Flip-Flopping in the Rain

Well, if we can figure out why my laptop won't connect to the wireless, I'd post some pictures already. I've taken tons of course, and of every little thing I could. Photography...my original addiction :)

Yesterday, we were so soposed to have a storm whip up first thing in the morning. It was a no show...or so we thought. We had a "taking it easy" kind of day. Didn't get much done...BUT HEY - we've only been here for a week and quite frankly, there are tons of things we've accomplished by now.

Little Chica's room is going to be so pretty, I'm jealous. LOL. We knocked out the "pepto bismol" pink walls - truly an obnoxious color, even for a little girl. I'm not a big fan of pink, but this color was horendous. It made the hallway glow and burned my eyes...ok now I'm exaggerating, but really...knew we'd be taking care of that just as soon as escrow closed, we drove 2/3's away across the country and could pick out the new paint color.

Pato...his room is nearly completed as well. He is adopting the ocean theme we had for Neto Boy in California from age 1-3. And speaking of Neto, I talked to Kiki about getting started in his room. Poor boy. He's been very patient - as one could be at 6 years old. He's been watching paint be slapped onto his brother's and sister's walls, and keeps asking to make sure his room will be done up too. She got a wonderful volcano going that she is free-forming. He will be getting a "land of the dinosaurs" room. Neto got to do a few strokes on his own & some finger smudging of the paint, so now he is happy.

We ended up leaving for the store to check out some more curtains, dorm chairs, and whatever else we could find at The Christmas Tree Shop (very cool place). It was cloudy out, but not dark and menancing so Net & I were wondering around in our flip-flops. I got Mom to allow my GPS to get us there - to show her how well it works. She's an expert at reading a map, and she'll pull out her map book before checking out directions off of the internet. It got us there needless to say, and Neto Boy felt very important holding the device and confirming that we were on the right path. We did stop by the teeniest post office I've ever seen as well as Neto's new school. I can't believe he'll be starting in 2 weeks already.

Anyway, spent so much time in that store. It was my first time there, so I had to literally walk every single aisle to make sure I didn't miss anything important. Picked out way more than I thought I would. By the time we were checking out, there was a downpour outside. Kiki decided to bring up the car so we could load underneath some shelter from the building's overhang. Good thing. We would have been soaked.

As we stood there, a big crack of thunder made us all jump. There were lighting bolts and everything. Awww...Mother Nature's power. It amazes me. And yes, I will take seriously the saying in Indy- always carry a raincoat or umbrella in your car, lol.

Thank you everyone for your well wishes and encouragement. It is greatly appreciated! I read your messages and am very touched. Have a wonderful day!

Storm is a comin'...or is it?

It was a pretty busy day yesterday. What day isn't? Esteban completed the final cuts on the floor tiles he put down in the master bath, hung our new front door, and completed the kitchen & bathroom plumbing repairs (here's where I really need to start to fill in the blanks -but will try to get one of those drafts completed today).

We also had our refrigerator delivered. It's beautiful and doesn't require a strip of velcro to hold it closed -long story. We got an excellent buy at the HH Gregg tent sale on Sunday. It's a stainless steel, side-by-side model for 30% off the original price. We also nabbed the over-the-range microwave oven. It was also a steal for only $200 -normally it goes for $649.

The whole buying experience was interesting. Mom and Kiki (my baby sis) went with me...along with my 3 kiddos. I'm not sure what was more work. Corraling the kids or making a decision. I've never bought a refrigerator before and the only microwaves I've owned have been the standard, counter-top kind you find at a Target or Walmart for $30. I was hesitant to make a choice. I just wanted to lean on Mom and have her guide me since she had done this a few times.

We figured the bargain price on the refrigerator was too risky to pass up, so I had Mom stand guard while I wandered over to the microwave. Kiki had noticed a nice dishwasher next to it - also stainless - and going for a great price. We mumbled amongst ourselves and giggled as we looked over at Mom who stood with her arms crossed, leaning back onto the steel monster, covering the sale ticket of the device. I don't know if anyone else was interested in checking it out, but they would have had to been pretty bold to ask her to step aside.

Well the dishwasher got snatched up right in front of us. They wheeled it away and that meant we better move quick. People were not browsing...they were actually buying. So I decided to go for it. Kiki and I both nodded over to Mom so she could grab ahold of a salesperson while we blocked the mircrowave. Hmmmm...sounds like a new game: Appliance Wars. We saw a salesman walk over to Mom and before he was in front of her he called out: I'm sorry 'mam, that appliance is already sold.

WHAT??!!! I couldn't believe it, just my luck! All the other friges that had been claimed had sold signs on them so we weren't expecting this. Somewhat dejected but determined to go inside and see what they had to offer on the regular salesfloor, we began to walk away from the table holding the microwave. A gentleman asked if he could assist us. I thanked him and said I didn't think so. I did mention that we were hoping to take the oven to match the frige that apparently wasn't available anymore. I think it was my hopeful way of asking him if he knew any different. He only shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

We made our way back to Mom and found it curious that she was chatting up a storm with the sales associate. I looked at the paper attached to the clipboard and it had my address written on it. Ok, sleep deprivation + three monkeys (two in diapers) + 10 labor intensive projects + major, first time decisions to be made + one salesman with a sense of humor = one confused mommy!!!

Apparently, he had been watching and us and figured we were going to choose that merchandise so he thought he'd be cute about it. I did laugh...took me a minute, but I did.

Anyway, by mid-afternoon, Esteban and I decided to do some more shopping. Had to exchange some of the plumbing materials and we still needed other odds and ends, like new molding for the bathroom, silicon, paint, etc. Just before our final stop, I checked in with Mom who was watching the munchkins. I was soposed to stop for hamburger buns for sloppy joe's. I wanted to make sure everyone was starving already before we stepped into another home improvement store.

"How long would it take Esteban to repair those roof shingles?" she asked. I didn't know, and he wasn't sure. There were about 14 spots on the roof that needed replacement of shingles according to the final inspection before close of escrow. According to the newscast Mom had just watched, a pretty big thunderstorm was expected to arrive early Wednesday morning. It was already 6:40pm, Tuesday evening. Instead of continuing on our errands, I drove us back to the house so Esteban could climb up and take a look. He'd have sunlight for at least another 2 hours.

He finished the job, and there's more I can tell about that. In the end, we wrapped up pretty close to 9pm and headed over to Mom's for dinner. After doing some catch-up work early this morning, I suddenly realized...no storm. In fact, I don't believe it even sprinkled. I'm sure rain is a comin' though. Summer storms are common here in Indy and if the forecast was slightly off...no problem. At least the roof is done.

So much to do!

We arrived to Indy late last week...possibly, Thursday night. My head hurts, so really, I'm not going to fret over the little detail.

We've done so much already, and there is so much more to do. I'm so behind. There is much to do (didn't I write that already?): tons of e-mails I need to respond to; a mailing list I need to organize; complete my drafts (and I'm still not happy with my blog look); upload to my photography page; call for water service and gas service; figure out the rest of my appliance purchases; and HELLO!!!! Get that paperwork filed for the $8000 first-time homebuyer refund. This is not even the half of it, but man, I feel like I'll never catch up.

I need to start a list...a new one that compiles all the "to-do's" from the 20 lists I've written in the last several weeks. You know, I wish I knew how other mom's do it. I can be super, obnoxiously organized when I want to be. I just can't even muster up 1/2 the energy I used to.

To end on a positive note. These items can be checked off: Electric account ordered, refrigerater purchased and to be delivered today along w/ over the range microwave, garage door ordered and coming tomorrow. Carpet in two bathrooms pulled up & replaced with vinyl tiles, two bathrooms painted, one baby boy's room 98% painted, one baby girl's room about 75% complete and it's only been 5 days. Not bad.

Got Change for One Penny?

Esteban and I had so much fun in Reno. Walked out with a 1 cent voucher - the remainder of our gambling money. I was half tempted to go cash it in...just wanted to see the look on the cashier's face, you know.

We followed the gambling with a wonderful buffet-style breakfast before heading over to Circus Circus to play a few of the carnival games. Well, I couldn't resist the urge to jump on the Dance, Dance Revolution machine first. I love that thing. Plus...what better way can you think of to work off that huge breakfast we just indulged in? The best part was when this little 5-year-old girl jumped onto the pads next to me. She didn't even ask her mom to deposit money into the game. She just wanted to dance along and mimick the cartoon character on the screen. She moved so freely and spun around as if it were her grand performance. It was the sweetest thing.

After I was sure I'd worked my heartrate up and broke into a bit of a sweat, we headed over to the horse-racing game. We jumped in on the next round and I ended up winning a prize. Eight of the 10 other players abandoned the table as we went for another stand-off. Won again. Next thing we knew, it was just Esteban against me. Any other couple may have gotten up and left too. We thought it was hilarious. The game host looked at us kinda funny and I threw in: hey, this is the best way to guarantee that one of the kids is getting a souvenir. He thought that was pretty funny and had a hard time not laughing while calling the race over the loud speaker.
I won again! Man...where was this luck while we were sitting at the slot machines?

We played a few more games before finishing off with a few rounds at the basketball shot machine. Round One: Esteban 41, Amber 18. Round Two: Esteban 60, Amber 32. Round Three: Esteban 68, Amber 13...WHAT!?

We finished our exploring by getting lost. Never realized that all the big casinos were interconnected! This is a detail that would have been nice to know of from the start. Couldn't figure out where we were, nor how to make it back to where we had come in. It took a few trips in and out to even notice all the skyways connecting the towering giants. Eventually, we made it back to where we parked and made fun of ourselves the whole way.

It was 2:17 and decided we'd make our way to Utah. It was gonna be a 7-hour drive. It amazed me -though I had made that trip before - to see just how much land there is in the United States with no hint of developement. For hours...we saw nothing but desert sand and rocks. Our trek was elongated due to all the construction on 80. In many parts, we had to tick off 20 miles/hour off the speedometer and hurdle the noise barrier (grooves meant to alert a sleepy or distracted driver from going off the side of the road) between the lanes and the shoulder of the highway. This made getting to Salt Lake City a very long ride.

We made it in at 11:30. The young lady who checked us in offered us dinner tokens and the room automatically came with a complimentary breakfast. We had only stopped for a snack while gassing up the car about 2 hours before the Utah State Line, but decided to head straight for bed. Then, in the insomniac fashion I can't seem to shake since Mom first got sick a few weeks ago (more to come about this), I woke at 4:40ish and couldn't get back to sleep. I even took a nice warm bath to try to relax. It was only several hours later after eating breakfast that I felt sleepy again. I took a much needed nap and now we are trying to figure out what to go see before we make it back onto the road.

We are doing well, and I am very thankful and feeling so blessed at having all of our friends and family rooting us on and check in with us as we make our way east. Life is wonderful...and I miss my Kids!!!

Reno, Nevada

Wow...leaving California was harder than we thought. Have some editting to do on my drafts of our countdown to departure, so I'll post those later. I'm sitting in the motel lobby of an EconoLodge in Reno, Nevada. There's only a 15 minute usage time allowed...I've been on for 20. Oops.

We made it from San Jose to Reno lastnight. Got a much later start than expected because there is always "something"...grrr! There's quite a bit of traffic, so we are headed now to go walk for a bit in downtown before hitting the road again.

Today's haul will be "short"...if 7 hours could be considered short. Aiming to get to Salt Lake, Utah. Next big stop/populated area would be Cheyenne, Wyoming...but that would add another 6 hours to my day. Shortly, we'll start to "lose" time anyway due to time changes. This way, we'll have an early evening to catch up on rest, and get up early tomorrow for a longer haul. Or so I say...nothing has gone as planned, but that's life :)...I just keep holding on and adapting to the flow.

We had a wonderful drive, and it amazes me that we never run out of things to say. I love being with the one and I never get sick of being around. Ok...we're off to the slots. Yes, it's only 8am. Wish us luck, lol.

He Lives

Ollie the Fish survived!

So, I have really, really, needed to clean out his aquarium. I have been avoiding it. I haven't dealt with pet fish since I was 14-ish. I had this terrible anxiety building inside, fear that I would end up killing the poor thing. It's not like he's going with us, but I am a compassionate fool and I don't believe I'd ever forgive myself had something happened.

Luckily, we have been given permission to gift the fishie to Esteban's little godson. He's only 3 1/2 years old, so big brother and sister will be helping him.

The Parade of Good-byes

So last night it began. I've been avoiding it for fear of being too emotional. Very dear friends have asked for quiet time together before we leave. Yesterday I did break down and go spend some time with a friend who wanted to say good-bye privately. She really surprised me and I want her to know, all that was said, touched me to the core. Thank you. I truly appreciate the loving words, praise and encouragement you shared with me my friend. Thank you and all of the family. Tears and laughter, memories I will treasure. It is so hard to part ways physically, but our kindred spirits will always be intertwined.

No Margaritas?

So, because I've spent the last 2 years being pregnant, giving birth and recovering...I've rarely had that "night out on the town" time with friends (shoot, one date with Esteban last November, pretty sad). I am often invited but usually have to turn my gal pals down. This is one of the reasons we are anxious to be closer to family. We just don't have the ability to lend the kiddies to someone else for a couple of hours so that we can do something for ourselves on a regular basis. And no...I'm not forgetting the handful of you that have offered - it's just hard to ask for time, even from really good friends.

Anyway, so while nothing has been set in stone, my buddies have mentioned a farewell gathering during Happy Hour at one of the regular spots. All but one of the get-togethers over the last 24 months, I've been prego and unable to indulge in a cocktail. Not that I'm a big drinker or anything. It’s just nice to have a little bit of a buzz now and again with friends while toasting good news. Earlier this morning. I learned that one of my gals is expecting and so now we'll be teasing her about having to sip on virgin drinks and water.

Not terribly interesting, but I thought it was funny!

It's Ok to Sleep

I've been given permission to sleep. Not that I actually needed permission of course. Just really needed someone to tell me to shut up and do it. Of course Esteban has been trying to convince me to get my rest for weeks now. With so much that has transpired in the last 5 weeks, so much time that got re-organized, it is hard to program my mind and override the panic emanating from within.

Our timeline was thrown out the window. At the beginning of May, Mom arrived to visit me here in California for the last time before we make our big move to the Hoosier state. She fell very ill almost immediately. By the fourth day she was hospitalized. I have never seen her so sick, so weak. It was truly scary and yet I had to put on a brave face for her and for my children. Hooked-up on oxygen machines and IV tubes...she wasn't going anywhere for quite some time. In the beginning, I wasn't really sure she would make it.

Now that she is recuperating and has returned to Indy, my plans have been placed on super fast-forward mode. Suddenly, I only have 9 days to finish packing, cleaning and getting ready to hit the road. There is so much to do...and so much more I will have to cancel from my "to do" list.