Life As I Know It...

I have been writing and re-writing this post in my head for the past 3 weeks. And every time I think I am going to be able to write it down and get it all out and reconnect with everyone...something comes up - boxes to unpack, babies to settle, Thanksgiving dinner, etc.

Let me start off with thanking everyone who helped us in any and every way over the past 6 weeks as we finished the mortgage papers, packed, renovated, packed, cleaned and moved. So many of our friends and family went above and beyond the call of service and it has been so humbling to be on the receiving end of service instead of the giving end. We have had our testimonies strengthened and I can stand and testify without a doubt in my mind that our Heavenly Father knows each one of us and has a plan specific and tailored to us.

I could go on and on but I know that there are those of you who are dying to see pictures. I'm going to try and do the whole extreme makeover thing and do the before and after pics in order...we'll see how it goes. Just let me give you a quick rundown of things in case you have forgotten what we did: We got possession of the house on the 17th (Monday) and started demo. Most of that was done by Wednesday and Thursday we started doing some drywall. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the drywall was hung, taped, mudded, and sanded. The laminate floors went in as well...I have to thank Dad J and Jamie so much here - they worked so hard that weekend and if it wasn't for them we wouldn't have been able to finish! Monday am Kizzy and mom cleaned the house and started priming in the living room. Then mom took the kids back to Red Deer and Kizzy and I started the marathon paint job...We started at 1pm Monday and finished 8am Tuesday. Yes, we painted all night. We took a 2 hour break very very very early Tuesday am because we had to wait for the paint to dry but other than that we painted steadily. I never thought I would be able to move my hands properly again. I didn't realize how many muscles I had in my hands until then - and I'm a piano player! We had a few hiccoughs...like the first paint color I picked for our bedroom - pale avocado - not good at all. It looked like baby poop. Seriously. If you don't believe me ask Kizzy. Wednesday mom and I spent the day cleaning so we could move in and we moved our storage stuff into one of our sheds. Thursday I spent mostly trying to finish packing and cleaning in Red Deer and then Friday we started moving. Wow. Oh wait - you're wondering where the pictures are. I know you're thinking that I type too much and should just get on with it already...so here you go!

So these are some pictures of our living room before the big demo...

And here is a shot of some of the demo...

And almost done...I say almost because some of the trim is primed and some is not and the window isn't done being cased....but I love it anyway.

Onto the kitchen. I think I'm just going to put the pics in order...trying to get the typing and pics is taking too much time and I still have a big list to get done tonight.

We're really happy with how everything has turned out so far. We have a lot planned still...painting trim, staining transition pieces, tiling the bathroom, kitchen counter tops, painting trim outside, staining the deck, painting the fence...the list goes on and on. But we are happy with the decisions we have made and for the blessings our Father in Heaven has given us.

So what else have we been doing besides moving and stuff? Let's see...Cliff turned 29 the day after we moved and Mom J and Kristie had come up to help us unpack so they took us out to dinner and then I stunned everyone with my fine culinary skills by whipping out my debit card and buying an ice cream cake. Hey, a girl has to improvise when times call for it! Zane was disappointed that we didn't get to hang balloons and have a proper party but I told him we could do that at the next party because the paint was too new on the walls to handle tape.

Zane started preschool in the midst of all this chaos and is loving it. His teachers' name is Teacher Chandra and there are days that she is all I hear about. He goes Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 - 11:15. He's so excited on those days and can't wait to get there. I don't even get a hug when I drop him off. It's all about getting his inside shoes on and then he's gone! So, I'm really glad that we made the decision to put him in preschool. It seems to really be helping his confidence level and hopefully will make kindergarten easier on him. Rhett is not so sure he likes just hanging with mom - because we're out of town now I usually seize the opportunity to get as many errands done as possible with only one kid in tow...and Rhett can get bored without Zane to entertain him. But I think he's slowly getting used to the idea of no Zane for short periods of time. Thursday mornings we go to my weight watchers meeting (sill on the band wagon and making life changes...down 45 lbs if anyone wants to know!)

Let's see...what else...we've gone to 2 birthday parties, watched General Conference, decorated for Halloween (as you may have noticed the big spider hanging from my kitchen ceiling in one of the pictures) and really I don't know where all the time has gone!

I love my new laundry set! The only thing that is driving me nuts is that Rhett loves all the buttons as much as I do and the child lock locks all the keys except the turn on/off button...one day it took me over 3 hours to get one load of wash done because he kept turning it off and it would restart the whole cycle when I turned it back on. Frustration...thy name is toddler hood! And he is a toddler to a tee. He loves to climb on everything...especially my kitchen table. Only problem is that he can't get down. I got out of the shower the other day and he was screaming for me. I quickly threw a robe on and went running out to find him sitting in the middle of the table - stranded. And you would think that he would have learned his lesson...nope...he still climbs up there every chance he gets. He's so mischievous and yet he can make me laugh with just a look!

I also am loving my new fridge. It has a bottom freezer...something I was sure that I would hate when Cliff first pitched the idea (long before we knew we were buying this house) but it is fabulous to go to the fridge, open it up, and have everything that I want at standing height instead of constantly reaching or crouching down. It's an added bonus as well that Rhett can't open the door!

Oh, and my glass top stove. I actually don't mind when Cliff cooks bacon now...the mess is so much easier to clean up - and yes we have already tested it out.

Oh, we had Thanksgiving here. For most people that wouldn't be a big deal but this is the first Thanksgiving that we haven't gone home....yep, actually the first major holiday that we haven't been with our families since we've been married. A little weird...didn't really feel like Thanksgiving for awhile...but our wonderful friends the Robison's came over and spent the day with us. The guys built something, watched football and hockey on our massive TV, the kids mostly played well together, and I got to try out the convection cook option on my oven for the ham I bought. Everything was yummy yummy yummy and after the kids were all settled into bed (Robison kids slept in the playroom) we got to play Rook together. Something that we enjoy doing and haven't been able to do for a very long time.

This is probably where I should list a really long list of things that I am thankful for...but I've been at this for almost 2 hours now and am starting to get fidgety.

We do have to say thank you, thank you, thank you, to Kinsey. And congratulations as well. Kinsey has graduated in Dental Assisting and has been very blessed to obtain a fantastic job in Lethbridge with a great dentist! We're so proud and excited for her. As part of this new job (did I mention the part about making great money?) she has purchased a new to her jeep liberty and has decided to gift us with her little dodge neon so that we will now have a second vehicle for Cliff to run back and forth to work. Much better on gas and much easier on our family for the days that I need the van. Really there are no words to express how grateful we are for this new blessing. Thanks Kin!

Gee, as I type it all down it sure doesn't seem like we have been doing much but I promise you that my mornings are very early and my nights are very late. I always seem to have something to do or somewhere to go, but I wouldn't trade it. I am loving my life, learning to change my bad habits and addictions with food, and learning to relax and live my life. I am happy.

(sorry...can't figure out how to get rid of the big ugly white spot here...too much moving around of pictures and too late at night for me!)