Awesome-ness

I have very low standards for my children's schools.  I really believe in public education and feel that any gaps should be made up by the parents.  My only stipulation is that my children are safe.  So I was pleasantly surprised and even thrilled with my children's educational experience here.  Their teachers are committed and hard working.  They have amazing leveling with Carolyn doing pre-Algebra (in 4th grade) because she was ready for it and Hannah in an advanced reading and writing program that has expanded her writing to wonderful levels.  

To top that off, they do amazing things.  Hannah's class just wrote messages in bottles and sent them out to sea and have already gotten responses from Ocean Park where some of them washed up during a storm.  She has done a radio show with her teacher (who does a weekly show) twice.  Next month she is going to Haystack Rock which is a protected marine garden where they will have intertidal stations, bird viewing stations and aquaria stations.  

Carolyn has been to Lewis and Clark's post (Fort Clatsop) that they wintered in here in Oregon.  She has been bird watching in the forest and this week will go to the mouth of the Columbia and learn about coastal birds.  Next month she is going to central oregon to hike and camp for three days.  They will sleep in TeePees and learn about Native Americans. 

Could there be anything more awesome?  

Way better than the roller skating rink that was my outing in grade school.

The Javadi Tale of Woe...

This is a duplicate of my original post.  Cyrus didn't like me using boss-man's name so I fixed her up a little...

Let me tell you a story.  Two stories really.  It all started when we bought this house.  Before we bought it, we did some research and were assured we could get a loan to do some major FIXING that was necessary to get it livable (the water that came out of the sink in the kitchen was odd colored, the cabinets all water damaged and moldy etc).   In fact, we were approved for a loan.  But when we came here, the credit market froze up and they told us the loan was not available any longer. 

So we used our credit card to remodel the kitchen so we could feed our kids.  Then we missed a bill that came late because we forgot to tell Chase our new address so since we paid one day late, they raised our interest rate to 29%.  So we did a balance transfer to 0% even though in a few short months it would be paid off.  Unfortunately, I accidentally did the balance transfer twice...so we closed our account with Chase and asked them to send us check after the card was paid off.  They sent us our check and we thought the case was closed.  

Jump ahead nine months.  Cyrus is really unhappy with his job.  His boss is very difficult and Cyrus has a hard time just letting it roll off his back.  

Then Cyrus reads about a practice in Idaho.  It is successful, priced right and in a beautiful place.  We are curious and he goes out there.  The Idaho doctor is perfect--and even willing to work within the six months of notice in Cyrus' contract.  We decide to just see if we can get financing.  

That week, Cyrus has a lunch with his boss where his boss asks if they can make sure the assistants are cleaning up the lab better.  Cyrus tells the assistants that boss-man wants them to clean up better than kind of jokingly says, "Lookin' great in here!" when they make the lab look like no one ever used it.  Then another staff asked what the meeting was about and Cyrus told her.  Unfortunately, the boss didn't want Cyrus to tell anyone that he wanted the lab clean, he just wanted him to say, "clean it up."  So, he confronted Cyrus about the whole thing.  Cyrus said he didn't know it was confidential and apologized.  Then, boss-man asked if Cyrus was looking for a new job.  Cyrus was honest but assured boss-man we would give proper notice.  This all happened on Monday.  By Thursday, boss-man called Cyrus into his office and strongly implied that if he didn't quit, he would be fired, so Cyrus quit.

That same day, Cyrus gets a call from the lender that we have been denied credit for the practice because of his bad credit score.  We are both shocked. When we bought the house my score was 820 and his was 780.  The minimum for a dental loan was 640.  It turns out Chase (remember we payed them twice and they sent us a check) says we owed them $60.00 that was 90 days late.  They never sent us a paper bill or a letter or anything.  Just email that went to junk mail.  We got a big check and never got a bill and this little bill cost us a dental practice.  

So now, Cyrus will be out of a job and is unable to get a loan.  We are rushing to finish this house project and find work.  It has been a tough month.

Luckily we have been very blessed too...we fixed this house up with cash and paid off any that we put on the credit cards so we have a lot of wiggle room in our price which is a good thing in this economy.  We bought a fabulous house with an amazing view so that is good, too.  Cyrus has a good skill and is a great dentist--two people have approached me in Costco and one at the hardware store and said Cyrus was the best and nicest dentist they had ever been to (and those were just patients who knew who I was).  I feel sad to leave this old house but as my dad says, there will be more houses.

So, we'll keep you posted on where we go and what we do...Texas is looking good right now.  I'm gearing up for my NEXT ADVENTURE!!!

Cutie-Two-Shoes

We are placing these children up for sale to the Gypsies. If you are a gypsy, please notify us.

Hahaha, don't even think about it! We love 'em too much!

:)

What I love...

1. Watching my children pretend. Today they are playing something with the neighbors...one kid has a rope tied around his middle. One kid has a broken leg (I can tell since she is hobbling around with a stick holding him up) and two of them are wrapped in homemade shawls. They are running and laughing and digging in the mud.

2. My Church. It brings me peace, it brings me joy.

3. Cyrus. He is funny, hardworking, and good. I like him.

4, This old house. (Not only is it cool, it is famous--I saw it on Kindergarten Cop just this week).

5. Good books.

Updates...

Sam quit sucking his thumb...who knew a two-year-old could be so strong willed? He saw his birthday gift (a Thomas Train tent) in the basement and REALLY wanted it so I told him if he stopped sucking his thumb, we'd let him have it. He did it!!! He occasionally will put his thumb in his mouth when he is asleep or almost asleep just out of habit but when he is aware of what he is doing, he doesn't suck. What a man!!

He also has been saying the funniest things...today he said, "Mom, you my best fwend." So cute

Carolyn finished basketball. She did great and most of all she had fun. She really liked having her dad coach her.



Katie just had a little rough patch...she wasn't getting enough sleep, I think. With Carolyn's games an family home evening and silliness at night she wasn't going to bed early enough. She is doing better this week. THANK GOODNESS. That girl is something else when she is grouchy.




Hannah is great. She is doing art, art, art and writing books, books, books. She is very imaginative and fun.

This picture of Grace was one of the activities Hannah engaged in during Carolyn's games. Wooly Willie on the iPhone...very funny.

My baby...

Isn't she cute?!!!! Just looking at her makes me smile. She is the jolliest sweetest baby EVER. What a girl.

Funk...

I have been in a bit of a funk of late. I couldn't figure it out until this morning...you see Cyrus and I watched this edited version of Schindler's List the other night. It is a movie that I have consciously avoided. You see, Cyrus' Grandparents are Jewish and while it is horrifying enough to imagine Hitler doing those awful things to anyone, imagining him doing it to people you love is horrible. Cyrus' other Grandfather is Iranian. Yesterday I saw (once again) a young woman with dark eyes and beautiful hair like my Hannah on the news. She had acid burns for trying to go to school in Afghanistan.

These two events effected me, not only because, but for the grace of God, those beautiful young women Hitler's men treated like meat and that beautiful Afghan daughter just trying to learn, could have my daughters but also because they demonstrate the horrors mankind is capable of. It bothers me because I live in a country where a man like Mike Huckabee can make snide and dismissive comments about my faith and not be called out for bigotry but instead be given his own show on FoxNews. It scares me because our politics have become a festival of back biting and degrading each other. It is smallness and pettiness that erodes our sensibilities and makes us hate for no other reason than to hate and makes it impossible for us to disagree without disliking. It is the fact that our current political environment could let horrors go unchecked for political gain.

So this morning, I found myself reading my usual news but still in my funk. Then I saw something that made me smile...a BIG smile. I saw something that gave me moment to pause and a bit of (pardon the cliche) hope. I have been impressed with President Obama so far this week. He was not my choice but I have found him smart and articulate. Today I was watching the news about him being sworn in again and listening to the to-do that he didn't use a Bible and that he didn't allow cameras etc. But I saw something that gave me great hope...I saw Joe Biden make a little off-handed joke about his memory not being as good as judge Roberts so he would need to read his remarks. Obama reached out and with a look of tremendous consternation, put his hand on the Vice President's back. Now, I am a believer that everyone needs to be able to laugh at themselves and I found Mr. Biden's joke completely unoffensive. But the look on Obama's face said a lot about the man. The look wasn't one of "this going to hurt me politically" but instead a look of, "don't say something that will hurt someone else, there is no reason." It was a look that said this is a man that has respect for his office and respect for people in spite of their differences (he had voted against confirming Judge Roberts but still he didn't want to mock him). It was a look of a man who truly wanted Washington to be different--who knows differences will be real but wants them to be political not personal. And mostly I saw a man who cared about a fellow human being. A man who would be aware enough of what was happening around him that he would NOT let evil go unchecked for partisan gain and popularity.

Gwoss Daddy!!

One of Cyrus' favorite jokes is to burp really loud then blame it on one of the girls. "BUUUURRRRPPPPP, Gross Carolyn!!!" Then the girls always reply, "Gross Daddy." It is at least a daily joke. The other day, Sam and I were enjoying a nice quiet lunch with just the two of us when he let a loud ol' burp rip. He promptly said, "Gwoss Mom." Like father like son.

The trouble with a big house

Now, let me preface this by saying, my house is only big compared to our former abodes. A three bedroom almost 2 bathroom 2000 square foot house is not a mansion. But after the shoebox we lived in during dental school and cave BYU calls Wymount before that, it feels like a mansion. Also, it has high ceilings that fool you.

So, back to the topic at hand. The trouble with this big house is I may never take my Christmas tree down. Usually I am so sick of scooting around it and cleaning under it and having Sam knock it down that I am itching to take it down Christmas afternoon. But not this year. It's New Years day late late at night and I still have the old tree up. Taking it down was on my to-do list but hey, its not in anyone's way so why bother. And Cyrus doesn't give a crap--he is forever mellow. Plus it's pretty in an "all the ornaments at the bottom, kind of skee-wampus from kids playing with it" sort of way. Here's a picture (taken with photobooth so its a little silly):



If it is still up on Valentines day, I may an intervention.

2:44 am

The time my children woke up Christmas morning.

We told them to go back to bed.

5:30 am

The time we finally let them wake up.

The neighbor kids slept until 9:00. Maybe we should trade kids.

It's raining snow!!!!!!!!!

My kids are seeing snow falling from the sky for the first time in about four years. Sam has never seen it. Katie doesn't remember. "It's raining snow!!" was Katie's adequate description of what she saw.

So, an old friend's wife started a website and I am so impressed with it!!! It shows you how to do cute do's on you gals...like this one


and this one



and this



and much much more!!!!

this is the place: http://cutegirlshairstyles.blogspot.com

Hannah's baptism

Hannah's baptism day was such a sweet and good day. Grandma and Grandpa came out from Idaho. It was such a special day to watch my little lady make her first steps toward returning to live with our Father in Heaven. Words can never express how special baptism days are...

Driving

Driving can be very hazardous here in Oregon...I will be driving along, minding my own business when I catch a glimpse of some of the most breath-taking things I have ever seen. Then I almost drive off the road trying to get a better look. Whenever I have time, I pull over and take a picture. These shots all are within a half hour of our house. The pictures were all taken with my phone so just imagine how much more beautiful they are in real life!!!

Family picture

So we took our family picture yesterday. We had fun but Sammy and Grace weren't both looking in any of the shots...oh well. We just used a tri-pod and the timer so there wasn't even a photographer to try to get their attention. This is the one we picked. Does anyone have a preference? Which is better color or BW? I like them both.

Halloween

So we celebrated Halloween around here, I just didn't blog about it!!! Here are some pics...it was beautiful here. Not warm but certainly not cold...jacket weather. It rained 10 inches in October but it wasn't bad. So far, so good weather wise...

Grace was a lioness and Hannah and Katie were clowns. Carolyn was a witch and Sam was a fireman. Sam did his own make-up.

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This is the four biggest kiddos on the porch...those are the pumpkins we carved--they are green because we had such a cool summer here that they never ripened. The scarecrow in the background won "Best scarecrow" at the ward party. Of course it was the only scarecrow.

Random observations from an overworked mom...

1. I hate the word "fair."
2. Wood floors are the best things ever made. Between potty training Sam and Grace spitting up constantly, I am glad every day to just wipe up the mess.
3. Even potty trained boys are messy...Sam sits on the potty and sprays his pee all over the floor.
4. Remodeling an old house is usually rewarding and fun but sometimes it gets tiring and overwhelming.
5. I am a closet feminist and I didn't even know it. A few weeks ago I wanted to deck Cyrus' boss when he called the assistants, "his girls" at a business dinner and I found myself irritated this morning when I heard a teacher tell a girl not to throw like one, I felt like yelling, "what the heck is wrong with being a GIRL!!"
6. Weren't Barack Obama and John McCain an awful lot like the two guys on the Mac vs PC commercials?

More election musings

When I was a missionary, my mission president told us that he thought that every person that became President of the United States was fore-ordained to that calling. He thought that God had a special place in his heart for the United States and that it was truly a blessed place to live and those who lead it are truly guided by the hand of God. And he was a Canadian. Now that is not doctrine but it makes sense to me.

Because of this, Cyrus and I always vote and do our research and read and read and read before we make any decisions but then after the election, we support whomever wins. We disagree with decisions but we never talk badly about the president as a human being. So starting next year, Obama's our man. I think he is smart and a good leader as well as a good man. I hope he will corral the national debt (one of my big concerns with him) and pray that we will find peace and good will in our country.

And mostly, I hope Katie will find someone her own age to be in love with. I mean seriously, that kid is like Pepe le Pew with the hearts popping out of her eyes when she sees Barack (I really should call him President-elect Obama but since he is nearly a part of the family, what with Kate's wedding plans and all, we call him by his first name, plus there is also the kin-ship with another fella with a middle eastern name Cyrus').

Just a little aside, Cyrus and I re-finished the floors in this old house of ours. They look great but I don't have my computer so no pictures for a couple of days...sorry.

Tagged about Cyrus

Five things Cyrus loves...

1. Me and the kids
2. Books and Movies
3. Disneyland
4. His Prius
5. Bill O'Reilly

Five things on his to-do list

1. Mud the rest of the drywall on the bathroom walls
2. Paint the upstairs bedrooms
3. Lay the wood floor in the attic bedroom
4. Hang bead board in the bathroom
5. Paint the stairs and downstairs rooms and kitchen...the man has a huge to-do list

Five Favorite Snacks (Cyrus doesn't really snack at all...he likes a meal)

1. Trifle
2. Hot Tamales
3. Caffienne-free Pepsi
4. Stroganoff
5. Fajitas

Five Things You Might Not Know About Cyrus

1. Cyrus' grandpa was born in Iran--he is a Persian. His other Grandparents are Jewish. That is how he got his name Cyrus is the Persian king who freed the Jews in the Old Testament. Berger (Cyrus' middle name) is his Jewish Grandfather's surname and then of course Javadi is his Iranian Grandfather's surname.
2. Cyrus never went to the same elementary school two years in a row. He moved somewhere around 20 times in the first 18 years of his life.
3. Cyrus can learn to do anything by watching You-tube videos. He does a ton of stuff on our house from learning just by reading about it on the internet and watching some vidoes. Cyrus is learning to play the guitar by reading about it on the internet.
4. Cyrus went to UVSC after high school but withdrew when he kept sleeping in so late he missed class and was going to flunk.
5. Cyrus didn't graduate from Seminary then he felt so bad about it on his mission that he got special permission, finished the class he missed by getting up extra early and doing the home study program and got his diploma.

Five Places Cyrus has Lived (since he married me):

1. Rigby, Idaho
2. Provo and Spanish Fork, Utah
3. Moline, Illinois
4. San Francisco, California
5. Astoria, Oregon

He lived in about a hundred other places before he married me. Did I mention he moved a lot ;).

Five quirks about Cyrus:

1. Cyrus loves to go to the movies but I hate to go. He loves it so much he goes by himself very often.
2. Cyrus doesn't let much frazzle him. He handles things in a smooth even manner. Except the girls, all of them talking at once always frazzles him every time.
3. Cyrus loves new socks but he never throws away the old ones so he has more socks than any human being could ever possibly need.
4. Cyrus is sometimes like Michael on the office and he also looks like him. That embarrasses me.
5. Cyrus is the anal retentive chef. Google it. Its from Saturday Night Live. The guy is a chef who can't actually cook because he keeps trying to make all his ingredients exactly the same size then he sees a spot on the stove that needs to be cleaned then he decided to mop the floor, etc etc. I ask Cyrus to make the lunches in the morning and I come in and see no lunches but the dishwasher un-loaded, the counters wiped off and Cyrus in the laundry room doing a batch of towels.


I tag Kara Ikner

Katie loves Barack

A few weeks ago I was watching the debate on Cyrus' obscenely large TV. Katie came in and asked who the guys on TV were. Before I even answered her question, she walked over to the TV and said,"I like that guy.". She was pointing at Obama and gazing at him like a love-sick teenager. I told her that those were the men running for President. She looked again at her new squeeze and said, "I think it would be nice to have a brown President."

I didn't vote with Katie's heart. I voted for McCain but I agree, it will be nice to have a brown president. I just hope he does a good job.