It's Christmas Time in the City

I know I got a few weeks behind in my blog. Here's the low down on the past month or so...

1. Thanksgiving was shared with our friends and our next door neighbors ... Megan, Zachary, Kai, Lucia and Pandora (our favorite furry friend in the building). Megan and I combined our efforts and made a lovely meal but it must be said that her half of the meal was the better half of the meal. She is a foodie and a very good cook so we were well fed. As for my portion of the meal, lets just say the I brought the traditional green bean casserole and jello concoction along with a few other things but none of my recipes came from Bon Appetit (as in the gourmet magazine). I learned a very valuable lesson, always surround yourself with others who love to cook yummy food and you will never go hungry.

2. Jackson and Nathan converted our bedroom into the "Man Cave" (Jackson's words, not mine) for the past four Saturdays and a few week nights as well. I have mentioned this before, but Nathan and Jackson are HUGE BYU Football and Basketball fans (sorry women's team, only Men's basketball are on their radar). When the Cougars are playing, they stream KSL over the computer and either watch the game on TV or on the Web. Sometimes, they have our TV, desktop computer and Nathan's iPad all going at the same time while noshing on popcorn. Audrey and I have learned that it is better to leave the apartment when this is going on and head to the mall. Oddly enough, Jane seems to enjoy game day enough that she chooses to hang out with the boys over us girls.

3. Finally joined a gym. Nathan and I are not those kind of people that can just eat and eat and never gain weight no matter what they do. (Hate those kinds of people, try to avoid them as I just cannot empathize with them no matter how hard I try) Jane enjoys playing with the kids in the kid club in the mornings but those places are just crawling with germs. I try not to dwell on this fact too much as I run like a hamster on the treadmill.

4. Found my mecca - G Street Fabrics. Fabric stores make me happy but they make my kids sad, angry and impatient. How can one place be a sanctuary for me but a torture chamber for my kids? Such a shame they have no appreciation for the finer things in life.

5. Visited the National Geographic Magazine Museum with the kids. Fabulous! Gecko exhibit was awesome and the music exhibit was even more awesome. Recommend it to everyone.

As you can see, we bought a tree (our first real one in years) and made homemade paper ornamates. But I felt the tree was lacking so I bought a roll of ribbon at Costco and put ribbon all over it. Very original, I know but honestly, who doesn't love a Christmas tree with ribbon and paper all over it?? I think even the Grinch would come and take my tree 'cause ya just feel festive looking at it.

To give my apartment that real "oh, la, la" factor, I fashioned some large paper stars and paper chains out of decorative craft paper. As you can see, I gave this photo a fuzzy, softening effect just to portray to you, the warm, happy feeling we feel sitting under this festive canopy. Who says you need lots of money to make Christmas special in your house? Well, actually, I don't think you need money however, I do think you need to be tasteful vs. tacky and this is just me saying this but I think I crossed the line a little bit this year to the tacky side! Hope you're all enjoying this wonderful, yet chilly time of year!

"Houston, we have lift off"

Well - after much guessing and trying to figure out where we could possibly be going - we found out yesterday in front of the rest of Nathan's piers and their family and friends that we will be spending our first two year assignment in Bratislava, Slovakia. We had bid it high but honestly didn't give it much thought because it is such a crap shoot as to where you will be assigned and on the bid list there are some great places but a lot of places one might bid medium and a lot one would bid low.

When we met with our CDO (career development officer) a few weeks ago she told us that where would be assigned would essentially come down to luck. When she said this, my stomach just kinda dropped because Nathan and I haven't traditionally experienced a lot of luck. I'm not saying we are not blessed because we are - we have a lot and for that I am truly grateful. I am talking about pure luck such as winning a game when playing with friends, winning the car or the vacation for two when you purchased one raffle ticket for $1 or getting a promotion at work when you've only been there for a year - that kind of luck, we are not so good at attracting. So honestly, when we talked about where we would be going, I was prepare for some crazy, off the wall place where there would be an element of some danger and a warning to not, at any cost, drink the water.

Imagine my surprise when they said "Slovakia, Bratislava, ... Nathan Ringger"! I was excited but admittedly knew nothing about this post, not even where it was located. When I saw how happy Nathan was, I knew it was a good thing and then when this nice lady sitting next to me looked notably disappointed and said that's the one they wanted, I thought it was probably a very good thing. From what I have researched so far, it is an hour drive from Vienna and is four hours from Germany. We can fly for $50 to many countries in Europe. This is so surreal to me. I can't believe my kids will be raised at least for a little while in Eastern Europe. When I was in college, I thought it sounded so cool to backpack through Europe, who knew I would one day live there with my peeps. Unreal!!

I know there will be lots of growing pains and difficult moments a head, but for now I am just so excited. We will move to our post in September of 2011 which is fantastic because we are on a great rotation considering we have kids and they won't have to move during the school year as we move from post to post.

Nathan and I feel like we can breath a sigh of relief because we no longer need to worry about feeling like our life is so up in the air. We have a plan!! Yea. Life is stressful until Flag day because all you think about is the "What if" scenario. I feel bad for those that didn't get anything they wanted and especially for those who got Mexico. All I can hope for is that you will get your dream post after this one!! So I guess I will be going to language classes with Nathan beginning February and learning Slovak (I am sure to use this language the rest of my life). Heaven help my instructor.

These are images I snagged from Google. Apparently this is a picture of old town Bratislava.

Bratislava is located between two rivers and many people who have been there have said it is beautiful. From the looks of these pictures, I would have to agree. Oooo - it even looks like they have a river boat cruise, now you're talkin'!

The Skinny on Crystal City Oakwood

I decided to post the 411 on living as a family of five at the Oakwood in Crystal City. Prior to your move, the State Department gives you a list of Oakwood properties at several different locations and it is hard to know what ones are better and why. I would have loved to find out any information I could so I thought I would throw my two bits out there and see if it helps anyone in cyber world.

When we got the list of Oakwood properties, we knew without having to think very hard, we wanted Crystal City. Reason? LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! It's right in the middle of Crystal City, which is located in Arlington. We are two blocks away from the only Costco in Arlington (any family of five must have the capability to purchase ginormous grocery's and 25 rolls of toilet paper at once), three blocks away from the library, park and mall (Nordstrom for the ladies, Apple store for the men, food court for the kids). Best Buy and Nordstrom Rack are adjacent to Costco across the street. There is a Harris Teeter within walking distance as well but I hear that it's a more expensive grocery store so I usually hit the Shoppers grocery store once a week that is two miles away and near a Target.

The biggest benefit is the Metro right underneath our building - you don't even have to go outside to get your ride on! The Smithsonian is about 10 minutes away on the metro and so slick to ride - even with three kids and a super-sized stroller (however I do recommend not going during rush hour - you will enjoy your ride A LOT more). There is a Rite-Aid in the basement/Crystal City Shops and let me tell you, I had no idea I would ever buy as much as I do at a Rite-Aid. They have basic groceries (no produce) and milk. It's amazing what you can find there. Coming from the land of Wal-Mart, Super Target, Sam's Club and Costco- It has literally been years since I have been in a legitimate drug store but, they are a-okay with me. I even have a frequent shopper card!

The park is great for basketball, tennis and basic running around. The Mount Vernon trail is two blocks away (I know I keep saying that but we really are located right in the middle) and you can run/bike into D.C. or out to Mount Vernon if your little heart so desires. The Pentagon Row outdoor ice skating rink just opened up for the season so have no fear you ice divas out there, there is something for you too! There are a ton of dogs all around Crystal City so if you have a four legged friend you desire to bring with you - they will be loved and admired by all (unfortunately I can't say that about kids - people are not fans of kids around here). There are a total of 17 floors in the building accessed by three elevators complete with an Oakwood employee that sits at the front desk to answer any questions and to receive packages (yes, just like the movies).

There are many, many restaurants within walking distance and an especially delicious Kabob place that is open 24 hours (even tho I may not go there at 3am, I just love knowing that I can)!! A fantastic pizza delivery restaurant that you allows you to place your order online and they deliver right to your door - you don't have to talk to anyone and if you include a 20% tip with your order, the delivery person drops it off and and runs - he doesn't linger, hinting for more money. Very great pizza, very great service. We also order from Potbellies, located in the basement, and then pick it up when our order is ready. Great for a week night when you don't want to cook and you don't want to drag the fam to a hectic dinner out. I could go on and on about the restaurants but this gives you the idea that you will not starve while you are here.

Talking about food leads me to my next subject - working out. There is a gym in the Oakwood with a few treadmills and weights. It is what you might expect to see at a hotel - decent but not lavish. I quickly located a gym to join that is again, about 2 miles away and very easy to get to. It's LA fitness and it is brand new and very beautiful. They have a small daycare that is great for toddlers but not a viable option for anyone over 4 simply because they may get bored. Now that we know where we are going, I plan on joining the gym and trimmin' some of the A-100 5lbs! Vacation mode is over, time to settle in for the long haul seeing as how we won't be out of here until September.

This brings me to the whole elementary school situation. My kids attend Oakridge elementary which is a boundary elementary school and happens to be ranked higher than the other elementary schools nearby. School begins at 9:00am and goes until 3:36pm (early out day on Wednesday). My children ride the bus so they get picked up at 8:40 and dropped off a little after 4:00pm (bus stop is nearby but kids must cross a very busy road, I always walk with them). This is a long day for the kids but it is what it is. Apparently they have before and after school programs for elementary kids whose parents work but you pay for these and I don't know much about what happens there. If this is something you might be doing, rest assured that many kids participate in this and your kid will not be the only one in their class going early or staying late. The principal does not answer emails very well, if at all, but look on the school website, or call ahead to talk to the school Registrar and figure out all the paperwork you need to bring in order to register your children. Let's just say it is very handy the State Department makes everyone get physical exams with TB tests as well - very handy indeed as this is a requirement for anyone entering Arlington Public School System. The school is very used to kids moving in and moving out that the teachers are extremely accommodating. Very pleasant and happy to work with your child in whatever way necessary. Our son was in a gifted program in Utah and I am sad to say the gifted program is not as great here but we are making the best of it and his teacher is trying to challenge him where she can so I am not worried about it at all. Very Very Happy!

Much to our sadness, the pool here is an outdoor pool so we can't wait for the summer time to bust out the swim toys. We have gone over to the adjacent Marriott and gone swimming in their pool but it's not that big and you have to walk through their conference room area so it's kinda awkward trapezing through a sea of business men and women with three kids in swimsuits and flip flops on. There is also a life guard on duty that has to watch the pool at all times and when you are the only family they have seen in two days, you feel quite literally like a fish in a fishbowl.

There are really no negatives to living here but I am generally not a negative person and who can be negative when your housing is paid for? I mean honestly - I am not going to complain (very much). We are in a two bedroom that is small but has ample closet space. We even have a small walk-in closet in the master bedroom that a crib fits perfectly into so we are not able to fit any clothes in there but hey, Jane has her own room which is huge to us! (two bedroom turned three). Jackson and Audrey have a room they share together with two twin beds and I wish they had bunk beds because it would really free up the floor space but I don't even know if that would be an option here. The Oakwood always addresses any maintenance issues right away and the maid that comes in once a week makes everything look beautiful (until real life destroys it).

The building is pretty old and not like in a cool George Washington era kinda way, more like a Regan era kinda way. It has dated cupboards and furniture but it is clean and they just replaced my dishwasher yesterday so that's something anyways. Oh, and it comes with a fica tree that we may use as our pseudo Christmas tree this year (I can't bear to bring in something that will take up more space, like a bushy, needle-dropping tree).

Hopefully this will help some of you future State Department FSO and EFMs out there. You are welcome to email me with any specific questions. If you are a family with kids, please, please come to Crystal City! My kids want lots of friends so the more, the merrier!

Humility

Today was my birthday. I don't like this day. Every year I get one year older and discover a few more wrinkles that will be deeper by next year. Each year I pretend it doesn't matter - that my husband and children are the real gift but I honestly don't think I would mind the crazy surprise of say a really expensive pair of boots or the amazing bag I've only admired in the shop window knowing if I got close enough to smell the leather, it would forever linger in my nostrils and make me want it that much more.

This year my kids brought me breakfast in bed complete with a can of Diet Coke. They poured the cereal themselves and were so proud of their accomplishment and I love that! Audrey made a sign to let everyone know it was my birthday.


I think when your kids are little there are many opportunities to feel personal embarrassment. An example of this might be when your kid hits another kid on the playground or when they scream extra loud in the grocery store "You're HURTING ME!" and everyone thinks you're some crazy child abuser when in actuality all you're really trying to do is secure them safely to the shopping cart by buckling the seat belt! Or perhaps the embarrassment one might feel from a child simply making a sweet and loving gesture by attaching a sign with your ACTUAL age on it for all the world to see.

Yes, these are moments that might cause our face to redden and our hearts to beat a little bit faster. However, it is these same embarrassing moments, in addition to the countless others, that compound upon one another and cause us to be de-sensitized to personal embarrassment. What kids don't realize is that they are only hurting themselves because by the time they get to high school where image is everything - we parents have TOTALLY forgotten what that ever felt like. We have endured total humiliation so many times that we are completely comfortable with it and we no longer realize quite literally, "what is the big deal?"

So as I watched my lovely daughter attach this sign to our apartment door with a beaming smile and inside my head I'm screaming, "NO,NO, NO!", I calmly smiled at her and thought, "one day, I will pull up to your high school in some beater of a car and honk seven times for you until you finally jump in and I will not even be embarrassed because I no longer know what the feels like."

Day at the Museum

On Tuesday we went to the Smithsonian because the kids had Tuesday off (happy election day to me!). Since we live in Crystal City we just walked down stairs and took the metro to the museum - isn't that cool? It was a little tricky maneuvering the stroller on the escalator but I think I've got it down now. (Hopefully I'm not jinking myself by saying this!)

It was a little chilly but it was beautiful outside. I love spending time with the kids and they had a blast. Audrey had to walk a lot which was a challenge for her but she pulled through. It's a lot of fun riding the metro but it can get really crowed during rush hour so I made sure we didn't get stuck in that crowd.



We went only to the Museum of Natural History on Tuesday since every museum in the Smithsonian is GIGANTIC and can be a lot to take in. Once we walked in, I let Jane out of the stroller and she began running around like crazy and yelling "Audrey, Look!" Since we have moved, they have gotten so close. This is a bonus for me however, I can't trust Audrey to take full responsibility of Jane yet considering that Audrey can wander away from me at times and cause me to run around like a crazy, panicked mom worried she was carried away by some pedophile (this actually did happen and museum staff was involved in the perp hunt, Audrey was found and of course - had no idea she was missing. All I can say is BANANAS!)


Lucky for us, it was free admission to see the butterfly room. This would have cost us $26 so huge "ca ching" for me! It was amazing and the two older kids stayed in there forever. When we first walked in, a butterfly landed on Jackson's head and stayed with him the majority of the time. It was a fun thing for him since the night before he had been crying because he was missing his friends and Utah. He had such great friends so I can imagine how tough it must be for him. I moved from Montana to Utah when I was in the fourth grade so I can kinda relate but all in all, the kids have been amazing with the transition. They have made friends at school pretty easily and hopefully we can end up in an area where they will have friends nearby. Jackson's teacher just loves him so that can help in how you are perceived by your peers. Audrey moved back one year to first grade and is doing really well. I wanted to do this forever but Draper elementary thought I was nuts for wanting to do this. Oakridge (where the kids go now) thought I was nuts for wanting to do this but did it any way without any hassle and it has been so perfect for Audrey. She is just a natural leader in her class and has friends like crazy. I love that about her. She just told me that she was absolutely going to second grade next year and I told her I agree.

We weren't able to see all the exhibits just because we got tired but we did not miss the most eye-catching of all. Can you guess what this is?

That right! It's crochet and knitted coral reefs. Crazy right? Oh, I so don't spend too much time on my own hobbies....There were about 8 of these in different colors and arrangements. Creating this would drive me to crazy but then again, maybe you have to be crazy to create this. Hummm, food for thought. For some reason, it made us laugh but I truly admire the work.

And last but not least, I have to show Jane in her light up, plastic high heals. She is obsessed with shoes and loves this new pair I recently bought her. Audrey keeps trying to steel them which angers Jane to the 10th degree but I have a feeling that this fighting over clothes is only the beginning. (I know, what is up with the Binky right? I just took her whole world from her, if the Binky makes her happy, then so be it - I am positive she won't need it by the time she gets to college).

Weekend Musings

This weekend was our first official weekend in DC and I know what you are thinking - we must have seen some amazing things right? Well the majority of our Saturday was spent waiting around for the Comcast cable guy to show up. Reliable Internet and cable is a must for this tribe. The past week has been very frustrating for our resident IT man but everything is working speedy now. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have Nathan to take care of all my tech stuff - I would probably still have the original cell phone I had in college and would be going to the library to use the Internet (no offense to people who actually go to the library for their Internet).

Then we decided to venture out to do a little shopping. We are still in the mode of hunting down and gathering our food. After a quick trip to Trader Joe's where everyone stared at my screaming two year old we decided to try a new burger joint. It's at National Harbor and it's called Elevation Burger. The view was spectacular and the kids loved watching the sail boats while eating their organic burger and olive oil cooked fries. Yes, for a measly $40 your family of 4 (Jane mooched off the rest of us) can also eat an environmentally healthy meal. The beef was real but I was assured the cow lead a lovely life and was gently killed.

We ended our shopping trip with Nathan running to Best Buy for a new router and the kids and I checking out the dogs available for adoption outside the Petsmart next door. This made us miss Buzz tons and the kids begged and begged for a new dog. Okay...here's some food for thought, if we could have a dog, wouldn't we have kept the perfect 5 year old lab we gave away 10 days ago? You would think that me explaining this to them would be enough for them to realize that they could not get a dog, however, this did not help. They kept begging and promising they would take care of it. The sad thing is, I so wanted to get a dog too. I have come to the realization that while no one in Nathan or my family likes pets, we are most definitely a pet family. I love animals!! They are so cute and they teach kids a lot about responsibility and unconditional love. We always had a dog in our home while we were growing up and I am so glad we did. I hope that when our life becomes a little more stable, we can have a dog again. My kids are keeping their fingers crossed. Oh, and a cat too. Audrey is my little cat lover so if we have a dog, we need a cat too. We miss you Buzz and Rose (the cat).

So that brings us to Sunday. Today was stake conference. I was not looking forward to it seeing as how our stake conference was two months ago. It's one of those things you don't love to do because you are in the chapel for two hours, trying to keep kids quite meanwhile not being able to listen because your kids are constantly asking you how much longer until it's over and that they need to go to the bathroom/get a drink. So having done this not that long ago, I was kind of dreading it. So I have to say the entire meeting was not exceeding my expectations until the end when Stake President Nixon (see why I wrote "stake"?) gave an amazing talk that really spoke to some of the things I have been thinking about lately. He talked about how we need to prepare for our destiny and not try to control our destiny. When we get out of our comfort zone, amazing things can happen in our lives. Because this can be difficult, we are forced to rely on Heavenly Father more and have faith in his plan for us.

This meant a lot to me because just this weekend, I really began thinking about everything the kids have had to give up. Their home, their neighborhood, their schools, their grandparents and cousins, and their friends. I started to feel bad that we basically took everything away from them and they really haven't benefited from this move at all. While I believe it will be beneficial to them in the long run, I haven't seen too many immediate benefits for them. During President Nixon's talk, I really felt like we were doing the right thing and we just need to continue to have faith in our decision. We are trying to have faith!

Later this afternoon, we went on a walk on the Mount Vernon trail. It's right next to this waterpark (this word means something completely different in Utah) and everything was really pretty - a perfect fall afternoon. It was so fun being together as a family. Audrey brought her itouch along so all the pictures you see here are her doing. Pretty great right?

Day 5 and we're all still alive

So obviously I didn't write at all since my last post because it has been a whirl wind of excitement and chaos since we began selling 1/3rd of all our earthly belongings, scheduling packers and movers and renting out our home in Draper. Finding renters was the easy part, the fixing it up for them was the difficult part. It involved landscapers, painters, door installers and many many trips to Home Depot (as many as 5 in one day and I am not exaggerating- really, I wish I were). It's funny what you'll put up with until you see it through the eyes of someone else and then you're like "No way will they live with this! I better get it fixed!". I have a property manager that is on top of everything so I am very confident that this will be a good thing for us (I hope).

Since moving into the Oakwood Crystal City, I have registered the kids in Oakridge Elementary (seems like an amazing school), found the nearest library, visited my local Target and Costco several times (the mother ships) and taken the kids to the park to play on the playground and throw the football with Jackson. Oh and I can't forget the ward Trunk or Treat last night. It was fun for the kids to see where we will be attending church and meet a few kids. I met a nice lady named Katie who kind of gave me the real skinny on the ward dynamics so it was nice to get a better sense of how things are in the ward.

All in all I love discovering all the new things in this new place I am living. I can't get over the fact that everyone dresses in dark colors and very serious business attire (I'm talking about the ladies here) and most women don't wear makeup. I get it, it's not for everyone but coming from Utah where a trip to the grocery store is a full on fashion show, I'm just a little surprised. Yesterday I walked over to the Pentagon City mall and with my bright Blondie hair and my bright orange stroller - I stuck out like a sore thumb (I'm sure many were laughing their butts off just watching me).

So here I sit in my little two bedroom apartment and I am waiting for maintenance to come and check out this crazy disgusting smell that is coming from underneath my children's bathroom sink. It is so funky, it smells like a rotting fish is stuck behind the drywall. Ewe gross is all I can say about that. This weekend I will post some pictures and some more about what has been happening but I can't right now as our Internet is highly unstable and totally sluggish! UGG!

Good bye riding lawnmower...

Isn't this tractor a beauty? Five years ago, we were so excited to have a large yard - we ran down to the nearest Costco and bought this big, bad, yellow and green grass cuttin' machine. It was but a mear few months later when the joy and triumph of purchasing (in blood mind you) our own little half acre of the planet wore off and we were left with weed ridden flowerbeds and grass that grew so fast it required mowing twice a week. Ahh, the American dream of home ownership.

Today, we sold our little mower to another man who reminded us of ourselves five years ago. He obviously had purchased a fairly large amount of land that would require the additional purchase of large lawn care equipment. He was excited and felt he had gotten a good deal - I can only hope he has a greater understanding of his yard then we have had of ours (why weeds why??) - oh, I hope we didn't curse that thing!!

One Month to Go

Okay, reality has slapped me in the face tonight and now I can't sleep. Nathan will begin his job in D.C. - one month from tomorrow. 30 DAYS!!! We have done nothing - I repeat nothing to prepare for our departure from Utah. Our goal is that the kids and I will join Nathan in D.C. the beginning of January. If this is to happen, we need to contact the movers, have a garage sale and prepare the house to be rented - indefinitely. Nathan and I have resolved ourselves to sit down tomorrow and develop a game plan. Why does this not seem real to me yet?? Why do I think that the moving fairies will magically take care of everything for me?

Nathan told me that there have been times for him when the plane lands in a new country and he thinks to himself "I don't want to be in this country, why am I getting off this plane here??". Okay, No - I don't want to hear that - he is my rock, my mister adventure who finds the good in any country, even the desert of Iraq - he can not tell me he has those thoughts because then I might think it's okay to have those thoughts and I cannot do that!! Don't panic, don't panic, don't PANIC!! I have that same feeling I get on the Tower of Terror at Disneyland when you know that the ride to the top has stopped and now your seat is going to drop out from underneath you and I am thinking to myself "I don't like to feel scared - why did I even get on this ride in the first place?" YIKES!!

Beautiful End-of-Summer Days

I love this time of year. You know that fall is right around the corner but the days are still warm enough for shorts. If you look at the top of the mountain, you can see the leaves are changing but everything is still green at the bottom. The mornings are crisp and cool and require a light jacket. It is once again just perfect to have lunch outside and go for after-school walks with the kids and the dog. Amazing right?

We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the valley - I try to run the Draper trail several times a week and finally I just stopped to take a picture of some of my favorite views. The sunflowers are in full bloom along the trail - how amazing right??


We love walking over to the school next door and throwing the Aerobie to Buzz - that dog will run for miles to retrieve it. It's like he can't help but run after it - even if he's exhausted. Sometimes the sprinklers at the school will be on and he just goes CRAZY! Instant dog shower- I'm off the hook for bathing the dog that week.

Just another Thursday

Jackson had rain gutter regatta tonight for scouts. He was disappointed that it wasn't pinewood derby because our troop for some reason has never done it and he was dying to create one with his dad. This is his second time making a boat and after the last time we did this, I was honestly not looking extremely forward to it. This is something a father would usually help his son do and it is by sheer luck that both times, Nathan has been out of town for this blessed event so it is up to me, the non-scout, to help him create his boat.


I will not go into the particulars because I love my child very much and that is all that matters but someone was not a happy sailor after his boat failed to adequately race down the rain gutter. If you have never had this happen to you with your son, then you are living your life right. I hate the fact that he was so excited for this competition and then the whole thing ended on a sour note. I am very proud of Jackson that he created his own boat - from the sanding and shaping down to the spray paint and design (it was VERY hard to give up control of the spray paint!). There were some boats that were obviously the creation of a parent and so at least he can say he did it on his own.

Last night Audrey stayed up WAY past her bedtime trying to wiggle her tooth out. All I remember is being woken up (it was not light outside) by my very bubbly 7 year old with her exclaiming "MOM! I pulled out my tooth all by myself - dad didn't even have to help me this time!!" This is a sign of maturing in our household - when you can accomplish one more task independent of a parent. Being the sweet girl that she is, Audrey thought she should leave the tooth fairy a note with some candy and her tooth attached to it. How thoughtful - what tooth fairy doesn't like a fun size box of nerds?

* Notice the different size and shape of teeth on her crown - Audrey doesn't miss a detail!

Happenings from the past 6 months

Oh boy, do I have some explaining to do or what... Yes, I do. My life has been kinda crazy but lots of fun too. I keep on looking at my last posting and that was the day that my crazy story begins but before I get to the life changing event that most of you know about already, I am going to give a quick rundown of things that have happened and then I am going to be posting a lot of photos during the next few days with simple captions. This is simply for my own family history and will not be super entertaining. I am going to start with all that has happened this year.

January
- Made my cousin's wedding dress
- Finished Jackson's room (we are talking installing and painting bead board people!)
- Major health scare for Audrey. July of 2009, Audrey was diagnosed with NF1 (look it up on the web if you want the real skinny), during a followup eye exam in January at PCH (Primary Children's Hospital), vision was not as good as previous visit - concern there were tumors on optic nerves. MRI was done and it was confirmed that yes, there are tumors on optic nerves. Panic set in - much fasting and prayers by family and ward members as we learned that if tumors grow, she could go blind. Treatment, if needed, would be chemotherapy. After we met with the oncologists at PCH, it was determined to wait and see, it seemed to them that tumors were very slow growing if growing at all.
- I came down with a nasty case of Shingles (okay, this really hurt bad!! Stress brings it on - need I say more)

February
- Nathan in DC for a few weeks as part of his Masters program. Big snowstorm kept him stranded there for many moons. Missed him tons
- Jackson completed third basketball season playing Junior Jazz (kids sports are so fun to watch, I don't know who is more entertaining, the kids or the parents all I can say is "take it down a notch okay?"
- Nathan and I celebrated 13Th anniversary of our engagement

As you can see, Audrey's favorite past time is dressing up in MY shoes and scarves - I'm happy my closet is so entertaining for her... This particular dress up session, she had ripped a page from my Nordstrom sale catalog, pointed at the model in the photo and exclaimed "I want my hair and makeup to look EXACTLY like hers does". One hour later and BAM - a close copy of the photo - should I show this photo as an example of my work when I apply for a job at the MAC counter at Nordstrom??

March
-Steph came to babysit Brandon's kids while he and Debbi were so fancy and went on a 10 day romantic vacation. Stephanie and I had too much Diet Coke, too many kids and too much fun.
- Went to my friend's Alias themed birthday party. It was crazy and amazing. My friend Kamille is the ultimate party animal but in a very appropriate LDS standards kinda way.
- Nathan learned that he had passed a series of exams and interviews and was ultimately invited to join the U.S. State Department Foreign Service (more details on this later). I was soooo proud of him! Way to go hot babes!

April
- Spring Break (I honestly don't think we did anything as Nathan had started to seriously work on his Thesis for his masters program)
- Celebrated our 13th Anniversary. I love Nathan tons and can't imagine my life without him. One thing for sure, he keeps me on my toes and he is always thinking of our next adventure - this way of life may not be for everyone but it is just perfect for me.
- Had to buy a new computer (okay, this is a major expense) - our computer sits on our kitchen counter top at home and we use it everyday - for EVERYTHING!! We finally killed it and had to bite the bullet but I really love our new one.
- Audrey had another round of MRIs and eye exams- everything seems to be stable and normal according to the doctors. Prayers are being answered!

May
- Nathan had to go to a conference for work so he brought me along (yea me!). We went to San Francisco and Monterrey, California for 5 days while my beloved sister Bobbi Ann babysat all my kidlets! Okay, it was soooo much fun. We shopped, ate yummy food (thank goodness Nathan is a foodie - I always eat really well with him) and saw the beautiful ocean. This was a perfect way to kick off the summer.
- Nathan and I mountain biked Corner Canyon several times in May and June. The trails are amazing and it's fun to have something we both enjoy. We are lucky to live minutes from some of the best trails in the state! No car necessary!
- Visited the international Pez museum in Erda, Utah. It is AMAZING!! Thanks Brent Beezer - the curator - quite talented.
- Tons of stuff to attend for my kids - dance recitals, piano recitals, end-of-year programs for school. May is by far the busiest time of the year.

June
- Nathan in DC for 2 weeks to finish up his program
- Jackson went to scout camp and BYU basketball camp (he loved this! Thanks Mom and Dad for letting him stay at your house during this) What a blast. He met all the players and got autographs. It's so fun to see your kids on cloud 9!
- Bobbi Ann and I took our kids to see Stephanie in Boise. It was so fun but I swear- all we did was feed our kids and clean up the mess, feed our kids and clean up the mess! Steph - you are the perfect hostest and I now have changed my opinion of Boise.
- Lots of swimming at the pool! First tans of the summer.
- 300 Soldiers from Nathan's Batallion deployed for a 1 year tour to Iraq. This was most people's second deployment. It was so inspiring to go and to be a bystander this time around. It was quite emotional for me. That night many families in Utah watched TV before they went to bed and had no idea that 300 soldiers left for their deployment and 300 families went to bed without their loved one. I remember that feeling very well. I am so grateful for all the men and women who continue to serve our country and I feel so honored to be married to such a great man who felt it was his duty to serve many years ago when he joined the Utah National Guard at the age of 21 and began ROTC at BYU.
The man in the middle of this photo was the one deploying that night. This is his third deployment while serving in the Utah National Guard. Many years ago, he started operationgive.org - a non-profit organization that sends toys and school supplies to children in Iraq. Nathan and I both agree, he is a very cool guy!

July
- Fourth of July breakfast with Nathan's side of the family at Cherry Hill farm, bar-B-Q with our own little family that night and patio-of-fire with a few fireworks. Perfect Summer day and night!
- Celebrated Draper Days with parade and fireworks. Both our families came and we had a blast
- Nathan's Graduation in Washington D.C. He got his Masters in Strategic Intelligence from the Defense Intelligence Agency college. Congrats mister smarty pants! My dad, Stephanie, Nathan's Mom and Dad, all came out for the festivities. What a fun trip we had (us and the millions of Boy Scouts that were there for the National Jamboree - I've never seen so many scouts in my life nor do I ever hope to again!)
- Celebrated Audrey's 7Th Birthday at America's Great Pizza Company of Draper. It was fun and she is the ultimate party princess but my digestive tract was out of sorts for a week (I promise I am NOT exaggerating!). I don't think I will visit that place again for a while.
- Audrey began a two week session of swim lessons- she will learn to swim by the end of the summer!!! I am committed to this goal - even if she could care less!
- Audrey went back to school for one week of Chinese immersion camp. This will be her second year of her Chinese immersion program at Draper Elementary. This will come in handy in the future when all us Americans are working for China, paying back the loans we've racked up in the past 8 years - she'll be our official translator. Oh ya, I know you're jealous...
- More doctor visits with Audrey but everything seems to be stable - thanks for your continued prayers!Here are a few pictures of the kids on the Fourth of July

Annie and Scott (yes, a former model) moved in July to Omaha for school. I miss you guys tons!!


Draper Days is such a fun event - it lasts all week but on Saturday night they launch fire works from the elementary school next door. We have a front row seat from my back yard. It's perfect. George, our next door neighbor, hires Leatherby's Ice Cream to dish up ice cream for anyone who wants some. I discovered Jane in the back yard, all by herself, eating her ice cream.



August
- Nathan was in the Ukraine for two weeks compliments of Uncle Sam.
- Jane turned 2!
- Jackson turned 10! Double Digits baby . . .celebrated by taking cousins to seven peaks water park. Nathan made it home just in time for the splash down. I am realizing I am becoming such a wimp in my older age - could only handle the boomerang once and yes - it is exactly like what it sounds like - A giant half pipe for inter tubes and you launch into it with a MAJOR drop off. Yikes. Brandon and Debbi had the raw end of the deal - I took their kids to the water park and they got stuck with my grouchy Jane. It was fun just playing with the kids all day. Thanks Bobbi Ann for your parking pass and your Tube rental pass. So fun!!
- Nathan and I took a couples retreat up to Park City. We read, worked out, saw movies, ate at Spruce (okay, this is a very yummy place - great place for anniversaries, grown-up birthday celebrations and romantic dinners with your honey - you won't be disappointed!) Thanks Alyssa for staying with the kids. You are such a professional nanny! They loved it.
- I, Tammi Ringger, ran my third 1/2 marathon. Debbi and I ran the Hobble Creek 1/2 marathon and I got my best time ever! This was very unexpected as I was not very diligent in my training this summer. Sometimes I do get happy surprises!
- Nathan received his start date for the foreign service - we were so excited! October 24! Washington D.C. for initial training and then onto our first assignment - it could be anywhere in the world- there are 250 Embassies and Consulates worldwide so there are a lot of options for us out there. I would love New Zealand or Australia but who knows, it could be Canada!! (For the record, I have nothing against our neighbor to the north but it just doesn't seem very exotic- sorry my fellow Canadians)
- First day of school for my Jackson who is now in fourth grade and Audrey who is now in second. Sorry Jane, that means you are stuck with me and me alone for 8 hours a day. Should I be offended that on the first day of school when you looked through the window and saw Audrey walking home, you ran out the front door, screaming her name with your arms open wide as if she holds the very key to your continued existence? Needless to say It's taken some getting used to having the kids back in school. We both miss them but boy, I can sure get a lot more cleaning done now that we are not constantly on the go, chasing down the next bit of summer fun.




September
- Sun Valley family reunion with my parents, siblings and their families. What a blast - I love Sun Valley and this year was just perfect! We ate yummy food, ice skated, spent a day at Red Fish Lake and did a tiny bit of shopping (when you have that many ladies - you're going to sneak it in there somehow), watched the BYU football game and had a hot dog roast (Jane is not a fan of fire and smoke - she spent the entire meal in the truck watching a movie on my phone! When Jane has had enough of anything, she yells "Show, Show, Show, Show" until I turn on a movie for her. I am embarrassed to say this happens at least once a day. What 2 year old will sit and watch a Barbie movie all the way through? I know I should be more diligent then I am at distracting her from spending so much time in front of the TV but she has a short fuse and she is my third - enough said.
- Jackson began flag football - we won't let him play tackle so this will have to do. He is really great but what is even more amazing is he really understands the game - all the plays, the rules - all of that. He and Nathan have so much fun watching the BYU football games (well, except last week- lets not think about that game against Air Force!!) and all last winter they attended all BYU basketball home games. I think they've gotta be some of BYU's biggest fans.
- Audrey started dance again. She just loves it.
The ones who started it all - Mom and Dad. Thanks for a wonderful vacation! We love you. You're an awesome couple and so good looking too!


It isn't Sun Valley unless grandpa take you to the candy store. Each year my dad takes all 13 grandchildren to the Sun Valley candy store and he lets them pick out an assortment of candy. All year they talk about going to the candy store. They can't wait! What a fun tradition.


Here's the candy man himself!

Jane is a outdoorsy gal to the core. She is happiest when she is in the fresh air amongst the flowers and trees!
Aunt Steph with a few extra kids.


A family that skates together, stays together - put that in vinyl and stick it on your wall!!


Audrey has an obsession with band-aids and we were at the campfire site and she kept saying over and over "I need a band-aid for my owie, I need a band-aid for my owie". All of us were busy getting dinner ready but grandpa dug around in his car and finally found a band-aid. He also found an extra something and put it on her nose and told her it would stop her from snoring. She wore it the rest of the night!

Jane loves to get in the bed of my truck - I think she is well on her way to being a back-woods redneck.

Well obviously there will be more to come as we get closer to our official moving day. I want the kids to stay in school here through December and then we will move with Nathan. We decided not to sell our house due to the highly depressing real estate market so we are going to try our hand in the rental market. If anyone knows of anyone looking to rent a home in Draper, send them our way! I hope I will be better at posting on this blog - but I have to say, it's kind of indicative of the way I do things, I have 12 journals around my house with the first 4 pages written in and then nothing so I am honestly not surprised that my writings here have been sporadic as well. Please excuse the bad spelling and grammar - writing is not my strong suit.

Audrey and her best friend Daisy. They had to take a photo with their parasols of course!