We did it!

Don't have much time to write... We're still unpacking boxes and trying to get in to some sort of routine at our new place. Just wanted to share this picture of all 4 of us on our special night. =)

The Big Move

It's happening tomorrow! :D Tomorrow morning we're getting the keys to our new apartment and we get to start moving our stuff in!! I'm very excited and I can't believe how fast this past week has gone by.

It's gonna be a super busy day.

Ok, I have something to say and I don't think I can hold it in any longer! I guess I'll spill the beans about the other changes I mentioned in my last post... everyone will find out eventually anyway!

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!!!

Yes, you read that right, Josh and I are getting married tomorrow at 7pm. I know it seems soooo soon. So here's what I wanted to write in my last post about all of this:

After jumping up and down in the excitement of getting an apartment we then realized there was a problem... We made a promise to each other and ourselves that we were going to do things right this time. We've both made mistakes in the past, especially in previous relationships, and we didn't want to make those mistakes again. We're LDS (aka Mormon) and someday we'd like to get sealed together as a family. Living in sin is definitely a step in the wrong direction. So we're doing it...

So that's it. After tomorrow I'll no longer be the divorced mom.... Hmmm... still debating the name change of this blog. We'll see.

I'll be back to post about our lil ceremony/reception as soon as I can get the computer hooked back up. ;) Of course, I think I'll take a mini break from the world wide web to enjoy my new family and the beginning of our lives together.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Lots and lots of changes! So many in fact that I've been meaning to post something in here, but simply haven't had the time.

This past week my mom came to me and let me know that my sister, brother-in-law and niece were going to be moving into the trailer that her and my step dad have parked in the driveway. They're going through a rough time right now and aren't able to stay in the apartment they live in. My BIL recently got in a dirt bike accident and totally ruined his knee for life. He won't be able to work for at least the next 2-3 months while he heals.

(FYI - For those that don't know, my boys and I ended up living here permanently at my mom & step dad's house after The Ex decided to take a hike. I've been paying rent, cleaning house and doing all the cooking since I moved in...Making it possible for me to work from home and raise my boys.)

Anyway, so with them moving in here and my step dad coming home from working in Vegas for the past year this house will be PACKED. I'm talking, 9 people in a 4 bedroom manufactured house. When I found out what was going on I immediately talked to Josh about it. He had the same concerns I did... All these people in one house.... Only 2 of the 9 people work outside the home (til my step dad starts his next job in Vegas.). That also means there would be 3 kids under 3. My niece is 17 months old. Needless to say, it's going to be a MAD HOUSE in here. Nap times will be a thing of the past. Going to bed at a decent time, forget it.

So Josh and I talked about it. We decided to get our own place. We're in a position financially to get a decent place. He has a good paying, stable job. We planned to do this all in February anyway... Why not move it up several months? That way my sister, BIL and niece don't have to stay the whole winter in a freezing cold trailer. They can move in to the 2 rooms the boys and I are in right now.

So we did it!

We did some apartment searching and found one right away. It was almost as if it fell in to our laps. We were just driving by them and decided to check it out. It was 5:15pm. What were the chances the office would still be open? It was. They were closing at 6. :) They had everything we were looking for and had an apartment available. We filled out an application and we got approved for it yesterday. Move-in day is October 16th!

It's gonna be a super busy week for us. We have 6 days to pack!!

Lots more changes to come, but I'll save those for another post. I'm pretty sure that a certain pair of eyes have found and now read this blog... I promise I'll explain more later! You'll just have to stay tuned! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Josh gets a haircut!

(After posting the bad pics of Josh with his Elvis/Wolverine hair I figured I'd post one after the haircut. I can never get all 3 to look at the camera at once.)

Pumpkin Patch

Today the boys and I were invited to the pumpkin patch by our friends Lizz & Frank. It's their oldest daughter's 3rd birthday today. We actually celebrated her birthday this past Saturday, but it was nice to do a little something with them today. After all, I was there to witness her birth.... I was 32 weeks pregnant at the time with C. I'll never forget that year....

Anyway, we had fun spending time with them. WARNING: Picture overload!



No idea where that tongue came from...




He wasn't too sure at first...






He came around though. That face says it all. :)


Mr. Blue eyes.


Josh, I love you, but you need a hair cut!


Me and my lil man. :) I need more pics of me and the boys... I'm always the one behind the camera though!




Ok this slide was ridiculous! The toddlers took it like champs though. I went on it once.... I had to be talked into it. I HATE heights! When you're on this thing it's seriously straight up and down. I don't know how my 2 yr old handled it, but he LOVED it!


There he goes!

Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff Recipe

I found this recipe several years ago and it's been a hit with everyone who has ever tasted it. It's super easy to make - only 5 ingredients. It's also easy on the budget. I made this the first time Josh came over to our house. He's been around ever since. LOL. I don't know if it's my cooking or me that he keeps coming back for. ;)

I made this last night for dinner and took a few pictures. Here's the recipe:

• 1 pound lean ground beef (turkey or chicken)
• 1 onion, chopped (3/4 to 1 cup)
• 1 cup celery, chopped (2-3 stalks)
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I actually use 2 cans)
• 1 cup low fat sour cream or yogurt (I like to use 2 cups of sour cream)

In a medium sized skillet saute onion and celery in about 1 tablespoon olive oil until tender.

In same skillet add ground beef and brown. Drain off fat.

Add soup and sour cream. Stir all together until meat is well coated. Heat thoroughly.

Serve over rice, noodles, crispy fried potatoes... it's good on lots of stuff.... I prefer rice. I usually make some in my rice cooker, but last night I cheated and used boil in a bag rice.

Ta-da! (Not much to look at, but it was really yummy!)

The possibilities are endless

If you haven't heard yet, Josh and I plan to get married on February 20th of next year. I know that seems so soon, but when you find the right person you just know. He's everything I've ever wanted in a life partner. He loves my boys and treats them as if they were his own. He's very protective of us and wants nothing but the best for all 3 of us. He loves that I cook dinner every night, that I clean house and I take care of my kids. When he gets off work he wants to do nothing more than to come over and spend time with us. Doesn't matter what we're doing he just wants to be with us. Josh doesn't drink or smoke. He doesn't like to go out to bars or party every weekend. He's a hard working man who just wants to come home to a warm, home cooked meal and enjoy an evening with his wife and kids. Sad to say, but I never experienced any of that in my marriage to Ron. Thinking about that makes me even more thankful for Josh. (Hmm... would I have to rename my blog, The Re-Married Mom?)

Soooo... Tonight we were over at Lizz (my BFF) & Frank's house. They're the ones who are moving back to St. Louis in November. They have 2 daughters who are almost the exact age my 2 boys are. I've mentioned this before, but Lizz is truly my best friend. In the past 3 years we've gone through the deployments of our husbands, births of all our babies (Do we really have 4 kids between us now?!), all the crap I went through in my marriage... and then divorce. We've been there for each other through everything you can imagine. Sure there were times when we wouldn't hang out as much. Sometimes we'd let 2-3 weeks go by without saying a word to each other. After those 2-3 weeks went by we'd always pick back up right where we left off without skipping a beat.

Ok I'm getting way off track here...

So Josh, the boys and I went over to their house to drop off some boxes and to hang out. We started talking about Josh & I seriously moving to St. Louis, MO so that we could all still be together. Is that totally crazy? Follow your best friend and her family to MO just because we'd miss each other THAT much. Maybe. But why not? There's nothing here in San Diego that is holding us back. The boys' bio dad no longer lives here. My mom and step dad plan to move to Utah in a few years and my dad and step mom will probably end up moving to Idaho. Josh has no problem living so far away from his mom and dad. In his line of work (HVAC installation/repair/tech) he could probably make a better living in MO.

Ok, I admit that I will REALLY miss living by the ocean. I'll miss my family that will still be here and all of my old friends. I'll probably even miss the 70-80 degree year round weather. (Even though I'm always complaining about how hot it is in the winter time!)

What I WON'T miss are the ridiculous home prices and gas prices out here. I think that's one of the major factors in our decision to move. Sure we could stay out here and live pay check to pay check while living in some crappy lil 3 bedroom apartment for $1300 a month. (AND THAT'S CHEAP OUT HERE!) If we did decide to buy a house here in SD our only real option would be a mobile home/manufactured home that sits in a mobile home park. No yard, no land, neighbors that live waaaay too close to you. Don't get me wrong... nothing against these kind of homes. I grew up in one... I'm actually sitting in my mom's manufactured home right now.

We could do better though.

We could get out of SD and move some place where we could afford a nice 4 bedroom house with a big backyard for the kids to play in... and why not do it where we already have friends who know the area? I suppose it doesn't necessarily have to be St. Louis... we would make friends any where we go....

Like I said, the possibilities are endless.