Busy

Last week was crazy! We were feverishly moving and cleaning our old place. We were trying to finalize the rental agreement on our new place so we actually had a place to live. Jim's side of the family also had a reunion happening during our move, and while all this was going on I was attempting to stay sane. I think I only broke down a few times, and on of the times was when I dropped a TV on my foot.

We're officially moved out of our old place, and were told by the landlord and by the property management place that we were some of the best renters ever. We'll mostly likely get our full deposit back - yehaw!

So far we love our new rental home. There's a really nice pool on site, and an excellent school right behind our new home. This is good as Tralee starts school in a month! I can't believe it!

Anyways, it might take a while to get all unpacked and settled. The Olympics and swimming pool are good distractions. It's quite possible we'll be living out of boxes until the Olympics are over and the pool is closed! I'm okay with that! :)

The pictures on here are of the kids walking Corka in our new neighborhood, and of us swimming in the pool yesterday. Very very fun!

July Fourth

We started our fourth with Tralee losing her second tooth!  It just popped right on out that morning.  Very exciting!

We spent the rest of the day communing with nature at Jim's Uncle's property.  We must have had fun, because when we left I thought it was probably about 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon.  It was actually 5:30!  We spent all day playing in the river, fishing, exploring, and playing in the tree house.  Time really does fly when you're having fun.  The only downside was I didn't drink nearly enough water and had the WORST headache that night from dehydration.  My old noggin was pounding right along with the firework show we watched after dust.

Jim was testing out Tralee's princess fishing pole when he caught the biggest fish of the day!  It was pretty funny!

Fun times!

July Third and Vagabonds

We had the sister missionaries over for dinner on the third.  After dinner our little family ventured to a fireworks stand (they're all over the place here!) and bought some dandies!

We had fun that night showing our patriotic spirit by starting things on fire, and watching them explode.  The kids loved it!

Hunter's first experience with sparklers!  So fun!!

She was making a heart!

I was trying to write, "Leslie."  Can you tell?  :)

This was our last Fourth of July in this house.  The landlord sold it, and we're currently trying to figure our what our next move will be (literally).  We might be homeless for a while (not really . . . but, yeah, kind of really).  We have two short weeks to be out of here, and not one box is packed!  I could really start freaking out if I let myself.  I decided that wouldn't do much good, so I'm just taking it one day at a time.  Tomorrow our goal is to get a storage unit and start loading things into it.  I wonder how long our treasures will be stuck in storage?

There's so much to think about.  There's so much up in the air right now.  There's so much hope and many prayers being said that we'll find a nice home we love (fingers crossed we can get a loan), or at least find an affordable rental in a good area.  I have no idea where we'll be next fourth of July.  My hope is we'll be in a permanent (at least semi-permanent) situation in a good school district.  Tralee starts school this year, and I'd really like to settle in somewhere friendly.  I really grew to love this area and our ward.  It'll be sad to leave.

In the meantime we'll be traveling to visit family in August, so we decided not to rush into anything new until our travels are complete (thus the storage unit).  We'll just need to figure out where to live when we return.  It'll be a little adventure!

I'm doing my best to stay hopeful and open-minded, but I wouldn't mind some extra positive thoughts and prayers sent our way.

Until we're settled into something new, blog posts will probably be skimpy.  Hopefully when I really get back to blogging it'll be from a lovely little desk in a lovely little place I get to call home!

July Fourth

On Independence Day we spent the day together up at Jim's uncle's property (pictures coming soon). That evening we went to watch fireworks together as a family. It was a great day!

Tralee's First Week of Swim Lessons

Here's a quick video of Tralee's first week of swim lessons.  I'm amazed at what she has accomplished after only one week!  She started off not even wanting to go underwater to dive for the rings.  She was picking them up with her toes!  She also told me right before her second swim lesson, "Mom, my tummy hurts because I'm so nervous!"  I told her to try her very best, and if she's ever afraid to try anything, just let her teacher know, and she'll help Tralee out (her teacher is really sweet!).  Now Tralee is gliding, kicking, backstroking, "breathing" underwater, and floating so well!  She just told me her favorite part is diving for the rings!  I'm so proud of her!

Yesteryears Museum

Grammy and Grandpa Jacobs collected and saved several items -- some everyday items, some specialty items -- throughout their lives.  Their accumulated treasures were documented, and placed in a barn on their property.  Grammy affectionately named it their Yesteryear's Museum, and I've only ever been inside it twice!  Jim took me in there the first time he brought me up to Canada when we were dating, and this last time we went up I was able to go inside the little museum again.  I LOVED IT!  I loved touching, reading about, and seeing all the bits and pieces of history from Jim's ancestors.  I hope someday my own children will enjoy reading about these items, and how they were used, so they can appreciate their family history as well as how good we have it now-a-days.

Grammy Jacobs in front of her museum.

The museum guard.  Grammy made him!

Grammy's first butter churn

Shaving mirror and kit used by James Sabey and Mervyn Owen Jacobs

Mervyn Owen Jacobs as a child

Ross Jacobs' toy guns

Baby Zayah sitting on an old school desk

I know I've mention this before, but Jim's grandpa Jacobs was a real live cowboy!  He was shot in the leg while rounding up horses shortly after Grammy and he were married.  He lost his leg in the accident, and left behind quite a legacy when he passed.  While we were in the shed Ross pointed out this saddle skirt to us.  It was the one Mervyn was wearing when he was shot.  You can see the bullet hole!  Crazy!

Hunty's turn in the desk

Jim and Grammy Jacobs

I love these marshmallow tins!

Jim trying on his Grandpa Jacobs' baseball glove.

Grammy Jacobs' very own washboard.  On it was the lye soap she made herself!

This were Jim's Dad's shoes

Jim's great-grandpa James Sabey Jacobs and wife Eva.

Grammy's first oil lamp.  The curling iron was heated right inside the lamp!

When Jim was little they still had a shared line and their own ring.  He said it changed to the modern way of ringing people when he was around 12-years-old.

Ross painted this and all the kids had a blast playing in it!  Some of Jim's cousins came over one night.  My kids LOVED it!