Sunday, February 27, 2011

Snapshots of the Kids This Week

Julia never falls asleep in the car, but Harry will sure take a snooze when the time comes. Such a cutie.

He fell on his face about an hour before and got a fat lip. Then it was really all downhill from that this Sunday evening. It was pretty miserable for all of us.  He sure can cry loudly.

What can i say? Life is good for my Harry man today. He was all smiles.  Happy Harry!

And a bit coy as well.

Don't you remember doing this as a kid?  Olive on all ten fingers. Now that is the way to chow down!

She loves it! She will even put them on her own fingers.

Walmart vs. Unions

A neighborhood Walmart was built down the road from our house about 3-4 years ago. And since the very first day of its opening, there have been three or four protesters at one of the entrances. They use the same sign each time...they are very thrifty that way.

The union are after Wal-mart because they make lots of money and they won't unionize.  Ah shucks...and to think if they did, this guy would be helping me wring up my tampons and baby diapers, instead of someone nicely dressed, well-groomed, who actually wears a smile on their face when the greet you at the register.

I really feel like I am missing out.


Surprise Visitors

 Rinar surprised me with a date night yesterday. He took me and his parents to the "Donny and Marie Show" at the Flamingo. It was a lot of fun. I didn't think I would like it as much as I did. But I did. I didn't even look at my watch one time.


They came out and did several songs together. Then Marie did a bunch of songs. She is a hilarious lady. It is funny, but as they were both singing at the beginning, they both had big smiles on their faces and looked like they were having the time of their lives up there on the stage, doing the same show they have been doing for 3 years now. I  thought to myself as the they were singing their first number that it must be tough to be happy up there and to be on your game, even if you have had a bad day with your kids or whatever. 



Ironically, I was really on to something. Because at the end of Marie's set, she shared the fact that is was the one-year anniversary of her son Michael's death.  He committed suicide last year.  She got upset and started to cry a little bit, but then she pulled it back together and managed to get through a very moving rendition of "Pie Jesu".  It was quite amazing.


After Donny's set, they were supposed to come back on together. But Donny came out by himself and apologized to the crowd. Marie wasn't able to come back on. She just couldn't do it. He sang a few more songs and then wrapped up the show. It was a very touching moment.


We all enjoyed the show and spending time together, regardless.



Tuesday, February 22, 2011

An Announcement

Okay, so I am really going to make it official here on my blog.

Yes, we are moving.

Rinar got an offer he could not refuse...to be the branch manager at the Reno/Tahoe Fidelity branch.  We are moving to Reno, Nevada. I don't have an exact moving date. But Rinar will officially start his new duties on February 28th.  The time has come to move on.

I went with him a few weeks ago for a quick trip to Reno and let me tell you, it is a beautiful little city. I had a chance to go to Tahoe and I swear that it is a bit of heaven. It is so beautiful. Wow.


He is going to be very busy transitioning to this new job and he won't be home much in the near future. However, with his new job, once we get settled in, he will be home every night. Isn't that wonderful? It will be so great for our kids.  Over the past 4+ years he has had a job where he would travel every week. We got used to it, but it is now coming to an end.

I am not sure when the rest of us will officially move to Reno. We are going to sell our house, hopefully, and I am not in a hurry to pack up all my stuff and then put it in storage while we live in corporate housing. I am hoping to avoid that as much as possible.

But now we close a wonderful chapter in our lives.  It has been a good run here and I am so grateful that we could be here in Las Vegas.

I will really miss the people who have become a part of our lives. You will all be dearly missed. I will also miss Grand Central Station. That would be our house.  Over the years, we have had tons of visitors, expected and unexpected because of our close proximity to the airport. We have been the official park-n-ride all these years and it has been great. Now we are not on the way to anything, I guess.

Now I will know who really loves us in the future, huh?

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

The Laundry Monster

I am a victim.  I have almost been devoured several times, and that is just in the past 3 months.  No matter how many times I take my vorpal sword in hand and go snicker snack, that laundry monster just keeps on whiffling through the tulgey woods. 

Maybe it is the fact that I have five children.  Five children definitely nourishes the beast. Maybe it is because I forget what I am doing all the time and then remember 3 days later that there is a load in the washing machine that needs to be put in the dryer. Maybe it is because I suffer from inertia on a constant basis.  Or maybe it is because I just hate doing laundry.  These things probably all feed the laundry beast.

Plus, isn't it annoying when you do all of the laundry and there is always that one sock, or random shirt, or handkerchief, or whatever, that never seems to find a home? And yet, it just becomes a part of the chaotic landscape that I so lovingly call home. You just stop seeing it.  Such is life in my household.

So now, at this late hour, so rest I by tum tum tree, in deep thought, as the laundry monster, with eyes aflame, comes burbling. Yet, tonight I will be victorious!

And then you will ask, "And hast thou slain the laundry monster?  Come to my arms my beamish lady!  O frabjous day! Callou! Callay!"

Yep, that is definitely what you will say.

Did you get it?  Huh? Huh? If not, you may want to take another visit down the rabbit hole.  

I think I should probably go to bed.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Dripping in Jewels



Julia found my jewelry box and she had a lot of fun wearing the necklaces and the bracelets.
It is fun having a girl. She wore a few bracelets around the house and really loved it. I love her.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Like a Handprint On My Heart

Have you ever seen the play Wicked? There is a song that they sing at the very end called, "For Good".  It really struck a chord with me.

I've heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...

...
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

But because I knew you

I have been changed for good.

It well may be

That we will never meet again


In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend...



You know that song, right? I have been pondering it a lot these past few weeks. I have been blessed to know some incredible people while we have sojourned here in Las Vegas for almost seven years. It has been a life-changing experience. Most of that joy has come from the people of the Sunset Ward. They are my family. As I surveyed the Relief Society room last week I realized that I knew every single person there. It was not that I just knew their names. No. I knew them all because they have all been my friends. We have laughed, cried, and served together these many years. I have loved every minute of it.

I can say unequivocally that I have been changed for the better, because I have known my Sunset friends. I know I am who I am today because of every single one of them.

Heavenly Father has put them all in my path of life and I am so grateful. I hope that I will be able to see them all again in this lifetime, but if that is not my fate...they will be with me like a handprint on my heart.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Baby Pics

Dear Grandma,

You said I don't put enough pictures of the little ones on my blog. So I aim to rectify my transgression right now. These are the latest of Harry and Julia.  And yes, Julia is wearing her piggy tails, even though you can't see them very well.

Love,
Kelly




Retirement Party

Rinar's mom Linda had her retirement party last week. She is now officially retired. So we went up to St. George to celebrate.


Lyf, Lynn, and Nordel

Angie, Me, Julia, and Brooke

There was a lot of food and the kids had a lot of fun eating it...especially the grapes. They were a hit.

No More Popcorn!


Thanks to the amazing and fearless Christopher W., we eradicated the popcorn ceiling in my living room.  It only took 3 days and about 5 floor moppings to get it done, but say sayonara to popcorn!

Christopher is going on a mission to Berlin, Germany in March and so he gets to work for me for the next month doing this and that around my house.  Tomorrow he is going to paint my banister and expunge the popcorn from my bedroom ceiling. And since he will be working on the ceiling, he is going to go ahead and paint my bedroom as well.

Not So Happy Eli


So, do you want to guess what is going on in this picture?


Does it make anymore sense in this one?

 


How about now?  Yep, that is right. Eli wanted a haircut really bad, so I had to oblige. Surprisingly enough, this one only took 2 minutes to finish and Rinar kindly assisted me.


Whew!   I think I took a bubble bath when it was over. I was wiped out.





Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...