An apology from me to basically everyone who knows me! :D

~If anyone reading this is like me, you love adventure and like positive changes; yet at the same time, you don't do well with change, big or small.~

In the 8 years Travis and I have been married we have moved 8 times. We've made simple moves from city to city in the same state. We have lived in a different country speaking a different language; we have also lived on the East Coast where everyone seems to have their own language and way of life. Now we live in the Mid West where we're experiencing yet another way of life. And sometimes change can be rough. 

I think it's one thing if you move and jump into something structured, like a job; something that grounds you and gives you purpose to your day... it's a whole other ball game when you're just at home, and especially if you're at home with kids. There is so much that changes when you move! You have to figure out new routines, new stresses, new stores... it's so much more than packing/unpacking boxes and changing all your address information, paper work for utilities, internet, and getting new bank accounts! <-- Yeah, that doesn't sound like a lot! But I think even harder than the minutia of getting adjusted, is trying to figure out where you belong, or how you fit in....

... And if I stop to think how hard it is for me, a grown adult, to try and figure out my way around this new life we've once again dropped into... how hard is it for the KIDS to fit in. And then there's that  anxiety and guilt that builds over feeling short tempered with the kids as they act out from the change. Feeling like a bad mom when they watch yet another movie because you can't seem to figure out what you should do instead. Or when they wake up in the morning, but you can't seem to pull yourself out of bed. It builds. Piles on. And then there's the added guilt of not being able to smile larger, or lie better when all the kinds people you're lucky enough to now live by asks you, "So how are you liking it here?" And all I can say is... something semi positive, laced with the undertone of negativity. What can I say? I am an honest person who wears her heart on her sleeve. When people ask me questions about how I'm doing I feel like they deserve the truth. YET there's the fact that we should focus on the positives, FaKe iT TiLl wE mAkE iT, don't burden others with our problems, we should be grateful to have the life we have, etc. IT GOES ON and ON and ON!! 

So this is my major THANK YOU to all my friends, family, neighbors, and random strangers who have ever let me bend there ear and complain to them because it really is a part of my process in adjusting to change; I hope it won't always be, and I'm working on it, but THANK YOU in the meantime. 

And I'm sorry also. And I hope that any of this rant helps you know where I'm at with the move. And If you're at that point --> you're not alone.

(Now Here are some highlights from the past two weeks)

8th Anniversary Dinner

Peter's Bday Party

New Handcuffs 

Playing at Jacob's

Watched Pokemon for the first time,
Then we had to play it! 

Fart gun on top of the noisiest
car, whilst singing, "Come
to Candy mountain, mama!"

Feeding Ducks at West Park

Reading time at the library

Sick-o's reading in bed

Too much tire swinging at East Park resulted in the two
of us heading home early to snuggle and nap while
Maddix kept playing for 3 more hours! 

playing Tennis

River trail fun

Got to ride in a Helicopter!!!!
(I'll have to add more pictures later)

Popcorn movie Night

Epic Star Wars battle!

Actually got ready for the day

Rocking out while baking cookies

Rockin' out in the car

End of summer party at the Cannon's

ALWAYS A TRAIN PARKED that
causes you to have to go back ALL THE WAY
around town! My house is just on the other side
of that DANG train!!

Playing at Hoover School.... school starts
this Wednesday! 

Service weeks are the best weeks..

This past week was long/flew by, was tiring/but worth every minute, and full of service/church related activities; It was one of those weeks I felt like an adult with my life together, actually able to accomplish tasks that I often put off.

Monday

The boys were enamored with pictures of tree houses they someday wanted to build so I took that time to create some new chore charts, as well as write letters to family members I've been neglecting. Best part of the day was having Travis make it home, and having a great Family Home evening on The Family.

Tuesday

Started by registering Maddix for Kindergarten; the office ladies were so nice and they boys quietly built puzzles while I filled out paper work. Afterward we drove to the park where we attended a Medical Alliance Breakfast (an organization made up of Doctors/Wives that organize Community Service projects, and support each other in the community); I'm so glad we went and made new friends and found a way join a service group. They even helped me find the recycling area so I finally got rid of all my cardboard! That evening we rode bikes and puppies out front. 

Hooked on the leash, barking away!

Wednesday

Wasn't much to write home about. We went to the dentist where we found out Maddix would need a filling and that his front tooth had experienced trauma that caused the root to decay and that his tooth would fall out anytime, but if it didn't in the next two weeks they pull it for us (and charge us, of course). 

We also picked up my new glasses! 

We also played detectives!

Thursday

We had to go back to the dentist. While Maddix had his work done I played with Aaron and finally made all my visiting teaching phone calls (I just barely received 5 women to visit). One of the women I spoke with gave us the opportunity to come meet her and her son that afternoon! The dentist brought me back and said Maddix was great, and that they had a surprise... Maddix smiled... and his front tooth was gone!!!!! He could see my face drop and asked if he should've checked with me first, uh yeah!! Long story short, they are going to reduce the price of that tooth they pulled...that I could've pulled myself. Poor Maddix came out dazed and numb, which caused him to whine at the store afterward and continually chew on his lip! By the end of the night it was SO swollen and he now looks like a hillbilly and slurs everything he says! Also that night we had the sisters over for dinner and they were going to teach me how to cut my boys' hair. I was doing well with Maddix until I noticed the sister's hand was swollen and asked Travis to look at it. As he told her she would need to get an x-ray and be in a cast as soon as possible, she needed a moment to sit down.... in that moment I cut Maddix's hair WAY to short!! So now his lip it fat, he slurs his words and spits when he talks, AND his hair is like an army cut!! I swear I did better with Aaron's! 

Poor kid

Friday

We watched Kung Foo Panda in the morning and then my wonderful friend, Mackenzie FaceTimed me so we could walk through the Family History site; after that I got lost in looking up names; I can't believe how long I put off finding names because I was intimidated by not knowing what to do. Turns out it's incredibly easy! 

Then that evening we had friends come over and play! 

Saturday

Bright and early, 6:15am the boys woke up, so excited to spend the day playing with the Fox family while their mom and I drove with the ward to the St. Paul temple! The drive there was 2hrs, we had a wonderful time with wonderful people doing the Lord's work, then stopped for lunch before driving 3 hrs home (construction)! We had homemade pizza for dinner. Once the boys were in bed Travis and I watched a movie we rented from Red Box and had a little date night. 

Sunday

Travis and I spoke in Sacrament, and a huge thank you to the Fox Family for letting my children sit with them! I made some new friends in R.S. and then at home the boys and I ended up battling Travis  and running all over the house; the day was such a great Sunday! 

Finally had a camp out

~Another Week Bites the Dust~

Travis

This past week Travis hit 85-ish hours at the hospital; there was even one day he woke up at 5:00am, came home around 8:00pm, and then had to work on a presentation until 10:45. He doesn't enjoy the topic either so it makes the days longer, but he really does great soaking up the experience so that he can become a better doctor. He also came home Sat night and played games, told stories, out in the tent with me and the boys on our little campout in the backyard. 

Lacey 

This week was harder for me because I couldn't start the day by going to the gym (which gave me a purpose to get out of bed). I would go to bed at 9:30-10:00 with Travis and then get up at 6am but have nothing to do... if I leave my room the boys instantly wake up, so anything I could do is confined to my room. At nights though I was able to go running, and thanks to my friend here she introduced me to an online library app so I now have more books to listen to while I run. I just finished Insurgent and am reading the 3rd installment in the series, Allegiant. 

Maddix 

Loved going to the park and making friends with a random boy there; they played so well that we stayed a few hours when we'd only planned to just stop by. He also enjoyed our playdate at the park the next day, as well our trip to Clear Lake. He continues to surprise us with how grown up he is each day. 

Aaron

Well he was such a great 2yr old, but we now have a 3yr old on our hands and he is defiant; he is also now a chipmunk! I recently took away his snacks because at meals he wouldn't eat his food. Now that snacks have been taken away (which are hugely important to this kid) he is CONSTANTLY sneaking into the kitchen and stealing food, and usually when I go to the bathroom or try to shower, or go get the mail, or ANY AND EVERY time I'm not guarding the kitchen he is there! I found a bag of chocolates under our decorative table in the front room. I found an empty pack of gum in his tent in the toy room (that's right, he ate a whole pack of gum!). I found 10ish empty gummy wrappers in my bed. I found an open bag of chocolate chips in the middle of the kitchen floor, and an Aaornmunk hiding behind the couch eating a handful of them! And it's not just food. He carries this lunchbox around and STUFFS it full of beanie baby puppies and begs to take it everywhere he goes. At church today we found a dozen cars stuffed in his pockets that he'd snuck out of the house. He put a hat on the other day and I found toys hidden in it when I'd said he could only bring one in the car.... etc. I could name more. 

Family

Life is crazy simple and slow-paced, but also goes by fast and we just enjoy, really enjoy the simple things like swimming in a water hole by the house, or shucking corn on the front porch steps, or camping in the backyard and looking at the stars. We are constantly changing our minds on where we should go next because of the benefits/drawbacks to each place we list. We even took a quiz on where the best place to live would be; Travis and I got L.A. and Maddix got the Outer boroughs of New York (I'm not surprised at all). So the mystery continues... 

Hoover, Maddix's soon to be school

Needs a haircut

Puppet show

 View from my run the other night

 Clear lake

Puppy battles while I did yard work Saturday

Campout Monsters! 

My Maddix

                        My Maddix is the sweetest boy. We read scriptures centered around Loving our neighbors/ourselves as Christ loves us and he just soaked them in.  We also read about Charity and really discussed being "puffed up" verse being proud of our accomplishments; since then he is consciously making sure he isn't being "puffed up." He wants to go volunteer at the soup kitchen and "feed the hungry." I even heard him telling his little friend Lala about his plans to go volunteer. 
                        Travis is working a lot now and it makes Maddix quite sad; however it makes him more sad for Travis. So Saturday evening once Trav came home, Maddix and I set up a "spa area" for daddy. We had pan pipe music, lavender aromas, the vibrator, epsom salt footpath, ice water, lotions, and flowers. He laughed and thought it was sweet as all three of us worked him over. 
                       While riding bikes out front, the boys were making "special deliveries" when Maddix asked me what my favorite thing in the world was, I said, "you two boys." Maddix wanted something he could deliver me, so that didn't work for him. He said, " I  know, the scriptures are your favorite thing." Then delivered me "scriptures." That make me happy that he can see my love for these special books.
                      On Sat Maddix and Aaron were playing games in the back of the Explorer while I was mowing the lawn. When it was time to sweep the clippings they didn't want to help, they only wanted to help with the hose. I explained the story of the hen who bakes the bread alone and then gets to eat it alone... so I would work the hose alone. Before I knew it both boys were out sweeping, and then we had so much fun playing in the water afterwards!
                       I have less than 30 days left of life as I know it. For nearly 6 years now my every waking moment has been devoted to teaching, loving, and caring for Maddix's every needs. He has had to see me at my worsts as I am learning to be a mom in a way that only an oldest will ever experience, but I think no boy could ever be so strong and smart and capable of being an oldest, or so kind as to forgive me each time I lose my temper or am less than the mom I should be. Aaron and I are going to be so lost for awhile as we adjust to having Maddix away from us most the day. We took Maddix to his school yesterday to walk around, and as he peeked in through all the windows you could see the excitement mounting. You can tell he is a little nervous, and he sure cuddles more than he ever has in his life, but he is ready. I thought I was ready, I am ready... I am... I think. I look forward to one-on-one time with Aaron, the way I had it with Maddix in Poland. Then my heart sinks to remember some of the those VERY long and lonely winter days, trapped in our Apartment in Poland, and how Maddix rose to the occasion to be my best friend, and the only other person I had to talk to; just a little almost 2yr old taking care of him mom. I love that boy. I love all my boys.