Thursday, October 2, 2008

RainyDayThursday!

Don't get me wrong...I don't have the rainyday blues. I love the rain and since we have lived here in Dallas for the past 4 weeks, today is the first day it has been truly rainy. Last night it came down in torrents and I actually felt a little excited and peaceful all at the same time...weird?
Anywhooo...Brent has just left to take the kids to school and then back to setting up his exercise equipment at his "new office" (hee, hee), I just layed Marni down for a nap, started some new loads of laundry (washer and dryer, aahh!), piled the clean laundry on my bed and shut my door to fold later (much later:)), and began fixing myself some lunch. Now...lunch is usually a boring subject but I have a few random thoughts about mine today. I decided, in my infinite wisdom, that I should have a nice bowl of soup and a mug of hot cocoa since it is raining outside. I filled my mug with water and placed in the microwave for 1 minute to heat since I'm too lazy to heat the water over the stove. I then pour my Campbell's Healthy Request (of course, right?) Tomato soup into the pan with a little milk in it. I then mindlessly stir my soup in the pan thinking, "Why do I add milk to the tomato soup? Mom always made it that way...because it tastes better?...or because she is trying to make it stretch?...can you even taste it in there?" While I'm stirring, the microwave beeps and I retrieve my soon to be hot cocoa vessel and open the Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa with Miny Marshmallows...here is the dilema...I always try to spoon out as many of the marshmallows as I can but they seem to be hiding in the cocoa, so I stir around to try and find them and I chance upon a little cluster of them and gently try to coax all of them on the spoon. Then, I find some more, repeat above and again find some more. Dilema...I've tried to get so many marshmallows that I end up with ALOT of cocoa as well and I'm easily pushing four spoonfuls of cocoa as apposed to the general two-scoop rule of thumb. So, after stirring it together, I take a sip to see just how rich it is to discover to my dismay that the water isn't even hot, maybe luke warm but that's pushing it. The mug (vessel) is hot to the touch however the water is laughing at me!!! Stupid Microwave! So, what do I do? Stick it back into the microwave of course...this time only 30 seconds to be safe. I turn back to my soup and think to myself, "This sure is taking a long time to heat up!" glance at the stove and see that I have totally forgotten to turn on the burner! Dough!!!! Turn on the burner, stirring the soup, and the microwave beeps! Finally, one hot cocoa coming right up!!! I gingerly take a sip only to burn every tastebud off of my tongue...apparently 30 seconds in the microwave is an hour on the stove!!! Now my soup is heated through but I can't even enjoy it now because I've burned my tongue! Continual quandery: why did I put milk in the tomato soup? I can't even taste it now! Guess that will have to be solved next time...until then I need to read some blogs to take my mind off my uncurable forgettfulness. And, yes, I did turn off the stove...this time!!!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

We've Moved to Dallas!.....Oregon!?!

WoooHoooo! We have moved (yet again) to Dallas, Oregon! This is move #14 in nine years of marriage and hopefully we will be putting down roots here in Dallas. Brent is still with Columbia Physical Therapy and will be opening a new clinic for his company here in Dallas. The only other physical therapists in Dallas are with the hospital, so this is a unique opportunity for Brent to come in and set up a private clinic. This gives Brent the advantage of seeing those patients that need physical therapy that have not been going to the hospital but rather private doctors and specialists. We are so excited, not to mention we love Dallas!



I have a bit of catching up to do since my last post! When we moved it took a couple of weeks to get internet setup in our (very small) apartment, then I couldn't find the computer cable to my phone where my pictures are, and then I lost my phone at Target in Salem... but I got it back! So, I'm finally posting a blog and there is so much that has happened! I think that I'll break it up in the next few days so I'm not putting up a super long post.




So, first but not least...Jayden started Kindergarten this year!









Jayden began school on September 2nd and she loves it! Her teacher is so fun, she is just like every kindergarten teacher should be like...older like a grandma and absolutely loves little children. Jayden is quickly becoming the little independent kindergartner as well! The first day of class, she walked into the classroom without even looking back to say goodbye to her mom! The teacher had to tell her to come back and say goodbye. Then, when I went to pick her up...her teacher informed me that she was quite upset that her mom comes to get her instead of being able to ride the bus home. We only live a block from the school!



Jayden designed her own back pack this year...she put a whole bunch of buttons and iron-ons on her back pack and then we used puff paint to put her name on the pack. She is already establishing her own style and I might add that she is very artistic as well!





A few days later, Jayden informed me that, and I quote: "You know mom, there is a girl in my class that is dropped off by her mom and she walks into the school all by herself!" So, the next day, Jayden decided that she was quite capable of doing the same. I pulled up to the crosswalk, Jayden got out of the car after saying goodbye to Trey, Marni and I, was very dramatic about looking both ways before crossing the crosswalk, and then just before she walked through the doors, she turned and waved with a great big smile letting me know that my baby was growing up! I have to say, a part of me was crushed that she no longer needed my hand, but a greater part of me was so proud to see my little girl becoming braver and more independent as she discovers her own strength!


Then...a few weeks later....Trey started Preschool!





Trey was so excited when we arrived to drop him off (he still holds my hand! Ohh!) and he had his own hook to hang his backpack on, his own cup with his own crayons, "goo stick" and "zizzors!" I love that his backpack is almost as big as him...but he loves it...he feels so grown up! Lately we have been struggling with getting Trey to use the bathroom when he needs to pee. It is like he just doesn't care, he is too busy playing. So, we decided to set a rule with Trey...if he wets his pants at preschool, he will come home immediately and won't go back that day. Guess what...so far it has worked!!! Yea!! He hasn't wet his pants for the past three days, even when he is at home!!! I'm hoping that he has finally got the hang of it!



The other great thing about Trey's preschool...Trey goes to preschool for the same duration as Jayden! Jayden has half-day kindergarten in the afternoon from 12 to 2:40. Trey goes from 12 to 2:30 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday! This gives me at least two hours of those days to get "my stuff" done since Marni takes her nap during that time! I am so Lucky!!!


I'll post more of our tiny adventures tomorrow!