A few of the happenings...

It's been really hard to sit still for the few minutes it takes to update.  It seems that so much has been happening, that it seems so overwhelming to stop and fill you in.  

First, as I posted before, Mike bought a new MacBook Pro for me.  I love it.  However I still haven't moved my stuff from the PC over to the laptop.  I did attempt it once, but now the Internet isn't working on the PC, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do.  I actually really enjoy posting using Windows Live Writer.  However, that doesn't work on the Mac!  So no fun stuff for me until I figure out some other program for the Mac that does the same kind of things.

Next we purchased a new vehicle.  As you know, we are toying with the idea of getting a boat.  The mini van just doesn't cut it when it comes to towing a boat.  So, the first step was to get a towing vehicle.  I fell in love with the new Toyota Sequoia's.  However, after talking with our financial advisor, it just didn't seem worth the money, so we settled on a 2005 Suburban.  Now, I HATE American cars.  I have never had good luck with American cars and I SWORE that I would never again own one.  So, now I'm eating crow.  And the funny thing is that I actually really like it!!!  Because it's not brand new, we got a great deal on it, but there are a few things that aren't perfect about it, so it's in the shop right now having all those things fixed (hopefully!).

Let's see, Oh, the microwave stopped working last night.  I never realized how much I use it, until it stopped working.  So, now I'm shopping for a new microwave too.  Hopefully that won't be too painful of a process (like the new vehicle was!!!)

Well, that's all I have time for right now.  Oh wait.  Caile got her hair cut.  Courtesy of Adrie.  I put it off for a week, but I finally took her in and had it fixed.  Now it's really short.  But oh so cute!  Here are a couple pics.

It's been a busy week!

Adrie just LOVED school.  She is so excited to get on the bus each afternoon.  I love being able to just take Caile places.  It's been nice for all of us.

The weather has been amazing.  I love the sun!  If I thought we could move to Arizona, we'd go in a heartbeat!  I need that heat and sun.  Totally changes my mood!

On Friday, Mike took me to the Oregon Coast.  We stayed at the most amazing place called the Stephanie Inn at Cannon Beach.  It was beautiful and pampering and very nice.  The weather was amazing there as well.  I love sun at the Oregon Coast.  Something that we don't always have!  After a wonderful and relaxing 24 hours, we came home.  We stopped at a car dealer to look at a new vehicle to replace my van.  We've been eying the Toyota Sequoia's.  Very nice!!!  We made the mistake of test driving a fully loaded one.  So, now we need to make the decision if it's in our best interest to get one.  But man, are they nice!

Saturday night we went out to the Oktoberfest in Mt. Angel with our good friends Joe and Niki.  This is the 3rd year we've gone with them.  We had a great time.  I felt like there was a bit of a shadow over me the whole night.  I think I was trying to mentally prepare myself for Sunday.  What's Sunday, you ask?

Well, Mike's been in the Bishopric for church for the past 3 1/2 years.  He was being released on Sunday for a new calling.  That's hard to deal with.  Not to get all religious on you, but well hey, it IS MY BLOG!!!  So, there are many blessings that come from serving in such a calling for so long.  I was already feeling the "let down".  Also, I kept thinking that some how it was MY "fault" that he was being released.  Now, any LDS people out there know that that's not how it works.  It's not like you get fired.  But I kept thinking they were getting rid of him so his pathetic wife wouldn't have a nervous breakdown.  Also, I kept thinking that many days I felt like I was just barely hanging on WITH all those blessings, how in the world would I cope with out them???  Anyway, after a very spiritual, but hard Sunday at church, he was able to come home after church with us.  That was a first!!!  I'm actually looking forward to spending my Sundays with him.  With his new calling, he will still have meetings, but not like he did before.  And I have him most of Sunday.

The other hard thing about the calling in the bishopric is that I felt that I lost touch with some of my friends because we were busy a lot and also people just don't feel the same in confiding things to you when you or your spouse has a "high" calling.  So you become friends with those who are also in the bishopric.  Then the ties are cut and you are kinda left alone and wandering.  Anyway, I'm kinda having an identity crisis.  I'm sure it will pass in a day or two, just weird!

So, now we're onto Monday.  A new day.  School for kids and shopping for me.  Back to life I suppose!

First day of Preschool

So, after much waiting and anxiety (on my part), little Miss Adrie started preschool today.  She had waited so long and today was the big day.  She was so cute!  Here are some pics of her first day.

This was the conversation I had with Adrie right before the bus came.

Here are a couple pics of

 the girls after their first day of school last week.

And last, but not least, Alia cheered in her very first football game on Saturday.  The way the girls were positioned, it was very hard to get any action shots, but here is one of her in between some cheers.

Yeah, first days all around!

Conner had his first day of school yesterday.  When I picked him up after school I asked how his day went.  HARD.  But fun.  I was really proud of him.  He had about an hour of homework and then another 30 minutes of reading to do, and he did it all with no complaints.  Oh and he looked so darn handsome in his uniform!  I have a feeling that this is going to be a great fit for him!

 

Alia and Ann-Elise started today.  Alia was in bed last night at 7:45 and up bright and early at 6:30.  She showered,dressed and ate breakfast and still had over an hour until we had to leave!  Ann-Elise slept in a little longer (maybe 6:45) but she was fully dressed when she popped out of her bedroom.  Mike was able to go into work late today so I could drop the girls off at school.  I was able to meet Alia's teacher and that was nice.  I was a little worried about how I'd like her, but she seems very nice.  Then we headed to Leise's classroom.  She has the same teacher as last year with the same kids in her class.  They had to pick an upside down card off one table and sit in the corresponding table for the day.  Luckily, Ann-Elise was able to pull the same number as 2 of her best friends did.  Her teacher just laughed and commented that that seating arrangement probably would only last 1 day!

 

Adrie has to wait until next Tuesday for the start of preschool.  However, today they are having their open house.  So we will be going to school today also.  She is so excited about it.  Too cute.  I love it when it's fun!

 

On an all about me note:  Mike took me out last Friday night.  Totally surprised me with a nice dinner and then we popped into the Mac store.  We checked out MacBooks and then he bought me a MacBook Pro.  I LOVE it!!!  I haven't switched my files over yet, so I have really only used it to IM and do some internet browsing, but it is totally cool.  So, I'm excited to check out some fun stuff on that!

 

Oh, and Conner wouldn't let me take pics of him yesterday.  And then we tried to take some of the girls this morning, but the camera batter was dead!  So much for trying...