Me: Where is it?
Sarah: It's on the floor next to the girl's head.
That would be the top of a toy box that I thought was really cool but the kids are all afraid of it.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Kid Quote of the Day
Sarah: Mommy, can you hand me my water?
Me: Where is it?
Sarah: It's on the floor next to the girl's head.
That would be the top of a toy box that I thought was really cool but the kids are all afraid of it.
Me: Where is it?
Sarah: It's on the floor next to the girl's head.
That would be the top of a toy box that I thought was really cool but the kids are all afraid of it.
Holes
When we were getting the Texas house ready to sell one of the things we did to make it look better was add knobs and drawer pulls to the kitchen cabinets. I think at one point Charlie had asked me if we needed them and I just kind of answered, "eh", so we had never really pursued it before that. But adding hardware to the kitchen made it look so much better I was amazed.
So when we moved into this house and found that there weren't any knobs or drawer pulls anywhere in the entire house, this time I decided that we would put them on sooner than later. I am going to make the house look nice for me instead of the people who we eventually sell it to or in other words make the house show ready now instead of worrying about it later. Don't worry, we are not moving again any time soon (or not that I know of).
I bought all of the hardware at Target. They have a very small but very good selection of handles and knobs and they are much cheaper than Lowe's or Home Depot. In fact, when I was checking out the cashier was really impressed and surprised that they even sold something that looked that nice. I guess not that many people buy them if she had never seen them before, but that's one of those great things about Target - you can always find something that's a little nicer than you expect.
I was sort of waiting for the right time to put them on but finally got sick of waiting and tired of slamming my fingers in the drawers and this week did almost the entire house. Charlie walked into the office last night and asked if I was going to change out the knobs that were already on one of our crumby dressers (which I should because it would make it look so much nicer), but I told him I wasn't putting any knobs where I didn't make the holes myself.
I was empowered with the drill and once I started I couldn't stop. When we did it at the old house I hired a handyman to do the kitchen. But I didn't realize that you can buy little plastic templates at Home Depot and they are really cheap and it is super easy to do as long as you have a drill. I watched the handyman do it the first time and was all "I can do that!". My dad helped out in the old house, but he isn't come to visit for a couple of months so I did it all myself. It was awesome. I only messed up one drawer where I put the hole a little too far to one side and had to play with it for awhile, otherwise it was a piece of cake. I did the entire kitchen in less than two hours.
I'm telling you, this place is coming together!
BEFORE:
So when we moved into this house and found that there weren't any knobs or drawer pulls anywhere in the entire house, this time I decided that we would put them on sooner than later. I am going to make the house look nice for me instead of the people who we eventually sell it to or in other words make the house show ready now instead of worrying about it later. Don't worry, we are not moving again any time soon (or not that I know of).
I bought all of the hardware at Target. They have a very small but very good selection of handles and knobs and they are much cheaper than Lowe's or Home Depot. In fact, when I was checking out the cashier was really impressed and surprised that they even sold something that looked that nice. I guess not that many people buy them if she had never seen them before, but that's one of those great things about Target - you can always find something that's a little nicer than you expect.
I was sort of waiting for the right time to put them on but finally got sick of waiting and tired of slamming my fingers in the drawers and this week did almost the entire house. Charlie walked into the office last night and asked if I was going to change out the knobs that were already on one of our crumby dressers (which I should because it would make it look so much nicer), but I told him I wasn't putting any knobs where I didn't make the holes myself.
I was empowered with the drill and once I started I couldn't stop. When we did it at the old house I hired a handyman to do the kitchen. But I didn't realize that you can buy little plastic templates at Home Depot and they are really cheap and it is super easy to do as long as you have a drill. I watched the handyman do it the first time and was all "I can do that!". My dad helped out in the old house, but he isn't come to visit for a couple of months so I did it all myself. It was awesome. I only messed up one drawer where I put the hole a little too far to one side and had to play with it for awhile, otherwise it was a piece of cake. I did the entire kitchen in less than two hours.
I'm telling you, this place is coming together!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Monday, August 27, 2012
Kid Quote of the Day
Amanda: Mommy, let's go to the mountains today.
Me: The mountains? No, they're too far away.
Amanda: No, they're right there!
Me: The mountains? No, they're too far away.
Amanda: No, they're right there!
Old Habits Die Hard
When Andy was a baby he slept really hard. He still does. He slept through the night by 12 weeks and anytime he fell asleep anywhere we could carry him back into the house and put him in bed and he wouldn't wake up. We could even change him into his pajamas and he wouldn't wake up. It was awesome, but a huge wake up call when we had a second child that didn't do that. At all. Sarah was a horrible sleeper and didn't sleep through the night consistently until she was a few weeks shy of her first birthday. If she fell asleep in the car, she would wake up as soon as the car stopped. You would never even think of adjusting her clothes, let alone changing them, while she was sleeping.
Just like most things, Amanda is more like Andy. She will sort of wake up when you pick her out of the car seat, but she'll quickly get comfortable on your shoulder and will curl up in a ball and go back to sleep when you lie her down. I'm not sure about changing her clothes because for some reason we really haven't had to do it much with her, but I think she'd wake up long enough to help you out and then just go back to bed. Easy enough.
Last night was a perfect example. It was around 6:30p and we were on our way home from dinner and she fell asleep. She hasn't truly napped in months but she still needs one or two a week, so when we are out after 5p there is always a risk that she is going to fall asleep in the car. When we got home I took her upstairs and put her in bed. Goodnight Amanda, done for the evening. Or so I thought.
Just after midnight Charlie woke me up to tell me that Amanda was up. He needed to get up for a flight at like 5a or something so I went to see what was going on. Otherwise I would have pretended I was asleep and let him take care of it, ha ha. I went into her room and she said she had to go to the bathroom. Understandable, since she didn't get to go before bed and drank a ton of milk at dinner. I helped her go to the bathroom, wondering if she would notice that she wasn't in her pajamas, and then tucked her back in bed.
I went back to my bed and not ten minutes later I heard her crying about something. I thought it was because she wasn't tired anymore since she had been asleep for almost six hours. No, she was upset that she was in clothes and not pajamas. How could anybody sleep in clothes?!? I told her it was okay, but when she started to cry harder and I was worried that she would wake up everybody, I got out some pajamas and helped her change. Again comparing the other kids, Andy would have done the exact same thing (if he had even woken up), Sarah wouldn't have cared less.
I tried to go back to my room again, but she asked me to lie down with her. Ever since we've moved I've gotten into a horrible habit of lying with her while she falls asleep. I never would have done it with the older two, but when she cries she keeps them up and it's much faster to just stay with her for a few minutes until she falls asleep instead of listening to her cry for 30 minutes or longer. Yes, bad mommy, I'm usually too tired to care.
So while she was under all her comfy blankets, I had to find room for me in her twin bed that has no extra blankets for me and no pillow. Luckily, Mommy Lotso's big fat strawberry belly makes a wonderful pillow. I may have been cold, but I had something to put my head on. I stayed with her for about 20 minutes until she told me I could go back to my bed. You heard me, after awhile she just said, "You can leave now." Yes ma'am.
Of course a few minutes after that she had problems finding her sippy cup and then after I fixed that she had some other problem until finally Charlie told me to just bring her into bed with us. Which really only creates problems in the long run but solves the immediate issue of her crying and whining and us being too, too tired to deal with it in a patient and loving way. Besides the fact that something about cramming her face right into mine and wrapping her arms around me makes her fall asleep in 0.01 seconds. It sounds sweet and adorable but it's not so much. However that is one of the things that I do admit I will miss when she gets older and she doesn't want to cuddle with me anymore.
The rest of the night is pretty unclear except that Charlie told me I was snoring so loudly he had to go sleep on the couch and Sarah walked up to the side of my bed at 7:05a completely dressed and demanding breakfast. Should I be happy that she got herself ready or annoyed that she won't sleep in?
Anyway, I took Amanda to the park today so she would be extra tired tonight and she fell asleep within minutes so hopefully my bed belongs to me this evening and I don't have to share my pillow. I don't mind if she visits every once in awhile, but I definitely don't want to make it a habit.
Just like most things, Amanda is more like Andy. She will sort of wake up when you pick her out of the car seat, but she'll quickly get comfortable on your shoulder and will curl up in a ball and go back to sleep when you lie her down. I'm not sure about changing her clothes because for some reason we really haven't had to do it much with her, but I think she'd wake up long enough to help you out and then just go back to bed. Easy enough.
Last night was a perfect example. It was around 6:30p and we were on our way home from dinner and she fell asleep. She hasn't truly napped in months but she still needs one or two a week, so when we are out after 5p there is always a risk that she is going to fall asleep in the car. When we got home I took her upstairs and put her in bed. Goodnight Amanda, done for the evening. Or so I thought.
Just after midnight Charlie woke me up to tell me that Amanda was up. He needed to get up for a flight at like 5a or something so I went to see what was going on. Otherwise I would have pretended I was asleep and let him take care of it, ha ha. I went into her room and she said she had to go to the bathroom. Understandable, since she didn't get to go before bed and drank a ton of milk at dinner. I helped her go to the bathroom, wondering if she would notice that she wasn't in her pajamas, and then tucked her back in bed.
I went back to my bed and not ten minutes later I heard her crying about something. I thought it was because she wasn't tired anymore since she had been asleep for almost six hours. No, she was upset that she was in clothes and not pajamas. How could anybody sleep in clothes?!? I told her it was okay, but when she started to cry harder and I was worried that she would wake up everybody, I got out some pajamas and helped her change. Again comparing the other kids, Andy would have done the exact same thing (if he had even woken up), Sarah wouldn't have cared less.
I tried to go back to my room again, but she asked me to lie down with her. Ever since we've moved I've gotten into a horrible habit of lying with her while she falls asleep. I never would have done it with the older two, but when she cries she keeps them up and it's much faster to just stay with her for a few minutes until she falls asleep instead of listening to her cry for 30 minutes or longer. Yes, bad mommy, I'm usually too tired to care.
So while she was under all her comfy blankets, I had to find room for me in her twin bed that has no extra blankets for me and no pillow. Luckily, Mommy Lotso's big fat strawberry belly makes a wonderful pillow. I may have been cold, but I had something to put my head on. I stayed with her for about 20 minutes until she told me I could go back to my bed. You heard me, after awhile she just said, "You can leave now." Yes ma'am.
Of course a few minutes after that she had problems finding her sippy cup and then after I fixed that she had some other problem until finally Charlie told me to just bring her into bed with us. Which really only creates problems in the long run but solves the immediate issue of her crying and whining and us being too, too tired to deal with it in a patient and loving way. Besides the fact that something about cramming her face right into mine and wrapping her arms around me makes her fall asleep in 0.01 seconds. It sounds sweet and adorable but it's not so much. However that is one of the things that I do admit I will miss when she gets older and she doesn't want to cuddle with me anymore.
The rest of the night is pretty unclear except that Charlie told me I was snoring so loudly he had to go sleep on the couch and Sarah walked up to the side of my bed at 7:05a completely dressed and demanding breakfast. Should I be happy that she got herself ready or annoyed that she won't sleep in?
Anyway, I took Amanda to the park today so she would be extra tired tonight and she fell asleep within minutes so hopefully my bed belongs to me this evening and I don't have to share my pillow. I don't mind if she visits every once in awhile, but I definitely don't want to make it a habit.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Where There's a Will
I told you Amanda is a genius, right? This morning as we were walking home from walking Andy and Sarah to school (I love that we can walk to school now!) Amanda asked me if she could have a popsicle. It was about 8:45 a.m. I told her we didn't eat popsicles in the morning and she could have one after lunch.
Within 10 minutes of walking in the door she asked me if she could have lunch. She had just eaten a bagel at 8:00 a.m. so she was not hungry. I laughed and asked her what she wanted for lunch. Carrots and salami. Not a bad lunch.
I gave her a plate with about 10 carrots and 5-6 pieces of salami. She ate it all. When she was done she asked me for, you guessed it, a popsicle. Although I still didn't want to give her a popsicle at 9:30 in the morning, technically she did what I said so I gave it. Have you ever heard the term "pick your battles"? Not one I was going to pick today.
The funny thing is around one o'clock she kept asking me for snacks, so I asked her if she wanted lunch instead of a snack. Her response? "No, I already had lunch. Remember?"
I love that kid.
Within 10 minutes of walking in the door she asked me if she could have lunch. She had just eaten a bagel at 8:00 a.m. so she was not hungry. I laughed and asked her what she wanted for lunch. Carrots and salami. Not a bad lunch.
I gave her a plate with about 10 carrots and 5-6 pieces of salami. She ate it all. When she was done she asked me for, you guessed it, a popsicle. Although I still didn't want to give her a popsicle at 9:30 in the morning, technically she did what I said so I gave it. Have you ever heard the term "pick your battles"? Not one I was going to pick today.
The funny thing is around one o'clock she kept asking me for snacks, so I asked her if she wanted lunch instead of a snack. Her response? "No, I already had lunch. Remember?"
I love that kid.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Mommy Time
Andy and Sarah have been back at school for over a week now, but Amanda is still home with me. I actually don't mind having her around, she is very easy. She is amazingly well-behaved when we go anywhere, I think she behaves better in public than she does when she's at home. Ask anybody, that's backwards.
When we got here, actually months before we got here, I searched the internet thoroughly for a Spanish preschool like the one she attended in Texas. No luck. The only place I did find is a school that is opening up this year and is hoping to get at least three students to start a class. That is night and day from where we were, but I'll take what I can get as long as they are speaking Spanish. They have a school that is a few years old in Colorado Springs and are trying to open a preschool here this fall. The are supposed to start the first week in September, but I got a call from the director on Friday telling me that the third kid, which makes the class possible, may not be coming and therefore there may not be a class. I'll find out for sure on Friday, but in the meantime I decided to call a few other places.
I'm lazy, haven't I told you that about a million times? So yesterday I called two places, both recommended by my neighbors, both of which started school last week. One has openings, and the other doesn't really have openings but is willing to put her in a higher class since they kind of teach to each kid. Sounds great, except for my three year old still isn't even close to knowing her alphabet and can only count to three and I can only understand about half of what's she saying so imagine how it will be for people that aren't around her that much. Probably not ready to be with four year olds getting prepped for kindergarten. Otherwise she's a genius, so I'm not worried. She'll be fine by the time she gets to kindergarten.
Anyway, Charlie wants me to go visit the schools. A brilliant idea, except that sounds like a lot of work and talking and people making me ask questions and it gives me tired head. A lot of things give me tired head lately, moving really sucks. I know that if I visit just these two places and figure out which one I like better, that if I find out the Spanish thing is a no-go, that I can have Amanda in school as early as next week. That would be pretty nice, there's a lot of things I'd like to do around here that I don't do because she's here. But I cannot motivate myself to go. Plus, Amanda doesn't really want to go to school. It doesn't surprise me, Sarah was the same way. Not that that would at all change my mind - she needs to be around kids her own age and spend some time in a classroom setting. It will be good for both of us.
I'll do it tomorrow, really. I can only take the kid to Target so many times before she starts to revolt and then I won't think she's so wonderful after all.
When we got here, actually months before we got here, I searched the internet thoroughly for a Spanish preschool like the one she attended in Texas. No luck. The only place I did find is a school that is opening up this year and is hoping to get at least three students to start a class. That is night and day from where we were, but I'll take what I can get as long as they are speaking Spanish. They have a school that is a few years old in Colorado Springs and are trying to open a preschool here this fall. The are supposed to start the first week in September, but I got a call from the director on Friday telling me that the third kid, which makes the class possible, may not be coming and therefore there may not be a class. I'll find out for sure on Friday, but in the meantime I decided to call a few other places.
I'm lazy, haven't I told you that about a million times? So yesterday I called two places, both recommended by my neighbors, both of which started school last week. One has openings, and the other doesn't really have openings but is willing to put her in a higher class since they kind of teach to each kid. Sounds great, except for my three year old still isn't even close to knowing her alphabet and can only count to three and I can only understand about half of what's she saying so imagine how it will be for people that aren't around her that much. Probably not ready to be with four year olds getting prepped for kindergarten. Otherwise she's a genius, so I'm not worried. She'll be fine by the time she gets to kindergarten.
Anyway, Charlie wants me to go visit the schools. A brilliant idea, except that sounds like a lot of work and talking and people making me ask questions and it gives me tired head. A lot of things give me tired head lately, moving really sucks. I know that if I visit just these two places and figure out which one I like better, that if I find out the Spanish thing is a no-go, that I can have Amanda in school as early as next week. That would be pretty nice, there's a lot of things I'd like to do around here that I don't do because she's here. But I cannot motivate myself to go. Plus, Amanda doesn't really want to go to school. It doesn't surprise me, Sarah was the same way. Not that that would at all change my mind - she needs to be around kids her own age and spend some time in a classroom setting. It will be good for both of us.
I'll do it tomorrow, really. I can only take the kid to Target so many times before she starts to revolt and then I won't think she's so wonderful after all.
Friday, August 17, 2012
First Week of School
So, Monday was the first day of school. If I had been the awesome blogger that I aspire to be, I would have written this on Monday and posted a picture. However, the later we got into the week and I still had done nothing, I decided that a First Week of School post was much better than a First Day of School post. If you post something the first day, you don't really get into the meat. But if you wait the entire week, then you get some really good stuff.
Except there isn't really anything good to get. I am happy to report that the kids are doing great at school and really love it. They've been exhausted at the end of the day, probably from being on their best behavior all day, and have been pretty cranky and difficult to deal with when they get home, but they still like school. After months of agonizing over it, we decided to put Sarah in first grade. If we had stayed in Texas we probably would have held her back, but when we asked the neighbors most of them said only boys got held back. I was worried about the decision but now know it was the right one. She is doing just fine and loving first grade. Her teacher is great, although pregnant which means she will leave in a few months and may or may not come back so we will have to get used to an entirely different teacher, and she really enjoys school.
We were kind of worried about Andy. Switching schools, making new friends, hoping that they would continue his academic progress similar to his previous school. So far so good. They haven't placed him anywhere yet, but did testing yesterday and today to figure out what to do with him and plan to involve all of us, including him, in the discussions and decisions about his fourth grade year. The school has been very receptive and everyone is super nice. Even better, they are a little more laid back than his old school and when I took Sarah to the doctor this week they told me I didn't need a doctor's note. Yay! That was always such a pain.
So, no big tragedies, nobody got beat up, everyone is doing great. They are excited about school and what the year will bring and so am I. Even Amanda is adjusting well to having the kids gone - we'll see if that continues when she has to go back to school!
Except there isn't really anything good to get. I am happy to report that the kids are doing great at school and really love it. They've been exhausted at the end of the day, probably from being on their best behavior all day, and have been pretty cranky and difficult to deal with when they get home, but they still like school. After months of agonizing over it, we decided to put Sarah in first grade. If we had stayed in Texas we probably would have held her back, but when we asked the neighbors most of them said only boys got held back. I was worried about the decision but now know it was the right one. She is doing just fine and loving first grade. Her teacher is great, although pregnant which means she will leave in a few months and may or may not come back so we will have to get used to an entirely different teacher, and she really enjoys school.
We were kind of worried about Andy. Switching schools, making new friends, hoping that they would continue his academic progress similar to his previous school. So far so good. They haven't placed him anywhere yet, but did testing yesterday and today to figure out what to do with him and plan to involve all of us, including him, in the discussions and decisions about his fourth grade year. The school has been very receptive and everyone is super nice. Even better, they are a little more laid back than his old school and when I took Sarah to the doctor this week they told me I didn't need a doctor's note. Yay! That was always such a pain.
So, no big tragedies, nobody got beat up, everyone is doing great. They are excited about school and what the year will bring and so am I. Even Amanda is adjusting well to having the kids gone - we'll see if that continues when she has to go back to school!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Like Mother Like Daugther
When I was a kid my dad used to call me Imelda because I loved shoes. I still do. I have more pairs of shoes than the average person, but I still want more. Now that I have girls, I love to buy shoes for them too. There are so many cute girly pairs out there, I can't just buy them one or two. Even Sarah, who wears her braces with the same pair of shoes everyday, has several pairs to wear to the few events where she doesn't wear her braces. I can't stop myself.
Amanda has shown a love of shoes as well. She has many and often wears two to three pairs a day, switching every couple of hours. The other night, thanks to the generosity and babysitting expertise of my sister and brother-in-law, Charlie and I were able to go on a date without the kids. As I was getting ready, wearing a brand new pair of shoes, Amanda came up to ask me a question. Then, she looked down and said, "Nice shoes Mommy." Charlie just shook his head and said, "She is your daughter."
Yep, it's in our DNA.
Amanda has shown a love of shoes as well. She has many and often wears two to three pairs a day, switching every couple of hours. The other night, thanks to the generosity and babysitting expertise of my sister and brother-in-law, Charlie and I were able to go on a date without the kids. As I was getting ready, wearing a brand new pair of shoes, Amanda came up to ask me a question. Then, she looked down and said, "Nice shoes Mommy." Charlie just shook his head and said, "She is your daughter."
Yep, it's in our DNA.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Kid Quote of the Day
Andy: Did you know Amanda's name is really Amandy?
Me: Amandy?
Amanda: I not named that! You're hurting my feelings!
Me: Amandy?
Amanda: I not named that! You're hurting my feelings!
Picture of the Day
I made good on a promise yesterday. Please welcome the newest member of the Lotso family, Daddy Lotso. Sorry April.
Visitors
My sister and her family arrived on Wednesday morning, winning the award as our first house guests in Denver. The house isn't really ready for visitors yet, but they are family so they aren't allowed to care. The girls are so excited to have their cousin here and have kept themselves very busy over the last couple of days. Charlie and I, on the other hand, are very excited to get to go out on a date tomorrow night while my sister and brother-in-law watch the kids.
While nobody really wanted to come visit us in Dallas, though a few grudgingly did, everybody seems to want to come now. So much that every time I try to plan a trip out of town, it turns out someone wants to visit instead. On a positive note, that will save us lots of money that we would otherwise spend on vacations. More seriously, we love to have visitors and don't care if somebody new wants to come every week. Okay, that may be a little much but you see where I'm going with this.
So if you are wondering if you are welcome, wonder no more. We would love to have you, whenever. Well, not for the next few weeks. You know, until there are actually blinds on the windows and cabinets on the wall in the laundry room. But after that, it's fair game.
While nobody really wanted to come visit us in Dallas, though a few grudgingly did, everybody seems to want to come now. So much that every time I try to plan a trip out of town, it turns out someone wants to visit instead. On a positive note, that will save us lots of money that we would otherwise spend on vacations. More seriously, we love to have visitors and don't care if somebody new wants to come every week. Okay, that may be a little much but you see where I'm going with this.
So if you are wondering if you are welcome, wonder no more. We would love to have you, whenever. Well, not for the next few weeks. You know, until there are actually blinds on the windows and cabinets on the wall in the laundry room. But after that, it's fair game.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Happy Birthday Baby!
Today was Amanda's third birthday. Wow how the time has flown! I cannot believe that she is already three and how much she has become her own little person. She is no longer my baby, which she reminds me of daily because I refuse to stop referring to her as such, she is becoming a big girl. In some tiny ways it makes me sad, but I'm mostly excited by all the possibilities. She's no longer in diapers, hardly ever uses a stroller, is near the end of her naps, she is a very functional human being. She throws fits here and there, but will never match up to the drama that is her big sister. She is silly and adventurous and daring and fun.
I can't wait to find out the person that she will become, but for right now I will just enjoy watching her figure it all out.
I can't wait to find out the person that she will become, but for right now I will just enjoy watching her figure it all out.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Kid Quote of the Day
Sarah (to Andy): You're hurting my feelings.
Me (to Andy): You seem to be doing that a lot today.
Andy: It comes naturally.
Me (to Andy): You seem to be doing that a lot today.
Andy: It comes naturally.
Making Our House a Home
After Mike's memorial service and reception was over and the majority of the guests had left Charlie and I said our good-byes, packed up the kids and headed to a hotel near the airport. The next morning we got up early and headed to Destin. I didn't really feel like going on vacation, but we had had it planned for over a year and it was the same trip (except we used to go to Myrtle Beach) that we've taken with the same people for the last 12 years.
We ended up having a three hour layover in Dallas so I called a few friends and we all met at Chick-fil-A (please spare me all the political B.S. that's been going on over the last week, I didn't know about it at the time and they really do have good chicken). It was exactly what I needed. Catching up with my good friends, even if it was only for an hour or so, helped take my mind of everything that had happened the previous week. Plus, I love them all and have missed them dearly so it was just wonderful to see them in person.
We didn't get into Destin until dinner time and the next two days, minus an hour we got at the beach, it rained. Normally that would be torture with eight kids under the age of nine in the house, but all of the older ones found a Nook or Kindle or iPad or DS to play and the two little ones just ran around having a ball. It was the perfect way for me to destress. I didn't have to do anything because we couldn't do anything. It was raining so hard we couldn't even go anywhere because we would have gotten soaked getting into and out of the car. By the time the rain stopped I was ready to start doing things. The rest of the week went by fast but we had a great time with fabulous friends.
Of course when it was finally time to go home I was ready. I had been gone for almost three weeks, about the same amount of time that I had actually lived in our new house. My neighbor joked later that they were worried about us and thought maybe we had already given up and moved out. Hmm, not a bad idea. Charlie did a great job with the house while I was gone and there were a lot fewer boxes sitting around and less general junk on the counters but it still needs lots of work.
The first thing I needed to do was laundry. Even though I did some on the trip and we came home with mostly clean clothes, we left a lot of dirty clothes behind. I think I did about eight loads in the last two days. There are three big baskets still sitting in my living room waiting to be put away. Then I called a handyman who thankfully had the entire day free today and came and did a bunch of things we just haven't been able to get around to.
Whether I like it or not we're here to stay so I need to make the best of it. Today I called doctors, finished registering the kids for school, paid all their fees (so glad they don't ride the bus because that would have cost us an extra $300!), paid bills and did a bunch of other things I can't even remember. I hung the first thing on the wall. It's a clock that I've had since college (April, the green Eddie Bauer one) that I have put up in every place that I have ever lived. It was time. The kids were great and kept themselves occupied. I think even they missed the house, or at least all their stuff.
We still have a few boxes to unpack, but only a few, and lots of stuff to organize, but we're getting there. School starts on Monday, which I have been thankful for many times in the past two days especially when I took all three kids to the grocery store at 6p yesterday, and then I should be able to focus a little more on finding a place for everything without so many distractions. In just a few short days we will be back on a schedule, a routine, and hopefully most of the craziness of this summer will be past us. Then we can just work on getting settled and enjoying everything that Colorado, or at least our little part of it, has to offer.
We ended up having a three hour layover in Dallas so I called a few friends and we all met at Chick-fil-A (please spare me all the political B.S. that's been going on over the last week, I didn't know about it at the time and they really do have good chicken). It was exactly what I needed. Catching up with my good friends, even if it was only for an hour or so, helped take my mind of everything that had happened the previous week. Plus, I love them all and have missed them dearly so it was just wonderful to see them in person.
We didn't get into Destin until dinner time and the next two days, minus an hour we got at the beach, it rained. Normally that would be torture with eight kids under the age of nine in the house, but all of the older ones found a Nook or Kindle or iPad or DS to play and the two little ones just ran around having a ball. It was the perfect way for me to destress. I didn't have to do anything because we couldn't do anything. It was raining so hard we couldn't even go anywhere because we would have gotten soaked getting into and out of the car. By the time the rain stopped I was ready to start doing things. The rest of the week went by fast but we had a great time with fabulous friends.
Of course when it was finally time to go home I was ready. I had been gone for almost three weeks, about the same amount of time that I had actually lived in our new house. My neighbor joked later that they were worried about us and thought maybe we had already given up and moved out. Hmm, not a bad idea. Charlie did a great job with the house while I was gone and there were a lot fewer boxes sitting around and less general junk on the counters but it still needs lots of work.
The first thing I needed to do was laundry. Even though I did some on the trip and we came home with mostly clean clothes, we left a lot of dirty clothes behind. I think I did about eight loads in the last two days. There are three big baskets still sitting in my living room waiting to be put away. Then I called a handyman who thankfully had the entire day free today and came and did a bunch of things we just haven't been able to get around to.
Whether I like it or not we're here to stay so I need to make the best of it. Today I called doctors, finished registering the kids for school, paid all their fees (so glad they don't ride the bus because that would have cost us an extra $300!), paid bills and did a bunch of other things I can't even remember. I hung the first thing on the wall. It's a clock that I've had since college (April, the green Eddie Bauer one) that I have put up in every place that I have ever lived. It was time. The kids were great and kept themselves occupied. I think even they missed the house, or at least all their stuff.
We still have a few boxes to unpack, but only a few, and lots of stuff to organize, but we're getting there. School starts on Monday, which I have been thankful for many times in the past two days especially when I took all three kids to the grocery store at 6p yesterday, and then I should be able to focus a little more on finding a place for everything without so many distractions. In just a few short days we will be back on a schedule, a routine, and hopefully most of the craziness of this summer will be past us. Then we can just work on getting settled and enjoying everything that Colorado, or at least our little part of it, has to offer.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Mike
I know, another huge break from writing. That wasn't the plan. I was just getting in the swing of things except for the lack of photos due to our computer breaking and, oh yeah, not really taking any pictures while we were moving. Then, on July 17th I got a phone call from my dad that changed everything. He called to tell my that my brother was dying.
My brother, Mike, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2002. He was confident he was going to beat it and did everything right to make that happen. When I was pregnant with Andy he was going through chemo and we used to joke about how we both wanted to get new jobs but that nobody would hire either one of us due to our "preexisting condition". He soon went into remission and five years later the doctor told him that he was completely cured. Cancer free. From that point on he lived an amazingly healthy lifestyle, making sure to take good care of himself and doing everything the doctors told him to do to increase his life expectancy. He took nothing for granted. You know how some people get better and then just go back to their horrible ways? Not my brother. He played basketball for a couple hours every morning before work, went back to the gym in the afternoons for his workouts, went on 40 mile bike rides on the weekends and hardly ever ate junk. He was the picture of health.
But in 2010 his cancer came back. Usually when cancer patients have something come back, it's a different disease or another form of cancer. Not my brother, he had to be complicated, he had the exact same cancer. He started chemo again but his doctors told him his best chances for longevity was a bone marrow transplant. So in February of last year that's what he did. The doctors were amazed with his recovery and said they wished all patients responded as well - he was the ideal transplant patient. But then he got Graft vs Host disease, which I don't really understand but basically means his body was rejecting the transplant. That's not always a bad thing, a lot of people come back stronger after it. However, his was in the gut. His intestines, his digestive system. He couldn't eat and he got week and he had to start from the very beginning to eat again working his way up from a very simple broth. But he did it, he got well, and he got to a point where he could eat pretty much everything.
He was in and out of the hospital a few more times, but he always got better. Until the Graft vs Host spread to his kidneys and his liver. His liver refused to respond to the medicines that they were giving him and there was nothing they could do. Basically his body was going into liver failure and they couldn't fight it.
My dad called me as soon as he found out and I was on a plane less than four hours later. My brother, David, and sister, Kathy, got there just before I did. We spent the next four days going back and forth to the hospital to spend time with Mike and my sister-in-law Nanci. Early on the morning of July 22, two days before his 46th birthday, he passed away.
I spent the next week with Nanci and my nieces and nephew, helping her get the house in order and getting ready for the memorial service. Charlie took the kids to my brother's house so I didn't have to worry about them and could just focus on Mike's family. I don't know if I helped or was in the way, but that was where I needed to be, so they wouldn't have been able to get rid of me anyway.
The memorial service was on Friday and it was so wonderful to see so many people who had been a part of Mike's life, all there to pay their respects and show their love for Nanci and the kids. Friends and family and co-workers and some of his nurses and people from my parent's church. It was standing room only and the place held over 250 people. Even a few of my friends showed up and I was really surprised and touched. The service was very nice and David and Nanci's brother, Marc, said some amazing things about Mike.
Afterwards, a lot of people told me that they didn't even know he was sick. I guess that's true, because I didn't tell very many people. I told a few of my close friends, but I always felt kind of weird bringing it up. It didn't define him, he was so much more than that, unfortunately the last few years it just took up a big part of his life. Also, I never thought that he wasn't going to get better, so it really wasn't an issue. Until it was.
I'm not sure how I would define my relationship with my brother. Were we close? I would say so, but I guess it depends on your definition. We didn't talk that often, how I wish now we had talked more, but that's just kind of how our family is. I respected him and looked up to him and loved him. When we did see each other we had fun and had plenty of things to share. We were very similar and so different from our other siblings (who are also very similar to each other), that I guess we had a secret bond.
I am so thankful that I was able to spend time with him in the hospital before he passed away. I know we all are. Not much was said, but we were there for him because we loved him and in that time he was what was most important and there is no question that he knew that. I will truly miss him but am so glad that he does not have to fight anymore.
My brother, Mike, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2002. He was confident he was going to beat it and did everything right to make that happen. When I was pregnant with Andy he was going through chemo and we used to joke about how we both wanted to get new jobs but that nobody would hire either one of us due to our "preexisting condition". He soon went into remission and five years later the doctor told him that he was completely cured. Cancer free. From that point on he lived an amazingly healthy lifestyle, making sure to take good care of himself and doing everything the doctors told him to do to increase his life expectancy. He took nothing for granted. You know how some people get better and then just go back to their horrible ways? Not my brother. He played basketball for a couple hours every morning before work, went back to the gym in the afternoons for his workouts, went on 40 mile bike rides on the weekends and hardly ever ate junk. He was the picture of health.
But in 2010 his cancer came back. Usually when cancer patients have something come back, it's a different disease or another form of cancer. Not my brother, he had to be complicated, he had the exact same cancer. He started chemo again but his doctors told him his best chances for longevity was a bone marrow transplant. So in February of last year that's what he did. The doctors were amazed with his recovery and said they wished all patients responded as well - he was the ideal transplant patient. But then he got Graft vs Host disease, which I don't really understand but basically means his body was rejecting the transplant. That's not always a bad thing, a lot of people come back stronger after it. However, his was in the gut. His intestines, his digestive system. He couldn't eat and he got week and he had to start from the very beginning to eat again working his way up from a very simple broth. But he did it, he got well, and he got to a point where he could eat pretty much everything.
He was in and out of the hospital a few more times, but he always got better. Until the Graft vs Host spread to his kidneys and his liver. His liver refused to respond to the medicines that they were giving him and there was nothing they could do. Basically his body was going into liver failure and they couldn't fight it.
My dad called me as soon as he found out and I was on a plane less than four hours later. My brother, David, and sister, Kathy, got there just before I did. We spent the next four days going back and forth to the hospital to spend time with Mike and my sister-in-law Nanci. Early on the morning of July 22, two days before his 46th birthday, he passed away.
I spent the next week with Nanci and my nieces and nephew, helping her get the house in order and getting ready for the memorial service. Charlie took the kids to my brother's house so I didn't have to worry about them and could just focus on Mike's family. I don't know if I helped or was in the way, but that was where I needed to be, so they wouldn't have been able to get rid of me anyway.
The memorial service was on Friday and it was so wonderful to see so many people who had been a part of Mike's life, all there to pay their respects and show their love for Nanci and the kids. Friends and family and co-workers and some of his nurses and people from my parent's church. It was standing room only and the place held over 250 people. Even a few of my friends showed up and I was really surprised and touched. The service was very nice and David and Nanci's brother, Marc, said some amazing things about Mike.
Afterwards, a lot of people told me that they didn't even know he was sick. I guess that's true, because I didn't tell very many people. I told a few of my close friends, but I always felt kind of weird bringing it up. It didn't define him, he was so much more than that, unfortunately the last few years it just took up a big part of his life. Also, I never thought that he wasn't going to get better, so it really wasn't an issue. Until it was.
I'm not sure how I would define my relationship with my brother. Were we close? I would say so, but I guess it depends on your definition. We didn't talk that often, how I wish now we had talked more, but that's just kind of how our family is. I respected him and looked up to him and loved him. When we did see each other we had fun and had plenty of things to share. We were very similar and so different from our other siblings (who are also very similar to each other), that I guess we had a secret bond.
I am so thankful that I was able to spend time with him in the hospital before he passed away. I know we all are. Not much was said, but we were there for him because we loved him and in that time he was what was most important and there is no question that he knew that. I will truly miss him but am so glad that he does not have to fight anymore.
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