Public Service

In the spirit of generosity and good-will toward man, I take my children in public. I know, I know, it's a bit over the top, but I'm just good hearted like that. Recently because of the move, we have been spending many meals at restaurants. A blessed break from cooking, but also a ginormous hassle and headache in other respects. It makes cooking seem like it may not only be a good idea, but a necessary step in maintaining my sanity (as if...). But in the midst of that line of thinking, I have to do a mental slap to remind myself to stay away from such horrible, selfish thinking. It would not be fair to the other folks in the restaurant to deprive them of our family's influence. It is for them that I suffer so. I know, I know, ever the martyr...

This here, this right here, I am sure has prevented many pregnancies. If only I could provide the sound that accompanied this picture, you would understand. I know for a fact that after watching my family in action this day at Chili's alone, made several women rush home to pop their birth control pills, cross themselves, hail Mary, or whatever, in an attempt to banish any inappropriate warm fuzzies associated with having children of their own.

And this crazy kid? Whoo-eee, we don't even want to go there!

The Human Apple Peeler

Just by reading the title you could probably guess what this odd pile is that I found on my floor. I was sitting in this very same spot, reading blogs on this very same computer when I looked over and saw it. My eyes followed the trail which led to this little fiend.

Apparently she doesn't like the peel. Dang kid.

It's Official!!!

We now reside in Sierra Vista AZ (or thereabouts) for Jack's new position. Ok, so it's been official for a few weeks, but this is me here, and let's just say that I'm not even done with my Oregon vacation which I will likely be giving you little installments of here and there since I'm so up on the timeliness issue and such.

Anyway, after months of wondering and drama (on my part) it finally happened! We had come out here a couple of times to see about the area and well, we LOVED it! And I have to say that in the couple weeks we have been here, we love it even more! It is amazing that just less than three hours from the Phoenix metropolitan area, that it could be so incredibly different! Not just the weather either, which is it's own discussion, but the feel is totally different. People move at a slower, more relaxed pace, and I haven't even felt an inkling of road rage since we moved here! Phenomenal...

We arrived here on a Tuesday night and our kids started school on Wednesday. It was absolutely nuts trying to figure out a school since we didn't even have a real place to live, but we at least knew the general area we wanted to live in, so we just pretty much closed our eyes and pointed at that point. It's all worked out though, and they love their school! Everyday I walk through the halls I love it a bit more too. All the staff was so jolly that at first that I thought that they must be sprinkling Prozac on their Wheaties, which I thought might be a good idea, but I've come to decide that they actually like what they do and are content with the school and the resources they have. What a great thing! There's no more fighting in the morning to make them go, and they meet me with smiles on their faces when I pick them up! It makes my life inestimably better!

Here they are on their first day of school. We were running late because the school is in the middle of nowhere and somehow, even though my husband has seemingly built in GPS, we managed to get lost. That's why the terrible picture. Also because the sun was in their eyes.

This one is day two and it's a little better except for the retarded photographer that cut off the picture so wonderfully.

Here's Jack's happy new workplace. And let me tell you, he is soooo happy! Life is good here if you're Jack. It's quiet, nice, organized and we haven't gotten any calls at 2 AM, 3 AM, or anytime even. Lovely...

And I would like to take this time to thank my friends for putting up with my anxiety, depression and PMS issues related to this whole mess. It's all worked out and I'd especially like to thank Rochelle and Heather for listening to me on the I'm-crying-because-I'm-a-hormonal-raging-ridiculous-paranoid-stressed-unreasonable-hormonal-hormonal FREAK day. Reasonable things suddenly seemed unreasonable that day and wow, I think I even knew it at the time but couldn't control myself. Not knowing where you'll be living in a week sometimes makes me awful, but I would like to take this time to blame Walgreen's.

Warning!!! Tangent to follow: Ok, so here's my tangent to lay the blame of THAT day on Walgreen's. So I started taking birth control about five months ago, which is a bit redundant since I had that surgically taken care of, but it helps with several other problems that I never had to deal with before, including...PMS. So I'd had several months of trials and the day I left for Oregon I went to pick it up at Walgreen's for the first time and they tried to charge me $58 for it! In my book that's alot of money for something I sorta need, plus I figure it's nice to use that insurance that we pay for. I didn't have time to call the insurance before I left, and therefore had to deal with all the hormonal issues and stress all at once. The next month... the Dr. had called in something she was sure my insurance would cover, and when I went to pick it up they were trying to charge me full price again!! I called the insurance company myself because those schmucks wouldn't, and found out that they would indeed cover it and they promptly called Walgreen's and told them so. At that moment I wanted to strangle those idiots for letting me go through THAT day because they were lazy bastages, plus several other days that were similar but to lesser degrees. Eff off Walgreen's!!! Thank you though to my poor friends that had to listen to my unreasonable sobbing!!! Love ya!

Anyway, here is a lovely picture of the place we're staying at right now. We love it because it's beautiful, comfortable and there are eight fenced acres for the kids to run in. It's awesome...

And here it is from the back. It was post storm, so things were tipped and in disarray. Our place is the little one. They have something like 8700+ sq feet in their place. I think that small is good in my world. With my turds, I'd never be done cleaning with that much room to make messes in! Ugh...

Alternative Discipline

Child psychologists would likely stroke out if they spent too much time in my home because I think that the occasional spanking is appropriate. I'm not so sure if it's more appropriate for me or for the children, but dang, sometimes it just makes me feel good. Avenged even.

Guilt trips are good too. "Those starving children in Ethiopia would appreciate a meal like that, so you should eat up." Speaking of starving, the boxes of ding-dongs were buy one get one free...

And here, when time outs, guilt, beatings, begging for obedience, and prayers for patience don't work, we have an alternative. Sydney thought of it herself and I can say that I'm liking the concept. Lock them away like the little beasts they are... Just don't call the po-po alright?

The Murray's

Off and on while we were vacationing in Oregon we would stay with Jack's parents. They live in a quaint little town off of the Columbia River. We were treated with the sounds of large barges as they passed by, and got to let the kids play on the beach.

Jack's brother Shawn with Abby and the kids met us and the grandparents at Papa's Pizza so that we could actually get some visiting in while the kids played in the big play area. It's pretty much tradition since we know for a fact that few of the children would make it out alive if we tried to go to an average sit down restaurant where children are expected to behave. It's just that when we get all of the kids together they go crazy! Wait. That's not one of the kids. Who is that crazy looking guy? Oh crap! Is it? Nah... it couldn't... No way! Crap! It is Jack... I confess... my husband is... well, he's a moron. The proof is in the picture.

Here we go! This one's a little better! Just a little though...

Abby was trying hard to get Punkin to smile for a picture with her. It took us a few tries and some trickery, but here they are!

And here we have all of us in a single picture. I truly think that this is a first.

Wow... Everyone is actually looking at the camera too. God does smile down on us sometimes! :)

Portland Saturday Market

One of the things that I've missed the most being away from Portland is the Saturday Market, conveniently located on the Max Line (light rail transit) which can be its own adventure. Jack has never been a fan because he says the incense makes him nauseous (pansy). I LOVE the smells, the loud local bands, the various street performers and the eclectic people that all combine to keep Portland the weird and beautiful place that it is.


Speaking of weird, this guy is a Russian street performer that not only put a giant scorpion in his mouth AND closed it, but had two guys from the audience wrap him tightly in chains so that he could show us his grand escape. Apparently he's one of those freaks of nature that can pop their joints in and out of their sockets. He was very cool to watch and kept everyone entertained not only with his little stunts but his funky sense of humor.




Dear cousin Kyle met us downtown looking like he was heading for an Alaskan adventure rather than a crisp Oregon day (note: everyone else appears to be in short sleeves). Sydney got right back into her old habits of torturing him to the best of her abilities. It made me happy.

Here's dad with his reading glasses trying to figure out his camera. He was just your average guy until Syd added Kyle's hat, and he was magically transformed into Gangsta Grandpa. What up wit it brotha?

Syd loves posing for the camera. This makes up for the nearly two years of her life that I have few pictures of her because she would run crying when I brought out the camera. The best part about this picture is that right after, she fell backwards into that lovely fountain thoroughly soaking her unsuspecting little sister in the background. Her shoes made squashing sounds the whole way home.

And that night, well, does Guitar Hero ever get old? Yeah, that would be my husband with the sunglasses on in the house. At night. I could explain that it was because his glasses broke, and that his sunglasses are prescription to help him see what he's doing, but that would make him seem like less of a tard than the picture without that notation would on its own, so I won't say anything.