New House

 This is where the dream began... Nothing but a field of dirt.

We put down a $1000.00 on this lot after feeling that it was everything we were looking for. We loved the circle, it was next too a walking path, provided a daylight basement for our house, very close to a brand new park. SO much going for it.

April 16,2013 we signed our start and our lives away. :)

August 18, 2013 our hole was FINALLY dug. We were given a 4 month start to finish time frame so we were pretty discouraged that we were just barely getting a hole.

I never knew I could be SO excited about a big hole and some cement slabs. It was thrilling!

 How firm our foundation, I hope!

  

 Pouring garage and basement floors.  Our truck full of wood too. How exciting!

 We are mostly framed! Its becoming real!

That's right. 

 So happy to have daylight basement. They weren't sure if our lot would allow it at first. YAY!

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire! 

Isn't she pertty?

Its my tub... in my bedroom!

Look at that view! Hello!!

 Coming right along.

Sept 2013

 Drywall!

Its really feeling like a home. We just wanted to hang out there.

All wrapped up like present just for me.

 Hardy board going up.

Ready for the stone! 

When you pick all your colors, stone and such from pictures, it is fun and scary to see it all finally put together. We were relieved and happy to see that we liked how everything was coming together.

 Everyday after I picked up the boys from school we just HAD to go check out the house. I was pretty much there twice a day...sometimes more.

The kids loved checking out new stuff that happened since we last checked. Running water is even thrilling! Even Ella loved it especially when she started walking and could get down and explore on her own. This picture of her is within the first couple of days of learning to walk.

It became a bit of joke with Adam and I because I really, really wanted a cement address on my house but it was just extra money that Adam didn't want to spend. So when we were out and about I was always pointing out cement addresses saying, "See? They have one!" 

Well, low and behold, one day after checking out my house and as I was about to leave, what did I see? But my very own cement address slab. I had to laugh and send Adam a picture. Best part? It was free!

Almost done! Needs some shutters.

By this point in the process our close had been delayed from the 21st of November. :/

After about three weeks of delays, we finally had our closing.

 

 Final walk through day!

Closing Day. 

Dec. 11, 2014

And we finally have shutters.

I love my house.

Moving day chaos. 

The kids were thrilled to get all their toys out. 

Moving day went really smoothly. We thought we were gong to have to divide the move between at least two days but we got it done in one night. Von, Ethan, Robert, James Sorenson were all on hand and were a big help.

And we made it just in time for Christmas.

We have loved our home, neighborhood, ward, school. We are just very happy and feel very blessed.

Can't wait to make new memories in this house and watch my kids grow up here.

Ella is 18 months!

I am loving this 18 month old. 

She is hilarious! She is sweet. She is sassy. She is loving. 

I just can't get enough of her. I miss her when she naps. I look forward to seeing her face in the morning (provided I've had adequate sleep :). I am thoroughly enjoying my baby.

She's talking a LOT.

Here's a list:

"Hi Tom!" 

(She LOVES Tommy and likes to give him and kisses and hugs.  She climbs on him every chance she gets.)

"I atay."

 (I'm okay. She says this whenever she falls down and IS atay. 

Megan says this all the time and Ella is a parrot.)

"dee doo"

(Thank you. The girl ROCKS at saying this just about anytime we give her something.)

"peas" 

(Please. So sweet.)

"a tie" 

(I want to try.)

"a down" 

(Get down from something or up on something.)

"a side" 

(Outside. Or out any door. She LOVES being outside so we hear this a lot.)

"a mo" 

(More food. We hear this one quite a bit too.)

"atay?
 (Okay? Asked with arms wrapped around a sad sibling. She can be very tender with her siblings.)

"tee. tee!"

(when she wants to brush her teeth.)
She says much more but these are some the best.

Ella loves grapes, fruit snacks, hugs, her daddy, books, shoes, outside, "nanas" (bananas) and her dog, Tommy.

She gives THEE best hugs. She likes to just her arms around Adam or I for no reason and give us a squeeze. Definitely one of my favorite things about her.

Ella hasn't been too mischievous yet but she definitely likes play and do her own thing. One of her favorite things to do is read books in her bedroom.

18 months stats:

weight: 27.6 lbs  95%
height: 32.5 in.  75%
head: 19.6 in.  95%

I only make 'em big.

And I love my big girl.

Megan is Four!

{MEgan loves to bake so of course she had to bake her own birthday cupcakes!}

Megan wanted to have another tea party for her birthday so I decided to grant her her birthday wish.  It wasn't as elaborate as last year but we got tea set and had some friends over to play and drink apple juice and eat tiny pb&j sandwiches.

Megan is a princess...a dancing princess that is. 

She loves to dance and looks forward to her dance class every week.

Megan and her brothers decorating their own cupcakes.

Megan received an "Anna" doll, Ariel castle and a dress for her 18" doll and a dress for herself, of course!

We went California Pizza Kitchen for her birthday dinner since she requested pizza.

*Who is your favorite person in the whole world? Ella- Cuz she always be happy and she always be good.
*What is your favorite color? Blue. I love all the colors. (I thought pink was your favorite.) I love pink too!
*What is you favorite television show? Cat in the Hat (??)
*What's you favorite outfit? a church dress...the lellow one.
*What sport do you like the best? What is sport, Mommy?
*What song do you love? Frozen..."Let It Go"
*What is your favorite cereal? Chocolate Cheerios
*Who is your best friend? Alli and Kayla...they're sistas.
*What do you want to be when you grow up?  A Lego advisor (designer). {This is what her brothers want to be.}
*What is your favorite book? A princess book. {5-Minute Princess Stories}
*What are you really good at? I'm good at closing my eyes when I'm in my bath. {??? She is a good little dancer too.}
*Where do you wish you could go on vacation? A movie feeater cuz I love movies.
*What would you buy if you had $1000? A dress-up dress.
*If you could have a wish, what would it be? A real unicorn
*What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Strawberry
*What do you like to do with your friends? Play dolls
*What do you hope you'll get to do before your next birthday? Get a bike

As you can see from this birthday interview, Megan loves all things girl and she is a ton of fun.  She loves to play dress up in her various princess costumes and wear her plastic jewelry.

Her attitude is "girly" as well.  She can be sassy and lovey all within a few minutes.  She tells us "no!" on a regular basis and likes to be in charge whenever possible (especially over her brothers :) 

She usually insists on having Mommy put her to bed at night. 

She loves cereal (shee-o), PB&J and snack foods.  

She has become a picky eater. 

She loves to bake with Mommy and lick the beater.

She refers to the daughter when shes playing dolls or house as "the Sweetie". I love it.

 Just some random, sweet pics of Megan from the last year.

HaPpY bIrThDaY to my little princess. 

We love you so, so much!

Another Ella First

Ella's first Facebook post. We are so proud. 

Beary Cute

We went to Build-a-Bear a couple of weeks ago and spent way too much money but with results like these maybe it was worth it.

I could not resist the idea of surprising them with a visit to Build-a-Bear. No reason to. Nobody's birthday. No holiday. Just because. They were thrilled. And truth be told, so was I. I've been wanting to take my kids for years. 

So now we have Fluffy, Polar and Jasmine (her name is always changing) living (and sleeping) with us. 

She's One!!

Oh my baaaybyyy,

I will tell you right here and now that this past year has been theee fastest year of my entire life! Wow! I know I say that a lot but I just can't believe my baby is numero UNO!

We took a TON of pictures during Ella's party. Enjoy.

PaRtY goers.

We had an ice cream bar with cup cakes.

Some of Ella's grandparents.

We were all so excited to see how Ella would react to her very own cake since she is such a foodie.  She didn't disappoint. She loved every bite.

Face first!

Maxwell decided he needed some cake as well.  

 Ella is a good sharer. :)

Noah doing his best Mexican pinata impression.

All clean!

Some things about Ella {by her big brother, Kyle}

(1 year old)
What Ella likes to do.
She likes the light.
She likes to climb up the stairs.
(She started climbing up stairs when she was about 10 moths old and learned to crawl down a month or two later.  We can't keep her off them.)
She likes dogs.
(She says "dah,dah,dah..." over and over while signing dog on her chest.)
She likes to play with me.
(She loves her big brother and will dive out of my arms to get to his.)
She's always hungry.
 (Not much more to say about that. The girl loves her food.)
She likes to walk with me.
(She is a sucker for anyone that will take her for a "walk".)
She likes to talk.
(She is a funny talker and likes to make sounds at the back of her throat.)
She likes to crawl.
She is very funny.
She does not like eggs.
 (The only thing we've found that she will reject.)
She likes to scream.
 (She screams when she is happy and/or mad.  None of my babies have been so LOUD and thats saying a lot. My babies have all been noisy.)

Ella has been a sweet happy baby.  She has been fun since she is more open to strangers and likes to do things on her own. Not as much of a mama's girl.

Disclaimer: I realize that there is not one picture of Ella's daddy in this post. I feel very bad about this...

 We love him still.

Lots of Firsts

My tiny men are off to start another year of school. It's is very bittersweet for me. Noah will be starting his FIRST day of FIRST grade and his FIRST day of all day school. Kyle will will be starting his FIRST day of third grade and both both boys start their FIRST day at their new school. 

Both of them were pretty nervous and Kyle said his stomach felt funny (Mine too, Son. Mine too.).

I pray everyday that they make friends and are happy at school. I love these two angel boys so much and nothing makes me happier than to see them enjoying themselves and feeling confident. 

Good luck, boys!