Okay, I was emailing a friend today and realized
I really really needed to update this site and let you all know
what's going on. The laptop that I use to do the site is on its
last legs. I cringe in fear every time I turn it on, because it
doesn't work half the time. So I've been avoiding it like the plague,
hoping that Joe and I can get my new computer built before this
one catches on fire. We should be able to finish the new one next
month (can you say tax refund). Joe got me most of the parts for
Christmas, so we only have a few left to get. THUS, this will probably
be a pretty photo-light entry (trying to run the photo software
AND the web editing software --- ooooh boy!). Don't panic.
For those of you eagerly awaiting the next episode of "The
Demise of Jean's Figure" (or as the groupies call it, "TruckAss,
California"), I have taken the seven month shot and will share it
with you soon. I promise. And its not pretty. I promise that too.
So what have we been up to? Geez. What haven't we been up to. I
mentioned the tax thing. What a debacle! We spent like an entire
Saturday last month trying to figure out what the best way to file
would be. We were only married for 3 and a half months of 2004.
Do you realize that if you file "married filing separately" you
can't deduct student loan interest payments? And if you move but
only take a part time job (even if its out of necessity due to family
situations) you can't claim moving expenses. I almost cried when
I found that out. But it all worked out. Now I just have to put
off filing my California taxes for a little longer (can military
wives claim non-resident?) because, well, I don't wanna do 'em.
Oh, and I haven't gone to get my new driver's license yet.
Oops.
Joe had a birthday March 11. I took great photos. Maybe I'll share
those at a later date also. He got one of those new Dyson, Animal
Vaccuums from his grandmother. He LOVES it. He vaccuums our house
like twice a week, just because it gives him pleasure to say, "Look
honey! Look how much dog hair it picked up today!" He's tried to
sell his buddy Huseby and my father their own vaccuums already.
He even pulled it out to demonstrate for my dad. His mom (Linda
C) got him one of those ionic breeze air purifiers from Sharper
Image. That's another toy he can't get enough of. I mean, it just
sits there silently sucking in air. But if I, oh, I don't know,
turn it off because I've opened all the windows in the house to
air it out, well... he just seems to know, and those windows slam
shut in a hurry. My fresh air!
For his birthday I made him his favorite dish - stuffed manicotti,
with an elaborate salad and french bread. I tried to get fancy and
make him a cheesecake. A ha ha ha ha. Did you know those pre-made
graham crusts at the store do NOT hold a standard cheesecake recipe
filling? But the bottom of the oven WILL. The cheesecake turned
out like three times thicker than normal, but I smeared it with
strawberries and whip cream and everyone ate a ton of it. Have great
photos of that too. It was so cracked it looked like the Arizona
desert.
What else have we been doing? Oh, I think I mentioned dad was here.
He and Janice stopped by one/two weeks ago on their way back to
Vancouver from Mexico. Kenny was in Seattle, and when he found out
they were here, he and his buddy came through town as well. It was
good to see everyone. And good food was had by all (twice I came
home from work to find that Janice had dinner ready. And not the
kind of dinner I cook on a work night - tuna helper - but pot roast,
mashed potatoes, desert, etc. Sigh. But they're gone now).
Oh, we're moving. Just like ten minutes away. With all the guests
here, and Janet's brother donating baby furniture (and wanting to
bring it to our house), I was finally swayed to the argument Joe
has been making for months. We need more room. We were thinking
Kenny would have to sleep in the crib in the living room since both
bedrooms are FULLY occupied with people and sh-tuff. So on April
6 we take occupancy of a two-story, four-bedroom place in Antelope.
I had been putting Joe off with the "I have too much on my plate,
please don't make me move now too! I'm pregnant and miserable!"
argument. But he was totally right, and now I'll be 8 months pregnant
and miserable for the move. Ah well. I'll send out an email with
the new address as soon as we get the keys.
Joe and I also finally completed our baby registry, at Babies R
Us. It took us a couple of weeks and a couple of visits. Who knew
you would need more than bottles and blankets for a baby? My GOSH
what a learning curve we had. But its all done now. Whew.
That leads me to the most important subject. The baby (or as we're
calling her until she arrives, "Steve"). No, we won't have anything
better picked out before then. We've got a short list, but have
decided to wait until we meet her to make that decision. Steve is
doing well. She's getting so big that she's moving less (less room
for her creative gymnastics in there). Once in a while though, I'll
be sitting, minding my own business and I swear she'll try to dive
right out through my belly button. I feel like I'm in the movie,
Alien. I jump and grab my gut, like I can hold her in. Its a rather
peculiar feeling (as all you already-moms know). Buts its fun. Oh,
and for the first month since this began, I'm feeling almost normal.
Even the back pain had subsided this week until I slipped in the
supermarket this afternoon. Now I'm wobbling like an old woman again
but hoping it will pass. As Joe keeps telling me, "Its just a couple
more weeks honey". Shut up.
So that just about covers it. Actually, I'm sure it doesn't, but I'll remember all the things I forgot to tell you about after I load the page. Until next month. =)
