.

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WIFEHOOD:: Every time I talk to Marcus I almost ALWAYS start it out with how frustrated I am about something. There are times when it is warranted...there are a lot of times where I could start the conversation in a positive nature instead. So essentially not be so naggy. Or so "woe is me". A little optimism never hurt anybody.

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ME-HOOD:: Try to limit my pretend swear words to "Oh my goodness!" Or "shoot!". Right now they are mostly "frick", "flip", "frack"...just sounds kinda crass. Sounds even worse when you 3 year old starts pretend cussing with them too. Like in a real pretend-cuss word situation.

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ALSO:: Procrastinate a little less. If I feel the urge to call so and so about this or that, or I need to set up that or the other before X date arrives.... JUST DO IT. Don't let it hang over me forever before I actually get off my duff to do it.

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Just a little smattering of all the thoughts running through my head! Hurray for goals!!

Christmas. A Recap.

We had a wonderful Christmas. I love this age of kids because the toys are totally magical and not that expensive. They felt like they won the lottery and it didn't hurt our pocket book. One of their toys was a Doctor kit. Olivia proceeded to administer a physical evaluation on Bianca as soon as we got it out of the box.

Bianca loved the unwrapping and could care less what the item was once the paper was off. I had to be on red alert with her through the whole holidays whenever we were around presents under a tree because she always wanted to demolish them.

We spent the morning hanging out and watching the new movies the girls got (Wall-E and the first Toy Story). Olivia is in love with Toy Story and she has only seen the first two. Right when she opened the first one on Christmas she exclaimed "Yea! Toy Story One!". It was kinda creepy that she knew it was the first in the series when we hadn't even told her about it. Watch a little too much TV??

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After a little bit Grandma Wanda came over and decorated gingerbread cookies with Olivia. We also had a Christmas Party with Teri's side of the family. Those get togethers are always a blast! The whole day was totally perfect!

Flying Solo

These last few weeks flew by crazy fast for me, just like I figured they would. Today was the first day of swinging into our old routines.
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On the way to the airport, Marcus and I both talked about how him leaving was a little bit of a relief. Since the day after Christmas, I could feel a dark cloud hanging over head. No matter how much fun we had, or what kind of magical family time there was, it was always lurking in the back of my mind that it was soon going to be over.
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It built up and built up and by the last day it was a full force typhoon, with all the strong winds and rain manifesting itself into tears that would leak down my face. I am a cry-er by nature. Happy, sad, frustrated, surprised. You name the emotion and I can name a time I have cried with it. So needless to say my already sensitive crying gene busted into over time, and all that weeping and seeping really takes a toll on a lady.
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Anytime that I let the tears fall, it always ended with a reassuring warmth that we are doing what we need to be doing and that would calm my troubled heart. We never were on a real life schedule while he was here, so that feeling that you feel after a vacation, being ready to get back to a routine and normalcy, we both felt it. Which is weird that, for right now, being apart is our new normal. I have no doubts that when we are together again that we can fit back in place like we used to.
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So today I was ready. Ready to do my normal morning routine with the girls. Pancake breakfasts, working out, running errands, tucking their sweet little spirits into bed at night. I know I can do this, which gives me comfort. But I also know just how hard it can be, which makes me a little sad. So I just try not to think about the hard stuff and focus on good stuff. Like when Olivia tells me she sees an "opticopter" flying in the sky. Or her asking me to go to "chicken nuggets house" for lunch (AKA McDonald's).
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My heart aches to be with my Marcus, but I know that I just need to be patient and we will soon be together again. For now skyping with him and listening to him read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to the girls will help fill that void.