Anybody else see the problem with this?
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Randomness Abounds
Well, it turned out that we did need to replace the water heater, but the good luck continues--a friend got us a sweet deal on a replacement, and our fabulous plumber (Allen Bohne at Great Basin Services, Inc for the win!) was available to take out both old ones (yes, two--one which was older than the hills that we did not use, and the one that just broke) and install the new. We had hot water by 4:30 pm!
What wasn't as good luck was the fact that my new crown was too high, and I woke up at 3am this morning with a horrible tooth/headache. A heavy dose of ibuprofen helped me to sleep, eventually, but I ended up back at the dentist this afternoon for a fix. Hopefully it will work! (My jaw is still numb, though. Ugh.)
Something they don't tell you in parent school is how cute it is when your child first realizes that your names aren't just Mommy and Daddy, but Keryn and Bradley, too. Gee figured it out today, and listening to his little voice saying "Kewyn" was adorable beyond belief.
I just saw a Facebook status update that said "I can't decide", and the only comment was "Choose the road less traveled." I wanted very badly to write "Choose the RIGHT", but given the particular situation, didn't. So I'll just write about it here. :)
Okay, it's getting a little silly in here right now. I better take some more ibuprofen and go to sleep. Good night!
What wasn't as good luck was the fact that my new crown was too high, and I woke up at 3am this morning with a horrible tooth/headache. A heavy dose of ibuprofen helped me to sleep, eventually, but I ended up back at the dentist this afternoon for a fix. Hopefully it will work! (My jaw is still numb, though. Ugh.)
Something they don't tell you in parent school is how cute it is when your child first realizes that your names aren't just Mommy and Daddy, but Keryn and Bradley, too. Gee figured it out today, and listening to his little voice saying "Kewyn" was adorable beyond belief.
I just saw a Facebook status update that said "I can't decide", and the only comment was "Choose the road less traveled." I wanted very badly to write "Choose the RIGHT", but given the particular situation, didn't. So I'll just write about it here. :)
Okay, it's getting a little silly in here right now. I better take some more ibuprofen and go to sleep. Good night!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
The Fortunate Circumstances of a Leaky Water Heater
This morning I was awakened with the alarming news that there was water on the utility room floor. Lots of water. And outside the utility room floor, in the hallway. My first thought was that the washing machine had malfunctioned, but, no, the water seemed to be coming from the water heater closet. Uh-oh.
Our water heater has been on its last legs since we bought the house, seven years ago last month. We figured it finally cracked open. Picking our soggy way over to the closet, we pulled open the door and prepared for the worst.
Here's where the story gets awesome:
So...I don't have hot water right now, it is true. And I have been vacuuming the carpet downstairs for a long time. And we don't quite know if we can fix it.
But I am very grateful, all the same!
Our water heater has been on its last legs since we bought the house, seven years ago last month. We figured it finally cracked open. Picking our soggy way over to the closet, we pulled open the door and prepared for the worst.
Here's where the story gets awesome:
- The water seems to be coming from the top of the water heater, at the in/out lines. We're not 100% sure, but it looks like we'll be able to fix the lines, and the water heater itself can keep limping along.
- Although the carpet in both the utility room (yes, it is carpeted, huzzah) and the hallway is soaking, we have both a shop vac and a carpet cleaner, to suck the water out.
- The utility room is stuffed with...well, stuff because we are shed-less at the moment. And yet, the only things that got wet were a few blankets waiting to get washed, some old shoes, and the outside of plastic storage boxes.
- Yesterday, after being laundry-lazy for weeks, we washed almost every bit of clothing in the house. And much of the bedding.
- Everyone (except poor sick Em) got baths/showers last night.
- Both Bradley and I got a decent night's rest last night, as opposed to the night before--Em was throwing up everywhere, and Bradley spent an hour at 3am cleaning the carpet.
- Because of Em's aforementioned illness, I wasn't planning to go to church today anyway. So I have spent the morning sucking water out of the carpet.
- Bradley and I spent three days for our anniversary up in Salt Lake last week, and left the children here with my wonderful mother. The water heater could have busted then, and what a mess that would have been for poor Mema!
- We are going out of town next week for Thanksgiving, and the water heater could have waited until then to break, leaving our carpets wet and the water continually leaking for a week. Shudder!
So...I don't have hot water right now, it is true. And I have been vacuuming the carpet downstairs for a long time. And we don't quite know if we can fix it.
But I am very grateful, all the same!
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Big Reveal
Late last Christmas, as we were lolling on our bed in a post-present/feast/family time haze, Bradley started idly looking at houses for sale in our area. After being amazed at the prices, he showed me a house in Spanish Fork, built in 2007, twice the size of our little house, and only $160,000 (or some such figure). Although I was quick to point out the problems with such a house (it was...um...not on a bus line. And it was a weirdly shaped lot. And...um...okay, there weren't that many problems with it.), it definitely started us thinking.
We always knew we wouldn't stay in this house forever, especially after Gee was born. The outside stairs to the front door, the tiny bathrooms, the awkward, narrow kitchen...it would be very hard to have a wheelchair in this house. But, still--this is my sweet little house. I love this place. I brought my four youngest children home from the hospital to this home. We planted trees, flowers, a sprinkler system. My heart is in this home.
And yet. We are now a family of seven, in 1600 square feet. Granted, the pioneers raised more children in less space, but I'm not a pioneer. We are starting to feel very cramped. And although Gee isn't in a wheelchair, and won't be for quite a while (if ever), the outside stairs are a barrier to him. Inside, he can sit on his rear and slide down, and crawl up quite quickly, but outside stairs are a different story. They get wet in the rain, snow and ice covered in the winter, and are dirty. As he grows older and more independent, I can't just swing him into my arms and carry him up and down. Despite my aversion to major change and my love for my house, my neighborhood, my ward, and my city...we began to talk about moving.
Although I didn't know it at the time, my mother was undergoing a parallel process. Mema lives in the house I grew up in--we moved there when I was eleven--and it is a big house. About eight years ago, after my Grandfather's death, they added a mother-in-law apartment to the house, for my father's mother, Grandmama. This made the house even bigger: 3000+ sq. ft for two women. Too big, especially in Vegas when you have to cool the whole thing for 8 months of the year.
As my mother contemplated selling the house and moving, she found herself drawn to Utah. After all, three of her children live along the Wasatch Front (two in the Salt Lake Valley, and my family here in Utah Valley). Grandmama seems to like the general idea as well--two of my aunts live in Utah Valley--although neither of the Vegas women like the idea of snow very much.
One day, while we were chatting on the phone, my mother--tentatively--brought up the idea of moving up to Utah, and, perhaps, maybe...adding a mother-in-law apartment to whatever house Bradley and I bought. (Well, two mother-in-law apartments, because Grandmama and Mema love each other, but don't want to live in each other's pockets.)What would I think of such an idea?
Well, I personally LOVED it. I think it would be so amazing to live right next door to my mother, and to have my kids get to spend time with her. Having her so nearby would be awesome! But I wasn't sure what Bradley would think of it. I mean, mother-in-law jokes aside...I needn't have worried, though. Bradley thinks it is a marvelous idea, and is completely on board with the concept.
And so it begins. Our requirements are ridiculous--ground floor entrance (or easily rampable), main floor living (or at least one ground floor bathroom and bedroom, not the master suite), two mother-in-law apartments (or room to add them on), under a certain price...well, let's just say we aren't deluged with choices. Mema is in the process of putting her house on the market, we have to consider what to do with our precious little house...it's exciting but overwhelming. And I can't even think about leaving my ward and neighborhood...we likely aren't staying in Spanish Fork, because all our family--my aunts, my siblings, Bradley's parents and two of his siblings--live in northern Utah Valley or Salt Lake.
Change. It's good for the soul, but harrowing on the emotions! What a roller-coaster the next eight months (give or take, who knows) will be!
We always knew we wouldn't stay in this house forever, especially after Gee was born. The outside stairs to the front door, the tiny bathrooms, the awkward, narrow kitchen...it would be very hard to have a wheelchair in this house. But, still--this is my sweet little house. I love this place. I brought my four youngest children home from the hospital to this home. We planted trees, flowers, a sprinkler system. My heart is in this home.
And yet. We are now a family of seven, in 1600 square feet. Granted, the pioneers raised more children in less space, but I'm not a pioneer. We are starting to feel very cramped. And although Gee isn't in a wheelchair, and won't be for quite a while (if ever), the outside stairs are a barrier to him. Inside, he can sit on his rear and slide down, and crawl up quite quickly, but outside stairs are a different story. They get wet in the rain, snow and ice covered in the winter, and are dirty. As he grows older and more independent, I can't just swing him into my arms and carry him up and down. Despite my aversion to major change and my love for my house, my neighborhood, my ward, and my city...we began to talk about moving.
Although I didn't know it at the time, my mother was undergoing a parallel process. Mema lives in the house I grew up in--we moved there when I was eleven--and it is a big house. About eight years ago, after my Grandfather's death, they added a mother-in-law apartment to the house, for my father's mother, Grandmama. This made the house even bigger: 3000+ sq. ft for two women. Too big, especially in Vegas when you have to cool the whole thing for 8 months of the year.
As my mother contemplated selling the house and moving, she found herself drawn to Utah. After all, three of her children live along the Wasatch Front (two in the Salt Lake Valley, and my family here in Utah Valley). Grandmama seems to like the general idea as well--two of my aunts live in Utah Valley--although neither of the Vegas women like the idea of snow very much.
One day, while we were chatting on the phone, my mother--tentatively--brought up the idea of moving up to Utah, and, perhaps, maybe...adding a mother-in-law apartment to whatever house Bradley and I bought. (Well, two mother-in-law apartments, because Grandmama and Mema love each other, but don't want to live in each other's pockets.)What would I think of such an idea?
Well, I personally LOVED it. I think it would be so amazing to live right next door to my mother, and to have my kids get to spend time with her. Having her so nearby would be awesome! But I wasn't sure what Bradley would think of it. I mean, mother-in-law jokes aside...I needn't have worried, though. Bradley thinks it is a marvelous idea, and is completely on board with the concept.
And so it begins. Our requirements are ridiculous--ground floor entrance (or easily rampable), main floor living (or at least one ground floor bathroom and bedroom, not the master suite), two mother-in-law apartments (or room to add them on), under a certain price...well, let's just say we aren't deluged with choices. Mema is in the process of putting her house on the market, we have to consider what to do with our precious little house...it's exciting but overwhelming. And I can't even think about leaving my ward and neighborhood...we likely aren't staying in Spanish Fork, because all our family--my aunts, my siblings, Bradley's parents and two of his siblings--live in northern Utah Valley or Salt Lake.
Change. It's good for the soul, but harrowing on the emotions! What a roller-coaster the next eight months (give or take, who knows) will be!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Ooops
I had today all set up for the great reveal of an exciting secret...and now I'm too tired to finish writing it.
Tomorrow, I PROMISE. Pinky swear and all that.
Tomorrow, I PROMISE. Pinky swear and all that.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Dental musings
This is what happens when you take an unexpected break from blogging:
A vague feeling of guilt that you aren't recording your children's lives in minute detail.
Slightly more time than usual.
Nobody really notices.
But then you start writing blog posts in your mind. "I'll start it this way...and then I'll title thusly...and ohIcouldwriteaboutTHAT!"
And then you start blogging again.
So...for today's selection, we have the dentist appointment. And then tomorrow will be a big secret revealed (no I am NOT pregnant). And then Friday will be all about my DUP luncheon. Perhaps Saturday will be a recap of my anniversary trip, Sunday a discussion of my new calling, and of course we've had two birthdays and our very first friends birthday party to relate.
______________________
As I was writing this post in my mind, staring up at the special lamp positioned to flood my gaping mouth with light, I started it like this:
"I hate the dentist."
But then I started thinking. I don't actually hate the dentist. He's a very nice man, as are most of the dentists I've ever had. (Would you believe I've never had a female dentist? And I've seen a LOT of dentists.) I even like some former dentists, very much, like Bro. R. in our ward. So I had to think of a different opening line.
"I hate going to the dentist" or perhaps "I hate dental work."
Except neither of those are true, either. I am very grateful to live in such a time as this, with plentiful, fairly inexpensive (I am not in the 1%, you know) dental care. And that our flour doesn't have small bits of grit in it. Did you know that the Anasazi died at about 30-35 years old, because of THEIR poor broken teeth? From abscesses and stuff like that? I probably would have been dead at 12, considering my record. Poor nearsighted toothless Indian girl. So I'm grateful for dental work and the dentist.
I thought about this for a beginning: "I really hate the process of getting dental work done, what with the shots and the tastes and the drills and the smells and the pain and the price and all. But I love having teeth that don't hurt."
Except that is a very odd and convoluted opening sentence. So I leave you with this:
"I went to the dentist this morning and got a cavity filled and new porcelain cap for one of my molars that has cracks in it. And I did not enjoy myself."
How was your day?
A vague feeling of guilt that you aren't recording your children's lives in minute detail.
Slightly more time than usual.
Nobody really notices.
But then you start writing blog posts in your mind. "I'll start it this way...and then I'll title thusly...and ohIcouldwriteaboutTHAT!"
And then you start blogging again.
So...for today's selection, we have the dentist appointment. And then tomorrow will be a big secret revealed (no I am NOT pregnant). And then Friday will be all about my DUP luncheon. Perhaps Saturday will be a recap of my anniversary trip, Sunday a discussion of my new calling, and of course we've had two birthdays and our very first friends birthday party to relate.
______________________
As I was writing this post in my mind, staring up at the special lamp positioned to flood my gaping mouth with light, I started it like this:
"I hate the dentist."
But then I started thinking. I don't actually hate the dentist. He's a very nice man, as are most of the dentists I've ever had. (Would you believe I've never had a female dentist? And I've seen a LOT of dentists.) I even like some former dentists, very much, like Bro. R. in our ward. So I had to think of a different opening line.
"I hate going to the dentist" or perhaps "I hate dental work."
Except neither of those are true, either. I am very grateful to live in such a time as this, with plentiful, fairly inexpensive (I am not in the 1%, you know) dental care. And that our flour doesn't have small bits of grit in it. Did you know that the Anasazi died at about 30-35 years old, because of THEIR poor broken teeth? From abscesses and stuff like that? I probably would have been dead at 12, considering my record. Poor nearsighted toothless Indian girl. So I'm grateful for dental work and the dentist.
I thought about this for a beginning: "I really hate the process of getting dental work done, what with the shots and the tastes and the drills and the smells and the pain and the price and all. But I love having teeth that don't hurt."
Except that is a very odd and convoluted opening sentence. So I leave you with this:
"I went to the dentist this morning and got a cavity filled and new porcelain cap for one of my molars that has cracks in it. And I did not enjoy myself."
How was your day?
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Baptism
Today was an amazing day. Today was the day that my eight-year-old Zee chose to get baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I am so proud of my boy. He has grown so much in the past year, I can hardly believe it. The temper tantrums of the past have become rare, as he struggles to become the master of his emotions and attitude. He is a generous young man, especially with his siblings. He is an incredible help to his parents.
During the baptismal services (we were the only baptism today in the whole stake!), while I was giving the traditional talk about baptism and repentance, he was listening so intently and earnestly. It seems that was the only time he was sitting still the whole day--ever since he woke up this morning, he was super-extra-hugely excited about the event. But he listened with his whole body to my talk. That, more than anything, shows me just how mature he is getting.
I hope he can always remember today with happiness and joy. I know I will. I love you, Zee-boy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
