"Ya Ya ya-ya-yaaa"

I don't know that that's a direct quote from the song. My mind is slowly dying between moving rush and baby brain. It's good to be 40 and completely on the brink of self-induced dementia. No pictures today because I haven't had a chance to take any lately. My parents (the Joads) have arrived and the pace has definitely picked up. RKZ and I leave for our house-hunting trip tomorrow very early. It will be nice to have 5 days alone with RK in Southern California, but I can't say it will exactly be a vacation between looking at schools, going to the doctor and finding a house. I'm also about 20 phone calls behind at this point.

A friend of mine told me (she's moved 3 times in 2 years), "Remember, if it doesn't get done, it didn't need doing." I agree, but tell that to my 5 year old who just wants me to come and make a craft with him right now. Can pregnant, moving mommies ruin the psyche of their children?

"And I think to myself...what a wonderful world."

Everything is about the same here in Calgary - cold and filled with pre-move activity. 

More interested in posting Christmas/New Year's Eve pictures from Colorado. After Reno, we flew to Colorado Springs to spend New Years' Eve with the other side of the family. I know that Buck was especially excited to see his older cousins. Thunder was just excited to get some more attention ;) 

 Big Thunder (far left); Aunt S; Pahina and Lil' Thunder

 The family on Thunder's 2nd birthday. 

 Thunder so excited to celebrate with this Thomas cake! 

 Thunder and his Grandparents (Duke and The Duchess) 

 Auntie HAB; Little bitty; BB and Big Thunder wearing their favorite NFL gear

 The 2 oldest boys. Buck loves BB! 

Auntie S, Uncle and Thunder (with Duke in the back). You guys look great with a little one :) 

"Rockin' around the Christmas tree"

This weekend, we had a wonderful dinner party with a group of friends here in Calgary - and then we spent Sunday driving three hours to Edmonton (Northern Alberta) to say good-bye to Thunder's birth mom, H, and her boyfriend (not T's birth father), D. It was a really amazing weekend because so many things are quickly coming to a close. Of course, we know that we'll see all of the people we said "good-bye" too when they visit or we visit...it's just that everything will change in the subtle way things do when they are not lived day to day. I do love Canadians because the overwhelming response has been "Great! Now we have a reason to go to California!" 

It is a solid -10 degrees F here today (-23 C). From all reports, it's 80F/ 26C in Southern California. I must admit that the change in weather is a driving positive force in our move. Having my 2 year old scream through a parking lot because he didn't want to cover his hand stamps with mittens will be something I will gladly leave in our past. 

 Our good "old" friends who also read the blog!! Hello, Sh & fam!!! You all look wonderful!

Our little family At Ma and Pa Joads  - Thunder, RK, Buck, Me and #3

RKZ and his cousin, Shane, with their babes. Such a cute Grady pic!

'Baby you're a FIREWORK!" (around 30 days)

My count of days is off  because plans keep changing. I am trying to count to the day the movers arrive (since then we will be feasibly out of our house). I HAD been counting to the day that we actually arrive in California. I have concluded that counts are a bit dumb and useless. The 30 (it's actually 27 days until the movers) freaked me out when I just counted it. So, I'm just going to estimate from now on. And I am not really good with math. 

Bottom line: We are not long for this world of arctic ice and snow (- degrees in both F and C this week and today). 

We have gotten a real estate agent in California and we've begun to narrow our search. RKZ and I fly down in 2 weeks to try and find a house (and see the doctor who will deliver our baby). I have more Christmas pictures for tomorrow. Today, we interrupt this post with superhero sightings. 

 Buzz and Spidey

 To infinity and wherever else I want or I'll scream ;)

 What's up with you, Spiderman?

 helmet on!

Shooting bad guys (or mommy) with my web!

"I could really use a wish right now" (42 days)

...my 2 year old is actually NAPPING right now...I'm at a loss for words. 

This Christmas, we rented a house near the Joads' so that our posse of 6-boys-under-6 didn't overwhelm my parents and grandma J. Here are 5 of the boys: K-man (3), Thunder (2), Buck (5), T-gun (1) & 

A-man (4)

Coach K 1 & Pa Joad at the rental. My dad looks happy, but his eyes are closed :)

RKZ and Me and our 7th boy under 6 (oh yeah, it's a boy!) 

Coach K1 & his beautiful (and small) wife Hoonka (mom of A-man, K-man and T-gun)

 Superman M, H9H (High 9 Hottie) and Ma Joad after Christmas brunch. 

 Tiny Dancer (SERVITE!'s wife) & SDJ enjoy a little food in the rental dining room. 

 Gma J looking cute with Uncle D (farmer D, I should say) on Christmas. 

 SERVITE! and his new little wonder, JEEP (6th boy under 6 for now)

 Superman M ruining a great pic of the newest Kelly family :) 

SDJ showing she has excellent taste in cancelled TV shows. 

Christmas 2010 was great. More pictures of New Year's Eve in Colorado with the Grady's! 

"Let my people go - " (44 days)

I was putting Buck to bed last night and thinking about moving while we "snuggled" for a bit. I thought about putting up a countdown of days until we leave Calgary and return to California. I am a sucker for countdowns. Only, this countdown is such a blatant estimate with all of the variables of movers and houses, etc; I thought that I might such add the count in parentheses at the end of each song. Hence, the (44 days). It is approximately 44 days until we leave Calgary for California. Immediately, my mind races with all that we still have to do before then. I'll spare you the detailed list.

Instead! I am posting the first set of our Christmas pictures:

Our Christmas tree at home. We had an early "at home" Christmas before we left for Nevada. 

Thunder is obsessed with bikes, balls and dogs. Now, he can at least ride around the neighborhood after Buck on his bike. Still practicing the pedals, of course. 

Buck got quite a lot of good gifts this year. He is opening his "V Reader" which allows him to play games and read stories - 2 of his favorites. 

More tomorrow. I have a lot of email to answer ;) 

"Girls! Girls! Girls!"

We're home from Reno and Colorado for the holidays - more pictures to follow in coming days. 

I've added 2 pictures from my "girls' weekend" in Montana. These are three of my Canadian pals and we've been trying to get away together for a very long time (kids and babies, etc get in the way). I look at these pictures and realize how much I'll miss them - and my kids will miss their kids (all of us have kids the same ages). I also realize how fat I'm getting :) 

We're busy as hell now with organizing a move to California in 6 weeks (Feb. 15th-ish)! I won't add any pictures of that - ha. ha.