Fun Times

Nick is so much fun. I love watching him grow and learn. He knows almost all of his letters and how to count. I didn't teach him any of that but I always quiz him on stuff because I love to see his little brain working and the big smile he has when he gets the right answer.

This past weekend was an eventful one for us. First we went to a Primary Activity where we learned about Easter and then got to make a bug costume. Nick was SO excited about the costume part, he knew exactly what he wanted and how he wanted it!

Then later on that night he got the idea to make himself a fort in one of our kitchen cupboards. He is starting to use his imagination a lot and I love it. He was really bummed when we wouldn't let him sleep in the cupboard that night.

When he comes and stays with us during the week I have to go to work so him and dad go sit in the truck and watch our house being built. Sounds boring to me but they sit there for hours sometimes and Nick still cries when they have to leave. He talks about our new house all of the time and seems really excited for it.

Moving along...

And here is the foundation...

First level framed...

Second level almost framed...

Our House!

Matt and I are building a house in Lehi, Utah. I haven't told a lot of people about it because I don't want to feel like I am bragging but we are both very excited about it and feel very blessed to be able to buy a home right now. There are some really good deals out there so we are glad we can take advantage of the market.

Here are some pics of all the interior stuff we got to pick out. It is all very neutral which is very much my kind of taste: Simple. I am way nervous about how it will all look when it's all laid out and put together.

And here is the beginning of our new home! These are the footings for the foundation. The house you see in the background is the same model as ours.

Our home will be two stories with an unfinished basement. 4 Beds, 3 Baths, 3 Car Garage (and Matt still thinks that won't be enough room for him). It is kind of big for us right now but I am hoping it will be the only house we will ever need to buy. The lot is .28 acres and FLAT which is great cuz we live on the side of the mountain but I wanted a flat lot for a sweet yard.

We decided back in October to start looking at homes. We first started out by wanting to get a really good deal with a short-sale. On our first day out looking we ran across this Richmond Homes development while we were waiting for an agent to come show us a home in a nearby development. We LOVED the homes but thought they were for sure way out of our price range. we stopped by the model home (which we fell in love with) and got a price sheet just for fun and was surprised to see that they weren't as expensive as we thought.

But we still thought we could get a lot more home for the same price through a short-sale. Well after three months of going to look at houses EVERY single weekend and playing the short-sale game without any desirable results we went back to Richmond and found out they had just lowered their prices even more. So, we picked out a lot and signed our lives away!

The funniest thing was I remember telling Matt that first day that anytime I make a big purchase I always find the thing I am looking for at the first place I go to but I still have to go look around at every other place to make SURE it's the best deal and then I end up going back to the first place to get it. Which is exactly what ended up happening. But it worked out for the best that way.

Things I am Grateful for This Week

This has been a rough week for me so I thought maybe I would gain a little perspective by sharing some things that I am grateful for:

- The little bit of patience that I have been given. It's just enough to make me realize it's a good thing and that I want more of it but a small enough amount to really have to work hard to not use it up so quickly.

- The gospel of Jesus Christ. Without it, I wouldn't be able to console myself by thinking "this is just a trial, the Lord knows who I am and will help me overcome this, and then He will bless me when I do. Awesome".

- My wonderful husband. He is absolutely perfect for me. It took us both some time and some trials in order for us to be ready for each other but we finally made it!

- My job. I love my job. Even though most of my patients have no idea that I have a bachelors of science degree and treat me accordingly I still love to educate them about how important good oral hygiene is to their overall health.

- My family. I love them. They are great to me. Simple as that.

-My inlaws. They are awesome.

- Beauty. It really is all around us and I love when I recognize its many forms.

Christmas in Texas

For Christmas this year we went to Houston to stay with my wonderful in-laws. I got strep throat the day we flew out there but was able to go to the doc and get antibiotics before we left. So, I felt a lot better but I still slept a lot the whole time I was there. It was a very nice break.

We had a great time with Matt's parents. Lauralyn made lots of yummy treats and meals while we were there (thank you! we definitely don't eat that well at home). Matt and Stephen watched an entire season of LOST. And we all went to the theatre to watch Blindside, Sherlock Holmes, and AVATAR.

These pics were taken from their backyard. Very pretty!

Matt turned 28 while we were there so we had some homemade red velvet cake and ice cream to celebrate. He seems pretty excited to be older.

It was kind of cold and rainy while we were there but the last day it was sunny so we went to the boardwalk near their home for a little stroll. It would be so fun to live so close to the ocean, except when the hurricanes come.