Timing

It's all about timing. What a time to try and jump back on the blogging wagon. I tell ya, I had visions of grandeur. But living in a hotel for two and a half months does nothing for one's motivational feelings. We've moved out, btw. Spencer is back. (as of Sunday) Families are headed back to Bahrain. We're starting our R&R right now, Bahrain is prepping for our return at the end of June. Wonderful time to arrive! They're ordering some hot, muggy summer weather for us.

Another thing about timing; right when I find the time to be online, we're going to be *very* disconnected. We are embarking on The Great Western Adventure 2011; loading up our rental vehicle, a 15 passenger MAV (mormon assault vehicle), with camping gear, suitcases and 4 kids. The 2011 GWA will loop through Oregon, Washington, Montana and end up where we started in Idaho. Between the good graces of friends & family, camping & the occasional hotel, we will journey through the wonderful & amazing Northwestern Pacific. I'm looking forward to introducing my children to the joys of camping and the singular beauty of this geographic area.

I'm also looking forward to typing with both hands. I've got two of five fingers out of commission. Do you know how long it took me to type this out? Too long.

Pointer finger: Shard of glass, sliced right through the fingertip pad; ring finger: slice on the same place as pointer man, a day earlier on a windowsill.

I will update whenever I come into contact with a WiFi signal.

I wanna

There are plenty of quotes about what a home is; "Home is where the heart is." or "Home is where you drop your bags." or "Home is where they deliver the household goods."

And then there's the "go get 'em" urgings; the "it's not the situation, it's your attitude about the situation." or "bloom where you are planted". Believe me; I've been planted plenty and those blooms came .... eventually.

I am *so* done making a pseudo-apartment 'home'.


I have written & erased countless paragraphs for this post.

Bottom line?

I want to go home to a decorated, organized home. (it's not. we got boxes 3 1/2 months before the evacuation. most is out of boxes, but not everything has a place.)

Can someone follow me around with a camera & capture some of my children's childhood with me in it? And I'd like to be photogenic-looking in them, please.

I really miss my KitchenAid, food processor, and kitchen. Period. Not that I always make great use of them, but the fact that I *could use* them if I wanted to.

I like the show 'Swamp People'. A lot.

That's it. And, uh, yeah, I got nothin' else.

Let the mourning begin

I *would* like to post pictures of the WW2 monument we went to in D.C.

I *would* like to show you pictures of a chance meeting we had while in D.C. We went to the WW2 monument on a whim and happened to run into friends from Cairo that we hadn't seen in 2 years!

I *would* like to show you pictures of my unbearably cute and very pregnant sister-in-law.

But I can't.

My camera is gone.

I don't know where I lost track of it. I may be scatterbrained about a lot of things, but I'm not all loosey-goosey about my camera. It's not a huge, professional contraption. But it's the best I've got & I know it. It's not new. I don't like to accuse, but the only plausible explanation is that it was either stolen out of the car (yes, they chose the camera over the gps?) or our hotel room (chosen over two laptops & assorted electronics). I am as baffled as all get out. But I guess I was in denial because the reality of being camera-less hit me right after I passed security in Baltimore. I was shoving my shoes on and hefting my bag over my shoulder when this random thought bubble popped into my cerebral cortex, "Yeah, you really have lost your camera."

Bright side? I get a new camera.

Slightly less bright side? Not as soon as I'd like.

The dullest side? The pictures I lost.

But the best side? At least I didn't lose the laptops or the pictures on them. It's just one weekend of pictures. Some pretty great pictures, but just a weekend.

Mother's Day

We are boring. Since we didn't have children with us, we took a weekend road trip. We drove to Colonial Williamsburg, then over to Roanoke. Sunday morning, we struck out on one of 'America's Byways': The Blue Ridge Parkway. This highway goes along the spine of western Virginia's Blue Ridge mountains. A beautiful, leisurely road trip. It was a great Mother's Day.

Easter

We had a wonderful Easter weekend here in beautiful southeastern Idaho! Saturday and Sunday were gorgeous days! A nice change from snow, wind & cold.

Enjoy this lovely video!

Oh Frabjous Day!

Oh my, this fabric is a-mazing! And themed just for my neck of the woods! *stretching* *cracking knuckles* Let's get this fabric party started!

1001 Peeps; Fabric line by Lizzy House
Find it here!

Guess what?

Guess who got glasses today?

JACQUI!!
She loves her new glasses! She likes these frames because they are pink & purple and have flowers on the sides.

And she picked these because they are pink & the stems are sparkly! She loves her new glasses and, believe it or not, likes seeing everything clearly! Once she got them, she wouldn't quit pointing out "new to her" details; "Look, that grandma has a smoothie!" (said about the lady at Sam's Club, 4 tables over) Everything she brought to our attention was a good 20 feet away; amazing what glasses will do for a kid.

We knew this day would eventually come. I mean c'mon, with parents like us, I'm amazed we've made it this far without one of our offspring sporting glasses yet! Spence got glasses in high school & I got glasses in third grade. Last April, I had laser PRK surgery and went from 20/400 vision to 20/20!

Exhibit A:

(that's my wee sister, Hannah. i was 15, she was 7 months)

When we were running the medical clearance gauntlet for Bahrain (last spring), Jacqui failed the eye test. They do a structural something test, no letter or shape reading. So she had to go to an independent optometrist for a "real" eye exam. Long story short, the Dr. said that glasses weren't necessary right now, but if she started having headaches and complaining about her vision, to get an eye exam. Fast forward about 6 months, Jacqui starts having headaches. So what is the first thing I do when we are evacuated? Make an appointment at the optometrist's office. She's got an astigmatism (which the dr. said she showed symptoms for 'classically': meaning that headaches are a big red exclamation point) and is near-sighted.

I am a bit in mourning. Don't get me wrong, I think she's as cute as a bunny's tail & twice as delicious as a cream puff with those itsy, beensy glasses! But I will miss the way she used to look. I'm in mourning for the independence she's lost. Believe me, I know what it's like to suddenly have glasses, then have to decide whether I like sledding blind or just watching everyone. (I sledded blind) The same with swimming. And glasses are *so* much more adorable these days and have such variety, gone are the windshields-posing-as-glasses.Might I also add that they are a lot more tough; springy hinges & flex frames.

Exhibit B:

(isn't everyone so cute? and yes, i picked those glasses out myself. they were mostly clear. to my 11 year old self, that seemed the best way to make them invisible.)