We've been all sorts of busy since I last posted. I'll just try and give a run down of a few things that have been going on.

1) Put an offer on a house in July. It was accepted and we had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get it to close. It had been in foreclosure and needed additional paperwork to close. We finally got it to close on September 30.

2) That was the beginning of 3 months of major work on the house. Re-texturing of walls, tiling of floors, ripping out of kitchens and baths, painting, dump trips, extraction of bees from the wall, cleaning out the birds nests in the attic, rat's nests in walls and under stuff....not to mention the packing up of the old house and moving it.

3) We spent our first night in the new house about a week before Christmas and moved the last boxes in on December 30, 2011.

4) We are Christmas dinner at the table in our wonderful new kitchen....and haven't eaten there since then. With the moving, the table has been buried. It was a lovely meal.

5) I was hired in October 2011 to be the music teacher at Laie Elementary school. It is the best job ever! I have fun all day long! It took me a couple of months to be really comfortable with the planning and teaching and it is going really well.

6) I auditioned for the Sound of Music and got a part! I'm a nun and the 2nd place winner at the Festival. I get to bow exceedingly. :)

7) The girls are in a children's choir and love it. They still do gymnastics. Erin will be on the May Day court as a lady in waiting. She's super excited! She'll dance a hula with the other girls. Krista participated in History Day, the only 4th grader from our school. It was a good experience for her.

8) Dallin just finished his Eagle project. He also got accepted to BYUH. He turns 18 on Thursday. I could just about freak out. :|

9) Jacob is a good worker around the house. He still plays his french horn at school. After seeing The Piano Guys video on cello wars, a take on Star Wars, he has started cello lessons. He'll be 16 in 2 1/2 weeks. I could just freak out. :|

10) Shane works hard and has made the house a wonderful, beautiful place. We still have much to do, which depresses him, but we just keep plugging away!

We are happy and healthy and life just keeps moving but we enjoy every day!

The Mozart Group

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLYgVbVRoqk

Very talented and funny quartet!

Yeah, a funny follow up

No, I haven't written in a while. Yes, there are things I really should write about. As I opened this up today, I saw the "Grrrr...." and so here is the funny follow up. That teacher (who took my students) decided that she was going to go home for a couple of weeks. A few days before going she decided to leave permanently. She will not be coming back. How's that for typical?

Grrrrr.....

It's hard enough to be fat and (almost) forty, but things just aren't going my way. I had the mom and dad of two of my violin students show up at the door tonight. Never a good sign. The third daughter had taken lessons until a few months ago but got attitude-y at home and they let her quit. Now they decided to send all three to a different teacher! I take lessons from this teacher and admit that she is better than me. She has a masters degree and is young and skinny -BUT- she is learning from me and my experience. I'm frustrated because I'm trying to build up a program in a community where I plan to live long term. She is not going to be here long term. The parents said that she was concerned at how I would take the news. Graciously on the outside, stand on my chest and crush me on the inside. I've had time to think about it. It hasn't killed me yet so it will apparently make me stronger.

Blogging Girlies

I've got blogging girlies now! I guess I'll have to try and keep up with them!

I have been working full-time as a substitute teacher at the local school. I am teaching 3rd grade. For part of the day I am Sweet Pea's teacher. Sometimes that is good. Sometimes that is not. She would rather have me be her mom than her teacher. So, in a couple of weeks, she won't be in my class anymore since we rotate every quarter. I have enjoying being "thrown into the fire" to learn so much at once, but it can be very stressful sometimes! The requirements of teachers is mind-blowing. Right now there is no teacher for art, music, or PE. If those subjects are to be covered, the teacher does it. We get recess to prep, if there aren't kids who didn't finish their work and need to stay in. We get 30 minutes for lunch followed by another recess. The job requires a lot of planning ahead and being prepared to fill in at the last minute if a plan falls apart or goes too fast. Right now, I'm a little tired. I may need to take a day off. They'll have to get a sub for the sub!

Dallin has been a very cute and busy little beaver. He asked his first girl out on a date. Oooooooh! They went to see "Tangled" on campus. He turned 17. They went on another date. Next day, they went on a picnic and watched off the Point for whales. They saw whales. He seems a giddy little boy. Very fun to watch!

I found the floor to the laundry area yesterday. It had been AWOL for some time. It took 7 loads of wash to find it. Maybe it's time to donate a boatload of stuff....

Funny word mix up

Saturday nights at the grocery store here in Laie are quite busy. Lots of people and long lines, but everyone visits with everyone so it's not a miserable experience. Tonight it was me, Shane, Erin and Krista. We get in line and are a little crammed between the guy in front of us (whom we know but he was already talking to the guy in front of him) and the ice cube case. Erin announces to Shane, "I'm feeling a little constipated..." at which he looks at her quirky and quizzically. Then she says, "Wait, I think I mean....claustrophobic....."

I've been working on the how-owse...

Saturday I tackled the deep clean of the bathrooms. I shouldn't be surprised at how dirty the kid's bathroom gets in between adult cleanings. But the adult cleaning hasn't happened in quite a while. I know we can all say "ewww." It looks so much better now! Shane and the boys did a lot of yard shaping up. They mowed the lawn, weed whacked, cleared corners of trash and other undesirables, filled in holes, replanted plants--a very accomplishing day of work in the yard. Today was a holiday so we divided up. The boys finished the patio, I worked in the garage with the girls and while I thought Shane was grading, he was actually working on our bedroom and closet. Happy Surprise! I think we got the whole garage swept except for the spot under the pile of laundry. I threw out bunches of piles of stuff on my desk. I'll finish to the desk and shelves one night this week. The boys keep asking me, "If the inspection is next week, why are we cleaning now?" I replied, "Because it took us a whole day to do the garage and patio?????" I think it's time for them to have jobs outside the home.....

Jet lag

I hope you're not planning to read too long. Jet lag is killing me, not really, just dragging me down! Early bed for moi! All but me and one boy are in bed and in about 5, it'll be just one boy not in bed. :)

I hope my descendants aren't relying on me...

Isn't is obvious that I am terrible at journaling? I hope that the most important facts get written down and read and will be helpful someday. It seems however, that you're either going to get the highs or lows from me. The in between is probably going to slip through the cracks. Tonight I just need to write and since I think no one reads this (since my posts are so few and far between...) here is going to be my outlet. I think....

I knew how I was going to write before I started typing, now it has slipped my mind, how I was going to write it, that is. I wish someone were awake for me to call and talk to. Earlier I thought of how it would be if my mom happened to call at that very moment (a very bad moment). Would I be able to put on my best telephone voice and pretend cheerful for her? Or would I be downright honest with what is really on my mind?

Today was fast and testimony Sunday at church. I got up and, among other things, told all the women in the room how very happy I had been lately. I had the opportunity to suffer from depression on and off during the years while I was in school. I have felt quite whole lately and truly blessed. I have had a good week and tried not to be annoyed with anything going on in the family and it has worked. I was excited that things have been going so well. Today we had to have a talk about how things should run around the house. Someone tried to rain on my positivity parade. It didn't work for a while. Then after the silent/avoidance treatment all day I couldn't take it anymore and spent most of the evening crying. At the moment I feel slightly better. Maybe it's the getting-it-out approach. The one who needs to talk about it is NOT a talker. I've asked to talk about it... "I just want to be alone..." is all I get. It hurts my feelings because then I'm sure I did something wrong. Allow the rain or put up the umbrella? I am sooooo torn by the choice right now. How long can I put up with it? How long should I put up with it?

Where did July go?

Latest update. School has started. Erin and I worked together for a week and I decided it would be a rough year. She was grumpy. I was grumpy. We decided to return her to regular public school. She is thrilled to the gills to be mucking about with loads of other 10 year olds! I love her teacher and am looking forward to working with them. Her teacher was her teacher once, for two weeks, before she started kindergarten. She took a picture of Erin for that class and when she brought it home I was so surprised at how much we look alike! See for yourself!

Incoming on Friday!

Shane and Dallin will be home on Friday. We've had some good times while they were away but are excited for them to come home! We mostly kicked back and relaxed, but we worked really hard sometimes, too! I'm including pictures...ward camp, ice skating, other funny moments.

What's with the blog?

Krista's pic got cut off....here it is...all by itself.

A couple of pictures....

The one of Jacob was sent by Poppy from Michigan. It's also "sleep over until Daddy gets home" as per the girls. They sleep on the floor in my room, or rather, Krista likes to sleep on the end of bed bench (which does't fit at the end of the bed due to room layout). Isn't she funny? Pics of Erin another day...the camera cord is in Alaska. I took the ones of Krista with my phone.

Shane gone, Day One (full day)

Shane has emailed and said he has no cell (roaming only) and no internet ($10 a day) unless he's willing to pay big bucks. He can use the computer in the lobby of the hotel, after waiting in line, with all the other grumpy people. So, he may check email once or twice a day. I've decided to make the emails I send as long and detailed as possible, so that he won't be tempted to call. Here is the first installment:

Ward camp is next week and I refuse to go with an air mattress. So, we went to Walmart to get me one, along with a few other things. We decided to try out the solar lights. Got a few of those stuck in the front yard in the sun as soon as we pulled in to see if they work. Got rustoleum to paint the new tent poles. Will get that done before we go over. Yes, I'll try to set up the new tent on my own. It'll be an adventure to write about! We also got some food snacks and fun activities for the girls to do while there: rock painting, clothes pin dolls, and some other thing they were really excited about, oh yes, and a couple hundred water balloons! Hee hee heee. We'll be like toads who drink all day waiting to pee on you when you pick them up. We'll fill balloons all day waiting for someone to show up and play with us and we'll get 'em! I also found another sheet for the boy's blankets-not for camp, but ya know.

Lunch: A&W, for the rootbeer, of course but today there was a bonus! Johnsonville brats! Guess what I got! Yum! My fat content for three days in one sitting! Youngest got scolded for belching in a public place without trying to repress in any way, shape or form. I do hope she will never do it again!

Costco: As always, get gas first. Well the guy in line in front of me, who by the way, backed up right into my lane from another lane as I was pulling up. That should've been my first clue. He pumps his gas. Then gets in his van and sits there. The guy in front of him has an older pick up with two tanks and a big black fold down tailgate. After waiting several minutes, I get out and go ask him is he is able to move. He says, with what is probably a natural state of very bad attitude, "Do you think I could get around him without scratching my car?!" I play dumb, "Oh, I didn't see how big his tailgate was..." He gives me his "I told you so look" and nods at me. I walk back toward the van but first walk around the back of his to see how much room there is. P-L-E-N-T-Y. I could have made it through. But I'm too nice to tell some man that I don't know what I really thought: "Yes, I think if you really try, you could make it through. Since I'm parked WAY behind that white line I'm supposed to stop at, you have plenty of room to back up and GET OUT OF THE WAY!!'' Shopping was fine. Lots of samples, mmmmm. Jacob called while there. He's doing good. They set up a vending machine for someone today. Don't really have all the details, but he had fun doing it. He will be back at Grammie and Poppy's tomorrow. He says that Grammie and Poppy's is too quiet. I agree. He let the girls yak at him for a minute. Then when he got me back on the phone, he kept telling me how many minutes we'd been on the phone. That's his SUBTLE way of reminding me that we've talked long enough. I say something completely off subject and ignore him. He's still our funny Jacob.

We made it home safely and unloaded, even without y'all here to help. Oh, and I even got the garbage out last night too! The sleeping arrangements are apparently "sleep over in Mommy's room" until everyone is back. I don't like leaving them over on the other side of the house alone. So, they sleep on the floor. Krista wants to sleep on the little bench. I put her on pillows on the floor and during the night she crawled up to the bench. Very funny that child! Erin slept on the fouton on the floor. My only request is that they NOT sleep in the bed with me, so kicking them out again when you come home shouldn't be too hard.

I'm eating leftover chicken salsa for dinner. The girls are eating seaweed and rice with chopsticks. Doesn't sound too yummy to me, but they are happy. Now they are done and unloading the dishwasher. I had to tell them that there are no boys here to do the work, we have to do it ourselves. I'll keep on them while you're gone. Don't ease up on them when you come back or they'll let the boys do everything again. I don't like that idea. :) Tonight, some cleaning, probably a movie. Hmm....need dessert....Tomorrow, cleaning, paint tent poles, start to pack for camp on Monday, pick up Japanese girls at 5, luau at Hukilau after that.....and write my Shaney, of course!

Girl Party!

As of 10 am HST, it's girls only at the Gold's house! For three weeks!! Whatever shall we do? The girls have requested ice skating, Dole Plantation and the mall. That all sounds like fun! I think we'll start with the mall right away! And eating dinner out....and....who knows??? :)

Gardening Experiment-Day 15

The cuke plant pic is on it's side, I don't know why...there is a new tomato plant-Romas, only up a week. The cukes are doing pretty good. Some, we think are not getting enough sun. But then comes the trick of enough sun without the exposure to the salt air that kills them. We'll have to move them from hook to hook til we get it right! For the most part, it's looking okay so far.

Gardening Experiment-Day 9

The progress:

Let the lessons begin

Someone on Jacob's flight had a medical emergency. The flight turned around after just over an hour out. The paramedics came and carried a passenger off. After refueling, re-whatevering, they are about 5 hours late. I am very glad that I got Jacob a cell phone before this trip. It's been very good to be able to keep in touch with him through this all. He seems to be taking it well enough. He will survive with out us there on this one. I knew it to be possible, and it's time for him to grow up in some ways, but oh, how I want to be there to help him!

Where do the days go?

The entire summer is pretty much planned. Jacob here, Shane & Dallin there, me somewhere else, Scout camp, summer school, teaching....it's good, but where do the days go? Will I miss them? Yes, I do already, knowing that there seem to be so few of them.