Moving Help

Hey dear friends and family! We are discovering that we are in need of some help when we get to Blackfoot. We are going to have plenty of help in Preston to load the truck, but it seems it will just be Jason, pregnant me, and Jason's parents when we get to Blackfoot to unload. Therefore, I am asking for any able bodies that could come help unload (there won't be any stairs thank goodness!). It will be Monday afternoon sometime (we'd have to let you know for sure on that day since we don't know exactly when we'll get away from here). So, if anyone is available, please call us or let us know so we can let you know when we will get there for sure and the address and all that fun stuff! We'd be willing to buy you an ice cream cone or something afterward. =) Thanks and love you all!

Great Idea!

I'm so glad some of you have decided to check out FlyLady! My sister Monica has embraced her fully and we talk about things we're doing to help out our housekeeping skills. She told me the best idea yesterday! I couldn't believe that I had never even thought of it before. I hate to clean the bathroom because it just feels like it is always so yucky. Well, FlyLady says that to keep you bathroom guest-ready all the time, simply wipe it down really quick each day after you've finished getting yourself ready. Isn't that just genious?!?! A two minute wipe down will keep the hairspray/dust/dirt/anything else down to nothing so it won't accumulate into that yucky! And as always, keep those sinks shined! =)

Housekeeping with FlyLady

You know what I have found out about housekeeping? When something is clean, it's easier to keep clean than if it's dirty. Since we are moving in a week, I have been busy trying to do the time-consuming cleaning before moving day. This consists of the stove, fridge, bathroom, walls, etc. I'm doing it to make the cleaning go faster next Monday, but also so that when people are here to help, they are not completely grossed out by what is (used to be) hiding there. But, since I have done that, I have been really good about keeping my sink shined (those of you familiar with Flylady know what I'm talking about) and cleaning up any messes in those already-cleaned areas right away. Wow, my kitchen has been so much cleaner this week! I often feel overrun by the dishes that accumulate in the sink, but I have managed to stay on top of them (mostly) in an effort to keep that kitchen decent. So, I am very proud of myself and I hope that I can just keep up the habit at our new apartment.
Also, I mentioned FlyLady.net above. Although I do not follow her exactly, I have adopted some of her ideas. So if any of you need help with decluttering, etc, check her out!

Happy Anniversary

I just wanted to say "Happy Anniversary" to my parents who celebrated 35 years of marriage yesterday. Also, to my sister Monica and her husband Jon who celebrate 9 years today. Oh, and Happy Birthday to Janelle who is 25 years young today. I hope you all have a great day!

Fun Weekend

We had a really fun weekend! We had a big family party (not "reunion") for my Grandma Woodland. We buzzed out of here on Thursday afternoon. Jason took the opportunity to go shoot rabbits on the farm and with the help of my brothers and my parents new Dixon lawn mower, made a golf green in the yard. Saturday was the big day. We started at the Snake River to waterski, tube, surfboard, etc. The water was really cold, or so I'm told. The girls had fun playing in the little kiddie pool with their cousins:
Lyndsay, Elena, Rebecca, and Savannah (in back)

Thirsty anyone?

Elena having a tube "ride" (No boat included)

After the river we headed over to a place called Harris Pond. It was SO fun. They had a zip cord that ran across the whole pond and yes, even I went on it, pregnant as I am. Jason took Elena too and she loved it!

My newest niece, Juliet

Jason and Elena preparing to get on the zip cord

Wheeee!!! Elena is there even though you can't see her in this picture

There were also paddle boats and canoes so went for a little family boat ride

Even the girls helped to paddle.

We finished out the weekend at my cousin's missionary farewell which was fun. We were well-fed this weekend but now it's back to work. I have two weeks to get everything packed up and cleaned so I'd better get to it.

Apartment Hunting

Yesterday was a busy day. I had another ultrasound as ordered by the doctor in the morning. So we loaded up and drove to Pocatello. Yes, it's still a girl and a very active one at that. Then our plan was to head up to Blackfoot to look for a place to live. We ate some Wendy's because the mom was hungry, found a Blackfoot paper in Pocatello to check the classifieds, and started calling. It was a long and frustrating day. Everything we looked at was too small for our family or was already filled or we didn't qualify to live there. (Can you imagine that a teacher might make TOO much money to live somewhere?!?! It's absurd!) Anyway, so Jason and I were both feeling depressed and frustrated because we hadn't found anything. Then we drove by a place that had a sign out in front so we called and they came to let us look at it. Oh my goodness! The place is GORGEOUS! A little bit more expensive than we had hoped but it will be very nice to live in with 3 bedrooms, W/D room, closets, HUGE kitchen (yay for me), and AC (double yay for pregnant me if it ever warms up). So, we are glad that we don't have to take another day to drive back up to apartment hunt. We will probably move the last of this month or the very beginning of next month. I am excited and it's close to the middle school where Jason will be teaching. Yay!

A funny Elenaism from yesterday: We were in Walmart and I realize that Becca is poopy and I didn't bring the diaper bag in. Drat! But Elena says with a wrinkled nose, "Becca, are you poopy?" Then she proceeded to sniff Becca's bottom and then declared, "Yep, you sure are!" It was so funny!