NOT a morning person

So school is in full swing and everyone is settled. I am feeling like I went back in time to my seminary days. I have been having to get up at 5:30am to get Gavin up and moving. His bus comes at 6:30. I then muddle through getting Laurel and Connor up right after he leaves and the day is off and running. I miss sleeping in. I got too comfortable with my sluggy ways. At least I have been being good and going to bed at a decent hour. Gone is my insomnia problem. Ha. Now if I can only find a good alternative to coffee so I can inject some "umph" into my mornings. Nothing like watching a blurried eyed mommy stumble around while trying to remember everything that needs to go with each child when her brain hasn't really turned on yet. Speaking of inject.....I am wandering off topic....in Tim's new Division there is a Commander that has decided that they all needed a new catch phrase to "pump of the guys" and show spirit. When I heard it I had to laugh. It is "Inject the Venom!" what it is supposed to mean or signify, I haven't figured yet, but it is funny to hear men yelling out:"INJECT THE VENOM!"

Time Waster

Okay, okay, I know that I should be more productive.....especially when I have no kids around. But I got caught messin' on the computer. I just wanted to share a site I think is so cool! It is www.etsy.com. I know some of you may have already found it. I have a friend who actually sells her stuff on it. Angie, you truly amaze me with your sewing abilities... Anyhow, it is a site that people can sell their homemade crafts/art/goods on. Any kind of homemade item you can think of is on it. I have spent hours, accumulative, just looking at all the cool stuff. Just thought I would share.......

Thoughts and Questions

So school has begun. I usually am celebrating at this point and in some ways I am. Yesterday was actually the first day of school. Laurel went to preschool ALL day. She had a great time and couldn't wait to go back this morning. Gavin was up first and earliest. He gets up at 5:30am and catches a bus at 6:30. Good training for when they start seminary. Ha. I can't believe that I have to begin getting up that early. Yikes. Naps are going to be my best friend this year. Ha. Connor has his first day of school today. He stayed home yesterday since the schools around here messed me up big time. Back to that in a minute. So this is the first day that I sans child. Wow. I don't know quite what to do with myself. I have a ton of housework that needs to be done and I could go to the gym and start getting healthy, but I think today, I am going to veg most of the morning. I am nervous for Connor and Laurel was sad that I wasn't the one to walk her this morning to school so they are both on my mind. Gavin also came home yesterday from his first day and reported that he "hates everything about this school and wants to go back to MO". Poor kid.....he can be so negative. According to him, the bus ride was too noisy and rowdy, the first teacher he was with he doesn't like, he didn't find a kid that he likes yet and even his favorite class, PE, was really lame. I told him to give it time it would get better. Going back to Connor....I went through the whole registering process only to find out a day 2 days before school started that his school was A) one of the worst schools in the district, B) would be a horrible place for him to be cause it is too rough and C) they couldn't even accommodate his IEP there. So, I had to scramble to get a transfer to the other middle school on post and get it all done before school began. Of course that didn't happen so he stayed home for the first day of school while we did yet more running around so that he could go today. The system really failed me this time in the information department. Good thing I took Clara classes and got right into it from the beginning so at least Connor didn't have to suffer through going to the sucky school. I am crossing my fingers that his day (and the rest of the year) goes smoothly. He looked like he was gonna cry when I left.....he was so scared and nervous of the unknown. It put butterflies in my stomache. But I smiled and told him he would have a great day and not to worry....people would help him if he needed it. I will put up pictures later of their first day.
As for the questions...I forgot to do them the other day so here they go:

Favorite thing about the opposite sex:
Ok...physically speaking, I love a man that is fit. I am not talking monster buff where his neck disappears into his shoulders, but a lean guy with muscle definition. So after establishing that, I love a man's muscled back. Don't know why, I just think it is hot. I love the way they can make me feel safe and secure and taken care of. But I also like they way a guy handles conflict with another guy....they yell or beat the snot out of each other and then it is over basically. There is no grudge holding or slaying each other with gossip and talk like women tend to do.

3 jobs you would like to try other than what you currently do:
1. a cartoon character voice
2. personal shopper for a rich person
3. professional photographer for pregnant women and children

What's your favorite accent?
I LOVE to Irish people speak. I could listen to an Irish man read the telephone book all day.

Best advice ever given to you:
I really can't think of the BEST advice, but the funniest was at my bridal shower. Some older lady told me that if I was going to fight with my husband, I should do it naked. That has stayed with me for 16 years. Ha. I have never done it but it does pull up a funny mental image.

Favorite Cereal:
As a kid, we weren't allowed sugared cereal very often since it was just too expensive. I craved the forbidden cereal. But now, I have gone back to liking boring old Cheerios. Go figure.

Perspective

I was reminded again that perspective is everything. I have been having a hard time of it since we found out we were moving to TX. It seems like I kept getting bombarded with one crisis after another. Today, in the early quiet moments before we all awoke to get ready for church, I had an epiphany. Every time something came up, I would heave a great sigh and think "dang, I thought things couldn't get any worse and now they have." I felt like I was repeatedly failing some test that the Lord was putting me through or being punished. As I thought through it, although nothing that has happened has been easy or fun, I have always figured out how to work through it and move forward. So, instead of heaving that great sigh, I got onto my knees and said thank you for showing me how to problem solve and sending the right people into my life at the right moments. I am so thankful for the guidance and support that family and friends have given me. They answered prayers without even knowing it most times in the last couple of months for me. I hope that I can keep this perspective up for then next thing that gets thrown my way.

Blessings

Okay, now that I am over the shock of the crappy news, I am back to being positive again and trying to look at this with a good outlook. I felt better after talking to Tim. He pointed out that we still were waiting for our dity move money and the travel money from our move here. That should cover at least 1 or 2 more house payments. I am hoping that it gets rented out like tomorrow though. And more good news, paying your tithing works. Ha. Today in the mail, I got a sizable check from our home owners insurance company. They said that they had charged us overpayment or that we had double paid or something like that. I hadn't even know that that had happened so this check was a definite surprise. I looked at that check and smiled. I know that I was blessed. I hope that the house rents so I can use the dity money to pay down some debt, but at least I know that we won't go into more debt.....at least not for another couple of months. So for now, chin up and power forward.

Thank you Sir, May I Have Another One

Dude, we just can't seem to catch a break. I hate that I am going to sound like a complete whiner in this latest of blogs but I need to just get it out. Every time I think we are out of the woods with our house, we are dragged back into it. So I was way excited because at the beginning of August, a family had decided that they wanted our home to rent. They had saw it online and decided that it was what they wanted, but wouldn't be able to move in until the 15th. Yea! I was no longer going to have to stress out about trying to pay for a house and make rent here in TX. We are so in debt right now that I wonder if I will ever see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is an evil, evil thing. Anyhow, I call this morning to make sure that all is well and that I can finally turn off all the water and electricity. And that is when the crap hits the fan.....Our property manager tells me that the family has backed out of living there. They came and saw it and although they love the yard and there isn't anything "wrong" with the house, it is just too small and they don't want it. Holy heck! One of the worst parts is that we have no recourse in which to penalize them.....it never crossed my mind to ask about that beforehand. I will now. Live and Learn. SO, we now we are back into having to find someone to live there and do so before the influx of people coming to Fort Leonardwood stops. I have lost faith in anything having to do with this house. I have been burned over and over where it is concerned and in the end, nothing....NOTHING good has come from us having bought that house.

Questions

I finally got back to church today after 2 weeks away. It was nice to go back. I always feel like my week never ended when I miss church. SO this was the second time I have gotten to our new ward since moving here. I was way more vocal....figured I better make my presence known. Ha. It didn't take them long to give me a calling. They called me and asked me to be a primary worker. I will be teaching the 7 yr olds. I am bummed out. Not that I have to teach these kids(have no problem doing that), I am just sad that I won't have a chance to meet the women of the ward before being sent off to Siberia. I guess I will just HAVE to go to all of the mid week activies now so that I can find out more about the RS and not just some of their children. Whatever.
So for the questions.....

Where did you meet your Husband?:
I met Tim at YSA in Monterey, CA after the summer of the year I graduated high school.

What was your first impressions of him?:
I noticed his backside first since he was faced away from me when I walked into the room. It was very nice. When he turned around his eyes really caught my attention. It isn't often that you see such light eyes with such dark hair. Anyhow, personality wise, I thought that he was very reserved and comfortable to be around, easy going, good conversationalist.

How did you end up dating each other?:
This is where our stories differ a little(you'll have to ask him sometime for his version)....I remember that after one activity he asked if anyone would like to go to a movie and I said sure. His best friend Jon tagged along and when we got to the theater, they sat me in between the two of them. Jon made the first move so I started dating him. The whole time, Tim told me what a bad idea that was because Jon could be a bucket head(his words, not mine) and that he was on the rebound. I didn't listen. Tim and Jon would come to my house to hang out a lot cause it was nicer than the barracks. Jon dumped me to date Tim's sister while she was visiting Tim. She didn't go for it since Tim had warned her not to and she listened. Jon started dating someone else and me, again, at the same time. He dumped the other girl to be with only me and shortly there after, I dumped Jon....finally realizing that he made a horrible boyfriend but a good friend. Since he and Tim were always hanging out at my house, Tim just never stopped coming over and one night asked me to go see a movie(by ourselves). We started holding hands and that was that.

What was your fist date?:
Our first date was to go see Beauty and the Beast on post. We went to a YSA activity afterward and I remember someone telling us that we looked like an old married couple. Ha. Was that someone telling the future?

How did you know he was "the one"?
Well, unlike most people who say that they prayed about it and got a really strong answer, I can't say the same. I was just so young and felt that as a good member of the church it was my duty to get married to a good and righteous man as fast as I could after graduating high school. I know that isn't true now but that is the message that I got and interpreted from all those YW lessons that I got. The other boy that I had been in love with after graduating high school had broken my heart and I was doing the dating thing and looking for that righteous return missionary to marry. I knew that Tim was different because he was the first guy who hadn't tried to take advantage of me. He was my friend first. It took us 2 weeks to have our first kiss and that was a BIG change for me. I had always kissed guys right away. I knew that Tim had prayed about it and gotten the answer that I was a good choice so I just went along with that.

How did he propose?
He tried to be tricky. Ha. We were supposed to have had dinner that night together. I was going to make him dinner at my apartment, but I ended up having to work the closing shift at the store I worked at. I had had a really bad day at work and was looking forward to hanging out and cuddling with Tim to make me feel better. He met me at work and followed me home. As we got out of our cars,he told me that he had to leave within 15 minutes because he had a room inspection the next morning. I was bummed and as soon as he left, I ran to my room and flung myself on the bed to cry. Yes, I was dramatic(what could I say, I was young). About 7 minutes later, a knock came at the door and when I opened it, it was Tim. "What are you doing here, did you forget something?" I asked as I tried not to let me see that I had been crying. "I forgot to give you this" he said and he handed me the ring box. I knew immediately what it was and started crying and flung myself into his arms. After a couple of minutes, he asked if I was ever going to open it so I did and then he asked me to marry him and I said yes(thank you capt. obvious). I asked him how long he could stay since he had an inspection and he admitted that he had made that all up just to add drama to the moment.

When and where did you get married?
we got married on Sept. 25, 1992 in the Oakland, CA LDS temple

Lost Momentum

So, I have been slacking this last week. Not really being very productive and sleeping in late almost everyday. I am amazed that my kids let me do this, but they have been leaving me alone until about 10am. I can't believe that I have been sleeping that long, but I guess in the end, I needed it. The kids are all on each other's nerves. Both they and myself can't wait until school begins so that they can meet new kids to interact with and have something more to do with their time other than sit around while I unpack yet another box. Tomorrow, I think that I will put unpacking off a little more, most of the day, due to the fact that it is tax free weekend here in TX and amazingly Connor has lost most of his shorts. I bought him about 5-6 pairs before leaving for UT and now I can only find maybe 2 pair. Whatever. So we are off to buy some new clothes. Gavin is happy cause he is always about getting something better than what he already has. He is lucky that I am such the bargain hunter and can usually find something "cool" at a price I am willing to pay(which is usually pretty cheap). It is getting harder and harder to do that with him though, cause he is getting older and brand names are starting to get more important. Other than that, the RS pres and a counselor made a visit to my house to introduce themselves and meet me. They seem like nice ladies. I haven't felt the need to find a friend yet that I usually do when I move in. I usually have this almost desperate compulsion to find female companionship, but this time it is lacking. Probably too busy and a little burnt out to care yet. Ha. Apparently, I will see no home teachers while I am here and I am told not to even count on them for anything.....that is because the men of the ward are mostly military which equals mostly deployed here. Tim will be gone a lot of Sept and most of Oct doing training and TDY stuff so I guess we are fast easing into our time apart with these "test runs". Well, I gotta get to bed. Laurel and Tim are going fishing in the morning and I need to get all her stuff ready. I still think it is funny that only Tim's daughter like to fish while his boys hate it. Ha.

Favorite Pictures

I was looking at my cache of pictures on my computer and realized that I don't really look at them often enough so I decided to post a few of my favorites. No reason other than to be able to see them one more time. Really no other special reason. So happy viewing.

Wasting Time

So I was on the internet today, again, when I should have been being more productive and finally got a chance to watch the internet movie called
"Dr. Horrible's sing along blog". I loved it! Okay, I know I am strange, but I really get Joss Whedon's brand of humor. So if you like Joss Whedon-maker of Buffy, Angel, and Firefly-you will get a kick out of this. You better get there soon though cause it is not going to be on the net indefinately. Anyhow, it is at www.drhorrible.com
Have fun watching!

Random Questions

So while I was perusing the net today and looking at an abundance of blogs, I came across a blog in which,weekly, the blogger answered random questions about herself. I thought that was a cool idea. I love it when I get to read those kind of tid bits about my friends and family so I thought, Hey, I would give it a try. So I am stealing the questions that I read from her blog today and using them for my own. Next time, if you have a good question/questions, email me and I will answer those. So here goes:

What where you doing 10 years ago?
Okay, that is hard for me since I have a bad memory for a lot of things...should have been a blond in some ways.....ummmm, We lived in Fountain, CO and I had given birth to Gavin that year in Feb. I also got to go on my first vacation by myself since getting married to Tim to see my friend, Robin, get married and went to my first ever bar with her for her bachelorette party.

5 snacks I enjoy:
1.chocolate
2.chocolate
3.chocolate....no I am kidding, sort of. I do love chocolate.
4.really fresh strawberries
5.home gorwn tomatoes with just a little salt

5 things on my To-Do list:
1. finish unpacking
2.get rid of all excess trash and misc. items no longer needed/wanted
3.buy a new phone(my land line phones don't work and I have a land line number I am not using currently)
4.Go to Connor's school and introduce myself and Connor to the staff....let them know that they will see A LOT of me this year. Ha.
5.get in contact with all important bill people and give out new address....make out new address card to friends too.

If I suddenly became a Billionaire, I would:
Give a million to each of my siblings, parents, inlaws, and Tim's siblings, and to my close friends. Pay off all my debts....car, boat, house, credit cards(then upgrade them all). Ask Tim to retire. Travel to a lot of places that my father has been to and taken really cool pictures and see them all first hand. Find specialists in the area of Autism(school wise) and enroll Connor in their programs(Either that or pay Clara to school him continually.HA.my personal autism whisperer) I would also donate a lot to the Cure Autism Now charity. I would also hire a chef to make all my dinners for me forever after and a personal trainer to help me lose and keep weight off. And(before this list gets too long) hone my skills as a photographer and do that as a living just for the heck of it.

5 jobs that I have had:
1. balloon decorator(where I decorated with balloons and sometimes dressed up in the costumes of Belle or Jasmine for parties)
2. Asst. Manager at Wilson's Suede and Leather....loved that leather mini's that I couldn't where after getting married. Sigh.
3. Manager of a card shop....loved the creativeness of being able to creative the window displays
4. Mother's helper...kind of a version of nanny for a CNM in TX the first time we lived here
5. sales assoc. at Express Limited

5 things that you may not know about me:
I think I am a pretty open book so this will take some mind stretching.....
1. I would love to be a professional photographer of children and pregnant women
2. I really want to learn how to scuba dive
3. I want to learn how to ballroom dance
4. I hate bananas...the taste is fine, but the texture creeps me out
5. I can still do the splits

Hope you have as much fun reading these tid bits and I did writing them.

Metcalf funny

Today, while sitting with Gavin in the living room, Laurel came to me and asked for a snack. I told her no because she has JUST eaten a banana and I figured she should wait a while longer before eating more. Gavin said to her "man, Laurel, you are nothing but a bottomless pit". "Nah uh", she said, turned around and pointed to her own bottom and continued "I got a bottom right here". I died laughing!

House of boxes

So we are in our house on post and they delivered all our stuff to us about a week ago, but we are STILL unpacking boxes. Most of that is due to the fact that I keep developing a case of adult ADD(LOL)and things like school registration and the last book in the Twilight series has popped up. It is so hard to stay on task when all I want to do is read all day until I am finished and I get to know how the whole series will end up. I am more than half way done and wish that I knew someone around here so that I could discuss it. Oh well.... Back to our house, it isn't so bad. All the kids have their own rooms and the boys are way jazzed about that since it is the first time ever. The common living spaces are a little strange but anything is doable when it isn't for forever. If you want to see a layout of our house, go here: https://onestop.army.mil/_hqd/BaseHousing_show.asp?base=67&planid=14&rid=1&k=0
That's what it looks like but flipped the opposite way.
As I said before I got the kids all signed up for school. I don't know what I will do with myself once school starts since Laurel will be in an all day preschool program. So much free time on the horizon, whatever will I do with myself. I plan on going to the gym a lot. I am planning on hitting my goal weight this year. Tim is so busy with all the pre-deployment stuff going on that we don't see a lot of him. At least I still get to cuddle up to him at night right now. Our new ward here is a little strange. They didn't even ask the visitors to introduce themselves. SO I fugure one sunday, I'll just raise my hand to answer some question and then launch into "hi, my name is Alice......." Ha. Just kidding. I am not passing judgement yet, but thought it was strange. Anyhow, here are a few pictures of what we did this summer:

Laurel found a snake in the back yard of a relatives house in CO and had a blast playing with it.


Went bowling with cousins and Gavin got mad cause Laurel won:


Played way too many video games:



Went to my inlaws 50th wedding anniversary:



Connor Turned 13! and scored 3 rounds of present openings and 2 cakes:


Hiked up the canyon and had play time with lots of cousins:


Waterskiing in CO and Laurel started us all off by doing it herself(my dare devil child):



And Plenty of playtime at the Metcalf Farm with all the animals( Laurel was in Hog heaven):




Over all it was a fun summer and we loved seeing all of our family and friends. Hope TX treats us as well as MO did.