We found out that due to hurricane Dean they were going to have Endeavor land back here in Florida instead of in Texas. I was excited because I had never heard a sonic boom before and I thought it would be cool. Well, sure enough we completely forgot about it, and yesterday (I am writing this now on Aug. 22) we were just finishing up lunch and getting Clark ready for his nap when we heard this huge bang that sounded like someone had just tried to kick down our front door. We were clueless enough to think that it was our neighbors upstairs, and we were just shocked at how loud it was. Only later that night, we suddenly remembered about the shuttle landing and we realized that the big boom we had heard WAS in fact the sonic boom. I was ecstatic that we had heard it, even though I didn't identify it for what it really was at the time. Maybe we'll actually remember next time!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Shuttle Launch
One of the unique and cool things about living in the Orlando area is that you get to see shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral. We actually live about 40 minutes directly west of the cape. My parents reminded us that the Space Shuttle Endeavor was launching today and so we walked outside our apartment to see if we could see it. There were others in our apartment complex who had come outside to watch it as well. It was really cool to watch.
We found out that due to hurricane Dean they were going to have Endeavor land back here in Florida instead of in Texas. I was excited because I had never heard a sonic boom before and I thought it would be cool. Well, sure enough we completely forgot about it, and yesterday (I am writing this now on Aug. 22) we were just finishing up lunch and getting Clark ready for his nap when we heard this huge bang that sounded like someone had just tried to kick down our front door. We were clueless enough to think that it was our neighbors upstairs, and we were just shocked at how loud it was. Only later that night, we suddenly remembered about the shuttle landing and we realized that the big boom we had heard WAS in fact the sonic boom. I was ecstatic that we had heard it, even though I didn't identify it for what it really was at the time. Maybe we'll actually remember next time!
We found out that due to hurricane Dean they were going to have Endeavor land back here in Florida instead of in Texas. I was excited because I had never heard a sonic boom before and I thought it would be cool. Well, sure enough we completely forgot about it, and yesterday (I am writing this now on Aug. 22) we were just finishing up lunch and getting Clark ready for his nap when we heard this huge bang that sounded like someone had just tried to kick down our front door. We were clueless enough to think that it was our neighbors upstairs, and we were just shocked at how loud it was. Only later that night, we suddenly remembered about the shuttle landing and we realized that the big boom we had heard WAS in fact the sonic boom. I was ecstatic that we had heard it, even though I didn't identify it for what it really was at the time. Maybe we'll actually remember next time!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
My Aunt Bonna
I am glad we moved to Florida because...
1) I get to sleep in a big boy bed now
2) I can walk out the front door to the outside instead of a smelly stairwell with scary stairs (how's that for alliteration!)
3) My parents seem a lot less stressed out than they were last month
4) I get to see my Nana and Papa a lot more
5) My aunt Bonna comes to visit me and I have lots of fun with her
1) I get to sleep in a big boy bed now
2) I can walk out the front door to the outside instead of a smelly stairwell with scary stairs (how's that for alliteration!)
3) My parents seem a lot less stressed out than they were last month
4) I get to see my Nana and Papa a lot more
5) My aunt Bonna comes to visit me and I have lots of fun with her
Saturday, August 4, 2007
The Cable Guy
So I may not be the most organized person on the planet, but I DO like things in place when I move in. I want my electricity working, and I want my cable and internet hooked up and ready to go, because let's face it, how many of us can survive without the internet for more than a day without starting to hyperventilate. This is why I had scheduled our cable guy to come the afternoon we moved in. He was late, but he came. He spent an hour here, and made friends with Tanner because apparently he is the cousin of D. Jackson, former wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks. Oh yeah, and he forgot to bring a modem. I was annoyed, but he promised he would be back a 9am with a modem in hand to hook everything up. He left, and we realized we didn't have the right cable channels on our tv, and we still had no internet. What did he do for an hour? Yeah, we still don't know. We didn't hear from him or anyone else from the cable company the next day (COMCAST by the way, avoid them if you can...we were forced to use them). I spent literally hours on the phone talking to tech guys and customer service people (don't let the name fool you). They even somehow managed to transfer me to their competitor Brighthouse cable at one point. Finally, I got a supervisor who explained that the modems they received from the warehouse were all defective and I wouldn't get one until Wednesday...begin hyperventilation. I stated that I was going to go buy my own modem (since my cable guy said the one I already owned wouldn't work with their system), and they could reimburse me and what were they also going to give me for the 4 hours that I spent on the phone with them all day? $24 bucks. Total. Seriously? (NOTE: my sister had problems with her cable once and she received a year free of cable...not even kidding, she is my hero). He said they can't put a price on my time or frustration and while they were very sorry, $24 is all they can offer, and oh yeah, you aren't the only customer that is having problems. Now I am FLAMING mad, and I start yelling at him on the phone. I would be embarrassed to admit that I actually swore at one point except for the fact that a) he totally deserved it, and b) it wasn't that bad of a swear word, and c) I didn't call him personally a swear word, it was actually referring to the phone, which they did not bother to pick up all day to call me and let me know that no one was going to come over. Eventually, I got someone to configure the modem we already have to work with the internet, and on Monday, we actually caught our cable guy at our complex servicing another apartment, and we made sure he came over and hooked everything up properly. And he still acted like our best friends. Whatever. We have internet and cable now and I am a happy woman once again. For the record, I don't normally get this mad and I am normally very sheepish when talking to people I don't know, but like I said before, when it comes to the internet and gross incompetence, there is no mercy.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Welcome to the Sunshine State!
We have arrived! The drive wasn't so bad, but of course as usual, it was raining when we got to the sign the says "Welcome to the Sunshine State". Florida really is a sunny place, but when it rains it pours, literally. They don't make wipers fast enough for the rain that can come down here. Once it started to subside, I lost Tanner in Jacksonville after he was pulled over by a policeman after the officer noticed one of the tire fasteners had come loose on the tow dolly pulling our other car. I saw that he was pulled over and I thought something was very wrong so what did I do? I got off on the next exit, turn around on I-95 to go back to him. Then I saw him on the other side of the freeway riding along. I tried to hurry and get off the freeway and turn around to get back on going the right direction to catch up to him, but it took a little while. It took me almost an hour going between 75 and 80 mph to catch up to him...and then he gave me this look through the window like "Where have YOU been?" I WAS COMING TO RESCUE YOU, AND YOU TOOK OFF! Yeah, you know the look I gave. But the important thing is that we made it to the Birdhouse with no major catastrophes. We got to relax the rest of the day until Friday, when we were slated to move into our apartment. Luckily we had Nana and Papa to help us the next day. Somehow I managed to lose Tanner and my parents the next day too after I was fighting with a toll booth guy, and I ended up being the last one to the apartment, when I was supposed to be the one who knew how to get there.
Due to the skillishness of all involved, we were able to unload the truck in under 2 hours. Even Clark helped with the unpacking.
We love our new apartment, especially the washer and dryer and the two bathrooms. It only makes me more excited to start looking for a house.
As I said in my previous blog, we decided to set up Clark's bunk bed. I thought we had sheets that were a full size, but apparently not. We bought some new ones the next day. He loves his new bed, but he also has figured out that he can get out of his bed whenever he wants. We have heard him playing in his room for a little while after we have put him to bed and locked the door, and we go in later and move him from the floor (where he has passed out) back onto his bed. He has actually stayed in his bed a few nights, so he does get the concept! 
Due to the skillishness of all involved, we were able to unload the truck in under 2 hours. Even Clark helped with the unpacking.
We love our new apartment, especially the washer and dryer and the two bathrooms. It only makes me more excited to start looking for a house.
As I said in my previous blog, we decided to set up Clark's bunk bed. I thought we had sheets that were a full size, but apparently not. We bought some new ones the next day. He loves his new bed, but he also has figured out that he can get out of his bed whenever he wants. We have heard him playing in his room for a little while after we have put him to bed and locked the door, and we go in later and move him from the floor (where he has passed out) back onto his bed. He has actually stayed in his bed a few nights, so he does get the concept! 
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Moving Moments and Mishaps
Moving into a new apartment is fun. Moving out of the old apartment is not so fun. Just when you think you have all the big stuff packed away and you are feeling pretty organized, an unending supply of nicknaks clutter the apartment for days and just won't go away. Once Tanner got back from the bar, things went a lot faster than when I was by myself. He is a focused worker, while I am all about 10 minutes of working and 30 minutes of relaxing. I wonder where I get that from? Oh yeah, my dad. Don't take offense dad, I think it's way more fun that way. Anyway, Clark has definitely got the relaxation thing down.
We decided that since we are moving and Clark is almost two, it would be a good time to move him to his big boy bed once we get to Florida. So we just HAD to take one last picture of him in his crib.
Oops. Now that's the understatement of the year. We had been very careful to keep the permanent black marker we were using to mark our boxes up high so Clark wouldn't be able to get to it, but once we started moving boxes out to the truck, our system got out of whack and Clark decided to practice his drawing skills, all over our couch. We didn't even see the couch at first because we saw him starting to draw on the entertainment center, and he was banished to his room. But as I was getting a cloth to get it out, I hear Tanner scream "Oh No!" I knew the second I heard him that Clark had done something else far worse. We both sat down and just stared at the couch. Tanner said "This is the one piece of furniture we have that isn't white trash and now look at it?!" I turned the cushions over they looked as good as new except from the part of the arm on the couch where he also got some of his doodling in. We brought Clark out and went one by one to all of his swirly marks and explained to him that this was a no no and an uh oh in the worst way. Clark usually just says okay and once he gets a kiss from me, he is good to go and it's like it never happened. When I wouldn't give him his kiss until we were all through showing what he had done, he started bawling. It broke my heart, but we really wanted to try to get him to understand what a big deal it was. Finally, when we were all done, I gave him a kiss, and he immediately broke into a big ol smile. So we felt like we got through to him for like a minute, and I guarantee you, if we left that marker out again, he would decide it is drawing time again. But I don't think we will make THAT mistake again...it will just be something else.
Clark saw Tanner with his back brace and when Tanner decided to see what Clark looked like it in, Clark thought he was THE COOLEST. He even figured out how to take it off and put it back on again. Moving is definitely more difficult with a child around, but they CAN be pretty cute too.
We decided that since we are moving and Clark is almost two, it would be a good time to move him to his big boy bed once we get to Florida. So we just HAD to take one last picture of him in his crib.
Oops. Now that's the understatement of the year. We had been very careful to keep the permanent black marker we were using to mark our boxes up high so Clark wouldn't be able to get to it, but once we started moving boxes out to the truck, our system got out of whack and Clark decided to practice his drawing skills, all over our couch. We didn't even see the couch at first because we saw him starting to draw on the entertainment center, and he was banished to his room. But as I was getting a cloth to get it out, I hear Tanner scream "Oh No!" I knew the second I heard him that Clark had done something else far worse. We both sat down and just stared at the couch. Tanner said "This is the one piece of furniture we have that isn't white trash and now look at it?!" I turned the cushions over they looked as good as new except from the part of the arm on the couch where he also got some of his doodling in. We brought Clark out and went one by one to all of his swirly marks and explained to him that this was a no no and an uh oh in the worst way. Clark usually just says okay and once he gets a kiss from me, he is good to go and it's like it never happened. When I wouldn't give him his kiss until we were all through showing what he had done, he started bawling. It broke my heart, but we really wanted to try to get him to understand what a big deal it was. Finally, when we were all done, I gave him a kiss, and he immediately broke into a big ol smile. So we felt like we got through to him for like a minute, and I guarantee you, if we left that marker out again, he would decide it is drawing time again. But I don't think we will make THAT mistake again...it will just be something else.
Clark saw Tanner with his back brace and when Tanner decided to see what Clark looked like it in, Clark thought he was THE COOLEST. He even figured out how to take it off and put it back on again. Moving is definitely more difficult with a child around, but they CAN be pretty cute too.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Harry Potter...no spoilers here!
Before everyone starts to freak out and not read my post because nobody wants anything in the final book revealed to them, it's okay...there will be no details of the book expressed in this post. But I wanted to take a moment to reflect on my experience with Harry over the last 7+ years. I watched an interview with J.K. Rowling where she was saying how difficult it was to write the last book because Harry has been with her through all her success over the last number of years and how she will miss the escape to that world. I thought it was a little cheesy when I saw it, but when I picked up the book and opened the front flap of the dust jacket and read "We now present the seventh and final installment in the epic tale of Harry Potter" I have to admit I got a little weepy. I realized I had started reading Harry Potter when I was still in college and have read it throughout 5 years of marriage. Suffice it to say, Harry Potter has been with me through a lot too.
A friend and I went to go see the movie for the 5th Harry Potter book the same night that the book was going to be released. We didn't do this by choice, it was just a coincidence, but as we walked through Barnes and Noble before the movie started, I couldn't believe all of the people that were in the store. About half were dressed up in Harry Potter garb, and old ladies were dressed up in witches hats. We couldn't believe people would hang around a bookstore for hours until midnight only to get the book and go home and probably fall asleep after read one chapter. And then we ran into three families from the ward. As we were sitting in the theater before the previews began I said to my friend "Ya know, if people are going to go crazy about something, it should be a book. It's better than going crazy over Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton right?"
I was able to pick up my copy the next day while doing my weekly grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. I read the book in three days while my child destroyed our apartment. I cried off and on in the last 1/3 of the book, and when Clark saw me, he just kept coming over to me and saying "uh-oh". So what I want to know for all you Harry Potter readers out there is, did you cry? Or am I a psycho? Or both? ;-)
So whether you like or loathe Harry Potter, everyone would have to agree that if there is one thing J.K. Rowling should be praised for, it would be that she wrote something that brought a love of reading to child and adult alike. Tanner said that when he was in the airport on the way home from Tampa, it seemed everywhere he looked people where reading Harry Potter. When was the last time you saw that happen, other than when the last Harry Potter book came out?
A friend and I went to go see the movie for the 5th Harry Potter book the same night that the book was going to be released. We didn't do this by choice, it was just a coincidence, but as we walked through Barnes and Noble before the movie started, I couldn't believe all of the people that were in the store. About half were dressed up in Harry Potter garb, and old ladies were dressed up in witches hats. We couldn't believe people would hang around a bookstore for hours until midnight only to get the book and go home and probably fall asleep after read one chapter. And then we ran into three families from the ward. As we were sitting in the theater before the previews began I said to my friend "Ya know, if people are going to go crazy about something, it should be a book. It's better than going crazy over Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton right?"
I was able to pick up my copy the next day while doing my weekly grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. I read the book in three days while my child destroyed our apartment. I cried off and on in the last 1/3 of the book, and when Clark saw me, he just kept coming over to me and saying "uh-oh". So what I want to know for all you Harry Potter readers out there is, did you cry? Or am I a psycho? Or both? ;-)
So whether you like or loathe Harry Potter, everyone would have to agree that if there is one thing J.K. Rowling should be praised for, it would be that she wrote something that brought a love of reading to child and adult alike. Tanner said that when he was in the airport on the way home from Tampa, it seemed everywhere he looked people where reading Harry Potter. When was the last time you saw that happen, other than when the last Harry Potter book came out?
Sunday, July 29, 2007
THE BAR: Part II
"I don't know"
That's pretty much all I have received in response to my numerous questions all at different angles to Tanner about how he felt about the Bar exam. He felt good about some parts, not so great about others. So well just have to see, but for now we are glad it's over and glad we are busy preparing for our move to Orlando so we can forget about it for now.
That's pretty much all I have received in response to my numerous questions all at different angles to Tanner about how he felt about the Bar exam. He felt good about some parts, not so great about others. So well just have to see, but for now we are glad it's over and glad we are busy preparing for our move to Orlando so we can forget about it for now.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
THE BAR
The time has come.
Tanner leaves tomorrow morning to fly to Tampa to take the Florida Bar exam on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
It has been two months of grueling study and preparation, and we are ALL glad it will be over this week.
I don't normally like to solicit things from my blog, but any prayers offered on his behalf over the next few days would be greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately he won't find out the results until sometime late October, but hopefully he won't worry about it too much. I am very excited to have my husband 24/7 for the whole month of August before he starts work the beginning of September.
We are moving in a week and a half and are excited to turn the page and start a new chapter in our lives. Go Tanner!
Tanner leaves tomorrow morning to fly to Tampa to take the Florida Bar exam on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
It has been two months of grueling study and preparation, and we are ALL glad it will be over this week.
I don't normally like to solicit things from my blog, but any prayers offered on his behalf over the next few days would be greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately he won't find out the results until sometime late October, but hopefully he won't worry about it too much. I am very excited to have my husband 24/7 for the whole month of August before he starts work the beginning of September.
We are moving in a week and a half and are excited to turn the page and start a new chapter in our lives. Go Tanner!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Birthday Week
So my sister Tricia called me to see if I would be willing to watch her kids the first week of July while her and Dan took a much needed vacation. She said she would understand if I didn't want to do it because it would mean that I would be away from my husband for the 4th of July and my birthday. However, let me take a moment to explain the way our life has pretty much been for the last two months. Tanner wakes up and leaves the house by 6:30am, returns around 6pm. Eats dinner with us, and either continues to study or zones out doing something else. I'm sure a lot of you might be thinking, uh yeah, that is how it is when your husband has a full time job! And I realize that, but there is something that is different about this whole bar study thing...he breathes, sleeps, and eats it. And while some of you may be thinking that your husbands also breathes, sleeps, and eats their job, Tanner isn't really like that. He likes his down time and his relax time, and stressy is not one of the words I would ever use to describe him. But the bar exam IS the culmination of the entire law school experience, and he does have to pass in order to actually be a 'practicing' lawyer. He has been doing a great job studying, and I really feel badly for him. When I mentioned that Tricia had asked if I would watch her kids for the week, he said that it might be a good idea. He felt badly that it was during my birthday, but luckily, I have never been a huge birthday fan in general, so I wasn't heartbroken.So off I went to Tricia's for the week. K, first of all, 5 kids under the age of 6 (and a half! ;-) is a little crazy, but the older three, Courtney, Carter, and Jonah can pretty much take care of themselves. I would just have to break up the occasional disagreement and make sure they were all fed. Having Clark (20 months) and Bella (12 months) was a little more dicey, which was compounded by the fact that Clark went from having zero siblings to have 4. He especially didn't like it when I would pass him on the stairs carrying Bella. I knew he was thinking "Why does SHE get to be held? And I have to get up these mammoth things all by myself! You used to carry me ya know!" Some things were easier than expected and some things were harder. But we had fun, and that's all that matters. I did want to make sure that we had an especially good time on the 4th of July.
I printed off American flags for them all to color. We had a water balloon fight in the back yard,
and I even hauled them all into downtown Charlotte for fireworks in the park. 
I made brownies for myself, lit the candles for myself, but the kids sang so cute for me and Jonah blew out my candles (on accident...or maybe not). 
Then we had root beer floats. Before you think too good of me, I have to admit that I was exhausted, and the next day I was a bit of a raunch since we had to clean up and get ready to go to Florida. But it didn't matter, after a day like we had, I could pretty much do no wrong in their eyes.Some of my favorite and not so favorite sayings from the week were:
Courtney: "Chez, you are like a real baker!"
Carter: (yelling from upstairs) "Chez!! Jonah pooped in his underwear!"
Jonah: saying something completely unintelligible.
Me: Jonah, you need to speak more clearly, I can't understand you.
Jonah: I SAID I want cookie crisp for breakfast (in completely perfect English).
Carter: "I want my dessert RIGHT NOW!"
Me: "Is that how you talk to me?"
Carter: "Chez, may I please have my dessert now"
Me: "of course you can!"
Carter: "Thank you Chez"
Courtney: "Carter, come here so I can smash this balloon on your head!"
Carter: "OKAY CORK!"
Courtney to Carter: "Carter, you color every other stripe red and leave the other one white. There are 13 because there were 13 original colonies." (that girl is seriously smart).
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