Worm Compost

There is a lady at Doug's work that is into self sustaining kinda stuff. She catches water in barrels underground and uses it to water her grass and stuff. She was telling Doug about worm castings or composting. She lent him some books about it and now we have our very own worm house. She gave him some worms too. We have tried composting but it became the roach motel. Worm Castings cost 5 dollars a pound in the store. One night everyone spent the night ripping papers for the worms house. I have saved all my kitchen scraps and the worms are eating it up. 1 pound of worms can eat 1/2 pound of kitchen waste in 24 hours. I will let all you gardeners know how it goes.

Doug's New Calling

It didn't' take the ward long for that one. In fact they had to read our records and then right after sustained Doug to his new calling. His is going to be the Priest Quorum Advisor. I think it will be perfect. There are about 8 boys and he will teach on Sunday as well as go the activities during the week. He is excited about it. The calling has been sitting empty for 2 months and they just didn't have the right person to fill it. When they met Doug they decided he was the one they were waiting for. They also set me up to be a Visiting Teacher. When the Relief Society President called she said that she noticed we came 2 weeks in a row. Apparently that must be a good thing here. She also asked if I minded having a non active sister and I said whatever you need and she about fell over with excitement. I have 4 sisters to visit. The Bishopric told me they are still debating on my calling so I will just have to wait and see.

2009 Draw Results

Friday was the day Arizona draw results were out for hunting. They come out on the phone first so you have to call and call to get past the busy signal. Doug came home early from work Friday and he spent almost 6 hours dialing over and over to see what he drew. Last year he got everything you could image including Elk. He hadn't gotten an elk tag for 12 years. Surprisingly this year he also got an elk tag in Unit 1 AGAIN. He is pretty excited. Then he spent another 2 hours trying to see what Derrik got. Derrik was gone so he was dialing for him. When Derrik got home on Saturday Doug had Derrik dialed and he only had to do it for 10 minutes. Derrik was pretty excited when he found out he also got an elk tag in Unit 1. Different hunts. Can you believe we are going to have 2 elk this year in our freezer. These are 1000 pound animals. Let me know if you want any meat. We will have plenty to share.

Derrik waiting to hear the results.

This is the look of pure joy!

Our Final Spring Break Visitors

For my Mom and my Dad's birthdays this year Doug and I bought them PBR (Pro Bull Riding) tickets. They came just as Judy was leaving Saturday bringing Derrik home with them. We had a good visit and then they were off to the show. I thought my dad was going to start singing with excitement. Both my parents were excited. They then spent the night and took Karie home to Eagar early this morning. It was nice to see them.

Grannie Judy and Cousin Karie

Our # 4 visitor was Judy (Doug's Mom) and Karie (Doug's oldest brother's oldest daughter). They came just as Ginger was leaving. They flew over from Mesa. 45 minutes apposed to 7 hours. It was a nice relaxing visit. Derrik was invited to go back with Ginger to the Ranch for the rest of the week so it was just us girls. We went and saw Bolt at the $ Theater. We have a pretty good one here. Cute movie. Judy took the 2 older girls to the mall. I hate the mall so I was glad about that. The girls had a lot of fun. Kamryn and I stayed home and made clay dough. One night Judy took Doug and I out for his birthday to Red Lobster. My favorite! Then we took her to see thAlbuquerque Temple. Judy was super women and even helped Kamryn with her room. No easy task. On Saturday Karie and Sadie went on a hike with the Young Women to get ready for the Trek. I don't think Sadie will have any trouble with it. Saturday morning early Judy went home but Karie stayed for one more day before going home to Eagar. The girls made lots of home rock videos. Very entertaining.

Ginger's Visit

I have been so lucky to get all these visitors. I don't know what I am going to do when it all stops. This weekend my sister Ginger and her 3 kids came for a visit. It was her birthday and I made a Blueberry Cheese cake for her. Yes you heard it right I made something in the kitchen. Andi didn't think it was possible. Little did she know my momma has a really easy recipe. And for all you lucky readers I am going to share it with you at the end of this very post.

Ginger and I went to see the movie Knowing. SO DUMB. Don't waste your time. It was nice to get out though. Monday we took the kids to the zoo. It was chilly but they all liked it. They love being around their cousins.

The Whole Gang

Derrik and Colten

Karmyn tried to play on the jungle gym but she was too tall. She thought it was because her hair was too high but I don't think so. She is so dang tall. Love it.

Kaeli and Sadie. It's nice to have older cousins when you are both the oldest girls in the family.

Trayser and Kamryn takin a break

Mom's No Bake Blueberry Cheese Cake

1 package of cream cheese, 1 can of Sweetened Condensed Milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup lemon juice

Blend in blender and pour into grahmcracker crust pie shell and top with canned pie filling.

Kamryn's Tithing

Kamryn paid her 10 cents in tithing this week to our new ward. She filled it out all by herself. She filled out under First Name:Kamryn, Last Name:Slade, and Nicknames: Punkin and Cool Girl. Now that is a girl who knows where she comes from.

Sadie Starts School

I have decided that there are definitely pros and cons with having a K-8 school. Sadie got up early to get ready for school today. The other kids did not have to go until after the break. It was extra early for her because it is an hour early due to the time change here. She was nervous but excited. She said her day was ok but the kids all talked during class and the teachers didn't care, that everyone cussed all day long (not something a K-8 school does) and cut each other down all day. A few good things are that there are a lot more electives to choose from so she got to go to Orchestra and Home Ec. and their lunches are set up like the mall where there are windows with the different types of food. Pizza, Mexican, Subs whatever. After school we went to walk and meet her and she wasn't coming wasn't coming and so Savanna and Kamryn went and go find her and had her paged to the front office. She had gotten turned around and was walking in the wrong direction. She said someone threw a Popsicle stick at her out the bus window and said "Sadie!" This is going to be a big change for everyone. I let her know that the kids were probably rilled up due to the break and it won't be like that when she comes back.

My Arizona Angels

My good friend Susan and her 3 kids came to help me from Arizona this week. She grew up in Albuquerque and so for Spring Break she brought her kids and stayed with her parents. She came every afternoon and we would work and work at getting my house functional. Susan is such a cheerleader. I would want to quit and she would say "Let's just do this room." or she would say "You just take a break and I will do it." Then I would feel guilty and keep working. I was so overwhelmed with the mess. Susan likes to decorate too. I am so glad because I hate HATE it. She did such a great job. It looks great. Her kids were a great help as well. Savanna helped Sadie decorate and paint her room and Dallen and Derrik were the men of the house, cutting up boxes and moving stuff and Madison and Kamryn were the the little cleaners. I am so grateful for good friends. I would not have gotten this much done without them. Thanks Susan. I love you!

The New Schools

We got the kids all signed up for school. They were all going to go with each other but since Kamryn and Sadie had the same shirt on due to St. Patty's day she decided to not go with them to their school. Too embarrassing.

I told Kamryn before we left she is not to talk to everyone she sees and tell them everything in her little brain. When we got there she really held it in for a long time. I had to fill out mountains of paper work and she held it in every time someone would walk in. Then we took a little tour, I think it will be fine, and we turned in our badge at the front office. She couldn't take it anymore and just blurted out "I use to do the announcements 2 days a week at my old school. I am an expert, and kinda famous." I felt the relief go out of her for getting to speak.

Then I dropped them off and picked up Sadie. Sadie and Kamryn are day and night. She did not want to go and talk to a living soul. She asked a million questions on the way to prepare herself. When we got there the people were real nice and the Principle sat down next to her and talked to her for a long time welcoming her. Then the counselor took her on a tour and with out any warning opened the door to her first class and pulls Sadie in front of it and says "Class this is a new student, her name is Sadie." Then the class would say, "Hi Sadie". She about died! Then the next class came and she says to me "Please Please Please don't make me do that again." Then again she would do it again and her face would turn super super red. They want her to start Wednesday even though it is early release and it is the day before spring break just to get her started.

Derrik of course is right in the middle and isn't chomping at the bit but doesn't mind a new school and making new friends.

We Made It

Well we made it safe and sound. It was a long drive but it was OK because Milly let us use one of her book on CDs. That really made the trip bearable. This is the ginormous truck that had all our stuff in it. We had to have the truck all to ourselves because we had so much food storage and water barrels. Those people thought we were nuts. We pulled out Thursday and we spent the night here in Rio Rancho with out much. Come Friday it was raining and snowing a bit. Made for a fun day of unloading. I can't believe I was able to fit that much crap into our house in Gilbert. This house is way bigger and I am having a hard time finding a place for all our stuff. I am glad we didn't have to pack and unpack it is all I can say. It cost the company 16K. Can you believe it? Luckily my momma came and helped get my kitchen unpacked and helped the kids gets settled. We have met a few neighbors. They all seem nice. Today we went to our new ward. I do have to say the demographics is very very different that what we had. 50% are over the age of 50 and 25% are over the age of 40. It is going to be a real adjustment. I miss everyone already. The youth this year here are doing a trek so Sadie will get to experience that. The deacon bench had a little bit of rubber neck syndrome today toward our bench. I don't think they were looking at Doug. Sadie was oblivious to it all. Heaven for bid anyone look at her or talk to her. She just might die. Kamryn of course was so excited to meet people. On Friday morning before the truck even pulled up she wanted to go to school to "meet all her new friends". She held off until Sunday (barely) where she made the only girl her age as her new friend. The new girl didn't say 2 words when Kamryn was introducing me to her. Derrik is just glad to be back with his dad. The neighborhood is plum full of boy's his age. Well I am going to go to bed now. There is a time difference of an hour between AZ and NM. I can't quite figure out why anyone would want Day Light Savings.

Advice

The movers are coming today. AHHHH! This is totally stressing me out. I have never had movers. I hear it is wonderful but I also hear all the nightmare stories. What do I keep out? How are they going to pack this stuff? What order? Any advice? My house is such a disaster right now. We put all our "clutter stuff" in the garage while we were selling. It wasn't packed because they won't repack us. It was just kinda stacked around. Then I was told if it is in the garage it will be marked garage so I had the kids move it back into the house because I won't be able to get those boxes upstairs in the new house and into the rooms they will be going in. Well they dumped it all about. What a mess I am in. I might just go crazy today. Anyone want to visit me in the Lunny Ben?

Derrik's Last Pinewood Derby

I guess that will be the last Pinewood Derby in the Doug Slade Family for awhile anyways. This year Derrik was able to have his Dad here. Last year Doug was in Israel and this year he was in New Mexico but he was able to come home on the weekends. Derrik named his car Shadow Night and painted it all black. He did quite well. I think 2nd in his division but I am not sure. He was not able to wear his Scout shirt because it wall all torn up from getting the patches off for his Arrow of Light.

#1!

The Suspense

The Fans!

With Love

My good friends Andi and Jennifer threw me a great "See You Later Party" Friday. We decided to have it at my house because I have a great backyard for it. Andi asked me if people thought that would be weird and I told them that people won't care because they knew I was weird. So many people came and it made me feel so loved. Change sure is hard. Andi got my sister Ginger to give her great stories to share and they TRIED to embarrass me but to no avail. It was fun. Lots of great yummy food.

A few of the girls made me this really sweet lap quilt and everyone signed it. After that party my work friends gave me a going away party too and they all signed the quilt. Funny story about the quilt. A friend posted she need someone to embroider something. I have a machine so I called and told her I would be happy to do it. She said :No your moving I am sure you don't have time, it is probably packed etc..." I said "No I insist. I don't mind at all." So she brought it over and had me put "A Road to a Friend's House is Never Long" on a quilt top. She just said "I need to get it done before I leave for Spring Break yadi yadi yadi." I kept saying "Your friend is going to love it. How thoughtful of you to do this for her." Then I really tried to get it just right for her and when I was done I said "It's not perfect, but I am sure she is going to LOVE it." She said, "Oh she'll love it." It never dawned on me that it was for myself.

Home

Well we are now officially the proud owners of 2 mortgages! Not for long because though we sold our other house in Az. We made a whopping $197, however after we pay for the AC to be serviced it will probably be less. I didn't think the day would come that we would be done with buying this house. It was so difficult due to BANK OF AMERICA. I Hate hate hate Bank of America. Stay away from Bank of America! You can not even imagine the mess they made us go through to get this house funded. Through this whole mess however I knew it would work out because I knew this is the house we are suppose to live in. In this town, in this neighborhood, and in this particular ward at this time. I don't know why but I am sure we will soon find out. When a bump would come the words very clearly would be spoken into my head. "Be Still". That is a hard thing for me to do. Time after time Heavenly Father would resolve the bump. Growing is very hard but I know it will make me and my family stronger. It is such a nice house. Everyone has grass in the front and back yards. That is not something you see in Rio Rancho. I hope we can afford the water bills.