Hammer and Nails

"I'm bored." I would say when I was younger. "Go get some hammer and nails, then." My mom would always reply.

So...yes, I have been incredibly bored since we've moved. But, I've started to put some hammer and nails back into my life and I'm feeling better now. Here's what I've been doing for the last 4 months.

1. Moved and unpacked all my junk.

2. Had a baby 3 weeks later. His older brother calls him "Tinkerbell" all the time. So, its not the most flattering name, but it is what I'm going to call him, because I have to call him that half the time anyways. (Yes, I am net-security-a-phobic. I won't put pictures of my kids on my blog, or their real names. So kid number one is "Cadet" and kid number two is "Tink.")

3. Reading. Reading. Reading.

One of the great pleasures of playing all you can eat cow buffet (nursing/breastfeeding) is that I get a lot of time to read. Mostly I end up reading to the Cadet while I'm nursing, but I have managed to squeeze in these few books in the last three months:

• Ender's Game (for the 2nd time) by Orson Scott Card
• Speaker for the Dead by Card
• Xenocide by Card
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• New Moon by Meyer
• Eclipse by Meyer
• Your 3 Year Old: Friend or Enemy by Louise Ames
• 106 Mistakes People Make when Buying a Home (and How to Avoid them) by ? Can't remember
• Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik
• How to Buy your 1st Home by ? Can't remember
• Missing Witness by Gordon Campbell
• Where Angels Fear to Tread by E.M. Forster
• 200 Best Home Businesses by ? Can't remember
• The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
• The Kite Runner by Khaleid Housseini

4. I found 3 piano students for a total of 4 students. Not bad, but not great. I still have my one loyal student form Seattle. I met her in San Diego and she moved to Seattle, but she calls me and we do lessons via speakerphone. I really love teaching. I hope to get some more.

5. Exploring. I have enjoyed this! I have found lots of Story Times (Weber County library, Davis County Library, Deseret Book, Barnes and Noble, Family Resource Center, Treehouse Museum, Gerrity Library on the Base) For all of Utah's faults, it sure has a lot of story times for kids. I have enjoyed them. I've also just been playing tourist around here. There actually is quite a bit to do - but its all inside. I can't wait for warmer weather.

6. Started investigating House Buying. Yikes. It's a complicated process. We've found a realtor (Cadet managed to dump her coffee all over her and his hot chocolate all over her at our first meeting) and we have a ballpark range of what we can afford. We've been to see some new homes and also some open houses. I'm starting way early (our lease isn't up until Oct. ) but I'm soooo picky that I have to start now. I want to be able to know what I want.

7. Joined a Mom's Club (part of an international organization.) They have activities 3 times a week or more. It's been fun to have playgroups and walk around the mall, or go to their bookclub with them. It's been fun to meet other moms here. - I have to say the people here ARE great. I was worried that I would move here and hate the culture. I haven't had a problem with it at all. The people are fantastic. I have truly grown to love and admire many of them already. I was worried about nothing. There are great people everywhere. I'm convinced of it. I miss so many people from San Diego terribly, but I'm starting to make some new friends here, too.

8. Walking. Yeah! on a treadmill....not so Yeah. I REALLY miss walking outside. I've been walking 4-5 miles a day, and I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I wish that meant that I was in my prepregnant shape - but not so. The second one has changed me permanently I think. That's okay, the flabby belly is well worth the smiles I get from Tink everyday.

9. Threw a successful Birthday Party for my 3 year old....complete with streamers and balloons and games and even a homemade cake. Unbelievable. I actually made a decent cake. (It took 2 tries and the mold really helped it look like a car, but I did it.) We had to delay the party a week because Tink got RSV - but it still happened.

10. Started Cooking Dinner. I can't believe I'm making dinner but I am. Part of it is that I get sooooo hungry when I'm nursing. I can't wait to eat and cooking takes my mind off the waiting. The other part is that since I'm not working in the afternoon/evenings anymore we can actually eat together as a family. Probably the biggest plus is that I get a break from the kids if I cook. I really hate cooking, but that shows you how ready I am for a break at the end of the day. We eat a steady boring diet consisting of the following "masterpieces" (or at least edible dishes):

• grilled cheese/tomato soup
• soup and salad
• omelets
• french toast
• tacos

....anyhow this is just a smattering of what I've done to hold myself together through the transition. It has been an adjustment to say the least, but I'm surviving it! I can't believe that I get bored. It's amazing, because I"m always changing diapers and half the time I don't get a shower for a few days, and I'm bored? I think its just a by product of motherhood. I am learning to truly enjoy being a mom (but I'm still excited for retirement days when I can enjoy my spouse more.)