Time to play!!

After a week filled with work, I am glad to announce I can now play!!

We spent the day yesterday just chillin' after that appraisal was all taken care of. Lynn and I snuggled after she got home from school, watching PBS kids I took a little snoozer.

We played what seemed like a LONG game of Memory, but my opponent was the one who made the game seem so long.. she is still trying to cheat!

Tsk.. tsk..

We also had to enjoy some popcorn during our game.

We ordered in pizza.. Lynn was bummed because I forgot she likes sausage, and didn't get it on the pizza. Honestly, she picks just about everything off her pizza, it was an honest mistake. I guess there will be no surprising with the ordering of pizza around here anymore, I should take the order.

We played outside for a while, trying to get Lynn used to the no training-wheel factor. That was a goal this summer, and where did that time go exactly?

Then bath time came..

Bath time is now quite the adventure at our house now.. with Peyton having that cast, it makes for some exciting, bag, duct tape, rubber banding, and towel fun! It didn't get wet last night thankfully.

Do you think it would be wrong for me to spray some Scentsy spray down her cast? It seriously stinks...

We snuggled-up in my bed and watched "Enchanted".. it was nice.

I cried.

I miss Merrill.

I got all the children to their own beds, but wouldn't you know, by 7 this morning, two of the three were in my bed, and one was laying in her own made-up bed at the foot of my bed, on the floor.

I guess when Lynn told her that sleeping on the floor would break her back doesn't scare her anymore.

This is just some of what I did today:

I FINALLY finished Peyton's night stand.. thanks for the inspiration Ally.

Helped Ash sound out words and she spells them the way her brain tells her to! (This one says "rainbow".)

And Peyton enjoyed some coloring time too.. she is getting quite good at using that left hand! She will color with it, feed herself with it.. she gets mad when purses don't stay on her shoulder, and she can't quickly grab them because of that darn hindrance of a hot pink cast.. she is taking a binky ALL THE TIME now.. I hope she forgets all about those now stinky fingers.

She is also talking so much more..

She says "okey" for okay, "hep mama!" for help, "doos" for juice...

And.. she loves singing all the monkey songs, especially while I change her diaper.

She has also learned that she gets a great reaction out of us when she hits us with her cast. Ouch...

Well...

Where have I been, right?!

Getting ready for this appraisal, which was today, and now I get to wait...

Pray it is higher than they want.. pray with me, won't you? ;)

Merrill is on vacation which has made this all that much funner.

I am incredibly thankful to some angels who showed-up at my house last night and saved me. I thought all that needed to be done would get done quickly, all by myself, somehow. They showed-up and got it done. Stress, OVER. Now my kiddos have a happy mama, and I feel like I can play and even breathe a little.

Today was Ashley's first day of pre-school and she loved every bit of it except for the part where she didn't go to the writing center and thus, had an empty cubby, and thusly an empty backpack..

It was weird, it just being me and Peyton, but kinda nice. I can't wait for it to be a day where it's just her and myself, and we can sit and play and read books instead of doing last minute cleaning.

I am also celebrating the first day I do not have to go to Lowe's, and also celebrating that my two oldest will not get into another cat fight there, in front of the paint counter for all to see.

*sigh**

It just keeps coming..

So on top of it being Merrill's birthday yesterday, having a cake to make, a birthday dinner too (both my choice, Merrill was not in the mood to celebrate, for some reason..) the people buying our house wanted to show it that night to possible renters/buyers.

Great!

Cleaning and finishing the exterior paint to go on top of that..

I was tidying the house up before I began the painting, taking things that belong out in the garage, out to the garage. Ashley and Peyton were going back and forth, taking scooters and bikes out of the garage. I thought to myself, I should probably just back the car out of the garage and let them play in here while I am doing this. But I thought against it. There have been so many stories on the news lately of accidents with kids and cars.. taking my next load out to the garage, I hear a loud thud and Peyton starts to cry.

There is Nathan and Julie's ladder "JAWS" laying partly on the car. I think it scared Pey more than anything, but upon closer inspection, the car wasn't doing too well.

My new windshield, the one I HAD to get to replace the 12 year old one that was too chipped and dinged to pass safety, was smashed in the bottom corner. The cracks already spreading throughout the rest of the glass.

That was awesome.

After getting Lynn from school, I leave the car outside :) and begin painting the back man door to the garage.

Remember that all the exterior doors are now BLACK.

Well, Peyton decided to "help".

She took the roller, covered in black, and proceeded to paint the garage floor and part of her left side, BLACK.

I quickly got the roller away from her only to find her going after the paint pan, filled with enough paint to pour out all over the front of her body, which she was attempting to do.

We tried to celebrate Merrill's birthday.. again, he wasn't really in the mood.

30.. uh.. er.. um, I mean, 20 (again) has him kinda down.

I think you can tell by the cake..

On to today.

I had a list of things that need to be done (still things to do on it..) in order for this appraisal to go where we want it to. Mostly touch-up painting, fun stuff like that, you know, stuff that I am surely not sick of, at all.

So I set out and about my day.. painting and patching some dings that come out with nice, new, glossy paint. I also had some lovely artwork that the girls did pro-bono for us in the exercise room when it used to be the play room, all over the walls. That whole room needed paint in a bad way.

Funny as it was the only room in the house to not be painted by us, at least once.

I am quite the pro painting without tape. I use it around the door trim but not the ceiling or baseboards.. yes, I am that good. ;)

Total tanget that was.. I must be tired..

So while I am painting away over my precious artwork, Ashley and Peyton go upstairs. I hear the normal playing.. it goes on.. then I hear a thud. Nothing loud or out of the ordinary, but Peyton immediately starts crying. I go to see what is wrong, and she is holding her right arm. I start to drill Ashley. Let's face it, she doesn't have a very good record and with Lynn gone all day on top of that blemished record, Ashley has been forcing little Peyton to be her friend. Yeah, I thought she was the one who had hurt her.

Ashley performs a little re-enactment per my request, and the story is out.

Peyton was playing at the foot of her bed, stumbled, tried to catch herself, and fell, on her arm.

She wasn't getting any happier, so I called a friend to see if she could take Ash.. and oh, by the way, Lynn was due to be out of school in 20 minutes.

She took care of it all.. sheesh.. those mothers of 4. ;) (Thanks JuJu..)

Peyton and I took another trip to the IsntaCare over another arm.. were sent again to the X-Ray area (know how to get there with my eyes shut I do believe..) felt like a horrible mother to have let something like this happen AGAIN.. had X-Rays taken, then had Dr. Cardon (LOVE HIM!!) look over everything and tell us that...

She has a buckle fracture.

And then he put her in a hot pink cast.

There are still firsts for us.. first broken bone.

Please tell me there is a break (no pun intended) from all of this for at least one day?

Maybe it will break her of her finger sucking habit... she did need some drugs and a binky of all things to get to sleep tonight.

Here she is..

Here's the house before...

And after...

Our new door and glass..

Buh-bye amber glass!!

The mailbox got a facelift too..

Merrill is loving the black, he thinks it looks "classy".

This very second..

They are getting everything prepped to put in a new door and surrounding glass..

The company hasn't been the easiest to work with, there have been many things said, not all of them true, mostly when it comes to when they would be here to get the job done.. well, they were supposed to be here the 14th. I got a call a few days before saying that they couldn't, the door wouldn't be in, and I understood. They rescheduled for the 18th. The morning of the 18th, I get a call from them:

"Hi.. how are you doing?"

"Great.."

"Did anyone talk to you about when this will be scheduled? I have been out of town.."

"Um.. you are supposed to be here TODAY."

"Oh, really? I don't know who would have told you that."

I went off.

It benefited me in the end.

They had told me they could be here by next Wednesday, that was when the door would be in. I told them we might not go with them.

"But we have your stuff on order, and you have already put half down?"

"Yes, and you can pay me back."

Surprise, surprise.. they are here today.

It already has the makings for a crazy busy day with Family Fun Fair and Back to School night, both tonight.. three kidlets in tow.. fun, mounds.

As the Olsen Twins would say, "Put it on the pizza.."

What will come next?

As we were getting PTA stuff done late last night, it hit me..

Yesterday was the 11th anniversary of our first kiss. I tried to celebrate by kissing him on the cheek, while he was sleeping, sometime after midnight when I came in.

It wasn't as magical as the first time, but that time we were both wide awake..

I guess the rides on the zip line before I went home made up for it.

My new toy..

I went and did it..
After years of shopping around, waiting for the right time, having enough excuses to do it, I did it..
I bought a nice, big, juicy camera.
A Nikon D5000.
It was either get a new sliding glass door, and go over our project budget, OR get a new camera, and stay nicely within our budget of fun, new things.
I had the edge anyways..
- The kiddos aren't getting any smaller, quality pics are a must!!
- I am Historian for PTA; we need to have nice pics for historical reasons. ;)
- I am also over Yearbook this year for PTA (similar to Historian, why have two bodies running around to accomplish the same job?).. yearbooks need nice, good quality pics too.. how cheesy would I look, running up to, say the stage, during a really good assembly, to snap a good, close pic with my cheesy point & shoot.. baby on my hip and all..
See.. I NEEDED a big, juicy camera. :)
It's been a story of ups and downs. The day I decided to just go and get it, I went to Costco with my buddy :) they had the best deal, only to find that they were all pulled due to a recall.
I thought immediately that I was being taught yet another lesson on patience.
We went to do our back to school shopping, and the thought occurred to me to look at Target, of all places.
Guess what they had?
Yep.
It's mine...
But it has been recalled.
I am still being taught that lesson on patience!
Onto current events..
Peyton ENJOYED her first day in nursery today. She LOVED it! No crying. The nurser leader said she really didn't notice I was missing until snack came. I pray it goes just as well next week.
Both Merrill and I are teaching.



She manages to entertain those who sit behind us in sacrament meeting too. I think someone might just start to believe that there is a small bear in the chapel. She loves to growl! And say "Mommeee!!" in the sweetest, but loudest voice. Ashley is Ashley.



She is currently planning a wedding to either an olive, or a pickle. She loves them both so much, she just can't decide!



Lynnie-lou is excited for school, and to wear her new Jonas Brother's backpack, and use the matching Jonas Brother's lunch box.. she also announced that her bottom teeth are, "wiggly" today..



Why do they have to grow up?!
It is just another first for Merrill and I..
We are onto another phase of projects for this week.. a new pump for our sprinkler system so we won't have to drag around a hose. I didn't believe the guy who put them in when he told us we didn't need one. He saw the "great pressure" we had when one of his guys hit the water line with his pick axe.. great pressure my butt.. 5 years later, we are getting that pump! (FINALLY!)
We will also be getting some much needed repairs done on sprinkler heads. :) If there's going to be pressure to run them, they might as well work, right?
One of the most exciting new things coming is our vinyl fence and gate, that actually closes, stays closed (containing smallish children in the back yard..), and will open with ease.
Tomorrow I will be picking out the new glass to go around the front door.. no more amber glass.. we might just have to have a moment of silence.. so that will be AWESOME!
After getting all of these exciting things done, we will get the house appraised, and we might just be listing it. It's back and forth, and I still have the attitude that if it's meant to be, it will all work out. We did go and look at a house, still in our ward, just a hop, skip, and a jump, away, that we both love.. a minor quirk, but nothing we can't make work.
We are, as always, back and forth.
I know that it will work out for us no matter what.. if we don't move, we'll just have our nicer, little house full of memories to live in!

Goings on..

SO much..
Lemme tell you...
We are the proud new owners of new rain gutters, downspouts and fascia.. so lovely! Hopefully our basement is finished with it's leaking phase with these new beauties..

Merrill is still doubtful of the black color.. :P
It was so awesome! These guys did an awesome job. AVS contractors, if you need ANY service at your home, call them. They came out, tore off faschia, scraped off the hornet and wasp nests hiding underneath :O and then put up new. The trimmed out the garage door frame, and then another guy came solo today to put up the rain gutters and downspouts. It took only a couple of hours, and he did it all by himself!! It was cool to watch, they are seamless, so he had a big roll of aluminum, and he fed it through an extruder of sorts to mold it into my new, seamless, awesomely BLACK rain gutters.
We harvested some zucchini from our garden..

Peyton helped me unload the dishwasher..

Also slightly notable, but geeky.. we got a new phone book!! I was so excited (see, geeky, I know..) to see our name (hopefully nameS..) in there.. they FINALLY got it right: Merrill and Mindy Pitcher. Sigh... I've been trying to get that fixed for YEARS!!

Flashback Friday..

Flashback to February 2001.. we had been married for almost one year. We were living the apartment life.. in the blue "homicide apartments" (let's face it.. it happened there, a lot..) next to Bonneville, ready to move on and put all that rent money towards a house payment instead..
So, we looked.. and one night, while I was at work, Dixon and Val took Merrill by this place they thought we might be interested in.. Merrill loved it! Now, I don't know if he necessarily loved the house itself, or the idea of getting out of the apartment.. but he told me all about it, very excitedly that night when I came home from work. I was excited too, to see how excited he was..
He said, "Do you wanna go and see it?"
"Of course! When can they take us through again?" It was after 10 pm, mind you.
"Now.. I have the key." Dixon told Merrill to keep the key, take me through when I got home and put it back into the lock box when we were done.
We were sold..
We put an offer down as well as some earnest money. It was a foreclosed property that had sat empty for over two years, close to three. We offered to take it as is..
It was listed at $136,000, we offered $105,000.
They countered us at $109,000 and we countered back at $107,000.
To which they countered back at $107,500, which we took, and signed our lives away, happily.
We didn't want to pay another month's rent, so we began packing, and moving the less used things to the house, hey, Dixon told us to.. he said it was a done deal, who else was going to offer them what we did?
Then we moved in.. a little shy of three weeks to closing :) We lived with the drapes tightly drawn... and we re-keyed the locks.. left the old key in the lock box, but re-keyed the locks :) Have you ever seen a confused real-estate agent? I have...
We found many fun things in our home.. and outside as well. We have enjoyed many do it yourself projects.. and have loved every second of them!
We did have to get a new furnace, our existing one had holes in the chambers which = carbon monoxide poisoning. The first night we stayed there, with the old furnace, Dixon loaned us his carbon monoxide detector, which was fairly new then.. Merrill would wake up every hour to make sure we were still alive.. checking to see if I was still breathing.. what a sweet guy!
When the snow melted, we found many exciting things..
No front yard; dirt and dandelions instead..
A tree that only half was blossoming, the other half, was duck-taped to the trunk of the tree to make it appear to be whole.
A mailbox that was ready to fall off and leave it's post as a awesome place to impale yourself upon.. while trying to dig out the dandelions, of course..
And, last, but certainly not least, a deck, with soup can lids nailed and/or screwed to the surface where the knots in the wood had fallen out of the planks.. rusted soup can lids I should clarify.. (we found a DOG FOOD CAN LID screwed to the floor in the upstairs hallway when we re-did the floors up there.. I have photographic proof..)
We have done many things since.. only one room still has the original paint color on the walls.. I plan to remedy that soon :)
Merrill is calling it "our nice little starter house"..
I say, after all we have done, I wouldn't mind living here forever!! And that's what I planned on the moment we bought it!
But we still have our fond "apartment day" memories...