Moving isn't fun

I thought I should give a little travel log for the last few weeks (or months) since it has turned a bit comical.

Redge decided to take a job with Dupont. Long story short, things just landed in our favor to move to the Boise area. This all happened starting with an interview (in Denver) squished in between scout camp with Rhett and the priests high adventure (both were several hours away.) We knew within a few weeks that we were moving. Before all this started rolling we decided to remodel the master bathroom. We put things into high gear to get that project done before our family reunions the first of August. We accomplished that goal... even got to use the shower before we left.

Once Redge quit, he had some time to help with house preparation. All was cleaned and beautiful by the end of August. We listed the house and headed out to Idaho for reunions and then to go and look for a house. We were making decisions week by week and rolling with new information.

Our two week trip to Idaho turned into a 5 week trip because of Redge's need to be in Idaho and the expense of flying home to Apex. The poor ward was in limbo with the counselors covering for Redge. We found a house the second week in August, yeah! Then we spent our time with family - felt like a long vacation. We helped mom clean and visited the new house in Meridian and go the kids registered for school. All was rolling forward.

The fun all started with me flying out to Apex with Emma and Mom took over being me so the kids could start school. Redge was in SLC for work meetings all week. I dropped the kids off at school and flew out later that day with the only instructions to mom that she would have to figure it out because I just didn't know anything yet. We got things all packed up with the movers and then the kids and Redge showed up on Saturday night. We had a tearful weekend of saying goodbye and Redge being released from Bishop.

The night before we flew out, Emma started fevering. Oh I knew this wasn't going to be fun flying with a sick baby. About 11:30 p.m. Redge got up and bought us some meds for her to get through the night. We made it to Amy's with a cat in tow about 5:00 the next night, Monday. Tuesday we made it through the day, Eli went to his first scout den meeting. He came home and was playing on the swings. I was going to go with Amy to help her set up for a church meeting. Redge had just come in with Eli and was getting my instructions thrown at him. Just as I was getting ready to leave, Rhett came running out telling me that Dad needed me.

Sometimes you can just tell by the sound of their voice that something is really wrong. I ran out back and Eli was laying on the ground with his arm in a crazy position. He had been laying there telling Emma to come and get me because he was going to die. I think she was in so much shock that she couldn't move. Redge heard all this from the kitchen and thought he was teasing and yelled something to the effect when he really looked out there at Eli and could see something was wrong. Redge picked him up and rushed him out to the hospital.

When the ER Doctor asked Eli what he had been doing, Eli responded that he was playing Superman off the swings (swinging as high as he could and then jumping off). Without hesitation, the doctor said 'oh, superman forgot his cape, huh.' Oh we have chuckled and teased about superman and his cape.

After putting Eli under, the ER doctor couldn't set the arm completely. He could get one bone but not the other. So they casted him and then gave us orders to call the orthopedic surgeon. Wednesday they tried again, couldn't set it. They needed to do surgery. It wasn't until Thursday that they finally put him under and gave him some good muscle relaxants to get that bone to set right. The meds took longer than the actual setting did. Whew finally. Now just to get the swelling down for the real cast in a week.

In the meantime, we have been medicating Emma, who was sort of rallying around. We took her to the Doctor who said she had croup. She is still coughing today (week later). Then on Wednesday we found out that our new house had a leak under the kitchen sink that ran all the way into the basement. Oh brother. So then we had to deal with that complication. It is in the process of getting fixed now. Then we were worried about money getting to closing. There was a mix up with the relo counselor about that information. ugh! We closed on Friday with enough time to take ownership.

Then we found out that they moving truck could only move us in on Sunday. Gulp! Really? There was no way around this one... so we moved in. I ran the crew at the house and Redge took the big kids to church. "When you moving in? Today. Today? Yup" Oh boy.

Then as I was trying hard not to break the Sabbath anymore, I went to warm up some lasgne in the oven - it wouldn't heat. I had started it and assumed it would heat up. Well about 25 minutes later, I wasn't seeing the temp go any higher than Lo. Gulp, now what?? The movers got sandwiches. Oven repair people are coming tomorrow. (shouldn't this be the old owners responsiblity?? UGH!)

Monday the phone guy came and crawled all through the crawl space to get our phone line set up in the room we wanted it in as well as a second line. He deserved some cookies from my oven that didn't work!! Then the TV guy showed up about 2 and around 6 I was starting to wonder when he would leave. I was unpacking boxes but I kind of was waiting to warm up some leftovers when he left. I gave up when he said there was a problem and his boss was coming. They didn't leave until 8:30. I was totally putting my kids to bed. When he came this morning to finish, he found out it was because they hadn't updated our address to the new address on the receiver information. 10 minutes and he was done here. That poor guy!! wish I could have baked him some cookies too!!

Last night as I was bathing Eli I noticed his other wrist was really bruised and puffy. He had been favoring that wrist and I was hoping it was just sprained. Ugh! I think it is broken too. I remade the appointment for tomorrow at 3 instead of Thursday morning. I bought him a wrap to stabilize that wrist too. If it weren't so comical, I would be crying. I just can't believe we have had such trama. And this isn't including all the mess of trying to find things that are in boxes and the "what did they do with" or "oh why did they pack this like this" And "where are my sheets, mom?" I am just glad I had an unpacked kitchen so I could function Monday morning.

Tonight as we were reading scriptures, I just felt like all is going to be well. It is going to be a great day tomorrow!

Grandparents

I am so glad my parents took the time out of their busy world to come out here. I think I froze them. Our spring weather is crazy. We finally had a much warmer high 60('s) degree day on Sunday but it was rainy and cold the first day they came.

I sent the kids to school Thursday morning so I could take Mom and Dad to a few antique shops around downtown Apex. It was fun to walk around downtown. I have to admit that I have only driven through, never stopped and looked. It was great!

After gathering the kids and getting through lunch we decided to try out Durham and the Duke gardens. This is another place that I have been told to go and visit and hadn't taken the time to see. Well our visit started off cloudy and a little sprinkling of rain and then ended up with us standing in the gift shop to wait out the downpour. My kids didn't grab their jackets and they were cold! We then wandered around the tobacco museum where we watched a little film and walked through the museum and grounds. We learned that trading cards started from the tobacco industry... they started out as scantily clad ladies on cards and after complaints from a local minister they featured the Durham Bull players. And we learned the Duke university was started by the Duke family who were tobacco farmers. He (I think it was Washington Duke) intentionally made the buildings look like they were old. I thought that was great - I love the brick on the buildings there!

Oh, then we gave Mom and Dad a great taste of traffic. We hit the 5:00 traffic just right and were able to go through stop-and-go traffic because of 2 wrecks. After an hour drive we got close to home where Redge started thinking dinner... heading to the BBQ place took another 30 minutes because of yet another wreck! But hey the food was yummy...

Friday we slept in, had a big breakfast, and lingered here. We went on a walk and let the kids play. Then after lunch we headed off to Pittsborough to look at antiques. We found the best places to see and found a yummy diner were we had some ice cream. Dad saw a spinning wheel that he started stewing about... it was a cute thing and it was not to bad of a price. Rhett decided he needed to go on his camp out and we got him out the door. We went and found a few necessities (white underwear for Eli!) at Target and found a sweatshirt for Dad.

Saturday after stewing about the spinning wheel we headed back to Pittsborough for the spinning wheel. Dad had figured out how to get it home. He was very excited!

Then we headed to the baptism. Eli was Mr. Smiley. He got to sit up by Redge on the stand. We did a fair job of singing 'Baptism'. We almost didn't get to see him baptized because there were so many people in the room that we couldn't see who was in the font. They didn't announce what order after the first child. There ended up being four men there to witness because of the momentary mix-up. hahaha

We had a yummy Five Guys dinner and had to take a walk because of how full we all were from dinner! We played basketball by the pool and Ms. Emma decided that she didn't want to ride in her stroller so she walked the 3/4 mile back home.

On Sunday we decided to drive back up to the Duke gardens because of being rained out. I am glad we did. It was beautiful!

I have to pause and will put pictures on later. Kids need the computer.

Eli's Birthday

We had a fun week of making Eli's birthday turn into a week of birthday. Redge was traveling and basically missed all the fun. So I drug out the fun. Redge flew out Monday morning and this was Eli's birthday. We started the morning off with opening the first present. It is a tradition for our kids to pick what they want to eat that day.

Eli's Menu:
Breakfast: German pancakes,
Lunch: Sandwich, yogurt, chips, banana, apple, juice box
Dinner: Lasagne, Salad, cheesy bread (oops forgot that one), birthday cake with 8 candles please, cupcakes, and cookies and cream ice cream

He wanted his cake to be shaped like a minnion from Despicable Me.

After we ate German pancakes he was off to school and I spent the day cooking. Oh my! I told him that morning that he couldn't open anymore presents because I had to find them. I had them scattered throughout the house because I had been buying stuff for a few months. I knew he had his scout stuff I needed to buy (that stuff is spendy!) and I had a few other fun 8 year old stuff I wanted to get him. So it was accumulating in the closets. Well he asked if he could find the presents. He thought that would be a fun game. We did this for Redge so I think he wanted to do it for his b-day... future fun ideas! Funny boy went to school and told his teacher that I had them hid throughout the house. She asked about it when I took him cookies to share with the class.

When he came home he had to do homework but then he was scotch free... the birthday child doesn't have to work on their birthday. :) I had a fun poster set up in the window with 'Happy Birthday, Eli' on it, my minnion cake was mostly ready and I had the table all set for him. I was hoping all this would help him know how loved he is by us.

We ate his yummy lasagne dinner and then went for some ice cream at the grocery store (we got soaked by the sudden downpour.) After eating cake and ice cream we had a spa night for Eli. We all massaged and loved on Eli. It was fun!

Then to help Redge not feel slighted about missing the fun I had Eli open a present a day. I told him it was the 8 days of Eli's presents. Then by the time Redge returned on Friday Eli still had a few fun presents left and we recreated the dinner and cupcakes I had frozen.

We love our birthday boy!

Eli's Manners poster

Eli was very excited for scouts. I was so proud of him because he remembered that he was to make a 'manners poster' for scouts. As we were finishing dinner, he darted off. I thought he was avoiding doing dishes but he came running downstairs with his scout shirt on and his newly made poster in hand. Whew~! one thing I didn't remind this child to do. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel! HA!


This is his poster: (spelling as written by E)
Manners: 1. do not fart at dinner table 2. always say 'plese!' 3. obey mom/dad. 4. when you burp say exuse me 5. Be kind to others.

Can't argue with that!

Lost and Found

Thursday last week Eli came home without his glasses. I must say that I remained very diplomatic and didn't react. We talked about what could have happened to them and all he remembered was his teacher taking them back to his desk because of the physical activities they were going to be doing. Then he couldn't remember anything until the neighbor boy noticed Eli wasn't wearing them on the bus. ugh! What could have happened. I know the teacher wasn't going to lose them. I sent a note to the teacher asking her about it. She looked around and I even came in Friday after school to look for them in the lost and found. She sent out a school wide email to all the teachers to see if anyone had seen them.

We were sick about it all weekend long. I told Eli we needed to start praying for help to find them. No responses from the other teachers by Monday morning. I went into the school by the end of the school day as they were packing up. Ms. Tanner and I were able to piece together the puzzle with Eli about what they did Thursday afternoon. They remembered they had 'specials' after their outside activity time. Eli perked up and remembered where they were. He found them right by the computer. Right where he left them.

I started crying... stupid glasses. I know we had help!! I guess even little glasses aren't too little of a worry, right?

Gift of sight

I am so glad that I have comments to my posts. It is nice to know that I am 'read'. I sometimes feel my thoughts are silly and not worth posting. But I found one thought worthy of posting.


So you might think that seeing the world clearly wouldn't be a big deal right?? Who really wants to see things as they are? Well my Eli got the gift of sight again!

We have had a few hints over the last few months that Eli's sight was not so great. But when Eli and I had a heart-to-heart one morning in bed about what he could see in the room, I decided it was way over time to make an appointment with the eye dr.

When I told him that I couldn't see his face laying on Dad's pillow, he thought it was funny. He would scoot toward me and ask if I could see him now. hmmm still wishing for my own gift!



He has walked around looking over the top of his glasses and then with them on again examining the world around him. We went and played basketball at the church after we picked up his glasses. We were certain that he made lots of baskets because he could see the hoop! Poor kid didn't even know it was that bad.

He is a cute little bugger but now he is just stunning!

Emma wanted to have glasses too. She tried to take Eli's glasses and claim them as her own. As you can see by how she has treated these sunglasses, we are going to keep her away from Eli's glasses!

Happy New Year

Well we started the year off with having a great, goal setting night. It was fun to see what things the kids came up with on their own. I took their list and laminated them. We are hoping to try and work on goals this year with them. How to make and follow through with them. There are so many things that we can promote but this is one part of life that will make them successful and have a feeling of accomplishment. I especially loved one of Eli's goals - love others. Isn't he so tenderhearted! I love it!

Rhett turned 12 in December and wow it is cool to have him in Young Mens and now be able to go to the youth temple trips. Grandma and Grandpa Bodily were able to be here over Christmas and be apart of that ordination. It was fun to have them out here for Christmas. They got to see one of our snow storms and the cancelling of church because of it.

I thought this story that Eli wrote was pretty cool The schools here are really good about teaching the kids how to write. He is in second grade and is able to describe really well. I added some punctuation and kept his spelling as he wrote it.

Along the snowy trail
As I was walking along a snowy trail I came to a marvalos snowman. The snowman was as Big ah (as) a tree. his head seamed to Be as round as a tire. I smiled when I saw the snowman was wearing a Blue and green scarf(.) I stard at his Brown skiny twigs(,) he had two round Blue marbel eyes(,) you coudent miss his orange carot nose(.) I was suprised when I saw the yellow Banana moulth(.) Can you Beleve that the snowman was (had) a radio(?) What was he doing with that(?) I loved seeing the snowman along the snowy trail. by:eli bodily

Oh dear Emma is quiet... better run. I will post some pictures later.