These are my two biggest anxietys about moving.

My OCD closet. Everything is hung first according to color, then by sleeve length, spaghetti strap first, then tank tops, then short sleeve, then three quarter sleeve, then long sleeve. If a shirt has a raised collar, that will go in the back of that sleve length's category. Somehow I don't think the boys that help us move will a) understand my system and b) care that it stays intact through the move.







My most prized posessions. The hanging glass globes from my wedding ceremony. I have yet to hang them up since then, I'm waiting for a space that is worthy. However, I have been heard to say "those mean more to me than you" to both my husband and my daughter :-). The yellow duct tape on the corners is our system for the moving boys to know that something is fragile. I'm tempted to wrap these two boxes totally in yellow duct tape, and might if not for fear that I would run out. My saving grace is that the boxes are brightly colored so it should be easy to keep my eye on them all day long. I'm thinking of taking them and giving them safe storage in my Pacifica on move day. Bringing them over, myself, after all the wonderful moving friends are gone. No offense to anyone, of course.

Moving

This is Command Central. With lists of things to do before we move, things to clean before and after we move, things we need to buy, etc as well as a calendar box for each day and that day's tasks (on post-its for easy moving to the next day if it doesn't get done-that's about as flexible as I get).





















Our current pile of boxes in the dining room.











The newly repainted boring beige wall.

Command Central has been up and running for about a week now. Mr. Maintenance, as we will now call him, was glad to see a huge list of things to do and clean before we move. He was dismayed however, that it was on poster board, adhered to the wall with packing tape. He asked if I was planning on painting that wall as well. Nope.

I am thoroughly unimpressed with the choices for original TV lately.

We got a lot accomplished this weekend. One bathroom deep cleaned. All bedroom windows cleaned, top to bottom, inside and out. Back deck cleaned, planters and windchime cleaned. Back door cleaned. All floors inside cleaned. We packed all the board and card games (which required two large Uhaul boxes, believe it or not). We packed all the other stuff in the guest room closet. R cleaned the cockroach graveyard out of the utility closet and scrubbed the floor. I packed the linen closet. We packed the other miscellaneous stuff that hasn't been fitting in the boxes it needs to go in, all inside a box labeled "misc". I know, I know. It goes against everything I believe in, but boxes are at a shortage and it couldn't be helped.

I re-vamped command Central for the new move date.

I planned a date night for friday night which will consist of dinner and a movie. Brandon and Lindsey are going to keep Lillian, overnight even, if she isn't too much of a terror while "going to sleep".

Our moving day changed. It is now April 11th - Easter weekend. It was not our choice and we were almost uninformed of the change. That is all I'm going to say about that.

I flirted with the creepy maintenance man again today. It was after he saw me pull in and drove his golf cart over to say hi. I complained that we saw a carpet cleaning van over there (at the new apartment) a day ago and were disappointed because we've heard the previous tenants were such pigs that we thought we'd for sure get new carpet. He said that he told the office it was still dirty "and besides, my good friend's moving in there and its not good enough for her". He said it wasn't official yet, but we'll most likely get new carpet. We better. I didn't inhale his cigarette smoke for no reason at all.

I took the double stroller into the bank again today and played "knock down the lane markers". I got several dirty looks. But what can you do when none of your bank branches have drive through lanes and you tell the receptionist that your stroller can't fit through the line, you know from experience, and can you just wait up front til your turn, and she says "just make it fit". Okay lady. I got a strike though, cuz all of the pins went down :-D

The bathroom and living room are all painted back to boring beige. And we have nothing on the walls and no curtains up in the main living area. Its weird.

Lillian has a new aversion to sleeping. And eating. No biggie really, they're not that necessary are they?

Somehow my TiVo got set to record every episode of "toddlers and tiaras". What a stupid, horrible show. Waste of time. And while we're on the subject of TLC shows, Table for 12 is stupid and I feel bad for Jon (of Jon and Kate plus 8). Kate needs to man down a little.

The UPS truck just pulled up to my building. And walked up to another door. Sad.

PS-Does anyone want the job of notifying the world of my change in address? Its getting old rather fast. Even if I do it online, they call to make sure its right. YES PEOPLE, I'm moving from one apartment to another in the same complex, therefore the only thing changing is the "house" number. It's not a typo. I did not waste my time filling out your whole change of address form, when my address is not actually changing. I have never even heard of anyone doing that for fun.

The electric company actually had the nerve to argue with me about whether my new address existed. I told them I was looking at it right out my window and they still said "we have no record of that". Well friends, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means you need to update your records.

The circus is this month. Its on a duty day for Richard. I hope he doesn't have to work that day. And if so, too bad buddy, I'm going anyways. And I just might fill out an application while I'm there ;-)

Richard is in excruciating pain in his shoulder/neck area and is unable to move, lift or sleep. The Navy hospital refused to see him and sent him to medical. Medical saw him and re-scheduled him for next Monday.

That means...

I'm....

taking care of a lame (and whiney) husband on drugs.
taking care of a fussy fussy FUSSY baby who just got back from vacation and is cutting two molars.
taking care of another (although delightful) baby during the weekdays.
unpacking from vacation.
doing insane amounts of laundry.
packing for moving.
changing our address at 8 million places.
talking again to 8 million places to assure them that yes, our address is very similar, but different. No, its not a mistake.
painting the bathroom. Three times.
cleaning all paint supplies because the other rooms require flat paint.
painting the living room. Two times.
making a decision that the dining room and bedroom will not be painted until after we move and mom and dad are here to do it. Sorry guys!

UGH

Moving was a pain in the butt the first time and I had a husband, money and no kids.
This time around it just SUCKS. I want a wife. Or a husband. Or a nanny. Or all three.

Its a good thing I really want this new apartment or I'd have quit everything, changed my name and joined the circus days ago. I'm sure training for that would be easier on my joints. And you get paid to be crazy there.

Our homeward bound airplane experience

NOTE: Our vacation bound airplane experience was HORRIBLE with a capital everything and I refuse to even think about it again, let alone relive it through writing. But it turns out that Lillian had a yet undiagnosed double ear infection, upper respiratory infection and a viral infection. I attribute some of her behavior to that. The rest, I attribute to her father. He gets that distinction just because he wasn't there to deal with it.

I will say, United did get me to all four of my destinations on time or early which is a MUCH better experience than I have ever had with them. However, I had to pay $65 extra dollars for my baggage which is a crock. And one plane each way was nice and big and clean and fresh. The other plane each way (the long leg each way, of course) smelled like a mixture of poo, puke, urine, butt, bo, and anything else bad you can think of. I think next time instead of paying for extra baggage with cash, I'm going to pay them with febreeze.

Anywho, on to the reason for this post...

We had an overall good flight experience yesterday, much better than on the way to vacation, but it was much more interesting this time.

A man was up, going to the bathroom, and taking a pen out of his jacket pocket at the same time. The Air Marshall, who was sitting across from me, behind one row, leaped out of his seat and tackled Mr. Bathroom. After he left his feet but before he landed on Mr. Bathroom, he already had his gun and badge out, one in each hand. It was very impressive. And terrifying, but very impressive. By the time they were both on the ground 4-5 other people were up, ready to do what they needed to do.

However, Mr. Bathroom was only taking his ink pen out of his pocket while on his way to the bathroom. Note: NEVER do this while on an air plane, apparently. Mr. Marshall re-enacted it later and it did indeed look like a gun or knife being pulled out.

All was good and well and poor Mr. Marshall knew he had done what he had to, but was still very embarrassed. I thanked him for doing what he did and doing it so stinkin fast.

The layover in Chicago, at O'Hare, was thankfully just over two hours because we had to dig a tunnel from C terminal to F terminal. Not really, but it felt like that. The shuttle that takes you to and fro is not available to Handicappers and Strollers. Bad planning and very discriminatory in my mind.

The second flight, the long one, would have been horrible if it were not for Soldier boy and his wife who were sitting across from me. We were in the very last row and Lillian flirted with Soldier boy all the way home. He let her chew on his dog tags, throw his cell phone on the ground and lifted her up to turn on and off the light probably 150 times. He and/or his wife held her for a good 45 minutes of the flight, and she was calm and playful. Everytime she was returned to me, she arched her back and threw a screaming banshee hissee fit. I felt the same way, believe me. And each time, they just took her back. After we laneded and were taxxing to the jetway (not a long time at all for those of you that know the Norfolk airport), she fell asleep, finally, after being awake from 8am to 8pm.

She was thrilled to see Daddy and refused to go to bed until she played with him for a bit when we got home.

Trade You Tuesday: Slow Cooker Recipes

Whitney, at the Whitney Caroline Designs blog, is hosting a Trade You Tuesday, in order to collect fabulous slow cooker recipes. In return she is giving out 10% off coupons to her fabulous store. She will also feature a recipe each week and is including a great giveaway.

Most of my slow cooker genius is throwing what I see in the fridge in the crock pot, adding some salt or butter (or both) and stirring. However, that does not lend itself to a great recipe.

One of my favorites though, despite the name, is Veggie Burgers. Its a family favorite but oh so easy. Its the idea of a sloppy joe, but for some reason tastes so much better.

You brown 1 pound of hamburger (I spose you could use the crock pot to brown it, but I buy mine in bulk and brown it all together and freeze in 1lb bags) and put it in the crock pot. Add one can of Vegetable soup, without adding water. Stir. Wait awhile. Plop on a bun and enjoy. See, I told you it was easy. My favorite is to open up the bun, put the gooey goodness on both halves and sprinkle a bit of cheese or ketchup over it. Sorry my "recipe" has words like "awhile" and "plop" in it, but I'm not much of a recipe user so this is as close as I get. I prefer to call it "guidance.

You can make the recipe in any size, just keep the ratio the same, one pound to one can. I've made as much as five of each for our bible study group and it turned out just as wonderful.

I wish I had a picture, but I don't. Sorry! I do, however, have a dilemma. I don't like vegetables. Never have, never will. But I love these. Therefore I don't think the name Veggie Burgers really works for me. And since its my recipe, I feel like I have the right to change it. I just am not sure what to change it to. I'm thinking Monster Mash, or Gooey Goop, or maybe not. Any ideas?

Catching up...

Lillian is walking.

She has lost some weight again, but not much.

I just returned from a girl's getaway weekend at Lake Keowee in South Carolina and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

Richard is having some nausea and sickness. He had a follow up appointment today and they did more x-rays and took more blood, to ensure it is not still related to the motorcycle accident.

I convinced insurance to pay for a new helmet, they did not specify which one. Richard ordered a helmet today, the total was $730.

Richard drove his completely fixed motorcycle home today from the dealership. I'm trying to be cool with this.

I got another new stroller. Yes, really. It's completely retarded that there are not stroller rental places where you can try before you buy. If I were more motivated...This stroller is a more deluxe version of the first stroller I had. I love it. We already have our old stroller sold. Who hoo!

I am leaving early EARLY Friday morning, with Lillian, to fly to Iowa for just over a week. I can't wait! But I am terrified about the flight. I have been getting sick on airplanes lately, which is a new thing for me, and she is in a tantrum phase. Please pray everything goes well Friday morning from about 6am to noon.

I am blogging less and less, life is just too busy.

We are moving. To a three bedroom. Finally. For sure. The begining of April. Our address will change, but only the house number. I will not post it here, but let me know if you need it. I'm not sending out "we're moving" cards. I'm thrilled and it will be great, but it wasn't much notice and I had two vacations planned between the notice and the move.

I started packing today and it feels great. We also have a huge Goodwill pile, which feels even better. I have to find more boxes and packing material before I can do more.

Mom and Dad are coming when we move and I am more excited about that than moving. I wish they could stay for a year.

I am still using my Wii Fit every day and I LOVE it. I will miss it while I'm in Iowa. I also have to go shopping for Disney clothes while I'm in Iowa. Hmm, maybe Iowa won't be AS fun as I was thinking. Shopping for clothes for myself is NOT my favorite thing, especially when it doesn't involve sweatshirts and pj pants.

I am still having a horrible time sleeping. I sleep about four hours a day. Although I do feel tired, I just can't sleep. Thankfully, this seems to be working okay, because I can still function.

My cousin Mikey is home from Afghanistan. Yay!

I talked to a friend from elementary school today via email. It was wierd. Facebook seems to let people try to make up for ignoring you years earlier by sending you a friend request. I had one friend in high school. Yet, dozens of people from high school have "friended" me. An odd phenomenom if you ask me.

I also had few friends in college, two total, but mostly one at a time.

I now have at least 9 girl friends and 9 of their husbands who I would consider good friends, most even "best friends". I am so completely happy with my life right now. I don't want this time to end. The first break up in our group is scheduled for August when one couple is restationed. Then we are up in January, possibly. I'm heartbroken they're leaving and I'm praying with all my might that we are able to stay in this area. I have real friends, yes, plural, dozens even, and I'm so happy.

The skin on my left hand is peeling off. Little bits of one layer at a time, constantly. It's wonderful. Pretty soon, my wedding ring will have to be re-sized because so many layers of epidermis will have fallen off.

I got to go to Hobby Lobby this last weekend. It was bliss.

I also go to go to the Jockey Lot, Anderson's flea market. It was bliss.

I almost got to go to a rodeo. But not quite. Bummer.

I cannot think of a single thing I want for myself for my birthday. I always laughed at people when they said that. Before. Now, I want stuff for Lillian. I want stuff to decorate her room. For me, but still for her. If I was given money, I would probably spend it on something for her. This isn't to say I don't see things I like when I walk through the mall, or that I never buy anything, just that I can't think of a single thing I want that I can tell someone else to get for me.

I have been searching for several things for awhile, but can't find just the right one:
A new handbag
A great pair of shoes (or four-I'm in desperate need right now)
A very small coin purse/wallet for times when I throw it in the diaper bag.
A new tote, that is the perfect size, but also zips completely (for when Lillian shakes it, tips it, drags it, etc)
Disney clothes (UGH, need I say more)
A watch
The perfect necklace. (I think I might have found it, but I'm not sure yet.)
The perfect waterbottle (skinny enough to fit in all cupholders, tall enough to hold at least 24 oz, pref 32, has a non spill -not ever, no matter what-lid but also a small enough spout to drink out of without dribbling)
A chunky bracelet to be worn (most) everyday. Although if I found a watch, that would probably negate this.
The perfect summer nail polish. I've had the same one for the last few years and now the lid is eternally stuck on and I'm deciding whether to buy the same or switch it up.

See, there are things I want, but I've been looking for awhile and can't find ones I like, so I'm certain you could not.

Although I have found the perfect thing lately for a few things I'd been searching for:
A snappy camera
A camera bag (I found it this weekend, and think its great, although I don't have enough use experience to consider it perfect just yet)
A new stroller. Actually the same stroller as #1. But snappier. This is now #3 and I'm completely satisfied.


I sent my sister in law a gift card for her birthday, and a generic card, and didn't send it til about four days after her birthday. LAME-O. Sorry Kristen, I'm not with it this year. I'm debating whether I am going to have a "no card" year. I'm thinking of boycotting Hallmark and the Post Office in any way I can. Hallmark just sent me a new rewards card because I am now a "Platinum Preferred Member". That's just sick.

We still have two girls in our sunday school class who are presently pregnant. Two. This is TERRIFYING because it always happens in threes. There are three two year old boys. There are three one year old girls. There are three newborn girls. There are two women pregnant. Do you see the problem here. I am forced not to consume any water and buy all of my Diet Coke from out of state until this situation is remedied.

I will be 27 on March 19. That is big for me. Not that I'm turning 27, but that I know I'm turning 27. For this last year, when asked how old I am, I have honestly answered "26 or 27, I'm not sure". That whole math thing is hard for me, you have to know how to subtract and then know if that is if your birthday has already happened, or not, etc. This is bad also because I know Richard is the same age as me, minus a month, Kyle and Kristen are two years younger than me, minus just a bit, Ashley is a year younger than me. Do you see? If I don't know how old I am, then I'm lost on everyone else too.

I'm going to take Lillian to Grandpa Shipp's grave while I'm in Iowa. I don't remember ever being there. I love to walk through cemetaries and even make whole letters made up of photos of last names on gravestones. However, I don't like to visit family and friends there. I don't know why, that's just how it is. But now its different. That is one of the only ways Lillian will ever connect with Grandpa Shipp and it makes me sick to think she won't know him. Even Richard. I wish for a day with him. I was only five. But I remember so much. He will forever be my favorite relative of all time. I can't wait to introduce two of my favorite people. Now that I'm bawling... on to less serious things.

I balance our checkbook. The only reason that makes me happy is because it does get done, rather than the alternative if R did it. Other than that, I hate it. I put it off as long as possible. I have a hugely intricate system of managing colums and rows on excel to keep every cent in each different category separate and accounted for and I love it but it makes me tired. Although once I start, after I have entered receipts, verified amounts online, transferred money to different accounts, paid bills and balanced, I have such a fantastic sense of accomplishment. When I have a minute next, probably in June, I plan on re-vamping my system. That makes me rediculously happy.

What would also make me rediculously happy is if it was 65 every day we were at Disney, and I had a guarrantee of that now. I can do jeans and a tee shirt all day long. Its finding shorts and capri's for a short person that makes me crazy. Next summer though, I hope to be able to wear the ones I already have in my closet that don't quite fit again yet. I also want a fantastically stellar picture of the three of us with Mickey and Minnie at Disney. In front of the castle would be AMAZING. I know the chances of this are slim, that we will see them both together, that we will be able to get a picture with them togeter and even more that the picture will be fantastically splendid of everyone, but I keep wishing. I want to blow it up huge and stare at it every day forever, instead of TV. (I'm just a little excited to go to Disney.)

And we're taking a behind the scenes tour! Without Lillian! And its five hours long!

And we're EATING IN THE CASTLE. EATING. IN. THE. DISNEY. CASTLE.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Richard laughs at me flirting with the old, dirty maintenance man. But he'll be so happy when we get all new light fixtures, door knobs, doors, etc. I hope the people in our new apartment right now are filthy pigs and ruin everything they can. I'm aiming for new carpet, new blinds, new light fixtures, new door knobs, new front door, new doors and a new kitchen floor would ROCK. I think we can do it. I mean, I did get insurance to buy R a $730 helmet.

Britt Jones is the coolest person I know. For several reasons. Only the first of which is that his initials are PBJ. His flaw though, is that he truly thought (and argued the fact that) my name was Stacey Shrimp Bill. Yes, as in the bill of a shrimp. Hmm...not so much. Although I am contemplating changing my name to that splendid combination. I could do it on facebook and throw off those "friends" from high school....It's looking better and better.

I'm still freaked out about that dumb bike. If we had the money I'd sell both that and the truck and buy him the Dodge Challenger he wants. Eh well. Maybe the stress will help me fit in those capri's in the closet that are the perfect length...

Night all, well, morning really. Its 1am. Told you I'm having trouble sleeping.