{Little Miss Araleigh}

Araleigh's first day of Preschool in Spokane with Teacher Barbara

Araleigh has started school again this year and she absolutely LOVES it. Her teacher is so great which I was SO WORRIED about. Her school teacher last year was hard to beat and I think I found the one teacher that is just like her. We went to her open house for the preschool last Saturday. It was absolutely wonderful. The set up is wonderful and she was highly recommended. I am SO lucky to have got her in this preschool. Everyone that we have talked to has told us that. Everything has worked out so smoothly in that way. The one thing that I like about this teacher is that she is going to challenge her. She truly is a Pre-K teacher and is already having them do homework and writing their names. I am glad she is aggressive because Araleigh needs it because she is so eager to learn. This was her first homework assignment for the weekend. We finished it tonight. We had to create a Araleigh look a like out of anything we wanted to and then Araleigh will take it back next week and they will put it on the cover of their work books. It turned out cute!

On Sunday, I was so lucky to have SO many nice people come up to me and get me right into the mist of things. One of the women that sat by me instantly asked me if I was interested in getting Araleigh in dance. Well, little did she know I had already had Araleigh signed up for like 4 free classes with different people to try and see what I liked best. The problem was that I had been stressing HARD about it all that weekend because they were all so expensive. Well, this women said she and alot of the other moms were taking their girls (yes, TONS of sunbeams (3 sunbeam classes, 15 girls and only 3 boys. DRAMA) to this girl. She was cheap and no registration fee. I was instantly amazed. So I tried it this week and because all her little friends were in that class Araleigh absolutely loved it. I really wanted her to do gymnastics but maybe next year!

I do have to say-- I have been emotionally torn being here but it has been wonderful being able to have Cory come home at night and eat as a family. Something that I didn't realize how much I missed. The family time sitting together and talking is something I have realized I really cherish. I really hope I can instill that and keep that a tradition. No Tv just us. The people here seem to be good and I am slowly getting used to it. But I do find myself still very emotional at some points during the day. Like tonight Araleigh was playing out on the swings and Canden was asleep and all I could think about was being home with my parents, visiting while Araleigh played. I really miss my mom and dad and spending lunch and dinner with them almost every day. It's hard to call them and hear all the family doing things or them with the other grandkids. I just don't want my kids to not know them.

{Boys}

Canden never seems to stay out of trouble! After dinner tonight I went to give our new neighbor treats that I made in excess and literall 5 minutes later came back in and heard Cory yelling: "Nicole, COME LOOK WHAT YOUR SON DID . . . " This is what I found. .. .

Yes, he decided to give himself a quick relaxing bath before bedtime! lol

He has been OBSESSED with this sink since we moved in. I have ALWAYS caught him though before its gotten this far. He learned to get up on the toilet -- then push off the top of the toilet and get up on the counter. I always have caught him in mid air getting up on the counter. Cory obviously doesn't have the mother instinct and said he heard the water turning on and off but didn't think about it. . . then when he went to find him he looked in the bathroom then moved on trying to find him he said " Well, I didn't think to look IN THE SINK." lol MEN.

Funny Day

Well, its been a fairly okay week. Good thing my sister in law came down and saved me from my own sanity! They came down and spent the weekend. Araleigh absolutely loved having Preston here to play with. Parker and Canden--- they just stole toys from each other and Canden punched him a lot. lol Poor little kid. On Saturday we took the kids to the fair and let the kids ride the rides. The babies-- were saints. Sat in the stroller and just chilled. We went to the fair a family of 4 and came home a family of 5. Yes, Araleigh (AND PRESTON) both landed a ball in the tiny fish bowls and won goldfish. She was so excited she kept petting the bag the entire way home. She loves it! She named it flipper. . . It was a good weekend.

Today (Sunday) we went to our new ward. Many really nice people. A lot of younger people -- 3 sunbeam classes . . . and many phone numbers were received today. I was a little shocked at all the REALLY nice women that came right up to me and offered their numbers and pushed me right in. Something I need because I shut down in new situations. You can tell the Mormons here are very close and intertwined. I think it will be good. The only thing I am nervous about is . . . it seems like a bit of a rich ward. Lots of wealthy people. The speakers today were a younger couple (Well, early 30's) but he was a doctor. I think there is a lot of that in this ward.
Now, Canden at church=NIGHTMARE. I thought ELEVEN o'clock church was bad. NOPE nine is WAY WORSE. That is when his VERY MUCH NEEDED nap is. He screamed the entire time and Cory took him and had to let him run around outside. I was SO glad. Cory didn't want to have him at all. But I said no way . . . I really needed to go to relief society to get to know some people. So after church we came home -- Canden fell asleep as SOON as he hit the carseat -- in fact he looked a bit morbid he was so exhausted. We went home and for the first time in over a year. (yes, correct OVER A YEAR!) I MADE SUNDAY DINNER. Because of our situation of living with the Arnolds and living by our parents . . we ALWAYS went to their house for Sunday dinner. It was SO weird being by ourselves today. About 4pm after dinner and naps--- Cory said "hmmm should we go to Lacey's?" lol His sister lives 2 hours away. We were pretty bored and weren't sure how to deal. Maybe next week we can plan better and have some family things planned to do with the kids so we don't go nuts! But we did have 3 incidents to keep us entertained:

1) I was trying REALLY hard to nap or relax while Cory was on kid duty (so much for watching kids) because all the sudden Araleigh was frantically screaming and just mumbling out words. Well, I thought Canden got her fish or something and dumped it out. NOPE . . I went in and she was screaming CANDEN POOPED ON THE FLOOR. I look down -- yep big slab of crap on the floor and a few smears here and there. Well, Araleigh didn't see it and got it on her hand. Thats why she was freaking. Well, I got it taken care of and she ran to the bathroom and washed and scrubbed her hands for at least 10 minutes. She was SO grossed out. Canden just smiled with his 4 (almost 6) little teeth showing. He is the biggest stinker.

2)I went in to get Canden from his nap and ALL blankets, clothes, AND diaper were thrown out. I walked in to a little boy buck naked with his little dinger sticking between the bars. All I heard was "MAAAAAAAAAAAM MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM". Seriously he is a turd. I couldn't believe he got himself naked. HILARIOUS. I am still trying to figure out which things he peed on if any.

3) He learned how to blow a kiss . . and it is SO CUTE! He is SO LOUD . . and sadly he gets this from his father. . . but he loves blowing kisses now. Who knew that a cute little face like this could be such a little nightmare?

Day 1 as a Washingtonian

Day One: Not Successful.

Today has been a terrible day. 2-- possibly three breakdowns. For some reason the one day that I knew would be a hard one my kids (BOTH OF THEM) decided to be as bad and naughty as their little bodies could handle. I swear ---- they were in trouble % of this day. At one point I even had to just go put Canden in his crib and let him cry til he fell asleep cuz he was being so naughty. It was horrible. Araleigh had an attitude that just made me cringe and discipline did not work whatsoever. I would put her on time out -- then she'd volumize the attitude and state "I DONT HAVE TO" and walk away from time out like she could give a rip what I did. Yes, this was all day and I felt completely walked all over by my 3 and 1 year old. I know most of the problem is that we have been going going and going some more with Cory not living with us -- we were always off to Grandmas every other night for dinner, with cousins at the summer festivities, or just going to the park. Well, we move up here -- we know no one, there is nothing to do, and now its cold and we can't go to the park. (It has been raining and freezing the past 2 days.) I am just praying PRAYING praying . . . tomorrow is a brighter day. I couldn't stop my break downs and had to call my mom. It was a small relief when Cory got home (FOR THE ONE HOUR before we put them to bed). Now he is off to Oregon tomorrow and I have to push through the next few days on my own--- while trying to keep my sanity. The problem I noticed is that our house is so much bigger than our place before -- so now I cannot hear the kids and what they are doing like before. I found so many messes and just naughty things they did today. I went into make a complaint call to the Dish people who had come and set up our dish the hour before (they screwed up our phone lines) . . . FIVE MINUTES. I come back out and Araleigh dumped all the Trix cereal out on Canden and was letting him throw it all over. She got in BIG trouble and sat in time out. Well, 10 minutes later I got a phone call back and went in the other room (my kids tend to scream when Im on the phone) came back 5 minutes later and she did it again. She pretty much didn't give an inch about how she was in trouble. . . then there is Canden Boy. MONSTER. He is INTO EVERYTHING, CLIMBING on EVERYTHING, and HITTING EVERYTHING. I seriously have NO idea how to instill discipline in a 1 year old. His tantrums are seriously class A. He has got them down to a science. But I am hoping that today was just a bad day. Tomorrow will be better and I am hoping that I can maintain sanity. I am trying to finish up getting the house put together --- so hard finding spots for all the crap from the old house(s). anyways, I will get pix on our new place up soon I hope.

{Pleasantly Suprised}

We Moved. I cried twice. Then we pulled up to our new home. I love it. I am seriously impressed with Cory. There is SO much space, the rooms are huge and my closet and bathroom are huge too! I FINALLY have enough space to put up ALL my decor (and still am going to go shopping for more :) shh don't tell Cory!) I am not sure how I will be next week when I am finally there alone --- but it was okay up there. It was nice having Cory come home at 6 and me not worry about being alone at night. I got everything done --- all the decor is up and all that is left is 2 weird boxes with odd ball stuff and the garage to get organized with all our storage. Not having my kids there for those 3 days I got so much done. We are back for Labor day and then off on our new journey. I really am struggling with the fact that I will be so out of touch with the world -- but I am just going to suck it up and make a new life. . I have no choice. Araleigh starts school in a little over a week and I think it will be exciting for her. She loves school. As for now no pictures (I do have like 300+) but I am waiting until I am in Spokane-- bored from being friendless and "mom" less and then I will do ALL MY CATCHING UP!



For no here is one picture of Cory and I. I realize we NEVER take pictures together. So crazy I used to snap pictures of us all the time --- but now its me behind the camera snapping pix of the little runts! So here is the one and only that we have . . . . its from Trenton/Macalls Wedding Day.

FAIR FOOD . . . here we come to sweep you off your feet. (I am so stoked. Love the greasy goodness!)