Moving!!

I have moved my blog over to http://defofamily.blogspot.com/ I won't be using this one anymore. I can't get it to let me change my email address and I finally gave up. LOL

The whole DeForrest Family now lives altogether in Idaho!!

What a relief. That was a long three months but it's finally over and we are together again and even in our own house. Now if we could just get everything unpacked and put away. It's slowly coming together. There's a big difference in the unpacking when you don't have a boat load of people helping like we have been so privileged to have the last couple times we have moved.
Summer is in full swing and the kids are enjoying living in a busy full of kids neighborhood. They are out consistently until after 9:30 almost every night of the week. The favorite game of kids ranging from 6-18 play capture the flag once it gets dark. It's fun to listen to all the screaming and to see them working together as teams.
We also have season passes to Silverwood Theme park that also has a water park attached to it. The kids and Tyler have been able to enjoy theirs a little more than me but it keeps them busy and worn out.
We celebrated the 4th of July with the neighbors on both sides (one side is my parents) and I think a good time was had by all.
More big news on the home front is Tyler started back to work for the first in 2.5 years! What an answer to prayer!! He will be working for Titan up here in Spokane a couple days a week. It's great because they will work with him around his school schedule this fall. Yes this is the same company that layed him off.

Here is is February already!

Wow times are just flying by. Things have gotten a little crazier around here if that's possible. With Tyler in school full time, and the kids with all their activities, and me and my school and working 2 jobs. January was when I had said I would start hitting the pavement looking for jobs in Idaho. I've been looking off and on since Sept and applied here and there but only had responses from a couple and they were not really what I was looking for. This week all that has changed. Last Friday I applied for several positions. I actually got called within and hour for one and we talked for quite a while but I need 3 more months of experience before her company would allow her to hire me. Perfect the timing would be just right! One of the jobs I was really interested in stated if you didn't hear from them with 24 hrs basically you weren't qualified and please don't keep sending your resume into us. Tuesday morning I got an email saying Providence in Spokane had just posted a LPN position so I got up and tuned my resume up to reflect the new temp licenses in both WA and ID that I had received and I applied. Two hours later I got an email from HR. We talked back and forth and she then notified me that I had passed the first step and was moving on to the hiring manager and to expect a call sometime this week. So Wednesday while I was at work I checked my phone and I had a missed call. Low and behold it was not Providence it was the Friday posting. I had phone interview and am now headed up next week to a face to face. Tyler and I both have such mixed emotions right now with this. What if I do get this job?? I will have to pack up my things and leave my family behind until June. I know God is in control and he knows what's best but I still have those thoughts and am wondering what the heck he is thinking. I have no doubts that Tyler can handle being a single parent and keeping up with the house the next couple months but isn't that my job too?
In the mean time we have been putting finishing touches on patchwork that we have done throughout the house. We are having an Open House the first weekend in March so maybe God has a plan with that too. It sure would make things easier and less stressful.
We also found out we are having a NEPHEW!! I can't hardly wait to meet the little fella!
Oh and this month I'm having a reunion with some old friends and can't wait!! I think God has some BIG plans for lots of people in 2011.

We made it to 2011!!

The holidays are gone and we are trying to get back into the routine of school, work and activities. It seems like are calendar is always full of something and anytime I have a day off it's filled with something. Tyler and I have also really started talking about the Big Move this summer and when do we start cleansing rooms, getting rid of stuff we have already decided we are taking, packing, and when do we go up to find a house to rent? We are about 6 months away. YIKES! I have several good job leads and even though there has been a bump in the road of my plans to finish school it's totally doable and I just have to rearrange my thinking. I need some help on how to retain the knowledge to pass Art of the Western World. What the heck does it have to do with Nursing. Nothing I tell you! It's just 3 credits I need towards my degree and there is no way around it because believe me I have tried and tried. I finally gave up and started studying. LOL for the time I spent trying to get out of it I should have been studying.
We had a great Christmas this year although we did miss my side of the family. We played it pretty low key. We had the kids each get a name from a tree and buy the presents for that child, plus my family adopted a military family and some children from a group home for Christmas. The kids really enjoyed buying for others and it was fun to see them so excited to do stuff for others and not just take take take.
I have also come across a website that is fabulous. It's the Pioneer Woman. I have tried several of her recipes in the last few weeks and all have enjoyed every one of them. The cinnamon rolls Christmas morning were a huge hit!
We are off this weekend for another adventure to Bend. I pray that the roads are clear and it doesn't take us too long to get there! We are ready for a friend and fun filled weekend. I think Tyler and I are more excited about sledding than the kids though. I will have to post so pictures from our adventures and the holidays.

Holidays

As the holidays approach this year, along comes all the excitement and the I want this and that and that and that. This year we are trying something new. Tyler and I decided that our kids have more than enough stuff (notice I didn't say junk. It use to drive me insane when my dad called my possesions junk) We bought them each 1 expensive item. With the money we would have spent on all the other crap to open we are having them go out and buy gifts for those less fortunate. My side of the family has also decided instead of drawing names and buying gifts we will be adopting a couple military families from my brother's unit that is deployed right now with the National Guard. They have several families that are really struggling right now and really missing their loved ones. I think Tyler is more excited about downsizing just so we don't have to move all the new stuff this summer.
It's also a little strange to think that next year at this time we will be living in Couer d'Alene. Of course we will at some point be back here for holidays and vacations. When talking to my dad yesterday on the phone when up there it was blizzard like conditions, I was jealous because I was missing out on the snow. We are definitely going to have to buy some more winter style clothes in the next year but I think we are all looking forward to it.
Onto other news. I passes my first test through College network! WOOHOO that was what I thought to be a pretty big! Now I'm on a roll and getting ready to take the next one in just 10 days. Yikes! This one is A&P and worth 6 college credits!
Tyler is almost done with his first term at school and is doing much better than I think he expected. He was stress to begin with but is coming out with excellent grades like I knew he would!
It's time to get on with my day and get some things crossed off the to do list.

Fall

These pictures are from our photo sessions a couple weeks ago. I refuse to pay for the over priced crap that they get at school. We had fun but need to go out at least 1 more time. It got rather chilly while we were out and we had famly coming for dinner so we had to cut it short.

Once again time is passing by so quickly it's hard to believe that my kids are the ages they are. Parker will be 8 in two and a half weeks. I remember my little (big) butterball being a baby like it was just last week. It amazes me daily on how much they have grown. Dylan isn't always the annoying little brother anymore and I find the boys playing together more and more often. I can only hope and pray that Dylan will always find ways to be humorous.

And Haylie hmm just look at the pictures. She is growing up and becoming a young lady or maybe I should say tween? Don't think I'm ready for that yet. Lord give me strength!!

Sept resolution

Now that Tyler and the kids are all in school I'm making a resolution to spend more time blogging. I want to keep this more active and current with our lives and I find it enjoyable to read others blogs. So if you read this and weeks have gone by and I haven't posted anything please feel free to call me to the carpet!! Unless our lives bore you and you cvould careless with our daily activities.