Wow. Summer hits life like a freight train heading full speed ahead.  I feel like I am on it and there is no getting off even for a second. I haven't blogged since we moved and now it's months later and we have been too busy doing so many things. I'm way behind.  Moving is a ton of work, and add to that a baby that doesn't really sleep and summer time and you get a mom way behind on everything.  So enough about why I'm behind. 

Catching Up

Holy Cow!  It's a miracle!! I finally figured out how to get my pictures from my new cell phone to my computer.  My phone is an Android and my computer is a Mac- so it makes it difficult.  Plus my new phone is the Galaxy S6 and it doesn't have an SD card so I can't take the card out and put it in my computer.  I'm so computer illiterate. 
Anyways, I figured it out.  And now I've got a TON of blogging to do to catch up!  It's been a whirl wind of a time the last 3 months with moving and everything.  We are LOVING our new house.  It's not perfect- but it's a huge step up from our previous house. 
Anyways, it's late and I'm tired, but here are some random pictures I took during the move.  Enjoy!

Getting Things Done

Well I finally feel like I am getting my feet back under me! Last week I pretty much had a meltdown.  I felt so behind on everything and my house was a wreck.  Darren said, "Listen babe, make of list of what you want to get done and I'll help you do it.  We're a team."  It made me feel so much better.  So Saturday he helped me with my list.  Which was all sorts of odds and ends from moving, such as; hang up towel racks in bathroom, put up shelves in Paul's room, put up curtain rods, clean garage, hang mirror, straighten up the attic, take cardboard to the recycling spot, etc. The both of us worked feverishly the entire day Saturday.  I feel so much better.  I can finally hang up my towel when I get out of the shower.  I can't understand how people could live here for 10 years with ONE towel hook in the bathroom.  Regardless of the lack of hooks, we love the house.  We opened the pool last week and have been getting it ready.  Today was the first time we got in the pool! It was so exciting!  Ellie had some friends over and it was a blast.   Oh, and I unpacked the last box on Saturday.  So things are going well.

Overwhelmed

Some days I feel great.  Some days I so completely and utterly overwhelmed.  Today was one of the latter. Having 5 kids is a lot of people.  It's a lot of everything.  A lot of dishes. A lot of laundry. A lot of groceries.  A lot of food, cooking, cleaning, errands, carpooling, money etc.  Pretty much all of my time.  Add a dog that constantly runs away and threw-up 4 times yesterday and a cat that threw-up twice and gets hair everywhere.  My house is a wreck.  I have so much I still haven't done from moving. Oh, and my car won't fit in the garage.  I'm going to bed and hopefully I'll feel better tomorrow.

Behind

Well, I'm back.  Sort of.  We just got back from a 10 day hiatus to Utah and Colorado.  I feel so behind on everything! I still haven't even finished moving in.  Moving is SO much work! I feel like I work all day, everyday, and still am totally living in an unpacked house.  When we move I usually try to have every last box unpacked within 6 weeks.  I think I'm past my deadline.  Having a 8 month old that won't sleep during the day makes unpacking practically impossible.  Oh well.  At least he's really cute and snugly.  Each day I just do my best.

Raising a Genius

When you meet Ellie you might think that she just a normal sweet little 12 year old. Well, check out her Oregon state test scores.  She said she got the 2nd highest in her school.  I think I'm raising an Athena.

In love

All right.  I'm back.  It took about a month to get my life under control from the move.  We just moved about a mile and a half away.

Here's the deal.   I am really enjoying my new house.  Like, really enjoying it.  It's not perfect- but it's WAY better than our old house and I think I'm in love.   I have never felt like this about a house.  Typically I fix it up to sell it to make money and that's all I really care about. I am always fine with moving.  I don't get emotional about moving.  Our family hasn't really felt settled since we moved from Rigby 9 years ago.  I was very impervious when we moved from Tennessee, Florida, and our last house.  None of our kids have really cared when we have moved.   But now, I see how people can get sad when they move.  I really like it here.  I really feel like I've found a new love.  I love our house, I love our neighborhood, I love the park across the street, I love the 3 car garage and huge driveway.  I love our hot tub and I'm going to LOVE the pool and covered patio.  I love Darren's ping pong table in the garage.  We put chairs around it and all hang out there while Gabe rides his bike around the driveway.  It's heaven.  I think we may have found a home for us for a good while.  My kids are all so happy.  They love it here too.  It feels good.  Like really good.