I know, it's been forever since I've blogged. Kinda had a lot going on. I have a ton to catch up on with the move, staying in UT for a couple weeks, family reunion, etc. But before I get any more behind I figured I'd reassure all my loyal readers :) that we are here and doing well.
I flew in with Sydney late August 1st (actually got here on Tuesday morning at around 1:00) because it was so late and Jerry was worried about me driving from Indianapolis and trying to find our house so late I had a hotel set up for that night in Indianapolis. Because of one thing after another, and not being able to follow GPS directions, and GPS not realizing there was road construction I ended up checking into my hotel at 3:45 Tuesday morning. Yeah, lots of fun! Since we paid for it I was going to use every minute I could. We slept until 11:30 am, and checked out 5 min. before check out time. Then we headed to our new home.
Jerry left Utah Monday morning with Hayden and Rebecca. They got to do the yucky 3 day drive. They didn't get here until Wednesday, late afternoon. So Tuesday night it was just me and Sydney. We were still on UT time zone, and she had a really late nap so we both stayed up till about 2:00 am getting the garage organized. She was just in heaven playing so well with all her toys that she hadn't seen in 3 1/2 weeks. Once I decided we should probably go to bed a huge storm rolled in. Sydney has been so used to sleeping right by me while we were on vacation, and I was SO determined that we were going to break that habit once we got in our house. But once I turned off the lights I realized just how dark it was. I'm so used to having the street lights shine in through the windows in Vegas that it really shocked me just how dark it was. Our new house is out kinda in the country, and there are no street lights around. Not even many houses behind us at all. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I looked out the window to see how bad the rain was coming down and I could see nothing until the lightning flashed. Sydney asked if she could sleep with me and I told her that only because Daddy and the other kids weren't there yet she could - but really it was because I was a little scared to sleep alone. So crazy.
Jerry got here Wednesday, and finally it felt more like home. Lucky for me, Jerry had been here for about 1 1/2 weeks in early July when he moved the truck out, so he had unpacked and arranged most of the main things. But we spend the next couple days just finishing up the unpacking and arranging everything. We still have some furniture we need to get. Our tv is sitting on the floor for right now, and we need a pantry for our food. Hopefully we'll be able to get that this week then we'll get all the pictures up on the wall so it will really feel like we've moved in.
So, in case I hadn't told you - with this new move I've made my big goal to be.... perfect.:) Y'know, I'm going to learn to cook much better, cook real meals for my family, eat a sit down dinner at the table without the tv on, sew my daughters matching outfits, plant a garden, always have a beautifully clean and organized home with everything in it's own place, of course I'll get up and exercise and read my scriptures before my kids wake up, and I'll never lose my patience with my kids. Ok, I know, very ambitious. I would like to accomplish all those things, but I had some very realistic changes/goals I wanted to improve on. One of those is that I want everything to have a place. Should be simple enough right? Luckily this home has a little bit more space than we had before, and I am planning ahead and organizing the things I can get so that everything has a place.
Ok, so I do have lots of other goals I'm working on, but I'll only go into detail on one so you won't get sick of reading. I want to teach my children how to work. They've always had chores to do, but it still wasn't working like I wanted it to. We use a token/reward system where the kids can earn tokens and use them to pay for playing video games, computer, etc. or turn them in for money. Helps big time when they want to buy everything at the store. If they don't have the money, they can't buy it. Anyway, I won't go into all the details of my frustration with paying them tokens for their jobs, but I will tell you the awesome idea that I got from one of my all-knowing sister in laws. Each morning when the kids wake up they have to make their beds and choose 3 chore sticks from the chore can. A simple job is written on popsicle stick like, vacuum one room, wash a window, unload the dishwasher, wipe down 3 chairs, etc. Once the beds and chores are done they can watch tv, play with friends, pay to play video games, or whatever. They don't get any tokens for doing these chores. It is just part of living here. But if they want to earn tokens they can always do extra chores to earn a token. They can also read for 10 minutes, (or for Sydney - if she listens to Hayden read a book for 10 min) they can earn another token.
(p.s. Sydney only has to do 1 chore because she's only 2 - but she does pretty good so far)
(p.s.s. Sorry that I'm writing tons!! That's what you get when I take a month long break)
Anyway, the kids - so far - love it. it doesn't take them too long and there is variety in it, but familiar enough that they still like it. As with anything I do have to remind them, and enforce it, but it hasn't been hard. Oddly enough though - even though it's chosen at random, unload the dishwasher hasn't ever been picked. Hmm. It also helps keep me up on my own work that I need to do. I try to make my bed while they are, and I have to make sure I start the dishwasher the night before just in case they chose that stick. I know, it's only been a week. I'll let you know in a couple months if we're still keeping up on it. Hopefully we are - of course we are because I'm going to be perfect soon right??
So far, I love our house. There are little things I'm getting used to with living in an older home (it was built in 1964?) and just the new sounds the house makes. It's mainly hard wood floors so every sound the kids make at night just travels down the hall into our room and I constantly think they're awake needing something, even if it's just that they kicked the wall in their sleep. I love having a 1 story home, but that could be because I'm 9 months pregnant. Who does like stairs when they're pregnant. I love having a 2 car garage, and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE my yard and neighborhood. It is just beautiful. The kids go riding bikes several times a day. And we go on lots of walks around the neighborhood. I love the thunder storms. We've lost power twice since we've been here though. That's not quite my favorite. And the humidity isn't my favorite, but truly there's only been a couple really humid days, but not too bad. I think I missed the main heat/humid time of the summer.
Jerry had an intensive training class last week to get back into the swing of school. It was kind of a refresher class on accounting, statistics, quantitative studies, etc. He likes school so far. And he has orientation week this week then it's full steam ahead for him. He's excited, and I am too for him. I still don't know if I fully know what to expect - but from everything I've heard I'm just going to plan on not seeing him much and I'll be pleasantly surprised when he is home.
I've met my dr. and had 2 dr. appointments so far. I really like him. I can't believe he's coming so soon! My delivery is set for Sept. 8th at 10:30. How's that for exact?
The kids seem to be adjusting well for the most part. Hayden has been more emotional than usual, which I suspect has a little to do with the changes. He loves it here. But he really misses his friends and cousins. We were able to go to my brother, John's house on Friday and he just LOVED playing with his cousin, Jayden. Minutes after we left he asked when we were going back. We definitely want to get together often. It's great having them in town. But we live about 30 min. from each other, so we won't be able to see them every day. And Hayden will also make new friends too. He starts school on Tuesday.
Rebecca talks about her friends from Vegas, as if they lived around the corner here. She misses them, but is also such a social butterfly that she'll make friends soon. I was actually worried about her last Sunday when I dropped her off in primary. She looked like she might cry. I worried and worried until I went to the bathroom right before R.S. and saw her in there with all the girls from her class on a class potty break, and they were playing tag. She was completely herself. So I was glad to see that she'd made friends, not too happy to see her playing tag though.:) That's my girl. She goes back and forth every day, without prompting she'll say one day that she likes this house better, the next day she says she doesn't like yard, and she liked our yard (ha, what yard) in Vegas better.
Sydney has adjusted really well, but she also misses her Maylee. She always wants to play with her best friend, Maylee.
And as for me, I love it out here, but I definitely miss my friends. I'll make new friends, and everyone in the ward has been so friendly! I just have a hard time with good friendships changing, and not being as close. Some days I feel like I'd be content to just be a hermit and just worry about my little family and our little home because it's easier than getting out there and having to be outgoing and start all over making new friends. I just miss the familiarity of being completely myself with my friends. BUT I also know that it won't make me happy. There are a lot of opportunities to get to know other women in my same stage and I really like the people I've met. And it will get easier and easier. I know I'll make good friends, which I want to make. I just wish I could move all my other friends out here with me too.
Ok, I've rambled on long enough. Probably too much. So that's the update on us. We're alive and well. And I promise, I'll try not to take such a long break from updating.
Here are a couple pictures, and some sneak peaks at our home. Once we get all the pics on the walls etc. I'll give the complete tour of the home on film.
This is on one of our walks through our neighborhood. Hayden loves riding his bike, and I love the beautiful green trees everywhere!
Here is my princess doing her chores in the morning. I just loved how she was already dressed in her most beautiful dress she could find, scrubbing the kitchen floor.
Here's a sneak peak at our family room/ kitchen area. Still needs some more items, and pictures on the wall, then I'll put up a real picture.
