Slideshow of Earth from Space

This is one of those "forward to everyone you know things" which I normally abhor, but I'm a sucker for photos of the Earth from space.  I really like the way features are labeled so I'm sure I'm seeing what I'm seeing.

Enjoy!

We made it!

We're no longer without phone, at this point only have dial-up internet on a shared computer, but we are here. We got snow that stuck for a bit Sunday night/Monday morning. (Photos are on DropShots; email me if you need more instructions than that.) We found a leak with the sink the first day we were here that turned out to need a plumber. Lucky for us our landlord seems to have called a good one: his name is Bob and he owns the company, he came out himself on a Saturday call with an apprentice, and they both wore booties over their shoes when they were in the house. All very good signs. He found that the disposal was old to the point of uselessness, wired in wrong and didn't have a trap in the drain. This was how we learned that traps are not just a way to retrieve things that drop down the drain but also so that sewer gas can't come in. The fix we are left with means that things are to code, but we have no disposal -- but also no leaks. He is getting us a bid for running a gas line for our dryer, but has concerns that the line isn't big enough. The example he gave my husband was that if we turn on the dryer while cooking dinner the stove may turn off. Whee! But to my mind not that different from waiting to run the dishwasher because someone is in the shower. He's going to get back to us with an estimate. We are both glad that we got to see his work on the landlord's dime before we incur any costs with the dryer line.

Other fun things we've found about the house: one phone jack and it's in the playroom, no insulation in the crawl space so the floors are freezing, the little electric zone heaters (Hubby calls them in-wall hair dryers) make the electric meter spin like a whirling dervish.

At this point our priorities are to get coverings on the windows so that our heat will stop pouring out, a rug for the kids' playroom so it can be used without us practically bundling up in coats, and all the boxes unpacked and outta here. We are going to get a mattress for The Biscuit and put it on the floor and move The Cupcake from our bed where she spends most nights (and some daytime meals/naps). He has been falling asleep on his own in our bed or on the floor instead of the elongated ritual he needed to fall asleep before. Thank goodness, because he's so heavy now.

The Biscuit is having a serious bout of "I used to be an only child"-itis. I think it's the stress of the very slow packing job combined with being on the road again combined with being in a new place. Lots of the rules are different (needing to keep clothing on because it's cold comes to mind first) and I think it will just take time to adapt.

Which reminds me, we have to figure out how to get him services and find a play group. More to-dos and phone calls. Guess I better get off line and get to work.




Edited to correct a typo.

On the Road, Day 2

This is short as The Cupcake is sleeping on me so I'm typing with one hand.

We got into R-town last night a little later than we wanted. We were in our room at the Hampton Inn at 7pm. We went out to Chevy's for dinner (so that The Biscuit could have a quesadilla) and were back in the room by 9pm. Our tv died promptly at 9:05pm. We survived, but since our tv was packed on the truck long before we were on the road, we were looking forward to a little entertainment.

True to form, we got up at about 8:30am, but still were rushing to get out by our 11am check out time. Both kids were kind enough to have their poopy diapers there in the room instead of in their car seats. We headed out and got gas, bought milk, got pan-handled, ate at In 'n Out Burger, then finally hit the road. About 2 miles later I realized that I hadn't put my wedding ring back on after my shower. Thank goodness that "My Biscuit's Daddy" got us walkie-talkies so I could tell him to pull off of I-5. I called the hotel and they went to the room and found it for me. So back we went.

When you add that morning to The Cupcake getting her two upper front teeth and screaming with what turned out to be jealousy as we went through the the highest mountain pass on I-5 (Google it if you must) because The Biscuit had a snack cup of O's and she didn't, you can see why we ended up stopping in M-ville again instead of pressing on to E-town or R-burg. We learned our lesson though and we are staying at the recently remodeled Hampton Inn instead of the (totally yucky) Shilo Inn that we stayed at on our last trip. Tonight we had Dairy Queen for dinner in our room. We're exhausted, but the tv works so we are waiting to watch Bill Maher on HBO at 11pm.

We should be in the new house tomorrow night!

Still Packing

We are all sneezing and have runny noses and coughs. I think we are all allergic to this house that we are packing up. That's right, we've been home since the 21st of December and we are STILL PACKING. Never move out of state in the winter with small children.

That's all I have time for.

Go Forth and Check Out This Stuff

First, please go check out Daring Young Mom. On Saturday and today she blogged about helping their neighbors in Lewis County recover from the devastating and surprising flood they found themselves in. These are not people who live in a flood plain. In fact, one of the videos that DYM linked to shows a furniture store owner explaining that he couldn't buy flood insurance because they were shown a map that said his shop was not in a flood plain. Not a good surprise.

Second, I found a cool thing that I want to share. I used to think that parents who put leashes on their kids were lazy. But I was young and childless. Now I worry about someone wanting to steal my gorgeous tots. Of course, they would bring them back when they see how much work they are and realize that you can't get top dollar selling a screamer, but still I worry. I ran across these cool tattoos and finally feel that maybe I don't need to get a leash for the Biscuit. The idea is that you have a special pen and write in a phone number then put this temporary tattoo on your kiddo. I think it is a great idea. It would take a lot longer for a stranger to remove than an ID bracelet. They have a special version for kids with Autism, too. Very interesting. Still won't stop the Biscuit from running out into the street, but it could be helpful on vacation.

I found the tattoos through an ad on Our Special Kids. That is a website for the parents of kids with special needs "because parents have needs too." Yeah!

That's it for now. I'm up late doing laundry because we are leaving tomorrow to find a place to live in the Pacific Northwest. No towns mentioned so my hubby doesn't beat me with a wet noodle, but we aren't going up I-5 as far north as the floods. ;-) Here's hoping that we find a nice place for not too much rent that will let us sign a 6 month lease.

See ya when we get back!

Words That Encourage

{I hope Heather never starts a cult because apparently I would drink whatever Kool-aid she asked me to.}

My Biscuit's Daddy,

I knew when I was 14 that I would never get married or have children. I was deathly afraid to have a daughter thanks to a not-so-great relationship with my mom, and didn't like myself enough to imagine anyone else would ever like me. Both of these things are lodged in my psyche so deeply that I still cannot believe that you proposed. True we had dated for about a decade, but I was still shocked. So shocked that apparently I didn't actually say "yes" aloud and forgot to take a picture of you, even though in my mind I did speak and I did take the photo. Maybe stunned and incapable of functioning would be a better way to put it.

Now here we are 5 years later. I'm not sorry that I made us wait 2 more years for our wedding because I worked very hard to get you a meadow in the moonlight like you wanted. And I think it was a beautiful night. If only you could remember that the word "obey" was not uttered during the ceremony. Perhaps you were stunned as I was when you proposed and just thought you heard it?

I still cannot believe the life that we have. Who could have guessed that an old biddy like me could get pregnant so easily? And that the perfect boy we had for 3 days would suddenly turn into one who would need those awful surgeries? That we would be strong enough to help him recover from them and to develop into the rowdy toddler he is today? That his sister would follow so soon? And that having two children would be so much different than having one?

I know that sometimes you feel I am not on the team and am questioning your decisions. I know that you feel I tell you that you are wrong too often and that I go into debate mode too easily. I will try to remember (and I hope you will too) that those beautiful kids are proof that I think you are right. I don't think you are wrong, I just want to make sure that all bases are covered when you make these big decisions. If you've already considered those points then great. I'm glad we had the Volvo and I'm glad we turned it in when the lease was up. I'm glad you quit that crappy job where they didn't appreciate you. Yes, it is scary to not be out there and earning my own money and to know that it is not only me that depends on you for a roof and food but our children do as well. But look at what you have done! You've taken a firm non-believer like me and made me a mom. I never could have imagined I would love being a mom so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you for seeing the potential in me and helping me to unlock it. If you can do that then in my eyes you can do ANYTHING. I will gladly follow you anywhere.

And now the whole world knows it (so I can't come back later and say I don't remember I said it).

Lumoi