New Family Photo

Merry Christmas

Love,

Daisy, Kristy, Kylen, Ivy, Ernie, Eden, Cheyenne

New House Photos

Finally I have been able to get some time with the computer. I swear between Chy's writing & Ernie's school stuff, I haven't been able to get on. We aren't ready to move in yet - but so close. The doors were hung yesterday, trim for the doors and windows were cut & painted and the bamboo was started. I told our contractor (my brother-in-law, Manny) that he had to be finished by next Friday because I was moving in. Our kitchen still hasn't been delivered but IKEA keeps saying that they can see in their system that everything is ready - whatever that means. We may be eating pizza for Christmas but at least I'll be in my own house. That will be happiness enough. I'm really hoping that we can keep going at this pace. It would be nice to have those 10 days to settle in a bit before Christmas hits.

Again - the House

Well, what else would I be talking about? I know I haven't posted in a while but I have been spending every (well almost) free moment working on the house. The upstairs is painted & ready for flooring and the kitchen. The downstairs is a different story. Cheyennes room is ready to paint & the drywall is hung & ready for mud in Daisy & Eden's room. The rest of the basement will have to wait until after we move in. I don't have a problem with that. The big issue for me was to make sure the kids rooms were all done so I didn't have to move them again. I've ordered the kitchen which I was told would take 2 weeks to get in but of course some of my cabinets are on backorder. Why should anything be different? Nothing about this house has really happened in a reasonable way. I was going through my pictures & realized that I don't have any inside pictures that are up to date.
I've get some taken soon & posted next time

Oh my House!

So 3 weeks ago the inspector came to inspect the roof so that we could get our draw. While he was there, we were putting in the new windows. He said that he was going to put the draw in for the roof & when we were done with the windows to email him the photos & he would turn the draw in for that as well. Now 3 weeks later we find out from the person that actually writes the checks that he didn't have our info. Ernie had to spend yesterday trying to find out where it was, which he did and now the inspector is saying he has to come out & inspect the windows. I know it's not like he didn't seee us putting them in & when he was there we only had 2 windows left to put in. I am so #@&* mad right now. We have (had) a 60 day deadline to meet & now because it has taken 3 weeks to get this 1st draw we won't make it. Of course the inspector says we can just file for an extension but why should I have to? It's not my fault that everyone else involved doesn't find it a priority to get me my money. Not only that, the bank holds back 10% to encourage the contractor to keep to the timeline & budget which the contractor gets at the back end. I don't know what we're supposed to do. We had wanted & would've been able to get this draw, put the kitchen in & get that draw before our next house payment but now we'll be lucky to get this first draw in time to make our next payment which then puts us that much further behind. The timing of everything is so messed up. It's going to be great to have our own place & we don't really have a choice in the matter (my mother-in-law hates that we live with them) but I wish things would have gone a little differently. This is just one of those things that I don't have any control over & I hate that I don't have any control over it. It's not like I can get pissed off at the inspector since he holds the purse strings.

House Photos

The kitchen

Living Room

From the street - yes, the house is there somewhere


Upstairs bath

Free At Last, Free At Last

This past week has been monumental. We closed on our house (photos to come later) and all of my kids started school. Yes, it's true - ALL OF THEM!!! As much as I thought about what it would be like when this day came it's really wierd. It's so quiet and kind of lonely. I do have plenty to keep me busy, I just have to get motivated to do it. Not only did we buy this house but are now remodeling it so I could spend most of my days there working but then I've got Halloween costumes to make & Christmas gifts to start. Like I said I just have to get the motivation. I'm so tempted right now to go back to bed. What to do?

2008 Edition of Getting to Know your Friends

I've been sent this by email a couple of times so I thought I would just post answers here. Copy, paste & play along...

1. What time did you get up this morning? 5:30a to get Chy up, the 7 to get the rest up
2. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds!
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The Dark Knight
4. What is your favorite TV show? I just like TV in general
5. What do you usually have for Breakfast? Slim-Fast
6. What is your middle name? Don't have one
7. What food do you dislike? Most vegetables but I'm learning to like them slowly
8. What is your favorite CD? Don't have one but song is "So What" - Pink
9. What kind of car do you drive? Chevy Astro
10. Favorite sandwich? Subway Club with bacon on Italian Herb Bread
11. Characteristic you despise? Liars
12. Favorite item of clothing? Pajamas
13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Since I haven't been outside the US (Canada doesn't count), I'd say just about anywhere
14. What is your favorite way to pass the time of day? Reading, crafting
15. Where would you retire to? Not sure. Haven't given it much thought
16. What was your most memorable birthday? Birthdays? What are you talking about?
17. Furthest place you are sending this? Japan
18. Person you expect to send it back first? Since I got this from Jenn & Lisa I'll say Allison
19. When is your birthday? November 11
20. Morning person or a night person? Night - which is why it's torture to get up @ 5:30
21. What is your shoe size? 6 1/2 - 7 1/2 depends on the shoe
22. Pets? Patches the dog
23. Anything exciting to share? Just closed on our house yesterday
24. What did you want to be when you were little? I can't remember
25. How are you today? A little groggy still (it's 9:33a) but busy
26. What is your favorite flower? Wildflowers
27. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? The day I move into my house
28. What are you listening to right now? Kylen telling me we need to have Kami cut my hair
29. What was the last thing you ate? Dinner last night - chicken noodle soup from a can
30. Do you wish on stars? When I see a falling star
31. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Yellow
32. How is the weather right now? Sunny and chilly
33. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Ernie last night
34. What is your favorite soft drink? fountain Diet Coke
35. Favorite restaurant? don't really have one - something mexican though
36. Hair color? blonde now
37. What was your favorite toy as a child? I don't remember
38. Summer or winter? Summer unless I can choose fall & spring
39. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate chocolate & more chocolate
41. Do you want your friends to email you back? yes
42. When was the last time you cried? Don't remember that either
43. What is under your bed? air mattress, craft paint tub, baseball gear, pool noodles, kids old school papers, door to the armoir & the purses I'm not using
44. What did you do last night? worked on the house, went to preschool orientation, made dinner for kids, put them to bed & started my talk for sunday
45. Are you afraid of death? not really
46. Salty or sweet? Usually sweet but salty's good too
47. How many keys on your key ring? 7
48. How many years at your current job? 16
49. Favorite day of the week? A day that Ernies home
50. Do you make friends easily? Yes
51. How many people will you send this to? Anyone who reads this blog
52. How many will respond? unsure
53. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? it's corny but fun

Cheyenne's Home

Finally, Cheyenne got home yesterday. I don't know who was more happy about that me & Ernie, Chy or her sisters. The 4 girls at home were on a countdown. Every night I would hear how many days were left until Chy came home. Outside of forgetting her purse in Grandma's car & not realizing it until they got to the ticket counter & having to go all the way back to the car to get it, things seemed to be uneventful. When I asked her about the flight, all she would say was "it was alright". Like she had been flying forever instead of for the first time. When my friend, Allison, called to find out how it went & how Chy was, I couldn't help but tell her that I think Chy came home about 10 years older than when we left to come home. It's crazy how so much changes in so little time. But then again, some things stayed the same. She's sleeping late & then all day too.

Family Reunion Photos

Family Reuion Time

Pirate Party

Where your treasure is, your heart will be also. That was the theme our family reunion. Ernie's sister, Sherrei, did an amazing job with the event. The day was a pirate theme that included a brig, walking the plank, digging for buried treasure and making treasure boxes for all the loot from the pinatas. I will admit that there were a few bumps in the road (only 1 working shower for 50 people) but overall it was a successful day. We had 3 trailors in the front yard and 4 tents in the back. At times it seems a little crowded so next year we decided to have this at a State Park so alleviate that problem. I downloaded a few of my favorite pictures for your viewing enjoyment. They really show our true colors.

The House Saga Continues...

The inspector decided that yes, in fact, we can afford to do all of our remodeling for the amount of money that we have allotted. Our mortgage lady has said that when she gets the report from the inspector (he said Monday) that 5 days later that we would be able to close. I guess we'll see if Nena (our mortgage consultant) gets the report on Monday. We'll update as we go...

House Update

Well, we've had some news but I'm not sure if it's good or not. The underwriters have decided that Ernie & I along with our contractor have to meet with an FHA consultant/inspector to go over all of our remodel. Us, along with the inspector, have to go line by line and make the decision as to whether or not we can afford to do the work with the amount of money that we are planning on using. This whole process is getting ridiculous!! If I didn't need a place to live & I mean like 2 years ago, I might be tempted to start looking for something else. Actually, after this meeting the inspector should be able to have his report to underwriting by Monday & then we could close by Friday. All we can do is cross our fingers and hope we can convince the inspector that the work will get done.

I think I've Recovered

Well, I've been home from my long vacation for a couple of weeks. My dad drove home with me. It was such a help. He was great with the girls; playing with them, patiently stopping for potty breaks evenly though we had just left the gas station an hour earlier where we had to do the car seat shuffle, go potty and run around. I didn't realize how tired I was. I think it took a week to catch up on my sleep and then another week to unpack and put things away. Well, as away as I can get them since we have such limited space. Speaking of space, for those who don't know we put an offer in on a house the week before I left for Idaho in June. As of yet, we are still waiting for the bank to put the papers through for our closing. I guess it has something to do with the fact that it is bank-owned and apparently they can take however much time they want to. No that's not exactly true. They can take forever but then they end up paying whatever penalties that incur. They think our contractor is giving us too good of a deal on our remodeling costs which is an issue that they have to get over. If this doesn't happen, I think I will need to be committed to a loony bin. Let's move on to other things...I have to give props to Sarah Merrill for the great pictures that she took of my girls. I've posted a few (I've got a slideshow set up but I can't get it uploaded - any help?) for those that we haven't seen in forever.