Green Thumbs And Plastic Produce

It's raining.

Again.

I'm fairly certain that the grass is actually getting greener as I type this. Did I mention how much grass there is up here? We have a fantastic backyard that's all fenced in with more grass than I'm sure Noah could have ever conjured up in his own little imagination. And the front yard? Yep... more grass. We even have a little plot all ready and waiting for us to plant a garden. I think about it almost every day. I've never grown anything in a garden before. I'm fairly good at growing babies, but vegetables? This frightens me a little. My green thumb isn't nearly as green as our grass. I have a rough time keeping my poor little house plants alive.

Our neighbor that lives directly across the street from us is Russian. Rick said he overheard her talking, and it was later confirmed from another neighbor that she barely speaks a lick of English. She's this cute little old lady and she obviously believes that flowers should grow year round. She's got one of those cute little white picket fences that borders her entire front yard. And then along her walkway, she has planted (yes, I mean actually put in the dirt) dozens of little plastic flowers. I kid you not. It's a very colorful introduction to her front door. I'm told that once the weather is nice enough to grow real flowers, she will dig up the plastic ones and replace them with their living counterparts.

She is out there everyday tending to her yard. I'm not quite sure what kind of maintenance plastic flowers require, but it must be very demanding. She is quite devoted. And then I wonder if perhaps she has a little vegetable garden in her back yard. Maybe she could teach me a thing or two about keeping things alive. Or maybe I should go plant some plastic zucchini or tomatoes in my garden. This lady might really be on to something here. I might be able to keep plastic produce alive, after all. Hmmm...

Does anyone know how to say pumpkin in Russian?

Still In One Piece...

Well, we've arrived. And by that I mean, we got here about 3 weeks ago but I've just barely been able to wade through the boxes and find my way to a computer. More specifically my blog. But we're here. And now the moving part is over and the settling part can begin. The ward has been great so far. We live within walking distance from my sister and that has been SUPER FANTASTIC. The drivers are nicer up here. The weather leaves something to be desired, but we left during the perfect season in Albuquerque and people keep promising me that it'll get much better . I didn't realize how dependent I was on getting that sunshine everyday.

Rick started his job and so far everything is going just fine. He says the people are really very nice and the training up here isn't quite as intense. He's still enduring a lot of studying and memorizing before he really gets started so we'll see how things go in the future.

The boys are starting to get adjusted. Cade has been crawling since he was 6 months old, but only finally submitted to that when he realized that it was the fastest way to get himself over to something that he could pull himself up on. He's 8 months now and pulling himself up to everything. He cruises like a pro and is determined to walk before much longer.

Noah is doing really well with all the changes. He talks a lot about missing his Grandma & Grandpa Reed and all his cousins, but really enjoys his 2 cousins (Natalie & Kenzie) up here. We've had to endure a few more tantrums here and there, but overall, he's doing okay adjusting.

I'm just not so sure what to make of all of this. I've inherited a lot of my Dad's genes... he would always get this "itch" to move... to have another adventure, and I totally get that from him. Our entire marriage I'm always looking for a new place to live, ready to take a leap into the unknown. Most of the time I have to settle for rearranging the furniture to ease the urge. But now? Now that we actually up and left and "took that leap into the unknown"? My goodness, people! Why didn't anybody tell me how much moving sucks?!? Changing banks, and re-registering your car (which costs a FORTUNE by the way), and always feeling lost because you just threw the dumb map out the window and now you REALLY don't know where you are. This is soooo not an adventure! Someone who has done this before, puh-lease tell me how long this will last.?. How long does it take for a "new" place to become "home"?

Whew! Now that I got that off my chest, have I mentioned just how totally awesome it is that I get to live so close to my sister? Seriously. If your sister isn't your best friend, and you don't live only a few blocks away, then you all should majorly consider a) getting a sister, if you don't have one, b) becoming best friends, and then c) move down the street already!

And suddenly... moving doesn't seem so bad.

For Real This Time

I've had a lot on my mind this week. Mostly because this whole moving thing (while not all that simple to begin with) turned out to be a lot more complicated than we were originally led to believe. If you've read any of my past posts from the previous year, I sure wish you would have reminded me how long it takes the government to do anything. Needless to say, today is March 1st, and we are still here in Albuquerque. That, however, is going to change within the next week. Rick's starting date up in Pasco has been changed to the 15th, and this time the paperwork has all been completed and there's no more delays. Yay. I think.?.

It's funny how you worry about something soooo much, and then, once the problem has resolved itself, you don't really get to stop worrying. Instead, you just start worrying about something new. At least that's how it's been for us the past few weeks.

So today was my last Sunday here in Albuquerque. Sundays have traditionally been "family" days. Whether Rick's family or mine, we've had very few lonely Sundays throughout the whole of our marriage. Today Rick had to work, so I loaded up the boys and headed out to my brother's house. It wasn't much different from most, but I kept finding myself pausing every now and then. There are a few things that are going to be VERY hard to say goodbye to. So, in my own little way, here is my tribute to Albuquerque and all it contains:

-Somehow, this place that I hated in the beginning, managed to allure 4 out of the 8 siblings in my family. And while this list might contain many other things, family is by far the #1 thing that I am going to miss the most. While families together almost always tend to equal drama, I suppose it's that drama that creates some of the best memories.

-Dry, windy, desert? Yes. The best word to describe this place? UGLY. Having said that, I have to admit that Albuquerque has some of the best sunsets known to man.

-I've said it before and I'll say it again: this place might not be the #1 vacation spot in the world, but if you haven't come to see the Balloon Fiesta in the fall, then you really ought to. Hundreds of hot air balloons in the sky all at once? 'Nough said.

-The "war" between the Eastside and the Westside will never end. I've lived on both sides and since I still have family occupying them both, I remain silent on my opinion as to which is "better". Now that Rio Rancho has decided to join in the battle, there will never be peace between our families.

-While I still can't speak a lick of Spanish, I feel pretty comfortable translating the street names around here. Elm Street? Main Street? Numbered streets?!? NEVER!

-I'm a little nervous about transitioning back over to siding. Siding DOES NOT exist down here. It's stucco. EVERYWHERE. Washingtonians probably don't even know what an adobe home is. (There will, most assuredly, be more posts about this once we've moved)

-Some say we'll end up back here in a few years. Others say we'll never come back for more than a visit. No matter what happens, after 5 different homes, 2 babies, 6 anniversaries, and countless memories, Albuquerque will always be "home" to us.

While this list could go on and on, these boxes are staring at me from across the room. It's time to get movin'. Literally. As they say, this story is to be continued...

Moving? Again? Really?!?

Life is funny. And I don't really mean haha funny. But more like the kind of funny that happens when you stub your toe while on your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The kind of funny that really hurts when you're the one it happens to, but makes your husband laugh right out loud when he wakes up and finds you hopping around on one foot cursing under your breath all while glaring at him from across the room. The kind of funny that you can't really appreciate until you're looking back at it in the light of day.

That has been my life over the past 6 weeks. Funny. Unfortunately, I'm still kind of stuck in that hopping around on one foot part of it, and haven't really gotten to the actual funny part yet. In an attempt to keep things fairly short and sweet, I'll just give you the Cliffs Notes:

After Christmas, Rick started having a pretty rough time at work. There's about a million reasons that contributed to that, which I wont go into, but we found ourselves in a pretty tight situation. Rick's training was put on hold and after getting a lot of great advise from some coworkers of his, we decided that it was time to try and transfer out of Albuquerque. There are technically rules that say you're not allowed to transfer until you're checked out on all the positions, but we pushed a little harder and were able to get the ball rolling. So yesterday, after about a month (and LOTS of government red tape), we just found out that our transfer has been approved. It looks like our days here in the land of enchantment are coming to an end. Actually... they are coming to a screeching halt if you really want to know. They are asking for Rick to start up in Pasco, Washington on March 1st. Yep, it looks like I'm headed back up north. That leaves things here in Albuquerque pretty crazy right now. After trying to get out of here for the past 6 years, now that it's finally happening I've got some seriously mixed emotions. The good news, is that I don't even have 2 seconds to stop and let myself actually FEEL them. Somehow, we've got to find a way out of our lease (which isn't up until June), pack up our entire lives, find a home up in Washington, and actually get ourselves up to Washington... all before March 1st.

So if you don't see another post from me for a while, you'll know why. Wish us luck and I'll update you with new contact info as soon as we have it.

Deja Vu

You know it's really sad when you sign on to update your blog and you realize that your background is back from THANKSGIVING! Ah, well... ti's the season, right? I've changed it in the hopes that nobody has noticed.

So, it's 2009, and it's a little odd to look back and realize that I came completely full circle over the past 365 days. Just to really drive home the craziness that was 2008, I'm going to take a moment to recap:

• I rang in 2008 on my knees. Literally. Praying to the porcelain gods to please just make it stop. Smack dab in the middle of those first dreaded 16 weeks of my pregnancy (this time it was more like 18 weeks, but who's counting?). I remember looking at the clock just long enough to realize that the new year had commenced, and then swiftly got back to the much more pressing matter at hand.

• After over 8 months of waiting and wondering, we finally confirmed that Rick had been offered a job with the FAA. (Little did we know it would be almost another 4 months before things actually began happening).

• By the time April rolled around, we found ourselves moving out of our home and waving goodbye to a husband and father.

• We moved into Rick's parents' home for 6 weeks.

• Then we moved to Utah to be with my parents for 6 weeks.

• One quick trip to visit Daddy in Oklahoma for a week.

• And then we moved BACK in with Rick's parents to bring it all home.

• Eight months pregnant and I started the house search by myself. It was June and HOT and I remember waddling from house to house trying to find one that would fit our needs. It was about this time when I realized that I might be just a little bit CRAZY for agreeing to do this. I found a house, and minus a husband that usually takes care of the moving part, I begged any breathing male within the city limits to take pity on me and help me get moved in. The next thing I know, I'm alone with my 3 year old son, surrounded by boxes, and the air conditioning in our new home doesn't work! After getting it fixed, we settled in to survive the last week before Rick would come home and make everything right again.

• Cue Knight in Shining Armour. My husband came home just in time to welcome Mr. Kermy into the world and start his new job working as an air traffic controller here in Albuquerque.

• The last 6 months of 2008 flew by in a flash. Rick has been buried neck deep in training that seems to never end. Noah is going to be four soon and hopefully starting preschool next fall. Cade is forever a beacon of light in our house. The boy almost never stops smiling. And I... well..
  

• New Year's Eve came faster than ever and, wouldn't you believe it, that afternoon I started to feel not so great. By dinner time I was passing on any festivities and heading for my bed. Ironic, but I ended up closing 2008 exactly the way it started. There I found myself, once again, on the cold tile floor of my bathroom down on my knees. With only a flu bug to blame this time (don't get any crazy ideas), midnight rolled around and I took a moment to glance up at the clock. What a ride it's been. Happy Freakin' New Year.
  

Laziness

So, I know I could do a google search. I realize that I could find out this information for myself. Having said that, I would like to fully admit that I'm just too darn lazy for all that and so I've decided to post about it and I'm sure that one of you can help me.

Please someone tell me where/how I can get one of those cute little things that you can put as your picture? Like down were you can "follow my blog", there's these cute little squares that represent who you are. I know how I can make that my own picture, but seriously... pictures of myself are the bane of my existence right now, so I need something cute and fun. Shayla and Heather, you both have something different, so share the love! Where can I get one?

Thank you. That is all.

Need I Say More?

True to my word, my last post was not about the boys. Having pointed that out, I just cannot possibly wait any longer to share these adorable photos of Mr. Kermy. He's just so completely edible!

My child is a genius. He has already set tremendous goals for himself and practices every day to achieve them. The above picture, for instance, is him practicing to fit his ENTIRE fist into his mouth. Yes, people... the whole thing. Now wait... you say that's not enough to get him into Harvard? Well, we'll see... you can all just wait 18 years and then eat your words. Kind of like the way he's eating his hand...

And this is Mr. Kermy smiling after filling out his application to Harvard...

And this is Mr. Kermy laughing because he got accepted into Harvard all while everyone thought that eating your own fist doesn't make you a genius.

Really, need I say more?