Dreaming of somewhere...

I have been thinking that Paul and I need a vacation after he graduates. This is, of course, in the dreaming phase. It all depends on our tax return, sadly enough. I was thinking Hawaii would be nice, but right now, we are watching Dog the Bounty Hunter and this show does nothing for Hawaii. Any suggestions?

Product Placement

A few things I love lately:

1. The Swiffer Wet Jet. Yes, this is a bit of a scam, and I still believe nothing beats a good "hands and knees" cleaning. But, I will never use a mop again.


2. The Magic Bullet. It is magic! I believe everyone needs one of these.


3.Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I'm becoming a huge fan of books on CD!). I have done all my housework the last few days while listening to this gory story. And although I am disgusted by it, I love it at the same time.


4. My new treadmill. I don't technically love this yet, but I will be getting my new treadmill in one week, and I am so excited to not have to go to the gym anymore (since the treadmill is really the only thing I use)! And I am excited that I don't have to wait on Paul's schedule which is proving to be more intense than expected.

The Blonde in the Crowd

Today, President Obama visited Wakefield High School in our old neck of the woods, Arlington. It also happened to be Chloe Sampson's first day of high school there. Here is the video. It's rather long, but if you go to the 9:42 mark you'll see a stunning blonde just above the podium. If you go on to the 17:21 mark, there's an even better shot. Chloe, we hope your day was memorable!

Good Idea/ Bad Idea

In an effort to try to teach Sabrina some responsibility, I decided to start a small job chart. Most jobs on it are tasks that we do everyday anyway (I wanted some sure-fire sticker-getters)like "get dressed", "eat breakfast", "take a bath". With these, I threw in a few "help mom out here" jobs like "pick up toys" and "make your bed". Good idea, right? Well, the last few days have been a little nuts with Sunday (Sundays are always a little off schedule here) and Monday being our apartment complex barbeque. Last night before we put the girls to bed, Sabrina was looking at the job chart and said, "Hmmmm. We didn't make the bed; we didn't pick up toys; we didn't read stories." Great!! I'm beginning to think that this is really a test of "What exactly did we accomplish today, Mom?!" My how the tables have turned. Here are the jobs on her next job chart: Are you fed? Are you healthy? Are you happy?

In other news, I'd say Paul is about 85% convinced that his wife needs a treadmill for her birthday. I'm pretty sure some encouraging comments from our friends and family would put him right over the edge. (Subtlety is a gift of mine)

First Day of Pre-School

Today was a big day for Sabrina. She started pre-school. I am not going to lie to you; I was a nervous wreck. When you have a child who is a little "slow to warm up" to new scenarios/people, starting school can be a little scary for all involved. But I also know that "slow to warm up" children are exactly the type of children who need new experiences. So here we are. When she got in the car at the end of the day, she said the following: "I was shy," "I didn't ride the train," "I say 'I want my mom' when I went to the potty." So I am wondering exactly how the day went. Oh to be a fly on the wall, my friends. She was excited about it when we left this morning, and still excited when she got in the car at the end of it. So all in all, not so bad!

Lucy seemed to do fine without her other half, as you can see!

Whew! What a Week.

1. We made the drive from D.C. to Utah in 3 days. I can't say it was always enjoyable. In fact at times it felt like an episode of Double Dare with all the bending, climbing, feeding, sticky messes, reaching across the car, making sandwiches in less than a minute to avoid screams; not to mention the time when Sabrina slimed herself, me, and the car seat (car sickness). Although I kid, I have to say that every now and again, it was downright pleasant. I read out loud to Paul and did not worry about cleaning, laundry, or Lucy getting into anything she shouldn't. Yes, there is something nice about sitting, doing nothing, and strapping the kids down for 12 hours a day.

2. We moved into our place. This would not have been possible without the brute strength and kindness of our family and friends. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And yes, the third bedroom is changing my life.

3. The Sampson Family Reunion was a hit. We really enjoy when we get the opportunity to see everyone, eat great food, chat into the wee morning hours, make fools of ourselves in the talent show, and just enjoy each other. We missed Shannon and Brittan this year. Get well soon, Britty! Can't wait for 2011!

Pictures to come soon. I first need to find our camera amid boxes.

Kids Are Funny, Moving Is Not

I received my 2008 blog book the other day (Thanks, Tara, for the blog2book.com suggestion!), and I was quite pleased with the fact that I had documented things about our life, Sabrina's life, and Lucy's birth and pregnancy. I am giving myself an "atta-girl" on this one, and I'm not ashamed. There were many things I had written that I had already forgotten. So, while you all are getting tired of the funny things my kid says and how cute my kids are, I am not, and I don't want to forget them. So, with that said, here is yet another conversation that occurred this very evening.

Sabrina: Mom, I love my Luce.
Me: I love Lucy too. And Lucy loves you.
Sabrina: And I love Dad.
Me: I love Dad too. And Dad loves us.
Sabrina: Mom, I love you.
Me: I love you too.
Sabrina: Mom, because we are a family. And Heavenly Father wants me to play princesses and not go to sleep.

I don't think that her goal in initiating the conversation was to avoid bed time, but if it was, I have to give her props.

In other news, we are packing, driving 2000+ miles over 3 days, spending the night at the Radmalls, moving our stuff to our new place, buying a washer and dryer, unpacking our stuff, getting my hair done (it's been 3 months AHHHH!), and attending the Sampson Family Reunion within the next week and a half. Wish us luck!