A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Or at least until the coffee runs out...

It's not another world, it's just Alabama

1. Our drive to our new house was supposed to last from Monday morning to Tuesday evening. Instead it lasted until Wednesday afternoon! I had read a tip somewhere that really worked...we had a bunch of snacks and dollar toys in individual lunchbags, and every couple hours the kids would get another bag. It really helped with the fidgets when we didn't want to stop but they did.

2. We spent one night in Auburn, Alabama. The next morning at the hotel breakfast, chloe asked, "Mommy, what world are we in?" I replied, "It's not another world, it's just Alabama." I hadn't had my coffee yet, and it took a few strange looks from people before I realized how that sounded!

3. Our new backyard has a small fountain in it. Or so I thought. Our first day here the kids were playing in it and emptying it by the bucketful to make mud. When I checked on them, I realized two things: The fountain is actually a really deep pond, and it has five fish in it.

4. We have since discovered a frog who lives close to it. And tonight we discovered a baby frog, the thing is soo tiny, it's like half an inch long. So we rescued it from the driveway and the tires of death, and gave it a new home in our pond, too.

5. It's already hot and humid here. And I hear from everyone that we're in for an extra long and hot summer. So I'm really thankful for this:


It's The Best Mascara. Ever.

I get a tad shiny in hot, humid weather. Ok, I'm mopping my face up constantly. But this mascara does not smear at all! Before I started using it, I was constantly wiping under my eyes and sported the racoon look most of the time. This is not a paid endorsement or anything, just a girl who is thankful to look bright-eyed because my husband decided that Chloe and Luke should try sharing a room, and oh, the fighting and screaming and playing late into the night and the waking up early creates bags that just do not need to be emphasized by runny mascara.

6. I had to order new coffee k cups. We still haven't found the box containing ours, and caffeiene is desperately needed (see #5 re children sharing a room).

We're Here!

And we still have tons of boxes to unpack.

We did find the coffeemaker.

But we haven't found the coffee.

Pray for us.

(More updates to come later)

No 24???

We had some terrible, terrible news today...

DirectTV doesn't carry local tv channels at our new house. That means no 24, no American Idol, no Grey's Anatomy.

After I recovered from the shock I realized that this just won't do. No Jack Bauer Power Hour?

Buh-bye DirectTV.

I'm going to go search for a new company who can provide me with my weekly fix...

Crazy, they're driving me crazy!

Surprisingly, I'm not talking about my children.

No, it's the mortgage people.

We've all been running around like mad little whirlwinds trying to get all this paperwork done so we could close on Thursday, a good two weeks before we expected to close.

And all because they accidentally locked our floating loan rate the day we applied.

So today as I was getting ready to fax some paperwork that has already been mailed twice, before running out to the post office to overnight some insurance papers, and after my fifth call of the day about ALL THE MISSING PAPERWORK THAT WE NEED! RIGHT! NOW! I got another call from the mortgage dominatrix um, lady.

Oops. We were wrong. Your loan rate hasn't locked yet. It wasn't me who told you that was it? Would you like to lock it today? You really should lock it in. Then we can schedule your closing for some time next week, and we can all slow down and not rush so much.

I'm not feeling very sancitified toward her right now, ya'll.

In fact, I may be harboring a smidgeon of bitterness in my heart.

Along with a large dose of wantingtoslaphersilly.

On the God side of things, I think the rate we're locking in today is about .375 lower than the rate they had told us was locked.

He works all things for the good of those who love Him, people.

Including mortage sadists, um, people.

A Little Bit Southern, Ya'll

According to this quiz I am:

39% Dixie. You are definitely a Yankee.

I guess I need to get more southern before the big move (which is two weeks from today).

Ya'll.

A thinking blogger

I got an award!

Chrissy at Singalullaby has given me a Thinking Blogger Award.

I'm not sure I deserve it, since most of my posts lately have revolved around snot and fiber supplements, but it's just so much fun!

However, I'll have to get back to you on the five people that I'm going to pass it on to.

We found out today that our "Floating Lock" interest rate on our mortgage that I was supposed to lock some time between applying for the loan and closing, was inadvertently locked the day I applied.

This is good because rates have gone up since we applied.

However, it also means that they want to close escrow 15 DAYS EARLIER THAN PLANNED.

And that might have added a wee bit o stress to what I was already feeling.

And multiplied my craving for chocolate cake by about a kajillion times.

Anyhoo, here are the rules for the Thinking Blogger Award (note that I am breaking part of #1, but I will get it done!)

Ok, ladies #1-5, if you choose to accept this mission--- The rules are:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

I just want to take a nap

I lost a week somewhere. I have been thinking in my head that we have two weeks until we pack, but really, it is only one more week! The movers come next Thursday.

And I am totally overwhelmed by the thought of everything I need to do.

I've given up on unpacking and sorting the boxes that are still leftover from our last move.

I've also tossed the idea of having a yard sale to get rid of all the extra stuff lying around.

Right now I need to do final bills, call to get everything disconnected, decide what we're moving ourselves, reserve a U-haul for what we're moving ourselves, get the van serviced before the long drive, plan what hotels to stay at during the drive, look for places to stop to let the kids play, arrange playdates for Chloe and Luke to say goodbye to their friends, say goodbye to my friends, use up as much food as I can, clean the food stains out of the carpet and scrub the walls so we can hopefully get all of our security deposit back, change our address with all our subscriptions, keep up with the mortage stuff for the new house, and deal with gassy baby who has only pooped twice in over a week and is not very happy about it.

And all I want to do is take a nap.

And maybe eat some chocolate cake.

Run, Scan, Copy, Fax, Email, Repeat

It seems my life has become one big paper trail.

Thankfully, this is because WE FOUND A HOUSE!

It doesn't have a jacuzzi tub, but it does have a "garden" tub (read: big!) in the master bath as well as a regular tub in the guest/kids' bath, so, no more bathing with Dora for me!!! WOO HOO!!!

After our offer was accepted, I told my husband that I HAD to go to Pier 1 to buy a decoration to celebrate.

His response?

I quote: We just spent $170,000 and now you want to spend more money?

My answer, of course, was a resounding yes.

And I told him that you all would understand my need.

I wish I could post a picture of the whole house because it's really cute, but instead I'll post just part since that's safer.

And since I'll soon be living in my first house without my big strong weapons-trained Navy guy to protect me, I'm all about safety.


So now we're moving from here in just three weeks. And packing out in just two.

Yes, two weeks.

You'd think that because we have an entire wall of boxes that never got unpacked, this would be an easy move. But the house we're moving into is about 900 square feet smaller than the house we're currently renting.

Which means I need to unpack before I can pack.

The times, they are a-changing

So Isaac's job has changed again!

I tell ya, Navy life is a veritable rollercoaster o' fun!

He is still going to the same battalion, they haven't changed that. But his job in the battalion has changed.

He is now in charge of a detachment of guys in Japan. The good thing is that it's great for Isaac's career. God had to line up a lot of stuff to make this happen.

The bad thing is that they want him to be part of an advance party, which means they want us to move May 1, instead of May 18.

And that's just two weeks after we go househunting.

I've never bought a house before, but I'm thinking that's not quite enough time for things to close and whatnot.

So we're not exactly sure what God has in store for us, house-wise, but it will be interesting to find out!

Just a reminder, we leave Monday, and Isaac's surgery is on Tuesday. The Navy does something that is not LASIK, and starts with a P. I forget the name, but what I do remember is that it is extremely painful for about three days.

And all five of us will be staying in one hotel room while he recovers.

So, if you get a chance, please pray for us next week!

I'll let you know how things go when we have internet access, possibly from the hotel, but maybe not until we get back.

Hoo-Boy!

I just sent an email to friends and family, and I find myself a bit overwhelmed as I contempate the next three months of my life. Here it is:

1. We are still moving to {our new base}, but the battalion Isaac is assigned to has changed. He is now assigned to {a different battalion}, which means he will be deploying {in a few months}. We don't know the exact date or where he'll deploy, but it will be for about 6 months.

2. This means that we are checking out of here and moving on May 18, and then driving to {our new base}.

3. The Navy is also paying for Isaac to get his eyes fixed. He will have laser eye surgery on April 3, with follow-up appointments on April 4th and 6th. The whole family will be staying {near the hospital} during that time, and I don't know if we'll have email access.

4. We fly to {our new base} on April 8th for a househunting trip. We are planning on buying a house, and have until April 11th to find one.

So that means that in the next three months, my husband is having surgery, we'll look for and buy our new house, we'll make a major move almost half-way across the country, have almost enough time to unpack, and then my husband will deploy, leaving me in a new city with a 4.5-year-old, 2.5-year-old and 6 or 7-month-old.

God doesn't give us more than we can handle, right?

So I know I can do this.

But prayer is much appreciated.

I am an HGTV addict

I used to think that home shows were so boring. I couldn't understand how my parents could spend every weekend at Home Depot.

And then we decided to buy a house.

And now I can't get enough HGTV.

I watch "Get Color" and dream about all the colors I could paint my new walls, and think about ripping up carpet.

I watch "Curb Appeal" and think about planting Meyer Lemon trees and placing fountains strategically to maximize the relaxation factor.

I watch "Design on a Dime" and man, those gals can really make $500 go far!

I watch "Designed to Sell" and "Flip That House" and think about the profit to be made through renovations.

But here's the thing.

We don't own a house yet. We haven't even started house hunting, since it will require a more-than 10 hour drive. Our house hunting trip is scheduled for April.

And yet I'm mentally sorting through paint chips and debating whether we need new windows with plantation shutters.

I need help.

My Prize For The Ultimate Blog Party

Don't forget that the Ultimate Blog Party starts tomorrow! Since participants now get to choose their favorite prize, I thought I'd post pictures of the handmade mini album I submitted. It is a 6x6 accordian album, all archival quality, made in a smoke-free house.

The front

The inside (the color is actually more similar to the picture of the front)

After I move in May, I will start selling customized layouts, mini albums and home decor, so check back soon!

An even better reason to buy a house

We found one with two bathtubs.

The one in the master bathroom is a whirlpool tub.

It has been over 4 years since I have had a tub to myself and not had to share it with children, Dora, rubber duckys, toy boats and various squirting toys.

Heaven, I tell you.

It would be heaven to have a bathtub to myself.

The best reasons to buy a house

Chloe: Mommy, What are you doing?

Me: I'm trying to figure out if we can buy a house.

Chloe: Why?

Me: Because then we'll own it instead of someone else owning it, and we can do what we want with it.

Chloe: (skipping off happily) Daddy! Daddy! We're going to buy a house and we can paint my room and make giant holes in the walls!

Hey Ya'll

We've been told that we are going to a base in the south next May. We don't have any official orders yet, so of course that could change at any moment, since all's fair in love and PCS'ing.

(that would be Permanent Change of Station, or moving, for you civilian-types)

Part of me is really exited about the move- the timing is great, since our closest friends are all PCS'ing at about the same time. And I'm excited to experience a new part of the country.

But I am a California girl, born and bred.

I hate humidity.

In fact, I hate it so much, I should write I HATE HUMIDITY.

Not to mention the hurricanes. And that my husband will have to deploy during this tour, so I will be alone for 6 months at a time with three kids and hurricanes.

I mean, really, give me a good earthquake any day and I'm fine. In fact, I could even estimate the size on the Richter scale for ya.

But hurricanes scare me.

However, I fully believe that God is leading us through the Navy's orders, so my excitement outweighs the fear of hurricanes.

You just might be reading a whole lot more ya'lls next year.

Maybe even a bless your heart or two!