Actual Pictures

E and her cousin Annie had another performance together this year. This year they were Crows in The Wizard of Oz.

Don't get Libbi started on the costumes.

Siblings

Before M was born, I went to the store to buy her a blanket. It was pretty much the only thing I bought her. Everything else she would inherit from E. I looked and looked for the perfect blanket. It needed to be the right kind of soft. It needed to be different from E's pink blanket. It needed to be something she could drag around with her until I insisted it was disgusting and "lost" it.

I picked a magenta minkie blanket with silky edges.

I hung it on her crib and waited for her to love it.

Of course, M only ever touched that blanket when she was an infant and had no decision-making power of her own. Since then it has languished in the linen closet (along with the red blanket I made for E before she was born).

Instead, M waited until she was almost a year old to attach herself to a yellow receiving blanket my mother had acquired from who knows where. This blanket has old paint stains on it (hopefully not lead based) and ugly patterns of strange looking giraffes.

It is the only blanket M likes.

So, when I became pregnant with GQ, I contained myself and bought no blankets.

Instead, we wrapped him in boy-colored blankets from Emily and sometimes used pink ones when those were dirty. Now that he is no longer bundled at night, I try to give him one soft blanket in his bed, usually a white or green one (purchased as replacements for E's blanket. I couldn't find pink and thought she wouldn't mind... ha ha).

Just recently, GQ picked the blanket he liked most.

It is dusty pink and worn around the edges.

He will cross the room to get it, and then roll around in it until it is wrapped around his little body.

He loves it the way M loves her yellow blankie.

He loves it the way E loves her pink blankie.

In fact, his love is just a little too similar to E's.

Because, you see, GQ has chosen E's pink blanket as his favorite.

As you can guess, this is somewhat problematic.

E is NOT a fan of this development.

When GQ gets her blanket she screams at high levels in high pitches and has mini fits.

I think GQ will have to reconsider.

*****

Yesterday in the car:

E: Before M was born it was just me and you guys, and we went on lots of fun trips.
Dad: Yes, but don't you like it better with M?
E: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Dad: Never mind.
Mom: I know you like it better with M because you are always happy when she wakes up from her nap. You are excited to play with her.
E: Yes, I like her. And she doesn't hit me as much anymore.

An Update on Being Jilted

Apparently after sending out my angst into the cyber-world, I was finally worthy of a reply.

It would seem the current tenant, who said they were leaving, is thinking of changing their mind.

(The pronoun/verb agreement there is all off... but I don't care right now.)

So, now we must all cross our fingers, sit on our heads, and say our prayers that their former plans - to leave - will be the best option for them.

Anybody got any stars to wish on?

Jilted

It's kind of like this:

Say someone proposes to you, then they DISAPPEAR.

That's what it's like.

Don't worry, it's not like they pretended to marry us or anything.

You're confused? Me too.

There I was, thinking I was signing a lease. But no reply. No reply. No reply.

No, we didn't pay any deposit, we just got dropped for someone else. I guess. Really, I couldn't say, since there is no reply to my attempts to get in contact with these people.

Seriously, someone else was willing to pay more? Fine. But could you let us in on the news? Because it would be nice to maybe know what is going on. Maybe. I guess.

Anyway, I suppose we're back to the house hunt. Oh, well. It's actually not as upsetting as I thought it would be. After all, something else will turn up. And we will move to Iowa in July.

****

Today Justin finishes his last final and project. Thank goodness.

Next week he begins teaching 50 students about something.

I think that's the plan: to teach them about something. I suppose he'll have to think of some lesson plans this weekend.

Off the top of my head... though I don't think the cream floats to the top...

M is our little Momma's girl. This one topped it for me though:

M (to Daddy): You not my daddy.
Daddy: Yes, I am. I'm your daddy.
M: No. Mommy's my daddy.

****

GQ is apparently learning young that you've got to make your own way in this world. We had friends over the other day and GQ rolled over to play with the 2 year old's toy.

2 year old: No!!! (with a little push)

I started to come over to move GQ when he screamed and shoved the little boy back.

Oh, excuse me while my 9 month old beats you up.

Luckily, his attention span is short so when I moved him to another part of the house he was happy to play something different.

Just you wait, M, just you wait.

****

I have a cold.

Why I oughta...

****

Justin finishes the majority of his classes this week. Sometimes in the midst of all this PhD stuff I forget he's earned his MBA.

Oh, yeah.

So, congratulations to him!!!

The Reveal

We have chosen a house!

And a house has chosen us!

Since no one had a place they loved from the last post, you'll all be glad to know we picked...

House #4!

We discovered this house last Saturday on Craigslist and have been in contact with the renter since then. Because the house was so much what we wanted for such a good price, it was also a place other people wanted to live, and we had to wait to see if we were the lucky winners. Happily we were, and we are so excited! Thank you for everyone who has hoped, and wished, and prayed along with us.

This house has:

3 bedrooms

1 living room

1 downstairs family room

1 loft/office

2 1/2 baths

1 kitchen

laundry hook-ups

dishwasher!!!

two car attached garage

a good elementary school in walking distance

and a campus bus stop one block away

This was everything on our list!!! We are now a little further from the University, but with the bus stop so close we are more than happy. Here's some pictures for you all to enjoy:

The galley kitchen:

In true house-hunters this would be sooo unacceptable. No granite countertops, no stainless steel, tight space, blah, blah, blah.

But.... helloo..... I don't much care for cooking my friends, and this smaller space means there is less floor to clean!!! Plus, I think there are lots of cupboards.

This loft is perfect for sibling catfights.... no, not so much. But it does have a door. So we will make it an office and keep M far, far away. So not trustworthy!!! This space also has a built in desk which I am seriously thinking of stealing from Justin. Because I have always wanted a built in desk since the knotty pine room at my Aunt Becky's got redecorated.

This particular picture is actually from a nearby house for sale, it just shows the windows and layout better than the picture of the townhome we'll be in.

This is one of my favorite spaces, an outdoor, screened patio. So, you can eat outside without the bugs!!!

Well, I won't bore you anymore. We are very excited.

*****And if you are not, you must just keep your mouth shut - like when your friend has a really weird looking boyfriend - because what's done is done. And that is that.

At The Park

Yesterday we finally got some good weather. So, off we went to the park... along with the rest of the city.


Here's a trip down memory lane for you. E in 2006 at Tahoe:

E in 2007 at Tahoe:

E yesterday at the park:

Boy! Has she grown up!!!

M enjoying the swing:

GQ NOT enjoying the swing. He did not think this flying through the air thing was for him. Later I put him on my lap and he did have fun doing that.

He much more enjoyed sitting on the grass and playing with his ball. And since GQ rarely finds it worthwhile to "waste" him time sitting, it was fun to watch him play sitting up.

M, after she escaped to the big kid end of things: "Mom, it's scary."

Going down the not-so-scary slide:

We had a nice time until Mom - the resident pansy - decided she was too cold and we were going home.

House Hunters - Iowa Edition

In the midst of all my

whining/complaining/growling

over the past few

hours/days/weeks/months

I forgot to mention that everyone we've dealt with in Iowa has been extremely

helpful/pleasant/kind.

As such, I've got myself in a little bit of a fix.

As a result of my propensity to flip out over my housing arrangement - I think

Justin/my mom/Libbi/Elisa

are all a little sick of hearing about my "issues" - I've got three possible places to live.

So, yesterday I had a complete breakdown.

M woke GQ up from his nap an hour and half early, and she and E were actually kicking each other over their Polly Pockets (but Moooom, she kicked me first!) ..... so I put everyone in their beds, and we all

cried/moaned/hollered.

It was fun, boy I tell you what.

Then, I e-mailed Justin and told him to pick where we were moving because I was

DONE/FINISHED/SICK OF IT ALL!!!

Today, I pass the buck on to you, because I am obviously of three minds about everything.

Below are the three homes we're looking at now (someone should block Craigslist on my computer).

Where would you live and why?

Option #1 - The Townhome

$820 with carport

2 bedrooms

1 1/2 baths

half finished basement

optional add-on carport

on busline for school

in boundaries of "the best" elementary school

Option #2 - The Duplex

$990

3 bedrooms

1 3/4 baths

fully finished basement with additional living room

attached one car garage

on busline for school

in boundaries of "another" elementary school - Title I because poor people like us live there

near a park

no dishwasher

large, unfenced yard that we are responsible for tending

Option #3 - The Country Home

$800

3 bedrooms

1 1/2 baths

30 minutes from the city

one neighbor - the owners next door (good/bad/scary)

in country school district

there is room for a garden

Even if I don't know you, you have to comment. I need all the

help/advice/counseling

I can get!!!