Finally Met the Neighbors

We've been living in Arizona for nearly eight months now and have finally met our neighbors to the east (no one lives in the house to the west and we did know them before moving out.) They must have heard us tonight as we were trying to get control over the plants in our yard that looked like the Audry II, and came out to make small talk. Nice people, Sarah and John.
Other than the few people we know from church they are the first neighbors we've officially met. You know its one thing when you move into a subdivision that has an HOA. Its another thing when you live next door to the president of the HOA, like we do. We went outside tonight to do some "yard work." Our yard consists of rocks and some desert plants and a few ficus trees. I don't know much of anything about desert landscaping, but according to the HOA all my trees need trimming and I have too many weeds. The truth is, you can't really see the weeds unless you walk by my house and we had to trim our trees with the saw blade on the leatherman because that's about the extent of our yard tools. Thanks to Sarah for clarifying the exact height I'm supposed to trim the oleander bush, I'll get right on that after I buy up stock in Home Depot (NYSE: HD).
According to John (our neighbor, who also works at HD) we can get a trimmer for about $20. I guess all add it to my wish list right next to my hand sander.
After chatting with the neighbors for a while its apparent to me that she watches everything that happens are our house, since she rattled off a few things she'd noticed. Good thing my mailbox isn't attached to our house, otherwise she might take on the role of Koo-koo Bananas from Davis Road. Heaven help us all.

Nail Biter

Dear Utah Football Team -

Must every game feel like we're reliving the scene from Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, when the guy gets his heart ripped out and it still beats? I don't understand. My heart feels like its been ripped out, but its still beating, barely. Louie Sakoda, you are my new Indiana Jones.

However painful this last game against Michigan may have been, thank you for winning, despite all the turn overs and penalties. For that I can forgive you. You've truly made Boo's weekend. His exact words to me were, "If they don't win, my whole weekend will be ruined." A thousand times thank you for not ruining his weekend, and mine.

We wish you all the luck in this 2008 season.

Kind regards,

Ute Fans

Friday Night Lights

As a family we thought it would be a good idea if we went out Friday night and supported one of the local high school football teams. Seemed like a great idea. I like to watch the people, Boo likes to critique the games and Noelle was most interested in the mascot fending off kids pulling his tail. Besides sitting in the band geek section (this would include all their friends and parents of said participants) and the intense amount of humidity building in the air, it wasn't that bad. In the end the home team lost and that's always a bummer but after a quick run to the Circle K all my worries were gone.

However, when we got home the real entertainment began. A monsoon had been working its way north all night during the football game. We could see the lightening in the far off distance but I guess around these parts that's no cause for worry. Shortly after Noelle went to bed the loud claps of thunder and incredible amounts of lightening ensued upon our neighborhood. Since I've been gone most of the summer I haven't had this experience yet. It was a pretty amazing light show right outside my bedroom window.

Even though it looked like a hurricane for about ten minutes, I'm still glad I don't live in the Gulf Coast.

Self Actualization and My Inner Dialogue

Its no strange wonder to those who know me well that I tend to have conversations with myself. Words don't usually come out, my mouth just moves. I don't even realize it, but Boo likes to call me out on it and will usually ask who I'm talking to. I can laugh at that. It actually makes me laugh just typing about it. I found a good description of my disorder here. I run the gamut of having negative conversations and also those of resolve. Once I have it all worked out in my head I can actually move on in my life, for the most part.

As part of my inner dialogue I also have to talk myself through certain situations. I've found myself saying "Don't cry, don't cry," while biting my bottom lip and holding back as much as possible. If I let my emotions surface then it all over from there. Watch out.

This past week while we were camping at Cape Cod I was constantly telling myself to stop rounding up all the skewers that would mysteriously find their way all over our campsite. Apparently that's what happens when there are 13 kids in one campsite. I'd have to hold my own hands as not to pick up one more thing. After evaluating this and other similar situations, I've realized that maybe my inner dialogue is also part of having OCD. CRAPPY! I don't want to be OCD, but I am. I've studied enough about psychology and sociology in my college days to know these things. Yes, I have OCD tendencies and I can't help it. Its nothing like what you see on Oprah. I can use the toilet in my own house. I just want to fold towels into nice even squares, along with tents, and tarps. I hate folding laundry because it doesn't fold as neat and nice, therefore it sits in a lonely laundry basket until I get tired of walking around it. But I think this may also be why I like to do quilting. It is a bunch of shapes that need to be put in some sort of order to make a square. I can do squares, see above. I'm a person of order and control. I need order in relationships and schedules. Just ask Boo, he'll confirm that I need a plan or else I ask a million questions, and he hates all the questions. However I can adjust, as long and I tell myself there is no plan, so roll with it.

So what does this all mean? Hopefully it doesn't mean you'll find me wandering the park with my knapsack yelling at imaginary figures. It means that when the skewers are all over the place, internally I'm rocking back and forth telling myself it will be fine. It means that motherhood has royally changed my life by throwing toddler curve balls. And I'm rolling with it. Now if only I could channel this to something more productive.

Home Again, Home Again

Its been a six week whirlwind of trips and we're finally back to Arizona and trying to establish some sort of routine again. So far, Noelle wants nothing to do with her bed and is becoming increasingly attached to Daddy Boo. I'm perfectly content with that given that the last two weeks have been the two of us traveling together to see our good friends in Massachusetts. She became very aware of my presence (or absence) and would begin to panic. Luckily Papa Dave speaks baby/ toddler and could help her understand better. It sounds more like Yoda speak to me, but it works for her.

Here is my attempt at a picture timeline of events since the end of July:

What would a trip to Massachusetts be with out going to a pick-your-own farm? We picked wild flowers that were amazingly beautiful.

We finally made it to Great Grammy & Great Papa's house in Maine!

When in Rome? I was tasked at digging a pit for a family fun day activity, wellies and clam diggers fit the bill.

This is what 58 years of wedded bliss looks like.

Noelle hanging out with the Riff Raff during family fun day activities.

"Bucket Blast" - This was my game face, isn't it fierce?

We had a pinata which was filled with gum, which gave good cause to a bubble blowing contest. Seven pieces later I was deemed the winner.

Albertsen family heat of the sack races. It was nice to have family to help represent this year.

The Riff Raff

The Triple Threat

Three of the five great grandchildren all within three months of each other jumping on the small bridge at Great Grammy's house.

All of the Mitchell Family in Maine

Boo and our nephew Jacob

Madelyn and Noelle watching the crashing waves at the clam shack near Two Lights State Park in Maine

Grammy and Papa Albertsen with the three older grand kids at

Fort Preble in South Portland, Maine

Spring Point Lighthouse and break water at Fort Preble - a favorite place to go in Maine.

Massachusetts

Bea is doing her best modeling at Good Harbor beach in Gloucester, MA. Noelle has missed her and was so happy to finally see her friend. They played a lot, but Noelle figured out early on how to get Bea all wound up.

Rach & Bea playing at Good Harbor beach

Bea and Noelle in their pretty-pretty make-up. I may have helped with the blue eye shadow, but the pink gloss on Bea was all original toddler.

Noelle's first camping experience at Nickerson State Park in Brewster, MA.

Nickerson SP has a great bike trail system. We rode bikes as much as possible. Noelle loved it so much that she would fall asleep in the bike seat. She also loved her princess adorned helmet.

This was at Paines Creek in Brewster, MA on Cape Cod. It was a great place for the kids to play as the tide was going out.

We had a fantastic trip. It went by incredibly fast and we were sad to have to come back to the heat of Arizona. I'm going to start saving up SkyMiles for our next trip out, hopefully it will be sooner than later.

Family Reunion

Sometimes I think that family reunions are the only time you have to accept extended family members who during the rest of the year you are convinced are over the top bizarre. Then you spend the weekend with them, love them for their craziness, which only reconfirms what you you were thinking before.

Thank goodness for the other in-laws who are willing to play the games and be wacky with the rest of the family. I love them all for that.

I also love that the kids who were "little" at the last family reunion have finally grown up enough that they want to be in charge of watching Noelle. Only once have I found her wandering the in the woods between Grammy's and The Neighbor's. And a nice neighbor he is.