Moving Along

We started on our backsplash!!!!!!!! Our friend Denver came over and got it started. He and Jeff worked on it till 10 this evening. It is looking so beautiful. And once it is grouted it will be even better! I am so excited to see the progress. I am starting to feel like we might actually finish packing, cleaning, and fixing the house before its time to move. It is such a huge relief. I have been so stressed with everything. I am so very grateful for the friends and family who have been helping us. We wouldn't be accomplishing much if it weren't for you! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!!!!
This is the corner: (just imagine it with white grout)

This is next to the corner and moving along to the window:


And no, I don't mean to advertise for Daltile, but they do rock!

Slow Progress

Jeff and I got both Alona & Natalie's and Ashley's rooms cleaned out and packed this weekend. Then we started on our room. It is mostly done. The rest of the house has fallen into a state I can barely handle in the process, but we will be conquering one room at a time. Eventually it will all be done. Jeff also got all of the door trim installed- except for one! We ran out of the moulding for the top of the door. But at least all the crown is up (thanks to Jeff's brother-in-law for helping with that!) and painted. We are still waiting on a piece of wood for the bathroom. We were hoping to finish the bathroom over the weekend, but are stuck until that piece arrives. Once we get all the rooms cleaned out and packed, we can start painting the baseboard. We have to clean out the garage (which our friends are coming over this evening to help us with) so that we can move all of the filled boxes and bins out there! Woohoo! We are very slowly making progress!

Kids!

Last night all 3 of the girls slept in the same room because Charles was here. I sent him in to check on them because they were being really loud and obviously not even trying to go to sleep. Charles went in there and they asked him to sleep in their room. So he laid down on the bed with Ashley. Then they all wanted him to be in their bed. So he laid across all three beds. He told them that I wanted them to go to sleep but if they wanted to play they should be quiet enough that I couldn't hear. Ashley told him that he isn't supposed to help him and he needs to learn how to be a dad now, before he has kids! I thought that was just so funny, and so much like Ashley. She sure told him!

Today, Natalie wanted a cookie for lunch. Of course I told her no. I told her she could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She insisted that she only wanted jelly, no peanut butter. I am not backing down on the peanut butter. It is the only thing in the sandwich that has any nutritional value at all (and plenty of sugar, too). So she just grabbed to pieces of bread and started eating them plain. But then she wanted ice cream. I told her no and she needed to go eat her bread. She yelled really loud, "I don't want bread!" I asked her politely to go to her room. She made a really high pitched scream and stomped off to the entry. She screamed a couple more times and then said she didn't want to go to her. Then she promptly went to her room! After about 45 seconds she headed to the kitchen and started eating her bread! What will I ever do with this girl?

Work, Work, Work!

As most of you already know, we are officially going to Las Vegas. We still don't know when though. We are finishing up all the things we were not done with on our house. Lots of little things- painting trim, finishing the top trim on the doorways, kitchen backsplash, little bathroom finish work, etc. Charles came down from Seattle on Monday and Tuesday to help me paint the crown moulding. I am so grateful for his help! We got all of the crown finished as well as the tops of the doorways! I still have all of the sides of the doorways and the jams, the window trim, all of the baseboard, and the doors to paint. And some yard work. I am hoping to have all the work done by the end of next week. We could use any assistance in accomplishing this feat! Please pray for us that we will be able to get it ready by then and that we will be able to sell it. That would be a great help to us.

For those of you who think of the Vegas strip and gambling when you picture Las Vegas, please refer to the following picture:

I am so excited to live so close to the temple!

Oh, yeah! We need boxes and paper for packing. If you know of any, please let us know. Thanks!

Catherine's Visit

My sister Catherine came to visit for a few days last week. They are moving to California from Tennessee and have been visiting many places along the way. While they were here we went to the Regal Free Family Movie, the free kids lunch, and then over to the coast. I warned them that the coast would be chilly. I told them to bring sweaters or jackets. I even packed a jacket for Chloe when I got my own kids jackets. But they were still surprised at how chilly and windy it was when we got there. It was probably in the 60's and so very, very windy. The wind was blowing dry sand across the wet compacted sand. It hurt. We had to run with the kids to get past it to the waters edge. We didn't stay at the normal "beach" area for long due to the wind. But we had planned to go to Heceta Head Lighthouse, so we took off for that.

The "beach" area there is more sheltered, and therefore much less wind prevailed. The kids were enjoying the tidal pool there, but we dragged them up the path to the lighthouse before they got too wet. The hike up is rich in foliage and quite beautiful. Of course, July and August are the least green times of year in this area, so I have seen it look even more beautiful, but they wouldn't know the difference. We got up to the lighthouse about 20 minutes after they closed! We still enjoyed the view up there. Sophie even tried to climb the fence and jump over!

After a while we headed back down to the "beach." Now I have quotations because the beach insinuates warmth and sunshine, relaxation and tanning, swimming and such. Not so in Oregon. Jackets are usually required year round at our "beach." But the children played and played when we got back down there. They loved it. Chloe fell in the tide pool.

I am so glad that they were able to visit and enjoy the cool weather and beautiful scenery!

At Driftwood Shores Beach:



Ashton:





Adam:



At Heceta Head Lighthouse and Beach:
Catherine and Sophie:

Chloe:


Sophie:


Chloe:





Ashton, Catherine, Noah, Sophie, Chloe, and Adam:

What A Boy Means...

I did not realize what having a boy really meant for Jeff's WHOLE family. I knew it was the last chance for the Hojnacke name to live on (well, this line of Hojnackes), but I didn't realize everyone would be so excited. You see, none of Jeff's uncles had any sons. And Jeff has no brothers. So Jeff is the only Hojnacke boy of his generation. Therefore, he is the only chance for the family name to continue. And now that we are having a boy, the name will go on.

Here are some pictures. We go back for another ultrasound next month because he would only cooperate enough to show us he is a boy! Hopefully we will get a good look at his face next time.

The first one shows he is a boy. The second one is the profile with his head on the right and his knees to his chin.

Ultrasound Results

Sorry for the delay in posting the sex of the baby. I was not feeling it yesterday. Today is a better day, so here we go! I told the Ulrasound Tech all I needed was for her to tell me it was a boy. I think she was a little worried that I wouldn't be happy, but her job was easy because she saw it right away. We are having a boy!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!! I would be doing cartwheels right now, but I am pregnant (and I've never been able to do those). We already have a name picked. We picked the name when I was pregnant with Ashley. We have chosen Andrew Jeffrey Hojnacke. We love the name and welcome any positive comments. I am so grateful for this wonderful, good news amidst all the chaos and stress going on right now. I am excited to start shopping for our little boy, but feel the need to hold off until we know more about our move.

On a side note, Jeff still has a possibility of going to Las Vegas. He could get a different job within the company and end up going there. Of course, I had just come to terms with Portland and the fact that my friends could come visit since it isn't all that far away- but I would LOVE to go to Las Vegas where it is sunny. We will just have to wait and see what happens. We did find out that the move to Portland is going to be gradual from now until the end of the year. This means that we can stay till our house sells and I have the baby! Woohoo! And the move to Las Vegas might be a few months after that. So we do have some time to spend here with our friends before we have to leave. I plan on taking full advantage of that with lots and lots of girls nights out!

I could go on and on, but I need to start working on the house so we can get it on the market ASAP. Wish us luck selling!

Looking On The Bright Side

I am sorry for the last couple of posts being so negative. I am really trying to keep a positive outlook, but sometimes I just get so overwhelmed and lose it. Please forgive me.

I have realized that I really need to look for all of the positive things that can come from all of this. I am not sure what those things are, but I am looking for them. Hopefully I will find them really, really soon.

I deleted the last post. I hope everyone is happy. Frankly, I don't care. We are definitely moving. We are going to Portland, not Las Vegas. I will live through more seasonal depression in the yucky state of Oregon. The green doesn't make up for how the rain makes me feel. I won't go where its sunny and warm. I will stay where it is cold and rainy. Where my kids can't go outside and play for 3/4 of the year. I will move while pregnant or with a newborn depending on when they make us move. I will pay two deductibles in one year with their insurance change. I will suffer through trying to finish our house in time to get it on the market. I will leave the home I have tried so hard to make my own, put lots of time and effort into to make it what I wanted. I will leave all of my friends.
But I won't do it without saying that THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More Changes!

Jeff's company is owned by another company- IAC (this is nothing new). IAC decided to take over payroll and benefits for Garage Games - which is now Instant Action Holdings. This means we are changing medical insurance in the middle of my pregnancy! I am not excited about this. And the premiums are probably going to triple. And instead of getting paid on the 5th and 20th (which works well with our bills because they are due at the same time every month) they are going to get paid every 2 weeks. This is great.

Here's the really big news: They are dividing the company into 2 parts. 1 part is going to Las Vegas with the new CEO, the other part is moving to Portland. Jeff isn't part of the Las Vegas move. So it looks like we will most likely be moving to Portland.

Cravings

I've been craving cinnamon bread. So last night I got back from girls night and the house smelled like freshly baked bread. I went to the kitchen, and sure enough, Jeff had made cinnamon bread. I was really full from dinner still, but I tried a small piece. It was yummy!
Jeff forgot about the second rise, so the loaves are rather small, but oh so yummy!
Thanks Jeff!

Charelly's Wedding

Charles and Kelly got married! I drove out to Kansas and then we all headed to Nauvoo, IL for the wedding. I drove over 4000 miles in 13 days. I am exhausted.

The wedding was beautiful. Many of us cried because we all miss my mother. Kelly's dress was gorgeous and she looked absolutely beautiful. Their photographer took really great pictures! The first five here are from her, Clara Thorup. The rest are pictures I took.


This is the Nauvoo temple where they were married.


Charles and Kelly right after the wedding.


Charles and Kelly with all their nieces and nephews. They've got just a few!


My brother Joseph was teaching Ashley how to do the Charleston at the reception.


Joseph and Ashley dancing.


All of Charles' family at the wedding.


Natalie wanted a picture.


And she loves to pose for the camera!


Alona, in a mood!


The Andrews men.


Charles and his sisters (minus Aurelia).


Charles and Kelly with Dad and all Charles' siblings.


The Andrews Clan.


My girls with Charelly.


Ashley looking so beautiful!


Ashley hugging aunt Kelly!


Charles and Kelly with both of Charles' Grandmothers.

Dance

The dance studio where Ashley takes ballet and Alona takes hip hop have a dance performance every June. This year, the girls were in separate performances. I volunteered backstage for both. They both did such a great job!


Ashley in her ballet costume.


Alona in her hip hop costume doing a move from the dance.