Hello Fairfax!

I'm a positive person. My mom and grandma even call me PollyAnna.

Putting the spoon-full-of-sugar perspective aside, this post is going to be realistic. I'm a journalist at heart, and I hope this review of our living situation will be a "fair and balanced."

1. Anything is a toy.

Jamie didn't want me to pack any toys for our one-month stay in temporary housing. Seriously. I did manage to convince him that for me to remain somewhat sane, the kids would need some things to play with--trucks, play dough, crayons, etc. Maybe I shouldn't have wasted my breath. So far the kids' favorite playthings have been empty luggage and closets.

2. TV time is underrated.

I have no car. We went to the park and the pool yesterday. Because I couldn't manage to carry the 34 pound stroller and 20 pound Laynie down the 8 cement steps that lead to our "town home," I made the kids walk.

Walking never hurt anyone. Unless there are swarms of biting flies (SNAP! I traded in fire ants for horse flies. Not an improvement).

Laynie got two bites on her elbow yesterday. I know they are hard to see, but both are quarter-size. Gavin got one on his back and calf and refused to go back outside today. Our conversation this morning went like this: "Hey Gav, do you want to go to the park or the pool today?"

"I don't want to go outside."

"Really, why? You love to go outside."

"Bugs eat me...let's just watch Nemo."

I'll try again after naptime. Maybe he'll eventually get stir crazy.

Did I mention that it poured on us on our way back from the pool and Laynie got a huge blister on her foot from all the walking? I totally rock as a mom.

3. Virginia is...Formal.

I don't want to use the word pretentious because I'm not sure the people here are snooty by nature. It's just that you can't go to the store in comfy black shorts and a t-shirt without looking like you belong with the "Walmart Crowd." Not that I have anything against those folks. I shopped among them weekly while living in Texas. But it's one thing to shop at Walmart and another to look like you belong there. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, just take a peek at the Walmart Bingo card I've pasted below).

Sadly, I am guilty of at least one of the offenses on the Card. Laynie wouldn't have gotten a blister on her foot if she'd wear shoes a little more often.

I guess I'll have to throw on my jeans (gasp!) and some jewelry to go to the grocery store. I don't even want to think about how many times each week I'm going to have to blow dry my hair.

4. It doesn't matter where you live.

This is our little town home. It's old as the hills (that's a little West Virginia saying for ya'), but clean. It's got two bedrooms. Gav and Laynie are sharing a room for the first time. They are both sleeping okay at night, but Gav is napping in my room. He can't get Laynie out of the pack-and-play, so he climbs in it. If I wasn't afraid that Laynie would fall out, or that Gavin would smother her on accident, I'd just let them sleep in the queen together. Laynie loves the "big bed." She's having a little morning nap there now.

Even though they push each other's buttons on occasion, they are such cute friends. Yesterday Gavin was "reading" to Laynie. And she was sitting still and listening!

Obviously this living situation isn't ideal, but we are together. We could live in the pit of despair and would still manage to have some fun. It doesn't really matter where you live as long as you love the people you live with...and use your imagination to have fun!

Let Freedom Ring!

This is our new home on Freedom Street in Chantilly, Virginia.

This is the living room off the foyer. I think it's going to be empty for a while.

The dining room...another room we'll have to buy furniture to fill.

I have no idea what this room is supposed to be. It's off the dining room...maybe a sunroom or something? I think it's actually a glorified walkway.

The breakfast nook. We actually have a table for this area.

The kitchen. I'm fairly certain the little old man isn't coming with the house...

The upstairs living room.

The House Part II

Master Bath
Master Bed

Hall Bath (don't you love the paint color?)

Laynie's Room, maybe?

Or maybe this one for Laynie, once I can paint over the lovely castle. There's one more bedroom upstairs for Gavin, but I can't get the picture to upload.

It has a narrow L-shaped basement.

Future Office. Isn't code for a bedroom.

Downstairs family room with mini bar...cause that's gonna get a lot of use!

When to Laugh and When to Cry

If you thought Laynie was the sweet and cuddly type of bear, you are so wrong!

This Grizzly has nothing on her. Especially when it comes to teeth.

Check out the chunk she BIT out of my couch last night. Seriously, with her teeth. There is a two-inch square missing, and a four-inch tear with flap. Awesome huh.

My favorite part were my siblings responses:

"Maybe if you fed her she wouldn't go after the beef jerky!"

and

"She really is a bear!"

When Jamie told me about the couch last night, I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. For those of you who don't know, we're being relocated to Fairfax, VA just outside of Washington D.C. In some ways we have been so blessed. Our house sold in less than a week, and we made money where we thought we might lose a lot. We are having a really hard time finding a home that isn't outrageously priced or a ridiculous distance from Jamie's office. I hope I'll be able to find something "liveable" in my upcoming house hunting trip.

All if this is happening while Jamie is working two jobs (his old and new positions) and commuting from here to Fairfax every other week. The new job is a great opportunity but very time intensive. I'm getting a pretty good idea of what single parenthood is like.

We just found out the moving trucks will be here August 6, which means the Big Wallaces (Jamie's parents) will have house guests for at least a month.

It just seems like a lot. I know there are a lot worse situations, like maybe not being to sell our home at all. Which is why I had to laugh when I saw the couch. What child can actually bite through leather?

Some day, this post will come back to haunt her.

It's like Rain...

When Daddy returns from a long trip, all rules go out the window!!

Check out this kid's ups!

"Seriously, Mom's letting us play in the rain? AWESOME!"

"I'm all wet. It's totally messing up my hair!"

So much fun!

Parking

My kids love nothing more than playing outside. So we took advantage of the great weather and went to the park with my mom and sisters.

Laynie was way more interested in playing with the umbrella stroller than with the park equipment.

Look closely. You can almost see Gavin in the background. He refused to pose. Good thing, Lizzy has such a pretty smile!

Being at the Bean

If you are looking for great child-friendly entertainment (that also happens to be free), try the Bean Museum on BYU's campus. Just make sure that you get there in time for the live animal show.

As you can see, Gavin had a blast petting a few reptiles with Grandma Ardy.

And getting an up-close-and-personal view of a turtle.

Laynie loves the touchy-feely animal fur.

And for all you awesome ex-Jaguars, here's what they look like in real (taxidermied) life.