It’s been a while!! yes, yes, many of you have been telling me, and telling me, and… complaining   OK OK but it’s been an INSANE three months or so for us! Let me catch you up… (get your coffee and take a potty break… cause this is gonna take a while!!!)

Right before Thanksgiving we decided that with the economy effecting Real Estate the way it is, the best thing for the family was for us and the kids to move in with my parents.  We have been renting a house that their company owns, and they are selling that company and we are going to share expenses with them until they get through this little RE crisis going on.  With the Lords help, they will be able to keep the office building they own along with their home.  Since we don’t own anything it was a “no brainer” decision as Sam says.

We had been planning on taking a vacation right before Christmas to the Oregon Cost, and since Sam had been working so hard we decided that even though we were moving suddenly, we were still going to try to make the trip.  We found an incredible deal on a house (off season and slow economy are to thank), so we took mom and dad with us and spent 4 days at the coast.  It was crazy!!  Just two days before we left the Vally got a huge storm-front come through where we got lots of snow (well, lots for here)! Ziva’s first snow!




So the day we left, there was snow every where!  We made it through the Van Duzer Corridor and out to the coast.  I’d never seen snow at the coast before, but we had a nice little snow storm for part of a day.  We also took the girls to the Oregon Coast Aquarium! It was fantastic!  Vienna loved the touch pool they have there, we touched little stingrays, sharks, starfish, sea urchins, sea-slug, annenamies (sp?), then there was walking through the glass tunnels where sharks and other fish are swimming all around you… so many things…  and there was hardly anyone there since it was the off season! It was a great family day!

Our return however, well… the Van Duzer’s were closed due to the snow and ice (lots of trees that fell across the road) so we had to take the LONG LONG LONG way home!  (South to Newport, out through Philometh, and back up through Salem!)  There was so much snow in the Vally that we had to drive very very slow (and I stopped counting tire chains laying on the road, broken, at like thirty six if I recall).  It was an exhausting drive… but Sam did a great job, and so did my dad, and we all made it home safe  and sound!!

So, before vacation we had begun packing quickly and began living here after our pre-Christmas vacation.  ( Sam wanted Christmas to be as special as possible during the upheaval, so we raced to get in so at least the girls would be settled for Christmas).  We had  a great time celebrating Ziva’s first Christmas!

The packing was much like moving over seas since much of our stuff would go to long term storage (we’re thinking 2 years here) some to Good Will and the rest has to fit into two rooms (and a bit in the kitchen/garage) here.  We finally moved our stuff in the middle of February, and just this weekend I unpacked the last box in our bedroom! so we are officially in!! (there’s lots of re-organizing to do, but I’ve found a way to make everything fit!! NO small task!!)   We are still praying for a buyer or renter for our house and a renter for the unused half of their office building (any prayers for those things would be MUCH appreciated, the lack of a renter for the business office has really been a burden).

Ever tried packing with a two year old in the room!?!?!?

Vienna “helps” pack a box!

As if we weren’t insane enough moving so quickly with an active two year old and a five month old who’s not sleeping through the night… at the end of January we decided to head to Canada (Victoria BC) to help Sam’s father at Missions Fest Vancouver.  Thankfully my mom came to help with the girls. Poor mom was stuck in a hotel room most of the time with the girls!! But her being there meant that I was able to help man the exhibit for Wildfire World while Dad Bible and Kostya (one of our office “family” members from Ukraine) taught and attended classes.  It was a great trip.  It was the first time Grandpa Bible was able to meet Ziva!

(Poor Grandma Bible hasn’t had her chance yet, but hopefully soon!)  It was so precious to be able to introduce our littlest one to her grandfather finally! And for Vienna to have a chance to see Gandpa Bible too (we have a photo magnet of G&G Bible on our fridge and occasionally she will go up and give it kisses).  And as always, it was just great to get to spend time with Dad too.  (And to introduce Uncle Kostya to our babies too! He’s worked in the office with the family for something like ten years, so he’s like family!)


We’ve had a few milestones since I’ve written last.  Mainly, Ziva milestones. Not only is she sitting up, but on the day she turned seven months, she took her first crawl across the room!  (this video is a week later)

Ziva’s pulling herself up on things all the time now, and I constantly find her crawling to get into anything she is not supposed to… you’d think she was a puppy because her favorite thing to do is to chew on my computer cord!!! She exhausts her momma and herself as she gets about the house now!

Ziva also had her first non-milk meal. I’ll let the photo’s speak for themselves:

Yippee REAL food!!!!

What the stink IS that stuff!?!?!?

Uhhhhkkkk… that’s NASTY!!!!

Huuhhggg… Can’t stand this stuff!

How could you do that to me!?!

As for the Mucus and the Mayhem….
For the past TWO weeks I’ve been calling this place “the house of Ill” as everyone has been sick.

Ziva got our families first ear infection, both girls had this flu/cold thing going around, so eventually Sam and I got that as well as Mimi & Poppie (my parents).  Even Uncle Matthew was down with it so badly that he didn’t go to Canada as scheduled (he was going to help with another Missions Fest).   We are finally getting over the illnesses, but much mayhem still has transpired in this house… see… not terribly long ago my parents had a flood in their house… long story short, they got bran new beautiful carpet and hardwood floors… LIGHT TAN CARPETS!!!! yeah, not for long! I’m concerned by the time we leave here, they’ll be needing yet another remodel!!  So far, we’ve made several dents, scratches or other mars to the hardwoods… and Thursday Ziva had a major blow out and pooped all over the floor!!! I of course PANIC!!!!  I can’t find the carpet cleaner, I can’t just scrub it up… mom is at Curves working out… so i called there (yes, now I am the laughing stock of town!! oh well, the carpets not stained!!!).  I should have just kept the carpet cleaner out, as today Ziva pulled herself up on the coffee table and grabbed my full cup of coffee down to the floor… Praise the Lord it wasn’t HOT!!!!!  so, I spent much of today rearranging furniture and Bisseling the living room carpet!! Oh, I forgot to mention that I also chose today as the day to sort through all the 3-6 month clothes all the way through the 12-18 month clothes for the girls to lighten up… at present well.. the house is… lets just say, I’m terrified mom and dad will get back early tomorrow!!!!  I just might be pulling an all nighter!

So, there you go, for those of you who have been unhappy with the lack of posts… now you have my “excuse”

More later   We’ve still got Build-a-Bear and Buddies to talk about soon, hopefully… but, you know how life gets

Happy Days to you all