Only In Her Dreams

Catness would absolutely love to go outside and chase those birds, but alas, she is an indoor-only kitty.  Thus says that busy road in front of our house.

 

When she sees birds, she makes the same "ka-ka-ka-ka-ka" noise with her mouth that Kitty Alyssa used to.

 

(Sims on the computer... don't judge)

Bella's Missionary Moment

My genius child tried to explain the Book of Mormon to a classmate by comparing it and the Bible to the TV shows Cheers and Wings - two different places, some overlapping characters....which would be kind of a cool comparison if the kid had heard of either show.  :)

Best Church Time EVER.

11:00 church for a whoooooole year.... Ahhhhhh.

Seal of Approval

Hubby: "I love the new house. It's cozy."

Making Good Progress

The living room is BOX FREE.

Enough with that trombone, son

Random kitty pic.

Harrison update:  After Harrison spoke to his school counselor and was denied a transfer out of band, Hubby called and found out Harrison had spoken to the counselor's clerk, not the counselor.  The clerk told Harrison it was too late in the year, but when Hubby talked to her, she let it slip that too many kids had already transferred out of band this year! Ooops! Apparently Harrison isn't the only one hating it... I kind of feel bad for the band teacher. Seems like he keeps getting smacked with the "you suck" stick.

 

Harrison update #2: After a couple more phone calls from Hubby going unanswered and unreturned by school staff, Harrison's counselor came into his class and put his new revised schedule on his desk. No more band!

 

I hate to say it but sometimes it pays to throw a big stinkin' fit.

UH OH.

Apparently the two oldest schoolchildren are enjoying their first day back, as one is texting me asking to switch out of a class and one is texting me asking to be homeschooled.

Later: I just wrote a very courteous but pointed letter to the Harrison's band teacher, cc'd to the school principal, who continues to look the other way while two boys steal my son's things and hide them DAILY. *sniff sniff* I smell bullying.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Scrubbing this old house within an inch of its life.

Moving out has been terribly stressful. But it's over. Mr. T came over today, curious about the "issues" Hubby had mentioned the house had.  He was kind about the things we'd had to leave undone and told me the house looked great. That was a huge, huge blessing and relief to me; after he gave this compliment and left, I sat in the old green bathroom and cried.

O Christmas Tree

This girl received her patriarchal blessing from stake patriarch John M. today.

 

Her mother cried the entire time.
 

Dad may have shed a tear or two as well.

 

The blessings she was promised were so beautiful.

 

So grateful for her and for this wonderful gospel principle.

Meanwhile:

Decorating the tree, and not a moment too soon.  That's what happens when you move in December. 

 

Merry Christmas!

Birthday Boy

Our first birthday in the new house. Note the still undecorated Christmas tree in the background. :)

THERAPY KITTY

Now that we're in our new house, we're free to take the kitty plunge!

We adopted a kitten from a guy we found on Cr@igslist, a very kind, lovely man who will be known forever here as "Jeff Kitty Guy."  Our kitten was a foundling raised by Jeff and his family, who bottle-fed her from about two weeks old on - they couldn't keep her because their very large dog was eyeballing her and obviously dreaming of a furry little lunch.   They found her trapped in a hole they'd dug on Jeff's father's property, and were about to bury a pole in it for a new pole building.  Seeing the kitty, they fixed a tiny noose, looped it around her neck and carefully pulled her up.  Her mama was long gone by then, probably having tried without success to rescue her.  Poor baby!

 Tiny baby, after being rescued, posed next to the TV remote...

 

Two months later

 

We brought her home today and named her Catness. She's a tabby/white mix and the most adorable, crazy thing.

Poor H

We just had another tonic-clonic seizure. It's been six months since his last one. 

Mutual This Evening

 I'm driving the ward youth around as they go caroling... Bless my un-Valium-ed heart. 

LATER: It was fun.

Started Moving In Today.

THIS IS ME SMILING MY HEAD OFF :D

This house is on a busy street in the Couve - from our driveway, we back out onto a street where people are driving 35-40 miles per hour. Luckily, we have quite a few stop lights that keep traffic in check long enough for us to time it perfectly, and the middle of the street is blocked by a cement median, so we only have to watch the traffic coming from the west. We'll have to teach people how to get to our house, mostly because of that median - there's no turning left into our driveway, you can only turn right, so they have to take the back way and turn a few corners to get here. Hopefully that won't dissuade our family and good friends from still visiting.

The house is deceptively small-looking. Hanna told us there were 6-8 bedrooms depending on how we wanted to use certain rooms, and we looked at a picture of the house online and thought, NO WAY. But, sure enough, the first time we walked through, we kept coming up on room after room after room. The rent was cheaper, we like Hanna and she apparently likes us, the house was enormous, and she allowed pets. Hubby and I realized we'd be stupid not to rent the place, so we did.

Buy Some Pancakes?

Soccer fundraiser.

It's gonna feel real good. Shamon. Chaaaaaange

I'M STARTING WITH THE MAN IN THE MIRROR

Jim P: Might as well. I presume he's standing right next to you.
Kriste D: I'm asking him to change his ways... (So funny.. DH and I were singing this yesterday at the top of our lungs and the kids thought we were looney.)
Russell F: shamon....insert fancy footwork
Tori G: Russell stole my comment! haha
Ashley P: Love me some MJ!!!
George G: If the person in the mirror is a man, you should probably start right away...
Joni G: Yes. I am with George G on this. If there is a man in your mirror, I would DEFINATELY ask him to change his ways!
Me: unless it's my man. I'll probably just shove him out of the way so I have the whole mirror to myself.
Wynne U: "no mustache could beat any clipper" (my husband thought those were the words for "no message could be any clearer")
Me: Oh my heavens. Is your husband my sister??
Jim P: So you're saying your sister Melanie has a mustache that beats any clipper? I have a pretty mean clipper. We should sell tickets and make it an event.
Mel: That would have to be one heck of a clipper!
Wynne U: Nat, my husband could very well be your sister if we're living in a world where there's a man in your mirror when you look into it.

Purging before a move = awesome. Bri is going through his CDs and *gasp* cassettes.

The "keep" pile is on the right

We need more boxes and I need reassurance. Also, we need someone to come and get our huge, heavy basketball standard, since we can't take it with us.

I wake up every morning

....thinking about my cute new house. Can't wait to move in on December 1st.

Later: Okay, headache gods, I think you've made your point. 

I (gasp) ended up taking (gasp) two aspirin. 

(I hate pills)

Afternoon Nap =

Up all night, giggling and waking up hubby = sleeping in late. Good stuff.

LATER: Still giddy with no end in sight.  I actually cranked up Huey Lewis & the News in the car this morning.

Fun fact: Hubby has worked a couple of golf tournaments where Huey was playing and I think Huey has spoken to Brian once or twice.

Every time I hear I Want a New Drug, I think about Ray Parker Jr. ripping it off when he wrote Ghostbusters.

Overheard:

R: C, it's No Shave November.  So I can't shave my legs.

C: Neither can I!

I griped.

I griped on Facebook about our little tiny house, in which we live on top of each other like mice in a toilet paper tube at Petco.

Today I received this message from Hanna D, our friend from McWard:

My rental house will be up for rent on Dec. 1st. 6-7 bedrooms 2 1/2 baths 2 kitchens. I am sure you have seen it.

Well now... that's an idea. :)

Playing with my phone