A grumpy post

In case you were wondering, it is HARD living without a husband.  There are many reasons why it's so hard, but one of them happens to be that there is no one to complain to about life.  I could do what I did all during basic training and write Brandon a letter with all my little complaints, but there is no mail in or out of where he is right now.  So a letter just seems pointless.  I could go write in my journal where I occasionally vent all my worries, frustrations, and gripes - but I haven't found it yet.  So instead you all get a rare glimpse of the grumpy side of my personality.

Complaints about money:
January is traditionally a hard month for us money wise.  It comes right after Christmas, but before we get our tax refund.  It also happens to be the month we have to register the car.  This year was no exception from the money issues.  Between moving expenses that haven't been reimbursed yet, buying new back tires so the jeep could pass the safety inspection, and not knowing where my WIC vouchers ended up, this has been a tight month.  I am so glad it is almost payday.

Complaints about kids
If I have to hunt for a f***ing binky one more time the kids might start learning some inappropriate words.  Seriously, how is it possible that they can have binkies in their mouths throughout the whole entire day, but as soon as its bedtime the binky has completely vanished?

Why does everything have to end in crying?  We watched Toy Story 3 - that was fun until the girls bonked heads and started crying.  The kids went down for a nap - that was peaceful until I woke them up so they wouldn't stay up until 11:00 tonight (it worked, but I had to endure a lot of crying.)  We had ice cream - everyone was happy until I told the girls they couldn't have anymore tonight.  We all played in a box - it was really fun until Derrick and I bonked heads.  And on and on and on.  I feel like I'm always on edge waiting for the crying to start.  

Complaints about things I have to do:
Unpacking in going well - in most parts of the house.  The kitchen, however, is a disaster.  It's not fun to make meals on a counter that also has boxes all over it.  Mostly I've just been ignoring the kitchen.

I've also been ignoring the dinning room floor.  I finally found the Pinesol so I don't have that excuse for not mopping it anymore.  But I can't mop when Derrick is crawling around so I haven't been able to mop.  And don't tell me I could just do it during naptime or after bedtime.  I have VERY limited amounts of time to myself.  If I don't take advantage of those times and relax I might snap.

I want Brandon's W2's to show up so I can do our taxes.  I love doing our taxes.  For one, because we get lots of money back thanks to the kids.  And for two because doing our taxes makes me feel like I'm being an adult instead of just a mom.  I enjoy typing in numbers and filling out online forms.  I've already gone ahead and entered in as much as I can without the W2's so I'm just waiting on those.

One final complaint
It's been three weeks since I've seen Brandon and two weeks since I've heard anything from him.  At least with basic training he could write me letters.  In theory he should get his phone back tomorrow.  I hope so.  I have A LOT to tell him (way more than what I just wrote about here.)  He should be home between the 2nd and the 6th.  I really hope its the 2nd.

Okay, thanks for listening. I feel better now.  In fact, I feel so much better I think I'll turn this into a happy post and show you some cute pictures of the kids.

Here are Charlotte and Lydia helping wash out bottles.  Charlotte is my "little helper girl" she loves to do whatever I do. She and I are trying to find a balance between how much she can help without throwing me too off of my groove.

 Here are the girls sleeping on the guest bed at Lindsey's house.  I can't believe how much the girls have grown up lately.  Just a few months ago they never would have slept in a big bed.  Every time we went camping last summer we had to bring pack and plays along.  But on our trip out here the girls were just fine laying down in a big "sleepy bed." (Of course I usually had to lay with them at first.)

 The girls have claimed under the sink as their territory.  They love to go play in the cupboards.  They will say, "bye" and blow me a kiss and then shut the doors.  Then they open the doors and say, "hi, Mama!" If I'm standing at the sink when Lydia wants to open the cupboards she'll say, "scay-bee" for excuse me.

 We've had many appointment's to sign up for different things around the base.  The kids have been wonderful at each appointment.  It helps that most places anticipate children and have a little toy area.  (WIC, however,  had the most boring toys ever) Here are the kids playing with the toys at the place where we borrowed household items while we waited for our stuff to show up.  One lady saw the kids and asked, "are they all yours?"

We call the curb the "little seat."  When I get the girls out of the car I tell them, "go sit on the little seat while I get Derrick out."  They are so good and always run right to the curb and stay there.  Then I put Derrick into the umbrella stroller and the girls hold on to either side of that while we cross the parking lot to get to where ever we are going.  When we come back to the car I put the girls in the front seat.  They play with all the buttons and knobs while I put Derrick into his car seat.  This has been our system ever since Brandon went to basic.  It works really well.

 Here is where Charlotte and Lydia slept until their cribs showed up.  They were so funny about making sure they slept on the right sides.  Lydia's bed has always been on the left.  And that is where her bed was even on the floor.

This is the size of the truck that our stuff was delivered in.  I never went inside of it, but I don't think it was full.  Still it was HUGE.  Those boxes next to it have our queen sized mattresses in them.   When the movers knocked on my door I was so happy that our stuff finally showed up that I didn't care that I was in my pajamas.

 Here are the kids enjoying a meal at our dinning room table.  The girls did really well eating on regular chairs the past few weeks, but they are happy to have their high chairs back.  I hid the trays so now they are just booster seats.  I think the girls like being able to simultaneously sit and see their food.

 And here they all are enjoying a movie.  I'm glad to have the TV back. I wasn't sure if the laptop could survive much longer with 6 little hands assaulting it every time we tried to watch a movie or an internet TV show.

 The kids have had lots of fun with all the boxes that I've been emptying.  The girls like to hid in the boxes and then Derrick crawls over and finds them.  There is lots of screaming and laughing involved.  The other day I looked over and saw Charlotte, "make, dinner" on the "sove."  I'm planning on making a cardboard kitchen out of several of the boxes.

The day after our stuff showed up we received a new addition to our furniture family.  My friend Sarah from my ward will be moving and she can't take her piano.  She asked if I wanted it and I immediately said yes.  I've wanted one for a while because The girls loved my Mom and Dad's piano and I often find them pretending to play the piano.  Sarah was a saint and coordinated everything so the only thing I had to worry about was being home to open the front door.  As soon as the movers left, the girls hopped up on the bench and started to play "scary songs" (the low notes) and "pretty songs" (the high notes).  The other night I put Derrick up on the bench and he sat up there for at least 30 minutes just playing the keys.  I'm glad the kids enjoy it.    

The rest of our time has been full of unpacking and trying to find a place for everything.  I'm looking forward to when it is all done and I can show off my beautiful house to all of you.