Thanksgiving Weekend

Mom and Melody came up to spend Thanksgiving with us. We had a great time. I spent Wednesday preparing all the baked goods I could ahead of time. I made Pecan pie, carrot cake for Dwayne's birthday cake and then I made butternut squash soup. As I was adding the last bit of cream into the soup and then letting it heat up, it started splattering all over the place. I go running into the kitchen to turn the soup down and pull it off the heat and a freak splatter managed to get past my big cheeks, up under my glasses and hit me in the eye! Luckily, my eyelid closed in time or it would have hit me directly in the eye. The soup was hot enough to scald the first layer of skin from my eyelid and just underneith my eye. The soup wasn't really really hot yet and if it had hit me anywhere else on my body, I think I would have just had a little pink spot. But because the tissue around the eye is so sensitive and soft, it scalded immediately. So now I have a nice red scabby patch under my eye and on my eyelid. But at least I have a great story to tell. The soup tasted great too!

Thursday morning, I got the turkey in the oven and started to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. One thing I always run into is the lack of oven and oventop space to heat and prepare all the variety of dishes I want to prepare. I ran across a couple of tips that made my life a little easier this time around. I prepared the mashed potatoes a couple hours ahead of time and then put them in my crockpot on the warm setting to keep them fresh for dinner. It worked out great! The potatoes didn't dry up or anything and tasted like I had just made them. I also, like I said, made many things ahead of time on Wednesday. The turkey has to sit a little anyway after cooking before carving, which leaves me just enough time to throw the dressing and rolls in the oven to bake for half an hour. I made sure the rolls and dressing were in their pans ready to toss in the oven the minute the turkey came out to help minimize the wait time for the hungry folks waiting on dinner. While those are cooking, I whipped up the gravy and then we were set. It was fun to cook for my mom and show her that I was paying attention sometimes when she tried to show me the fine art of cooking. :)

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I had to work. As most of you know, it is the biggest shopping weekend of the year for many retailers so I had no option on whether I had to work or not. Luckily, I didn't have to go in until noon on Friday so I got to visit a little before taking off. They spent most of the time letting the kids fight/play and braved the crowds to do a little shopping at Walmart. It sounds like Mom and Melody got some of their Christmas shopping done and Dwayne got the kids their first Santa picture. I don't think it turned out very well at all. They weren't very interested in sitting on some strange man's lap and I can't blame them.

So now I'm tired after working hard all weekend. I'm glad I got to see Mom and Melody and Aiden as little as I did but I really really wished I had more time with them. However, I am extremely grateful to have the job and it is so wonderful to have most of my Christmas shopping done and the money to be able to get them. Overall, I would say it was a nice weekend, and I look forward to heading down to Oregon around Christmas to see all the family again.

Thanksgiving plans

Well, I have been menu planning and getting excited about Thanksgiving. Because I work in retail, I will have to work the entire Black Friday weekend. Because of that, I get to have my normal working days of Tues. and Wed. night off. I'm extremly grateful, as I have lots of cooking plans in the works. We get a free turkey from Dwayne's work every year so that is one expense I don't have to worry about. I went shopping at Wal-Mart by myself Friday night and was able to get all the stuff I wanted and needed for Thanksgiving as well as knock out a few Christmas gifts while I was there. I have plans to make homemade Pecan Pie, a birthday cake for Dwayne, turkey, dressing, corn, olives, homemade gravy, and of course, mashed potatoes. I also have plans to make a butternut squash soup for an appetizer. After all these plans, I did a head count of who was coming. Only 4 adults and 3 toddlers. LOL At least I'll have leftovers for the rest of the week!

Yesterday Dwayne and I went shopping at my work before I had to check in and pretty much knocked out the rest of the Christmas shopping. It is pretty easy this year as we are only getting the most immediate family a gift. The rest of you will just have to settle for Christmas cards this year. But I have found that as I get older, I don't care about the gifts so much anymore. I just really like the cooking, family gathering, and some house decorating. I think the traditions mean more to me now then any gifts I might be getting. In fact, Dwayne and I have cut way down on what we have bought the kids this year too. Just one big gift and a few stocking stuffers. Jesus only had 3 gifts so that is good enough for us right? I'm so happy to have most of it done. I still have to figure out something for Evie though. It is hard to decide what she is into. She is almost always just wanting to do what Sam is doing. Maybe I'll find her her own pink car.

Sooooo Tired

Well, Evie has started to wake up every night around 3 or 3:30 am and insist on getting up over and over and over again. Crying about wanting to sleep anywhere else than in her own bed. When she discovers that doesn't work, she cries because she lost her nook, or she has to go potty again, or can she sleep in Sam's room? It all started because we let her sleep in Sam's room a couple of night's when the rain was really bad. The drainspout just outside her room would make a very very loud dripping and swirling noise when it was raining really hard. It would wake her up and scare her. So we placed her on the trundlebed in Sam's room to finish out sleeping during the night. Dwayne did finally fix the noise but since those nights she has been insisting on sleeping somewhere other than her room. Dwayne has been giving in and sleeping with her on the couch or pulling her into bed with us. I finally put my foot down last night. I just cannot sleep with the kids in the bed. I don't even let Dwayne touch me when I'm finally sleeping which is one of the reason's we have a king-size bed. I've finally decided that I'm just going to keep being consistent, even if I'm the one getting up all the time and putting her back to bed. I think if we show her she is not getting her way she will finally settle back into sleeping all night. I'm also considering not letting her nap a few days so she will be extra tired and maybe sleep all night that way too. Dwayne is thinking about taking away her nuk and just going for broke but I'm not so sure about that. I keep reading that kid's usually drop their nuks eventually on their own so I keep waiting for that. She only ever gets it when she is sleeping and most of the time when we check on her it is no longer in her mouth, once she is actually asleep.

Needless to say we are tired and a bit grumpy today. I have officially decided that I'm going to stay in my pj's all day with the kids and just be lazy for a day. I've got a raging headache and just need to chill. I think I might even have the hubby bring home some pizza so I don't have to cook either. I hope Evie breaks this cycle soon. I'm tired!

Training

I'm excited about a training that my workplace is offering. As many of you know, a good portion of Bibles created in this country is published by Zondervan. Well, Zondervan is offering a simple online training. After doing the first 5 modules, the employees get to pick one Bible valued up to $70 to pick. I've been eyeballing and really desiring, the Archeological Bible or maybe getting a Chronological Bible. I think either version would be fascinating to read. As if that wasn't enough though, after you finish all 9 modules, you get $100 worth of free products from their website. They have so much stuff that they sell. Books, movies, games, as well as the expected Bibles. That will be a blessing in disguise to knock out a few Christmas gifts this year. What is really nice is the modules range from 4 min to about 15 min to complete so we aren't talking about hours and hours of training. My boss said we had to finish it this week so she can get the order in and we can get the stuff in time for Christmas.

Other than that, everything has been the same around here. We are just plugging through every day. We did have a flu scare but luckily it has just turned into a minor cold. I was really worried that we had caught the flu and I am so grateful that it isn't. The kids are as cute as ever and I'm learning quite well the struggles of parenting an almost 4 year old. One minute he is the sweetest greatest kid in the universe and the next is a willful child with extra attitude. Spankings don't seem to be working well so I think I'm going to have to get creative and find a new punishment. What makes it extra interesting is he has the nerve to tell me "No" when I tell him to go to his room or timeout. I'll keep at it though, because I want to lay a good foundation for obediance, especially to our Father in Heaven. *Sigh.* I am so grateful God gave us so much love for our children because they can be quite trying at times. I'm trying not to think about how everyone tells me it only gets worse. LOL

So Busy

I have been so busy lately. I haven't had time to do anything really. I'm barely keeping up with the housework and Dwayne and I are still trying to figure out when to schedule family time with me working almost all weekend now. But I must admit, we are loving having the extra money. It has helped so much it is unbelievable. It is amazing how much you can do with an extra $500 a month!

The kids are doing well. I just took Evie in for her two year check-up on Friday. She is in the 90th percentile for her height and weight which is pretty consistent. She has been that way pretty much since birth. Otherwise she is doing great and healthy. We have been lucky enough so far to avoid all the flus going around and I was able to get her vaccinated for the seasonal flu and the swine flu. Since we were already at the doctor's office, I asked if we could get Sam vaccinated as well. They had enough vaccination for the seasonal but were out of the swine for his age range. At least he is protected from one of them! I figure he would probably deal with the swine flu better than Evie would anyway because he is older. When I told him he was going to get a shot he was a little worried. But the nurse came back with a nasal spray instead! I must say, Mommy and Sam were really really happy about that. But because they were both so good, the nurse gave them both popsicles. I don't think they think the doctor is so bad after that.

We decided to find new homes for the kittens. It just isn't working out with Dwayne's patience and I can't seem to keep up with the mess. I really was starting to love them and I miss them already but I think this is the best option for everyone. We have both decided that we aren't going to get anymore pets until we can have a place of our own that has a yard large enough. The kids will be older and hopefully more responsible as well. With me working now, we should be able to get caught up on our debt a little easier and in 3 or 4 years, we can get our own home again. At least that is the plan. We'll see.

Halloween

What to do for Halloween? It is one of those holidays that I have been conflicted over for years and now that we have kids I knew that Dwayne and I would have to come to some sort of conclusion. We both had been raised that Halloween was the "Devil's Holiday" and that we would not go trick-or-treating or celebrate it in any way. What made it more confusing though is we went to a "Harvest Party" at the local churches. Dwayne and I finally decided that no matter what title you put on it you are still celebrating the day and the holiday. Even Christmas has many rituals based in pagan traditions. After some long discussions we decided that we would not treat Halloween any different from any other holiday that comes and we celebrate. Just like anything you do it really has to do with the spirit that you are approaching the holiday from. As a family, we are going to celebrate it in more of a Harvest Festival sort of way. We will allow the kids to dress up and we are going to take them trick or treating. I am putting my foot down though and they will not be allowed to dress in anything scary or gory. No witches, gouls, skeletons, or serial killers. But that still leaves many options available. Princesses, super heroes, etc. will be totally acceptable.

With that decision finally decided at the last minute we weren't sure what to dress the kids up as this year. I didn't set any money aside for costumes. The mall where I work was having a trick or treating in a controlled "safe" environment and I really wanted to take them. Luckily, Dianne had been bringing/making dress up clothes for the kids so we had a few things we could pull together for them. Evie went as Peter Pan and Sam we dressed up as a cowboy. They both got so many comments about how great they looked. I think it was because the costumes were handmade and "real" vs. the expensive yet cheap-looking costumes that are so popular. At first they weren't sure what was expected of them but seeing that candy was involved, they were both pros with the asking and saying thank you by the end of the mall. We thought about hitting another section of mall and maybe going to our church also but I realized that Halloween is NOT going to be focused on how much candy we can get. They had plenty of candy and it was dinnertime and Evie hadn't had a nap. All these things added up to a short but sweet trick-or-treating session. Overall, we had a great time and I think it went really well for our first ever as a family.

Pictures

Sorry I am late in updating the blog. I've been a little busy with all the traveling and working we have been doing. I feel like I am playing catch up all this week. This past weekend we went down to Oregon to spend time with family and go to Terry's memorial service. We decided to drive down Friday after Dwayne got off work so we could get up early to enjoy the Oregon zoo on Saturday. Luckily, Dwayne was able to get off work around noon so we got an early start on our drive down. We stayed with Dave and Charlene so we got to see and visit them and their boys. It was a very nice weekend but I can't wait until Evie sleeps a little better at other's houses. She still wakes up frequently during the night. But then she has never been as good a sleeper as Sam.


Evie, Aiden, and Sam on a tractor at the zoo. Grandma Mary is holding up Evie because the boys didn't want to share their seat.

Another picture of the kids on some wooden horses in the barn at the zoo. Apparently this is a good accomplishment for Aiden as he was scared of these horses the last time he was there.

Lions are back at the zoo!!!!

I uploaded this picture because it was such a gorgeous fall day. The colors of the trees were beautiful, especially with the sun shining. The air was crisp but not too cold and all the animals were out and about because it wasn't so hot.

Here is a snapshot of Dianne's siblings and mom. Her dad passed away earlier this year.

Dwayne, his mom Dianne, Dave, and Stephanie.

Dianne loaded us up with lots of presents to bring home for the kids including new play hats and Evie got a whole set of different Disney princess shoes. Here is a picture showing her just loving the new shoes and hat. She is also carrying around the stuffed kitten we picked up at the zoo and she refused to let go of for several days.

We had a great time and even though it was semi-sad, the memorial service was fun too. We got to see so many family and friends that we hadn't seen in forever. Many of whom had never met our children yet. Dwayne was so proud showing off his family. Now I need to catch up on some badly neglected housework.

Sad News

We have been busy this week just working hard and getting through the sickness. I managed to pass my cold on to Dwayne so we have been dealing with him not feeling well. He did manage to decorate the pumpkins with the kids one evening while I was at work and I have to say they were very pretty. But instead of buying new paint I decided to use the paints I already had in the house. Well, the first night the pumpkins were on the porch it rained. The next morning all the paint was gone. I had forgotten that the paint I had them use was the Crayola washable paint. Oh well, the kids had fun anyway and so far (crosses fingers) they haven't caught the cold Dwayne and I had.

As most of you probably know, this past Sunday evening, Dwayne's stepdad Terry Morton passed away. He had been struggling for the past couple years with infections that he caught after having hip-surgery. He finally recovered and decided to move forward with having his second hip done. As many people know, however, once you get a real bad infection like he had, you are more succeptable to catching infections again. He seemed to be recovering fine but another infection snuck up on all of us and it shut down his organs. He died from that infection. We will be going down to Oregon this weekend for the memorial service and to hang out with family. The memorial service will be held at Life Church in Aloha this Sunday at 4:00 with a potluck to follow.

We all seem to be doing ok. Dianne is handling it the best she can. Her biggest concern right now is the finances. Without the disability that Terry was bringing in, she isn't sure she can make the mortgage payments on the house. So please pray that God will provide a solution for her in a timely manner so she doesn't have to worry about that. Our kids don't know that he is gone yet. I'm not sure how to approach it with them. It is a blessing and a curse that they are so young. They are finally figuring out who Grandpa was but I don't think they will have too many memories of him when they are older. Luckily, we have several good pictures. I think we are going to wait to bring it up when we go down this weekend. They will probably ask us after seeing everyone where Grandpa is at and we can tell them then that we won't be seeing him anymore because he is in heaven with Jesus. That seemed to work pretty good when we had to put my cat to sleep. Not exactly the same thing I know but it is something they can wrap their little brains around. With so many family members to distract them I don't think it will overly concern them too much. If only we were all so young and innocent at times, huh?

Anyway, thanks in advance to everyone for their prayers and condolences during this time. We will keep you posted on updates as they happen.

Pumpkin Patch

I woke up yesterday feeling clogged up and miserable but I knew that it would probably be the last sunny day for a while and I really wanted to go to the pumkin patch with the kids before I ran out of money. So I downed some cold medicine and away we went. It was fun watching the kids run around trying to pick the perfect pumpkins out of all the ones we could choose from. Sam insisted at first that we had to get a BIG pumpkin but I convinced him that little ones were best. The patch that we visited had animals you could look at and had slides and a corn maze but I had to be at work by noon so we had to pretty much pick our pumpkins and leave. Any energy I had in the morning was definately used up and I was dragging at work. But thanks to modern medicine I survived. Today though I am feeling pretty miserable. I've convinced myself that the house can wait and I'm going to relax as much as the kids will let me today. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be feeling better. So far the kids don't seem to be catching this cold that Dwayne and I had but I figure it is only a matter of time.

Shopping!

Dwayne got paid today and I was able to postpone a couple bills for a week knowing that I would be getting some money coming in. So with the new budget I was able to go shopping for things that we have been needing/wanting but unable to get because of budget constraints. Dwayne stayed home sick today so I grabbed Sam since he doesn't need a nap during the day and spent the day shopping with my son. It was so much fun! I was able to take my time and actually browse stuff and I have found that I have a new found respect for my money and what I should spend it on. I found lots and lots of things that I wanted to buy but instead of just getting it I took the time to realize that I didn't really need it. I got my haircut and a few new clothes to go with the new haircut for the new job, found a couple work shirts for Dwayne at a good price, and got some misc. things like a new razor and batteries. I was underbudget all day and I am so so proud of myself. Anyone who knows me and how I can spend money like crazy would be very proud of me. It was also exciting to try on some clothes and realize I needed a size smaller. This new job doesn't allow me to always eat regularly or I don't get the chance at all so I've been skipping some meals as well as being much much more active and it is showing! Yet another benefit to me having this job. I had so much fun spending some one on one time with Sam too. It is amazing how well-behaved my children are especially when they don't have each other to annoy and fight with. You can tell he reveled in the special time with mommy and came home with a new Hot Wheels for his good behavior. Overall, a very fun and exciting day. I haven't been able to shop like that for a long time and it was so much fun. Did I mention that I had fun? LOL

New Books

Working at the Christian bookstore is paying off already. I have a love of reading. Most of what I like to read unfortunately, are things strictly non-christian in nature. I love books of fantasy, sci-fi, thrillers, and to some degree horror. One of my frustrations as an avid reader and christian has been trying to find the books I like in a christian bookstore. Most of the fiction section seems to be covered in romance, finding love, living on a homestead kind of story. Don't get me wrong, those definately have their place and I know a lot of people (especially ladies) who love those types of books but they aren't my cup of tea. If they do have anyone in the store that runs into speculative fiction it is usually authors that have already proven themselves like Tolkien, CS Lewis, and Peretti. They are great authors but I've already read them all. I would like something new. So of course, I read the secular books that aren't necessarily good for me or God-fearing.

Well, last night I ran into a guy who told me he was an author. His first book will be published in April 2010 and he gave me his card. We started chatting a little bit and he told me he likes those kinds of books too. He also had the same frustrations I did about the lack of speculative fiction in christian bookstores. What I found out though is there are many authors out there who have written christian speculative fiction but most bookstores don't carry them because they haven't been proven big sellers. Thanks to a couple of series (Left Behind for one) and a couple of new authors (Ted Dekker) this thankfully is changing. But for our tastes to be more represented we have to demand and buy the types of books we are looking for. That still leaves the question of who these authors are and the titles of the books so we can look for and buy them. He had a friend who developed a website that lists all the christian speculative fiction writers along with their type. I checked it out this morning and it is very exciting. I plan on looking for these books right away and start reading. The website is http://wherethemapends.com/Booklist/booklist_intro.htm . While browsing the website I found out one of the authors is also developing a christian MMOPG. This is so exciting for me as I am a huge online game player. It isn't ready yet but you can see what has been developed so far and the progress of the game at http://www.foundationsofhope.com/foh_online.php .

The author who was so nice and gave me the information is named James L Rubart and his book Rooms will be released in April 2010. You can preorder it now on Amazon. He was very nice and so helpful so check him out if you get a chance. I am not getting any kind of compensation for this endorsement but just wanted to give him a shout-out for helping me out.

Nothing New

I haven't been doing much this week which is why I haven't written. We have just been trying to adjust to my new work schedule. The kids seem to have adjusted to me leaving really well. Especially since they get to stay with daddy. They give me kisses and hugs as I run out the door just like Dad does in the morning so they seem to think everything is fine.

They have been busy this week playing with all the new toys Evie got for her birthday. Sam loves having a new pile of things to sort and will spend hours moving toys from one bucket to another. Evie loves to go over and take one of "his" toys just to hear him squeal. I've caught her doing it and she gets a look that shows her perverse pleasure in making her brother scream. She is going to be my handful. I just know it.

Work is going well. I'm enjoying myself so much. Starting this week I get keys to the store and they are going to entrust me with closing by myself. I'm not sure if I am ready but it will be a nice challenge. It is weird working in a place that puts so much trust in their employees right from the start. Unlike the big corporations where you need to visit customer service just to buy a book of stamps. I sold my first huge statue yesterday and I get a little thrill of pleasure every time I sell a picture or plaque off the wall. I think this has been one of the best things for me. I don't feel so trapped and I like being able to socialize with adults again. Dwayne still needs some more adjustment I think. He is confident and great with the kids but he is unsure of some of his cooking skills and I can tell he misses me when I get home. He has taken to hovering around me while I eat my dinner, change my clothes, or start to relax from a long evening. I feel kind of bad because I have been so busy, I haven't had time to really think about him or the kids so the separation isn't as acute for me. But all in all, we seem to be adjusting well. We can't wait until the 20th when I get the first paycheck where we will actually feel the extra cushion in our finances. So hopefully, only a couple more weeks of struggling and skimpy meals and then we will start to see the benefits of this new arrangement.

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.