So, life back in Iowa has been interesting. It was easy to adjust back to my normal schedule, and I love being in my own house and space again. The difficult part has been how much I miss California and what I had there. I miss the beaches, the mild weather, the little church, the friends, the smell in the air...and most of all, the reason I was there in the first place...Grant. If I could, I would quickly exchange the corn fields for the beaches and ocean, and I would exchange seeing my family and friends for being with my Husband. 'Home' is not home right now. There is so much missing here. The house is still quiet when the kids are in bed for the night, my big bed is still empty, I'm still putting the kids to bed alone, meal times are still a struggle and I still either play music or get up constantly so I don't just sit there missing him, his white car still does not come down the driveway at 6, his voice and laughter are still nowhere to be found here, his boots aren't laying around, his clothes aren't scattered around in the bathroom, his smell and his touches...are gone. This is my house...but it is not a home right now.
I have continued to have a smooth schedule and a good handle on day to day activities. The kids are fed, safe, and go to bed on time. What I'm struggling with now, is just trying to keep my head above water. Burned out doesn't even being to describe how I feel. Overwhelmed, overloaded, mentally exhausted and drained, alone...that's more like it. I just can't handle this any more. I'm ready to snap...but I still have 2 more weeks to muddle through.
Two weeks...that's all I have left. I don't hardly dare let myself believe it, because it feels like it couldn't possibly be true. Grant has been gone for so long, it feels like a terribly mean trick to tell me I will get to have him all to myself in only 2 weeks. There will be alot of adjustments, I'm sure. I'm not sure if I'm ready for him to be in my "space" again. This has been my little Kingdom where I have had all the control for the last 6.5 months, and I know it will take a little while for me to step down from being the top dog. It's crazy, because even though I miss him fiercely and can't wait for him to be here, there is a little part in my head that says, "Wait! I'm not ready yet! There is so much more that I wanted to accomplish while he was gone...." Now, this doesn't make sense at all, because in reality, do I really think Grant will care that I didn't paint more, or decorate a little more thoroughly, or keep the house a little cleaner? I think I just wanted to accomplish more so I could show him that I was ok enough while he was gone for me to tackle extra projects. But, the truth is, I haven't been ok. I haven't had motivation to paint, or even to cook most days. In the mornings I lay in bed dreading another day to start again. I say in my head, "No, I'm not ready to get up! I'm not ready to face the kids again and deal with the screaming, fighting, and tantrums. I'm not ready to trudge through another day and go through the motions while my mind is a thousand miles away and 2 years in the future...." But, every day I get up, get the kids and start my daily routine all over again. What makes me happy is to have the kids in bed at night, to breathe a huge sigh of relief, and to sit in the quiet while I mark off another day on my calendar.
The love of my Life
The Shade of my Heart <3
Friday, August 19, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Back in Iowa
The last weekend that we shared together was so fun, and beautiful. We enjoyed several beaches and hours of talking about our future and our feelings on the up coming separation. We had many laughs, many tears (from me...) and made some last beautiful memories as a family.
I was expecting our final good-bye to be painful and filled with tears and sobbing, but it was quiet and some what...normal. Of course I was still sad, and it was hard to hug him for the last time...again, and let him go as I watched him walk away, but it wasn't the first time I had to let go, and I might have become some what "used" to it. Even now, a week and a half later, I don't think it has totally sunk in, yet. I was seeing him every day for 6 weeks, and now, I'm alone again.
The next morning, after the van was packed and we all (me, the kids, and G's cousin and wife) had gone to the bathroom, we slowly drove away....away from the apartment I lived in for 4 weeks, away from the familiar roads, away from G's squadron, away from the parks the kids and I spent hours at, away from the safe, gated Navy base, away from the beautiful beach where the sand and the waves and the smell were my familiar friends and companions, away from the city that became my own, away from the friends I made....and away from my Best Friend, my companion, my beautiful husband. That was the point where every mile we drove, was 1 more mile in between us. I worked so hard to get to California, to be together as a family, to be side by side with my Best Friend, and now, mile by mile, I was being slowly ripped away.
The trip back to Iowa was slow, hot, and beautiful. We were able to stop at the Grand Canyon the second day. It was Breath Taking!! It was soooo unimaginably huge, and beautiful! What an honor it was to experience one of the most fascinating places on earth. It was very humbling. The God that perfectly created that Canyon, so grand and breath taking, also created me, so frail and weak and sinful. "How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art!" The only thing that was missing, was that G was not standing there with me, holding my hand, and smiling at God's majesty with me. Hopefully some day we can go back there together.
That night, we made it to Alamosa, CO and stayed with some of G's family that lives there. That really was fun to spend time with them, and have a larger break from driving. A day and a half later, through many crackers, candy, potty breaks, movies, naps, and laughs, we finally arrived at home.
I was expecting our final good-bye to be painful and filled with tears and sobbing, but it was quiet and some what...normal. Of course I was still sad, and it was hard to hug him for the last time...again, and let him go as I watched him walk away, but it wasn't the first time I had to let go, and I might have become some what "used" to it. Even now, a week and a half later, I don't think it has totally sunk in, yet. I was seeing him every day for 6 weeks, and now, I'm alone again.
The next morning, after the van was packed and we all (me, the kids, and G's cousin and wife) had gone to the bathroom, we slowly drove away....away from the apartment I lived in for 4 weeks, away from the familiar roads, away from G's squadron, away from the parks the kids and I spent hours at, away from the safe, gated Navy base, away from the beautiful beach where the sand and the waves and the smell were my familiar friends and companions, away from the city that became my own, away from the friends I made....and away from my Best Friend, my companion, my beautiful husband. That was the point where every mile we drove, was 1 more mile in between us. I worked so hard to get to California, to be together as a family, to be side by side with my Best Friend, and now, mile by mile, I was being slowly ripped away.
The trip back to Iowa was slow, hot, and beautiful. We were able to stop at the Grand Canyon the second day. It was Breath Taking!! It was soooo unimaginably huge, and beautiful! What an honor it was to experience one of the most fascinating places on earth. It was very humbling. The God that perfectly created that Canyon, so grand and breath taking, also created me, so frail and weak and sinful. "How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art!" The only thing that was missing, was that G was not standing there with me, holding my hand, and smiling at God's majesty with me. Hopefully some day we can go back there together.
That night, we made it to Alamosa, CO and stayed with some of G's family that lives there. That really was fun to spend time with them, and have a larger break from driving. A day and a half later, through many crackers, candy, potty breaks, movies, naps, and laughs, we finally arrived at home.
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| Me & my Hunny on our last night. We're at the beach...yeah, too dark to see that :) |
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| One of the Beautiful beaches we spent time at. |
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| I took casserole along again. I had to warm it up at a gas station in the big cups, and I provided my own drink....while we ate in front of Arby's :) |
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| 4 corners! It was neat to see...but super HOT!! |
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| Beauty in Southern Colorado. |
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| Beauty in Arizona. |
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| Grand Canyon!! |
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| Another casserole for our meal. I'm standing in front of Taco Bell where we ate, but I had to walk to the Mobil Gas station to warm the food up. A guy working in the gas station was friendly, but kept ending his sentences with, "Bummer, Dude!" :) This was in Needles, CA which is right at the border before Arizona. |
Monday, July 11, 2011
Last weekend as a Family :(
(Written July 6)
This weekend was the last weekend that we were able to be together as a family. Thankfully, it was a long weekend (G had Saturday through Tuesday off :) and we made a lot of great memories and went to some beautiful places. On Saturday we drove SE along the coast to Malibu and Santa Monica. The drive was breath taking! The Santa Monica mountains were to our North, and the ocean was to our South. What a beautiful display of God's handiwork! I feel honored that I was able to experience it...along with my best friend. :)
The Santa Monica Pier was huge and beautiful, but soooo crowded! It took about 20 minutes to just find a parking spot for the van. Then, it took forever just to get us and the kids ready enough that we could go to the Pier. I changed into my swimming suit in the back of the van while sitting in a car seat, we packed some necessities in a back pack, and all 3 kids went potty in the little potty that has been living in the van since we left Iowa. (That potty has saved us in so many emergencies! At the park, at the beach, in store parking lots, and every where in between. It's amazing what becomes normal to you!) We did get a chance to squeeze down to the water with the kids so they could "have toes in the big water." :) We didn't stay on the beach long, because there were so many people, we could hardly move. Walking down the Pier was interesting with 3 little kids. We didn't have a stroller, or leashes (which would have been the most appropriate:) so the kiddos had to walk or be carried. Yup, it was challenging...especially with all the people milling about. G and I were pretty tired by the time we got back to the van to head home again. Thankfully, the kids slept part of the way home, and we enjoyed the small window of quietness.
Sunday was pretty sad for me. We went to the little Baptist church one last time as a family. I enjoyed worshiping there for the last 6 weeks, and was sad to have to say goodbye to the friends we made and the church that I grew to love. That little church will always be a part of my heart, and I hope that some day the Lord will provide a way for us to come back to visit.
Later, for supper, we had 3 of G's friends over to share spaghetti with us. They stayed until 2 am, and we spent those hours laughing, telling stories, learning more about each other, and making a crazy Burger King run at 1:00. It was fun to have that time with people from other areas of the country; South Carolina, Montana, and Louisiana. Who would've thought that we would've ever been out in Southern Cali close to LA, spending time with new friends in the military from all corners of the country?
After a late and lazy morning on Monday, we headed to a beautiful beach about 20 minutes away from us. It was a beautiful and sunny day, and we spent our time with our feet in the path of the waves. There was a HUGE sand hill/mountain by the beach. I wanted to take some pictures from the top, so with my camera on my back, up I climbed. About half-way up, I sat down and turned around to see how far I had gone. The hill was steep, and I suddenly had fear wash over me. "Hope I don't lose my balance and roll all the way down..." I thought. I turned back around to face the top, and with determination, I pushed through my fear and kept going. Several minutes later, I was out of breath, thirsty, but satisfied that I accomplished my goal and faced my fears. The view was stunning! I could see G and the kids, and miles of ocean stretching out before them. What a blessing it was to behold that beauty!
When we were ready to leave, we were stuck in a long stretch of cars that weren't moving. After several minutes of being stopped and speculating that an accident was the cause, we learned from a bicycler that there was a motorcycle accident that resulted in a man dying. How sad. :( We were only a mile away from it, and it made me so sad. Some one's life ended there, on that beautiful drive tucked between the mountains and the ocean. I thought of this man I never knew and his family that I would never meet, and I was grieved by their loss. I was once again reminded of the frailty of our lives here, and the ultimate control that the Lord has over all things. He is the One who orchestrates all events, and His timing is perfect and predetermined...and no accident. I looked over at G, held his hand a little tighter, and thanked the Lord for His protection over us and for being our Mighty God who is our constant Sustainer, Rock, and Shield, and our SALVATION when He calls us home to Himself.
This weekend was the last weekend that we were able to be together as a family. Thankfully, it was a long weekend (G had Saturday through Tuesday off :) and we made a lot of great memories and went to some beautiful places. On Saturday we drove SE along the coast to Malibu and Santa Monica. The drive was breath taking! The Santa Monica mountains were to our North, and the ocean was to our South. What a beautiful display of God's handiwork! I feel honored that I was able to experience it...along with my best friend. :)
The Santa Monica Pier was huge and beautiful, but soooo crowded! It took about 20 minutes to just find a parking spot for the van. Then, it took forever just to get us and the kids ready enough that we could go to the Pier. I changed into my swimming suit in the back of the van while sitting in a car seat, we packed some necessities in a back pack, and all 3 kids went potty in the little potty that has been living in the van since we left Iowa. (That potty has saved us in so many emergencies! At the park, at the beach, in store parking lots, and every where in between. It's amazing what becomes normal to you!) We did get a chance to squeeze down to the water with the kids so they could "have toes in the big water." :) We didn't stay on the beach long, because there were so many people, we could hardly move. Walking down the Pier was interesting with 3 little kids. We didn't have a stroller, or leashes (which would have been the most appropriate:) so the kiddos had to walk or be carried. Yup, it was challenging...especially with all the people milling about. G and I were pretty tired by the time we got back to the van to head home again. Thankfully, the kids slept part of the way home, and we enjoyed the small window of quietness.
Sunday was pretty sad for me. We went to the little Baptist church one last time as a family. I enjoyed worshiping there for the last 6 weeks, and was sad to have to say goodbye to the friends we made and the church that I grew to love. That little church will always be a part of my heart, and I hope that some day the Lord will provide a way for us to come back to visit.
Later, for supper, we had 3 of G's friends over to share spaghetti with us. They stayed until 2 am, and we spent those hours laughing, telling stories, learning more about each other, and making a crazy Burger King run at 1:00. It was fun to have that time with people from other areas of the country; South Carolina, Montana, and Louisiana. Who would've thought that we would've ever been out in Southern Cali close to LA, spending time with new friends in the military from all corners of the country?
After a late and lazy morning on Monday, we headed to a beautiful beach about 20 minutes away from us. It was a beautiful and sunny day, and we spent our time with our feet in the path of the waves. There was a HUGE sand hill/mountain by the beach. I wanted to take some pictures from the top, so with my camera on my back, up I climbed. About half-way up, I sat down and turned around to see how far I had gone. The hill was steep, and I suddenly had fear wash over me. "Hope I don't lose my balance and roll all the way down..." I thought. I turned back around to face the top, and with determination, I pushed through my fear and kept going. Several minutes later, I was out of breath, thirsty, but satisfied that I accomplished my goal and faced my fears. The view was stunning! I could see G and the kids, and miles of ocean stretching out before them. What a blessing it was to behold that beauty!
When we were ready to leave, we were stuck in a long stretch of cars that weren't moving. After several minutes of being stopped and speculating that an accident was the cause, we learned from a bicycler that there was a motorcycle accident that resulted in a man dying. How sad. :( We were only a mile away from it, and it made me so sad. Some one's life ended there, on that beautiful drive tucked between the mountains and the ocean. I thought of this man I never knew and his family that I would never meet, and I was grieved by their loss. I was once again reminded of the frailty of our lives here, and the ultimate control that the Lord has over all things. He is the One who orchestrates all events, and His timing is perfect and predetermined...and no accident. I looked over at G, held his hand a little tighter, and thanked the Lord for His protection over us and for being our Mighty God who is our constant Sustainer, Rock, and Shield, and our SALVATION when He calls us home to Himself.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Lazy Cali Days...
(Written June 24)
This morning was a lazy morning. The kids and I didn't wake up until 9, and we spent the next 2 hours eating cereal and crackers, and watching cartoons together. There was a part of me that felt like a kid again, and it was nice to momentarily forget that I was the parent, the responcible one. It also made me smile to be sitting with my 3 kids, my beautiful blessings, and to be snuggled with my youngest in her favorite blankie.
When 11 rolled around, I figured that I should get ready for the day, and bring the kids to the park for a while so they could run around and enjoy some fresh air. At the park, there were 2 girls playing, and their grand parents chatting and watching them from the nearest bench. C, walked right up to the elderly couple and said, "Hi!" and then proceeded to tell them her first and middle name, and the names of my other 2 kids. I was warmed by C's kindness, and her lack of fear for the strangers. I also smiled, because I am constantly amazed that she is never judgemental or discriminates based on a person's age, color, or size. I good lesson that I need to be reminded of for myself and my own reactions to people.
After I started pushing the kids on the swings, the elderly lady started talking to me. I have really enjoyed talking to strangers on the base, because for 1) I like to try to be social and make some connections 2)every one has such interesting and different stories, and 3) every one on base is connected to the military in some way, and it's nice to have that in common. Turns out this elderly couple is visiting their daughter and her family. This old lady was very proud of her daughter and son-in-law, and for the next 1/2 hour I was priviledged to hear the abridged version of their lives and the adventures that they have had. What a beautiful story of love, adventure, and commitment to family. This family has lived in Florida, Alaska, California, and Sicily following where the Navy and Air Force have led them. The wife has always been a stay-at-home mom, and has also home school her 5 kids along the way. The husband was a hard worker, and recieved his college degree and masters while in the military. We also talked about the beauty and importance of a strong and committed marriage. (She has been married to her husband for 57 years!) So with in an hour, she went from being a stranger, to a fun laday to talk to who has a big story to tell, and wisdom to share. I went back to our apartment smiling and thanking the Lord for His timing, and the many different people and different backgrounds that I've encountered on this journey.
This morning was a lazy morning. The kids and I didn't wake up until 9, and we spent the next 2 hours eating cereal and crackers, and watching cartoons together. There was a part of me that felt like a kid again, and it was nice to momentarily forget that I was the parent, the responcible one. It also made me smile to be sitting with my 3 kids, my beautiful blessings, and to be snuggled with my youngest in her favorite blankie.
When 11 rolled around, I figured that I should get ready for the day, and bring the kids to the park for a while so they could run around and enjoy some fresh air. At the park, there were 2 girls playing, and their grand parents chatting and watching them from the nearest bench. C, walked right up to the elderly couple and said, "Hi!" and then proceeded to tell them her first and middle name, and the names of my other 2 kids. I was warmed by C's kindness, and her lack of fear for the strangers. I also smiled, because I am constantly amazed that she is never judgemental or discriminates based on a person's age, color, or size. I good lesson that I need to be reminded of for myself and my own reactions to people.
After I started pushing the kids on the swings, the elderly lady started talking to me. I have really enjoyed talking to strangers on the base, because for 1) I like to try to be social and make some connections 2)every one has such interesting and different stories, and 3) every one on base is connected to the military in some way, and it's nice to have that in common. Turns out this elderly couple is visiting their daughter and her family. This old lady was very proud of her daughter and son-in-law, and for the next 1/2 hour I was priviledged to hear the abridged version of their lives and the adventures that they have had. What a beautiful story of love, adventure, and commitment to family. This family has lived in Florida, Alaska, California, and Sicily following where the Navy and Air Force have led them. The wife has always been a stay-at-home mom, and has also home school her 5 kids along the way. The husband was a hard worker, and recieved his college degree and masters while in the military. We also talked about the beauty and importance of a strong and committed marriage. (She has been married to her husband for 57 years!) So with in an hour, she went from being a stranger, to a fun laday to talk to who has a big story to tell, and wisdom to share. I went back to our apartment smiling and thanking the Lord for His timing, and the many different people and different backgrounds that I've encountered on this journey.
(Written June 29)
I am looking at the remaining time that I have here. One week and two days left. That's all the time that we have left together as a family before we face another 8 week stretch of separation. I am sad because I don't want to leave. I love it here! I love living on base and experiencing the military life. I love the weather, the lack of humidity and bugs, and I love having the freedom to go to the ocean. I love being here with G. The kids love being with him and picking him up from "work" every day. Life is almost normal here, and I'm not ready to pack up and leave this all behind.
As much as I want to stay until G is done with training, I know that that's not possible. I've been able to be here for 6 weeks, and I am over joyed that the Lord provided this time for us to be together. I have no choice but to say good-bye to the life here, pack up myself and the kids, and only have the pictures left to remind myself of this chapter in our lives...the crazy chapter where my 3 munchkins and I drove across half the country, spent more money than I'm willing to admit to, and lived in an Inn and an apartment for 6 weeks...to be with the man that I love. :)
Until I actually drive away, I'm going to try to enjoy every remaining minute, every ray of Cali sunshine, every splash of ocean water, every grain of beach sand in my clothes, every drive to and from G's squadron to pick him up, every temper tantrum (by the kids...not me:), and of course every smile, laugh, and kiss between me, G, and the kids. :)
Today I washed the van and saw another perk of living on the base. For $2.50, I got 10 minutes to wash the van. :) I wasn't used to that long of time, so I ended up leaving with 1.5 minutes left of running water. (I know, I know...my Dutch-ness was screaming at me to use every drop that I paid for, but the kids were already fighting in the van.) Wahoo! Got to celebrate the little things! :)
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| Hippie Van with toys glued all over it |
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| On the pier at Santa Barbara |
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| Me and my Best Girl Friend...and driving buddy! :) |
I took the kiddos with me to get another week's worth of groceries. *Phew* What a challenge! Thankfully, I was able to use a cart that was like a car, and I crammed all 3 kids in the child part of the cart. There they were. My 3 little ducks in a row. :) I sure got a lot of looks...like I usually do when I'm with the kids by myself. The 2 most common comments that I've received here concerning the kids is, "Are they twins?" (referring to R & J) And, "Are they ALL yours?!?" I love that one! It always makes me laugh! Yes, they are all mine, even though they don't look like each other. :)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
As some of you might think, I have not fallen into the pit of complete insanity. I have been unable to write because I have limited internet access where we are living now. Two weeks ago, we moved out of the tiny Inn, and are now living in an apartment on base. I have been enjoying a normal sized kitchen that includes real appliances! It is enjoyable to cook again! We also now have 2 bedrooms, and our own washer and dryer. What a luxury! The Inn served us well for the time, but I am so glad to be in a more normal housing space.
Our days have not been filled with too much excitement. I take the kids to the park a couple times a day so they can run off some energy. We went to the beach a couple times this week. Other Californians must think it's good beach weather, too, because the sands have been populated by many swimmers, sun tanners, runners, bikers, walkers, and lazy 'life-enjoyers.' It is so refreshing to relax by the ocean. I love watching the ever-flowing waves, and hearing the constant movement of the mighty waters. It puts my heart at peace to know that My God is the One who created those powerful waves, and He is the One who is ever sustaining me and my life. What an Awesome God! There is no other way to say it.
We have been attending a Baptist Church since I've been here, and we have weekly been blessed through the faithful preaching and Godly fellowship. This also, has been the work of God's hands. I will be sad to leave this little God-fearing congregation and the friends that we have made along the way, but I am thankful that this was in God's plan for us while we were here.
Our days have not been filled with too much excitement. I take the kids to the park a couple times a day so they can run off some energy. We went to the beach a couple times this week. Other Californians must think it's good beach weather, too, because the sands have been populated by many swimmers, sun tanners, runners, bikers, walkers, and lazy 'life-enjoyers.' It is so refreshing to relax by the ocean. I love watching the ever-flowing waves, and hearing the constant movement of the mighty waters. It puts my heart at peace to know that My God is the One who created those powerful waves, and He is the One who is ever sustaining me and my life. What an Awesome God! There is no other way to say it.
"He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defence; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory:
The rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.
Trust in Him at all times; ye people,
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us."
~Psalm 62:6-8
Our Lord has been so gracious to me and my family, and I am overwelmed with awe by His constant provisions and Faithfulness to us. Every day, there is something that He does that reminds me that He is in control and is always tenderly leading us.We have been attending a Baptist Church since I've been here, and we have weekly been blessed through the faithful preaching and Godly fellowship. This also, has been the work of God's hands. I will be sad to leave this little God-fearing congregation and the friends that we have made along the way, but I am thankful that this was in God's plan for us while we were here.
I have quickly become popular among G's friends for my cooking. :) Now, I certainly don't think that I'm the best cook out there, but I'm also not the worst. I have been enjoying making some of G's favorite dishes and desserts for him to finally eat again. We have been having some of his friends over for supper, and it has been fun hearing and seeing the reactions to these poor, single guys who haven't had a home cooked meal in several months. :) Tonight, we will be having lasagna (2 pans) and peach dessert, 2 of G's favorite foods, and will be sharing it with 3 of his friends. I'm glad that I can help put a little bright spot in these guys' days.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Getting Settled...
I've been trying to make life here as "normal" as possible. It's been a challenge, and has definitely been trying my patience. I keep looking at this time as an adventure, which it is, and try to stay as upbeat as possible, and enjoy all the moments.
So, since we've been here, we've been staying at the Inn on the base. It's a nice place, but definitely lacking in the "kid friendly" area. The room we started out in was very small, and we were sharing a bathroom with the room next to us. Inconvenient, yes, but it was only $28 per night...something I could afford. Thankfully, we didn't have to deal with any one living in the room next to us until we had been here a week.
I had been outside when I saw our new neighbor moving in. It was an older woman, probably in her 70's. As i observed her, I thought to myself that she would either be very sweet, or that she would be hard to please and dislike kids. So playing on the side of caution, I tried to keep the kids extra quiet (which I failed miserably at) and I tried to clean up my half of the bathroom. With in 2 hours, I got a call from the front desk. A complaint had already been made against us. Hmmm...I wonder who it came from. After supper, I hurried the kids out the door, so I could take them to the park for them to wear off their energy and noise. When we returned an hour later, I had good reason to believe that our neighbor was already trying to sleep...at 8pm. Uggg...how was I supposed to keep my munchkins quiet for another 1-2 hours?? Things went fairly well (from my perspective) until we were in the bathroom and my son, R, started pounding on her bathroom door and yelling, "Hello?? Leah, are you awake?" I was horrified!! And then, he grabbed her toothbrush case off the counter (it was too pretty of a color to resist) opened it, and her toothbrush fell on the not-so-clean floor. AHHH!! I wanted to scream!! Could the kids do anything more to help us get kicked out? Sure enough, with in an hour, the front desk called and said we needed to move to a different room...and it was already 9:30 at night. Uggg! So there we were. The kids were already in their jammies, and we quickly tried to throw all our stuff together so we could move to a room about 12 doors down. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my night, but really, I was surprised we made it as long as we did. :) So, apparently, 1 adult and 3 kids do not work well in a room meant for single people. And, we were considered a fire hazard, or at least that's what the final straw was for us needing to move.
So now we are cozy in our new room, and I'm finding that I need to continue to be creative. Not artsy creative...I mean just creative for our day to day, hour to hour living. I do not have a kitchen. All I have is a microwave and a tiny dorm fridge. Yeah, preparing any food for 4 people is definitely a challenge. I think I should make a cookbook called, "What you can, and definitely can NOT make in a microwave" Written by: Slowing losing her Sanity Sarah. I really do think it will be a best seller. :)
Have you ever seen the info commercial for the "Pasta Boat"? Yes, I gave in a bought it from Wal-Mart 4 months ago. Let me tell you, it has truly been a life saver for our meals. I've made spaghetti with peppers and onions, tuna helper, hamburger helper, rice and noodle packages, steamed potatoes and carrots, and that's only the tip of this cooking ice burg. After I struggle to make a meal in my Past Boat, I then have to clean it in the bathroom in the shower. Ahh, yes. I miss having a real kitchen. Well, mark it up to memories and experiences. :)
Along with not having a kitchen, we don't have a table. So, our new table is a towel on the floor that me and the kids all huddle around. The nice thing about it, is I can roll up the "table" when we're done eating, and shake it out outside. Hey, there's gotta' be a positive side to everything, right? :)
So, other than the above inconveniences, I really do like it here. It is gorgeous! The mountains are to the north of us, and the ocean is a 5 minute drive to the south. The temperature is quite mild. I don't think it's been hotter than 70 since I've been here, there is no humidity, and no bugs! Quite nice, and easy to adjust to. :)
So, since we've been here, we've been staying at the Inn on the base. It's a nice place, but definitely lacking in the "kid friendly" area. The room we started out in was very small, and we were sharing a bathroom with the room next to us. Inconvenient, yes, but it was only $28 per night...something I could afford. Thankfully, we didn't have to deal with any one living in the room next to us until we had been here a week.
I had been outside when I saw our new neighbor moving in. It was an older woman, probably in her 70's. As i observed her, I thought to myself that she would either be very sweet, or that she would be hard to please and dislike kids. So playing on the side of caution, I tried to keep the kids extra quiet (which I failed miserably at) and I tried to clean up my half of the bathroom. With in 2 hours, I got a call from the front desk. A complaint had already been made against us. Hmmm...I wonder who it came from. After supper, I hurried the kids out the door, so I could take them to the park for them to wear off their energy and noise. When we returned an hour later, I had good reason to believe that our neighbor was already trying to sleep...at 8pm. Uggg...how was I supposed to keep my munchkins quiet for another 1-2 hours?? Things went fairly well (from my perspective) until we were in the bathroom and my son, R, started pounding on her bathroom door and yelling, "Hello?? Leah, are you awake?" I was horrified!! And then, he grabbed her toothbrush case off the counter (it was too pretty of a color to resist) opened it, and her toothbrush fell on the not-so-clean floor. AHHH!! I wanted to scream!! Could the kids do anything more to help us get kicked out? Sure enough, with in an hour, the front desk called and said we needed to move to a different room...and it was already 9:30 at night. Uggg! So there we were. The kids were already in their jammies, and we quickly tried to throw all our stuff together so we could move to a room about 12 doors down. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my night, but really, I was surprised we made it as long as we did. :) So, apparently, 1 adult and 3 kids do not work well in a room meant for single people. And, we were considered a fire hazard, or at least that's what the final straw was for us needing to move.
So now we are cozy in our new room, and I'm finding that I need to continue to be creative. Not artsy creative...I mean just creative for our day to day, hour to hour living. I do not have a kitchen. All I have is a microwave and a tiny dorm fridge. Yeah, preparing any food for 4 people is definitely a challenge. I think I should make a cookbook called, "What you can, and definitely can NOT make in a microwave" Written by: Slowing losing her Sanity Sarah. I really do think it will be a best seller. :)
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| Eating Spaghetti at the "new table." |
Along with not having a kitchen, we don't have a table. So, our new table is a towel on the floor that me and the kids all huddle around. The nice thing about it, is I can roll up the "table" when we're done eating, and shake it out outside. Hey, there's gotta' be a positive side to everything, right? :)
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| At Port Hueneme Beach |
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Roadtrip in Pictures
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| Utah! |
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| I packed a casserole from home, and we heated it up and ate it at a gas station in Utah. It was cheap, easy, and nerdy! :) |
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| Kids eating dinner at a gas station. Good 'ol family vacation! :) |
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| Beautiful Western Colorado. |
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| Our stop in the middle of Nowhere Utah to clean up the "mess" in the van...:S |
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| Utah!! Beautiful country! |
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| Kids at the Excalibur in Vegas. My 3 little ducks in a row. :) |
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| Didn't go through it, but got close! |
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| Miss Jayden seeing Daddy for the first time in 14 weeks. Sweet reunion! :) |
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| Rockies in Colorado. On day 2 of driving, we went from 52 degrees in Colorado, to 84 in Utah. Crazy! |
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| Tunnel through the mountain. |
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| All tuckered out from the trip. They all took 2 naps each day...at the same time!! They were great...all things considered...:) |
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| It was awesome to finally say, "Kids! There's Daddy!!!" |
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| Daddy with his son :) |
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