Christmas

Christmas was much calmer this year than it has been in the past.  Since Grandma and Papa H switched dinner from Christmas Eve to Sunday we were able to switch dinner from Christmas to Christmas Eve.  Witch meant no complicated cooking on Christmas!  We also narrowed down our activities on Christmas so that we weren't running around like chickens with our heads cut off.  It was very relaxing.  The kids got up about 8:40.  We slowly got out of bed, slowly opened presents and then we enjoyed our gifts until we headed to Grandma and Papa H's at 12.  We hung out after everyone else had left then meandered our way home for Uncle Justin's Christmas phone call from PA.  Then we had a very simple beans and weenies for dinner.  We have to figure out what we're going to do next year for Christmas since we'll be further away from everyone.  Hmmm...

 Great Grandma sent each of the kids money as always.  They thoroughly enjoy it.  It gets tucked into an envelope awaiting deposit in the bank.  We need to start accounts for each of the kids but for now envelopes work!

 Reading Grandma and Papa G's gift.  I know it's not much fun to give a letter but the kids will sure enjoy their swim lessons once we're moved into the new house!

 This dog dances, Carson was holding it's hands and dancing with it.  

 Mommy and Kayda got to read the new book from Grandma H.  

The boys were having a blast with their cousins!

Santa Pictures

Here are the Santa pictures the photographer at the ward Christmas party took!

Dillon's Christmas Program

Today was Dillon's Christmas Program.  I LOVE that he goes to a Christian preschool.  The entire program was about Jesus.  It's wonderful.  I will miss this preschool when we move...  Anyways.  They weren't in costumes this time but it was still great.  Both sets of grandparents joined us to watch the program.  

 Walking in

 Dillon got to say part of the "Five little bells" poem.  He nailed it!

 Walking out

 Dillon and Miss Donna

 Dillon and Miss Brenda

 Dillon and Vismaad (he talks about Vismaad ALL the time)

Dillon and Landyn (Landyn tells me quite frequently that Dillon is his best friend)

Ward Christmas Party

Also yesterday was the ward Christmas party.  There was good food, a good program (provided by the primary) and the kids had a BLAST wandering around the gym... especially Carson.  He was running around like crazy!  We're sad that we'll have to leave this ward but we know good things around in store.

 Carson found Kaitlyn right away.  She babysits the kids most Fridays and he has latched onto her pretty well.  When he saw she was holding Tally he made her pick him up too.  Heaven forbid she give her attention to another baby!  He and Tally don't really get along, they kind of bully each other.  It's kind of weird actually.

 Here they are!  Kayda is in the red dress on the far right, Dillon is on the far left sitting in the front.

 Carson wanted to be held and played with... mostly by Daddy.  I had to WORK to keep him happy and with me.  He wanted DADDY.

 The bishop sang with another three brethren from our ward.  I don't know all the names and if I did it would be their last names so I won't share!

 After the program Santa paid a visit!  Dillon rushed up there as soon as it was our turn.

Kayda was a little more timid.  Eventually she went and sat on his lap though.  Carson's picture will have to wait.  They had a volunteer photographer there last night so I can download the picture later.  He was crying so we didn't get our own.

Mommy made it

Well, we've been back in church since April and I finally got to the temple.  We went Friday morning, just me, Grandma and Grandpa G.  There were a lot of wonderful people who wanted to go with me but I knew I needed to go on my own.  I was able to take time to sit, read, ponder, and pray without the pressure of having extra people around. It was a wonderful experience, exactly what I needed, I went in there with a LOT of big stuff on my mind and Heavenly Father answered each of them very directly.  Grandma and Grandpa G had a special role in the temple, it was neat to watch, they said it was the first time they had the opportunity, not that I can go into much detail.  I'm so glad I went, Heavenly Father is paying attention to every little bitty piece of my life, I feel very loved.  

 Before the session started.  We got there about 7:15, 15 minutes early but I was glad to be early as opposed to having to worry about being late.

 Papa G and I.  

Grandma G and I.

Thanks everybody for all the support and patience.  Love you all. 

We're buying a new house!

We're gonna be moving!  Wow, this has been a whirlwind.  We just recently started thinking about buying another home after just shy of a year at Grandma and Papa G's house.  We started poking around with the idea, talked to a financial guy, looked around online, went for a nice drive to see areas we weren't too familiar with to figure out where we'd even want to live.  We were initially trying to stay in our current city, it's what we're familiar with, our family is all here, it's a short drive to work for Daddy.  We set aside the idea for a couple of weeks, then we were poking around online again and saw this house.  A foreclosure, so MUCH cheaper than comparable houses, a good size and on a good lot.... and I love the look of it (imagine it at Christmas!).  We sent a message to the realtor (Sunday), he messaged back (Monday) and we were off to see it that day.  I figured we'd go, I wouldn't like it, we'd leave and it would be out of our heads.  WRONG. We LOVED it.  I walked in and it FELT good.  I feel like it was made for me.  SO....we put in an offer, the bank countered for $5,000 more, basically dividing our offer and the asking price and we accepted (Tuesday).  Now the house is going to be ours 1/28/13!   I'm nervous of course, I'm nervous about moving to a new place, I'm nervous about the financing I'm not sure how it will work with the rental on there...  But I'm excited and very hopeful.  We need a change, a big change and this will definitely be one.  New schools for the kids, new town, new ward, new friends.... It'll be hard at first but I'm confident it will be great!

Meet the house I'm hoping will be ours in a month and a half...

 I had to snag this picture off the realty website, it was dark AND I forgot to take a picture of the front myself. 

 Front entry from the kitchen area

 Front entry from the stairs looking into the living room.

 Living room

 Dining room (through that doorway is the kitchen).

 From the kitchen to the family room/eating area.

 Missed the kitchen too, the realtor was hanging out at the island... would've been a little weird...

 From the sliding glass door, family room on the right, kitchen to the left.  That is the hall to the bathroom and garage, on the right is the "den" aka play room.

 Play room!

 Down stairs bathroom.

 Garage... you know... because it wasn't obvious.

 This is the top of the stairs, on the right will be Carson's room since it's right next to the master which is on the left.

 Carson's room.  I didn't have the flash on, hence the blurry children.  They were VERY excited.

 The  master

 The master bath, there are two closets, one on the left (you can see the door) the other is just to the right of the shower.

 I HAVE A REAL TUB!!!  

 The hall going the OTHER way from the top of the stairs.  On the left are the laundry room, bonus room and Dillon's room.  Linen closet straight ahead, Kayda's room and the bathroom on the right.

 Laundry room!  I HAVE A LAUNDRY ROOM!!!

 Kids' bathroom

 Kayda's room

 Dillon's room

 The unfinished bonus room.  Not sure when we'll finish it, someday we may even add closets then it counts as a bedroom... not that we need that many.

 Backyard looking to the right from the back door.

Back yard to the left of the back door.  I didn't want to go walk around, it was dark and apparently the previous owners had a dog we'll be picking up after...

We are SUPER excited.  I never imagined I would be able to afford a home like this.  Funny thing is we'll be paying less every month than if we moved back into our old house.  Daddy has a commute now.  He'll be riding the train and walking from there most of the time.  Otherwise his commute will be about an hour.  We talked over it and we decided this moved was good for our family (we had pre-approved the city before even looking at this house).  We are really looking forward to it.  We are so thankful to Grandma and Papa G for letting us live with them for 13 months (by the time we close) so that we could do this.  It wouldn't have been possible otherwise.  Before we move in we'll need to add gates on the sides of the house so Hank can come with us immediately.