The Emigration Part 1 - Goodbye Sucks

I was fine until my mom said she got us just a little something for our journey. I knew before it was out of the bag that it was a Saint Christopher something to keep us safe on our big adventure.  I realized what an adjustment this move was going to be for all of us.  And then I thought, goodbye sucks.  After some hugs and words of advice and encouragement (the kind only mommas can give), it was time to pick the girls up from their last day of school. 

I found my fourth grader in the office sitting next to her beloved teacher, both their eyes red.  Little Mia was sitting next to them, eyes downcast and looking about as forlorn as I've ever seen her. Ali was surrounded by bags of unused journals and outgrown clothes from Justice given to her by classmates who are growing faster than she is and know how much she loves fashion and writing. Mrs. Payne handed me a goodie bag of home-baked muffins and a card and hugged Ali and we all lost it!  And then Ali said, "Goodbye sucks." 

We did the final loading at Grandmas.  Hugged and kissed one more time, and made a quick stop at Auntie's to kiss the cousins.  We kept it short.  I was fine until we drove away, but then I had to roll down the window and get some air.  Joe asked if I was okay, and I said "Goodbye sucks.  Can't talk yet."

Eva said some heart-wrenching things about grandma and auntie before falling asleep in her carseat.  The big girls fell asleep shortly after and we made it to Amarillo by about 3am.  We ate Mrs. Payne's muffins.  

We were about 2 hours outside Denver when Joe said he just couldn't go any further and asked me to take over.  I made it an hour before pulling into a gas station to sleep.  We grabbed some coffee and breakfast and Joe drove us into Denver after teasing me about crapping out after an hour of driving.  Well... night-driving sucks!  

Denver was cool and beautiful that morning as we worked out a meeting place with Joe's good friend from college.  No rest for the wicked!  Joe's friend was ready to show us a good time and he succeeded!  Stay tuned for:  The Emigration Part 2 - Uncle Ladi

 

Oregon Cuties??

The Texas Cuties are now officially Oregon Cuties, I suppose.  I have so much to fill you in on but we aren't online yet and writing the entire account on my iPhone app makes my thumbs cramp just thinking about it!  So let me just paint you a picture of me; day 3 in Oregon, sitting on my new reclining lounger Joe bought me at Costco, out on my small but comfortable patio.  Girls are bathed and tucked into sleeping bags on an air -mattress  upstairs underneath an open window with the cool night air breezing through.  Jake is whining for a bite of the smoked fish joe and I are sharing along with a bottle of wine we're drinking from red party cups.  The moving van comes tomorrow.  I meet all the midwives of Andaluz tomorrow.  I think we are going to be okay here.  Pray that we get the Internet situation figured out and I can get to blogging because I have so much to tell you!  I have already thought of the title of my second post:  The Emigration Part 1- Goodbye Sucks.  Stay tuned!!

Love, Katie 

Halloween 2012

there is a downside to attending, like, 100 Halloween parties before the actual big event.

gypsy ali's ears were sore from so many hours of wearing cheap huge hoop earrings.

leopard mia's black leggings were in the laundry and her back-up pair were missing.

pirate izzy's costume was stained and her red boots were missing.

mom was tired and tired of crying kids.

dad was done with the whole thing.

but, like the little soldiers they are, they toughened up, pulled together and made it work.

gypsy ali took a tylenol.

leopard mia opened a brand new pack of black holiday tights (that I will now need to replace).

pirate izzy wore tennis shoes and a dirty costume.

 Can't even tell that 2 outta 3 of them were crying 10 seconds before I snapped this, can you?

Grandmas can fix anything.

I loved ali's homemade gypsy costume this year.  we made it together.  she looked authentic.

we surprised auntie by stopping at her new abode first.

we wanted to see the cousins all dressed up!

Forget the chocolate, I want to eat this sweet ninja!  look at the guns on that 4 year old.

is that ralph macchio?  it is!  james is not into dressing up - he does not like to stray far from normal.  so we were all relieved when his mom suggested he just wear his karate uniform and he agreed.  hi yah!

I can't handle a sad baby witch on Halloween.  Quick, somebody give it a lollypop!

Punkin Party ‘12

 

          

Annual Punkin Party.  Kettle corn, hot apple cider, caramel apples, cousins, pumpkin guts, jack o’laterns, crazy pumpkin eating golden retrievers and MOM ZOMBIES.  We always manage to have a freakishly good time.  And we always manage to get stuck with ALL the pumpkin carving.