"trying to catch the deluge in a paper cup..."

It snowed for 2 days and is still VERY cold - like in the 30's. I almost cried when I read it may rain/snow tomorrow. We officially move tomorrow, May 31st.

We've been packing like mad people. There are simply boxes everywhere, surrounded by toys and random things we don't know what to do with (awesomely bad sentence right there). Surprisingly, I'm not stressed beyond belief. I think RK and I are just so happy to be moving to our new place. Buck wanted to know how he'll move AND go to school tomorrow; and I think that Thunder is just confused.

My favorite part of packing is throwing things away. I feel like I am becoming lighter and lighter every few hours. A personal favorite so far was tossing the 1/2 gallon of sauerkraut that lurked in the back of my fridge for a year. The question was always, "does rotten cabbage soaked in vinegar go BAD?" Now, it is peacefully laid to rest in our garbage disposal/garborator (Canadian term).

Last night, I snuck out to see "Sex and the City 2" at 10 pm with some girlfriends. Hmmmm.

"white lines..."

It's snowing. It's May 27. It's snowing.

"It's a beautiful day!"

RKZ and I have to go sign loan papers in about 10 minutes, so I'm blogging quickly. I have to run the kids to a friend's house (thank goodness for friends) so that we can be downtown by 9am (have to add 40 minutes on to everything with kids, I find). Yesterday was insane - we are getting down to the wire with moving. Only 5 days by Buck's calendar calculations. He and I are currently having a discussion as to whether you are supposed to include the actual day you move. Jury's still out. Thunder is eating a bagel in his highchair. Having him tied down helps a lot. 

I've already included this picture, but I post it again so that you click on it and compare Thunder and RKZ. In the last week, we've had 3 or 4 people comment on "how much your 2 boys look like you and RKZ." THis picture really demonstrates how similar RKZ and Thunder look. RKZ always says, "It's because he was always meant to be our baby." Even his random DNA shows that he's ours :)

"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone"

We move to our new home in 7 days. I know, it seems like we should already be there, doesn't it? Don't say that - I haven't done all of those little things one needs to do to move, like change our phone number and cable and internet...or change our address over (for some reason, this involves some type of payment and I can never find my wallet at the time I try). Instead, I spend time doing things that aren't as important, like blogging. Talk about avoiding life. 

 Buck coloring - or doing homework. They are one in the same at this point. He does NOT like to color, so there is normally some type of award involved. I know - that's bad parenting - whatever. Just add it to the list. Speaking of list, Buck has a "list" of things he's afraid of. It's really just scribbles on a paper, but he has the actual words memorized. At this point: crabs, lobsters, dark places, and tide pools (see crabs) are on the list. 

Thunder, on the other hand, is only afraid of being left out. He gives very loud, completely intelligible lectures to us at this point. It's like Buck's scribbled list set to guttural utterances. I can't wait to move so that we can get a few toys back from storage! 

"She's leaving home - bye. bye."

Packing. Packing. Eating. Packing.

 Some friends of RKZ's are coming over to look at our baby things (minus the crib still in use). We are officially giving baby items away. I'm guessing this is the official "toddler" stage. I'm also researching a timeline of getting rid of anything superfluous. I love the cartoon above because it is reminding me of RKZ and myself right now. He thinks my responsibilities could be handled in a much quicker fashion. I've cut out the wife part (appropriately - Mrs. G) and skipped to the Mother-in-law's frame of mind. 

This weekend is Victoria weekend (also known as "May long weekend"). Our neighbors throw a big street party every year with a band and beer and games, etc. We are trying to figure out if we'll go (even as we hear the band playing). I am totally not in the mood to explain why we're moving...and I can't exactly say, "to get away from our nosey neighbors" to them! That's not the main reason, anyway, and it's mean...and Calgary is VERY small, so we'll see them all quite a bit no matter what. Just not from our kitchen window. 

"You can't take the honky tonk out of the girl"

We begin this montage with a birthday - one of Buck's school friends. She had a face painter who was amazing. She could paint a picture of a person's soul on his face :) 

Same monster a few days later asked for a haircut "like a stegosaurus" - my son, the rock star palentologist (that is spelled incorrectly). 

RKZ and I had incredible seats to the Brooks and Dunn "Last Rodeo" Tour. Google them if you don't know who I'm talking about. They were amazing. One of the best concerts we've ever seen - and we've seen a lot. I have a lot of love for performers who respect the fact that people pay a lot of money to see them. Brooks & Dunn are all about entertaining an audience. Loved it. Also loved the 20-something dorky boys we sat next too. They kept yelling "we love Reba!" (she is good friends with B & D). Very funny, but sad, in a way. 

 

Cel phone pictures. 'Nuf said. 

Buck is on his first baseball team - the "Rockies" from the same name in Colorado. RKZ is his coach and already owned the hat. Here, Buck demonstrates his amazing fielding skills ... yeah. 

We also spend every Saturday morning with "Brother" playing soccer. Brother is Buck's best "home friend" (his classification, not mine). Their team is the Red Raptors. Buck spends more time talking than running, taking after his mother in this sport. 

Mother's Day. I dressed up as an older woman going on a cruise, clearly. This is not our best shot and I will be giving away this dress because it's the loudest thing in the picture! 

This is the backyard deck that has consumed our last few weeks. Somehow, the landing of the staircase (not the deck or the stairs) are infringing on our neighbor's privacy (according to the city). We do not know how this is the case as we can see into our neighbor's main room from our kitchen as I write this. There is no privacy in our neighborhood and this is one of the main reasons we are moving. RKZ is very sad to have to take down the stairs (in order to get a stamp of approval from the city). The entire process almost ruined the sale of the house - and, of course, the buyers really like the stairs. Nightmare. Can't wait to leave now. All is ok after the stairs go. 

SDJ was confirmed in Reno last weekend. I was her sponsor (don't we look particularly holy here?). SDJ is an amazing young woman. I am so proud of her and who she is. Already 16 (next month). She drove me around during the weekend. I remember getting the phone call that she was going to be born (she is my niece for those who don't know). I can remember her childhood and first days of life (after we finally got there after my car broke down in the California desert - long story). Look - she's incredible. I also got to take this trip to Reno alone. I slept until 11:30 am the first morning! It was a wonderful visit. 

Little baby Henry Michael, our newest cousin (once or twice removed, I'll never get that right). He was born May 20. 

That concludes the montage, as promised. I now return to packing the kitchen and ordering pizza. We move in 10 days. Yikes. 

Sold - Day 1 (seriously) or 2, it's hard to know...

Yes, it's been 14 days since my last post. I'm like an episode of Entourage, you have to wait so long for new information. We've been B-U-S-Y. Seriously, mind-numbingly busy with life. Also, a few very fun things were sprinkled in there. I fully intend to do a photo montage of the last 14 days sometime over the weekend. I love looking back to see what I was doing in the past; and what will I do next year when I need to read about May without a photo montage?? 

Real Property Report; wall issues; Brooks and Dunn; Mother's Day; Sam's (SDJ) confirmation; movers; stagers; blastball (t-ball); soccer... I'm mostly listing so that I remember. 

And the birth of new baby Henry Michael just days ago! It's been a good 2 weeks. 

The house is officially sold. We're really moving out in 10 days (well, nice strong men are coming to move us. I'll be supervising and ordering pizza). A new chapter in what will hopefully be a peaceful book. 

Check back for that photo montage tomorrow. But not on Sunday - this Sunday is all about Church and LOST. 

Thunder looking trendy in Paul Frank                     Buck wearing his sunglasses to the Mother's Day Tea  at school 

For Sale - Day 40

Today, I thought I was going to have a nervous break down. Seriously. It was the end of the road for me and I was thinking, "it just has to be over." Selling a house sucks.

Today, it has been 40 days that our house is for sale. Like Lent. 40.

Today, someone made a very solid offer on our house & we accepted it. We are now officially:

CONDITIONALLY SOLD.

Thanks for the prayers. As for St. Joseph - we are the only house sold on our street so far (still 9 others out there). And for a very fair (if lower) price.  I think that's still some solid work from his prayers.

For Sale - Day 36 (miss me?)

 

You know that your son is growing up when he asks the hairdresser for "hair like a stegosaurus" - ie: a faux hawk - and then he asks her to spray it blue. My sadness at his age is only dispelled by the 'pirate frog with a flap shirt' that he uses to bite his brother's fingers in the car. 

Thankfully, I am still totally responsible for Thunder's hair at this point. He turned 16 months (!) on May 1st. Thunder has an old soul for sure - doesn't he look like a really short 12 year old in this picture? He acts like it too!

We've been having a series of this-is-what-real-life-is-like days. I feel like I've waited 40 years to have a Saturday devoted to kids' soccer and baseball games/pictures/snacks (because I have). We rushed around in seriously cold weather so that Buck could have his picture taken in two different uniforms and so that he could "win" an under 6 soccer game. They aren't supposed to keep score, but tell that to the 5, 4 & 5 year old boys on the team - they know damn well what the score is on both sides! There was even some trash talk from the other team! A little girl told our goalie that he needed to 'go take a nap.' That made me laugh - but not as hard as the grandparents out there cheering. Grandpas can be tough, I tell ya'.

We have had a lot of people in to see the house, but still no second dates. Our house is quite the tramp! The viewing seem to cluster around Thursday - Sunday, so I'm living on the edge and not cleaning until after school today (the rebel!). I love 'normal' days and can't wait for the summer.

We move to our new digs in 17 days. Maybe I should change the count down to a count up?