Sunday, October 28, 2007

Ello Moto

The title has no real meaning; I just really wanted to write that. So, anyways, on to the blog! My dad got a new video game and Ashton, Aiden, and I LOVE it. Like, just a minute ago, Aiden was BEGGING dad to play it. And, right now, Aiden is telling me,” Kaylee! Kaylee! Dad’s starting!” Well, better go watch him play. Thus ends my first blog. As they say in Australia, g’day!

The Importance of Toast

The big program day finally arrived and everything went very well. If you heard a huge sigh of relief, it was probably me. I was so relieved that I’m sure my “phew” could be heard around the world. Our practice last week didn’t give me a lot of confidence, but the kids were excellent. Inevitably there is one child who won’t say their part or get overly excited to be at the microphone and talk as loudly as they can while almost swallowing the microphone, but all of our children said their parts nicely and the whole thing went very smoothly. We did have a slight incident. I was sitting next to the podium so I could help the kids with their parts, Aiden took this as an invitation to come and talk to me whenever the mood hit. If I hadn’t been up there I’m sure he would have been fine but as it was it was a convenient way to not have to stay in his seat. The first time he came up and whispered something I couldn’t understand so I sent him back to his chair. A minute later he came back to tell me something I still couldn’t understand (at least he was being quiet) so I sternly told him to go back to his seat. Now he was crying as he sat back down. I thought it was because I had sent him back to his seat. When he came back a third time I finally understood what he said to me. I asked him what the problem was and he said, “You said you would make me some toast before we came to church and I didn’t get any.” I wanted to shout, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?! This is the moment you need to discuss this?" After promising to make him some toast when we got home the rest of the meeting went on without further tragedy. Chris said Dalin was being pretty funny, because he could see me on the stand but he just couldn’t figure out how to get to me. Even in his moments of muckus, that kid can be pretty dang cute.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

The Every Day

My everyday has been a little more hectic than usual which is why I haven’t written for a while. That and our primary program that I am in charge of is this Sunday and that is pretty much all I can think about. I think it has scrambled my brain or something because it seems like I cannot complete a thought. A couple of Sundays ago I started walking down the hall at church like three times only to forget what my purpose was. Needless to say I am looking forward to about 10:15 on Sunday morning when it will all be over.

Chris came home from California last Sunday and we are happy to have him here again. He still hasn’t taken his test so he is still in study mode, but it is much better than me being here by myself. He got home a few minutes before the kids and I came home from church, so it was a nice surprise for the kids to walk in and see him. When Dalin saw him he ran towards Chris, so Chris sat down on the floor to give him a hug. Then Dalin stopped and turned like he was going to run away, but instead he backed up so he could sit down on Chris’s lap. It was very cute. Dalin was Chris’s buddy for the rest of the day, which was a good break for me.

We are getting ready for Halloween, and despite my promise to myself that I wouldn’t, I am making costumes again this year. It started because Kaylee wants to be Tinkerbelle, and not only were the costumes like $20, but I couldn’t really find her size. It hasn’t been too bad though, and I’m not making myself nearly as crazy as I have in years past. Ashton is going to be a cowgirl so all I have to do is get a hat and make her a vest. Aiden is going to be Buzz Lightyear and I did buy that costume but we are making a jet pack, and Dalin is going to be Woody, so I just have to find a yellow shirt and make him a vest as well. The party season starts tomorrow though so I have to get everything done tonight. Wish me luck.

I am still fixing up the house to sell, but I am not sure the house I looked at is the one for us. I not in a super hurry any more to get our house on the market, but if that house is still for sell when we are ready then maybe it is meant to be. For now that idea is on the back burner.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

To Buy or Not to Buy

Yesterday I was able to see the inside of the house I mentioned in my last post. There is quite a bit of work that needs to be done, but it’s not trashed like some of the bank owned houses I seen. I think it’s doable, but Chris is in San Jose this week and he hasn’t even seen the house, so we won’t be doing anything yet. This house started out at $319,000 in March and now it’s down to $264,900. I think it’s the third time they’ve lowered the price, but my agent said we could probably even offer $15,000 less than that. It would be a good deal for us, but it makes me very worried about selling my house because it’s definitely not a seller’s market. I have tried to do a little project everyday to get the house ready to sell, as a matter of fact I should be doing something right now since Dalin is napping but this is more fun. It is a very daunting task. It’s mostly cosmetic (cleaning, painting, and purging of useless clutter) but it seems like there is so much. Chris has some days off so maybe it will be better when I’m not doing it al myself, but I have to admit some of the excitement is gone. I’ll keep you posted.

In other goings on, Yes Chris is gone for a week again for certification training. It’s easier than the first time he went on one of these trips, but by no means would I ever want to do it by myself all the time. I miss being able to go somewhere by myself. The kids are really good and they are really helping me out.

I have a couple of funny kid stories to tell since it’s been a while. We were in the car the other day and I can’t remember what the question was that Aiden asked, but Ashton was explaining the answer to him and I was helping. When we were done Aiden said, “I understood better when mom said it Ashton, because you were speaking professional, and you know I don’t understand professional.

Dalin has definitely come to the right family because he is muckus personified. I was doing some work in the front yard on Saturday and he was outside with me, doing a really good job of staying in the yard. I was trying to finish up today and I figured he would be alright out there with me. We were only out there a minute when I looked up and he was on his way down the sidewalk. A few minutes later he thought it was a fun game to run into the street and laugh at me when I would get him and tell him no. Needless to say I didn’t get much yard work done today.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Houses

I go through phases where I really want to move and I will spend hours on the internet looking at houses for sale. I am in that phase right now, and I think Chris just puts up with my excitement because nothing usually comes of it, so I am sharing with you people of the World Wide Web. I actually think the internet is a facilitator of my insanity because I can look at hundreds of homes without leaving my room. I guess there are worse obsessions.

There is a house for sale that is in the area we want to live in and in our price range. The kids wouldn’t even have to change schools. Unfortunately for me I start looking at my own home and I get a little overwhelmed by everything we would have to do to get it ready to sell. Not to mention the fact that the housing market has slowed way down so it could take months to even sell our house. The house I want is bank owned, so I have gone to look in the windows, but you never know what could be lurking in there. It looks like someone bought it to fix up but they ran out of money or something because the walls look like they have new paint and the baseboards look new, but there is no flooring. It is twice the size of our current home and it would be wonderful to actually have some space. We could even have a guest room doesn't kick Aiden out of his bed. I called to set up an appointment to see the inside and I am anxiously awaiting the call back.

The funny thing is that it is in the same neighborhood Chris’s parents lived in when they lived here, and it is actually the same floor plan. The even funnier thing is that I think when Chris’s parents moved they offered to let us take over the payments for their house, but for the life of me I just can’t recall we turned them down. Now nine years later we could get the same kind of house for only double the monthly payment. Ahh, life lessons!

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Kaylee's brush with celebrity

Last week Marc Brown, the author of the Arthur books and co-producer of the Arthur show on PBS, came to town and Chris was nice enough to take Kaylee and Ashton to see him. Mr. Brown’s sister(the inspiration for the character of D.W.) was there as well. At one point while waiting in the two hour line to get Mr. Brown’s autograph, Kaylee decided she had to go to the bathroom. While she was in there who should she run into but D.W. herself! (I don’t remember her real name.) Anyway they talked about how big the crowd was and other small talk which was surprising for me to hear because she is usually pretty shy. It was really very cool for her, and they finally got their books autographed.

Last month I was called to be the first counselor in the primary presidency. I was enjoying the job as secretary, but its okay. I feel like I’m getting to know the kids better, but I feel like I am far from being comfortable in my calling. One of my responsibilities is the sacrament primary program which will be the end of this month. I’m a little stressed out because with general conference this weekend, we only have a couple of weeks to practice, but I’m hoping the angelic faces of the kids overshadow our lack of practices.