Priorities

Ya know, sometimes I wonder if people think we're super poor.  I know it shouldn't matter one way or the other but I just want to say that I FEEL rich.  I feel like I have everything we need! 

It's also freaked me out last Sunday after talking to three families..... their stories are all the same.  They are the only member of their family living away from Utah and they hadn't been back for 5 years.  Another family said 8 years!!!  Say WHAAATTTT/?>>>!!!!!

So let me just sum up both thoughts above by saying....... we don't have a flat screen TV, or Ipads.  I can't afford all the new fashions.  Look at my house.  We don't even have a couch or entertainment center yet.  On first glance, no wonder people might think we're poor.  We spend our money on different things, that's all.

Last night we stayed up buying tickets for Utah.  About a grand later......... and I feel great.  We get to go to Utah as a family (first time in forever) and welcome my little brother Zach home from his mission!!!  We're buying memories..... we're doing everything we can to strengthen our relationships with family members... not letting them dim!! 

So come on over, take a seat on the floor to watch some football........ eat our outdated yet delicious treats from the scratch and dent discount grocery store and ignore the stink bugs that crawl through our old old old windows (that are still waiting for the pros to come replace them)! 

I'm not judging either.  These are our priorities..... what are yours?

Nepal

Today my little sister, Lacey leaves for Nepal!  I'm more than a little jealous!  By this time tomorrow she'll be looking at beautiful places like this.....

And this.........

Lacey is going with a charity organization with University of Utah for 3 months.  Boy, does she deserve it!  She's been working non-stop for money for this trip.  One day when we're rich, her and I will travel the world together!!  She's a traveller by heart and wants to see the world, and I'm the same way.  Mexico is as far away as I ever got though.  One day......

Let me just mention that I went physcho sister on her for the last week though.  I've just been so worried about her going and something happening to her.  Let me just blame it on anxiety issues.... but seriously.  Poor girl has had to listen to my incessant phonecalls and putting up with all my advice.  (DON'T wear makeup, cute clothes, be in before dark, don't go anywhere alone, and on and on and on).  There is great peace and comfort available through priesthood blessings though!  Hallelujah!!

Have fun Lacey Loo!!!!!  See you when you get back!

Nursery Success

After 9 months of Eric or I going to nursery with Peyton EVERY sunday, he is finally by himself now!  Is he happy about it? NO.  Do I feel bad for his leaders? YES.  Are we making him "suck it up?" YES. 

The nursery leaders are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!!  His old nursery leaders were awesome too but these leaders have been in this calling for 27 years!!  Yes, you heard me right.  The story goes, everytime the bishop approached this couple for another calling, he would say that if they released him, he'd leave the church.  I think he was just joking but that's how much he loves it!! 

We have tried EVERY approach to the whole nursery thing but finally settled on, sneaking out and letting him cry it out.  We're hoping that after a few weeks he'll be ok because he knows that we always come back for him!  We tried sneaking out before which resulted in teh poor kid waking up all night long with nightmares and screaming out for us.  I would have to hold him close and whisper over and over, "Mommy's here," till he fell back to sleep.  But I finally think that the timing is right! 

Eric and I sat together for the first timme in forever for Sunday school!!!!  So peace out nursery, I won't miss you!!!  Actually, I really do enjoy the snack time....

When Peyton got home from nursery this day and we were discussing what he learned, he kept pointing to the people and telling me who they were.  So we wrote, Ty-ty, Bun, and wee-wee!

Training

So, yesterday I started my training for the mud run in Philadephia, Oct 20!!!!



I sucked!  Sheesh, having babies sure does a number on a person.  I let Peyton come with me (pushed him in the jogging stroller) and he kept looking back at me like, "Mom, you ok?  Sounds like you're dying to me!"  I was a huffing and a puffing but I didn't die so that's good. 


My cousin is doing it with me, LOVE HER!  Amber used to live in Philadephia so she's getting us the hookup to spend the night on Friday with some friends and we'll run bright and early on Saturday!  I've always wanted to do one of these runs and I need some motivation to shake off the rest of this baby weight henceforth...... the mud run!!!!!!!  Truly, I can't wait!  The game plan is to get used to running the next week and a half then, upping "practices" to twice a day so I can be in shape!  BRING IT ON MUD!!!

SPA in the woods

In the midst of all this cofuffle at our house here, I was able to get away for a weekend camping trip.  It was AWESOME!!!!  Spa in the woods.  I met a lot of wonderful people, left the stress and worry about my house behind, and was spiritually uplifted. 

The Friday evening that it started they had activities in four different areas.  A manicure cabin (with snacks), a facial/makeup cabin (with snacks), zumba cabin (with snacks, and a hairstyling/haircutting cabin.... you guessed it, with snacks.  The activities in and by themselves were awesome.  I didn't really participate because I had Sadie but oh boy....... did we have fun or what.  There was a few gals from my new ward that buddied around, going from station to station eating...... and eating.... and eating some more.  Good thing I hadn't eaten dinner before! 

After all the stations, there was a wonderful fireside.  The speaker just so happened to be from my new ward......... her name is Sis. Fernelius and she is my friend, Amy Olson's sister from Lebanon ward.  Small world eh?  So Amy just so happened to be there that weekend.  Sooooo good seeing her!  Sis. Fernelius spoke about SPA.... Satan's paralyzing Attacks, and how he will make you feel like you're not important and she did such a good job.

    Then, the party began.  Everyoe went to their own ward's campsite with their assigned cabins and "went to bed."  Ha, this new ward is party central!!!!  I checked out at midnight because I knew Sadie would be up bright and early, not to mention a feeding int he middle of the night.  Lots of ladies stayed up till three though.  Can I just say that I'm going to L-O-V-E this ward!

This weekend came at just the right time for me.  My mother in law was sweet enough to watch Peyton for me over night and Sadie was an angel camping.  It was soooo relaxing and really helped remind me to focus on the important things in life.  Lately it feels like I'm worrying all the time about this house and feeling anxious about unpacking everything quickly.  It will be ok, all the boxes will be there tomorrow.  I need to sit down and enjoy my kids, read my scriptures and take time to thank my Heavenly Father for all His blessings!! 

P.S. I love LOVE LOVEEEEE camping!!!  And I don't think I ever mentioned above that this was a relief society activity!

Fall!!!!!

I heart fall!!!!!!  SSSoooo excited for the sweaters, chill in the air, no more mosquitos, bonfires, caramel apples, changing leaves, halloween, snuggling in blankies, and MY BIRTHDAY!!  I serioulsy love birthdays! 

Putting together a bucket/to-do list for us in the month of October!  Can't wait for all the fun stuff I have planned.

In other news around here, our new flooring went in last week.  So we've FINALLlY started unpacking.  About dang time.  What a stressful month it's been for us.  This place is starting to resemble a house though and I'm sooo gratefull! 

I have a new love.  It's called B.B's scratch and dent grocery store!  Seriously....... i am using some serious self control to not go there every day.  It's wonderful, glorious, magnnificent!!  We got packages of 10 candybars (crunches, dove chocolate, nerds, musketeers, etc etc) for $1.50.  Yes, can you understand my love now!  Dang, I'm gonna get fat...... ok, fatter.  Still working ont hat baby weight! 

p.s.My birthday is on October 10th......... presents are welcomed!

Through thick and thin

We are here!!!!  Finally found the plugs to the computer and internet so wecould charge em' up.  I am soooo grateful to be here and oh boy, am I loving Eric's new job or what!  Which is why I'm ok dealing with some of the "not so ok" moments we've had lately.

•  We ordered a "too small" moving truck so had to enlist the help fo Eric's dad to run back and forth with his tiny pickup truck to finish moving all our stuff. (let me just clarify that it was Eric who ordered the too small truck.  He is horrible at that kinda stuff so why he did it without consulting me is just beyond me, ha) but serioulsy.....
• We have a roommate.  Yup, besides the mice, spiders, and stink bugs that seem to abound in the new place...... a gal named Hannah.  She's a really great girl, but........ it's awkward.  Don't know what else to say about that.  Yesterday was a celebration though because she found another place and signs her lease tomorrow!!  (this is really a super long story so I might have to post about this another day)
• The toilot doesn't work.  sigh...... i think going in an outhouse would be easier at this point.  We had horrible luck with the toilot in our old house and now this one.  Did I ever mention that a week before we moved, Barry called us at 1:30 am to tell us our toilot was running.  WHAT??!!!  So the water in that toilot was always running when it shouldn't, the toilot here doesn't even have a handle.  Oi....
• We found out the day we moved in that if we decide to use our own washer and dryer, we can't wash clothes and then run any other water in the house for at least an hour (kitchen sink, dishwasher, shower, etc) or the basement will flood.  awesome...
• That same day we also found out that the addition to the house, which includes a mud room and extra bathroom is totally disfunctional.  We can't use the outlets because they got fried in a flood and the plumbing has never worked out there.  cool.....
• I've already caught one mouse..... practically bare handed.  Saw a little mouse here for a couple days and boyyyyyy, do they ever gross me out.  I set up like a bajillion traps for the little bugger.  Well, yesterday as we came odwn the stairs, the mouse was right there.  It ran underneath a blanket and I ran over to stomp on it, right before I let my foot come down on that thing.... I got really grossed out.  I didn't want to feel it squish right under my foot.  I wanted to hit it with a hammer or something. (by the way, I'm throwing away that crazy blanket..... good thing it was just a cheap  knock off snuggie) So it ran in between the boxes.  I'm trying to work up the courage to squish it........ and the crazy thing runs into the vacuum hose attachment. (it wasn't hooked up to the vacuum itself, it was just the attachment on teh ground)  So I trapped it!!!!! mUAHaahhhaha!!!  But how in the heck are you supposed to kill a mouse inside one of those things.  Beats me, so I left it for Eric to take care of when he got home. fantastic......
• This house is like an animal refuge.  The second girl that lived here moved about 3 weeks ago and she had 7 cats.... our roommate now has 3 cats and a dog.  And Eric and I are really not animal lovers, let alone, INSIDE the house animal lovers.  Seriously grossed out by all the hair, etc etc.  It smells.  Wow......
• We were planning on painting all the walls, so we got started.  Have spent countless hours, patching holes, calking floor boards, scraping paint off, scraping wallpaper off, replastering walls, texturizing walls........... this my friend's, is a complete renovation.  A heck of a lot more than we bargained for.  Great...... 
• The paint color we chose for the whole entire house is not exactly what we had in mind.  I swear on the paint card it looks perfect...... but on our walls, it looks pink.  Sweet......
• All of our furniture and boxes are crammed into the middle of the rooms on the first floor so that we could paint, etc. My house looks like it could pass for a hoarding episode at this moment. Sick....
• The date for us to get all new carpet and linoleum was pushed back two weeks.  ugh...
• We are still living out of suitcases. ughh...
• No room to unpack anything since we have a roommate.  All bathrrom and kitchen cupboards are taken. mmore ughhh......
• My lil guy is bored to tears........ toys still packed up and climbing up and down stacks of boxes is only fun for so long. 
• Getting sick.....

It's been interesting.  We've had help all along though.  So many wonderful people showed up to help us move out and lots of people were here on this end when we arrived.  Sooooo grateful for that!!!  Eric's grandma let us stay at her house for the first week since she's moved into an apartment and her home was vacant.  She also made us all our meals everyday..... she's a saint!!  We actually have Eric to help us....... that in and of itself makes everything and more worth it to me!! 

We slept in with him for the very first time in such a long long time on Saturday.  We all took a sunday nap together and he got to hang out that whole day with us.  I could go on and on. 

Let me just say it's been sooooo worth it BUT, we are currently looking for a new house to move into.  So I'll keep u updated on that.......