Free at Last, Free at Last

The house in Big Timber is sold!!!

Crossing my fingers and toes...

It's that time. After 1 1/2 years of being on the market, we are finally signing papers tomorrow to sell our Big Timber house. Wednesday the buyers will sign. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all finishes as it's supposed to.

After Wednesday, there will be a HUGE sigh of relief. Wish us luck!

Where do I want to be in August?

I've asked for tickets for my birthday... not sure it will happen, but a girl can dream.

Behind the scenes of 21 Guns

21 Guns video

Home Again, Home Again

We finally made it home last night. After an unexpected delay, (night of two kids sick) we made the 10 hour trip home. It was a fun trip filled with lots of swimming, a visit to the Discovery Center, miniature golfing, more swimming, visits with High School friends, family reunions on both sides of the family and more swimming.

all 10 cousins together

As fun as the trip was, it is really nice to be home.

They're Coming to Take Me Away...

The drive from Billings to Salt Lake is very, very, VERY long. It went as well as could be expected. My final analysis:

• 5: the number of kids I started with.
• 7: the total number of stops we had to make.
• 11: the number of hours it took us to make what would normally be a 10 hour trip. Note: we didn't even stop to eat...just ate in the car.
• 1: the number of band-aids needed because pipe cleaners are dangerous toys.
• 2: the number of trips through the McDonalds drive thru I need because I can't seem to figure out that six people need six hamburgers and not five.
• 5: the number of objects playing noise all at once that will make me lose what little brain I might have left. Those five objects were: my music (essential noise), a movie in the back of the van (pretty essential), a little toy radio that plays the same little clip of music over and over (should have been tossed in the garbage when we moved), 2 cell phones (both of which are not mine and were being used by the seven and nine year old because "the ring tones are cool").
• 200: the number of times I was asked "are we there yet?"
• 30: the number of minutes that all four youngest kids were asleep at the same time!!
• 500: the number of times I questioned why I was doing this.
• 5: the number of kids I ended up with at the end of the trip.
• 0: the number of shots I need now that I'm no longer driving.
• 3: the number of kids I'm glad I have permanently. I can't imagine any more than my wonderful three!!

Even though the trip down went well, please, please, please, don't encourage me to EVER do this again!!!

Where's my brain?

I have been planning my annual trip to Salt Lake for some time. Normally I take all three kids by myself and Jason comes on the weekend. It is a long drive, but works well. This was the plan until last week.

Brother D calls and asks if I can take the boys for a few days next week so he and fiance J can go work on a tile job out of town. I say, "Well, I was going to leave for Salt Lake on Monday." (and then instead of just leaving it at that, I continue with no brain function at this point and say, "Why don't I just take the boys with me and you can meet us there on the weekend."

I will let that settle in for a minute.

I purposefully proposed that I would take FIVE kids all alone on a 10 hour drive.

Where the %$&*@ is my brain?

In my attempt to entertain five kids on the drive, I bought pipe cleaners (because that's fun, right? right?) and lots of snacks. As I was trying to find snacks that wouldn't melt, weren't too messy, likeable, etc. etc. I asked Papa Echo what he thought I should get. His one and only suggestion was CHOCOLATE COVERED ESPRESSO BEANS. He thought it would be funny to have a "pinball effect" going on in the van. Thanks, Papa Echo, you are so. very. helpful.

My kids are very excited to have their cousins for the drive. I have high hopes for a calm, smooth drive. But, in "reality world" I think I need a lot of luck.

Either that or a bottle of cinnamon schnapps waiting in Salt Lake.

Four Hours and Counting

The kids have been begging me to take them to a garage sale. As we passed one today, I reluctantly said that we would stop. The girls immediately found a couple of stuffed animals that they had to have. Jonathan spied "The Black Pearl". He reminded me that he still had birthday money to spend.

This has to be one of the BEST purchases in my garage sale career. All three have been playing with the boat and pirates (which were included!!) for the last four hours--non stop. No fights, whining, or teasing. I will literally have to pull them away from it for dinner in a couple of hours.

And I almost said no to the purchase request. Silly old, mama...