Poor Us, post script

Lest anyone think that my last week was nothing but trials, I've added this post script. Like in all trials, some good can be found in those rough moments of this last week.

Firstly, my mom was here for a day and a half (Thursday & Friday, she left Sat. am.). It makes such a difference to have company, even if the kids are crazy. She was here the day Eme got sick, and was able to take care of the other three so I could take care of Eme. This was also the day Eric got home by 8:20, and by 8:25 Mom and I were out the door for some retail therapy. We got back around 10:30 loaded up with books (I love Barnes and Noble).

Since Eric's parents left for their annual 4th of July festivities in Huntsville Saturday morning, I was able to spend the day at their house doing laundry, without feeling like a burden on them, or in their way. And since Heather had the day off, she came over to keep me company, and help me hold onto my sanity, since Eric was working.

Eric was home on Sunday. He took the girls home mid-Sacrament meeting because Eme was fading. He also came back to get me and the boys, so I didn't have to walk home in my nice heels (we're not too far). Our home teachers came over just as Eme woke up from her nap with a raging fever (again). They were able to help Eric give her a blessing.

Ashlee made me dinner on Monday, just so I could get out of the house. It was delicious! And I borrowed a chick flick to occupy my evening.

And last night, Eric was home for dinner, baths, wii, and bedtime. We spent the evening reading next to each other on the couch. I'll enjoy it while I can, special session starts Monday.

Soloman, for a new age

Earlier this week, my quiet reverie was broken by that sound that no mother wants to hear: that high pitched squeal, that was supposed to be a name. This time it was Davin, yelling "EMEEEEEE!" I went to investigate with great haste, because I was sure I didn't want to know what was going on. And sure enough, I didn't want to know.

Aparently, Eme's imaginary friend was pretending to be x, and Davin was upset because he wanted his imaginary friend to pretend to be x. (sigh...)

So I did what any perfectly sane mother would do, I took Eme's and then Davin's imaginary friends, and held one in each hand. I then told both Davin and Eme that they can pretend what ever they want, that their imaginary friends can pretend what ever they want. But that if they, or their friends, fight any more, I was going to take away both imaginary friends, smoosh them together like play-doh, and then split them back up. So unless they wanted a mutant, ruined friend, they had better play nice.

I didn't hear one more fight from them for the rest of the morning ... but I did keep a look out for those nice people in the white jackets, I could use a break.

Hello, Goodbye...

11 years ago (almost) Eric and I each brought a car into our marriage. Eric brought a 1 year old red soft-topped jeep wrangler, it was love at first sight for me. And I brought frolic (fro-lick), an older Toyota tercel hatch-back, Eric lovingly refered to as a rollerblade on steriods.

We sold both cars two years later and bought a Saturn 4-door sedan. We only wanted 1 car in NY, and we had a baby coming, the jeep didn't scream family car.

Two and a half years later, we sold the Saturn and bought my dream car (sigh...), a Nissan Xterra in gun metal grey. I loved, loved this car. Rockford Fosgate stereo, 4WD (we lived in NY, we needed it, and used it frequently), steering wheel stereo controls. It was perfect.

Two and a half years later, Eric leased his Toyota Carolla XRS, and we sold the Xterra. It was a sad day for me.

One year late we bought our Dodge Durango, three kids weren't going to fit in the Toyota. It fit us all ever so nicely. That 3rd row allowed for our growing family, and all four of our kids could fit inside quite comfortably. The only drawbacks were its lack of fuel efficiency, and our slightly cramped quarters on our road trips to Utah.

Two and a half years later...

Yes, we've given up some cool points, but the extra space almost makes up for the dorkiness quotient. Almost. It's a 2008 Kia Sedona, rated quite well by Edmunds, and we got a good deal for it. We are going to buy the leased toyota, we really, really don't want to have to buy another car from a dealer again any time soon, and Eric likes his car. The kids all love our newest addition, and have told me (regardless of what one aunt tells them) that our car is "totally awesome". I'm glad they love it. It's growing on me, but I just can't get Bill Engval's "Goober-mobile" bit out of my head.

Views from Around our Home

From mega Hot Wheels race tracks,

to a world of pirates/knights/Batman, to a lego eutopian society, the boys' room is where everyone likes to play.



And what mom doesn't enjoy the peace and quiet of a napping child,


the joy is doubled when two of them fall asleep at the same time.




Maddie is positively fixated with sunglasses,











two pairs are even better, but only if she can get them both on at the same time.


Maddie also likes to be up, and has a new way of asking.

He's an Old Man now...

Well, older than me at any rate. Eric has turned the palindromic age of 33. His birthday got off to a really, really early start when he found himself still at work at 12:01 am, he eventually left around 2:30 am. But then he did get home from work, again, at the normal time. Ouch, coming home from work twice on your birthday, that kind of sucks dear.

Not knowing what his schedule would look like during the work week, we celebrated his birthday with our extended family on Sunday. I had learned the lesson from others, we waited until the chocolate chip pie was fully cooled before inserting the candle.

Eric's siblings got him Boom Blox Bash Party, so we spent the evening playing it whilst the 8 youngest kids played upstairs or outside. This is one of the blessings of our home, we had 8 kids under the age of 9 and 8 adults (term loosely used) over, but there was plenty of space for us all.

I had gotten Eric the first two Lord of the Rings extended version DVDs. We had all three as their regular cut and the extended version of the third. But he loves them, and loves watching them on the newer tv, so I thought I'd make the set complete. He was happy, and surprised. Which is good, because I can't keep a secret (of mine) for any length of time.

And from his parents, Eric got a new Brooks Brother's shirt. A white one (with red and blue stripes), that still required two trips to Scottsdale to get the right size, another leather bound church book, and a shiny new lawn mower (well, it was shiny and new).

He's quite happy about the lawn mower too, and so am I, the yard has never looked better. We've been using our lovely push reel mower for the past four years (we bought it for the rental before we moved here), and it was just not enough for our bigger back yard.


I just had to add an end note, I find it funny that Eric's stuff is only ever "shiny and new" for the first 30 seconds out of the box, and then they get all dirty and gunky. But that's their purpose, to get all dirty and nasty. Whereas my stuff stays nice and new-looking for as long as I can keep them that way, because if they did get dirty and nasty, it would ruin their purpose. Boys vs Girls I guess.

Yes, we're still here...

and no, we haven't succombed to the heat, yet. But we have been trying to keep busy, but finding the right amount of activities has been a bit tricky. Too many and the kids are tired and therefore cranky; too few and the kids are borded and therefore cranky.

Thankfully we've got a few built in activities: summer movie passes for a Wednesday morning flick, swimming at Nana and Papa's, the Zoo and splash ponds (only in the morning, we don't want heat exhaustion), and our one hour of learning time a day (don't want their brains to turn to mush over the summer).

All I know is that I'm dead tired at the end of the day, and we've got a solid two months to go (school starts Aug 10th, woo hoo!) It doesn't help that Eric is working late half the time, but we never know what days are late ones until he doesn't come home for dinner because a meeting ran long. But, hopefully, they'll finish the budget soon, and we can plan our vacation.

For now, at least this week, we're going to take advantage of the decent weather (under 100 all week!!!) and be outside. We hit the zoo on Monday, and the park today. We have to enjoy this weather before we're forced to hibernate the remainder of the summer. We hope that you're all having a lovely time.

...and I'll post Eric's birthday soon (so what if it's a week late?).

Musings on Five Years

Today is Eric's 5 year anniversary at the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. It's a big deal for us, so much has happened within our family since he started at the JLBC. Eric has now worked here longer than any of his other jobs combined, and almost half of our marriage (he's shy by 6 months), which is why I feel so retrospective about the whole thing.

I am grateful for the many blessings associated with us getting this job, and we're grateful for all of those blessings that we've been fortunate enough to receive because of this job: the credit card paid off w/in 6 months, the private student loan paid off, buying our first house, smokin' health ins to cover 3 outpatient surgeries, one hospital stay, and two babies-all for $70.

We've moved twice in the past five years. First from a two bedroom apartment to the rental house (we were there for three years), and then into our first home (we'll be here for a while). We did both moves in the spring, about the same time as the budget, WHAT were we thinking?! Way too hot, and no free time for Eric. We also doubled our number of children in that same time span with the additions of Emelia and Madeline.

Sure the public sector pay isn't great, but we do have to take 8 weeks of vacation time this year, after the budget is signed and written but before they start work on the next one, not sure how we'll fit that in, but we'll do our best.

Eric has worked hard over these past five years, and it has been recognized with promotions, raises, and more responsibilities. He is currently senior management, and this fall Eric will be made an assistant director (or was that assistant to the director), it's only too bad that the state's budget is totally off, or that would also mean a raise (we'll have to wait for that one : )

It's been a full five years, and Eric still likes what he does. I can't ask for much more that that. Only... it's too bad they couldn't celebrate his big day with a signed budget, maybe next week...