Evie's Birthday

We had a wonderful weekend visiting family. We drove down Saturday after I got off work and stayed the night with my mom. Melody made some boats out of paper and popscicle sticks and we went to a local park Sunday morning to float them down the stream. The kids weren't sure what was going on but had fun following us adults chasing after the boats.

We actually caught them all in one picture!

We then went to Dwayne's parents house for a family potluck and a birthday party for Evie. If you can't tell by the decorations.......Dora was the theme for today.

She got her very own Dora kitchen!

And all the accessories to go with it.

Tired after a long and fun weekend.

Sam pretty much stayed drowsy-eyed the whole rest of the day. I guess that is what happens when you stay up 4 hours past your bedtime and then party hard the next day. LOL

Stars

I got home last night after a good evening at work and for some reason felt compelled to look at the sky. I opened my mouth in amazement at what I saw. There were stars all over the place twinkling at me with the big dipper big and bright. I can't remember the last time I just sat and looked at the stars. We usually have lived in a city where the city lights drown out all but the brightest stars or because we live in the great Northwest it is overcast probably 75% of the year so I couldn't see the stars anyway. So it isn't my habit to look up into the sky. I'm not sure what compelled me last night but it was so beautiful. We do live in a small town so there were a few lights prevening me from seeing them as well as I would like but it was gorgeous none-the-less. One thing that I hadn't noticed before is the big dipper is bigger and lower on the horizon up here. I wouldn't think that two hours north would make that big a difference in the sky but it does. I'm also thinking it is the season too. I don't usually get to see the constellations so clearly in the fall. Seeing all the stars was a great reminder of God's wondrous works. So next time you get clear skies take a moment to look at the stars. They sure are pretty.

First Day

Last night was my first day on the job. I think it went really well. It was freight day at the store so I pretty much was dumped right into the job of putting all the new stuff on the shelves. They figured it was a good way to learn the product and they were right! I already have a general sense of where most things can be found. I was shown the basics of the cash register but was unable to actually do anything on it because they don't have my passcodes ready. But they did have enough processed that I could sign in and out. I'm only earning minimum wage but since Washington has the highest min. wage in the country it isn't too bad. I worked up a sweat and thoroughly stank by the end of the evening. My feet, knees, and back hurt from all the lifting and just the fact that I was on my feet for 4 straight hours. But you know what? I'm really happy. I've forgotten how much I enjoy working (depending on what it is) and how lonely I have been. It was fun interacting with other adults and putting product out on the floor is just my cup of tea. I love the smell of new books and organizing things. (Now I know where Sam gets his organizing instinct from.) I get to go back tonight and then have a couple evenings off before the weekend. I think the hours will work out perfect. Just when I might be getting tired of working I'll get a couple days free and clear before the next round. I found out I get a crazy awesome discount too just in time for Christmas. 20% at first and then 40%! after 3 months. I'm excited that I get to surround myself in Christian authors and items. After one evening I've already got an appreciation for the variety of authors and items available that can appeal to all different types of people. I'm looking forward to learning more.

Spring Cleaning in the Fall

Yesterday we did some regular cleaning and then relaxing the rest of the day. That evening we had to serve at church. We managed to grab some dinner and came home to a relaxing evening. Today has been another story. I got an extremely good night's sleep so I decided it was time to go through all the kids' toys, books, etc. We cleaned every corner, pulled blocks and puzzle pieces out of every nook and cranny and put all the toys to rights. If it was broke and wouldn't/couldn't be put together again easily it went in the garbage. We even convinced Sam to give his large collection of Toddler size soft cars to all the "babies" at church. We promised him he would be getting all kinds of Hot Wheels soon to make up for all the lost cars he was donating to church. I even took the time to go through all the kids' clothes and get rid of things torn, stained, or getting small. Then I went through all their clothes in storage and pulled out their next sizes and just cleaned up things in general. It felt so good to be purging all the stuff. Especially since we have been warned by Dianne that for Evie's birthday this weekend she would be getting a small kitchen with all the accessories that go with it. We needed the space for new toys.

But I wasn't done there. Once the kids' rooms were purged and cleaned up I decided to change up things in the living room and kitchen. I had my sewing and craft stuff in the living room and the small dining table in the nook in the kitchen. We decided to switch the two areas. So now our dining table is in a section of the living room and all my sewing and craft things are in the nook in the kitchen. I think it will work out so much better and the living room feels less cluttered. I'm now taking a break but I need to go through all my school and sewing stuff and get those areas cleaned up. Maybe this afternoon. We'll see how I feel after a break and Evie wakes up from her nap.

I got it!

I got a call yesterday afternoon as I was getting ready to go to my interview to find out that the managers were running late coming from Oregon and could we postpone my interview to 7:00? I was a little dissapointed because it was one more delay from a final decision but actually it would work out better. Dwayne wouldn't have to come home early and I would have time to get the dinner on the table.

Finally the appointed time came and I went down to the restaurant they wanted to interview me at. To make a long story short, the interview went extremely well and at the end of it they officially offered me the position. I was so relieved I started crying. Luckily, the ladies were very nice and understanding. It is such an answer to prayers. They are even willing to stick me with only evenings and weekends so I can stay home with the kids. The evening shift starts at 3:30 or 4:oo so we will have to figure out babysitting for an hour or two once or twice a week but so far, Dwayne's boss seems ok with the idea of Dwayne flexing his hours a little so he can come home to watch the kids. That would be the ideal situation and I hope we can do that long term. The store closes at 8 pm so I can still come home and spend a little time with Dwayne before bedtime. The hours will even allow me to continue with my desire to homeschool the kids. It is so perfect I can hardly believe it.

Thank you to everyone for your support these past few months and all of your prayers. I definately felt God's hand on this one and know it was with all of your help. I look forward to writing about more cheerful things in the future instead of posts full of worry and problems.

Interviews

Well I passed the second interview phase. The manager called me on the phone two hours after the scheduled time but hey, at least she called. She then asked me formal interview questions over the phone. I feel like I answered them well because she seemed pretty excited about some of my responses. When it was all over she then informed me that I still had to do a couple more things before a decision could be made. I had to have yet another interview. This one in person with the regional manager. Apparently, the local managers cannot make the final hiring decisions and I would need to make it down to the store again before the next interview to fill out an official application. So far, they have just been working off my resume.

Yesterday afternoon I received a phone call that my interview would be scheduled for today at 4:30 pm. But get this. I won't be just meeting the local and regional manager for the interview. The owner of the company is also in town and he will be joining the interview panel. I have never worked so hard for a minimum wage job in my life! Talk about sending people through the gauntlet. I went in last night after Dwayne got home to fill out the application and met a couple more employees. I asked the question on if they knew of any other applicants and they said no. I was the only one that they knew of. Woo hoo! So as long as I don't screw up the interview in some crazy way this afternoon it sounds like the job is mine. I really hope this is the final hurdle and I can start working soon.

Busy Busy

I just realized that another week has passed and I haven't written anything on the blog. What have I been doing this past week? Pretty much the same ole same ole. Whenever I'm not cleaning house, playing with the kids, making dinner, or playing on the computer, I've been checking ads for jobs. I've even started to venture my explorations to daytime work in the hopes that if that is what is supposed to happen in our lives then God will provide an awesome daycare for the kids. So far I've had no hits and I've been having a hard time with it. I want to have faith that God will provide and I know he does because we have been living on his provision for the last couple of years but I'm tired of being gracious and humble when accepting everyone's charity. I know this is just a season but I'm hitting a low point. Don't worry though. I tend to bounce out of these moments pretty quickly and will be my positive self again soon.

Friday morning I was checking jobs again and decided to do some blind calling at the outlet mall in Centralia. Of course, everyone was not hiring at the moment but would be happy to accept an application on file. One store said that they will be hiring holiday help in a couple of weeks. The last place I called was the Christian Supply store. (Don't ask me why it wasn't the first. I have no clue how my brain was working that day.) I was shocked when she said that they were in fact looking for some evening and weekend work. Could this be the answer to our prayers? They don't accept applications but would only take a resume in person so they can meet potential applicants face to face. She would be there until 3pm that day. I got extremely excited and wracked my brain trying to figure out what to do with my kids. I then remembered my new friend. I had done a favor previously and she owed me one so to speak. I called her up and she was available to watch the kids for me. Woo hoo! I got dressed up as if I was heading to an interview (because I was in a way), printed out my resume, and dropped off the kids at my girlfriend's house.

Driving down to Centralia I was praying that this is finally the answer to our prayers and His will be done. When I got there the gal I was supposed to talk to was busy gossiping with a friend at the counter. I wandered the aisles for about 1/2 an hour trying to catch her eye. I finally was getting ready to be a little rude when she noticed I was hanging around. Her friend left and we got to talking. She looked over my resume and we talked about the different things she was looking for, what I was looking for in a job, etc. By the end of the pre-interview I felt like the job was mine we just had to go through the formalities. She told me she would call me on Monday morning with information for a website questionaire I would be required to fill out and a more official interview over the phone. Now the waiting.

Saturday we cleaned up the house, especially the bathrooms as they were over due for a scrubdown. Sunday I woke up and decided we should say heck with the gas conservation and go to the beach. Sam has been asking all summer to go to the beach and it was supposed to be a decent day weather wise so I said "Let's go!" I packed a picnic lunch, grabbed the extra clothes and sunblock and we headed out. We decided to visit a new beach this time and found one that we really liked. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't as nice as it was at home and I forgot to pack sweaters. We decided to risk getting cold anyway since we drove all that way. I grabbed the sand toys and away we went.

Evie after a couple hours of playing in the sand. A little off-center but a good one to show off her beautiful hazel eyes.

Sam's sand castle.

Within a half an hour the beach warmed up a couple degrees. It was just enough to keep off the worst of the chill so we could enjoy ourselves. I ran out to the water with the kids cause they wanted to play. Sam got splashed just a little and decided he didn't want anything to do with the water the whole rest of the visit. Evie however, couldn't get enough of it. The water was warm (considering you are on the NW coast) and her and I chased the waves for a good long time. I finally decided that she had missed enough of her nap and the kids (and Momma) were sufficiently worn out. We headed back to the car to change out of our wet and sandy clothes and headed home. It was a really good day and just what this family needed.

This morning I woke up a little nervous and anxiously awaited my expected phone call. By 1pm I still hadn't heard from her so I took the initiative and called her myself. She told me that she hadn't forgotten about me she was just extremely busy that day and hadn't had a chance to call her boss to get the information she needed to pass on to me. She told me that she would call me right back. I did not hear from her the rest of the day. So now I sit here extremely anxious and trying very hard not to be pessimistic. She did sound busy and positive that we were still moving forward. Now I just have to try not to let my brain get in the way and try to practice patience. If I get this position it will answer all the prayers we have. I will get to work evenings and weekends and only be schedule 3 or 4 days a week. This will allow me time to still keep my house and homeschool my kids while bringing in that extra little bit of income we need to be more comfortable. Please pray that God will bring resolution quickly one way or another. I think waiting is the hardest for me. I see a small direction or ray of light and I move forward full speed ahead. I will let everyone know what happens as soon as I do. Thanks everyone for your prayer and moral support during this time.

Labor Day

What an exhausting few days! Early last week Talia and I were talking about our plans for Labor Day weekend. She had mentioned that they were going back to Idaho to rent a truck and try and get as much of their stuff as they could back that weekend. I told her that Dwayne was taking Thursday and Friday off and we were going to have a "staycation" because we didn't have any money to go anywhere. She was quiet for a few seconds and then asked if we wanted to go to Idaho to help her and Jacob move. After talking with Dwayne and doing some last minute scrambling to have Melody watch the kids, we decided that yes we would go and help them. We drove down to Oregon immediately after work on Wednesday night and got to my mom's around 8:30 pm. We tried to immediately put the kids to bed and then woke up early to meet Talia and Jacob at my aunt and uncle's house.

After an extremely long drive we started to work on packing up their house Thursday evening. We did take a small break to have a spaghetti dinner with Patrick and Kayla and then went back to work packing. We got a large chunk done that evening and we all crawled into bed tired. Friday morning we went out to breakfast while we waited for the truck rental place to open and then immediately started back working on packing the truck. I can't believe Talia and Jacob were going to try and move all their furniture alone. It would have taken them so long. I'm so grateful Dwayne was their to help with the heavy stuff. The moving truck and their Durango was packed as tight as it could get but we were able to (just barely) empty their house. About half way through the day, Jacob decided that we were making good time and that we should just go for broke and try to get everything done that day and head home that night rather than waiting to leave for the next morning. We all agreed that it would be nice to sleep in in the morning.

After a quick trip to their storage unit to shuffle a few things around, we were finally on the road. It was a long trip home. Talia and I entertained ourselves by talking about anything and everything and cranking up the music and bouncing down the road. We finally rolled into Sheri and Chuck's house at around 2:30 am and crawling into our beds at 3 am. Right about that time, all the soda I was drinking to help keep me awake started wanting to exit my system. So I was up at least 3 times between 3 am and 7:30 am going to the bathroom. At 7:30 am, I finally gave up trying to sleep anymore and got up for the day. After getting the truck moved so we could grab our vehicle we went over to my mom's house to get the kids.

This was the first time that we have been gone overnight without the kids. I think we all did really well considering. Evie had a few rough moments but overall did really well. Sam was his usual easy-going self. I missed them terribly. We brought them back over so everyone could see them since it had been so long. Our original plan was to stay the night Saturday night but we decided we really wanted to get home and sleep in our own beds. Dwayne helped them out the rest of the afternoon unloading the truck. Chuck ended up giving us two feed bags worth of corn on the cob from his garden and a box of apples. Tiffani offered us some dinner to help so we wouldn't have to pay for dinner on the way home. So after a brief stop at her house we finally got on the road back to Olympia around 7 pm. Evie and Sam both fell asleep in the van on the way home and we got everyone into bed about 10 pm.

Sunday we spent the morning unpacking and doing laundry. We then tackled the feed bags of corn. I knew that if I didn't deal with it immediately, I would procrastinate and then the corn would be ruined by the time I took care of it. So with Dwayne's help we shucked, blanched, and cut the corn. We then put it into freezer bags. Of course, after we got started I realized that I was out of quart-size freezer bags and only had 3 gallon size baggies left. So we crammed as much corn as we could into the last 3 gallon size bags we had and only had a little left over. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough money until Friday to go and get freezer bags. So we made do with what we had. Dwayne and I made a dinner of just corn on the cob that night and went to bed feeling like we got a lot accomplished.

Yesterday, we spent the morning cleaning up the living room and doing a few misc. chores. We then finally spent the afternoon just relaxing and enjoying a well-deserved afternoon of rest. I'm glad we were able to help Talia and Jacob. I don't know how they would have done it by themselves. They will need to take at least one more trip up to Idaho to empty out their storage unit but we can officially say they are back in Oregon. Jacob has found a job and things are looking up. I hope and pray they can get back on their feet again soon.

Out of town

We are going to be out of town starting tonight until Sunday sometime. Dwayne took several days off around Labor Day and we were going to stay home and have a "staycation." But Talia heard that we had the time off anyway so we have decided to leave the kids with my mom and sister and drive out to Idaho with them to help them pack and move back to Oregon. We wouldn't have been able to do it but the offered to front the cost of food and gas since we were willing to go and help them.

I'm actually looking forward to it. I'll get to see my cousin Kayla for a few hours since they are heading out of town themselves. This will also be the first time I've ever left the kids overnight anywhere. I'm a little nervous but I know they will be fine. It's just another hurdle in my mommy mode I have to overcome. It is so hard to let go. Even though we will be working for a couple of days it will still be kind of nice not having them underfoot every second. I haven't had that in a very long time. I know I'll be ready to see them again on Saturday and will miss them terribly.

To Work or Not to Work

Well, Dwayne and I have been doing a lot of talking, praying and thinking the last few days. We are trying to figure out what the best path would be for our family and which direction God is leading us. A large majority of this decision making is our financial situation. I had put several applications out and did follow-up calling at retail places to try and get an evening or weekend job but those are not panning out. Most of my experience is an office and administrative environment. The stores tell me that they get so many applications that they can pick and choose who they want. Preferably with someone already experienced in retail. So that has set my brain to thinking about possibly putting the children in daycare/preschool and working during the day. If I did that then there is a good possibility that they would also attend public school rather than me homeschooling them.

I'm not going to go into all the reasons and pros/cons of either direction in this blog. It would take too long and some of it is quite personal. Let us just say that we have decided to go ahead and let me put my application out at a few places to see if we get any hits. I've already placed my application in the state employment pool and found a specific position that would be part-time. An 11-4 or another position with the hours negotiable. This would be perfect because if I did put the kids in public school, if I was able to negotiate my hours for a 9-2:30 for example, I could still be available to get them to school and pick them up in the afternoon and be able to attend any events or activities they may want to be in. That would be the miraculous answer to prayers. So please pray for guidance and that God would open the doors for us if this is the direction we are supposed to go in.

Cat Tree

I'm so proud of myself. I browsed Craigslist this morning because I was bored. My online game was down for maitenance and I had to find something to do with my time. Well, I found a 5 1/2 ft. cat tree for only $10. I called the lady and she still had it. So I loaded up the kids and went and grabbed it. The kittens have been driving me crazy with their need to climb and we don't have anything for them to sharpen their claws on. So far it seems to be a hit. They have been running all over it since I brought it home. Especially Shadow.

The Leapster we got for Sam seems to be a source of frustration for him. He has easily started to figure out and master the games but the touch screen has been well used and is not responding very easily. I finally had to take it away from him because he was just screaming and tears running down his face because the he couldnt' grab the puzzle pieces like he was supposed to. I sat and played it a little too just to make sure that it wasn't him and I had a heck of time getting it to work also. The games that use the buttons work just fine but the ones that require the touch screen are just not working right. Whoever had it before used it well. And of course, Sam mostly wants to play the games that require the screen. So I've put it away for now and will let him have a small break from it. Next time we get a little money I'll probably just invest in a new Leapster for him so he can play the games like he wants to.

Autumn Already?

I woke up this morning to a cold floor and fog outside. I had to put on socks for the first time all summer because my floor was so cold. I even debated throwing the heat on for a few minutes just to break the chill. I instead closed all the windows and threw on some socks. It is hard to believe that summer is already almost over. I should have realized it was coming with all the back to school sales going on but I guess it just didn't click. I'm happy though. I think autumn is my favorite season. I love the crisp air, big full yellow moons, and crunchy leaves. I also love the bounty of the harvest and picking pumpkins with the kids. After getting over the initial shock of waking up cold I kind of got excited. Fall is on its way!

In other news, we have been busy with Dwayne's parents coming up to see us this past weekend. Dianne came with a car full of gifts for the kids and also a box of food. We were extremely blessed and it couldn't have come at a better time. The kids were busy the whole weekend playing with their new cars, color books, stuffed animals, and jewelry. However, she also brought a bunny that sings, wiggles, and hops. It was extremely cute the first hour. The 2nd and 3rd hours? Not so much. We finally had to hide it away for a little bit because Sam was loving it a little too much. LOL.

Saturday we woke up and decided to do a family trip to Wal-Mart. They had also given us a little cash. We debated on whether we should throw it straight onto a bill or use it to buy those misc. things we never seem able to afford. Things like batteries for the flashlights, some bee spray to kill the yellow jackets and hornets nesting near our house, etc. We decided to use it for misc. stuff. Dianne had noticed that the grade school down the road was hosting a garage sale to raise money for the local high school football team. We decided to swing in there first. There wasn't much that we had to have. I picked up a couple books and we found a few shirts for Sam but most of the stuff looked pretty picked over already. I did spot a Leapster on the table and took a look at it. It was in great condition, in a case, and when I opened the case realized there were 5 games in the pack. I tried turning it on and it didn't work. I figured it probably just needed batteries. I then looked for a price. Everything on the table was labeled as being sold for $1.00. What! That couldn't be right, could it? We asked the lady if it worked and she didn't know. And we asked that they were sure that it was only $1. She said yes. Dianne and I looked at each other and snagged it up real fast. We figured if it didn't work then it was only $1 and not much money wasted. If nothing else, I could probably turn around and sell the games on Craigslist for much more than we paid. We went to Wal-Mart and grabbed some batteries and went ahead and picked up an adapter also for $10 for it. I figured I could return it if it wasn't needed and the Leapster didn't work. On the drive home, I heard Dianne and Dwayne fiddling with it in the backseat and all of a sudden we heard the chime of a video game ring through the car. It works! It works perfectly and Sam is already starting to figure out a few of the games. I don't think I will ever find a deal as good every again. But at least I can say that I had one of those miracle garage sale finds. We got about $150 worth of equipment and games for $1. So if you guys run into any Leapster games for real cheap or have some you don't use anymore keep me in mind. :)

Yesterday Dianne and Terry left early to head home. After Evie took her nap, we decided to take the kids to the park and let them play at the playground. It was a perfect Sunday afternoon. The sun was out but it wasn't too hot. Only about 72 or 73. It was warm enough not to need sweaters but cool enough to run around without getting too hot or sweaty. The kids started out on the slide but they they saw the swings. After that it was all over. They did not want to get off the swings. Especially Evie. They spent about 30-45 minutes just swinging on the swings. I finally forced Sam to come with Mommy and check out some of the other equipment. Evie wasn't having it though. She started to throw a fit if forced to get off the swing. After about another 15-20 minutes we finally forced Evie to get off so some other kids would have a chance to use the swings. Well, she completely lost it and we couldn't distract her so that was the end of the park trip. We came home and had clam fettuccine for dinner. It was a wonderful weekend and we had a great visit.

Sister's Visit

Melody came up and has been visiting us since this past Wednesday. It has been fun having her and Aiden here. The kids have been behaving really well considering we have 3 kids 3 and under trying to share and play. We have been spending a lot of time lazing around the house because the weather has been quite a bit cooler lately. We finally got out of the house and did a few things yesterday. Dwayne and I started the morning going grocery shopping with just Evie while Melody stayed home with the boys. I enjoyed that a lot. We have never gone anywhere with just Evie. We usually have Sam with us or she is going somewhere with just one of us. It was a little strange but I can tell she reveled in the one on one attention from both Mommy and Daddy. It is amazing how well-behaved my kids are when they aren't with their sibling antagonizing each other.

When we got back we had a quick lunch and put Aiden and Evie down for their naps and then I wisked Melody away to a quick trip to Wolf Haven. I still had a couple of passes left from the birthday sponsorship they gave me. This was a better day to go since it was so much cooler. We got to see all the wolves. I've attached a couple pictures so you can see. Our tour guide was young though and not as good as the tour I had taken with Mom a month ago.

We finished the day going to church. Dwayne and I were slated to serve and they were also offering free pizza after church for all the helpers in children's ministry. I am so grateful Melody decided to stay and help in the class because we ended up having 16 2 and 3 year olds. It was a little overwhelming. We then stayed up way too late playing MapleStory together.

She is planning on going home today. It has been a great visit and I will miss her and Aiden when they leave.

She's Trained

Well Evie seems to be pretty much trained already. She is even telling us she has to go when she is wearing the Pull-Ups. She doesn't stay dry overnight yet and I'm sure we'll have a few accidents here and there but I would say she is pretty much trained. I think I'll be introducing her to the big toilet sooner than later as I hate cleaning the little potty. If she finishes out this week doing as well as she is then I will do that. I'll hang on to the potty seat and leave it in the van for those emergency stops when there just isn't a restroom handy. We had to pull over to the side of the road a couple of times for Sam when he was just learning since they tend to wait until the last minute to tell you they have to go.

Life has calmed down since the washer fiasco. I've just been working on cleaning up a little to get ready for Melody's visit. She has most of August off since she works for the school district. So her and Aiden are going to come stay with us for 4 or 5 days starting tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope the weather clears a little though as we have had rain for the past two days and the kids are starting to drive me crazy by being cooped up in the house.

Broken Washing Machine

We have been extremely busy the last couple of days. Thursday I went to run a load of laundry and found that our beautiful expensive front-loading washer was not spinning. I didn't smell any burned rubber or see any smoke, the motor seemed to be running just fine and was draining water, etc. The only thing that seemed to be wrong was the drum wasn't spinning. Dwayne came home and took a look at the machine and found that the belt was off the track and had a melted spot where it was rubbing wrong. Now I am in the middle of potty training Evie so having a washing machine was a must. I can't imagine trying to wash clothes in the sink with as many towels and panties I was going through. So Friday, I spent the morning calling around to every appliance place I could trying to find the belt. It turns out that this belt is a little difficult to come by and to top it all off it was running $50-$60. We were so downhearted because we didn't have that kind of money. We didn't even have enough on a credit card to cover it. Well, Dwayne made a call to his parents and they were kind enough to give us some money. They were more than generous and I can't thank them enough. I was in tears. I hate being stuck in that kind of situation.

I finally found someone who had the belt we needed but they were located in Tacoma. Dwayne agreed to take the afternoon off and go up and get the belt. I was excited. That meant I could have my washer back! I have been so busy making sure Evie's clothes and the towels were washed that I had forgotten that Sam was needing clothes too. I had just put in a load of his laundry when the washer broke. He has had to go without underwear for 3 days now. Dwayne gave me a call when he was in Tacoma. Apparently he was lost. With all the construction going on in the area, the map directions he was using wasn't entirely accurate. After pulling up the map on the computer and guiding him to where he needed to be, he was able to grab the belt and some dinner and was on his way home.

Traffic was bad but he finally made it. After eating something he dived right into trying to get the belt put back on. After some frustrating attempts he told me the problem and I got online to do some research. We finally came to the conclusion that it wasn't just a belt but there was a bearing that had gone bad as well. The repairmen we talked to about advice on this problem told us that he thought our conclusions were correct and it would be a very expensive repair. Anywhere starting from $400-$600. Most technicians won't do it and tell you to just scrap the washer. Dwayne was so upset that was complaining to the ladies in line at the grocery store when I sent him for milk. It turns out the lady in line behind him had a washer they were trying to get rid of for only $25. What a Godsend.

This morning we woke up with a purpose of trying to get rid of our broken washer and get a replacement soon. Our laundry situation was getting desperate. I made some phone calls to a couple places that I knew took old washers. Neither place would really give us anything for it but were willing to take it off our hands. So we had a place to dump it. Dwayne tried calling the lady he ran into at the grocery store but she didn't answer. We decided to make a run to Tacoma to return the now useless belt and hoped that we would get a return call soon. We were expecting to lose about 20% of the cost of the belt as a restocking fee but after the guy heard our story he refunded the entire cost of the belt. He also told us that they are finding that front-loading washers are not the great deal everyone thought they were several years ago. They seem to be lasting about 5 years before the bearings are wearing out and the way they are built makes it so it is not an easy or cheap repair. Needless to say we will never be buying one again.

The lady called us back right as we were getting close to home. She would be home all day and we could come over any time to look at it. We popped right over and it looked good. It is a very basic machine but that is all I need right now to get the clothes clean. It was clean with no major defects or rust that we could see. We had their guarantee that it ran real well so we paid the $25 and took it home. We then loaded up the big monster that looked really pretty but didn't work worth a darn and Dwayne took it to the store that would recycle it for us. We now have an extremely mismatched laundry set but the washer works just fine. It is also really fast compared to what I am used to. The front-loader washer takes over an hour to do one load. That is what I have been used to for years. It will take some getting used to to do my laundry so quickly.

I am so grateful that God provided for us so quickly and we were able to get it resolved. I have been so stressed out the last few days. Especially as the laundry pile was getting larger and larger. We had enough left over to treat ourselves to a dinner and fill both vehicles with gas. I can't remember the last time the van has been full. Again, thank you Terry and Dianne for giving us the money. We love you guys!

She's Learning!

Yesterday was great. We went through an entire day without any major accidents. Evie had a few squirts that wet her panties but she recognized it immediately and came and told me she had to go potty. The problem was she waited until she was in physical pain. After holding it that long it is hard to let go. She would sit on the toilet and immediately bounce off telling me she was done but wiggling and squirming and crying. I finally just held her hands and made her sit on the toilet. She was wiggling the whole time but finally was able to let go. After this whole process the floor and potty seat was quite a mess but at least I didn't have to clean a whole trail of urine from one end of the house to the other as we tried to make the potty in time. She informed me about needing to go all day. I am so pleased with her progress. Sam was the same way. Around day 3 I am ready to give up thinking that they just won't figure it out yet and on day 4 they both were figuring out what was required. We have a long way to go before I consider her "trained" but at least I won't have to do diapers anymore.

As I'm writing this I hear Sam yelling at me for help. I just looked over and saw him contorting over his little coloring table. Apparently, he is trying to color using his feet and needs my help. Boy they sure do keep my day exciting.

Not Much Happening

What have we been doing? Not much. Potty training keeps us pretty housebound. We were planning on starting Saturday to potty train Evie but ended up waiting until Sunday as I wanted to get the house straightened and we needed to go grocery shopping. Sunday we had one accidental success at the end of the day. Monday we had no successes and yesterday we had two! I am so grateful that we are in a place where the majority of the floor surfaces are solid. I didn't have that with Sam and it has made a huge difference in my attitude towards accidents and clean-up. It is much easier this time around. I still can't say she is potty-trained yet. But she seems to be trying to get bladder control and is starting to figure out what I'm asking her to do. We seem to be going in a cycle of a lot of little squirts and then one big gusher. I can tell she is trying to hold it in. And she isn't 100% but she is occasionally starting to tell me immediately when she has gotten wet or has pooped. So we are on the right track. Yesterday morning I was starting to feel tired of the mess and thinking maybe we should put it off a couple more months. But then we had a success around lunch time and another one mid-afternoon. She got lots of praises and we have a sticker chart where she gets a sticker every time she is successful. I try to avoid the candy rewards unless it is a last resort. I have enough issues with food and weight without adding more junk into the house.

Still no success on the job front. I've been putting my application in at several places and have been good about calling and following through but one gal told me that they are getting several applications a day and they have the opportunity to be pretty choosy about who they hire. I'll keep calling and put my name out there. Unfortunately for me, all of my recent job experience has been in an office setting. I have had retail experience but not since I was a teenager. It just doesn't show up on my resume or application unless I want to make it unusually long. I'll keep praying and plugging away. As the holiday season approaches I'm sure I can get in somewhere as holiday help. Every little bit helps.

Potty Training

Well, it is official. Today after Evie's nap we are going to potty train Evie. I'm 50/50 on if it is too soon or not. I mostly just want the convenience of not using diapers anymore. She can communicate very well and knows when she is going poo. I think we will be ok. I'm a cold turkey kind of trainer. No Pull-Ups or slow transition for us. I go straight to underwear. The first 3 days are the hardest and messiest. With Sam I was about ready to give up when he managed to go potty in the potty seat at the end of the 3rd day and the connection was made. After that, it seemed to work well. Though it did take a few weeks for him to actually tell me he had to go. I hope it goes just as well if not easier for Evie.

Since I'm going to have a pee mess all over the house anyway I decided to take away Sam's potty trainer that sits in the big toilet. We have been using it for the convenience of not cleaning the toilet as often since he doesn't tuck well. The insert has a splash guard that takes care of all that. Well, it seems to be hampering him being able to relax and go well on any toilet that doesn't have that. So I'm going to take it away and force him to use the big toilet like normal folks. Dwayne took him in this morning and helped him stand and pee. He got pretty excited about that and I gave him a sucker for a job well done. I hope it motivates him to continue. Either way we will have to make it work. I threw out the potty trainer so there is no going back.

Wish us good luck and lots of patience this week as we start our potty training adventure. It is moments like these that I am so grateful I only have two kids and this is the end of this particular milestone in mommyhood.

File Folder Fun

I decided today that I wanted to do something other than being on the computer all day. I looked around at my various projects and tried to figure out what caught my interest. My eyes finally landed on my laminator that I bought several months ago and have only used once. I bought it with the intention of making games for my kids. I had found a website called http://www.filefolderfun.com that has templates and patterns for making your own file folder games. The first two games I made for the kids back when I first got the laminator had the pieces lost pretty quickly. I decided this time around I would only let them play with them in a structured sitting where I can keep an eye on the pieces.

I went to the website and started printing out all the games I wanted to make. I had forgotten how long cutting out the pieces and gluing them to folders actually takes. I had printed out enough stuff to make 6 games. I started out all cheerful in the morning and with only a quick lunch and a few bathroom breaks I was still cutting and pasting till late this afternoon. My hand is cramping and my back hurts. I don't know why I get so gung-ho and then usually bite off more than I want to do. Oh well. I finally finished at 4:00. Just in time to clean up and start a new mess with dinner. Now I'm going to let the glue dry completely before I allow the kids to play with them. But I am happy that I have 6 new games to occupy them for approx. 15 min. tomorrow. LOL

Parade is a Bust

Our little town this weekend is celebrating Oregon Trail Days and has a little Wine and Music Festival. Apparently this is a big deal around here and Dwayne and I just didn't know it. If I hadn't seen the newspaper insert that highlighted the festival and schedule, etc. we would have been clueless about what the noise was all about. I saw that they were going to have a parade in town on the main drive. Luckily, we live close enough to walk to the parade route without having to deal with trying to find parking, etc. So even though it was going to be way too hot for my comfort, I figured I would suck it up, put on sunscreen, pack some snacks and walk down with the kids. We even loaded the camera for those oh so perfect picture moments of our kids experiencing their first parade! We arrived shortly after the parade already started but it was ok because it is a small town. We found a nice spot right at the beginning of the parade route, parked the kids strollers right in front where they can see and started pointing and waving. At first, they just watched the whole thing with great big eyes not really sure what the noise was all about. Most of the parade participants started tossing candy and Sam showed a little interest but there was no way he was getting out of the stroller. So the dutiful Mom that I am, I ran out and grabbed all the candy for my two darlings even though I felt a little ridiculous being one of the only adults running after the candy. And I am large woman. I can only imagine what people were thinking. Oh well, anything for my darlings.

I gave them both a sucker hoping that the candy would help liven them up a bit and they sucked on those thinking it was pretty good. Evie almost immediately became a sticky mess which I hate but I stopped worrying about the mess and just let her enjoy it. Then the firetrucks and ambulances came. Sam pointed at it and said, "Firetruck." We smiled and said, "You are right! Smile and wave at the fireman." Sam started to do that and then they started their sirens. Both kids jumped and started bawling. They were freaked out. And there wasn't just one firetruck. There were several scattered throughout the parade. So we would just start them getting calmed down and they would see another one was coming and start up again. Evie and Sam both wanted to be held which led to sticky fingers all over my shirt and a sucker in my hair. (That is why I hate sticky stuff and little kids.) And in between the bouts of crying I was still running out into the parade route to get my kids their share of candy. About half way through the parade Sam looked right at me and told me that he does NOT like firetrucks. But we stuck it out to the bitter end. At the end they cheered up a little bit because there were a bunch of people riding horses.

We were going to go check out Trader's Row in the park but Sam emphatically told me he wanted to go home and I was tired and hot anyway. It sounded like a good idea to me. And through it all we forgot to take out the camera. Oh well. Apparently, this is a yearly event so I'm sure I'll suck it up and try again next year. But ya, this year was a bust.