Do you have nice neighbors? How about Great Friends?

We have been very blessed here in GJ with really great neighbors. They are really great, always stopping to say hi to our kids, picking them up when they fall, and not complaining when the grass gets a little long. (Or when someone hits the irrigation pipe with the weed eater, and they have to turn the irrigation water off for a few days.) So that will be something that our family will greatly miss is our great neighbors. Here are a few pictures of us sitting outside watching the Blue Angels.

Parker took these pictures, so even though they are far away they are so much better than the up nose shots he takes.

The other thing I am totally going to miss about GJ is the Great friends that I havae made. I will miss them all so badly. I always have someone to talk to, to scrapbook with, to go walking with, and to help me with the kids when the weeks with Jer gone get too long. Thanks, Ladies you will be greatly missed.

I need help

I mucked out Payton's room yesterday, and today when I went to go to bed I opened her door to find this.

Well at least she is sleeping, do you think she has enough pillows?

Then I went in to check on Parker and I find this.

What isn't that where you keep your half eaten muffins?

Okay now here are my messes. I have an open concept floorplan, which means when you walk in my front door you can see my kitchen. Not a good thing for me, especially because I have a long counter that I fill with junk. So here is my counter of shame.

It isn't always this cluttered, but it always has stuff on it.

Okay one last spot is on the hood of Jer's Jeep. I have been debating wether or not to have a yard sale before we move. So here is the pile. Should I have a yard sale, or should I just give it to goodwill. If you want dibbs on anything come and get it before the last week of Oct.
Let me know if you have any yard sale tips, and let Jer know that I am in need of a maid ( and a cook too!) Our wacky cat, this is where he sleeps, and really doesn't care if you turn the water on.

What I like about Jer working.

So I just read Jessie's post about what she will do for her man, and it got thinking, except mine is a little more selfish.

This is a list of things that I love about Jer working. (For those of you that don't know Jer works 14 days on and then has 14 days off. This includes weekends folks, so he goes to work on on Wednesday at 6 am til 6 pm, and gets off after 14 days of 12 hours of work, that means he get home on Tuesday night. And then the next hitch he works nights. He lives at the man camp, where he is fed, and and well taken care off. Sorry about the mini vent I am just sick of explaining to people how Jer's schedule works. When I say 14 days that means 14 days straight, and no he doesn't get Sunday off.)

Okay so here it is...

• I get the whole bed to myself, and in the morning the sheets and blankets are in the exact same place as they started out. It is so easy to make the bed when Jer is gone.


• I get to make what ever I want for dinner, and we eat super cheap, because we eat mostly veggies.


• I can blog all the time!!!


• I can stick to my schedule. I like to get up and exercise, unload the dishwasher, cook breakfast, get the kids off to school, Go walking with my friends, shower, and then get the rest of my days chores done. Jer throws my schedule off.
• I clean up the kitchen right after dinner, and nobody makes me feel guilty for not sitting on the couch next to him.
• I have my kids on a totally strict bedtime schedule, and I make sure that they have always have a bedtime story or two.
• Our house smells so good. No, Jer doesn't stink, he just doesn't like me to plug in my smelly things.

Okay these things are fun, and I like to have everything scheduled, and life to flow smoothly, but I would trade any of these things for my husband to be home every night, and have weekends off, but that's not our life, so I will be happy with my little joys.

I thought of a few more.

• The shower head stays in the same spot, and so does the seat of the car.
• Noboy pushes the snooze button while he is gone.

I am so outraged right now!!!

***Disclaimer*** Yes Jeremy makes plenty of money, and we both spend plenty of money. We are very blessed, to the point of being spoiled. When Jer had his surgery we were taken care of by friends and family, and then when he lost his job the next month, again people stepped up to help out. We spend too much money on gas, and go out to eat way to much, and I buy my kids good quality clothing, okay now on to my vent.
I am so pissed off at the government right now for even thinking of a bail out for Wall Street. When Jeremy had his surgery last year and we didn't have health insurance, the government did not bail us out, and we still pay the hospital over a 1/4 of our paycheck every single pay period, and when I got a job and money was reported on my SSN they sent us to court so that they could have that money too. Then I was laid off, and we still have to pay that extra money every week. We started out with a bill just from the hospital for over $52,000, then because we didn't have health insurance they took off ten percent. So we have paid approximately $33,000 in one year, and they still want more, they call my phone about 4 times a day, even though we have money automatically taken out our checking account weekly. Jer makes awesome bonuses at his job, and it sucks to see every single one go to bills (okay so there was that one that went to the TV, oh and that other one, but don't ask about it I am still PISSED OFF every time I think about that.) I want to be irresponsible and go and blow some cash just cause I can, like being able to make the truck payment or something novel like that. Then today I go to make the truck payment and find out that there is no paycheck in the bank today. So I call Patterson and find out that they have moved the payday to Tuesdays, NICE!!! Thanks for telling me, they said they told the tool pushers, (Jer's boss), but I don't know if you have ever dealt with rough necks they are not the most responsible people on earth, so I never found out about the change in pay days. So today I have spent most of the day calling people to change any automatic withdrawls that were suppose to be made on Monday. I am suppose to take Jer clean clothing to Parachute so he can work overtime for the company that isn't paying us. Is this how it is suppose to work??? So anyway I transferred money from savings to checking, and called everyone I could think of to stop payments. Wish me luck over the weekend, because I am pretty sure that the government isn't going to bail me out. If you would like some info on what we should do, or who you can contact check here: http://www.daveramsey.com/tdrs/index.cfm/2008/9/23/Fix-the-bailout-with-mark-to-market?ictid=sptlt

10 years in the making

As many of you know my Mom has a gift. She is the best quilter ever, so I thought what the heck I can do that. So I signed up for a quilting class in Summer of 1998. Only to find out that I HATE quilting, the cutting of the fabric, the sewing of the fabric, everything about it I hated. So I just kept putting it off, so it has been ten long years, the quilt has spent time in my storage closet, my Mom's sewing room, and then back to a closet and today I finished the quilt. So not too bad for ten years huh? I think this is called a Double Irish Chain quilt.

Grandpa & Grandma Titus came to visit

Jeremy's maternal grandparents came to visit, and it was so fun to see them. Grandpa Titus who Parker is named after, his real name is Joseph Parker Titus, but goes by Jay Titus, or Grandpa Titus came to visit this last week and it was so fun to see him and Rita. I love to hear Grandpa Titus tell stories of all the awesome things that he has done in life, did you know he has done all the highest points of all 5o states, saying that Kansas was the most trying. Did I tell you he is funny too! Anyway it was hard for Jer, because he was working, so he would drive down and try to spend time with them, but he was just too exhausted, but it was great timing because Brad and Sheena had the baby. You can't win them all Jer, sorry honey someone has to work sometime. Anyway I did get pictures of the kids before I they left, and I told Grandpa that we are going to try to get to California soon.

I'm on a roll!

So I finished another project yesterday. Yeah for me, but I am a little embarrased that we had corn dogs for dinner, and on a night that Jer came home too! Sorry honey! But it was what Payton wanted, and then we had plenty of time for home work, and then to go see Grandpa & Grandma Titus. Here is the project that I finished. I started this very simple page almost a year ago. I have kind of fallen off of the scrapbook wagon, but then I feel bad for my family so I give it another go.

Now I am off to watch "George, the Curious", you may know him as "Curious George", but at our house we are all about "George the Curious"

Jeremy and I are having a disagreement and we need input from our readers

So I am already planning for our anniversary next year, because I think that it will be special. 1.) It being our 10 year and 2.) The date will be 09-09-09. How cool is that?!?! So here is the dilemma, I want to go out of the country, and Jer thinks that there are plenty of places in the US that we could go. Plus he tells me that he took me to Mexico last year, but actually that was almost two years ago. So what I need people to do is really sell Jer on a place outside of the US, or sell me on a fun place inside the US. So people this is your chance to send Jer and I somewhere really awesome, so tell us where you have been that has blown your socks off!

Check out that baby face, I think I may have robbed the craddle! Oh well I guess you have to get em young so you can mold them the way you want them. Jer is an awesome husband and father. I love you babe!

I finished something!

I have been meaning to do this for Payton for months, and I finally got around to it. It actually only took a few minutes, plus waiting for the Modge Podge to dry. This is one of Jer's cardboard boot boxes, and some scrapbook paper, Modge Podge, and letters cut with my Cricut machine. This is where all of her art projects go.

I am an aunt again, and I am loving it!!!

Bradley and Sheena had a beautiful baby boy today. He is 6 lbs. 14 oz. and was born around 4:30 today. Their family is doing great. I was blessed enough to watch Tavian while they were at the hospital. While we were driving to the hospital the kids asked Tav if he was excited, and he told them "Yes", but then fell asleep. My kids said he must not be very excited if he just fell asleep, and I had to tell them that sometimes being excited is exhausting. When we got to the hospital the first person that we saw was Bradley, and Tav was so excited. I loved the emotion that was so fresh that you could read it on everyone faces. Bradley is definitely a proud Daddy!
Congrats Brad, Sheena & Tavien!

Tav giving Brad some loves, Baby Jaytin held by Sheena's Mom. If you look close on Brad's sleeve is the baby's foot print. How cute is that?

If this doesn't make you baby hungry I don't know what would?

This is Jer & Brad's Grandparnts Jay Parker Titus & Rita holding the new baby.

My Mom is the BEST!!!

So last week was our nine year anniversary, and Jer and I wanted to get out of town, actually Jer did. I told him that I wanted to just sit in my house without any kids in it. He wanted to go to Durango to get his hat blocked (a cowboy thing.) So I asked my Mom if she would come over for a few days. I love my Mom coming but it always makes me ultra stressed because I think of my Mom as Super Woman. While growing up my Mom ran a fabric store, raised 5 kids the last two twins, always had a clean house, grew a garden, canned, made beautiful decorations for her house, and then decorated her house (I make decor and then forget to put it out.) Severed others, and always fulfilled her church obligations. So I wanted to make sure that when she got to my house she didn't have to worry about much. She has her own house to clean, she doesn't need to clean mine. Plus I wanted her to have plenty of time to play with the kids, I love the way she plays with my kids, she is always down on the floor with them. Thursday night my Mom got to our house and Jer dragged me away. I would have stayed and talked to my Mom all night if he would have let me. So we drove to Ouray and spent the night and then bright and early the next morning we got in the Jeep and headed for Durango. I say bright and early, because you would think that if we didn't have the kids we would sleep in, but we both woke up at 4:30 in the morning, now that's crazy. When we went outside it was beautiful, it had snowed on the mountains, and it had that fresh rain smell in town. The clouds where hovering low, and the sunlight was trying to break through. Awesome! I took a picture, but of course it didn't turn out the way that it really looked and I put the camera in the backseat of the Jeep where I didn't pull it out again until the last of our trip when I saw some great bucks in a field between Norwood and Redvale. We spent the day in Durango, and got a room at the Strater Hotel, that is the same place we stayed on our one year anniversary (ahhh, how special). When we got to Durango we couldn't find the hat shop, that Jer wanted to go to, but I was finally able to find a brochure for it and we went. The lady acted totally put out that we wanted the hat blocked, and told Jer to come back on Monday. I was sitting by the front door near a little sign that read "Open Tuesday -Saturday", is that like telling someone that you will do something on the 32nd of the month? Any way Jer did talk her into cleaning his hat, but was really disappointed. We ate dinner a restaurant called the Ore House (sounds better when Parker says it). Then we just walked the main drag in Durango, they use to have a lot more cowboy stores, now it is more yuppieish. So Jer was disappointed by that too, Oh well we still had fun. Saturday morning we actually slept in a little, and then went and ate breakfast at the hotel. Finished our shopping in Durango, and were off to Silverton. Jer and I were reading "Host" by Stephanie Meyers, and got to a place that I couldn't put the book down, until I was very sick. Then I couldn't even look at the pretty scenery. We got to Silverton, and it was just a little chilly, but perfect after the hot summer. We shopped around, and I found the perfect red stone necklace, and of course it was on sale so I bought it. Jer found a knife he liked, but has much better taste then I do so I couldn't afford it. Then we at lunch at a salon called Grumpy's. Jer and I were seated right next to the piano that was playing rag time music. We weren't really fond of sitting that close to the piano, but then the worst part was that people kept coming up and videotaping and taking pictures of the piano player, which meant Jer and I would try to lean out of the picture. But mostly we just got our picture taken a lot with food coming out of our mouths. There was also a beautifully carved bar, and then a little white arrow pasted way up high. I asked the waitress and she said that rumor had it that Bat Masterson a lawman, back in the day had reportedly shot a hole in the decorative wood. She didn't know what he was shooting at, but an interesting story. It made Jer and I think of my Dad at Nathan's wedding when he kept showing everyone his fancy belt buckle and declaring himself Bat Masterson. Then it was on to Ouray, this time I didn't read because I didn't want to be sick, I wanted to watch all of the pretty drive. We walked downtown and looked at all of the pretty scenery, and then drove to Ridgway and over the Dallas Divide. So Pretty!!! Then through Norwood, Redvale, Naturita, Paradox (Oh how I miss Paradox, and Ms Beth Brown), La Sal (wow it has grown), and then on to Moab to pick up the kids. The kids were wild crazy and my Mom and Dad were worn out. Jer and I were happy to see then and then happy that they fell asleep shortly out of Moab on the way to GJ. I don't care where we move too as long as we get to take the drive over the Dallas Divide and then drive on the Million Dollar Highway from Oury to Silverton, every once in a while. The best part was to get back home and still have a clean house. Then on Monday I sat down with my sewing things to fix a stuffed horse of Parker's, and Payton told me that Mom had already yarned that together. Thanks Mom for watching the kids and helping me finish my projects.

Look what we made tonight!!!

Usually we save crafts for Grandma's house, but I let one slide tonight. We picked up these cat masks 2 for a dollar at our local craft store. The kids colored them with markers and then glued gemstones on them. How cute!

So I think I will be having a little crow for dinner!!!

So awhile back Jer & I were telling Cassie and Levi how disgusted we are with G.J. and Cassie told me that we should talk to Lyman & Sandy because the couldn't find anyone to live in there house. I told Cassie that "I didn't want to live in there house, because they are family, and I so sick of dealing with family." Nothing against Uncle Lyman and Aunt Sandy, I am just sick of Drama!
So anyway on Labor Day weekend as Nathan and Tonya were leaving the cabin, I was hiding upstairs because I don't like to say goodbye to people (I know silly but if I just disappear now you know why.) As Tonya was leaving she told Jer that Lyman and Sandy were worried about not being able to sell there house or find anyone that they trusted to live in it while they were gone. I don't know what happened next, I am blaming it on the euphoria of finally seeing Jer after 14 days, and I agreed so yes we are on to our 15th move.
We are moving to Gunnison, UT!!!
The plan is live there for 23 months, and then hopefully in that amount of time Jer and I will grow up and decide where we really want to live and then we can settle down. Yeah right, but I can hope right!

So, sorry Cassie, I know this has happened before, you are such a good little planner, I should just listen to you next time.

Awesome Weekend

So we just got back from an awesome weekend in Moab. The kids and I got to Moab late Friday night, and they ran around my parents house like animals for a few hours, and then we finally got them to bed witch is about the time that Nathan, Tonya, Tori and Crystal arrived. Then the kids got out of bed and we had to put them back to bed again. On Saturday morning we went to the Holyoak Family Reunion. It was a cowboy shoot out, with differnt guns and and differnt targets. After the target shoot was a softball game, which if you have ever met any the seven brothers that would have been quite entertaining, so my cousin Mariah and her husband Alan offered to take us rock climbing. It was AWESOME!!! I was also hot, and who ever said that the rocks were not hot was lying. I don't know if
Mariah and Alan knew that we were inviting the whole fam or not, but we did, and we had so much fun. Did I mention that it was HOT!!!? After the rock climbing we went home and tried to get everyone bathed to go to the Holyoak Family Reunion dinner. The dinner was done very nicely, and the had an auction where I accidently bought a bottle of salsa. My mom's rolls sold for around $30 for a half dozen. Not bad mom! Alan and Marah also tried to teach me to Long Board, oh my gosh that is so fun. Then the kids watched a movie outside, they projected it on to the outside wall of the bathrooms, which Payton told me was magic. I finally dragged my kids home and put them to bed they were beat, and I was too, but not to beat to play a game of settlers. I have to get the kids ready for school I will have to contiune this later, and maybe even get som pictures loaded.

I made it to the top here is me kissing the chains.