Rumor has it....

Jace got a new job.

In Utah.

He starts a week from Monday.

We are moving again.

Jace told me last night the rumors are true.

I cried.

A Week in Review.

In no particular order.

• I wish I would have remembered before last Sunday night that Macy required a "SuperStar" poster the following morning.

• I wish I had known all the words and dance moves to the new High School Musical 3 movie on Monday night. Jace would have enjoyed sitting by me in the theater that much more.
  



• I wish I would have really believed Macy was sick....and not just disappointed with the cafeteria's menu choices on Wednesday.



• I wish I would have looked in her throat before Friday afternoon and discovered the strep virus covering her insides.


• I wish I had learned of all the free movie selections at our local library before heading to Movie Gallery for a $30 movie night (including the late fees) every Friday.

• I wish I hadn't had picked a fight with my friend, Jace Baum on Election night.


• I wish Addie and Kirsten had been in Flagstaff with the rest of us yesterday.

• I wish I had gone ahead and bought those beautiful black boots yesterday. The ones that cut the circulation off my baby toes. I needed them just this morning. For only 3 hours. My toes would have survived.


• I wish I had been there to see Macy win her way to an undefeated soccer season yesterday.

• I wish my brain was capable of taking Sunday naps, like the rest of my family.
  

• I wish I had been on time to church today. One, to take the sacrament in the chapel and not the foyer. And two, to be there when I was sustained to my new calling - Compassionate Service Leader.


• I wish Macy could stay home more often with me and the boys. No where to go. Nothing to do but stay home and play, draw, talk, laugh, and get better.

• I wish we could have hot chocolate for breakfast, cereal for lunch and biscuits and gravy for dinner more often. Not just when Macy is sick.

• I wish I had cut Noah's hair a couple weeks ago and not this morning. Maybe it will grow back before holiday pictures are taken.

• I wish for this coming week to bring as much happiness as this past one did. Here's to more sick days, less Halloween candy, making-up, early Christmas shopping, cold days, and more lovely children.
  
  

The Baums did their part.

I voted yesterday.

He voted yesterday.

Even she voted yesterday.

We voted for him.

He lost.

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Does John do funny things with his hands when he talks? Yes. Does he make my heart race with excitement? Not really. Is he George Bush? I really don't think so. Would he have been a strong Commander and Chief? Without a doubt.

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This is my new President Elect.

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Did he make history last night? You bet. Is he a brilliant public speaker/campaigner? Yep. Does he have a unique and interesting background/story? Ya. Can he possibly deliver on all of his world changing promises? Probably not.

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I will support my new leader. I want to believe that he has the American people's best interest at heart. I want to believe he will not jeopardize our freedoms. I admire his accomplishment. I want to trust him.

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So why does my stomach start to knot when I'm watching his acceptance speech (on my only fuzzy channel 6) and he starts promising people around the world "in forgotten corners" that we hear them? Why am I so anxious about his save the world policy? Why did I lose so much sleep last night?

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Oh, yea. Because change is here.

I am a Jedi. Like my Father before me.

Jace's father dreams of being a farmer. Jace dreams of being a farmer. And believe it or not this dream has caused us (ME) some grief. He failed to mention this dream during courtship, engagement, and the first two years we were married. I believe it should have been stamped on his forehead. Right in the middle. In big, black, bold type.

Here's another little sweetheart that should have been stamped directly below the "I want to be a cowboy" dream:

HE LOVES STARWARS.

HE DREAMS OF BEING A JEDI.

Jace once stood in line at a movie theater, playing beach volleyball with people in full starwars costume for 6 hours so he could watch the first official midnight showing of Star Wars 3. True story. Isn't there a name for these die hard fans? Nerd, perhaps? Let's get real - I would have married the nerd anyway -stamp and all. I just would have been more "prepared".

In turn his offspring dream about being Jedi(s) and princesses in far, far away galaxies, flying spaceships, packing light sabers, and discovering secret family lineage.

Halloween this year was a dream come true:

May the force be with us all (especially their mother).

I asked for their best StarWars pose in this picture. Yoda didn't pay much attention but was happy to be there. Just pretend there's a light saber in Darth's hands. This was Macy's best Padme pose. And don't even think of calling Padme, Princess Laya - that's her daughter for goodness sake! Get it right people!

Halloween Romance

Jace pretended to fall down to the ground last night on our date. I didn't really appreciate it. His fall came mid my mad dash in a dark and haunted corn field. Growling, crouching creatures were yipping at our legs and a large, chain saw carrying man was on our heels.

"Oh, Jace! Jace, Get up! Jace are you OK?"

He giggled and grinned like a 12 year old.

It wasn't real funny at the time. Just kind of.

Jace and Jordy said Jessica and I screamed like children. Jessica and I said they used us as body shields.

I clung too tight to Jace's middle. My heart raced. We screamed real loud. Jace got "a handful" of the slow walking patron in front of us.

As you can see it was a very romantic night. Though I can think of someone else I'd rather share a bathroom with, I can't think of one other person I'd rather help up and scream with in a haunted corn maze.

Jace.... Will you take me next year? I'll bring my brave heart and pretend that I've been snatched by a monster hiding in the corn. You will scream and rescue me. And then we will laugh and laugh. It will be Halloween romance all over again.

Goodbyes

I remember the day very clearly, or the moment rather. I was 9. Kristi Monson was her name and best friends was our game. My mom and I were dropping her off after our last official sleep over. She would move to Texas the next day. As we pulled into the driveway of that blue house, Kristi mumbled something like goodbye and hopped out of the van. To hug, cry, carry on, and tell each other how much we were going to miss each other would have been too hard and besides we didn't have to. We already knew that our lives would never be the same without each other in it. I thought my heart was going to literally break and the tears never end as I rode home beside my mom. I would not lay eyes on Kristi Monson again until the night of my wedding reception. I have often wondered how different my life would have been if she had stayed in it.

Macy is 6. Mattie Claire is her name. Macy has never loved another like she loves her Mattie, her "spirit sister". They were forced to officially say goodbye last night. Mattie is on her way to the far, far away place of Wisconsin. The girls half heartedly hugged each other, mumbled something like goodbye, looking at their parents like - "is this for real?" and climbed into their separate vehicles. It was then the tears and carrying on started and has yet to stop. Life will not be the same with out Mattie Claire.

There are 6 of us. Sisters. Kirsten is the 2nd oldest. I half heartedly hugged her last night, cried, and mumbled something like goodbye. To tell her how much I love her and how much I'm going to miss her would have hurt too much. Besides, I think she knows. She is my sister. My heart is broken. I do not have to call my other sisters today to know that their hearts are in pieces as well. My life in Snowflake will never be the same. Who's going to call me to say "I'm just checkin' on you" and who's going to come over to hold up pictures on the wall, help with paint chip choices and look up phone numbers for me? I need to hear her smartelic comments, her laugh, and the way she can make my mom laugh. You could hear my mom's heart breaking last night. This day was bound to come. But Kirsten? Never. She married Dan. A true blue Lobo for life. This day was not suppose to come. We have never had to say goodbye. That was the plan, to never have to say goodbye.

Hurry home Flakes.

Oh, and Macy - I lied. You do need a sister. 2 brothers won't do. Every girl needs a friend in the world like a sister. I just happened to luck out. I happen to have 5. I'll see what I can do about that.

Good Finds of Late

Manzanita branch from my Mother's yard.

Have you ever tried to steal a road sign? It's not easy. It was probably the moment I decided to spend the rest of my life with HIM. Doesn't it just belong on Kirsten's white shelves?

Best $5 I've spent in China Town. The only $5 I've spent in China Town.

The boxing gloves are a constant source of smiles, tears, but mostly free entertainment.

Sheets that wrap completely around the mattress. Thank you Ross. My 3rd attempt.

Halloween birds found at the local Dollar store. Dollar Tree to be exact. We have 3 you know.

Love note from a daughter. She too was so impressed....she framed it herself.



This scripture. It's simple folks.

What good finds are treasured up at your house this week?

Who's Joe?

Meet

Jace     the     

              Plumber.

He is lovely, smart, hard working, punctual, the best looking plumber for miles around, and mine.

He too is looking for the best tax plan for his small business, namely the plan called "tax break for small business owners."

Have I mentioned 

    he's currently pursuing 

       a new career?  

This one.

Yes, I too think the suspenders will be a nice touch.

Disneyland and Such

TO DO:

1. Find your "true love, first kiss"...........................check.

2. Multiply and replenish................................check.

3. Load up the family wagon..............................check.

4. Drive the 9 hours to Disneyland...................check.

5. Walk, ride, eat, scream, walk some more, wait, push, and then ride some more................check.

Short Ezra waited the lines like a champ, thanks to a father that filled the stroller with suckers, tootsie rolls, and such every morning.

Me: "Noah, what was your bestest thing about Disneyland?"

Noah: "Uh, I didn't get to see Winnie the Pooh."

note: Jace doesn't think I should enroll him in pee wee football until rational thoughts begin to roll around in his brain. He's sure fun to talk to though.

Macy wanted me to disclose that she "hated all the grown-up rides and loves all the baby rides and that a Star Wars Storm Trooper almost shot her."

note: jace and i just got back from parent teacher conference. Ms. E says Macy loves to organize and dust the teacher's desks when reading rainbow is on and has led the class in a spontaneous singing of "I Am A Child of God" more than once....it brought tears to Ms. E's eyes. You couldn't have slapped that smile off my face the entire way home.

Thanks Papa and Grandma Mikey! We loved Disneyland as much as the Walkers said we would.

Next time, leave the stomach virus at home and remind us to purchase airline tickets.

Kirsten, I'm falling in love with your house.

Ezra, meet grass. Grass, meet Ezra's thankful/sticker free feet.

Bikes have been dusted off and have carried children away to strange places known as "neighbor's homes".

We experience bedroom wars almost nightly but this is what it looks like when it's all over.

And of course, living in the shadow of this.

One could really convert to this paved road, landscaped yards, livestock free, in town way of life.

I'm half tempted to buy the dang thing.

Jace, what do you say?