Well somehow with the help of many kind people we survived our move and are happily settling into our own home. Here is the long version of a very busy, life changing week...
The last few days in California were very busy as you can imagine. My dad came down and helped us do a lot of small repairs in hopes to get a deposit return. He is so good, he fixed everything right up. We scrubbed and painted and really made the place shine. Too bad I don't keep things that nice when I am actually living in a house. By the time we left, I was just glad to leave all of that stress behind us.
On Saturday a big crew from church came and loaded us up into our 26 footer rental truck. After it was about 2/3 full, I looked at everything that was left and thought that my fear of having more than we could fit were coming true. But those wonderful guys just kept strategically fitting it in and by some miracle we fit everything in, except the basketball hoop. I could not believe my eyes!
The trip home was pretty uneventful, thank goodness. We towed Peter's car so we had 3 drivers and 2 vehicles to drive. That made it much easier for everyone to have a break. Our little DVD players got packed in the big truck so we had no entertainment, but the kids did so great anyway. They loved getting their turn to ride in the big truck. They thought it was like riding a roller coaster.
Our tenants were originally going to leave our house by the 15th so that we would have a few days to get the house ready for us to return. When they asked for more time we gave them until the 20th, the same day we were going to pull in. That turned out to be a bad thing for us. They were going to be out by 2:00, but called and asked for a couple more hours. By the time we got there at 5:30, we had a huge moving crew waiting in the rain to help us and the tenants still had a load of stuff in the garage, back porch and basement. Coming in the house was very disheartening. I was so so tired from the traveling and the cleaning and taking care of littles, and although we had the carpets cleaned that afternoon, the rest of the house was not cleaned at all.
We decided the best thing to do was to not even open the truck, send all our helpers home and sleep somewhere else until we got the house more ready for the family(lesson learned). Larry D's family was out of town and was so nice to let us stay at their house for a couple of days while we took care of things. We were too exhausted to even attempt the cleaning (they had a lot of dogs so it needed top to bottom as well as odor treatments) so we hired a crew of 3 to come in and got the job done in one day. By Monday night things were really starting to look up.
First thing Tuesday morning we started unloading. We had a smaller crew this time since it was a work day, but enough to make it go smoothly. By that afternoon all the furniture and many boxes were in the house ready to be put away. They even put the trampoline together for the kids. Throughout this whole thing I have felt so helpless just trying to manage taking care of Lily and the other kids and not feeling well. After having the baby, I got very sick a couple of times and then I got a sore throat and aching in my lungs that just won't go away so I have what seems like less than half of my normal energy. I get migraines almost daily when nursing (medicine helps though) so that is not fun either. It is very frustrating to be so weak, but I am so grateful for kind service. Peter has been working even harder to make up for me as well, what a great guy. He got us moved in enough to be comfortable and everything else can just wait(in the garage).
After everyone left, I sat in our house with such a displaced feeling. It was cold(it took about a day to warm up since doors were open and such), I was so tired, and there was stuff everywhere. It just didn't feel like home to me. But that night we slept in our own beds and the house warmed up. What a difference that made. I woke up the next morning all cozy and comfortable and rested. I rolled over and looked out the window of our bedroom like I have done hundreds of times in the past. I watched the trees in our yard and listened to birds. Then I knew after all of this, we were home. Everything was surreal, like, did the last 2 1/2 years just happen or was it all a dream?
I sort of feel like we went on a mission. Well we did. But it was not for the church, but for our family. We had a goal in mind, accomplished it there and then returned to our old life. We got so much more out of our time in California than we ever could have imagined. Thinking about it makes me cry. We have both grown from it and have so many great memories, but now that we are home it feels right. I love my kitchen and of course most people know how much I love my counter tops. It is so fun to use them and wipe them off. I love having a good dishwasher again. We were pretty much washing by hand with a machine that barely rinsed in Cali. I love the hardwood that is so easy to clean and can withstand our family better than carpet. I love that now we can enjoy the fruits of all the renovating that we did before we left. I love to look at the beautiful new windows, doors and trim and appreciate it more knowing how much work we put into it. Usually when we move to a new place, I have a hard time sleeping and getting used to all of the noises that the place makes. Not this time, it is so familiar it is more comforting than anything. Mostly I am grateful that we have a home to call our own, it is nice to know it is ours.
That would have been the end of this long story, but being that it was Christmas week there was no time to slow down. It wouldn't be like us to miss out on anything and we are so excited to be around family again. Monday night we went to Peter's parents for a relative party. It was fun to visit and sing. I prepare a solo to sing since I haven't had a chance to participate in any music programs this year. It was so fun, I love to sing and have missed it a lot.
Tuesday, we did our holiday shopping. ALL of it. We were at Toys R Us until almost midnight. I never want to have it all to do in one evening again, that's for sure. There was not enough time to think through each gift and figure out which things were good quality. I am amazed at how much we payed for junky toys.
On Wednesday Peter worked hard at getting things organized around the house and that night we went to my relative party at my Aunt's house. It is always a blast to get together with my side, and I haven't seen many of them in a year or two. Last year was cancelled due to weather and we haven't been around for any other activities. We were having so much fun talking to Aunts, Uncles and Cousins that we were the last ones to leave(oops, I hope they didn't mind)!
Christmas Eve we went to my sisters for to spend the evening with my immediate family. It was very relaxing and fun and I sang my song for them too. We always laugh a lot when we are around the sibs. It wouldn't feel like Christmas without our get together on that night.
Christmas morning we woke up feeling happy to be in our house on Christmas! It was so fun to watch the kids open all of their gifts. They didn't mind taking turns and everyone enjoyed each others gifts before moving on. We probably spent 3 hours before everything was open. It was great. I was surprised that the favorite gifts were not the biggest fanciest things, but the things that they had asked for, no matter how small. For Eden it was a My Little Pony. for Tanner, little cars from the movie Cars. This did make us 4 hours late getting over Peter's parent's though. We got there around noon and spent all afternoon eating, playing games and opening more gifts. We also went to the Portland Speedway and drove around the race track all decorated with lighted christmas scenes. We were having so much fun that it got very late and we ended up staying the night at his parent's (we kind of expected that) and partying all day the next day. That next night we enjoyed the nice extended family dinner that we go to each year with all of Peter's Grandpa's siblings and families.
Yesterday, on Sunday we went to our new/old ward for the first time and blessed Lily. We had a lot of family there and it was fun to see so many familiar faces. Several people from the ward had stopped by during the week as well to welcome us back with treats and offers to help and even a meal! After church we hosted our first get together at our house with all the family that had come. The first of many many in our future I am sure(and that's the way we like it).
Today is the first day of reality. Peter got up and went to his first day of work with his Dad. He worked with him before, but this time he is a full Journeyman, not an apprentice. He is so excited to finally be ready to make the career he has always wanted a reality. I know he is going to be happy with his choice and be very successful. The holiday partying will continue throughout the week, but things seem to be slowing down a little finally for the kids and I.
Speaking of the kids, they have been adjusting as well as could be expected. They have been staying up way late, missing naps, living on junk food and playing like there is no tomorrow. With all of that on top of moving everyone is highly emotional and needing extra comforting. I have really tried to be more patient with their grouchiness too because they are going through a lot. I think it seems more like a vacation to them than coming to a new life so far, but that is fine and they are very happy. Dallin seemed to really remember our house here, but I don't think anyone else does.
Tanner has been the funniest to watch through all of it. We spent 2 nights at Larry D's and with there new addition he kept getting lost trying to find his bed or the bathroom. He would say he was going to go potty and then go the total opposite direction. Then we spent 2 nights at our house and it was the same thing. I had to help him find his room a few times. On Christmas Eve we got home and the kids ran to their beds so that Santa could come. Tanner was running around the main floor and finally said "Mom, where are the stairs?" Then we spent one night at Peter's Parents and when he woke up, he said "Mom, what house are we at?" I should also mention that he keeps falling asleep in the car since he goes to bed late so whenever we go anywhere he wakes up in a different place on someone's couch. Poor guy is so confused. Hopefully we will stop being so confusing for him soon.
We do have some pictures, but I haven't taken very many at all since we got here. This is one Christmas that will not be well documented in picture. Oh well, I don't feel too bad since something has to give. I will get to posting the ones we do have soon. For now I am trying to get a little rested and continue with all the partying. I am telling myself that we don't really need to worry about finishing unpacking until after New Years so that we can enjoy all of the family that is in town. It is busy, but oh soooo good to be home!
Things about Lily's day:
I asked Eden several times over the last few weeks if I should buy Lily a new blessing dress or if she wanted Lily to wear hers. Every time she said that she wanted Lily to wear her dress. I thought that was very sweet.
The men in her circle were: Peter, Larry, Larry D, Luke, Jeff, Will, and my dad Stephen.
A few things she was blessed with:
Tanner randomly came to me and said "Mom, you can't go get the spank machine, we are all being good." Okay, so I may have used this threat at bed time once or twice but I also recall reassuring them that there wasn't really a spank machine. Apparently Tanner still thinks there is one hiding in the garage somewhere.
Today I dropped Dallin off for his last day of school. After school yesterday, Peter and I went to give his teacher's cards and gifts. It has been very touching to see how loved he is there by everyone who knows him. Dallin's classmates are very sad that he is leaving, they really like him. He even has a special little girlfriend that will miss him. I could not hold back tears as his teacher gave him a hug and told him how much she would miss having him in her class. We said goodbye to his aid too. She said that he has been as important to her as she has been for him. She was with him in Kindergarten as well so she really knows him.
Then we went to the resource room and said goodbye to a very special lady that helped get Dallin into the school last year even though there was no room. She took it upon herself to get him into the educational setting that he needed and his life has been so blessed by that.
Our last stop was the principal. He loves Dallin too and has always gone out of his way to make him feel special and important. It is overwhelming to see how many people really do adore our little man. I hope that he will find people this special at his new school, it really has paved a road to success for him. I think leaving this school is the saddest thing about moving away, I wish we could just transplant it home with us.
I have to quote him, it is too much.
(putting Tanner to bed the other night)
"I want to get a McQueen, Chick, and Mater. Does Santa have those? I THINK he does."
Peter was teasing the kids and I said in a loud voice that Daddy was going to go on the naughty list as a joke. Tanner was so offended and shouted "Daddy is NOT on the NAUGHTY list!!!"
Carter, the little protege
If these were the only toys in our house, I don't think the boys would miss much. Hey, there's an idea!
As a kid, can you imagine the best day ever? There are probably a few possibilities, but what if you went to an amusement park and had the whole place to yourself? I imagine if I was a kid, that would definitely be classified in the best day ever category.
Since this last Saturday was our last one here before moving day, we decided that we would like to take the kids over to Six Flags one last time and use our passes. It has a Holiday in the Park theme right now so we thought it would be a memorable treat for the kids. Unfortunately the weather was very Oregon like and was pouring all day. But luckily we are true Oregonians and don't scare as easily as most around here.
As a protective mom, I wasn't about to expose my newborn to the elements (we both have colds at the moment), so I opted to keep Lily and Carter home so that Peter and the 3 big kids could go and try to have some fun in the rain.
So bundled in coats and hats and armed with umbrellas, the four of them went off for their adventure. Usually when you get to the six flags parking lot there are thousands of cars, but this day there were maybe 20! It was raining when they arrived, but by the time they got to the gate, it had stopped.
Peter and the kids had the whole place to themselves pretty much! At Looney Tunes Land they went for about an hour without seeing anyone else. They could just go on any ride for as long as they wanted. They spent lots of time at the indoor play area with Nerf type ball guns and slides.
Then they went to a puppet show with Scrooge and since there was no one else there, it was interactive with our kids. They got to talk to him and tell them all about themselves. Then they looked at the sting rays, went on the kiddie roller coaster, airplane ride, and the hot air balloon ride. Our favorite animal at six flags is the giant 8000 pound walrus. He is totally social every time we go and presses his face against the glass, follows you, and claps. He is adorable and since there was no one else around he really interacted with the kids.
The only big disappointment was that Tanner's favorite thing ever, riding on Thomas was closed because of the rain. Thomas was all decorated though so they got to see him.
After that, they ran through the Christmas tree forest all decked out and saw the giant Christmas tree lighting. There was a fire to get warm by and lots of caroling. There was also just about every Christmas character you can imagine. Reindeer, Santa, Frosty, etc.
After a few more rides including the awesome gorilla ride and tilta-whirl, they got to do sledding with REAL snow! They did that a few times since there was no line of course.
One of the most magical moments was the Christmas show. It was a play about a little girl who wishes her presents would come to life. There was no one else watching in a theatre for hundreds, so the characters kept coming up to the kids and waving at them. The kids loved it. It even started to pour, but they didn't even notice. The ballerina gave them them her umbrella to use. Then they went to a Frosty the Snowman show and got to see him come to life and meet him. They filled up on pizza and had to see the Shouka whale show.
Finally before leaving, they got to go see Santa and Mrs. Claus. They spent about 20 minutes with him telling him what they wanted and how he needs to find their new blue house on Christmas. There was also a live Christmas band that they enjoyed.
The weather wasn't perfect, but the kids had so much fun that no one complained and they stuck it out from 3PM to 9PM. Our big stroller worked out well with its rain cover. When it poured the kids got in and stayed completely dry. Other than that, they just used umbrellas and stayed bundled up.
I was home totally jealous the whole time, but I am so happy that they went. I am sure that the kids will always remember the Christmas that they had Six Flags all to themselves.
