Summer fun (and employment)

Five months later, I remembered I have a blog.  Quite seriously, I woke up this morning thinking, "I really need to post something on that blog.  It's been a really long time, and those few people who actually read it are probably wondering where in the world we've gone."  Crazy.  That's where we've gone.

Lots has happened this summer:

First, I have worked myself into a useless, unwifely, unmotherly, attempting to work way too much machine who is exhausted and irritable.  Thank goodness, I am done.  (More about that later.)

Second, we had a wonderful roommate, a friend of Den's brother who's been around forever, for a few months.  Jason is a six foot four inch teddy bear.  We had a blast with him, got tired of him, and made him get his own apartment.  We miss him.

June brought our family campout, where a bunch of us insane Nygaards stay under the same roof and attempt not to kill each other while eating huge amounts of food and drowning in sarcasm.  We went to Leavenworth this year and actually slept inside.  It was fantastic!

In the end of July, our incredible friends, the LaBarberas, lost their son, Torey, in a bike/auto accident.  It has been so awful to watch them grieve, but they are healing and trying their best to do everything they can to honor Torey's memory.  Den was able to go over to Boise for the funeral.  We all went to Labor Day weekend at Alan and Daniele's cabin, along with the Labarberas, the Evans family, and the Lopemans.  It was a wonderful time of talking and playing and just being friends.  We even had time that weekend to share some On The Border with the Banuelos fam!

Just the three of us went to Seattle for a mini-vacation in early August.  It was GREAT to just do some fun stuff.  We even got to eat on top of the Space Needle!  The weekend after that, we took another trip to Tacoma for my cousin's wedding reception.  Congrats, Carl and Kristen!

Den had an interview with the DOT in late September and found out HE GOT THE JOB!!!! in early October.  He's working as a signal technician out of Pasco and has about a third of the east side of the state.  He's been training in Yakima, but when we move to the Tri-Cities area this next week, he'll be over there.  He's got an amazing boss and a wonderful crew to work with.  The job is a little different from what he's done in the past, but he's catching on and enjoying it.

I interviewed at an OB-GYN clinic in Pasco and was asked to work there as one physician's office nurse.  I start next Tuesday, and I'm excited about being home on weekends and evenings.  I'm sad to be leaving labor and delivery, but we only get our kids once, and I'd like to spend some time with mine.  When Kate grows up and decides she doesn't like me anymore, I'll probably go back to helping deliver babies.  In the meantime, it will be a quiet, simple job for me (although I shouldn't really say that, because it will probably mean my job will be chaotic, impossible, and overcomplicated, so knock on wood...)

My side of the family took a little trip to Lincoln City in early October.  It was fast, just a weekend, and we were missing a large chunk of our crew (Travis and Justin stayed in G-dale for a game), but we had a blast!

We're moving to Burbank, WA next week. Jason (that roommate I talked about) grew up there, and his parents own an old farmhouse that has been empty for over four years. He talked them into renting it to us, and they even gave us the option to buy in a couple of years if we'd like to. It's on three acres that are currently leased out for horses and has a shed and a barn-ish shop thing. The house has five real bedrooms (two that are masters), two basement bedrooms with no outside window that can't really be offically bedrooms, four and a half baths, a nursery that we'll use for a craft room, a man cave, and three living areas. Fortunately, there is only one kitchen, since I'm not really sure how I'm going to clean the rest. We're going to completely seal off the basement for the winter to save heating costs. It's insanely big for us, but we are so excited to spread out and enjoy the rural life!


Speaking of the country, we went over there to clean yesterday, and discovered just how country it is. There is NO pizza delivery to our house! Is that legal? Is this really America? I LOVE IT!!!! I may not say that in two weeks when I'm butt-dragging tired, Dennis is working late, and I can't find my can opener, but for now, it's simply wonderful to be that far away from the rat race. It's great, though, that Den's about 8 minutes from work there, and I'm only about 12 minutes. We can do that.

Okay, so now I'm going to tell you some funny stuff. But if you don't subscribe to the "humor is a good way to cope with loss" idea, you will want to stop reading right here, because this is irreverant and you may be seriously offended. If you think laughing at something that hurts sometimes is helpful, read on.

Kate was singing a made-up song about Jordan the other day while she was lounging on her mattress in our room before we had "family sleep night." She sings, "I love her, I love her, I love her a lot. I love her, I love her, she lives in a box." Seriously, I have never tried so hard not to laugh out loud in my life. What creepy eight-year-old comes up with something like that?

Then, yesterday when we went to clean the new house, Jason's dad, Dave, was there moving some old stuff out. I told him I was bringing something kind of weird into the house (I wanted to take Jordan's ashes in their little box over there before the move so they didn't get lost.) So, when he asks what it is, I told him it was J's ashes. He says, "That's not weird. Now if you'd brought in some little white casket, I'd have told you we were going outside to dig a hole. THAT would be weird." I love this man.

Thanks to my parents and Den's mom for helping us clean and organize yesterday.  You guys are fantastic!

In closing of my not-making-any-sense post, if any of ya'll want to come help us move two hours away, feel free to come stub your toes, hurt your back, and blow out a hernia. We'd love to see you!

 The butterfly garden at the Pacific Science Center

 Kate chillin' with the caterpiller at PSC

 Kate and Emery on the first day of school

 Daniele teaching me how to go four-wheelin' at the cabin.  It was so much fun :)

 The boys, Den, Alan, Bret, and Jason.  There were a few of the girls, but I couldn't get one to load :(

 Us with Jason and Lisa LaBarbera

 Kate is attempting photography.  Not bad, but her subject matter could be better...

Kate and her Pop on a walk down the Klickitat River 

Fun at the fair on the gondola ride 

 Our little family at Depot Bay, OR in EXTREMELY high wind!

Kate's new haircut