Girls Weekend

So we say it won't be the last....  But it was the last one that would be organized easily...  A gals trip to Lancaster.  Oh, how I love these girls.  I am going to miss these times SO much.  We all got babysitters and snuck away a 3, actually more like 4pm on Friday afternoon.

We got there in time to grab some Chilies and go to The Christmas Tree shop.  Everyone behaved rather well....  And as always, I somehow spent more then anyone.  (I like to claim that it is because I have the biggest family.... but really I think it's cuz I have less restrain :-) ) When they kicked us out of Christmas Tree Shop  we went back to the Hotel room with Sonic drinks in hand and chatted and played till the wee hours of the morning.  I couldn't tell you what we chatted about, but I can tell you that it was glorious.  There is just something about a sleep over!!!!  Love em!  

We got up on Saturday and leisurely went about getting ready.  This is quite a challenge for my "Red" personality who watches the minutes tick by on a holiday, but I tried to remember that part of the fun was just being together.  Once we were up and going, we headed into Kitchen Kettle Village.  I love this place.  I fell in love with it 9 years ago when I lived in Philly and "the girls" would go to Lancaster for the day.  We had a ball looking at all the stuff, and stalking the Amish.  I love to watch them.  I bought a basket of Strawberries from some cute little Amish boys on the side of the street.  (they were so yumm)  We looked at their laundry.... he he, and just had a great time.  Then we headed into the outlet mall to squeeze in as much shopping as possible.  Dragging everyone about, through the dinner hour so as to not waste one moment of shopping time.  Every store we went into was FREEZING cold tho.  It was a nice day, but everyone had their air conditioning cranked up so high that it was uncomfortable.  So before we went to dinner, we went to target and bought these little matching sweaters for 6 bucks a piece.  Ain't we cute?
We had such wonderful conversations and laughs.  That night at the hotel after bumming over a dozen yummy rolls from the waiter at dinner... we chatted again and took pictures of us in our cute sweaters.  I don't know what happened but a lot of my pictures are blurry.  We will have to do retakes.  :-)  The next morning Christina headed home (Jared had to speak in church) but the rest of us slackers stayed in Lancaster to play with our cameras and have a relaxing sunday.
Here we are trying to get a shot with the timer.  Humph, I cut off Jeri's foot.  she wasn't supposed to hang it down that far.  :-)  I wasn't really feeling the whole people picture thing... I really just wanted to photograph Lancaster... I found a few things to photograph, but the sun was blaring, so it was not a simple task.  I am sure that Jeri's photos of this weekend of all the girls will blow mine out of the water, but it was fun anyway. 

Here are some of the pictures I shot while Jeri was photographing Barbara.  I got to take some pictures of Jeri, with her camera.  I realized afterwards, that I should have claimed that CF card so that I could proof them and publish them, but she was one step ahead of me.  Now her silliness will never be exposed.  :-)
I just can't tell you enough how much I love Lancaster and the feel there.  I love the peace and the quiet... even with tourists all around eating homemade jellies.. this place is so wonderful!
I finally gave in and bought my little Amish Dolls that I have been coveting for almost 10 years.  They weren't really expensive, I just never was able to justify more "stuff".  I couldn't leave this part of the country, again, with out them.
I also had to buy some cute shoes... and took pictures so that I could show them to my mom, The inspiration to my growing shoe addiction.  
These ones are bass, so they are reasonably comfortable.  the others... totally uncomfortable, but DANG!
I am not going to write how I really feel as I wrap up this post, cuz then I will cry and blubber away.  I will end with the resolve that this WILL happen again, that these girls WILL be around forever and that only more good things are to come.

On a positive note....

I have noticed a trend in my live, blogging and Face Booking...  A negative trend, and so I am going to share a bit of positivity today...

Liza has born her testimony for the past 2 fast sundays about our home.  She has born testimony that she knows that Heavenly Father and Jesus hear our prayers and will answer them.  She has said both times that she KNOWS that we will sell our house soon.

Sweet faith.  I am proud of her and her ability to trust in the Lord.  Also on a positive note, although I get frustrated, I know that the Lords hand is in this whole situation and that all will turn out well for us.  

Another positive side, I have gotten to witness the support of so many loved ones.  As my Friends and my Family have bonded together and spoke words of support and have prayed many a times on our behalf.  

We have had a few reviews of our home that say that the home has "excellent curb appeal", that the interior is "clean and well kept"  (which is really saying something considering the mass # of people in this little place),   That people loved the home's location, the home's interior, and the community that we are in.  They have also stated that the home needs "No improvements", that it is priced "About right".

Twice we've been told that we are in peoples top 2 choices, we've been told that our home was their favorite, and we've had 2 second showings.   So there have been a few out there that were close.  We just need this market to close up a little... there are SO many choices out there, it is hard to be the #1 choice.  

Another positive:  The 2 bedroom on the court sold for $260,000.00 on  Thursday.  So that has posted for the world to see... that should help our price issue.  

I know that the Lord will take care of us.  I know that the right buyer is out there, and that all that have passed thus far were not the perfect fit, for some reason or another.  I am grateful for my faith, and for the support of those around me.  

I know it will all be okay... I am just impatient... always have been... I better work on that.

To Do....

Here is a list of things that need to be done to our house in order to sell it, (according to all the negative feed back from agents)

... fix screen door on deck

... power wash and stain the deck

... Drag in (more) top soil and level back yard

... Re seed grass (we already did this)

... Re roof (some shingles on the front were curling up)

... New Carpet through out

... New flooring in kitchen and bathrooms

... Turn 1/2 bath in basement into a full bath

... Extend the finished part of the basement (which I am sure will lead to a need for more storage space)

... Add a full bath off of the master bedroom

... pull up the whole front step and put in a new one.

... de mustify my basement (BTW i've Never ever walked down here and thought it was musty smelling and I have a crazy nose)

... add some "elbow grease"

... open up the floor plan

... add some square footage to each room

and when all that is done......

... relocate the entire home AWAY from the power lines.

THEN and only THEN

... Lower the price

And then my dear friends we will have a house that is worth selling in this market.

(according to the agents)

Honestly, I think our home is cute.  It was my dream home, and we saw it and bid on it in less then 3 hours.  We love it.  There is a need for new flooring, but for the price we are selling it.... come now, put it in yourself.  :-)

"They" say the market is picking up... I don't know about that.  A 3 bdrm just listed in our area for $250 000.00  Not good.  :-(  

Glories of the Military

Now, don't get me wrong.... I enjoy the commissary, the bonus pays, the holidays off and all the other good stuff, but these things do come with a cost.  A cost that is not as obvious as the sending of your spouse abroad.  What is that cost?  you may ask... well, lucky you, I am about to tell you...  This my friends is a direct quote from the pamphlet that they gave me at the Transportation Office today when I went to schedule a moving truck..... Oh, heck, lets start from the beginning...  I went to the office today thinking that "now that I have orders in my hands, they will finally allow me to schedule a moving truck. "  Oh wait that is not the beginning... it all started with the fact that Brent has been trying to get them to issue him orders on and off for over a month.  Anyway, we have the orders (finally.. seeing as how his report date is July 15th)  I am in the "transportation office" and of course I am given "a number"   the military LOVES the whole number/window system.  I wait and wait and wait... and while I wait, I am thinking... wow, it must take a while, you must sit down and actually schedule it right down to the details.  I am wishing that I had brought my calender in with me.  Then  Finally at 12:30pm the guy in front of me is called to the window (first number called since I sat down)  He is done in minutes.  "oh lucky me, " I think... "he must have just had a quick question."  I go to the window, orders in hand, indicate to the VERY crabby "lady" what I need.  She tells me that she needs orders, I hand them to her, she photo copies them, and then hands me a pamphlet, the pamphlet is a very poorly designed attempt to assist you in navigating their website.  Oh yes, my friends, I am going to do this through a website... which means I could have done this part MONTHS ago!  GRRR.   I head out on my way.. having spent 2 hours of my day, with 2 small children in tow, just to give someone something that I could have sent them in an email document. :-(   Then I get home and this is a quote from their pamphlet....

"TSP's are selected based on their BVS.  The CSS accounts for a significant portion of the BVS.  Filed rates and claims processing also determine a TSPsBVS.  " 

I am not kidding you!!!!!! 

The military is IN LOVE with acronyms... it should marry acronyms, it's so in love with them!  GRRRR

So I proceed to try to register for their website, only to be told that it will take them 6 hours to approve my registration... so I wait.  Kids in bed, sit down at the computer, try, try, try, try, try.  Oh no, it's not working.  Oh wait, it says it may not work with MAC's browser Safari... Follow link.. sign up for some download something or other, get a pass word for that.. download the mac version of Internet explorer.  Go back and try again.. get in to the part where you put in the little verification code, it won't take my code. over and over and over... call 1800 number.. wait on hold... girl tells me "oh yeah, we've been having that problem with Mac's  I can't do anything for you... you'll have to find a PC."   

Call my sister... she has to down load like 3  things just to get onto the site.  Once we are on, we search, and search and search...  no idea where to go.  (here is an idea for the military  How about a button that says "click here to schedule your relocation move"  ?HUH?? HUH??? would that be so hard?!?!)  

We google directions cuz we need something in english.  This whole site my friends, is like the the above quoted paragraph.  Acronym after Acronym.  It was ridiculous.  And by 3 am, we had submitted a form requesting the website company contact the Travel Office to confirm that they have the orders that I gave them today.  Then they give the go ahead to schedule a truck.  ?!?!?!  What the !??!?!  HUH!?!?  So now we wait... oh yea, we wait for THEM again... I am not very confident in this getting done in a timely manor seeing as how it took them 2 hours to take a piece of paper from me this morning!    Will we ever move?  YIPES! 

And so, we wait, oh yes we wait.

Why did we wait????!?!?!?

A few years ago, a family moved in up the street.  We saw that they had 2 little girls.  I heard through the grape vine that they were home schooled.

We watched and waited, wondered if we should be so bold as to go and knock, or intrude on their play.  We never did.  I kept telling the kids that maybe their mom doesn't want them to visit with the other kids.... I didn't know, and last thing I want is for my kids to be THOSE kids in the community.... (you know who I'm talking about).   And so we waited..... we waited too long.  One day just last month, the girls joined in some water play in our front yard.
Oh why, oh why did we wait?  Tori and Sophia hit it off.  Tori wants to spend every moment with her new pal.  They get a long perfectly and these little girls are such well rounded, nice children.  I am so sad that we've missed the opportunity to know them for longer.  So now, we just be grateful that we've had the chance at all, and make the best of the time we have.  (One more month)
Oh how I have longed to have a friend for Liza who lives close by....  and Victoria is perfect.... they get a long SO well.  She is not petty or rude.  She is respectful and kind and a great friend for Liza (slows her down a bit).  

Here's to one more month together... AND a lesson learned.  Carpe diem.

Preschool Graduation

As a former preschool teacher and mommy, I really enjoy preschool graduation.  Kind of silly really, but how much cuter can these kiddies get?

Tori was lucky enough to be in a preschool class with two of her bestest friends Eli and Natalia. It was very fun for them and very convenient for us (the moms)  Carpools and Co Op coverage, all went really smoothly.  
The kids entertained us with songs.  I tried to get a few pictures of the singing, this one was by far my favorite!  Eli looks like he is in a church choir.  LOL!!! 
Here are the three pals all together.  Although they aren't looking at me, this one is the cutest.  Their teachers have a little fun with the kids personalities and come up with a "what will be when they grow up."  Tori's was A Cruse Ship Director.  LOL!!  Yes totally her! 

Tori made a lot of friends in Preschool even though she took friends with her from the start.  She and this little guy "Eli Jose" really took a shine to one and other.  Eli's mommy also goes to our gym so Tori still gets to see him for a few more weeks.  We (his mom and I) have heard that they hold hands and walk around together, tho neither of us have witness this.  :-)  
They were cute friends.  This is her little friend Hanna.  They got along great too.  We saw them at a park after graduation so I snapped a photo that day since I missed her at the graduation.  :-)

We ADORE Miss Kelly at our house.  She is THE BEST preschool teacher of ALL TIME!  She loves these kids for who they are and really helps them shine.  Miss Kelly really gets to know each of the kids and they just LOVE her.  This year Miss Kelly had knee surgery and gave us all a little scare with some post surgical mayhem, but all ended well.  I am sad that Katie won't be in Miss Kellys class, and I feel for Katies poor teacher who has to be compared to this wonderful woman.
Here is Tori with her other teachers.  There were 2 other teachers that helped out on different days.  This is Tori with Miss Lu Anne.
And this is her with Miss Jodi
Tori said that her favorite part of preschool was "playing with dollies, the playing part." 

Speed Blogging

So, I've fallen to the ease of what I like to call "Speed Blogging".   On Facebook,  you can post your "status" and it tells all your "friends" what you're doing at the very moment.  I find that rather then thinking up blogs, I've been thinking of Status's to post.  So Then I thought, Why not take those status's and make a blog about them.....  Speed Blogging combined.   So here it goes....

starting May 1st

They always start with Christie Kay Cook Wall ......

...'s little one has strep, oh what fun, Hope that doesn't go around everyone.  *it didn't*

... is up late cleaning.. showing tomorrow... cross fingers, hope, pray, (what ever you do).. for us. :-)

...It takes me longer to load my car with all my crap that I am hiding then it takes these people to decide that they don't want my house. :-(

...s going to bed...I know you don't believe me, but I am.. really... I am. 

...is doing a showing and church solo today. Should be fun

... survived and then had butter scotch chip pancakes after church. (Liza made dinner) She's a good girl.

...said her first good bye today. :-(. Not looking forward to the good bye part, that's for sure.

...just set up Dora-pallooza, my baby is 3 tomorrow!!! Where does the time go?!?!

...just watched the Bucket List for the first time. LOVED IT !!!! Uh, just loved it!

... Is thinking that now that I have a iPod touch and can fb from my bed, I shall never sleep!

...is wishing the kids had gone to bed on time. Grrr.

...is frustrated, how can my house look like a show home at 4, and by 6 it looked like a bomb went off???

...is in a bit of a funk... could it be that my premie turned 8 my baby turned 3 this week?

...s beat... What a week. WAY too many balls in the air this week. I'm ready to slow down.

...25 showings... not one nibble. :-(

... is feeling empowered. Im going to mow the lawn more often. How rewarding, and not too bad of a work out either. :-)

...can't believe that my kids went out with a pitcher of water and some dixie cups and actually made $6!! LOL Thanks neighbors for humoring them.

...had a great mothers day... rejuvenated, now back to work :-)

...is trying to be the grown up here.... really trying.

...burned her thumb on a pop tart!! Is that really possible?!?!?!

...some days I absolutely love being a stay at home mom. :-)

...COME ON PEOPLE!!!! DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!http://www.hps.org/hpspublications/artic

les/powerlines.html

...is a stress case this morning 3 more houses in my little area went up for sale. 2 under me, one over, but has WAY more to offer then i do. not lookin good.

...Wishes she could think about something else, I keep trying... I even went shopping, that usually solves everything!

...is so busy today! Baptism and 2 showings... craziness.

...can't believe her niece is old enough to be on FB! Crazy!

...is getting a massage tomorrow at 3. :-) MMMM

... is trying to figure out why she is SO tired

...better go make dinner

...is helping her children go thru detox. Sugar sugar sugar *from Grandmas visit*

...is flabbergasted!!! Is that a real word?  *Liza told a big huge lie. :-(*

...has 67 posts on my blog roll... where have I been the last week, and how come everyone decided to blog?

...-30 grand and closing costs???? are these people NUTS?!?!?

... wants to iron, I actually have the urge to iron.... That's just weird!

...the urge has passed, now I am just lucky to have the kids in bed FINALLY!!

...just ate the yummiest dinner!!! Mmm *pork loin and rosemary potatoes*

...Is watching Twilight while she blogs.... SIGH....

...Maybe I should go to bed seeing as how it's 3 am and I am 1/2 way through Twilight for the second time tonight... Maybe that Baja Mt Dew @ 7 pm wasn't such a good idea.. LOL!!

... is looking for a place to hide...... They seem to find me everywhere!!

...has shown her home 40 times!!!!! SOMEONE PLEASE!!!!

...LOVE LOVE LOVES Muddy Buddies!!!!!

...Is HOSTING a Miche Bag Party tonight... Oreo Cheese Cake and Spicy Cream cheese dip, Hummus, and more!!! YUMMO. Oh, and the bags are cute. :-) Come on over 7:30

... had a blast!!! All who missed, missed out!!!!

...was wrong, showering with the 2 older kids home was NOT better then showering with just the 2 little ones home.... What a zoo!

...is watching her hubby and Kids examine a cows heart! *Liza's Science fair project on hearts*

..."what does sandwich plus sandwich equal?". Tori *Katie answered "Plate". Tori said "RIGHT!" *

...loves the sound of frogs @ night in spring here in MD. I hope there are frogs in TN too!!

...43 and counting.....

...just drank a lemon berry cream slush!!!

...shopped and shopped and shopped and shopped

...bought 2 new pairs of shoes...... So cute! *Great Girls weekend In PA.*

...is trying not to eat... A weekend off has proven that I am indeed stress eating.

So there you have it the month of May in Speed blog form.  :-)  It really does pretty much cover it.