Job at last, Job at last!

After four months of being unemployed, Mike has a job. He got the official offer this morning. He will be a Department of Defense contractor, doing network support, and who knows what other technical stuff--in Iraq. He will have to be there eleven months, with no setting foot on American soil so that his entire salary will be tax free. It will be a huge leap from where we are now. I will continue to work at Bed Bath and Beyonduntil I have satisfied my need to refurnish my home accessories, etc. We hope to find a new house and be moved-in before he gets back--before the kids start school again, since they will be with me next school year.

All of this means that I will not have Mike with me--again--for the family reunion. Neither will I have Mikey and Lexi. However, I had promised my kids when I was single that we would start saving money to go to Disney World. Mike was planning on going and bringing the other two kids. However, last summer they went to Disney land and SoCal with their mom, so they have been to Disney Land. I could take the four there before or after the family reunion and do the whole Magic Mountain, DL, Knotts Berry Farm, Universal Studios thing. Anybody want to join me?

When Mike gets back, we would do the Florida trip.

Old pictures

Here are a couple of pictures of the kids at the park by our house for your viewing enjoyment. The other boy in the tunnel is our next door neighbor, Vuk, whose parents are from Poland or something like that.

We had a great time on our trip. We went to Colorado (Denver) to the wedding of Mike's cousin, Kristy. She has been dating this guy off and on since they were in high school 15 years ago. He wasn't a member for most of that time, and she knew she wanted to be married in the temple. And now she has.

Colorado was beautiful. It was just beginning to be spring. There were crocuses and daffodils blooming in many a flower bed. The small piles of dirty snow in the parking lots were flowing into puddles. Mike has decided he wants to retire to Montana, where it will never get above 100 degrees (37.7 celsius for my international readers-ha!)

We met Mike's brother Matt, his wife Melanie, and their kids, Callie, Coleman, Cara who had her first birthday while we were there. We also met Mike's sister Marla and her nine-month-old daughter, Eva. Mike and I absolutely fell in love with her. She had the most enthusiastic smile for anyone who would look at her--maybe it was just us.

We went to the Denver Temple and took care of all the kids on the grounds, except for the two babies. Callie is the shorter blonde, and Coleman didn't want his picture taken. Andrew had some very specific ideas about how he wanted to be photographed.















We managed to get a flat tire and found out the trouble with having an all wheel drive vehicle. If you replace one, you really need to replace the rest, or you could mess up the differential, and eventually--soon even--have to replace the whole system.

By the way, my washing machine, that did not work for over a month has been repaired by my magnificent husband. He replaced the belt on it. He felt good about himself, and I felt all warm and tingly about him. I spent the days leading up to our vacation doing laundry. It seemed pretty endless. Now I have vacation clothes to wash. The joy of it is; I CAN! Life is good.

More breaking news pending. Stay tuned

Summer planning

Devanie posted about the plans for the family reunion. I commented on it. for those who haven't seen it, here it what I am thinking.

As far as the sealing, I think Friday afternoon would be better so that it doesn't overshadow Hailey's baptism. I was also thinking about how much fun I have dancing with my husband--or even dancing with myself--oh, oh, a-oh--and wouldn't it be great if we had a place where we could just turn on some music and yak and snack with each other while the kids dance like goobers and the gooberest best of us join them.

I don't know how many will be able to stay for that full week, but even it the Leavitts had to come back for the second weekend, its only like four hours away, right? I would be delightfully shocked if Leonard stayed for the whole time, don't know if Thomas would be able to get the full time off. If he could though, I nominate him as the sound man. If not, my husband is more than capable. It just isn't customary for the groom be the sound man. Don't know if we have anyone who would be willing to be the official photographer.

By the way, I lost my disc of the family reunion pictures, which is rather an aggravation. I would be overjoyed if someone could get a copy for me. I can make contact with aunts and uncles for further arrangements, since Devanie was asking.

Love y'all