Christmas Wish from Samantha

Samantha's teacher, Rebecca Fuller, recorded this at Samantha's Flute lesson and sent it to us today.  I think it's pretty cute!  Click here to see it on You Tube.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas in Full Swing

This week I feel Christmas just coming like a train that won't stop.  I love this time of year!  We went to the Apogee Christmas Party at the Riverwoods Conference Center.  It was so nice.  The menu was to die for:
Baby spinach, Cranberry-citrus, and Fresh Broccoli Florette Salads
Garlic mashed potatoes and Maple pecan Sweet potatoes as sides
Oven roasted Turkey with Sage-shallot gravy (this was the best!)
Herb-salt roasted New York loin with creamed horseradish
Carrot torte with pumpkin mousse and cream cheese icing or White chocolate and peppermint creme brulee.
We enjoyed the meal and visiting with Devin's work family then they played a white elephant game.  It was a great evening and the kids did great for the babysitter.  Yeah!
Devin's parents came to stay Thursday night - Sunday morning and we had a great weekend with them visiting.  Don, Devin and Greg built wood lockers for the garage to store boats, hang up coats, and store gloves and such.  When we get them up I'll have to take a picture because they are really cool.
Saturday Afternoon we went to "Christmas from the Ellen Eccles Theatre".  It was the American Festival Chorus and Orchestra and Maureen McGovern.  Wow what a show.  We had really nice seats and just enjoyed the music.  I enjoyed being in the audience this year and knew most of the music they sang from when I sang in it last year.  Maureen McGovern was amazing.  She really made the show shimmer and shine.  She is 62 years old and you would not guess it because of her energy and beautiful tones.  My favorite choir number was "For Unto Us a Child is Born" by Handel.  I just love all of the Messiah Music.  The bell choir was great.  I think that would be fun to be in.  The whole theatre was transformed into a Christmas Magical Land.  Hanging Snowflakes, Poinsettias lining the stage, Glowing Christmas Trees.  It was just gorgeous.  Devin's Sister Deonne sings in the choir and she did awesome!  It was great to see so many friends that I miss from the choir.  Hopefully someday, time will allow to be in the choir when the kids are a little older.
Instead of doing neighborhood gifts door to door, we decided to have our friends and neighbors come to our home for a Holiday Open House.  We got the idea from my parents who have done it now for three years.  They just love doing this so we thought we would try it.  We just started sending out invites so I'm planning on the menu:  Crackers, Cheese, and Meat slices; veggie tray; lemon bars; pumpkin chocolate chip bread; Carmel pop-corn; Chex mix (the salty kind); Gingerbread cookies.  It should be a lot of fun.  We thought we could have the kids do Christmas Bingo and win a prize and then go downstairs and watch some Christmas Shows while the parents visit upstairs. Let's hope it goes well.

Thanksgiving 2011

Since Devin and I have been married we haven't been to my Grandma Ballard's for Thanksgiving because that is the year we were with Devin's family.  This year it worked out that we could be with the Ballard's and it was a really great holiday.  Here are some pics.  I should have taken more.  Maybe Danny will send me a few more!  hint hint!  

We stayed with my parents for the whole weekend.  It was just good to be with family.  

Snoozing during the Football game

Look at those awesome socks Devin got!

Thanksgiving cleanup

Pecan Pie!

Cement Truck on the Driveway--nervous about cracking the existing driveway but I think it was OK

Waiting their turn

Grandpa T and I getting cement

Wheeling the cement to the pad

 These working pictures are the Saturday Morning project.  We had lots of men come help get the cement pad poured for the barn extension.  There was a lot of prep work that went into getting ready for the cement.  We were just glad for no rain.  It was chilly but dry!  

Family Search Indexing

I just completed my first 10 indexing names!  These were pretty easy and I'm expecting the next to get much harder.  It was really fun and something I can do while the kids are sleeping.  I've been asked to spread the word so check it out.  Its a great way to get involved with family history and help others locate their family names.  To sign up and get your first batch click here.  Anyone already doing this?  I would love to hear how they like it and what I can expect.  My first batch I entered names from WWII enlistment cards from Hawaii.  Pretty cool I say!  Till next time.

Working this weekend

We had a great week and good weekend.  David and Bonnie moved into their beautiful new home.  The boys helped them move over and I took the kids to my parents to play.  Michael and Samantha just played and played.  I hardly saw them because they kept busy.  The twins did so well and hardly cried.  After lunch they took a four hour nap so we just kept them until they woke up.  My mom and I were able to pick grapes and start juicing them.  My dad and grandpa's were digging the foundation out for the extention for the barn.  It was quite the site to see my two grandparents in their 80's and my dad who is recovering from back surgery move around dirt.  As soon as Devin got back from moving he got out their and helped finish it up.  I sure have some amazing hard workers in my family.
Today in ward choir we sang a song called "Come Home." by Michael Moody.  It was so beautiful.  We had a violin that played with us and it was so neat.  The music has an English feel.  It's one of my favorites at the time.  You can find the music online or in your Aug 2010 Ensign.  Here are the words.

1. Come home, the Father calls.

Come home, my child, to me.

Come home.

The Holy Ghost will lead you to eternity.

Lest we forget our home’s with God,

This lovely earth, its seas, its sky

And all things beautiful and true

of Heav’nly Father testify.

2. Come home, the Savior calls.

Come home all who’ll obey.

Come home. The gospel guides

along the straight and narrow way.

3. Come home, loved voices call.

Come home where you belong.

Come home to live in joy

forever in our fam’ly throng.

Words by Penelope Moody Allen

Music by Michael F. Moody

And were Off...

Wow, where did the time go.  Summer just flew by and now we are back in school and whirling in harvest.  I love fall.  It is such a beautiful time.  We didn't have a garden this year and I truly miss is.  Devin and I just celebrated our 13 year anniversary and I believe this is the first year we did not have a garden.  The kids do have one pumpkin growing and one tiny watermelon that we are hoping will get bigger quick before it freezes.  Traeden has been in charge of watering it all summer and has done a great job.
Traeden is in fifth grade this year!  He has a fantastic teacher and he is doing so well in getting his homework done so far.  He has made some good friends at the new school and is enjoying playing soccer at recess.  He is on Book 7 of Harry Potter.  He gets through one of those books in about a week or two.  I decided to read number 7 again and he is trying to beat me.  I'm sure he will!  He has a new piano teacher named Camille Jensen.  She is a senior in high school and plays the piano beautifully.  She studies with Gary Amano at USU and  Traeden really responds well to her.  He is doing a duet festival in November and gets to play with one of his friends from south campus.  I have been really proud of Traeden because he is making some good choices and being such a good brother.  He rides the bus to school with Conrad every morning and he makes sure they stick together and Conrad doesn't leave his violin on the bus.
Conrad is in 3rd grade and also has a great teacher.  She is allowing him to go to 7th grade Orchestra M-Thursday.  Conrad plays Harry Potter at recess everyday and has acquired a wand (a stick he found by his favorite climbing tree) to cast spells with.  He is loving cub scouts and does really well in passing things off.  I think he wants to get everything signed off (even the optional ones) in his book before he turns 9.
Samantha started Kindergarten.  She loves her teacher and her teacher aide Miss Mauria.  She has really been a great helper for me during preschool.  Since she is the big kindergartner she helps the kids with their writing and crafts.  She is going to go to Band with Traeden on Monday's and play her flute.  The band teacher has never had anyone this young in band so it's an experiment. She starts tomorrow so we will see...
Abigail is our big Preschooler.  She loves singing and we have to remind her when it's time not to sing.  Mom continues to work with her on the piano which she loves.  She is always the one to pull me to the piano and tell me it's her turn.  She also likes to play the "flute"  She makes flutes out of sticks, wooden spoons, and anything that vaguely resembles a straight stick.  We are debating starting her with Rebecca Fuller Flute studio but still not sure.  I'm still hoping one of my kids will learn the harp so I can learn too.  =)
Well we have been extremely blessed an watched over in the last few weeks.
I have some really great preschool students and almost have three full classes, which is amazing I think.
Our van isn't driving very reliably so I thought it would be a good idea to train the kids to ride the bus to and from school.  The first week we all took the bus together until I felt like they were ready to do it on their own. They did great.  Everyday went so well, until last Friday.
I meet them at the bus stop and walk them home and When they didn't get off the bus where I pick them up on Friday I got really worried and hopped in the van to try to find them.  I first went to the school to see if they forgot to take the bus and then I went to the transit center.  They weren't there so I talked with the main bus guy who could walkie talkie with the bus driver who drives their bus.  He told the driver their were three kids missing and to look for my three kids on his bus.  The driver said he didn't see them.  I then started to panic.  Could they have gotten on the wrong bus, did Traeden go home with a friend and taking the other two with him.  I had no idea what to do.  I prayed all the way home.  While Abigail in her seat was going over the conversation I had with the bus guy out loud.  She was saying things like "I can't find my kids, they have blond hair..."  I went home hoping they would be there but they weren't so I called Devin.  He told me to stay home and he would go out and search.  I started calling some friends to see if they saw them after school.  In the meantime on the bus... Traeden was reading his book and told Conrad to watch for the stop.  Conrad fell asleep.  Which is why the bus driver didn't see them.  Traeden reading, Conrad and Samantha asleep.  They missed their stop and luckily Traeden realized this and started watching for when the bus goes back on the other side of the road.  Anyway they made it home a little after 5:00 pm and I was so happy!  I called Devin who was still driving to the transit center with a picture of the kids.  He and I were about ready to call the police. We are getting a phone for Traeden's backpack just for emergencies so we can locate them and not have to worry.

First day of Kindergarten!

Devin just got home last night from the Red Rock Relay.  He ran with his brothers.  He has been the race King lately.  He ran the Man vs. Mud race on Saturday the 3rd with two of his friends then on Labor Day he ran the 10k in Wellsville.  He has really enjoyed running lately especially if he does it with other people.

Before the Race all Clean

After Race all Dirty

Oceanside California Trip Travelog

We had such a great time in Oceanside California.  We went with the Overly Family.  Every family member was there except one which we missed you Devin (Greg's Oldest boy)
We took 211 pictures on the trip!  So I will just share some of the best to tell the story of our trip.

Saturday--Arrived to Oceanside about 5:00 pm after leaving Smithfield at 5:00 am--We had no troubles driving.  The kids were really good and we ate breakfast in the car and lunch at a Las Vegas gas station parking lot.   It was so hot in Vegas we found shade from a pole in the parking lot.  Next time we are hoping to find a good rest stop to eat at.  But you never know when you need to stop so that's where we were.

This is Mt. Soledad.  We had quite the driving adventure getting here but it was beautiful and nice view of the LDS San Diego Temple

Sunday--Went to church in Oceanside.  The ward was great and had lots of visitors.  The primary told us to come back anytime because all the kids were great.  We went on a Sunday drive to Mt. Soledad and then saw Seal at the Children's Pool in La Jolla.  We had fun climbing around on rocks on the beach and eating dinner in the park.

Beautiful View of a Seal at Children's Pool

Monday:  We spent the day on the beach.  I didn't take one picture of us on the beach because of the sand but we had so much fun.  We built an awesome sand castle with lots of cousins contributing.  We buried all the kids that wanted.  We boogie boarded and splashed around in the water.  I read in the shade.  Kids were so occupied just playing in the sand I was amazed how much fun they had.  Traeden got pretty shaken up after getting toppled by some huge waves, so he was pretty cautious about getting too far into the water.  I really wanted to get him excited about boogie boarding but no luck, maybe next time.
Tuesday:  Old Town, San Diego.  We had such a marvelous experience at the Mormon Battalion Museum.  My kids loved the tour, the movie, panning for gold, building block buildings, and riding the toy horses.

Traeden and Josh dressed to be a Battalion Member.  

Outside the Mormon Battalion with Cathy and Nathan

Tuesday night the boys went to the Padre's Baseball Game and the girls did foot massages and went out for dinner.
Wed.  Each family did their own thing.  We went to Balboa Park.  We spent most of the day in the Natural History Museum and had a great time there.  They had a great exhibit on Penguins and polar bears.  Then one on Dinosaurs that was great.  The movies we watched were fantastic.

Walk like a Penguin

That night we stayed for the Concert in the Park.  The Catallics were playing and it was great fun.  Abi and I danced and we all sang along to the oldies.  We then had dinner at Darband 5th Ave. Grill.  This was a Persian Restaurant close to Balboa Park.  It was such a cultural experience and the kids loved the food.

Thursday:  Day at the beach , Overly Family Olympics (Minute to Win It), Oceanside Sunset Market, and Bonfire on the beach.

Devin doing the orange swing-knock over bottle challenge!

Friday:  This was our travel day.  We got up and left about 8:00 am.  We had a long wait going through the customs checks.  I think they were looking for people selling drugs?  We stopped in Mesquite to mail the parking pass we forgot for the beach house.  We ate PB&J sandwiches in front of Smiths in Mesquite.  Very hot!!  Where is that nice rest stop we were going to stop at?  =)

Sitting on a bench in front of Smiths eating lunch

We had a great time and the best was the memories created for the kids being with cousins.  They had such a great time being with family and those memories are priceless.
For more pictures of our trip you can visit our picasa website.
Hope the link works!

Swim Lessons

Abi's teacher told us she had never seen such a young child so fearless of the water.  She is a fish.

Samantha is great on her back.  She is working on getting brave to put her face in.

Conrad Jumping backwards during free time at Swimming lessons.

Traeden is getting to be quite a good swimmer

It been a great summer so far and busy.  I can't believe I haven't even posted once about anything we have done.  What can I say, it's been busy.  I'll get some more later, got to go to choir practice.

Abi the Show Girl

This was our last day of Preschool and we had a great time at the program showing off for the parents.  Abi especially loves the lime light!

Summer Begins

The girls got haircuts on Tuesday and Samantha decided to cut her hair short.  I told her if she cut enough off she could donate her hair and she said she wanted to.  So here is our new Samantha

It will be a great cut for the hot summer and she looks adorable still.  We got our family pictures back and they are so fun.  Here is a link to view them.  Overly Pictures 2011

We are getting ready and excited to go on our ward Pioneer Trek.  I made my pioneer outfit and then borrowed from friends the girls.  Here is us at Traeden's pioneer day at school.

The Ragnar Relay is the same week so it will be quite the week.  We have a fun team and are looking forward to it.  We tried to get all family to run with us Thus our Team name is "Wii are Family"  We couldn't convince enough family to run with us.  But we did get some.  Devin and I, Danny (my brother), Greg (Deonne's husband), Jena and Russ my 2nd cousins and Stephen (Danny's brother-in-law).  We will claim him as family as well.  =)   So more then half of the team is family which is not too bad.  The rest of the team are friends and family of friends.  We also had to get three volunteers which we found!!  It can be stressful putting this all together but I'm glad we are doing it.  It has helped Devin and I to keep running despite bad weather this spring.  The race course has changed somewhat significantly because of the weather.  The Old Snow Basin Road is completely a mess.  So that route has changed.  They have also changed the starting point since Logan River in some places is flooded and the construction on 10th West.
We are excited for summer.  The kids have had a great summer so far and look forward to more adventures and playing with new neighbor friends.

New Family Pictures and kid updates

It was a fun week to have the kids home.  We re-did our job charts and the kids are doing a little more around the house to help.  That has been very nice.  Conrad had a violin recital on Thursday and he played Bouree by Handel and The Theme from Star Wars.  He did a great job and it was fun to see him so attentive to the rest of the violin students who are more advanced then him.
Yesterday was our Family Picture Day.  It's been two years since we had pictures taken-not to bad but we thought it would be fun to get an update.  When we get them I'll put up a link so you can see how they turned out.  The weather has been very unpredictable so we were worried we might get rained out.  Luckily the rain held out until we got done!  It's always an adventure to get all six of us in our pose and then smiling.  Our photographer was great and very patient because Abi was just all over and being super silly.
In getting Conrad to smile the photographer said to him, "Say, I eat my snotty boogers" and Conrad shouts out, "Me too!"  We got a kick out of that.
After our photo session we went to Golden Corral for dinner.  That place is so great for our kids.  They just love the variety of food and that you can just get a little of this and of that.
I am just amazed at how old our kids are getting.  Traeden is getting so tall and he is being so much more responsible.  I love that he enjoys reading so much.  It is his favorite pastime.  Conrad is growing up too and having so much fun in scouts.  He has been motivated on his own to pass off his faith in God and scout requirements.  I'm sure we will be working on lots over the summer.  Samantha is just a cutie.  Our photographer kept saying--"She is just so beautiful".   We really Samantha to know that it's more important to be beautiful inside then out.  Abigail is growing up and using more and more words.  We have this computer program that Samantha has been using to learn letters and numbers and Abigail has been wanting to play so I finally set up her own account and she surprisingly can use the mouse and do the games all on her own.  She also has been begging to play the piano and asks everyday when it's her time to practice.  I wasn't sure I wanted to start her yet because of all the time it takes for me but I have relented and have done little practice sessions for her for about a month now.  It's very slow and we do the same things over and over but she loves the time with me so it's worth it.

A Pain in the Neck

Starting Easter Weekend my right back top molars started hurting so I was making sure to floss and brush really well. I thought I got some food stuck but no matter what I did to clean it didn't seem to go away.  Tuesday it really started to hurt even more and I started getting head aches in the back of my neck and up the side of my head.  I can't explain my thought process but it became so consuming I couldn't function well.  I couldn't eat anything hard because it hurt to chew.  I have been drinking lots and eating yogurt and soup all week.  My gums have been so swollen that as I bite I can feel them with my lower teeth.  I started taking some Ibuprofen just to make it through the day.   I started thinking I might have some brain tumor or I had cancer and I was going to die.  This is how crazy I was going.  I finally called my dentist and I found out he was out of town until Monday.  So his nurse called me from home and asked my questions.  Well I don't think I explained very well how much pain I was in because she told me that if it doesn't go away over the weekend I could come in on Monday.  Thursday I couldn't sleep.  I was having flu symptoms of body aches, chills, fever and Devin told me I needed to call the nurse back.  I did on Friday morning and told her I was worse and so she scheduled to come in to see me at 1:00 pm.  I kept busy cleaning the house just to keep my mind off the pain, but I was in a bad way.  I would burst out crying when anyone asked me how I was doing.  It was terrible.  When I got to the dentist office.  The nurse took some x-rays and the tooth looked fine from three different angles.  Then she tested my sensitivity to cold.  I couldn't even feel cold on that back tooth.  But I could with my other teeth.  She said it looks like there may be some nerve damage and recommend me to see Dr Steve Larsen who is an Endodontist.  She made an appointment to see him at 4:00 that day.  I picked up Traeden from school and arranged for someone to take Conrad home after orchestra and went to the appointment.  While I sat and waited in the Dentist office, I was shaking and several times I couldn't control the tears that flowed because of the extreme pain throughout my body.  Once the Doctor could see me I was doing terribly.  I couldn't talk to him without crying.  I explained all my symptoms and he took a picture of my tooth which focuses not only on the roots and surface but the inside pockets.  This show him some infection inside my tooth which would require a root canal.  He explained he would need to go right through the center of my tooth and release the build up of infection.  I was scared but at that point I just wanted the pain to go away so I told him lets do it.  He numbed me and started the procedure a few minutes after that.  During the procedure I didn't feel anything.  I actually felt the best I had all week.  I brought my Ipod to help me not think about the drilling because it makes me nervous.  He said that once that tooth opened up, lots of puss came shooting out.  He said, "No wonder you have been in so much pain."  Part of the procedure is he cuts the nerve that comes to that tooth.  He gave me some antibiotics to help me get rid of the infection.  I am still on a soft food diet.  It takes me forever to eat anything but the pain is so much better.  I really can't believe I had a root canal.  Before I was married I didn't have any cavities. It wasn't until after I started having children that I got cavities.  It was so traumatic the first cavity I got because growing up my dentist would always tell me what great teeth I had and how strong they were.   Well I'm just glad I don't have cancer and I'm not going to die, I'm just hoping to get over this and not have a root canal again.   Anyone out there as wimpy as me?  I guess I just don't deal with pain that well.
On the up side of things, my parents came up yesterday.  I was asked to speak about the importance of choosing good music to the Laurel's in our stake at their Laurel Retreat.  My mom came up with me and we had a great time visiting on our hour drive to this cabin in Oxford, ID.  The talk when really well.  I was happy I wasn't in so much pain and I could focus on the girls.  Devin and My dad stayed and did soccer games with the kids and worked on our fence.  After my mom and I got home, we had lunch and then got as much of the fence done as we could.  What a relief it is for Devin.  He was elated to get so much done yesterday.
Today Devin was sustained as the Elders Quorum President in our new ward.  This has been quite the experience for him to choose his counselors without really knowing the brethren in our ward.  He has really had to rely on the spirit to guide him.
The kids are doing well.  Abigail is just talking and talking more and more.  She says some of the cutest things.  I really need to write them down because I can't think of them right now.  Samantha is just a sweetheart.  She is so willing to learn and it's been a joy to work with her on reading and learning to play the flute.  She is so smart and quick to learn but she also has a willingness and sense of what's good and she works to make things the best she can.  Conrad is making lots of new friends and "complains" that all the girls try to catch him and chase him at recess.  Traeden had a birthday this week.  He turned 10!  He went to the jail for cub scouts on his birthday.  For his birthday meal he chose to have German Pancakes and orange juice.  He is doing so well at the piano lately and he is started to take from a new piano teacher on Wednesday.  His last teacher just had too many students and had to cut back because of her young family.  Well I have to go to choir practice so I better sign off.

Conrad's Baptism

We had a very special day yesterday at Conrad's Baptism. We had almost all family with us and it was so wonderful. Conrad had many family participate in the program

Chorister:  Janelle Overly (Aunt)

Pianist:  Geri Titensor (Grandma)

Opening Song:  When Jesus Christ was Baptized

Opening Prayer:  Charity Overly (Aunt)

Talk:  Scott Titensor (Uncle)

Musical Number:  “When I am Baptized” 

violin solo by Conrad Overly

Baptism

Witnesses:  Don Overly and Steve Titensor (Grandpas)

Talk:  Aliene Overly (Grandma)

Confirmation

Grandpas and Uncles in the circle

Closing Song:  Baptism

Closing Prayer:  Steve Titensor (Grandpa)

The spirit was so strong during both the baptism and confirmation.  The love of the Lord was there and I am so grateful for the experience that helped my testimony grow.  Conrad's musical number was so sweet and he touched us all with his pure tones and voice.  I feel so blessed to have such a special boy in my home.  We are grateful for all the extra effort our family made to come and be with us that day.  We had a nice lunch afterward of taco salads and then some of us went to the Fun Park and played in the soft play, lazer tag or bowling and did some arcade games.  

Sound of Music | Central Station Antwerp (Belgium)

This is a way fun video. If you think this is fun...our Relief Society is going to do this tomorrow night at the ward talent show! We have had a blast putting it together.

Pictures

Nibley Moving.  We had so much help from Maple Valley ward it was so awesome!!  Thanks so much!

New Neighbors helping us move in.  We had to put ice melt down on the cement so no one would slip.  Again, lots of awesome neighbors who didn't know us at all came to help.  Gotta love the Elder's Quorm!
Besides all the help from friends and neighbors my parents came up Friday Night and got us all ready to move and then they stayed all day Saturday and got our beds up.  I am ever so grateful for good parents!  Thanks Mom and Dad.  David, who just moved to Utah himself came up for most of Saturday as well.  We had a few things that were hardest to move.  The piano was tricky but we left the best for last.  We stored our treadmill in Deonne and Gregs garage for a month when we were trying to make our home look more spacious for potential buyers.  So after we were in our house for a couple weeks Devin got the treadmill with the help of Greg and Alex in his truck. Once we got it to Smithfield we called over Dan our awesome nieghbor and the three of us (really just Dan and Devin) got it in the house.  This is after the front door was taken off and doing some twisting and turning to fit it in.  It was a beast.  This is not just a little treadmill.  It's one of those incline trainers which Devin thought we would have to keep in the house because it is so heavy and just awkward to move.  It is a miracle that it got in the house.  Now the question still remains, Does it still work after all the moving?

  Jon Parker drove this huge semi that fit all of our stuff in one load.  Jon was so gracious to let us use his truck, help load it, drive it to Smithfield, unload it and then drive home.  We thought we would have so much room but it was tight to get it all in.  We ended up putting all the hanging clothes in my parents explorer, several things in David's car, some in the red pickup and all the plants in the van.  I really don't want to do this again.  I hope we are here to stay for a long while!

Conrad is now 8 years old.  We took an afternoon to go get his scout stuff at the scout store.  Here is his bear which he dressed up as a scout.  He is so excited to be a scout and way excited to be baptized in a couple weeks.  He had a friends party here in the new house with his friends from Nibley and two friends from Smithfield.  We played a few fun games, had ice cream and cake, did a guitar pinata, and then watched Toy Story 2.  Birthdays are so much fun!

Settling in

It's been a while since I've posted anything because we have had quite the month.  It has been a month since we moved to Smithfield and are really feeling like we are finally settling in.  I can actually cook in my kitchen and find everything I need to.  For a while I was in survival mode and now I can look a little beyond maintenance.  There is a lot that has happened so I will just touch on a few things.
We did a lot of driving because the boys were still going to Nibley for school and then this last Monday they transferred to Thomas Edison North Campus which is easier for me to get them back and forth to school.  They are enjoying being the new kids and have excellent teachers.
Devin and I spoke in church a week after we moved in our new ward on Covenants
Stake Conference was the next week and I sang in the Relief Society Choir and we then lost Conrad.  Devin search the restrooms and all the hallways then he felt prompted to look in every classroom.  Still no Conrad, then he thought to look on the stage and noticed a classroom and found him sitting in there all by himself waiting for his primary class to come.  We had never had stake conference in our own building before so he just thought we were going to primary after sacrament meeting.  We were pretty nervous for a while but now we find it funny and cute.
Devin's parents flew home from their mission on Friday Night.  We got to visit with them for a short time at the airport and look forward to visiting with them next weekend when they report.
I just got sustained to be the Relief Society Pianist and I will also get to play for the Spanish Branch Sacrament once a month.  I think that will be some fun callings that I will enjoy.
We had an open house for friends, family and neighbors to come see our new home a couple weeks ago and it was so great to see so many come support us.
We feel so extremely blessed to have a renter for our Nibley Home.  They just moved in this weekend and they signed a two year lease.
The snow is melting and we are looking forward to getting out and doing some bike rides, yard work and some family outside play.

We are moving!

No this is not a joke but man we feel like it's happened so fast, let me see if I can give you an idea of what has happened in the last few weeks.
Jan 5th --We sent an e-mail to a friend of ours who is a realtor, Dan Paskett, and asked him to keep an eye out for us for a home and we gave him 8 criteria.  basement (preferably not finished or half finished)

9 foot ceilings

No flood zone (like Nibley)

around a 1/3 of an acre 

Main floor around 1500 square feet

At least three bedrooms finished

at least 2 bathrooms

the house facing west or south

Added bonus but would really like:

a walk out basement

wrap around porch

We'll he e-mailed us back and said his neighbor was selling their home and they were asking $275 and it had all our criteria except the bonus features.  We told him that was more then we could afford right now but let us know if he sees anything else.  

Jan 6th he told us of another home that just lowered their home price to $219 and it is a really nice home with all our criteria as well.  So I scheduled to see the home on Jan 13

Jan 13th--I went by myself to see the Smithfield home.  Devin said if I loved it then he would come and see if with me.  So I did love it.  I took a bunch of pictures brought them home to show him.  As I was driving home I started crying because I didn't know how all of it would work out but I felt like we should move.  It was exciting and scary all at the same time.  

Jan 15--Devin came to the home with me.  We also saw 4 other homes that were in the same price range to compare  apples to apples.  None of the other homes even compared. 

Jan 16 and 17th we really thought and prayed about it and told Dan we wanted to meet with him Tuesday night.

Jan 18th--We met with a bank mortgage lender and got approval to get a loan for the Smithfield home.  That night we made an offer on the home and also listed our home for sale.

Jan 19th--The home went up officially and got a sign up in the yard.  Neighbors are starting to wonder what is going on.  De cluttering and got rid of our huge treadmill temporarily at Devin's sisters home.  

Jan 20th--My mom came up to help me paint our bedroom.  The couple did not accept our offer because they didn't want to wait for us to sell our home.  They were confident they would be able to sale it sooner.

Jan 21st--I was in Woods Cross visiting my mom and Devin called to say that someone wanted to come see our home that night.  I was panicked because we pulled our bed out in the family room since the paint was still drying and we had paint stuff still everywhere and the touch up wasn't even done.  So Devin said he would come home early to help me get ready.  An hour later he called back and said that someone else put an offer on the house and we have a day to come back with another offer or we lose the Smithfield home.  

We had already started thinking about renting our home instead of selling it.  So Devin called our lender and started running some numbers to see if it was even possible.

Once I got home I started cleaning with the kids help.  We got most of it done in an hour and then Devin came home and did the moving of the bed and we got rid of some extra furniture to make the house seem more spacious.  

I went to piano lessons with the kids came home and Devin did awesome getting the house all ready.  We had a group date playing wally ball with some friends which was great for stress reducing.  Then after we came home and got the kids in bed, Dan came over and we drew up a new offer on the house not contingent on our sale of our home.  We told Dan we would call him in the morning after we had some rest and time to pray and let him know if he should give the offer to the family.

Jan 22nd--Called Dan in the morning and told him we felt great about it and to go ahead and give them the offer.  He called us back at 12:00 noon and said the family felt like they should give the other couple another chance to counter-offer.  They had until 6:00 pm to decide to counter.  The rest of the day was torture.  Devin and I both were pessimistic about getting the house at that point.  We thought for sure the other family would counter and give a better offer and we had decided we would not go any higher.  6:15 We got a call from Dan and he said, "I have bad news, I'm going to be your new neighbor."  We were so excited.  

The next week was full of meeting with the lender again, inspections, appraisals, telling neighbors, informing my preschool families, getting boxes for packing, packing things we don't need.  We still don't know exactly our closing date but our plan is to move in the home Presidents Day Weekend.  That only gives us two more full weeks before we move.  CRAZY!!  I should be packing right now but I had to get this down on paper before it all escapes me.  Here are the pictures I took the first time I saw the home.

 Front view of home (West facing home)

Laundry room

Great room upstairs

Kitchen

Cabinets

Kitchen stove-flat top but electric so I'm going to have to learn to cook on this

Master Tub

Master bath

Fireplace down stairs

cold storage room

Bathroom downstairs

Bathroom downstairs

kids bedroom

Downstairs great room

nice wide stairs

down stairs great room

Some fun things we learned about the home after is the inspector couldn't find anything wrong with the home.  It's got sound batting in both the master bathroom and laundry room to damper sound from the washer and the jetted tub.  The bathrooms have water resistant sheet rock.