Living room update!

So come this past spring, I got tired of plain white walls, and no mantle decor. It looked awful boring in here. I then remembered how in LOVE I was with a color on the set of Parenthood (Tuesdays at 10pm, NBC! love that show!) and I HAD to have it. I looked it up, it was Benjamin Moore's Saybrook Sage. It took me a few days, but I painted my downstairs! It looks nice in here! It's a very light green with almost a hint of white and gray to it. I kinda am like, really short, so I could only paint the tops of the walls so well...and then it registered, huh. put up crown molding, that will rid the nasty lines and look GORGEOUS!

So, I did! I got hooked up on some 6" cove crown. Here is the before photo. BORING!


Aaaand after some nice new paint coloring, and some 6" cove crown (friend is in construction and got me lined up with someone who could install it, all in time for leena's birthday party!!)

Fun of Fall!

I'm not the biggest fan of fall, there was ice on my car this morning and I've noticed it's getting COLD, quick!

Last weekend, Jeff and I took the kids up to the Woodland park Zoo (photos to come! I'm just lazy right now. ha!) and then to the pumpkin patch down the road from my parents house up in Redmond with my little brother Cody, and his cute wife Katie. We try to get together with them, they're a fun pair and just love them, and even more cause they're LOCAL! (well, if 100 miles round-trip is local to see family, I'll take it!)



I had a friend over last night, we're like 2 peas in a pod. Always have a ton of fun together, constant laughs and giggles. Which is what we both need, as we're in the same boat right now. Anyway, we opted to play a game called "Headbanz", it's totally geared for kids, but you put this head band across your forehead, load it up with a card that has an object, place, animal, thing, and YOU have to guess what's on your card by asking questions, we had sooo much fun! Here's the proof!


and of course, the "I look so stupid!" pose. I didn't think so, I just thought it was funny.


And of course, this photo made me proud. I'll be honest, with the crap I went through getting my car, not the happiest camper about the experience, but this is WHY I bought my car!! 428 miles per tank!!! =D =D Doesn't it make you want a Fusion too?!

Is karma genetic?

Lately my sweet little boy, hasn't been that sweet. I watch and 18ms old little girl 4xs a week. All day. She's usually pretty happy, go lucky, friendly little girl. Loves to laugh and giggle. And I'm pretty sure up until this week. Had no problems with Landon.

Until Monday. Landon discovered how to push Miri to the ground =( He did it many times, and thought it was hilarious. So she turned around, and shoved him back. He thought it was funny. Probably because it was on the couch which is nice and soft and fluffy compared to the cold hard floor in which he's been shoving her. I've tried to separate them as he's gotten more aggressive with the shoving. He thinks it's HILARIOUS. She will be screaming with tears streaming down her face, running in total fear away from him, he's behind her, catching up, laughing as hard as he can. Then BOOM, to the ground he's shoved her. Her tears are flowing even more, his laughter fills the air. Now repeat this about five times. That's with separating them to opposite floors of the house (literally) and keeping them away. Nothing is working!

As a kid, I didn't shove my siblings that much. I just did gnarly, mean things to them over and over. I'd frame them even! I'd tease them til they would cry and rat on me. I was probably the world's worst older sister. I'd put a salted mexican candy in their eye, soap on everyones toothbrush (mine included, but I'd not put it on Seth's so it would look like he did it and not me) and so on. Ice water on them while in the shower to hear them scream. Just MEAN things, over and over. I backed off a bit when we moved to Seattle. I don't do it too often. I did have a friend over the other night though...I was upstairs, and It was dark in my house, I said a light had gone out upstairs, so they needed to go up to where I was. I hid behind the bannister at the top of the stairs...I hid on the ground, they came around the stars, saw a dark blob on the ground and about peed themselves! We laugh and laughed and laughed! Too bad not everyone finds everything funny.

My Mom always said "UGH! HEIDI!! I Hope you have a child like you!" and I was always hoping she was wrong. And now, I fear she was right. What on earth do I do about Landon? I'm seriously puzzled. I'm sick of him pushing Miri, Miri is sick of being pushed. And I don't want my son being a bully.

School is around the bend, ack!

I can't believe it, school is about to start! I think I think that's the worst feeling because it means that summer is almost over and then it's fall, and then it seriously just dumps rain here and gets snow and ice for 6 LONG months. =/ So not looking forward to it, I just know that if I didn't have kids and family her, I would NOT live in this "Evergreen State". Yes, it's green a lot of trees - but think of how much water those trees need to stay green.



I'll stop whining, I just don't like rain.



Leena had a fun filled summer, we can't go wrong there! She first up and went to Bermuda to see my parents, met my niece Maleah there and had a time of their lives snorkeling, making crafts, and more swimming and snorkeling. Leena used to have a HUGE phobia of the water, looks like visiting Grandma K and Papa has helped her overcome that one, yay! She came home from Bermuda, SUPER brown, I can't believe how latin she looks! She was home only for 2-3 days, got a few playdates in with her little friend Alayna, and then was off to her Dad's to get up at the crack of dawn to go on an international flight. She went from Seattle-Amsterdam-Paris-Johannesburg, S. Africa. All in all, it was 33 hours one direction. Poor kids said it was SOOOO boring! Her Dad and Bonus Mom (step mom, I call them bonus, as "step" just sounds so evil step mom-ish) bought her an iPod shuffle and loaded it up with about 5hrs worth of things a almost 10yr old little girl would like. She got to be a flower girl at her bonus Aunt's wedding, whom she'd never met before. She did say that everyone smokes down there, but at least they did it outside. She said she loved the fact that 5 dogs were present in the house. When I asked why there were FIVE dogs, she said "I guess there's a bit of crime in the area", so I guess no need for a house alarm when you've got 5 pitbulls. I don't know this is settled me, or unsettled me, either way, she was safe.



On the way home, they got to Amsterdam, and her bonus Mom got REALLY sick. Like, she was on the plane throwing up before take off, they put her in an ambulance, took her to a hospital and kept her there for observation and then sent them home the next day, which essentially was to the airport. She got home, then her Dad got the bug that his wife had. Luckily, Leena never got it!



She's got until the first to play her brains out. We went back to school shopping in July to avoid crowds and what not. I just have to get her a new outfit and I'm set!



I'm also excited because we have family pictures on the 6th. I say "Family" because it is all 4 of us, and Jeff and I do great at co-parenting and will be in the photos. I don't think we'll have a full on "family" photo, but we'll rotate out with the kids and such. Woop!

Dating 101, again?

I've decided I'm going to be open about this.



I remember once, a neighbors license plate frame one read "Star light, Star bright, where the hell is Mr. Right?"



I'm 30yrs old, and have played about 17 innings of a baseball game of dating. Went out will tall nice guys with military career in full effect, builders, more military (never was on purpose actually, all was freak accident) teachers, students, wireless dorks, (I can say that as I was one too) and engineers. Many walks of life, many differences between me and whoever.



So, I've decided I don't want to play the field. I seriously should just be gay. Oh wait, missing one big detail...not attracted to women. Darn!



As a little girl, I was told to write down the qualities that appeal to me, and that I want. Anyone that doesn't know I was born and raised Mormon, now ya know! The goal of this, is not to be picky, but not to settle for less.



Here it goes:

Tall

Dark hair, light eyes, I have a thing for blue eyes. (Go look at my track record, you'll see this, look at Jeff, ha.)

Clean cut, dresses according to their age

Clicks well with me

Same faith

Stellar goals; emotionally physically, spiritually

Wants/has kids, ok with me having 2 of my own

Gets along not just with my family, but my kids as well

Morally clean, doesn't drink, smoke, swear

Safe driver

Handy with a home, I don't know how to fix plumbing

As affectionate and love giving as I am

LOVES his Mother and has a close bond with her



Spiritual things:

Prays

Read scriptures

Has STRONG faith, and won't ever doubt it or second guess it

Wants a family; for eternity

Is willing to attend church with me and kids, regularly (as I teach Sunday school)

(If you're not LDS, skip this part) Has temple goals

Can bless my kids when they need it.



Good news is, I think I already have a clue as to somoene who fits all of this...WHOA NELLY! Having a clue and acting on it are 2 different things. My divorce is still "pending" almost a year later, no rush, I'm enjoying my time at home with my kids :)

2011, what a year.

This was my year:



January, my husband of almost 3yrs, moved out. Some reason, this blindsided me, even though I knew it was coming. The legal documents were filed Dec 1, 2010.

February, I took on the task of watching little Miri. Who brings me many smiles, and many stresses.

March, my Mom flew in from Bermuda to visit us, and then go see my sister in Idaho.

April, my sweet little sister, Hillary brought my gorgeous nephew, Uriah Aaron into the world.

May, My beloved grandfather, Wayne Elledge, (dad's side) passed away suddenly. I took that VERY hard, and I don't expect to "heal". I never will. But, I'm allowed to miss him. And I do daily.

June, arguing ensured more in my relationship with Jeff, literally to the point of constant tears. I didn't know what had happened. I went to Hawaii just in the nick of time.

July, a best friends grandfather died. I know I had never met him, but to see someone be in my shoes only 7-8wks later after losing my grandpa, was HARD. Very hard. More arguing, and severe tension arose in mine and Jeff's relationship, it was turning to anger.

August, we finally agreed we knew what the start of the fights were, and stopped discussing those topics. Things are slowly improving, and will take a while. Jeff moved out of his leased room in the house 1.8 miles away, and moved about 3.5 miles away. I went to his house the day after he moved in, in hopes it would rid me of some of my guilt and bring more closure. It somewhat has.



My mom always taught me, "The attitude is gratitude". I'm determined to count my blessings. Also do what my Great Grandmother Emma would say, "Look for the good, and praise it!"



With that said, no one I knew was fatally killed by a drunk driver, or murdered. I have my health, a roof over my head, healthy children, and have money in my bank account, and a working vehicle. So many other people in this world, simply don't have those.



Looking for the good in your life, takes 2 seconds. Think of a new one daily, and make a "I'm grateful for", list in your home. Write something NEW down each day. And months before thanksgiving is around, you'll already have your list. So on the days you're feeling a bit off, or just having a hard time, you can look back on that, and realize the plus things in your life, in which are little blessings. I'm going to start mine tonight. My first and foremost things I'm immensely grateful for, and will always come #1 to me, my family. Siblings and my own kids. They all make me smile, laugh, cry and have nothing but unconditional love for me, the one thing that only a family can give.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

I don't know why I'm not nearly as good as updating this but I guess something is better than nothing, right?



Here it goes!





Jeff got his orders this morning, and BACK TO BREMERTON!! I can't emphasize how utterly ecstatic I am. I was so worried they wouldn't be sympathetic to our situation and ship him off to either Japan, or VA. For those of you who don't realize it, Jeff was stationed in Bremerton for 5 years. He's spent almost 7 out of his 9yrs in the Navy, in WA. Which to be honest, is unheard of. Not many spend this many contracts in the same state. Yes, we've had to moved within our state, but never out of it. It legally would be a mess from a Leena's Dad's side of the family for us to move out of state. We were praying that we'd just stay somewhere near by. And, tada!



I know our situation is on hiatus, but doesn't mean this isn't a "we" thing, it effects him as much as it does me. I'm the Mom of 2 kids who have a full time military Dad. Who will be on deployments and such. Which the good news, they usually go on deployments at the beginning at the year, so I'm hoping he misses a small portion of it before he gets on actual deployment, or just misses it all together, since he will be moving back there in April. (Trend is to leave in January for deployments, not in all cases, but with his ship usually is the case.) Upside, just in the past few years, things like video chatting have become a lot more accessible, and easier to use especially overseas and for military. So, here's hoping I won't have to send him a photo of the day of the kids, and he can just see them himself! At least when he's in port that is. I'm really excited for Jeff, and for our kids. They're so attached to him and it seems like they've had to go through a lot lately, I hope this will become something that's easier on them in time. Keyword, time.



As far as home life, Leena is still in South Africa. I talked to her the other day,she's such a little comic. She told me she was at a hotel on the Indian Ocean, and was debating on going swimming. I guess she could see a shark net from her window. How's that for SCARY?! She's had a blast visiting family and grandparents overseas this summer, my little world traveler at age 9, totally BAFFLES me! She's got like 8 stamps on her passport! I don't even have one! So jealous! I am so ready for her to be home, I miss my sweet Angel Leena!



Landon is getting a heck of a vocabulary! He's conjugating words and sentences like it's no ones business. Which means we are on MAJOR filter mode and have to watch it! I told him "Landon! Knock it off!" and he looks at Jeff as he's picking him up and says "Nokk it off!" We were like oh boy, could've been so much worse!



I'm SO excited though. I've got all their birthday party invites ready to print out. I bought the templates on Etsy, and just print them when I need, it's awesome! Leena's theme is a Night in Paris, and it's a black tie event. I'm going to find some Damask fabric and borrow someones cricut and get "a night in Paris" in fancy letters cut out, and glue them onto the fabric and have a red carpet where the girls can walk into the house, and then go over to the backdrop and get their picture taken with the Eiffel tower or something. I'm not sure what I want else in it, but we'll see! Leena's cake will be an Eiffel tower. I personally am up for the challenge and also think I'm nothing short of ambitious and slightly insane!



Landon's theme is "Let's fly away", and it's all airplanes. I'm going to master a fondant recipe I was given that's supposedly really good and try to make his cake be a suitcase or something. Too bad I have NO idea how to do that, but I'm sure I can google it and read how to do it!



As far as me, I BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!





I got it a few days ago, it's a 2010 Ford Fusion SE, it's silver. It has the Sync which basically is a robot that gives you turn by turn directions, plays your music for you, takes voice commands and a slough of other things. Sadly, that lady pissed me off yesterday and I'm still recouping from the anger I held against that robot for saying my commands weren't valid. What a wench, haha. The upside to my buying experience, was they wanted a low ball offer on my Passat, which we paid way more than they were offering me. I said, tell you what, put leather in the new car, and we can go from there. They said, deal! So, this weekend or next week, I get leather in the new car, which will match the inside, which is black/gray. I'm excited about it because my Passat got 16mpg City, and 21/hwy. This one, granted it feels like it lacks horsepower, but it gets 24/city and 29-32/hwy!! My gas bill will decline and that makes me happy! Just not happy about a car payment, but it was either going to keep dropping money into an older car that was due to blow up on me any day, or invest in a new one, get a chance to treat it way better, and go from there. So, here's to a fresh start for 30, right? Yes!



As far as everything else, things are getting better. I switched some medication about a month...month and a half ago. And I'm pretty sure poor Jeff hated me. It made me pretty neurotic and much more temper mental than I've ever been in my life. He did admit at one point he hated coming over here because he had to deal with me. So, I've decided, just not going to be on any medicines. This wasn't required, just was for female things. And ever since I stopped taking it, been fine. Go figure! I will admit, as time goes by, I have a hard time adjusting to a big house all by myself. Having to go back to work eventually to pay my portion of the mortgage come next spring, all these things will overwhelm me briefly. Many times people have said, you guys need to reconcile, work it out! It's sad and crappy to say this, but even if we tried, feelings changed. I think Jeff's half wanting to move on, but doesn't see the point when he's about to move 60 miles from where he is currently, and will be going on deployments. Deployments go easier if you're single. But, after weeks of fights, run-in, and mostly me being weird, I think we've hit our high point and are on great terms. The other thing is, I'm sooo protective of my kids, and Jeff. We're still legally married, I'll always love him, as he's a great Dad and someone I had planned to stick the rest of my life out with. Granted it may not have worked like we liked, but he's still a big part of my life and I'll always keep an eye out for my kids, and him. When I'd met him, someone else had put him through the ringer, so I'm protective of Jeff. And, don't want other girls around my kids, period. We've established very detailed ground rules, that are to be followed by both. We have several. I think that has made our relationship better that we're on the same page for so many things, and get what the other is saying. It took a few months for us to get where we are now due to raw emotions, wondering if this is a good or bad thing...but all that aside, I feel like I can confidently call him a good friend, which is exactly how I've always wanted it. Whew! Cheers to the future!



Jeff is moving into a new place this weekend. He's been living with a single mom and her kids for about 7ms, just leasing out a room in her house. I guess he doesn't have much room there, so when Landon spends the night, it's crammed. So, he went and got an apartment a few miles down the road that will suit him and the kids when he has them. He's moving in this weekend! I kinda want to see it. I know he was excited about getting Landon a bed for his house, he wanted a buzz light year one for him, haha.



Well, I think I'm officially caught up on my blog for the month....we'll see!