AHHHH... STOP THE MADDNESS!!!

Last weekend was such a whirl wind! Things have started getting so busy. I am ready to just be done. This week we are going to be home all day, JUST packing! I have some of the greatest friends ever, that are coming to help, take Nora for the day, bring dinner! From the bottom of my blog, thank you guys so much!

I have been documenting our lives this last week we are here. I have to blog about it now, because this may be my last blog post in Michigan. I don't know when we are cutting the Internet, and packing up the computer, but I do know it will be the last box on the truck, because I need it to be the first box off the truck!

Wednesday was the last Activity Days activity. I loved being in this calling so much. (In church, I was the leader of the girls from 8-11) They are such darling girls, who love the gospel of Jesus Christ, and who desire to feel the love of our Savior. I learned from them, that happiness is given to us, by living and loving the teachings of our church. These girls exude happiness, and I will miss the special spirit I feel when I am around them.

Friday we had a "Good bye party". It was given by two girls who I love sooo much. My better than life sister-in-law Alie, and the happiest girl I have ever met, Jenni! It was so amazing to see all the people who love us come out to say goodbye. We are so loved, and there is nothing that feels better then to be loved! We are going to miss these people so much. But we are so blessed to have known so many wonderful saints while we were here. May we never forget Jean and Travis:



Who could ever forget those crack ups?!!?

Whats a party at the Jacksons without ROCK BAND!

Joel is easily embarrassed, and this is one of those moments, that we couldn't resist

Jenni and I: she is contagiously happy!
Lanae, and I sportin our new hair!
The amazing, talented hair stylist! And my very best friend, Katie!!!

My super sister-in-law, we chose a black and white polka dots as the theme!
It was such a fun night. And we are so blessed for all those that came out! Thank you so much. I will look at these pictures often, and realize how wonderful everyone is! (Julie Barb, I don't know why, but I don't have one single picture of you and I! I know I took a million, but where the heck are they? Can you send me some?)

Saturday we had to get ready for an open house that the realtor held at our house. We have lived in this house for almost 2 years, and had to finish a few things before we moved! Joel and Nora worked together putting up the trim. I think Cinderella helped a lot too. She is however the one that does all the chores at her house!

Then we went to Dundee, Mich. to play with our cousins, and Grandma and Grandpa Kennedy at the indoor water park! What a blast! We got to say goodbye, AND play! Phew... what an exhausting day! But soooo fun!

SUNDAY was the last day of teaching my Sunday class. They are delightful kids, and I wanted them to know how much I love them, but even more how prayer is always necessary, so I told them the story of "US" (Joel and I). I made them a special treat, that was adorable, and yummy! (so, maybe I didn't really have time for this in my life right now, but they earned it!) Aren't these lil cakes cute?



That evening, the two bachelors in our life came to say goodbye. We had a yummo lasagna dinner. The last time I would cook in my kitchen... had to document that of course! I will for sure be missing this kitchen! Joel was my paparazzi in the kitchen! I love garlic, parsley, and EVOO! It is rather magnificent! Just look at the sags in my eyes! It has been a while since we had such little sleep!!!

Uncle Dan always knows how to win over his niece! She loves him!!!! And she is going to miss both her Uncle Dan, and Grumpa Evans!

10 More Days

Till we move to Virginia Beach... should I think about packing?

She needs creative help...

Here's my problem:



Since she is wearing underwear now, (that also never stays on her, unless she has on pants, that stay up) there isn't a diaper to help her non-existing bum! I can't find belts her size. I can go down in pant size, but then they end up too short, and she can only wear extensions on her pants so many times before she looks like Carmen Miranda! We went to JoAnns today to find the heavy ribbon stuff and make her those adjustable belts, but the problem there is the hefty ribbon/belt material, is too wide to fit in the tiny pant loops! I'm thinking it might be easier to take in the elastic band in all her underwears, and make her wear dresses all the time. Or, maybe she just saw papa bend over a few too many times, and thinks this is the new style!

New Private Noraisims...

The other day, when I started a post, with "Soooo Hilarious", my intention was to go on about how Nora has been talking my ears off all day. And I was going to mention some of the funniest things that she has said. Then I remembered I had a private blog for that. Since we are moving, and aunts, uncles, grandmas, lulus, and papas want to hear Nora updates, and co-workers, friends, old college roommates, and random bloggers really don't, we created a private blog for Noraisims. I will probably still randomly blog about Nora on this blog, but it will be about other things too. So, if you are interested in joining the "Noraisims" blog, please send me an email at kirstynnlq[at]yahoo[dot]com. Since google readers don't update private blogs, I will post on this blog when I make a post on that blog. I of course would love anyone to read her blog. So as long as I know you, or know someone who knows you, you are all welcome to read her blog. Just email me, so that you get the invite. I have heard there are some freakishly people out there who stalk blogs, (yeah, maybe I am one of them), and I am fine with people stalking my blog, but my blog of my little girl, should really be a private one, in my opinion.

I will however leave you with a cute picture, and Noraisim from the weekend:

If you have never heard Nora's voice, you may not think this is funny. I am going to get some videoage of her tiny, soft, high, little voice on her private blog soon. This picture os from the Hands On Museum. We went there this weekend with my dad. And since she is about potty trained, she was very interested in the toilet, and where the peepee and poopoo goes. So here is a picture of Papa explaining it to her. Then on Sunday we were at some friends house for dinner, and she needed to poop, so I put her on the potty. As always, she used all her strength and all her might to get this poo to pass. It finally did. When she stood up and looked at it, she said, "That is all chicken mommy!" She was probably right too. This girl loves chicken! I'm not sure if she thought it looked like chicken, or she knew, all that chicken she has been eating ended up in the toilet.

I'M FINE...

Three calls in 17 minutes... I am not crazy... I am tired, and overwhelmed. But, I am fine. I am happy! I am human! Life could be so much harder, and so much more stressful. I will be fine. Thank you! I love those that care about me, and my sanity.

Sooooo... NOT HILARIOUS

Addition to the post:

I may have mentioned a few weeks ago, that I never read the post before I post it, I just post it. HOwever, this goes to show what a freak I am... the title has nothing to do with the post... NOT HILARIOUS AT ALL! Sorry, I'm tired!

Sooooo... HILARIOUS!

So this last week has been OVERWHELMING! As a mother, as a wife, as a friend, and as me... Kirstynn Evans! YIKES! Having a husband that is extremely up to his eyeballs in his work (this is his last week at work in Michigan) he has little to no time to work on the "honey do" lists, and even less time to spend with the fam. The best part about this move is, it is soon going to be over. I feel that I can handle two more weeks of stress. I am sure that when we get there, we will still be stressed for a little bit, but it will be a refreshing type of stress.

We have also hit HUGE milestones with the toddler. We are about 50% potty trained. We can leave the house in panties. We can hold it when we have to go, but aren't close to a potty. We still wear a diaper at bedtime, and we always need to tell mommy when we have to go potty. We can't do it alone yet. (Probabally not the right time to talk in 1st person... when I say "we" I mean NORA) So the potty train has taken off, and the trip should be over soon. We also took away the binky. I didn't think it would be as heart wrenching as it was... or is... I really believe that I have one of the "Happiest Kids on the Block". It takes very little to make her happy, and she oozes cheer and happieness. That is until that stinkin fairy "Tinkerbell" showed up and stole Noras best silacone friend! The first night has been the easiest. We told her that Mulan was having a baby, and the Tink took her binky for Mulans baby. She was not good with it, but wasn't too bad. Then the next day, she asked for the bink all day. I told her it was gone, to Mulans baby. So then we watched crying babies on youtube. And talked about how they need binkies to be happy, and Nora needs treats to be happy. LOTS of treats that day. That night... she was in her room, kicking walls, screaming, tearing her clothes off, tore her diaper off, acted like a monster. I didn't know my little muffin was even capable of such destruction! This went on for 4 hours, then she gave in, and fell asleep. Today, everyone she meets, she tells them, "Tink-a-bell took my bibi, for the blue baby." Hopefully tonight is better then last night?

I'm really bored with this post... not good... I think I am at that stage where I talk baby talk all day, that at the end of the day, it takes me a minute to get into grown up talk. I do have some pictures to post soon, and more NOra talk. More moving talk, and all that great stuff. Now, I just need to sit. Not talk, not listen, not even process! Talk about random, and rediculous! Ahhhh...

Picture 569

Picture 569
Originally uploaded by kirstynnlq

DISNEY on ICE!

My parents took their grandchildren to see the Magic on Ice! Nora was sooo excited all week. She told everyone she was going to Disney World. I don't think she knew any different, except she really wanted to see the castle. I didn't go, so of course I don't have my pictures, but while we were waiting for the magic carpet to come pick her up, I took some pictures. Looking at these pics, she looks sooo grown up. It is a little sad. Her and I have actual conversations these days. She remembers things that happened a week ago. She understands her emotions. It is all very weird. While we were sitting on the potty the other day, and I was waiting, and waiting, and waiting for something to happen, she could tell I was frustrated. She said, "Mommy, are you sad?" I told her, that we had to leave, and she needed to either "poop or get off the pot, literally." She said, "Will that make you happy mommy?" How do I stay sad, after the sweetest little voice says something like that. The only way I can describe it, is the more stressful and frustrating being a parent is, the more rewarding, and gratifying it is.

Beeeeeee-ch BUM!

The week in Va. Beach was very fun. It was the first time all three of us have been on a vacation together. It was the first time since Nora was a baby, that Joel had to spend the whole week with us! I could tell that he was stressed out about a few things, but it was great as a family to be there for eachother. Nora absolutely loved the beach. She could not get enough. She calls it the "beeeeeeee-ch".




We told her today, that she is going to have to get used to the beach, because she will be seeing it a lot more. Not from our back yard, but from a distance. We are moving into the house in the neighborhood. Which means we will have room for a visitor or two. And our stuff! We have a few things to work out, but hope it will all work out!

WE HAVE A HOME!!!

Wow! What a week! Last Friday we were notified that Joel's replacement was hired. We needed to go to Virginia to find housing. So in one day, we planned a family trip down to "The Beach" with a prayer in our hearts, that we would find the home that would make all our dreams come true. We set up a million appointments to look at houses, condos, apartments, townhouses, everything but the campground! There is one little problem to renting... No one really wants a dog to live in their house. I don't blame them, I really don't want him either. But he makes Joel and Nora sooo happy, that I can't imagine our family without him. Joel understood that Barkley may be a deal breaker for us. So, we were looking at houses that accepted, and didn't accept dogs. Looking for houses is quite humbling. I would never consider myself to be high maintenance, or spoiled when it comes to my house. Especially if you have been to my house, by looking at it, you would never think that I have high expectations. But, man, this week taught me a thing or two about what I need in a house. My first priority is, surprise surprise, my kitchen. I am very lucky that I have a great kitchen with lots of cabinet and counter space. And I have a DISHWASHER... ultimately, that was a deal breaker, No dishwasher, no deal! The other deal breaker... a wall mounted oven from 1968. I have worked in some OLD apartments, with Harvest Gold, Avocado Green appliances, but I have NEVER seen anything this old before. If we were purchasing, I MIGHT have been able to work with it, because it was in such a great neighborhood, but between that, and no dishwasher, I couldn't justify it. The bathroom was fit for a little girl too. Pink ceramic tile, pink sink, pink tub... wow... if only pink bathrooms would come back in... (no offense to anyone with a pink bathroom, I just see enough pink in my world, I don't need to brush my teeth, and bathe in it!!!) So, no deal to a great neighborhood with not a great house.

Our 2nd option was AMAZING... A small 2 bedroom condo, the back yard was the best... Beautiful private beach! Gorgeous sunrises, beautiful sunsets... the owner offered his personal jet skis. The neighborhood is mostly retired millionaires with fancy cars, toys, houses. The FANCIEST 7-11 I have ever been in. Great area. Not too crowded, or too busy. We spoke with a couple of locals, and they loved the area! People running their dogs on the beach was a plus. Let me reiterate for everyone who would come visit, VERY SMALL! We would be leaving 2/3 of our belongings here.

The third choice... a very cute practical 3 bedroom house! The neighborhood was a little tight, but so is almost every hood down there. There are soooo many people there! The house had almost everything we were looking for. Unfortunately the back yard was a little different,
But the new kitchen helped a little bit.

We narrowed it to the obvious 2 choices, 2 and 3. Knowing that the first choice was so out of our entire lifestyle, we really wanted it! We only have one child. If we don't take this condo now, we may never get this opportunity again. They didn't want Barkley there, but heck, with a view like that, Barkley who? (I am not a dog lover!) Even if it meant getting rid of our fun things, like sewing, tools, toys, most of my cooking/baking stuff, it was all worth it.

The house was so practical for us. So cute! Right by the bases, so there is a lot of jet noise, but the adorable inside of the house was worth it. We hadn't talke about the dog at all, and thought it might be our of the question for them to consider the dog. Joel's thoughts were, if we can't have the dog, then I need to be on the beach. The house also had a fence down in the back yard, that Joel could fix. The owners live in Ca. and are managing it themselves. Since both Joel and I have experience in property management, we pitched our proposal- let us have the dog, and take a few bucks off every month, we'll fix the fence, and not call the second something breaks. We sent the email. If it comes back a "No" then we are moving to the beach. If it comes back a "Yes" then we know where we need to be. After over 24 hours of not hearing back... I was sweating... but we did hear back... wanna know what the answer is? STAY TUNED!!!!