Our Time at Stone Hill

With moving and Christmas and everything else that is going on, I thought I'd post this for those who want more than our generic Christmas card.  This pretty much sums up most of our year...at least from April on.  Merry Christmas!

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So, We Bought a House Today

 I don't think I've written here that we decided that instead of just doing the easy thing and buying a house in Boise, Idaho, we'd hire someone to build one!  

This is what our lives have looked like for most of the summer. Jeff, me and usually my mom looking at house plans, making decisions and planning, planning, planning. 

  It's no easy thing, building a house hundreds of miles away from where it will be but thanks to our friends, Tara and Dave Neilson (they convinced us to move there in the first place, along with a lot of prayers of course), we had weekly updates and all the pictures we could ask for.

Finally today, the house is done and it is ours!  I don't have all-the-way-done pictures yet (I'll take some when we get there next week) but these will be nice to remember and will give you an idea.  

 Looking down from the second floor

 The view from the back...the main reason we decided on this plot.  I hope that neighbor never moves and always keeps his yard looking that awesome.

 Entry way view

 So excited to have a fireplace, even more excited that we will be there in time to hang stockings on it this year! :)

 Most exciting thing about the kitchen?  Subway tiles!  Least exciting thing, counter tops.  We just couldn't stomach spending double what we should on counter tops through the builder.  My plan is to redo all of the dark counter tops in  a deep walnut and then do a nice marble looking slate/quartz for the light counter tops...someday!  Until then, I think they look fine.

2nd most exciting thing(s) about the kitchen: window cabinets and walk-in pantry!

 My favorite thing about the outside = SHAKES...love them.  I used to dream of a house with shakes when I was in Connecticut and Rhode Island.  I just love the texture and depth.  Oh, and notice the bottom window in the right hand side of your screen.  That's the window seat we had put in...so glad we did that.

 Master bathroom...don't know what was going on with that drawer on the right and have no clue what I'm going to do with the space in the middle. :)

There are many more photos but they are all in PDF form so I'll have to do a house tour when we get there.  I must say that it is all such a dream right now and I can't believe we are actually going to live here.  But we are...next week!

In the meantime, I'd better get back to packing!

P.S. My parents have been so amazing through this whole process.  They have loved us and taken care of our girls while we traveled to and from Boise to make important decisions, spent long hours helping us make plans and listened to endless conversations about kitchen cabinets, paint colors, etc. Oh yeah and WE HAVE BEEN LIVING WITH THEM FOR ALMOST 9 MONTHS!  That was definitely not our plan when we came but none of this could have ever happened without that fact.  Their support, love and confident encouragement have really made this dream of ours come true.

More to come!

The Necessary Halloween/Fall Report

Candy was gathered (first time for all three girls...twins loved it, Norah was done after the first four houses).

The Family Photo....DONE (even though it is a horrible photo) Jeff, Ollie and Me = Popeye, Olive Oyl and Swea'Pea.  The girls= Princesses, of course.

Twins, such gracious little princesses...Who is that crazy kid in the corner?

Oh, Norah.  She is the two-iest two year old I've ever known (and I've known some)!
She loved her dress, hated her gloves.

Great Grandma checking them all out. :)

Saturday we went to the Andelin Farm (just down from Mom and Dad).  Cameron Andelin owns it.  He and I grew up together so it was really fun to see him and meet his family after 12 years.

 That's Cameron driving. He is Accountant by day Farmer by night and weekends.

 The pumpkin patch was kind of sad...there was a deep frost a couple nights ago that basically froze everything....

 But mom scavenged some...

 And Norah too!

 Happy Halloween 2011.

Pictures and an Update

Hello Friends and Family,
Are you wondering if we are still alive over here?  I would be if I were you.  I haven't been the best at keeping you updated.  I know I don't have to tell you why.  Four babes ages three and under sounds challenging and frankly it is.  Sometimes I feel like a gerbil in a wheel cleaning, changing, cleaning, loving, cleaning, changing, etc, never getting ahead.  I feel like I have given up any hope of sanity or "free time" and that I may never be able to really get my hopes and dreams for my business off of the ground.

Then I look down (Ollie's on my lap right now...cooing and smiling) and think WHO CARES!  I am so beyond blessed to have these precious children in my life...so blessed to know that there is no way I could ever do this alone and to know that I have an amazing man at my side helping me and making me laugh every step of the way (how is that for a run-on sentence?!).  When I think about it and am in the right frame of mind, I remember that this time is so fleeting and in a way, sacred.

So, I've decided not to worry about the hopes and dreams for the business right now...and enjoy what I've spent most of my life dreaming about...this man and these children!   Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to throw in the towel altogether, I'm just giving myself the permission not to stress about advertising, blogging, etc., just doing the minimum to keep things going but not necessarily growing.

Wanna see the people I am so blessed to live with and love?  Eden Thome has photographed our family at every stage and never disappoints.   Thanks for indulging me:

On the house front, we are still here in my parents home.  It continues to be an overall great experience and I know it will be a sad day when we say good-bye.  We have enjoyed my parents and Great-Grandma Dahl so much and have had lots of quality time with cousins, aunts and uncles and friends.

But we are getting really excited about purchasing a new home in a few months.  We plan to move to the Boise, Idaho area. I dream of the space we will have...a place for everything...even (hopefully) a small studio for me!  We are narrowing down areas and homes and will head that way probably in September.

So that's the update! Thanks so much for your continued support and kind words. I truly enjoy the relationships with those of you who take the time to comment and email.

Baby Ollie's Blessing Day

"A little bit of heaven

Drifted down from above
A handful of happiness,
A heart full of love.
The mystery of life,
So sacred and so sweet
The giver of joy
so deep and complete.
Precious and priceless,
So lovable too
The world's sweetest miracle,
Baby boy, is you."
- Unknown

Our precious Oliver Bradley was blessed by his dad on Sunday May 29, 2011, surrounded by the love and devotion of so many family members (including four grandparents and four great grandparents). He was blessed to be a light to those around him and an example to his family.  He was also blessed to learn from his sisters "the good things of this world".  And my favorite, that he would find a sweet girl to marry and that together they will do great things.  

I love the priesthood, I love that I will now have a boy to raise.  I already see things so differently, thinking about how the world and the gospel will affect my boy.  I want to be a good example of what a wife and mother should be so that he will seek out someone who will have those attributes. 

One thing is for sure, this boy is LOVED

He wore the hat and shoes/socks that all of his uncles (my brothers) wore when they were blessed.  The blanket he was wrapped in was a gift to my mom from my Great Grandma Egbert.  I and all of my siblings were blessed with that blanket around us. So Ollie used the blanket that was a gift from his Great,Great Grandmother. :)  

I found his little linen romper online.  It is vintage, I'm guessing from the '60's. I loved the charming embroidery detail  on the front.  It is a size 6 months so I was worried that it would be too big but it fit him perfectly!

We are proud parents. :)

One of the thirty pictures we tried to get of all of us together with three very tired, very crazy girls.  This one made me laugh.

 It was so great to have Jerry and Shirley there...the girls were so excited to see them (they still ask if we are going to their house on Sundays...this was a tradition when we lived closer and we all really miss it).  Huge thing to note is Great Grandma and Grandpa Lawrence.  They came to church...it was the first time either of them have attended any church meeting or baby blessing for grandchildren or great-grand children. It was so wonderful seeing them there.  Grandma Lawrence held Ollie almost the whole meeting. :)

It was so fun the have Great Grandma Stevenson there too.  She is so cute and always so sweet and kind.

I loved this one.  This is Grandma Stevenson with her twins holding our twins!

Here's four generations without Dad...he just got called to serve in the Young Single Adults Ward bishopric and had to dash over there after the blessing.

 These two were so cute!  They talked and talked.  They are only a few years different in age and seemed to just really enjoy one another.

 Loved this shot

Aren't they the prettiest Great-Grandma's ever? I hope I look half as good at their age!

Britta snuck in some pictures while I soothed Ollie after mostly everyone had left.  I loved this one.

Shirley has made a sweet little name bracelet for each of our children on their blessing day.  I love this little tradition. 

It was these two's 13th Anniversary that day as well.  We had a great time celebrating with them the night before.

My favorite sister.  I wish I could just reach through the screen and hug her!

Found Elsa and Laurel snuggly sleeping that night and couldn't resist...seriously so cute!

And I loved this one of Ollie and Abby...so sweet

Basically this boy has brought us even more love and even more happiness than we could have ever imagined.  I'm always amazed at the miracle and beauty of a new life.  I can't imagine being happier...really.