Blessings

These last few weeks have really brought to the fore front the many blessings my family has enjoyed or maybe a better phrase might be...unbeknownst to them enjoyed.
Cory graduated
Cory got a job in AZ
The house sold quickly
I have some super cool friends who really love me
I had some scary test results eventually come back that all is well.
We fit everything I wanted in the POD!
No one cried...we all know we will see eachother again soon. (OK Jonece and her friends bawled like babies but they ARE preteens)
Closing went without a hitch.
Our money was in our account the next day.
We got everything in the car and car top carrier.
We headed off to Kirtland with joy in our hearts...not only because we were heading home but because these last four years though hard at times has been such a growing experience for all of us and it was good.
We were blessed to arrive safe in AZ even though we had our roof rack break and some car trouble.
We are blessed to have family that loves us enough to let us all move in for a few weeks...I don't know if I could be that magnanimous!
We found a house to rent in Tuscon that both Cory and I loved and when we submitted our application it was accepted.

I know I could write an entire post about the unpleasant crap that has happened these last few weeks but in the end everything turned out so I think I will focus on the outcome.
I am grateful my Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers and watches over us and blesses us with what we need when we do all we can do and then ask in faith.
Later dudes
One grateful L

Hardest Part

One of the hardest things about packing up and leaving PA is saying goodbye to the friends we have made here...especially the babies. It makes me sad to think that they will never remember me or my girls. I know we will see them again...maybe not right away but we will see them again...but they will have grown and we won't be there to see it. And we will be strangers.
Kristy will have another baby up in Detroit and we won't get to meet the little sweetie.
I know a few of us have planned to get together next year here in PA. I am excited to come back and visit. Elise and Megan will be getting ready to move and so many others will still be here too!

I would be lying if I said it has been a great 4 years...that first year was a tough one! I am glad Cory chose Pitt...I have really enjoyed these last 3 years. I have made some friends that will last forever. I wish I could take you in my pocket and take you all to AZ with me!

These last few weeks have been fun, helping some move and having so many little fun dinners and girl's nights. I am glad we are the last to leave. It gave us the time to spend time with our friends. I was afraid to pack up the kitchen because we don't have the money to eat out everyday but thanks to some great friends I packed up the kitchen a few days ago and we have been well fed. I love you guys!
We missed saying goodbye to a few people but no biggie...we will see them again.

The next chapter begins...spending time with my best friends in AZ especially my sister and Jackie. I have really missed them. I am so glad they came to Cory's graduation even though my sister got hit on the head and got a concussion.
Looking to the future...but never forgetting the past.
One Lucky L

Graduation

Cory did it! the day has come and he is now Dr. Cory Thompson...but he hates when we call him that.
We were so lucky to have so many of our family and friends make it to Pittsburgh to celebrate this day with us.
This is a shot of everyone except Jackie...the photographer and my sister Angie.

Doesn't he look handsome, even if he is making fun of everything. He couldn't wait to go home and change and just have a BBQ with our friends and family. No pomp or circumstance in this man.
It was totally fun having everyone here...even when it was hectic it was fun.
Now comes the sad part...saying good bye to the friends we have made here in Pittsburgh...I will miss them.
One L

We had the chance to go to the Science Center with our good friends and we spent most of our time at the sports building.


Rock climbing was fun.

But the went on the roller coaster simulator...and that was their favorite activity.
My favorite was the submarine...it never ceases to amaze me the things the men and women of the military suffer to keep us all safe...thank you!
One L

Bucket List

We are moving in less than a month and I have to resign myself to the fact I am not going to see the beach or take the girls to Disney World or go inside the Washington Temple or visit NY or see the Liberty Bell in Philli or go to Hershy or go to a Pens game or spend a Sat morning at the Strip or see Amish country or ride the incline...I have wasted so much time being cheap.
I tell myself that once we are settled and have a good portion of student loans under control we can come back and do all that stuff without guilt for spending money we don't have! Seriously...I am sorry I didn't make Cory do all these things even if we had to borrow extra money and be in debt FOREVER. I don't know if we will ever do any of the things I wanted to do...can you really ever go back?
I know I will visit Pittsburgh again...I have some friends here I am not willing to forget. Also there is Giovanni's...is he my Italian love interest? No but I do feel a warm and fuzzy feeling every time I walk into his place. The best Italian food made by a Greek person in the whole world. I will dream about his pizza and sandwiches for the rest of my life.
On a happier note graduation is next Saturday and my sister Caroline and Cory's mom and my friend Jackie are flying here from AZ and we are so excited to have them. My parents are driving down from Canada on Saturday for the festivities as well. I love having company...I really do! I am especially excited to have my sister come...it has been so hard being so far away from someone you love...and we have always been close in heart but now we can actually look forward to dinners together and swappin kids and girl's nights out and weekends scrapping and family up the kazoo. That thought makes me happy. I need my family (that includes Cory's family) around...I think it is medicine for the soul.
I am sad to leave PA on some levels but to be honest I am deeply overjoyed to be going home. I don't get attached to places so much because we moved so many times when I was growing up but I do get attached to people...but that is what facebook and blogging and cell phones and plane rides are for...seeing people you love.
I love my AZ friends and I love my PA friends and now it is time to switch places.
Later dudes
One AZ bound L

Phew!

I guess it is all pretty much done except for the doing.
The house is sold and the inspection is done and we are good to go.
Cory passed all his boards...I am so proud.
Cory has only a few more restorations and he will be done at Pitt. He says he could be signed out of everything in the next 2 weeks.
Cory found a job in Tuscon and it looks like we will be moving there this summer.
We have been looking at houses to rent in northern Tuscon and found quite a few that we really like.
Now we just sit back and let life unfold. It has been so hectic and nerve racking around here I am not sure we remember how to just sit back and relax. We better figure it out though...Cory will be out of school by the end of April and have little to nothing to do until he starts work July 21st. We have to be out of our house by June 8th and we have not yet decided what we are doing.
Jonece is graduating 5th grade...I know it sounds crazy to be celebrating a fifth grade graduation...like who drops out in the 4th? But here in Dormont it is a big deal and they have so many fun activities planned. Since we had a week stuck in the house because of the storm they have added a week to the end of the year to make up the lost time. Well that would mean school it extended until June 15th. We have a week where we will be homeless. Cory says it is poetic...we started here homeless in a hotel for over a week and we could end our adventure in PA in a hotel.
Even if we stay for an extra week in a hotel...we still have over a month until Cory starts work in Tuscon. I have decided to see this time as an opportunity to do a bunch of fun family things...like maybe a nice vacation on the beach. Visit some family and super cool friends that feel like family. I just have to figure out what to do with all our stuff.
After all is said and done and we are settled in our new home and ward and state I think only then can I truly relax.
It is exciting to start this new adventure...we all look forward to no longer being poor...though Cory reminds me that we have a mountain of student loans to conquer...I think it will be better than this for sure.
Love to all
Can't wait to see all of you on a regular basis back in AZ.
Smooshes to all
One relieved L

Now The Real Fun Begins

The house is under contract after one short day on the market...we have a closing date of June 8th...now Cory has to find a job.
These last few months it has been my job to get the house ready to sell and stage it and clean it and show it. Now my job is done and I can sit back and let go...everything is out of my hands now. Cory has job interviews that I know he will ace. He has a few things left to finish by the end of April in order to graduate on time. All the pressure lies squarely on his shoulders now and to be honest I am OK with that.
I want to move back to AZ but really...the world will not end if we have to spend a few years in Nevada or Texas. Its all up to Cory now.
Once Cory gets a job then I have to spring back into action and find a place to live. If he gets one of the jobs in AZ I know I will have lots of help in finding a rental...and eventually a house to buy. Then I will have the daunting task of buying some furniture and shopping for stuff...and you all know how much I hate shopping...NOT.
Life is good today
I hope you are all well and now that I am no longer under the gun I will have time for more fun things...like keeping in touch with my friends.
love you all
One content L

Time flies

Now that I am under the gun to get the house ready to show and finish all those last minute projects time is just flying by!
There are so many things I haven't done that I wanted to do here in PA and time is running out. I have scratched so many things off my bucket list because of money...like taking the girls to Disney World. But I would still love to take them to the beach...there are so many nice ones in North and South Carolina...that is doable.
New York is still a possibility but again it depends on money...I hate that!
I have been so focused on getting out of the burgh...I forgot one thing...I can't take my friends here with me. I will miss so many people here...and no amount of sunshine will make that go away.
I have focused on the things I will not miss, like the roads, the Mexican food, the weather, the drivers, the parking and did I mention I will not miss driving here in any form?
I forgot all the things I love...I love my friends...I love my house...I love my neighbors...I love the food, I love my calling, I love Cory's calling and having the Missionaries over all the time. Its all so sad.
Why can't I have everything?
Why did I grow to love so many people here...haven't I learned how much it hurts to leave knowing you will never live there again? I tried to keep everyone at arms length...but dang it they slowly crept into my heart with their cute babies and big hearts. Some have left me already but now I am doing the leaving. Its so hard to keep in touch with everyone!
I hate you for making me love you! Now I will have to come back and visit...and endure more long distance friendships.
I am not crying...I am not crying.
I have to go blow my nose.
Love to all
One sad L

Boards

I am taking this opportunity to do a little venting...so please forgive me or just stop reading.
Dental School sucks! Or at least this one does. They make it so hard to graduate and on some levels hope for failure. "
In order to graduate you must complete a certain number of each procedure and that makes total sense. But the school gets in the way of the students when they are trying to finish all their requirements. They have all these hoops you must jump through and a simple procedure can take days. Their prices are not discounted very much so who in their right mind would want to have dental work done for the same price by a student that requires 2 visits of at least 3 hours when they can go to a dentist and get everything done in one hour?
Boards just pisses me off so much I am almost shaking...it is just so poorly organized. Each student pays thousands of dollars to take practical boards which requires 3 parts (so sometimes 3 different patients). It is the student's responsibility to find the patients and make sure they show up. So what happens if your patient doesn't show up...you are SOL! Not only do you FAIL that portion but you have to pay to retake them. Who has an extra 2 grand hanging around?
Cory's patients all showed up and he will find out on Monday how he did but others were not so lucky...it just makes me sick! How can you force someone to come? They all get their work done for free and everybody pays their patients 50 to 200 buck to ensure attendance...so they have done everything they can to encourage their people to show up...but sometimes they don't. The student has zero time to find a back-up and they fail. Does that sound fair on any level?
After today Cory has the written part of boards to do and that is over 3 or 4 days in March. Cory is almost done with his requirements so he is on target to be done by graduation in May...so I am not freaking out for him I am just mad that you pay soooo much to go to dental school and you would think for all that money the school would have your back. You would think they would bend over backwards to help their students succeed. Nope! What do you do? Who can you complain to? Will any of these students ever give the university endowments?...will we? Over my dead body!
Thanks for letting me vent...I feel better already.
Say a prayer for Cory that he passes his boards...both written and practical.
Thanks
One venting L

The Joys of Pittsburgh

Firstly, I sincerely apologize for praying for a final snowy winter so the girls could have fun memories of sledding and building snowman. I should know better...be careful what you ask for...you just might get it!
The girls are having so much fun in the snow. They are trying to dig out an igloo in one of the snow banks made by shoveling the snow off the sidewalk and driveway!
It is fun to watch them in the snow, brings back memories of when I was young...all those years ago! But they have been off school all week and I am ready for them to go back! They have been getting along soooo well I really can't complain...it is just me, I have to get back into my schedule or no laundry will get done.

Cory has had the pleasure of shoveling all this lovely white stuff but the street took forever! Dormont was just not prepared to have 2 feet of snow in such a short period of time and where do you put it? It was crazy!
More snow and more time together as a family and less housework done...that is the story of our week! No complaints...we never lost power for any length of time and we had groceries.
I hope everyone is staying warm.
Love and snowflakes
One L

Happy Goundhogs Day

What have I been doing this past month you ask...blogging? no....cleaning my house? a little...keeping my dog company on the couch? yes...making jewelry? not so much...making anything? not so much. Since my workroom has been moved to the basement I am subject to the weather...when its cold outside its freezing in my basement.

I did close my booth at the craft store and have an abundance of things to sell. I was thinking of having a little half price/clearance sale at my house...not to make any money but just get my investment out.
Jonece had a band concert at school and I am having trouble uploading the video but to be honest you are not missing much...the trumpets were right in front of us and that is all you can hear.
Just the girls...I don't know what I did right to have these little ladies in my life...they are pretty amazing.
We painted the master bedroom and the computer room with a little help from the missionaries ( OK alot of help,,,OK so they totally did all of it! don't judge me)...I would show pictures except the amoire didn't survive and I have clothes that still need reassignment. I love the color. Sage green.
That stupid groundhog says we have 6 more weeks of winter and I am SOOOO done already! I hope he was snacking on some mushrooms and made a mistake. I need spring to come soon.
I apologize for being a lame blogger.
love you all
One Lame L

A New Year

I know I prayed for a snowy winter so the girls could sled and make snow angels...we were up to 12 days in a row with snow. I constantly remind myself to be careful what I pray for...because I usually get it! The snow is light and we really don't have that much accumulation in other words it is not packing snow. Cory has taken the girls sledding a couple of times and they have loved it. I have been sick with a cold that settled in my chest and I missed all the fun. But to be honest I wasn't that heart broken. I love watching the girls have fun but it has been so cold that it would have been chilly standing there watching.
Look at those rosy cheeks!

If you are following our count down to graduation...I have a sad reminder from "he who is responsible for us being here in the first place". Just because he graduates in May doesn't mean he can start working then or we can move then. I am not sure how it all works...Cory has tried to explain to me certification and which states accept what...but all I hear is blah blah blah we can't go home yet. He has applied for a few jobs in AZ, Nevada and Texas...say prayers that he gets an excellent offer around the valley! Right now he has an interview in Tuscon...kinda far from Gilbert but better than Texas!
Dreaming of AZ sunshine and all my friends and family there!
Love
One Chilly L

blah blah blah

Does that sound a little like Scrooge? I meant it more like the same old same old. I get up I cook, I clean, I drive somewhere for someone...you know what I mean.
I usually wait until something interesting happens or I have something of value to say before I post to my blog but lately I think facebook is the venue most of my friends prefer to communicate on.
But then again I use my blog like a journal that I hope will be around long after I am gone and my children can read it and remember our journeys. So I write...for them.
Our Christmas was sweet...quietly meaningful if that makes any sense. The girls had quite a few presents under the tree...mostly clothes and little things but they were excited to open each and every one of them. We tried hard to focus on the Savior and His life but it is not as easy as it sounds. So many things distract me and I do love to shop.
We have had the Missionaries over a bunch this holiday and it is really adding a cool spirit...a warm and fuzzy feeling having those amazing young men in my home...and they think I am all that and a bag of chips when I make homemade rolls for them!
The year 2010 is right around the corner and I have no resolutions to speak of. Except maybe to resolve to not have any resolutions.
I like having Cory home but the girls tend to pick at each other when they are around each other 24 hours a day...day in and day out...it doesn't help that most of their friends are out of town. So they are sentenced to play with each other. This would normally be fine except Dene hates video games and gaming is Jonece's favorite passtime. So Dene does her best to disrupt Jonece when she is playing and this only causes unhappiness all around.
I really missed seeing Greg and Chris this holiday but I keep telling myself that next year we will be in a position to either drive to see them or fly if needs be. My sister has been going through a really tough time these last few weeks and I feel like a bull at a dairy...useless. I can't help her and it sucks.
Well we have an entire week before every one goes back to school and I have a few fun things planned to make some memories. I hope it snows (I know who thought I would ever say that!) so we can get in some sledding.
I hope everyone is having a great holiday and my friends hurry up and get home...I miss you guys!
One Blah L

Last Christmas in the Burgh

I am trying to really enjoy this winter...I said trying. Part of that is looking at things in a different way...realizing that this will be the last of so many things. Some are sad...some are not but all are held in a positive light. It was sad to realize that it was the last time I will witness the leaves changing color here...and not so sad to realize we watched our last first snowfall! Our last first slide on an icy brick road...our last first scraping of the car...all these things make me see the bright side of things. This new attitude (and the meds) are making this winter season my best so far.
I am sad that Christmas will be without family and our friends that feel like family but this is our last holiday with just the four us and that makes it super special. I am determined to make it memorable for all of us. Cory is off school for a bit and even though he will be studying for Boards we will fill the break with fun family times. Since this might be our last snowy winter we are making sure we go sledding often. The building of snowmen and snow angels are on the itinerary as well as hot apple cider and the occasional snow ball fight.
I am grateful for all my friends and family who have loved me over the distance and the new friends I have made here in PA.
Have a great holiday everyone...and know I am thinking of you!
Love and smooshes
One winter lovin L

Beware the Sleep-over

They look innocent enough...don't they??? Well guess what...they are not!!!! And they are not afraid of me...the crazy eyes and the quietly menacing voice? No effect! Have I lost my touch? Have I lost my credibility? These little girls ran amuck until 2:00am and Cory and I were powerless. So what have we learned? Never have sleepovers! Never more Never more!
Well the early part of the evening was great we stamped canvas bags (thanks Keri for the idea), decorated a matte in a picture frame for Dene, colored a wooden girl, and made jewelry.
We also made ice cream cone cupcakes and the girls decorated them...but the highlight was the trick candles. I told them that you count how many blows it takes to blow out your candle and any more than one means you have that many boyfriends. Thank goodness these girls still think boys are yucky so they were mortified that their candles kept reigniting!
Dene had two favorite parts of her birthday celebration...the first was getting an ipod from Daddy and the second was the Oreo Blast cake from Dairy Queen.
Why is it my children prefer store bought cakes and cookies from my home made ones? Are the rest of you guys lying to me? Are store bought ones better than mine? My world has been shaken these last few days...no one is afraid of me and maybe I am not the baker I thought I was.
Well I must go and rethink my reality.
Love you all]
One lost L

Deep Thoughts

The first thing I thought about when I wrote this title was those funny cards I used to read at the car wash in AZ. You know the ones...with something like...If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.
I miss going to the car wash...we have washed our car probably 6 times the three and a half years we have lived in PA. Has cleanliness dropped on our list of priorities? No, it is mostly the rain...sun inspires one to wash the car...so do hot days. Those are not in abundance in Pittsburgh. I am not bashing Pittsburgh...I really have come to love so many things here, it is just a fact. I really can't complain about the weather lately we are having a wonderful fall with crisp evenings and mornings sandwiching warm and sunny afternoons. A perfect combination if you ask me!
As for my deep thoughts I have decided to delete most of that part of my post...but let me just say the future is right around the corner and I am freaking out on some levels. I am excited to start a new chapter in our lives that does not include food stamps...but I don't want our family to change...I don't want my girls to grow up and be materialistic and shallow. I don't want my family to get so busy doing things that we no longer just do fun cheap things at home. I know there is a balance...I just hope the girls grow up to be down to earth and well rounded.
Enough of the deep thoughts...
Super Saturday is done...and I have vowed to let others teach for a few years. My sister is so funny...she said when I moved back to AZ I should tell everyone I am not crafty and we can be closet crafters...sneaking around buying supplies and working in a hidden room... selling our wares over the internet under different names...she is so funny!
On a completely different note...our little family is sick...the flu...I hope not the swine flu...but we will see. Cory is the sickest...chills, aches etc. Lets hope we all have excellent immune systems and have mild symptoms and recover quickly. I must make chicken soup...and along with the Zycam and other homemade remedies we will prevail!
Later friends
One L

Cluttered Mind?

I have been busy making jewelry...mostly filling orders that I had put off and put off until it was do or die. But I must admit that I do my best work when I am under the gun! I will post individual pictures of my stuff on my other blog.
This is a look into my creative mind...Scary isn't it!! I like to be able to see all my beads so I have to splay them out over the table leaving me absolutely no room to actually work. It looks completely unorganized but in my mind it all makes sense.

The girls had a fun Halloween, Dene was a beautiful vampire while Jonece relented on the Greek Statue and settled for a Confessor of sorts (If you don't watch The Legend of the Seeker you won't know what that is). They raked in a ton of candy and Cory has been in his glory raiding it whenever he wants. I am so glad that chocolate holds no lure for me...now if they had collected freshly baked rolls...I would have eaten them all!
Later friends
Love
One L

Long Time No Blog

Its been a while since I updated my blog and I really get after my friends and family when they slack off so I am making an effort to keep up this blog.
We have been busy this past month and I will give you it in a nutshell.
The girls had their parent luncheons at school and I brought them their favorite lunches and later we got to play outside and they both beat me at tetherball (I don't know how to spell it).
My missionary who knocked on my door and brought the gospel into my life when I was 28 years old, came for a visit with his son. I had a hard time calling him Greg...he will always be Elder Harris to me! He hasn't changed...the years have been kind...he didn't say the same thing about me.
My son Chris came for a visit and it was delicious! I just love having him around! It makes me happy to see his face. His choice of sweatshirt on the other hand made me nervous (they were all rival hockey teams)
The girls got sealants and Chris and I took them to the Dental School. It was a little long but having Chris there made it fun.
I had some jewelry in my purse and sold some to the nice ladies that work in the pediatric department. Pa-ching!
I forgot to take pictures of the fall leaves and they are pretty much gone now...it was pretty but you will have to take my word for it.
This is our year of lasts...our last fall here in the Burgh...our last time firing up the boiler...our last year of school for everyone...last Super Saturday here etc.
Today is Halloween so I will take pictures and post again soon.
Love you all
One Slacker L

Capital Trip

We went to Washington DC last weekend and it was quite the experience. The no parking thing made me a little crazy for a bit but eventually I got over it and enjoyed walking 6 miles around DC with my sweet family especially the little girl who complained the entire time about her sore feet!!


Eating was expensive but fun...we had to walk everywhere so by the end of the day we settled for something close to the hotel, and for once in my life I wasn't in the mood for Chinese!
Some things we had to do a driveby because of some marathon going on and the roads were closed and after one day of marathon walking I wasn't up to it again the next morning.
The Lincoln Memorial was the one thing I was super excited to see...it was just as magnificent in person. I especially enjoyed the quotes on either side of the statue.

But Cory and my favorite site was the World War memorial...we cried...so many lives given to keep the world free...the quotes were so moving.
The girl's favorite part was spending time with daddy...especially when he whacked them with the hotel pillows!
Here are the girls at the beginning of our tour of the city looking pretty happy and excited to see all the sites. Unfortunately we picked the weekend when there was a march re: Taxes...so it was a bit tense at times with people with bull horns yelling stuff at the White House...but I was impressed everyone used appropriate language and they were all polite and well behaved. Now that is my kind of protester! I get all uncomfortable when protesters get in your face and you think if they knew you didn't agree with them they might hurt you.
The museums were great...Cory loved the air and space one the most. The girls love the natural history one mostly because of the gems...they just love all the shiny jewels! Its all about the bling!
This a picture of the girls just before we left for home...they were sooooo done!

Of course any trip to Washington would be incomplete without seeing the Temple...magnificent!
Well that is our trip in a big nutshell!
Love
One L

Too Busy

That's a lie...I really haven't been too busy to update my blog...to be honest I got a new camera and couldn't figure out how to take the SD card out. That makes me sound kind of stupid. Truth hurts sometimes!
Cory finally showed me how to even locate the card...in my defense it was in with the batteries...what the heck is with that?
So now I have the daunting task of updating about a dozen fun things that have happened!



We went to a baseball game Pirates and the Cardinals...Pittsburgh lost but Cory said that was no surprise. We had yummy food and really enjoyed the fireworks after!


We went back to school shoe shopping...who doesn't love shoe shopping??


Back to school...ahhh the joy... the bliss... the no more day care of it all!!!! Need I say more?
We had fondue night...let me just say...AWESOME!!!!! Good friends good food that is what life is all about!

We went to Kennywood and fun was had by all...I am pleased to announce that both my daughters have inherited my love of rides that scare the crap out of you and make you throw up!
Dene was sad because she was too short to ride a bunch of the freaky rides but she went on the Pitt Fall with her dad because mom was a little too scared for this one. Its the ride that takes you straight up and then drops you like a rock all in about 2 seconds!
We really did have a super day!Last but not least we spent Labor Day with friends...Kelly was crazy enough to invite everyone to her house...btw her house is so amazing...they moved the staircase and it looks so beautiful!
Thats all for now
One happy L