Braums

Here is a picture of the Braums that Jason works at.

The Fresh market department is huge and I spent $60 there on grocerys today. I will be purchasing a lot of our food from there and hope to eat healthier at the same time. I bought sugar snap peas today and my kids liked eating them! It reminded me of being little and all of us kids going into Uncle Johnny's garden and eating all of their peas. (I wonder if it bothered John and Toni). Anyway, here is the picture from the Braums website. If want better quality, come and visit, please. :)

For Everyone who is curious :)

Here is the rock house! Candice, now you can see my van. :)

For better or worse, it is a corner lot. You can also see our garbage cart. Very helpful and can fit a weeks worth of trash.

Part of the back yard. As you can see, it is a big yard. We took the camper off Jason's truck for better visability. Having to side exterior doors is more helpful than I thought it would be. The storage shed is helpful but tiny. It will fit the lawnmower...

Kitchen, nice tile, countertops and backsplash. Yes, there are two fridges. The one closest is ours. There is a pantry on the other side of "their" fridge.

The power goes out if I am using the oven and turn on the microwave, even if I unplug our fridge. It went out 3 times last night! All I cooked were hamburgers on the griddle, sweet potatoe fries in the oven and microwaved a can of corn...The range is gas and I like it.

I am soo grateful that the laundry is indoor - not in the garage or worse, like a laudry mat. It is a very narrow squeeze with my bike there, but I'm not putting it outside. With the dryer, you cant open the door all the way to exit, so I have to get out very carefully. That being said, I am falling in love with cycling all over again. I love my bike, too, but am starting to dream of one of those new carbon thread ones with the aero dynamic tire rims and all of the cools stuff. I am getting close to switching to clipless peddels...That's going to improve my rides and training considerably. I haven't told anyone yet, but I think my long term cycling goals are going to change from triathalons to a century - a 1oo mile bike ride. Holy cow, that would be amazing.

The garage was converted to be a 3rd bedroom. It would actually make a nice sized bedroom with a nice closet. This is how we are using it: crafts, baseball stuff, halloween, christmas, clothes...You name it. If we can live without it right now, its in here.

Here is one view of the living space. I like how the windows let in a lot of light.

View from the front door of the living room. Yes, there are 3 couches in here. (see picture above). It is crowded, but we will survive. The tv is on our dresser, right by my elbow as I am taking the picture and David and Nathans clothes are in it. It makes putting away clothes a ton easier.

I got that cute rug at target last week for $1.25. Totally cute. Those are dinosaurs on the toilet. David wanted them in the picture.

I really like the vanity set that the owner's picked out.

Master bedroom. As you can see, it is a small room, but ok. My dresser is behind the door and there is no way that our bedroom set would have fit, but that's ok. This will be fine.

I like the double doors to the closet. You cant see in the pictures, but the closet inside goes from wall to wall.

The kids room The recliner is in the corner with the glider smashed up against it. It stinks, but its as good as it gets. Jeff's mattress can be moved to accomidate play.

I really am proud of this closet. I really felt like I did a great job using up all of the space I could. The train set is in the bottom drawer of the dresser, Jeffery's clothes are in his rubbermaid drawer set on top, lots of toys...About the toys....The sad thing is that I felt like I got rid of several toys. I have a few boxes of toys...like 3 or 4....I am sad to say that even though the next place will be bigger, not all of the toys are going to make it to the next place. I hate getting rid of toys. I feel guilty (Have you seen toy story?). But, I guess it is part of parenting, teaching your kids to manage their stuff. I'm just going to save that project for another day.

The location of our house is just about 2 miles north of the Tinker Air Force Base. I hear Jets and other air machines fly over head all day long. Some are really loud. I know this isn't for everyone, but I gotta say, I love it. My boys love it and it is exciting to see some really neat pieces of equipment flying low over where I live.

The grade school is just two blocks away and there is a park just down the street. Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Hannock Fabrics are less than 2 miles away. Also, with in a few mile radius is the libary, the YMCA and a free splash park.

First Day of Church in the new ward

I have to first mention what a gift, blessing and relief to move and have the same church to go to. It was such a testimony builder for me to be able to have a discussion with my boys as we pulled into the church parking lot about how it is the same church, but just with people we haven't met yet. Jason had to work today, being a holiday weekend and understaffed, but was going to try to come for Sacrament meeting, but was unable to get away. I think he is looking forward to coming next week. I am looking forward to it too.
We actually got to church 10 minutes early. Lets see if I can do that twice in a row. LOL. I think I am going to love 10 a.m. church. Normally, I dont let the kids have toys until after the sacrament, but being early and a new ward, I let them. I think it was a mistake because they had a spell of being board and restless. David and Nathan eventually got back on track, but Jeffery about drove me crazy. I would hand him abook and he would through it in the aisle. (It only happpend twice.) Normally, I dont allow the kids on the floor either, but today I let them kneel on the floor to color. This was also a mistake, too, I'm afraid. Jeffery quietly laid dirctly underneith me under the bench for a few minutes, then quick as lightening escaped and sat in the empty row in front of me, turned around and smiled mischeviously, then proceded to climb OVER the bench. Again, this happend 2 0r 3 times. I also had to grab him a few times during the testimony meeting to keep him from running (or rolling or doing "toady-woadys") away. All the while, I felt my nylons sliding. Finally, the last time he tried to jump over the bench in front of us, and I am telling him to settle down, this is not a playground "You can sit still", I feel my tights slide down past my bum and be mid thigh. Yes, this is when we finally left the sacrament meeting. I was horrified as I tried to descretely waddle out, hoping like crazy (or was that hopping) that they wouldn't fall down in front of the whole congergation. Did I mention that I an wearing a knee lenght skirt? I made it across the hall to the nursery and had them around my ankles when I realized that there was a young boy with a toddler brother on the other side of the open partition. Luckily, there was nothing to see really because my nylons fell down all on their own.

The kids did even better than expected with the transition. Jeffery had zero problem going into nursury. I looked in on the big boys during sharing time and there was Nathan doing head shoulders knees and toes in front of the group. David really liked (really) his teacher. She is also the ward chorister. (You could really hear her beautiful voice leading the group). Apperently, she is also a nurse and gave David a book of Mormon at the end of class. I think he's in love. We came home and read the scriptures. He was particully excited about the Jaredites and their tower to heaven. We read the account of Mormon at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and Ether chapter 1. I need to start reading sciptures with my kids...

The ward was pretty friendly with some young families. I am still planning on starting up a playgroup and talked to the relief society counselor about it already. There isn't one currently and there was also a new family today with little kids so I guess now is the time and I am volunteering to coordinate it. It will be fun to get involved.

Well, friends, it is sad to move away. Thank you for everything you have done to help me.