Frost Bite

Mama Mia! Even the toilet seats here in Utah are frosty. AHHHHHHHHH. I love it!!!!!

I have dozens of posts that I could/should write only because I get small bits of anxiety when major life events happen and I don't write about it.

The Move:
-A week before the move I hung signs all over the house describing (in detail) all things that needed to happen in that room to prepare for the move. In some ways it helped and I was ready to pat myself on the back for how Martha I was being, but after I realised that I couldn't get my house even remotely ready with the "help" of a very curious, very independent, daughter I just gave up. Literally. One day I was checking all the pens in our house (as not to pack even a single dry one) and the next day I didn't care if they boxed up my garbage can with the garbage in it.
-The movers were great. I don't like watching people work when I feel like I should be helping. (Its really weird!) Luckily I was able to spend some time with a friend and get out of the house. I say "luckily" because the movers would have quit like I did if Noelle was helping them. :)
-After the movers came we worked on cleaning the house. I had done most of the important stuff but cleaning a house after a move is not always pretty. Before they took all our junk out I would have given myself a B+ in housekeeping. After they left and I realised how dusty things were...where all the gecko's were pooping....and where the ant frat houses were I realised I was more of a C- kind of a gal. Oh Martha.

Jim, the man who rented our house to us, came by after I was halfway through cleaning. I had just finished wiping out ALL the drawers with soap and water. He had to open EVERY drawer and insisted, after rubbing his finger back and forth on the drawers over and over until they needed a new painting, that there was still dust.

Really? I have no patience for people with OCD. In fact, I would never have enough patience to have OCD. When we finally "finished" cleaning we looked at the clock and saw that it was time for or Stake temple interview. Uno Problemo. We looked like we had been cleaning all day. So we filled the "clean" tub, opened all five suitcases (cause something we needed was in every one) and tried to look presentable. By this point it was way past the kids bedtime let alone dinnertime. So we picked up a dinner and sat on the church sidewalk in the dark to eat. Halfway through dinner three incrediably large and hungry coachroaches showed up so I carried a whimpering baby and a screaming toddler into the church one under each arm. I felt a little sheepish during the interview because the Stake couseler was awesome, shared some spiritual insight and then started asking questions and all I could think about was how hectic our day had been and how not feeding your child or putting them to bed on time does not set you up for a spiritual mood for a temple interview.

The next day we tried to finish cleaing the house, but realised that it would never get clean as long as we were in it. ("I have to go potty!" Every time the toilet and sink are clean). Noelle kept wandering around the house opening drawers and then crying, "WHERE IS MY TOOTHBRUSH!!!! I NEEEEEEED MY TOOTHBRUSH." It was aparently all very tramatic for her. (Understandably).

Once she/I were so frazzled we just packed up the car and drove to the hotel. We let her take a four hour nap while we watched some Discovery Channel special about a redneck in Lousianna who has a pest control business. I know. Five minutes from the ocean and Waikiki and we were watching tv.(We could look out our window and see the ocean though so I don't feel too bad).

The last day was probably the longest day of my life. We checked out of the hotel at 10 am and then had the whole day to burn without a place to go and being under the restraints that 1. Jason had to work 2. I couldn't drive the rental car 3. I had two burned out, misplaced, worn out kids.

On the bright side, we went out to lunch for Sushi and it felt like the perfect way to finish our Hawaiian experience. Jason ate raw Salmon by the mouthful. (He who claimed he didn't like fish when I married him) and Noelle ate spam sushi which she called, "sasauge". She also dipped it in Wasabii and had the funniest look of surprise on her face but never complained.

When it was finally time to go to the airport we unloaded four suitcases, a big backpack, a pack n play, four carry-on's and two car seats on the curb so that Jason could take the car back. The minute he left Noelle told me she had to go to the bathroom and then got watery eyed. (Do you know what this means!!!!!) Oie. I couldn't exactly go anywhere with all that junk could I? Luckily Jason didn't notice (though a passing bus did) that Noelle was short a pair of underware and in different shorts.

When we were checking in Jason turned to me and said, "For an extra blank amount of money we could fly straight to Utah and leave in a half an hour." I think he was joking, but remembering some advicce from a good friend (you know who you are) I said, "This is one of those moments we are going to throw money at the problem!" So we did. The TSA put us in the Gold line, we ran to our gate, boarded (me hauling a heavy carseat, two carry-on's and a kid with no boy scouts around) buckled everyone in and then the plane took off. Ten minutes into the flight I told Jason, "That was the best blank amount of money we ever spent." Jason and Noelle had an entire row to themselves, Jadon and I had an entire row to ourselves, and both kids fell asleep just after take-off.

I am getting long winded aren't I. Lets move on.

Utah

So far we have
-Surprised Jason's brother Ethan who thought we were missing his mission farewell.
-Gone to an awesome mission farewell.
-Blessed Jadon.
-Seen lots of family.
-Enjoyed divine dinners that I didn't have to cook.
-Watched Noelle play with cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

Its been much more exciting than it seems in type. Actually, I just can't write much more because both kids are awake from naps.

Peace out--and cheers to frost-bitten behinds!

BTW I am not even going to spell check or reread. If you made it to here surely you can forgive me.