And, I’m having lunch with my sister. Yippee! Have I mentioned in the past five minutes how grateful I am that my sister is such a huge part of my life? We have the best sisterfriend relationship. She’s my best friend, and I’m soooooo happy she’s right down the street instead of two states away.

I thought to myself, surely I have a picture of my two favorite people together, just sitting in my Flickr account. Well, I did, but it’s from Halloween. Ha! I know I have better pictures of Kim and Paul together, but this one cracked me up!

Love them.

Possibly Related

• January 18, 2007 — Happy Birthday, Little Girls!
• October 26, 2006 — Reminiscing days gone by…
• April 20, 2009 — Pablo on Autism 151
• March 2, 2009 — Let’s hear it for MONDAY! Woooo, hoooo.
• January 3, 2009 — It’s 69 for old people.

My blog writing has actually been a huge point of contention between my husband and me. He’s a very private person, and having a wife who blogs is difficult for him. We had a big heart-to-heart about the nature of writing online, and how difficult it can be to share things about my life and my family without becoming a stalker’s wet dream. He made me realize that sometimes, it doesn’t matter how carefully you word something, because people are always going to see what they want to see in it.

Who would have ever thought that my husband, who hates everything about blogging, would be the one to talk me off the ledge? He loves me and wants me to be happy, and he knows that writing is what makes me happy. So, at his insistence, I’m going to stick around. My sincere apologies for crying wolf – I hate it when people do that!

Possibly Related

• January 14, 2010 — National De-Lurking Day!
• April 24, 2008 — Thursday Thirteen – 8 years of changes!
• January 26, 2010 — I’m on your Kindle!
• January 19, 2010 — Changes a’coming.
• January 19, 2010 — Interesting!

I’m feeling splendid, even though the rain is BEATING DOWN on my house right now, preventing me from venturing out to Costco. (Maybe I should be thanking the rain! Costco is not that much fun. But neither is being out of lunchbox snacks and salad greens.) I’m feeling pretty marvelous because it seems like a lot of things in my little world are coming together. I think this calls for a bulleted list!

• I may have found a church home for us where they’ll welcome Pablo with open arms. We tried a place on Sunday and the kids loved it. Pablo had one tiny issue, but the teacher there seemed positive that he could succeed and really enjoy being there with some precautions put into place. I’m optimistic that things may actually work out where this is concerned. I always crave more order and structure for my children, particularly for Pablo, and I think Sunday school would benefit all of them tremendously. Also, I think the whole, “We are all God’s children, and everyone is special and wonderful” atmosphere of, y’know, CHURCH, will be a good thing. Pablo’s had to deal with so much unkindness from people due to his disability, which SUCKS ASS. I’ve got my fingers crossed that this might be a really good thing.
• I’ve gotten back in touch with a friend of mine on Facebook who was a huge, major part of my life for many years. We “survived” small town life together, moved up to Denver together, and leaned on each other for years before going off and living our lives. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him for TEN YEARS until last week, and now we’ve been spending lots of time catching up. It makes me sad that we were absent from each other’s lives for so long, but I’m thrilled to be catching up now, and each time we have a little chat on Facebook, it brightens my whole day. There’s absolutely nothing like old friends, who have seen you at your best and worst, and who  knew you when you were going through puberty! Love. It.
• My husband and I are moving forward with major improvements to our house! It’s gorgeous as it is, but we’re really trying to make it our own. On the horizon: building a custom bed for the kids, additional built-in storage in the basement for our plethora of toys and games, and…::drumroll:: extending our DECK and putting a roof on it so we can spend more time enjoying our amazing backyard! I’m so grateful to have married that crazy enginerd, who meticulously designs things, agonizing over every minute detail that no one else would even notice. It’s going to be cool.
• Pablo is doing fantastic! We started a fish oil regimen a few weeks ago, and I really think it’s benefiting him. He’s all but stopped hitting himself, and the vocal tics have dropped off completely. We’ve had a few minor issues, but we’re starting to realize (duh) that Pablo is growing and maturing, and wants more than anything to just be a regular kid. It seems like whenever we have a huge blowup or tantrum, it’s because the kids around him are doing something he wants to do. Like line up and walk into school without having his aide grab him by the hand. Little things. He’s really blossoming, and we’re really enjoying him. Those weeks of hell always seem to result in big breakthroughs for him!
• Although I haven’t addressed it here or anywhere online, Kayley has been dealing with a huge healthl issue which has really affected her. I’ve been worried to death about her. A few days ago, we finally figured out the problem, and we’re on our way to a solution. She is positive and happy and optimistic that it’s all going to work out fine. She has been such a big, brave girl and I am just SO proud of her right now. Things aren’t 100% rosy, but where this area is concerned, it’s all good. 

And, it’s JUNE! How can it be June? It’s 55 degrees outside. I packed up all the winter clothes last week! We’re ready for summer weather, pretty please. The kids are graduating from kindergarten on the 18th and we’d like to eventually visit the beautiful pool in our neighborhood. So, get your act together, Mother Nature!

Possibly Related

• June 30, 2009 — OMG! Eight days since I last blogged?
• November 5, 2008 — Uh oh!
• July 26, 2008 — Weddings and Strollers.
• July 16, 2008 — Goodbye, Christy
• June 28, 2008 — Old friends are the best, part 2.

Which had this inside:

I love it! My first Tiffany. Awwwww. Unfortunately, I had to send it with him today so he can take it back and have another link added to the chain, so it won’t look ridiculous on my man-neck. Booooo. But still, I LOVE IT.

Possibly Related

• May 21, 2009 — Anything to reduce the noise level around here!
• May 6, 2009 — Spring Cleaning! (Sucks!)
• March 30, 2009 — Womb to Bloom
• January 30, 2009 — Hey, I did it!!
• December 12, 2008 — How much do we love Santa?

The weekend was okay. My sister and I had a lot of fun, and I actually watched THREE MOVIES. Look at me go! I’ve already watched more movies in the 2 months we’ve lived here than in all of last year. We saw Pineapple Express, The Love Guru, and You Don’t Mess With the Zohan. Pineapple Express was hysterical – we laughed so hard, both of us nearly peed. Sexay! It’s fun being old. The other two movies sucked, in my opinion. Thumbs down, dude. Thumbs down. I don’t recommend either. But I highly recommend Pineapple Express! It was hysterical! I always love seeing Rosie Perez in another role besides that of Click the Camera on Diego.

Yesterday, we had family over for most of the day, and a family friend came into town late in the afternoon. We all went to dinner last night at the pseudo In-N-Out (also known as Old School Burgers) and it was downright delightful, even if I didn’t get to eat my burger with a nice, toasty bun. The weather’s been gorgeous here, and I’m getting really excited about springtime. It’s all brand new to us in a way, because we bought the house in December, so we have no idea what’s going to pop up out of the ground. I know there’s a ton of stuff planted, but it’s all DEAD now, so it’s hard to tell what it is. I just know it’s going to be gorgeous, though. I’m thrilled to have such a beautifully landscaped yard now. We did lots of work on our old yard, but we really lacked the time and money required to plant everything I wanted to. And here, it’s all done.

Our pond is looking spectacular, too! The water is so clear, I can see all the way through to the bottom now. I’m about ready to go buy some twenty-five cent feeder goldfish to throw in there and see if they’ll live. K’s dad is not going to have his pond anymore, so he’s passing along some of his pond accoutrements. Hopefully we’ll get his nice big fish, too!

Today, I’m planning to get a lot of stuff done. It’s only 8:30, so I have the whole day ahead of me. My mom’s going to take the girls and have a picnic, so I can get stuff done here. I think I might grab her carpet shampooer while I’m over there. Paul’s aunt and cousin are coming out from Cali in about a week, and we want the house to look really nice. I love these “Oh shit! People are coming! Hurry!” moments we seem to have, because they really kick Paul in the ass when it comes to stuff around the house. I guarantee we’ll get stuff done this week that I’ve been nagging him about since day one. What do you want to bet by the end of the week, there will be hooks for backpacks and lunchboxes and kids’ coats, and curtain rods in place, and all the stuff on the walls that require a drill and a level for hanging.

Oh, and I’ve got the study nearly done, too! I painted one wall bright orange, and it came out so pretty! It’s so cheerful and bright – the kids really love it. We’ve got white shelves all over that wall and an area for the kids to do school work. It’s coming along nicely.

So I guess I need to get it in gear. See ya!

Possibly Related

• January 12, 2009 — We’re getting there.
• February 16, 2010 — My two favorite people.
• January 4, 2010 — Who would have thought this would bring me such joy?
• October 2, 2009 — First character complete…it’s Muno!
• September 24, 2009 — No TV Saturday – Worldwide Day of Play!

According to the neighbors, the pond was an explosion of color in the summertime, with the surface completely covered in lily blooms. One guy said he used to sit on our deck, having a beer with Former Homeowner Guy, watching the huge koi fish swimming around. The pond had two waterfalls, multiple lights under water, plus lots of professional landscaping all around it. It’s even got a few boulders in place I can’t imagine were placed there by anything but a backhoe. It was BAD ASS.

Fast forward a few months, and now it SMELLS like ass. It was completely frozen over when we moved in, but the 3 or 4 days last week of 60 degree temps has thawed that sucker right out. Saturday, Paul and I decided to muck it out a little bit and figure out what we should do with it next. We started attacking it with a couple of rakes, just trying to snag some of the debris. We pulled out half a dozen tree branches, three large dead fish, and a HUGE pile of fallen, decaying leaves. It smelled SICK. It was probably the worst thing I’ve ever smelled in my life. Every time we’d stir up the bottom, the stench would rise up and grab our attention like a slap in the face. And with every pass I made with the rake, I seriously expected to snag a human jawbone or something. I could not imagine an odor like that coming from anything but a dead body. But, no. The only dead bodies were those of the unlucky fish.

Paul got one of the waterfalls going again – the other one is missing its pump, which I guess the Former Homeowner Guy took with him. And our neighbor gave us a big bottle of algicide which we dumped in the water. Hopefully after the waterfall runs for a couple of days, some of the horrid stench will subside. Paul and I also raked lots of leaves out of the flowerbeds and cut back lots of vegetation, but we still have a long way to go. It already looks a lot better! I’m really excited about spring and summer – it’s obvious that the previous owners enjoyed having a gorgeous yard, and we’re going to reap the benefits of all their hard work. There are so many shrubs, ornamental grasses, trees, and flowers everywhere, I can’t wait to see how it looks when it’s not all brown and DEAD!

I took this picture from the deck – it shows Pauly hosing off one of the waterfalls.

NOW what? I’m still not 100% comfortable with the idea of having a body of water a few feet from my back door with small children around, but…maybe they’re old enough now? Maybe we can slowly add river rock to it until it’s like, a foot deep. Huh? Maybe? Any ideas?

Possibly Related

• January 4, 2010 — Who would have thought this would bring me such joy?
• October 2, 2009 — First character complete…it’s Muno!
• May 21, 2009 — Anything to reduce the noise level around here!
• April 20, 2009 — I’m stalking you, Tokyo Joes!
• March 23, 2009 — I love my house! But…

It’s still attached to the U-Haul trailer we brought our MASSIVE TV home in. Paul’s aunt was so gracious, she gave us a stellar deal on the vehicle and threw in the TV, just so we’d get it out of her house. It’s the most ginormous TV I’ve ever seen in real life. It’s a rear projection, older style TV, but it’s still HDMI according to Paul. As far as I know, that means Huge Damned Mofo Idnit? I don’t know much about TVs, really, except that this one cost us very little, is going to look fan-fucking-tastic in our theater room, and is TALLER THAN ME. Have you ever just walked up to a TV and it was taller than you? It’s weird. This TV is just HUGE. 72 inches and a mere 350 pounds. *cough, choke* Paul had to call a buddy to help him move it into our house. Honestly, I can’t wait to hook the thing up so I can watch Spongebob BIGGER THAN LIFE!

I’m not sure if I’m more excited about the TV or the car (should I call it a car? Or a truck? Or what?) but it was nice to leave town for a minute, even if we spent all of our time driving, sleeping, and eating beef jerky. We still got in a quick visit with some friends in LA, and ate at Manuel’s, so all in all, a great little weekend trip.

Possibly Related

• September 17, 2009 — Medium Premiers September 25th on CBS!
• March 2, 2009 — Let’s hear it for MONDAY! Woooo, hoooo.
• January 12, 2009 — We’re getting there.
• June 3, 2008 — LA Trip 2008
• December 13, 2006 — Weird.

However, we’ve all but finished up business at the old house, which concluded with a huge estate sale yesterday. Paul collected all the furniture and toys and housewares and stuff we couldn’t bring here for whatever reason and we blasted the hell out of Craigslist all week long to really get the word out. I stayed home with sick kiddos while Paul and his brother ran the sale. Our garage, basement, living room, and family room were FULL of stuff! And it was a huge success. Had I been running it, it would have been a huge clusterfuck. Paul and his brother are such hustlers, though, especially when they work as a team, that they had no trouble selling off almost everything. Today, we went back and boxed up what remained so Goodwill can come pick it up.

Back home, the kids tore through boxes of toys in their yet-to-be-unpacked-or-organized playroom. While they made a mess of that, I set up my china and antiques in the dining room, assembled and set up our living room lamps, moved about ten thousand empty boxes to the curb for trash day, and tried to get a few loads of laundry done in between. I need to mention something about the TOYS, while I’m thinking about it. I may have mentioned here that in the months prior to our move, I cleared out a LOT of the kids’ toys. My sister and I spent an entire night going through old stuff, boxing things up to get rid of, organizing the toys they actually play with, and getting their playthings down to a manageable total. All of that has apparently been in vain, though. On moving day, I kept seeing box after box after box after fucking BOX marked “toys” entering our house. Apparently, for a couple of YEARS I would box up old toys the kids were done with, and Paul just stowed them away in the basement! Here I thought he’d been getting RID of the toys I wanted gone, but he was just storing them for some absolutely unknown reason. So we have several boxes of BABY TOYS I now need to get rid of, but in the mean time, they’re strewn throughout the playroom and basement here at the new house. Also, he had several LARGE boxes of toys from his oldest little brother (he’s around 20 now) that he’d been saving for our kids. Some really cool stuff, and some total freakin’ JUNK, too, which I’m going to toss as soon as his back is turned. It’s just daunting, really. I thought the toy part of the move was going to go so smoothly, and it’s now this huge new issue to deal with. Tomorrow, I’m planning to seriously dive into it and see what I can get done.

And, have I mentioned that I haven’t been away from my children for more than an hour since New Year’s Eve? And even then, I was only away from them for about…an hour? And the only alone time I’ve had since before we moved has involved really speedy trips to the grocery store? My hair is ridiculously grown out. I had acrylic nails for a minute (really, I have no idea why, they’re so not me) but I gave up on them when they grew halfway out, and I’ve been snapping them off one by one over the past few days. I haven’t had my brows done since before Thanksgiving. I haven’t had a pedicure since SUMMER. My kids have been out of school for what feels like YEARS! This has been their longest “off track” break so far. They’ve been out since December 19th, and they go back on January 27th (for 12 weeks, I believe, which will be their longest “track on” since school started.) I’m going a little stir crazy up in here.

But! I’m actually LEAVING TOWN in a few days. Paul and I are taking a super duper quick fast trip to California to pick up a vehicle we bought from his aunt. I’m sure I mentioned that the transmission died in Paul’s van right after Halloween, right? He’s been borrowing his dad’s spare vehicle since then, but we’ve been kind of shopping around for something between gall bladder surgery and buying a house and moving and all that. This deal came at us at the right time. Paul’s aunt wanted to downsize to a smaller vehicle since HER twins have up and left for college, so she’s giving us a stellar deal. We’re flying out this weekend to pick it up and quick-quick-quick driving back home before my sister has to go back to school on Tuesday. So, new year, new house, new car. Paul’s taking MY van, since it gets good gas mileage and he does lots of driving. And I’ll be making my many Costco/elementary school/Super Target trips in a big ol’ Chevy Tahoe! Whee!

Honestly, I’m more excited about spending a couple of days without the kids than anything else. Isn’t that awful of me? I’m just so burned out being the mommy in these times of chaos and madness and disarray! Maybe this time I’ll be able to meet up with Julie for a minute when we stop in Vegas! Nighty night.

Possibly Related

• November 28, 2008 — Augh!
• March 2, 2009 — Let’s hear it for MONDAY! Woooo, hoooo.
• January 3, 2009 — 1st post of 2009…1st post from the new house!
• December 26, 2008 — Moving Day.
• December 21, 2008 — Standing in the TV Hole.

Sad, isn’t it?

Possibly Related

• February 16, 2010 — My two favorite people.
• July 12, 2008 — All day kindergarten is kicking my ass.
• April 30, 2006 — *yawn*

In other words, I’ve been gone a whole fucking lot, and my kids are REALLY noticing. These little ones really know how to twist that knife, too, and I feel awful about it. When we left the other night, Lexi shouted at us, “You NEVER stay with us! You always LEAVE us!” I actually cried a little as we turned the corner. And I’m seriously debating whether or not to go to this thing tonight. I’ve been looking forward to it for awhile, and I’m dragging my sister along with me, but still – the guilt is consuming me! My poor children, forced to hang out with Nana and Kayley, watching cartoons and eating ice cream all day.

My MIL left yesterday, so my babysitter is officially gone. For some reason it seems like we do NOTHING for weeks and weeks, and then everything hits at once, and we have a whole lot of stuff going on over a period of a few days. This has been the case many times in the past, and I always end up feeling massive mommy guilt about it. This has been the longest period ever, though, where I’ve completely ignored my children. It’s killing me.

Possibly Related

• October 2, 2008 — Just trying to catch my own ass, here.
• April 14, 2009 — In Memory of Maddie.
• February 16, 2009 — Oh, shut UP already!
• February 1, 2009 — *sniff, sniff*
• November 3, 2008 — Unplugged.