I will still enjoy my children.

Drox has been here 5 days, today being day 6,
and it is still fun to visit with him ;-}
Probably because I have had to share him with so many people :-Þ
jk Drox, jk
I was fine until I looked up his flight out tomorrow and realized I Have to be the one to take him to the airport - he leaves at 0715!!!
I'll be up early tomorrow!
Had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my squirrels, never managed to schedule a video conference for Thanksgiving Day but we all talked to each other. I fly to WA this weekend for Drox to be ordained an Elder and then again on the 16th to spend "the holidays" with Aunt Sandy and Tiney and their respective friends/families.
Fly back here next year on the 3rd.
I chose dates based on Winter Break here and then surprised (shocked?) the WA people with how long I will be there, I really didn't think about it, just plugged in the dates believing that Jack Jack will co-operate and let her Mom enjoy the holidays and that Aunt Sandy will have plenty of projects lined up ;-}
Maybe Tiney will come up with a few herself - when Matey and I are available that is.
I have a couple of good library days due with that boy xoxoxox

I will actually be nervous about a talk in Sacrament meeting!

It was typed up and everything but I was still WAY nervous. It was fine, ElCid was conducting and announced that his mother in law would be the youth speaker, followed by the choir, followed by the High councilman. I had asked the bishop how long I had and he said if I was done by 20 til I would be fine, so at 17 til I closed my scriptures and summed things up, (I had given the first half of my talk) Means I have a perfectly fine talk on showing gratitude thru obedience to the commandments that I can file away for future use ;-} Amazingly the High councilman's talk was an extension of mine and made it seem as if the meeting had a theme, which it didn't, I chose my own topic. Too fun!
I was on time for the 0800 meeting, sang with the choir, stood in as a companion for one of the sister missionaries for an hour - during Relief Society and survived choir practice with Fred and George. Ddonn stayed home w JR who wasn't feeling well apparently. I left as they were all getting up so I am clueless as to the details but they both looked great when we got home.
I have an amazing room and when Drox gets here Tuesday evening he will help me post pictures ;-}
My Idaho grandchildren will be in town this week and I get to see them Wednesday! I am excited as it has been 5 months since they moved and while their mom is great at putting pictures on her blog, it will be wonderful to spend time with them.
Past bedtime and I am cutting out Matey's bathrobe tomorrow so I need to be Well Rested! Cutting out is my least favorite part of sewing ;-Þ

I will live in Las Vegas for 6 months to help with baby #4!

I didn't leave Idaho until Monday - but I was well rested!

The trip was 14 hours (the car was loaded so heavily I couldn't go over 62mph without "wallowing"), driver's side turn signal assembly literally fell off the car in the night in the Nevada desert (discovered what I had heard the next day when there was light to see) and I was sick my first two days here, I hate throwing up!!! I totally blame it on the oversized hotdog wrapped in bread dough from Flying J. Never bothered me before and never will again! NO WAY I will ever buy another one. All my food this trip was from Flying J, to cut down on stops. Going home I will return to my usual practice of a well stocked cooler with celery, cream cheese, craisens, juice, crackers, apples, grapes and a roll or bagel. Took me two days but I cleared my system and am doing great now ;-Þ

Lindsay's birthday party was a great success and we ate leftovers for dinner, a nice plus. I made fruit salad from the leftover fruit tray ;-}

It was Fun going to church today and just sitting in Sunday School and Relief Society, attending Choir right after church...

I was the last one to bear my testimony in Sacrament. "... I am Valinda O'Gara's, I mean Valinda Gubler's mother..." Tried to tell her that at least I got the right first name!! I enjoy this ward, Drox and I were members of it 5 years ago for 6 months and now two of the boys he was in class with have received their mission calls - Richmond, VA and Charlotte, NC.

Have to get to bed on time these days because people invade my "bed room" at 0545 each morning - I am in the family room part of the kitchen - dining - family room area for now. We unloaded my car after the party yesterday, set up the seats so I can drive Tuesday in Ddonn's absence.

I slept on my mattresses last night in the front hallway, just for one night. I actually find that the futon (folded even) is quite comfortable but it was nice to stretch out.

Keeping dishes done and got a feeble start on laundry, Ddonn still does dinner ;-}

Tomorrow I am helping with wedding dresses for assorted small family members. Sashes to be exact.

No Matey fix in days - sob, sob, shuddering sob!

I will rethink my departure plans at the beginning of the day.

As opposed to being in frantic denial until the reality crushes me that, No you are not leaving this morning. In fact you are probably Not leaving today. Make your reservation for TJ's driveway early ! ! !
Remembered the oven on my way to bed at midnight so I was able to scrape up the rubble and spray it to sit over night. Remembered the coat closet has JE stuff to tape up in the wee hours when I kept waking up from everything and Nothing. I think it was mostly my mind saying "are you really going to leave before Buh and believe that the sinks, etc get wiped down one final time?"
So, wiping the oven, doing the JE stuff, removing seats from Betsy - they get to travel in the Uhaul - then boxing the sewing machine, my computer, the stuff on the 'desk', removing drawers and legs from the weyerhauser table and Loading Betsy! That will empty my room so I can vacuum.
Then I will proceed with the remaining stray bits, the high chair being the most noteable and it might go ahead of the oven so it can make the DI trailer, if not there are Goodwills and DIs in WA!
I need a Matey fix but it is too early :-o in his time zone.

wonderful people will show up to help load the Uhaul!

It was wonderful and stressful and hectic and amazing and lots of work~ and we did get a bigger truck than we needed so Buh can take his recliner after all ;-}
When people were asking "what else can we do" my mind was a blank, now I could make quite a list!
The fridge left for R&C's just after 2, people came and went from 1 pm on but the "set" time was 6:30 and there were lots of people to help with the piano, etc. The stuff I couldn't give away is on the trailer for DI and except for the oven still needing cleaning I am feeling success ;-Þ
People are interested in buying Alfredo ~ Buh's Karmann Ghia ~ so he at least will be sticking around until tomorrow night, he can't unload until Monday so would rather hang out here than "sleep at Aunt Sandy's" ! with a Uhaul blocking her road. I personally would Never miss a chance to sleep at Aunt Sandy's or help with a project or just hang out!
Bed and then up to load my car. Won't leave as early as I hoped 'cause a few things slipped under my radar, like the blasted high chair in pieces on the patio!!!
No Matey fix today, no wonder I was so scattered :-o
xoxoxox

I will be exhausted before everything gets done! :-o

Did alot today but not my whole list :-{

The priests came and put the couch in the trailer - hooray!

Two of my friends from church came and the cabinet faces are clean as well as most of the stray marks on the walls and the window tracks in the kitchen and JE's room. Hooray ! ! !

JE's room is totally empty - totally.

The pantry stuff is boxed. Buh helped me stick it out. That is why I am exhausted - the pantry, not Buh (well maybe both ;-)

Buh took the car in for the alignment and to Einsteins so they could recheck fluid levels.

SO, my room IS the list for tomorrow

and Uhaul calling me to schedule the pickup on Thursday

Matey fix - just heard him in the background when his sickie mom called for some help, her internet hadn't shown up yet. She has a cold and is congested and feels neglected that I am not there to help. She has a goal to do 3 boxes each day, I told her that perhaps 3 is too many for a sickie, but she wasn't open to suggestion. (sickie)
I told her she will have help to clear the garage when the Uhaul arrives, don't worry now! I will schedule things so we have time for it to sit in the driveway, no same day turn around.

Bed, bed, b e d xoxoxox

lists will take forever to complete!

but I got thru the items for today plus a few extra - after the oil change the nice boy said, Ma'am I can see wire here on the edge of your tire. Yep, he could. Driver's front tire had bits of wire showing on the inside edge along a 2 1/2 to 3 inch crack. Both front tires were Very Worn. And as the nice man at Les Schwab's pointed out were not the size the sticker on the door said they should be, just a bit narrower. So, we have new tires all around and an appointment for an alignment tomorrow at 2. "If you don't need an alignment they won't charge you for the appointment" The car was just aligned in May, this year, so if it DOES need one I will be contacting the other folks to say, shame on you! I am an old lady I don't drive off road or whatever crazy stuff would knock it out of alignment already! I won't mention I have boys that drive it. Going down the road it Was pulling to the right after I left the shop, just sayin'.
Now to bed because tomorrow is going to be even Longer ! ! !
ps Matey update: I missed a call from him because I was talking to the Idaho Power lady and when I called back he was NOT in the mood. I heard "no talk" and the spitting noise he makes when ejecting nasty food from his mouth. Later I got a call from him with mommy coaching him to say "thank you for the bacon Grammy" which he said very clearly and with enthusiasm. He loves bacon and they had found the bacon I had added to the ice chest. Apparently someone else put the contents into the freezer at their house so it was a happy discovery ;-}
Also, my new phone arrived - yay ! ! ! It was considerably smarter than I even tho I took the time to read the nice little book that came with it! I love it, thank you Ddonn, but did they Really have to name it "Jest"? Where is the dignity in THAT name people??? Yeesh!

I will teach my last Primary lesson, in my current ward at least lol

My last several callings have been in Primary so I am not holding my breath, but Sunday School and Relief Society would be nice to attend for a week or two ;-Þ
I will miss my class, the youngest will be 6 next week so she received her card early. Like I was going to miss out on THAT. I will miss my co-teacher also, she has been great! Five of the six children in CTR 5B were at church today and the shyest little girl I ever met gave me a big hug before leaving at the end of class.
Sigh...
Last night Matey called me to say goodnight - Happy Day!
Today I got a "Hi!" from him during 'quiet time'
(Warning: expect 'Matey fix' reports to continue in the future)
Buh made some delicious turkey soup last night that we just had for dinner - I may have lost my chef but a fair replacement seems to have surfaced! Yum ;-}
Tomorrow's list includes calling all utilities, an overdue oil change, Matey's books and dvds back to the library, maybe an attempt at contacting the landlord re: a moveout inspection, putting dump stuff into the trailer and oh yes - My ROOM.

people will move without me!

Leave my house with all their stuff and wave good bye!
Moving in "waves" stinks! Especially when I am the final "wave".
My home teacher parked a trailer in the driveway last night for a dump load to go in so THAT is a blessing, I can fill as I go and see progress. With Tiney and Matey less than 30 minutes 'gone' I am surrounded by fallout and working very hard NOT to be overwhelmed.
(hence this post - therapy!)
People picked up the dryer today and I still have hope more of the 'free' stuff will find homes.
I am going to calendar next week so that things occur in a somewhat organized fashion, pack up everything that doesn't run from me (Run, Buh, Run!) and probably start loading the car.
Need to get my oil changed now that I mention the car...
I have a Uhaul reserved for next Thursday and pickup scheduled at a place we have used before, Very helpful people - great customer service.
My room is my immediate target, there are no more boxes to surprise me with papers I need to file or photos to put in the photo stash or keepsakes that can justify their continued existence, Or Matey to con me into watching a video with him :-Þ
Excuse me please, I need to go sob into my pillow now.
Sincerely, the bereft Grammy
(Yes it is only temporary but it still bites!)
(Who will eat the mints in my top drawer that are there just for Matey?)
(So, yes He will, but in a week!)

people will continue to surprise me - in nice ways

My bank person called today to apologize to me. Someone DOES read the emails! And contacted the branch in question. She mis-spoke and realized it as I was pulling out so was unable to let me know right then. It is $2 per page because people were asking for temporary checks instead of ordering more real checks so the bank imposed a charge of $2 per page, a page fits 4 checks.
We did not address the fact that she failed to mention the charge ahead of time, I mentioned it but there was no response beyond "I'm sorry", and I graciously accepted her apology.
Today Tiney was out of state for the day and Matey and I did great! She had told him she was going on an airplane and would be back at bed time and he did amazingly well. Especially for 28+ months. It helped that we stayed gone most of the day at other people's houses ;-Þ He survived from 0630 - 2215 without his mom. No crying. No fits. AND he took his nap - fell asleep in the car and slept 2 hours!!! Enough rejoicing, My bed is calling xoxoxox

I will Never know what day of the week it is!

At least not during summer vacation!
Keep thinking I am a day further into the week than I am. We are going camping with the ward this Friday to Saturday and Moga and I bought food for it today, I located a tent I can borrow tomorrow afternoon and we stumbled into two sleeping pads and a life vest to borrow. Things are shaping up!
Finished our visiting teaching this afternoon, I need to talk SO MUCH LESS it isn't funny :-o I know it is because I lack adequate social interaction but sometimes it is ridiculous - and Way embarrassing!
Spent tons of time this afternoon with Matey, to include a bath tonight that left me as wet as he was, so I am NOT feeling guilty about not working out. I am more exhausted than when I DO the step aerobics on wii ;-Þ (plus my weight keeps dropping so I have incentive to repent and get back on board (punny) tomorrow!

This would not post last night so I put a copy in OpenOffice and this morning it went on like a dream!

Moga will be an amazing mother!

I took Matey to church with me today and he was amazingly well behaved. End of Sacrament meeting he had discovered a miniature Thomas the Tank Engine on the floor - he Loves Thomas - and had barely played with it when the owner returned. The last 3-5 minutes of the meeting he was miserable repeating 'train' over and over watching it 2 feet away from him in someone else's hand. But then we went to Primary, but sharing time was first and 3/4 the way thru he started talking out loud to break the boredom, so we went to Nursery. We arrived as they were sitting down for snack time! I stayed 20 or so minutes and he was playing happily so I left knowing that 2 of the nursery leaders know where my classroom is and I told them I wasn't the one teaching today so come get me if he needed me. I was there about 15 minutes when I had the distinct impression I should go back to the nursery. My co teacher was in mid story so I waited 2-3 minutes until she finished and quietly left. Sure enough he was sobbing his little heart out. Apparently he was fine until he "fell down". No more details than that. I picked him up and hugged him, told him I loved him and had missed him and was so glad to be with him, and sang along with the teacher for 3 more songs, including 'head, shoulders, knees and toes' which he knows. He was hugging me and not crying but not "joining in" either. THEN singing time was over and the teacher said "Let's put away the toys and get out the Bubbles". That is the magic word - BUBBLES. He was up and clapping bubbles with the best of them. In my absence he had colored a picture. We were the last ones to leave because the teacher's daughter had come in and taken over 'bubble duty' and we could NOT leave if there were bubbles! So, we changed his diaper on the new bathroom floor (the changing table has not been installed yet) and went out to the car and home and he Never pitched a fit for his mom the entire time. Happy day!
So back to Moga. A friend called (1444hrs) and invited us to dinner (1730) and it is someone I wanted Tiney to meet and her baby is due any day so a raincheck didn't seem smart (even tho I knew our own dinner was prepped). Tiney made a salad to take (an amazing salad) and we went and had a wonderful dinner and talked for a couple hours and suddenly it was 2030. As we left Tiney followed Matey out the door and he was spinning on the lawn and smiling and babbling a mile a minute and she informed me he was thrilled she had come outside to play with him and she hated the reality that when we got home it would be bedtime so there would be NO outside time and he would be devastated. It is .4mi to our house and we had his pedal car in the van so I said, why don't you walk home with him? She replied Why don't you? I said you drive the car home and I will. Then she announced that I was mean and now she had to or she would be a bad mother and I should open the hatch. So I got the car out and they walked home and I coasted along beside them the .4 miles. She was moving at a steady 3mph pace and she was NOT walking fast. (small things amuse some peoples mothers!)
She has been tired and it was later than she thought but she spent the time walking with her boy and he was SO happy. I hit the garage door opener and they parked in the garage ahead of me ;-} Once home she changed his diaper, he said he was hungry and he and I got out the little Hershey's mixer and his chocolate milk from Sizzler yesterday and remixed it and he drank it all! He ate half the peach he asked for and massaged the other half , What?! I was washing dishes and his mommy was on the computer. Then he went happily to bed with his mom After she washed his face, hands, tummy - all the peachy sticky parts.
This morning I made cinnamon roll dough but after rolling it put it into 8 mini loaf pans and Tiney baked them because I ran out of time :-o After church Buh drove and I delivered a mini loaf to all the children in my class and my co teacher. Except one little girl who I believe is out of town, hers is in the freezer. My one little boy who hasn't been in a while has a younger sister who is a bit miffed he gets visits/messages regularly and she doesn't so I made one for her too. As we got to the turn for their cul de sac I realized the little urchins playing in the water by the road were the two of them so I told Buh to stop rolled down my window, said Hello and he recognized me and jumped out of the ditch. I called him over and said I needed his little sister too. Each received a bag with their name on it, I told them what it was and that I missed them and as they ran towards home he called back "I miss you!" Being kind is so easy and I don't do it often enough. People need to know they are important.

titles will be self-writing for blog posts!

We survived our first real day altogether in Matey's new to him HOME. We went to the Idaho Youth Ranch and Savers and now have enough toys, books and CARS to make good use of Grammy's/Our backyard! You should see the amazing car mommy got for $15 - as soon as I get a picture of him in it - she probably won't leave Grammy and Matey alone in Saver's toy section ever again, just sayin'!
Opps! Time for me to get ready for church, Where does the time go??? Well there was Ddonn's blog and CakeWreck's Father's Day Sweets...
xoxoxox

I will still need validation / appreciation for doing what I am supposed to do ;-}

Ddonn mentions in her blog that I was asking her for more posts when I hadn't posted in a week... well my posting for a week ~after six months of silence~ did not generate a single comment, So WHERE is my incentive, eh?
Happy Birthday to me!
Breakfast at Denny's and the Temple with LeAnna, Iceberg Icecream shake instead of Lunch (yes, I shared) Dinner with Buh, Le, Tiney and Matey after naptime ;-}
Drox is at High Adventure so he is missing out...

My comment for Ddonn's post: (elcidandgirls.blogspot.com)
Your silly post question always causes me to pause and second guess myself ~the WHOLE class bit~ iz scary
As to me not posting in a week~ My computer has been gone for over a month and I have to use Buh's when he is at work OR use Tiney's lap top and my fingers hit and miss on that (this) silly keyboard until I am beyond myself (frustrated)

However - my MOM is "quite on in years" *73*
whilst I am just "old" at *56*
Regardless, thank you for the marvelous post of busy familiness.
! ! ! a week and a day ! ! !
xoxoxox
wv: ingervi - the next generation of geritol ;-}

Tiney and Matey move on Sunday, back to God's Country, within the 'shadow' of Mount Rainier, so everyone has been -and will be until then- Way busy packing them up. She has done an awesome job of packing her room, and her kitchen stuff. We are just helping with the garage boxes... which somehow moved themselves and intermixed with mine and Le's making life more exciting. We do NOT want to discover them later - like the kitchen box that surfaced yesterday from under two of my book boxes.
Then Le leaves for college and a Master's program.
Then the boys and I need to find a new home and move by the end of September.

And the doctor wants me to have that other operation but the tumors have been shrinking so I am still thinking it over.
I leave for Ddonn's on the 4th and get to spend a week with the squirrels while Drox is at a writer's camp! More things to do than there is summer to do them in!

Grocery shopping will be easier than when it was MY babies in tow!

Matey woke up at 0620, Tiney knew Buh and I were leaving at 0700 so they just got dressed and accompanied us to the Chiropractor ;-}
Matey had a blast wandering the halls.laying on the floor with Grammy to peer up at Uncle Buh's face thru the face opening in the adjustment table and playing with the awesome toys in the waiting area.
We got Uncle to work on time, went to Albertson's for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, an orange shirt for Drox; to the office to pick up boxes, the handtruck and yards of denim, to Michael's to check out the sales - found a baby afghan off white like Fred and George's for Grammy to cross stitch an alphabet on - Grammy first learned she was doing this yesterday!!!;
to Costco for groceries and lunch; home with a sleeping boy who slept for almost an hour on the couch in Grammy's arms; then got very little done before it was time to leave to pick Uncle up from work and stop at Winco for a couple items that cost less there than at Costco. Cottage cheese for one is less at Winco.
When we got to Buh's work it was 106 F. We parked in the shade and opened all the doors because we arrived 12 minutes before he gets off... his last call was a Long one and he got off 17 minutes late. Although the shade made it only 96 F I am no longer Tiney's favorite ;-{ 29 minutes of warm breeze is NOT her idea of fun.
At Winco we spent just over $30 and Buh spent just under $30, he got all the stuff for guacamole - YUM. I ran in to the library for a book I had on hold and wisely left the car and AC running.
Friday is leftovers for dinner, mysteriously after I packaged down the hamburger there was just enuf for a hamburger pattie 'leftover' for me ;Þ
Dishes are calling - no one else hears them, maybe I need a hearing aid to tune them out! Drox txtd good night, I got the txt this morning 'cause I left my phone in the car last night after the game. I was tired~ and knew today would be long and HOT.
I miss my cute youngest and sincerely hope we manage to keep his fish and his garden alive til he gets back!!!