Kaylene’s Mommy Thoughts

OK, not yet, but we did get the go ahead to spend some time at the house cleaning, gardening, and painting (only the rooms with current bizarre paint colors so far).

Thursdays good news was getting things through the underwriting department, so now we’re waiting on the appraisal, and Kevin’s job to reply that he is indeed a real employee and making what he claims to make.  Also we need to get an estimate to see what his student loan payments are, so we can be sure to budget appropriately…

Friday brought the bad news that the house is indeed in a flood plane (there’s a canal running the length of the side of the property) which requires flood insurance, so we’ll need to be acquiring that and paying it, bringing our DTI up a little.  Yippee. :(  I’m pretty sick of the up down up down.  I guess that won’t be over till we’re moved in and settled, and then we get to enjoy home maintenance, hehe.

I’m working on sewing curtains, and mentally arranging our furniture, frames, and decorations.  I’ve collected a lot that I love over the last year, and hope it’ll come together nicely.

If anyone wants to come and paint or garden with me I’d appreciate the company and help a bunch!

I’ve read at least three different places recently people vent their disdain for this state, and it’s surprised me.  It’s not the normal “Utahans are closed mind/misunderstanding/unrighteous and need to know what real life is like outside of Mormonville” stuff either.

I’ll admit I haven’t been thrilled about the weather every minute, or the drivers, though I’m getting used to them, and other than the infamous Utah road blocks (you know, when all lanes across the freeway are blocked with vehicles that seem oblivious to other traffic and happy to remain just below the speed limit while the road is wide open in front of them, and there’s no way to pass), I’m used to the way traffic generally flows when I’m out and about and even appreciate it.

But it’s beautiful here!  I’m not nearly as afraid of the kids my kids will meet on the playground or the park.  People understand people have kids, and get over it when one has a tantrum or you have to take a child with you in public.

For the most part I have all the shopping and metro lifestyle I could wish for within half an hour either direction, but there’s also gardens and farms and country, or mountains and lakes too.  Sure I miss the ocean, big zoo, great flea markets, and and half-price book store, but I can vacation to those things too.  I actually think I can get real Mexican food and authentic horchata more places within three miles, than I could in Texas.  There’s family friendly catering everywhere I go, restaurants, stores, entertainment.

I like it here.  It’s a good place with good honest people everywhere you go.  Not that there aren’t in other places.  It’s clean, and there are beautiful mountains.  Here in a few weeks the whole environment will light up with beautiful colors and blooms.  My first spring back I just couldn’t stop staring and enjoying it all.  I can’t wait for summer nights, cool walks and enjoying the nights.  I can’t wait to pack up the car and just go somewhere local with my family.

I still stand by my theory that there are great people and places everywhere, and that if you don’t like where you are, don’t make it everyone else’s problem, move or make the changes you want to see.  You’re responsible for your own happiness, not everyone else.

Also, Waterscape, Marshmallow, Eggwhite, Easy Green, and Ambitious Amber.  I’ll mention Fireworks and Evening Sky, but in a different context.

Joesph Merlin is TWO!

We had a great Christmas, we are really blessed.  I’m all Christmas’d out, it was wonderful, but I’m OK with waiting another 11 months.  I’d say I’m ready for spring, but I’m not miserable in the snow yet, go figure.

I keep dreaming about my house…  Maybe soon something will work out.  I can’t wait to paint and finally really make a place my own.

Kevin is doing well.  Two of his coworkers have left for other jobs, and so in his team of 4 there’s only two, and he doesn’t quite feel up to capacity yet, so he’s extremely tired, so between that and the books he got for Christmas I don’t get a ton of time with him, but I get to keep him!  I’m glad he’s getting rest and enjoying some good books.

The boys are doing well, they’re finally calming down a little after the Christmas Hype, Michael’s ready to go back to school.  Joey has a pretty bad ear infection, but is healing up, he’s also got two or three new teeth coming in so he’s been pretty miserable.

We’ve set up the old projector and have been enjoying a few movies, that’s been a blast for everyone.

I’m so grateful that we’re warm and healthy or getting there.  Life is pretty good.  Hope everyone has a great night and a great start to another new year!

We’re pulling out of the contract.  There were some big flaws with the house that we didn’t think we could live with or put the effort in to fix at this point in our lives.  Bummer, that we’re not going to be moving into a house as soon, but a relief to know we’re not walking into a disaster.

Just words aren’t enough.  We’ve really had a lot of fun going on.

Here’s the boys on Halloween.  Their Dad was in the hospital, so he missed seeing them in their costumes, but we had a good time, and I got to take the pictures straight to him that night.

Michael’s class held a Thanksgiving Program, and Michael did so well, it was SO fun to go to that, even Kevin got to go, but he was pretty tired.

Joey’s got a new obsession.  Shoes.  Or “Ewwsh!” if you ask him.  Doesn’t matter who’s and a lot of times, it doesn’t even matter if they match, but he loves to throw on anybodies shoes and clomp around the house.

Aiden had a great Birthday, he’s 5 now!!!  We had cake and Ice Cream Sunday over Thanksgiving break, it was a few days early, but at least he got to have a aunt and uncle celibate with him that would have missed out otherwise.

We went to Pirate Island ON his birthday.  It was a blast!  Pirate Island in Orem by the mall and Costco is a so fun, it’s like a combination of Chuck-e Cheese and Rain Forest Cafe, with a pirate theme, plus a salad buffet, and an arcade, and then you add that the prices are about the same or better than going to Applebee’s and it can’t be beat for a fun family time!

How could I have gone more than two weeks without saying anything???

Kids are all excited about Christmas and are hyper and often “naughty.”  Don’t know exactly how to handle that.

Michael’s getting all excited and ready for his school program.  Every morning when I drop him off to school I try to leave him with something positive, but was in such a rush yesterday I forgot until he was walking away, I rolled down the window in the freezing cold and yelled “I love you Michael!”  He didn’t so much as hesitate, he just kept on walking…  I think I embarrassed him, I’m not ready for my kids to be embarrassed by me!  I guess it was going to happen sooner or later…  He’s been going to Kevin’s Mom’s a couple times a week to play with Kevin’s old Lego Set, he had a REALLY cool Techno Lego Set, they don’t sell them the same way anymore at all…  Michael has been loving that and is hoping for his own Lego’s for Christmas.  We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Aiden’s been loving whatever Michael loves!  He’s constantly saying the funnies things.  I wish I could think of some right now.  He’s always saying “I love you!  AND I like you!!!”

Joey’s still loosing his inner baby at every turn.  His talking is getting better and better.  Sometimes when I hear chatter or laughter from another room it’s hard to differentiate if it’s Aiden or Joey gibbering.

Kevin is doing well and has been cleared to go back to work Monday.  We love LanDesk!  He’s excited, we hope he can maintain his energy and be able to get going again.

Kevin has stopped the weight loss, and has managed to stay within a couple pounds, he still would like to gain 15-20 pounds to have a little padding for the bad times, but we’ll take not loosing any more for the moment!

We got back into the looking market.  On Saturday we put 4 offers on the houses that I’d seen October 16th that were still available, and then we went house shopping Monday, and put 3 more offers out.  Kevin came along to sit in the car and look at houses that seemed worth of our time, he acutally ended up seeing all the houses, so that says good things for his energy and hopefully means he’ll be up to being back to work.

We found one more house on the market that looked good enough to put an offer on it sight unseen, and there were two other houses we hadn’t seen Monday we needed to see more south of the others…

Wednesday we decided to run out to see these houses, and wile talking to our Realtor while on the way home from Kevin’s last post op appointment (which went well) found out that a seller had verbally accepted one of our offers. We hurried home and got out the contract to see exactly where and what the house was like.

We still went to those appointments, which none of them panned out, but we are so excited and hopeful about this house.  It seems like it could be a really good match for our family.  It has new carpet and tile, and has mostly been freshly painted.  We’re now officially in contract, and are going today to do our due diligence and inspect the house for anything going on that we didn’t see in our first walk through.  So that’s fun! We could be in our OWN place, mid January!

It’s been a good day.  I’m tired and done now though.

Basic updates, nothing’s going on on the house front.  The day I took Kevin to the ER I spent the day with my Realtor looking at houses, we found 5 houses we’d have liked to put offers on, I went back to her office and filled out the paperwork to put offers on them and took them home for Kevin to sign, and then to take then back to her the next morning for her to submit.  That never happened.  So we would have had 9 offers out, but those 5 fell through.  We had had 4 out, but they all are sold, refinanced by the seller (would have been a short sale), or are in contract with other buyers.  So that’s a bummer.  In the meantime the way I’ve searched for houses for the last 4 months (yes, it’s been that long of looking and putting offers out!) has changed because the search method no longer discloses the schools in the basic house information, so I’m having to look up each of those to rule out neighborhoods so that takes my 5-6 hours a week of combing over listings online to, well, completely inefficient.  So that’s frustrating.

Kevin’s doing OK.  He’s still so tired he can’t cope, and I’m getting worn out carrying both our weight as parents.  He is doing well, and has driven a few times now, he is getting a little better at taking care of himself.  He had lost 43 pounds by last count, a few days ago.  That’s more than a pound a day.  We’re hoping that the thanksgiving goodies will help halt that trend.  He’s doing his best to eat all he can and get his appetite going again while taking care of his gut.  He does have a little more energy every day and is positive.  I totally love him.

I’m expected to be getting several of other people’s projects done right now and feeling overwhelmed, but that’s life I guess.

I thought I’d share some of my recent thoughts I’ve shared on facebook about things I’m thankful for.

I‘m thankful for Family. Little boys full of wiggles and giggles, to Grandma’s a Grandpa’s who play with and enjoy those little boys, and everyone in between.

I’m thankful for hospitals, life saving surgeries, sterile equipment, drugs, doctors, and wonderful caring watchful nurses. I’m grateful for the insurance, that covers these.

I am thankful for good easy food for dinner.

I’m thankful to finally have my own car for the first time since I got married, it’s been a real blessing the last 7 months. I’m also thankful for my warm home, modern electricity and gas. I’m thankful that I can go to the grocery store and pick up almost anything I want. I’m thankful for hot water and soap and fresh fluffy towels. I’m thankful for washing machines and dishwashers.

I’m thankful to live close enough to family again to be able to get together any time we want. I’m thankful for holiday dinners and time spent together.

I’m thankful for my Michael. He’s creative smart, and whitty. He can be a huge help, and great example and loves his brothers and Kevin and I. He came first and changed my world in ways nobody else could. He’s a strong young man and his hugs are genuine. I’m so glad to be his Mother.

I’m thankful for Aiden. He’s goofy, giggly, and energetic. He makes sure to ask if he’s loved, and remind us all frequently that he loves us back. He still talks a little bit like Mario. He had the most beautiful dark thick and curly hair as a baby, it’s still pretty thick for a young boy even though it’s gone blond. I’m so glad he came to our family, he makes everything an adventure.

I’m thankful for Joey. He’s adorable, lovable and sweet. He’s working hard to learn all the words, and chats with us regularly. He has an adorable twinkly smile and the sweetest hugs, when he wants to give them. He loves accessories like jackets and coats, and while he’s not the tempter monster his brothers were he lets us know when we do something wrong. He’s my sweet baby, totally love him!

I’m thankful for my sweetheart. He’s worked so hard to get through the last month. I’m thankful that he’s always mindful of me and my feelings, he’s sweet and gentle and likes that he’s quirky, and is happy with himself for it. I love that he’s so committed and strong, I hope to grow up and be like him some day. I’m incredibly, indescribably, grateful to get to enjoy this holiday season at his side. LOVE YOU KEVIN!