I'm Hooked!

Okay, I know I'm a little slow, since EVERYONE has been raving about these books for months now. What can I say, I haven't read a book, that wasn't a how-to, informational, or self-help book, in, well probably 8 years. I know I'm horrible! I just don't make the time.

My mother-in-law finally took pity on me, and just ordered me the whole set. (Thanks mom!) I started on the first book last night, after dinner. I had a hard time forcing myself to put it down at 3:30am, to go to bed. I woke up and finished it today. Yes, I've been a horrible unattentive mother today. I think they'll forgive me though. So, I finished that 500 page book, less than 20 hours after I opened it. That's impressive for me, since I've been working on the tiny, 200 page book, The Secret, for like 6 months now!

Caitlin is excited that I'm done with it, so she can start reading it. I don't dare open the next book, until the kids are safely in bed!

So, now I wish that I would have taken a little more interest, when part of the movie, that comes out in December, was filmed accross the street by work. Oh well!

A Little Fun Around The Apartment

We seem to end up by the pool pretty much every day. It keeps the kids busy and gives the poor lady downstairs a break from their steps. We're still working on our apartment ettiquete. My children can't seem to walk without a bounce(or jump) in their step. I feel like just recording "walk softly!" and replaying it all day.

Caitlin spends her time jumping in, doing underwater somersaults, swimming, and making friends.

Caleb loves being in the water and swimming around, but he pretty much sticks by the edge, whenever other kids are in the pool. I don't know what to do with him!

I do feel QUITE guilty spending my days by the pool, while Ryan works his 7th, over 12 hour day, in a row. Poor guy. They are suppose to open tomorrow. So, I don't forsee a break in his near future.

I think my kids are enjoying their own tub a little too much. It seems to be a new toy. This is how I found them the other day. In their "boat" on a sea creature "tour."

PS~ I'm really NOT starving Caleb to death. He just looks like a pile of skin and bones in the picture. I promise! :)

A Little Exploring

We took the hour drive down to Colorado Springs and visited the Garden of The Gods. It was gorgeous!

My delightful son! He was very upset to be walking in the sand, because it was getting on his feet! :)

He eventually came around and had a blast climbing around on the rocks.

My Boys

I was absolutely in love with these tiny little chipmunks that were running around everywhere.

Our future archiologist spent most of her time looking and digging at the rocks.

You'll notice Caleb is holding his hand funny in most of the pictures. Yes, I clipped his nails. This is our weekly battle. He screams and cries EVERY time and then holds his hands like he's been mortally wounded, for about 24 hours. Oh the traumas of being 4!

What a view!

Jump!

The kid's did pretty good hiking. We probably walked over 3 miles. We were all tired.

Our Very Humble Abode

Well, we finally made it into an apartment. We had hoped to find a furnished place, because we didn't want to bring all our stuff out and unpack some and store some, and then pack it all back up to move to a house. Unfortunately the only furnished apartments that we could find were $3,000+ a month. So, we settled on unfurnished, but still struggled to find something that was available now, offered a 3 month lease, and was in the school district we wanted. We really like this place though. It's in a little gated community with a bike path out back, pool, playground, and nicely manicured grounds. Caitlin's favorite part is the vacant lot by the front gate that serves as a home to probably 20 prarie dogs. They are always standing up in a row on the hill as we come and go. They are pretty funny. There are also cute little bunnies everywhere. When we walked on the path the other night, we probably saw 10.

We're on the second floor.

The view from the bottom of our stairs.

There is a little pond inside this fence.

It was quite an exhasting adventure the day we moved in. We had to get to the apartment, sign the lease and all that stuff, unload our two cars, up the stairs, in 90 degree weather, still getting use to the altitude, get Ryan to work and me get back to the hotel to get another load of suitcases, all before we had to check out of the hotel at 11. We were pooped! I was SO sore the next day.

Our cars breathed a huge sigh of relief, when all of this was unloaded. This was probably about half of the stuff we had. Ryan's trunk was still full and I still had 5 large suitcases and duffle bags full of clothes in mine.

Before I had finished unloading the car, Caitlin had claimed the walk-in-closet as her bedroom and had it all set up. Yes, that's how deprived my children are!

I don't know why this picture is so blurry. I think I was a little shakey from all the loading and unloading.:)

We're starting to get stuff situated a little. We've bought a couple things that we can use after we move. I din't want to buy real furniture, since obviously we already have that at home. We still need to find a few more things though. It is definately very bare, but I guess we have our essentials. I think we did pretty good on our packing. I haven't found much that we forgot. The only thing that we've had to buy that we already have at home was a garbage can. I had one I was going to pack, but it didn't quite make it into the cars. I also wish I had packed more dishes. I only packed about half of them, not thinking about having a dishwasher. So, we can't really fill the dishwasher up, before we need the dishes that are in it. Oh well.


The kid's room(and turtles).

Yes, Caitlin is still sleeping in the closet. I guess if it makes her happy, who am I to stop her.

The kid's bathroom

Yay, no more pee on MY seat!

Our bedroom

Our bathroom

The living room

Notice the TV, playstation 2, and playstation 3 were all essentials. I guess I can't say anything since the computer was my essential. ;)

The kitchen, dining room, office

So, we're doing pretty good. I'm doing much better now that we have the internet. I still need to get our "own." We are kind of borrowing from someone's wireless connection for now. We still need to get something for the TV. We have all pathetically had a hard time this week with no internet and nothing on TV except the kid's movies we brought. Ryan and I reached an all time low the other night, when we cuddled up and watched the cartoon Surf's up, AFTER the kid's went to bed! What can I say we're spoiled by technology and can't even rough it for a couple months without it!

Pictures from our last week in Oregon

Caleb got to play at the park one last time with his buddy Tyler.

These boys and their weapons!

I think he's been shot!

Caleb loves his Teacher Debbie!

We enjoyed seeing all of dad's side of the family out at grandma and grandpa's. I didn't get very many pictures though.

:(

Caitlin enjoys bugging her Uncle Justin.

Her and Nicholas always play for hours.

Caitlin the water dog got her years worth of swimming in the pool, before we left.

Caleb stuck pretty close to the deck!

Final goodbye to Nana at the airport. Caitlin shed many tears that day.