Thirty one

Today was a beautiful day....

Bentonville Farmer's Market

Park Fun...

We also had a picnic and I went grocery shopping

We ended the day by celebrating our new job/house/life with a trip to a Korean BBQ!

Thirty

I'm posting this morning before the day really begins, because I will probably get home late and not feel like blogging!  The plan is to return to Paris today to try and retrieve my cat, Shy boy, who would not come to me the other day.  I have 5 cats. Two primarily stay indoors and 3 outdoors.  The two girls that stay outdoors are up here but they have not came back to the house yet.  I did hear at least one of them meowing last night. 

Tim is supposed to get off work around lunch time.  We will see.  He has been incredibly busy at work.  Part of his duties is the master schedule for the high school.  Let me tell you, this is a HUGE undertaking! 

We are also going to see my brother and his girlfriend/mybestfriend, Jessica!  He leaves in the morning for his 2 week summer camp with the Guard.  Since he is leaving, she is going to come and stay with us for a few days next week!  I can't wait! Thank goodness for phones and technology!  It really hasn't seemed like we are that far away.  We have been talking all the time!

Hope everyone has a blessed day and wonderful weekend! 

Twenty nine

Wow, this month has really flown by.  There has been sooo much going on!  I have been doing research this morning on all the fun things we can do in our area.  A lot of it is free!  There are soooo many parks, trails and lakes.  There is an aquatic center. In.our.town. Woot!  There is the Walton Arts Center.  They have broadway type shows and plays.  I could go on and on and on.  Next week we are going to start trying out the parks! I can't wait!  We may even go to one on Saturday.  It is all the kiddos can talk about! Oh, and I have to get the house ready for their birthday party that is in 8 days!  It is a little early, but that is when most family could come.  They are also soo excited for their birthday party!  I can't believe how fast they have grown!

Watching a movie at our new house!

Twenty eight

Well, things are beginning to come together around here.  I have the kitchen pretty much unpacked and very usable.  I even cooked a great dinner tonight!  I have my daughter's room unpacked and put in place for the most part.  Tomorrow I will tackle the boys room and the "extra" room.  By extra I mean, workout/computer/2nd TV/whatever room.

The kiddos have been sleeping like champs since we moved!  They have never made a peep about being in a new house or new room.  In fact, they are going to bed better than they ever have!  Weird!

I'm going to take some pictures over the next couple of days to post on here.  Right now I'm annoyed because Words with Friends is having some issues and I had some good games going!

Twenty seven

Well, I'm back.  We have home Internet service again! Woohoo!  It's nice to be able to see web pages full screen again!

Well, we moved.  We signed the lease on this place on Wednesday the 21st, and moved this past Sunday.  On Monday and Tuesday, I had appointments out of town, so I have not been able to unpack yet! 

I love our new house and I'm so glad that the family is all back together again!  I can't wait to update everyone on our new adventures!

Twenty six

This picture is really grainy, but it was taken at ISO 3200.  We took the bunk bed apart and gave them each a "big kid" bed and this is how they fell asleep a couple of nights before we moved.  Sweet little angels.

Twenty five

MOVING DAY!!!!!

Twenty four

Yard Sale day!

Twenty three

We did sparklers last. It was fun!

Twenty two

Today, we had a playdate with some of our friends that we have went to the library with for the past few years.  It was great to see them and get to have goodbyes!  It was so great being a part of this group!  We will miss each and every one of you!

We also did a bunch of packing today!  If I didn't have my friend Jessica, I don't know what I'd do! 

Twenty one

Packing has been going good.  Especially for it mainly being just me.  And I have two kids to take care of and feed and keep busy.  And I still have a house to clean.  And I'm getting a yard sale ready.  And I'm making phone calls.  I can't wait until tomorrow and Friday when I will have a friend helping all day both days.  Hopefully my mother can take the kids for a few hours on Friday.  I really love her but there is always some kind of issue when it comes to my mom.  The latest thing that happened I really didn't even know much about.  When I called on Saturday to tell my mom we had found a place in Bentonville, I got a hold of dad because mom was not there.  I told him we were moving next weekend.  Well apparently he thought I meant that day! So that's what he told my mom.  So, then she thought we were moving and I had not told her!  Sheesh.  Would I really do that?  Come on!  So anyways, I guess she started freaking out.  Meanwhile, I was at the water park having a great time!  It is just so annoying to me how she calls everyone up to tell them things when she doesn't even know the whole story. 

Last year at this time I was so anxious about moving.  I really was afraid to leave my comfort zone.  This year is a totally different story.  I'm ready.  I'm excited.  I can't wait to learn my new city and all it has to offer. I LOVE the house we are renting.  I'm ready to see my hubby every night.  I'm ready to go to Bentonville football games on Friday nights. 

Once we get past the loading and the unloading of the heavy stuff, I will be good.  I think we will have 6 or 7 men, which is great.  I love all of them for volunteering to help us.  Tim's family is great.  They are always there and we are always there for them.  I can't tell you how many times over the years they have helped us out.  Especially during my pregnancies.  And I love my brother Keith.  Once again he has came through amazingly.  Last time we moved, he helped us move at 2am!  He brought friends then and he is bringing them now. 

Well I have to get back to packing now!

Twenty

Boxes say the darndest things....!

Nineteen

This makes me laugh so hard!  C not wanting to climb!  A little scared of heights?

Eighteen

This is the fun I have been up to!

Seventeen

Well, obviously July wasn't the best month to do the blog everyday thing, but how was I to know?!  I have been busy all day going through the house preparing to pack and making a big pile for our spontaneous yard sale we will be having on Saturday.  I really cannot believe that in one week I will be loading up a U-haul and finally, finally be moving to Bentonville.  I don't know how long after that I will have internet back.  Hopefully it won't be too long!

Right now, I'm exhausted.  I took a short nap and those always make me more tired.  The kids and I have had a minor stomach bug this week too.  I haven't been taking my iron supplement lately and I can definately tell that my energy level is way down.  I'm going to start taking it again tonight.  I have a lot of phone calls and boxes to pack so I need my energy!

Sixteen

My morning routine

Fifteen

I made these last night...yum!

Recipe:  I took about 1/2 cup or so of fresh strawberries, added sugar to them and smashed them up a little.  Then I added vanilla yogurt and spooned them into the popsicle containers.  In the second batch I even added some smooshed up banana!

Fourteen

This is what happens when you don't eat your cereal where you are supposed to.....

Thirteen

It has been a year now since we have put our house on the market.  We have had quite a few looks but no offers.  We live in a small town that does not have a booming economy so there are not many people moving to our area.  Hubby just got a new job in the same school system.  The job he he took last year was funded by stimulus money and would probably be drastically cut after this year.  We are very happy to get a permanent position!  We thought that it might be a higher raise than it was, soley for the reason of being able to move up there and rent while we still paid our mortgage here.  We will still be able to do it, but it will be much tighter.  The problem we are facing now is finding a place that we like in our price range that is good for the kids and cat friendly.  The past few days have been extremely stressfull on me for some reason.  I believe most of it is being uncertain of things.  It seems that we have looked into a couple of things and they have not worked out.  I'm praying that we can find a place that fits what we need soon.  The prospect of Tim driving back and forth everyday is not fun. (He is having to drive now because our family friend he was staying with has relocated out of the area).   Please keep us in your prayers that things will start falling into place.  I know that there is a plan, but it's not my own!

On days when I'm stressed, I'm glad these kiddos can give me a laugh! (They do give me stress too! LOL!)

My Irish twins!

Twelve

Really?

Eleven

 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:11-13

This is probably my favorite verse if it is even possible to have a favorite.  This was what our preacher had as the sermon today.  I love knowing that there is a plan for my life. 

Ten

Butter Brickle ice cream.  My favorite! Don't mind if I do!

Nine

How can I explain how wonderful this trip was?  It was great on so many levels.  I got to spend it with my husband, kids, brother and his girlfriend who happens to be my best friend.  My kids are old enough to remember it.  They had a blast.  After my brother graduated high school, he went into the Army National Guard and was deployed most of the time from the end of 2003 through the beginning of 2009.  One deployment was domestic, but it was still 6 months. This was his first real vacation and it was awesome to see him having such a great time. The kids loved having those two with us as did I.

Here's a breakdown of the fun we had in St. Louis:

• Arrived in St. Louis and had St. Louis style pizza and then went down to experience Fair St. Louis, hear the B-52's and watch fireworks under the Arch.
• Went to the St. Louis Zoo, the second largest zoo in the country and the largest free zoo.  It was amazing!  I loved the butterfly house!  Got to see a lioness sleeping in a tree!
• Went to "the Hill" an authentic Italian community with gingerbread style houses and authentic Italian cuisine.  So so so yummy! Had to take Tim back to his roots!
• Went to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Gateway Arch
• Visited the City Garden where they had swimming area, waterfall and splash park
• Visited and shopped at Union Station
• Visited the Anheuser-Busch Brewery
• Went to the Old Cathedral (Basilica of St. Louis, King) which was the first Catholic Cathedral west of the Mississippi
• Visited the St. Louis Science Center
• Went to the City Museum.  Coolest.Place.EVER.
• Visited the National Headquarters of Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, MO
• Stopped on historic Route 66

Enjoy......

Eight

City Museum, Historic Route 66

Seven

Yep, it's a Clydesdale

Six

Top of the Arch and splash park

Five

Zoo, shopping, and great Italian food.

Four

Fireworks at the Arch

Three

Happy Independence Day!

Two

Guess where the little ones are tonight....

One

I love summer veggies....six little tomatoes sitting in a row......