New Furniture

What is this a picture of?:

a. A picture of Addie being cute

b. A picture of our couch

c. A picture of our couch that is now broken

The answer is C.  Just a few weeks after we ordered new furniture, Allie plopped down on the couch, a LOUD crack ensued and she sunk into the depths of our now dilapidated couch.  Was it a sign that we made the right choice in purchasing new furniture?  Was it confirmation that, no, we're not being extravagant, but purchasing what is necessary.  Well, maybe that would explain the new couch and loveseat...even our coffee table and end table (we don't currently own a coffee table and our end table is broke), but what about the new recliner?  Ahhh, well, our current one, just days before the couch coughed its' last dying breath, our chair made a funny noise and now if you lean back, it tips to the right and will fall over if you lean to far. 

So, in the end, our hoakie old furniture that has been moved....we think five times in ten years is begging for retirement and we have listened.  Next Friday when we move to our new house, we will be getting a new couch, loveseat, coffee table, end table, recliner, dining room table and 6 chairs! 

Next to be replaced:  Alllie's dresser, if you shut a drawer too hard, a piece of the front falls off. 

4th of July Parade

Oh man...

Well, we planned early on that we were going to take Andrew to the parade.  It's time to push him out of his comfort zone, we thought.  It's time.

Hmmm, a lot of bold talk by us.  His reaction reminded us that for as much progress as he's made by being in school, her still has a long way to go. The noises were over the top for him.  He was ready to go in the first few minutes.  I had to take him, shaking to the core,  out of the stroller and we had to watch a good portion of the parade at the end of the block.

He was very intrigued with the old cars and over a period of time I was able to get him back up to the stroller.

When I tried to push the stroller away from the front lines, Addison came unglued...we just couldn't win that night!! 

End result - Andrew is not FOND of parades, and we won't attempt another one for a looong time!  I managed to get a couple of pictures though....

Here he was okay:

Here, he was done, didn't want to be there anymore!

Want or a Need?

Okay, I'll be the first to admit...I'm not one for manual labor.  Don't like and try my best to avoid it...at just about any cost.  Hauling around two toddlers is enough for me.

So, we're getting ready to move........again, just 10 months after moving to our current home.  We paid a couple of guys to help out.  Still, the end result was a catastrophic accident leaving Andrew in a full leg cast. 

Facing a longer move, in the middle of July (for those keeping track, it's the middle of summer...HOT.  I don't do hot, and Dan would prefer not to as well), Dan and I are considering hiring a moving company to come in and move our stuff.  We received a quote today.  WOOHOO, it's not cheap, economical, or a bargain.  You wouldn't be able to call us frugal either.  Some would argue that you could never use us in the same sentence as frugal anyway, but that's not the point! 

Here's our choice:

Moving ourselves:

• PROS
• Cheaper
• CONS
• Busting our butt for two days, just moving.  This doesn't include packing and unpacking
• Sweating a lot
• Trying to keep track of three kids, keep them out of things, prevent any more broken bones.

Having a company move us:

• PROS
• We don't have to lift a thing!
• I can take the kids and head up to the new house, take our time, not worry about anything!
• We can be moved in one day
• CONS
• Expensive
• Yeah, nothing else comes to mind here....

Hmmmmm.....it seems like an easy choice....if a windfall would just come our way!

Vacation Time

I need a vacation...I want a vacation.  I'm not picky, I'll even take my kids.  But I am so sick of seeing the same old landscape day in and day out.  I am bored to tears with our daily routine, which goes something like this:

• Wake up WAY too early
• Kids have breakfast
• Kids spill some part of breakfast
• Kids fight play
• Allie rolls out of bed
• Referee the rest of the day
• attempt housework
• attempt meals
• watch the clock for naptime and bedtime
• rest
• sleep

I need a routine that goes something like this:

• wake up when I want
• do nothing
• sit on a beach
• get a nice tan
• sleep
• read
• rest

Here's what I am imagining:

Here

Or Here

I'm not picky, just ready for some new scenery, just a few days....now I have to go find that windfall!

Almost Time to Move

How is it possible to accumulate so much crap stuff in such a short amount of time?  We have only lived here for 9 months, but we had a very busy garage sale where we sold loads of crap.  We have since taken 2 carloads of things to Goodwill, and thrown away an amazing amount of.....NOTHING!  Things not worth keeping, yet we kept!  Why?  Uhh.....who knows. 

So, here we sit, waiting to hear if we get house #1 or house #2.  We should know today but house #1 isn't looking so hot.  The lady wants to meet us.  We aren't the quietest group of people and I think we'll scare her.  Not only that, the last time we had to drive up to Folsom, we ended up pulling over twice because Andrew decided he'd had enough of....something.  Not quite sure what sets him off the deep end at times, but when he ventures down that path, it's time to get out of the car and wait for him to be done.  I'm not to eager to replay that last trip.  I'll pass.

So we wait.......and pack, and continue to be amazed at why in the world we have held on to things that shouldn't be in the house.

BTW...I'm ready to go camping again!  That's why I'm including a few pictures.