Why I LOVE Colorado!

Our day at the park.

Pikes Peak. Isn't she grand?

At the park. There were lots of geese. Lots.and.lots.of.geese. {and consequently lots and lots of do-do--not fun in flip-flops!}

Notice Sunny and Grace sitting up on the picnic table? Ever been goosed (literally)?




Our picnic was three weeks ago.
Today--the last day of summer--it snowed! Crazy. I didn't have my camera with me, but if I would have, I would not have taken a picture of the powdered sugar-coated mountains no matter how beautiful 'cause it just isn't right!!! Summer and snow in the same sentence. Go figure.

It's All Fall is Here Good!

Hi Everyone!

Howdy!

It is so beautiful here. I keep pinching myself to make sure it's not just a dream!

We've still been getting settled. Got the painting done in our room and just need a little more work to get done in Grace's room.

I'm so enjoying being here with Rick and Reva. They have made us feel completely at home and comfortable. Reva is getting her energy back after her hospital stay, which was a record-breaking only nine day stint this time!

Between being so busy and not having our own laptop up and running yet, I've missed visiting all of you, and I know I have tons of catching up to do. But I know as soon as I can get back in my groove with you THEN you'll know we're settled!

I'll leave you with this question: What do you get when you cross dyeing your hair with a bat (the Halloween kind) and an Olde English Bulldogge? A future SO! Moment post!

It's All Comfortably Good!

Brenda

Getting Closer

We're getting closer to getting settled at my sister's. (She's doing better, by the way, and we're hoping that she'll be able to come home by Wednesday.)

Rick and Reva have an unused full basement with three bedrooms, family room, full bath and laundry room. There has been a little sprucing up and updating to be done before we can actually move in (post-teenager kinda stuff!). Sunny and I are getting the painting done in the two bedrooms we'll be using, and it looks like we'll be able to be moved in by the weekend. Yay!

We're so grateful for them opening up their home to us. I'm looking forward to spending fun, quality time with my sister and niece that we haven't had because of the distance, as well as Grace getting cousin time with Amber's kiddos.

We spent the day with Sunny's mom. This evening we went out to pick up the flowers from the graves her and Chels had placed out last night. It was neat seeing all the beautiful arrangements folks took the time to place on their loved one's graves. And seeing all the flags on the stones of past veterans including my father-in-law's makes my heart so thankful for the sacrifices our men and women have and are making for us.

It's All I'll Be In Touch Good!

Officially Coloradoans Again!

We made it to Colorado. Wow, what a long day it was. But we're now here, and I don't think it's totally sunk in that we don't have to turn around and head back in a couple of days.

We totally missed the mark on the amount of stuff we had. Sunny and a good friend had already taken up all of our things in a car hauler and a trailer. There were a few things still left in Flagstaff, and then Chelsie decided to come with us, so we had all of her things as well. I forgot to take a picture of our little caravan, but if you can imagine Beverly Hillbillies 2009 edition you'll get the picture. Think recliner instead of rocking chair! Of course it wasn't that bad, but we had odds and ends literally stuffed into every nook and cranny of all of our vehicles. Chels even had to strap our Shop Vac in her front passenger seat!

It's going to be busy for the next week or so. We're at my mother-in-law's house, and then we'll head up to Colorado Springs in a few days. My sister, who we'll be staying with for a bit, was put in the hospital last night with a fever, so they're running tests and we'll find out more tomorrow. We'd once again appreciate your prayers that she'd be able to get out very quickly.

I miss visiting around with all of you and can't wait to get back in the groove and catching up.

It's All We're Here Good!

An official Coloradoan in 7 days

Woo Hoo! 7 days until we leave for Colorado!

This week will be crazy busy with four cleaning jobs, a full-length ballet rehearsal and another shorter rehearsal, shopping for Grace's birthday, a BD dinner for Grace, another family BD party for her after Sunny gets here. All of that besides just all the loose ends needing tied up before we blast out of here.

We are beyond thrilled that Chelsie will be moving with us. Where she eventually ends up we don't know, but for now we're doing the happy dance!

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. The girls and I and our friend whom we're staying with went to I*Hop for brunch. I had there yummy spinich and mushroom omelet, and I'll be darned if I didn't go off and leave half of it in the to-go box on the table. Didn't realize 'til later. Then we conveniently drove by the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Fac*tory--did I say drive by? Yes--and turned around and went in and bought a ooey-gooey chocolate chip-covered caramel apple. Only thing missing from having a great Mom's Day was my husband :(

It's All Love Being A Mom Good!

New News is Good News!

As we're waiting in limbo for another 2 weeks, a new twist has unfolded. Our daughter, Chelsie, might be coming with us! You can read her post about it here.

Ironically, just a week ago, she was given an ultimatum on her job. In a nutshell (because this is a long story) her boss is wanting a long-term commitment that she feels she can't nor does she want to keep. So she put in her notice.

Everything is up in the air right now, but just as the Lord is guiding us literally step by step through this move, I know He will her too. Your prayers are appreciated concerning this.
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And now for some off-topic good news, my niece just had her third child yesterday at home--a son. Now you better sit down for this one, because he came in weighing a whopping, and I mean WHOPPING...

11 POUNDS 1 OUCH...err...OUNCH!
Congratulations Aspen & Andy!

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btw, If any of you have been following Biggest Loser this season, Felipe and Sione are Andy's (the above Daddy's) best friends. Felipe was in the top 5. He was voted off this past week. Not sure when Sione was sent home.
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It's All One Step At a Time Good!
Brenda

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Oh, and 13 days to go!

Frosty helps a meltdown

18 days to go!

My house is clean YAY!

I'm finished, through, done with cleaning my dirt (I know, 'clean dirt' is definitely an oxymoron). I don't care if I ever see another mop again. But alas, that's my business too, so that's not going to happen. At least I get paid for cleaning your dirt!

Life is good, but it would be better if Sunny were with us. I appreciate our friend letting us stay with her, but it's just not the funnest thing being in limbo like this. I just have to keep thinking beyond the next two weeks when we're together again and getting settled.

Grace had a little breakdown today while I was finishing up cleaning. She's trying to process all of this in her head. So much has changed just in the last couple weeks, and it's just a lot for a little gal to deal with. Anyhow, she has her little plastic wading pool on the back patio that we can't take with us. I'm talking the smallest, cheapo wading pool Wally's carries--not a big deal right? I offered it to the neighbor for their kiddo. Grace runs upstairs where I find her in the empty, echo-y bathroom crying--no sobbing. Then I have to go to the basement for something and come back up and can't find her. I go outside to see her starting to drag the cheapo wading pool down the 16 stairs sobbing the whole time. I realize she's having a meltdown and ask her what she's doing. She says, "I'm...sup, sup...putting it...hiccup...in the...sob, sob...car!" (Ya, like that's gonna fit in our already-packed car). If the situation weren't so pitiful it would've been funny. I tried to explain to her that we can just get another one when we get up there, then thankfully, had the presence of mind to realize that this was her way of processing. It wasn't about the teeny wading pool--it was much bigger. Her little heart was breaking some with the reality of everything going on around her. So I held her and let her cry for awhile and then said, "Hey, let's get a Frosty when we're done, ok?"

Amazing how the mention of ice cream just makes things all better!

So, that's the scoop! pun intended.

It's All Frosty Good!

Brenda

The Countdown Begins

20 days until we finally get to Colorado. The countdown has started!

In the meantime:

Sunny is up there now and has found a job. Yay!

I am cleaning...and cleaning...and cleaning my house.

In my housecleaning business doing move-outs are the worst. The whole time I'm scrubbing a yukky bathtub or toilet I'm sing-songing, "This is gross, This is nasty". Really getting into the griping, ya know?

Now I've been cleaning my own move-out and...

REALITY CHECK, hello!

My house was/is dirrtttyyy! ( Still working on it.)

Ever heard of the quote, "Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins"? or the "beam in my eye, splinter in your's" verse?

Well, here's my revised quote: "Never criticize someone else's dirt unless you've cleaned up your own dirt first."

Lesson learned.

(until the next one--hehe!)

I'll be by to visit as time permits!

It's All 20 Days To Go Good!

Brenda

Stinkin' Backspace Button, Anyhow!

Ok, I just replied to all of you who commented on my Colorado Springs post then hit the backspace button for some crazy reason and deleted everything I wrote, gah! I'm so tired right now, I can't think straight, so if this post makes sense at all consider it a miracle!

A big thanks to all of you for your kind thoughts and prayers. You all mean the world to me.
To answer a few of your questions:

Yes, it's going to be hard, Keetha, to be separated from Sunny. He's been to Africa three different times for that long, so at least he'll be in the States and we'll be able to communicate!

Jennifer, just let me know where we can hook up. I'd love to meet you IRL.
And the same goes for you, Mari, when/if you get out to Colo. Spgs. to visit your son. Also, tell your son if he ever needs a good, homecooked meal we'd be happy to oblige!
Anyone who heads that way, please let me know. And, Susan, we'll be closer to Oklahoma too!

Liz, a lot of people don't realize that northern AZ is at 7000 ft., so we pretty much get the same amount of snow as CO. Actually we'll probably be getting less snow in the section of Colorado Springs where we'll be living. Ironically, I've always considered Flagstaff to be a little Co. Spgs.

Amber, I can't think of anything off the top of my head as far as helping, but I'm sure something will come when Grace and I get up there and thanks for offering. Having her cousins up there are what keeps Grace from hesitating, tho' she's sure going to miss here sister!

Linda, I'm trying not to think about the 'heartbreaking' part with Chels! I still have 24 more days here! :)

Aw, Chels, you take after your mother with the crying part, don't you?! Remember what we've talked about! I love you so much girl!

I'm looking around boxes at all the clutter and packing that needs to be done now before tomorrow, and here I sit blogging. I'll be around to visit as soon as I can friends!

It's All Drowning in Packing Peanuts Good!

Colorado Here We Come!

It is now official! We are moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado. We are packing up everything and loading the truck on Thursday. My husband and a good friend of ours will head up there on Friday. Grace and I will be staying with a friend until May 18. Grace has her end-of-year ballet recital that she has been working really hard for, and we don't want her to miss it.

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As for blogging, it's going to be hit and miss for awhile, since I'll be without my laptop. But you can be sure I'll manage to come by somehow and visit all of you.

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I'd appreciate your prayers concerning this move. So far, things are falling into place smoothly for which we're so thankful.

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It's All Colorado Bound Good!

Linda Asked

This question is from Linda:

I'm interested in your upcoming move to Colorado. Maybe you could talk about it and why you've decided to move back there. Is Colorado where you're from originally?


Well, we're shooting for the fall, Lord willing, to make our move back to Colorado.

Both Sunny and I were born and raised in Colorado. Sunny grew up in Fowler (pop. 1200), and I grew up 30 west, in Pueblo.

About a year ago we felt it was what we both wanted and needed to do. A lot of my family live there, and Sunny's mom still lives in their hometown. His mom is 80. She is doing well, but we felt we needed to be closer.

I have my sister, Reva, whom many of you have 'met' and her daughter, Amber, as well as another brother there in Colorado Springs. My dad, my mom, and another brother live within an hour or so. (3 other brothers live out-of-state). Also, my best friend lives in the Denver area.

Business-wise with the real estate business the way it has been, we feel there will be more opportunities to take advantage of in Colo. Springs.

The Springs is a beautiful city. Ever since I was a little girl I thought it would be neat to live there. Looks like it's going to happen!

The only thing that makes it really hard is that my daughter, Chels, will be staying here. I'm just thankful for today's technology that makes it so easy for us to communicate. Without that, I'd probably be a basket case.

Brenda (the other one!) Asked is next!

It's All We'll Get There Good!