Home Sweet Home

Well, we did it. We finally bought a house. We closed two weeks ago and are feeling pretty settled in by now. Of course, I have lots of decorating things I want to do but boxes are unpacked and most everything is where it should be. It is AMAZING to have our own space again- and so much more than we have ever had- we are in heaven!

We are so thankful that it worked out so well for us to stay with Jeff's parents for as long as we did (8 months) - they are so good to us- but we are so so glad to be living two streets away now instead of with them!

We are in the same school and (barely) in the same ward and I, for one, am so glad that we don't have to make that adjustment all over again! I have been lucky enough to make some good friends here and like that we get to stay!

I miss Texas and my friends there still but this is home now. I did retain a little bit of Texas with me- both my new home phone number and my cell phone have the numbers of our TX street address in it, 349. I totally did that on purpose.

Life is good and we are blessed!

Too sick too long.

I think someone in our household (grandparents included) has been sick for over a month. We had a little break around Christmas but we were sick in December too. Someone gets sick, it slowly makes it rounds through the entire family and right when we are almost done, someone else starts it all over again. We are currently working on round 4. 2 rounds of stomach yuckies and 2 rounds of colds, fevers, and coughs. It is ridiculous. We all went to church together for the first time in a month on Sunday but I think it was a little premature because Lane's fever came back that night and Maddie woke up this morning and her fever was back. I am more than a little frustrated. The weather is starting to warm up a little this week so I am really hoping there is some light at the end of the tunnel. Funny thing...while EVERYONE in the house has gotten sick, I have not. I have felt a little off some days and know my body is fighting it off but I have never gotten down and out sick. What a blessing that has been!

Here I Am!!!

Little Callie is our little ham. If she ever feels like she is not getting the attention she deserves, she will start doing little tricks so we can't help but look. She has been this way since forever. It is so funny. Tonight we were spending some quality family time and wrestling/doing gymnastics, etc. After awhile, the kids were chasing each other around the house and the grown ups were left chatting in the living room. It was at this point that Callie came running into the living room, looked at us all, and excitedly announced, "here I am"! Then she proceeded to do a few tricks, including spinning in circles and throwing herself to the floor. Too funny.

Speaking of Callie, she is just a tiny bit dramatic. She is pretty good at coaxing a few tears when she needs to. Her bottom lip pout is stellar as well. The other day she came up to me holding her arm and she tearfully said, "Cade Blade (she always calls him that). Hit. My. Leg"! I could hardly contain myself.

For this next story, let me give you a little background. When my kids are in the bath, I will hand them a bar of soap and tell them to wash themselves. They will then proceed to wash their bums and legs, etc. So lately, Callie has been referring to her bum as her "self". I guess that is what she notices being washed the most in the bath:) so anyways, a couple if times she has very dramatically told me that Cade Blade or Kimber hit her self, as she points to her bum. Cracks me up every time. No pun intended. Haha.

We sure love our Callie girl. She is so cute and funny and we can't imagine our life without her:)

Oh and Callie reprised her role as Thing 1 for Halloween this year. Here she is with her sidekick, Thing 2.

Latest Happenings

Well I had the surgery and it all went well. I spent the night in the hospital and came home Saturday morning. I have enjoyed a lazy week hanging out with my kids and reading:) my mother-in-law has been great and I didn't cook all week!

Jeff and his dad took the four oldest camping in the mountains last night. They were cold. But I think they had a good time. They came back all dirty and smelling like campfire so I'd say it was a success:) Michelle and the little girls and I went to dinner and shopping. We stayed out too late and had lots of fun. The girls were troopers and Callie learned the word "shopping". They are definitely little girls- they loved every minute of it!!

We didn't really do our fall snacks this week since I was recovering but we did manage to make some Oreo ball eyeballs and some football whoopie pies! The eyeballs didn't look too great but we know what to do differently next time. I thought the footballs were cute-and they tasted yummy as well!

Jeff is finishing up one class and getting ready to start another next week. That man is amazing and I love him.

Fall Break is officially over and I have to start making lunches again. It was a good break. Next week we get to have Lane's birthday - big 4 years old on Wednesday! Time flies.

Oh and just for fun, we girls went to a little boutique today and I saw the cutest saying, "a good cook knows that it is not what is on the table that matters; it's what is in the chairs". Love it! It is definitely going on my wall. When I have a house. Which will be someday.

Today's Adventure...

Last night, as I was getting ready to go to my very first Round Table as a Cub Scout den leader, I started feeling a little achy and my tummy started hurting. This was about 6:45 and by the time I got to my meeting, I felt terrible. I barely sat through the two hours- I was so cold and achy. By the time I left to come home at 8:45 the pain had settled in the lower right side of my tummy. After a few hours of misery, the pain subsided somewhat and I was able to sleep a little. Long story short, I have spent a good portion of today in the ER and will be having my appendix removed shortly. Not exactly what I wanted to do today but what can ya do, right?

Jeff is on his way here now and his mom has our kids. I am so grateful to her. I only hope I am up to doing some fun things with the kids next week for Fall Break!

Too much fun

Today the younger ones and I headed to the park. I think we are finally getting into park weather but it was still a little warm today. But we had lots of fun! Kimber definitely loves the swings, Callie prefers the slides, and Lane just has fun with everything. It was so nice to be outside with the kids and I am loving that I don't have a tiny one or a big pregnant belly! I can actually play more with the kids and I love that. There is joy in every stage, I guess:)

Today's snack: witch broomsticks! Lane thinks they are pretty awesome - I hope everyone else does too! I am having lots of fun with this themed snack thing:)

I love fall!

A few weeks ago I decided that I should try to have a snack ready for the older kids when they come home from school. They always eat anyways but I figured maybe this would keep them in the kitchen talking to me for a while and maybe they would be able to focus on their homework right away. Well, they LOVE it! And I love having that time to chat with them after their day.

So in October, I thought it might be fun to have fall/Halloween snacks every day. This is what we are having today: candy corn cheesecake mousse. Yesterday we had deviled eggs with olive spiders on top and Monday we had pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. So far the kids are having fun and I am too! It is fun for me to think about it ahead of time and try to be creative.

I am having so much fun getting ready for the holidays! We are working on Halloween costumes and Christmas stuff as well. We were at Hobby Lobby the other day (love that store) and I am pretty sure Callie and Kimber love it too:)

Lane's birthday is coming up and he is so excited about his Halloween birthday! He says he wants a telescope which would be pretty awesome.