Change

It's been so long since I've last posted I don't even know where to begin. Life has been kind of hectic these past few months and I just haven't made the time to blog. Most of the people in my life already know what's been happening anyhow! So, for those of you not in the loop here's what I've been up to lately.

The biggest and most exciting news to share is that Thomas got a job with the Dept. of Homeland Security working under TSA as a Bomb Appraisal Officer at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. This means that we get to move to MN and be closer to our families and most of my friends. I am so excited to be starting another adventure in our lives and to finally move back "home". As much as the weather sucks in MN, I love it there so much and am very, very happy to be headed back. However, the downside is leaving Colorado which I love as well. And leaving lots of amazing friends that I have made here. It definitely won't be easy leaving and I've already shed many tears over it, but in the end, this is the right move for our family and I know we are making the right decision. Thomas is very excited to begin a real career and to not have to spend any more days digging in the ground. Onward and upward!

So with that on the horizon, we have been very busy making plans. Moving a family and a household across the country is no small feat and I have found all the details to be overwhelming. So overwhelming that I have pretty much shut down and buried my head in the sand. Before Thomas gets a start date, he will need to pass an extensive background check. Don't be surprised of the FBI comes knocking on your door. Say only good things. Well, actually I am kidding. That probably won't happen. However, the background check will take a couple months so we probably won't be leaving CO until at least April. That gives me plenty of time to procrastinate!

Declan turned 3 earlier this month. It boggles the mind that I have a 3 year old. He is no longer my baby boy but a full fledged "kid". Everyday brings new challenges. Lately we've been focusing on toilet training. At least I have anyway. Declan....not so much. Rewards don't seem to be working, and he doesn't seem to mind hanging out in a dirty diaper all day so I am at a loss. It's my hope that he will just "get it" one day because buying diapers for 2 kids is going to be our financial ruin!

Eva is almost 6 months old. Again, where did the time go?? She is growing like a weed and is all "girl". In fact, she has earned the nickname "Eva Diva" because when Eva wants something the neighbors hear about it. She can screech louder than any baby I know. When she's not demanding everyone's full attention she is as sweet as can be with her smiles and coos. She gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth and can scoot herself around the living room floor when she wants to get somewhere. I have a feeling this one will be an early crawler.

I'm currently participating in a "Weight Loss Challenge" where the winner takes $600. While I don't expect to be the "Biggest Loser" I have certainly been motivated to stay with the program. Mostly because I am uber-competitive and don't like to see other people succeed while I fail. So, I have been hitting the gym hard and am actually seeing some results. Though I've got to work on the "dieting" part. I don't like counting calories so I am going to avoid that for as long as possible! I'll keep you posted. The contest ends April 4th.

See you next week blog! Promise!

Today's the Day!

Today is a big day for the Folger family. Well, not so much for the entire family but definitely for Thomas. He's got his interview with TSA today for the job at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport. I sent him off at the O'Dark Thirty with a kiss and a reminder that our entire future rested on his shoulders and that he'd better not fuck it up. Okay, okay....I didn't really say that. He did. And he's right. This is the opportunity we've been waiting for. Especially him. I know how unhappy he is at his current job and how badly he wants this one. And while I absolutely love living here in Colorado, moving back to MN would make me very happy as well. Life would just be easier.

Life would be easier because it means we could start using our meager savings to fund vacations to exotic locales (or a college fund for our kids I suppose) instead of funding unpaid snow days. It means a confirmed babysitter EVERY WEEKEND (right mom?!). It means not having to figure out how to get a family of four 800 miles to spend holidays with family and what to do with the furry woodland creatures we co-habitate with. It means trees and lakes. Both of which Denver is sorely lacking it seems. Then again, it means no mountains and that really sucks. And it also means leaving all of the wonderful friends we've made here. Which really, really sucks.

But I am getting ahead of myself.

So, today I am asking for your prayers, good thoughts, positive energy and whatever else you can send into the universe for us. I know Tom is nervous for the interview. It's not an easy one. He'll be expected to sit in front of a panel of people and answer situational questions for 2 hours and then "teach" a class on IED's and other bomb related stuff. And for a guys who has never had to do a job interview then this one is the MOTHERLODE of all job interviews. So he is, understandably, a little worried that it may not go smoothly. Though I have all the confidence in the world that he will do just fine. Because I'm his wife and that's what I am supposed to say. Right?

And can I just say that my husband looks damn fine in a suit.

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Last Saturday, Tom and I decided to take the kids to the Denver Botanic Gardens Pumpkin Festival. Apparently everyone else in Denver had the same idea because we spent a good part of the day waiting in lines. After a 15 min walk from the car to the front entrance (dragging a toddler in a wagon through a dusty, busy parking lot is so much fun let me assure you) we stood in line for another 20 minutes only to get stuck behind that family of 10 that waits until they are at the cashier to decide what kind of ticket they want. Do they want just the pumpkin festival, or do they want the corn maze and the pumpkin festival? Should they let their kids go into the maze by themselves or join them? Apparently it hadn't occurred to them to make this decision PRIOR to getting to the front of the line even though all these options were boldly displayed 15 feet back. So, there we stood, in 80 degree heat without shade with a toddler desperate to get to the pumpkin patch. At least the people watching was good. Does anyone else think it's a good idea to wear stilettos to a giant cornfield? I mean, really, who was she trying to impress?

So, once we got our tickets, it was another 15 walk to the festival. Once inside, we decided it was time to eat where we stood in line for another 15 minutes to get tater twisters (because who can't resist deep fried potatoes and processed cheese) and lemonade (what, no beer tent?!?!) Then it was off to the kettle corn stand because Declan can't not have popcorn. So, here we are $40 poorer and we still haven't paid for our pumpkin yet. Then of course we have to walk past the carnival rides to get to the pumpkin patch which require another long wait in a line to get tickets that probably cost a fortune. Fortunately, we were able to distract Declan and avoid that fiasco. In the end, we got our pumpkins and got out. Next year, I think we will head to the grocery store for our pumpkins.