Happy with his Dad
Nap time vs. Lunch time
She enjoyed that whole apple with eyes wide shut
11.28.2007
11.26.2007
Blessings
* Seeing the first snowfall before leaving for our Thanksgiving holiday.
* Being able to travel across the country to visit with family. It isn't cheap. It isn't easy. But we are grateful that we can do it. Why does Michigan have to be so far away?
* 3 1/2 wonderful days at home in Gardnerville where we were able to witness and participate in Jared's ordination to the Melchizedek priesthood. This was so important to me, and I will always be thankful that I could be there.
* Seeing Grandma Bettie (my grandmother) and Mama Jo (my great-grandmother) in UT. Due to some last minute changes in Thanksgiving plans, we got to drive out to UT for the second half of our trip. My mom's sister and her family were there (minus only one cousin--we missed you Daniel). Its the first time in at least 15 years that we have all been together like that.
* Getting both of our families together for Grant's blessing. All of my immediate family, including those just mentioned, and all of Cori's- except for Damien and his fam- got together at the hotel we were staying at. One of Cori's uncles was in town with his family and they were able to make it as well. My dad rented the conference room for the evening and we ate dinner together and had a wonderful time catching up with everyone. It was amazingly special to be together like that to officially welcome Grant to the world and the Church.
* Being back home again. The kids are getting back onto their schedules. Grant is almost sleeping through the night. We've got a lot of work to do. Its good to be home.
11.18.2007
Recap Part VI: The House
Okay, this will be the last instalment in the recap series. I just wanted to share a little list of all the work that we (we ='s me, Cori, Sandy, Ray, Jared and Sara) have done on the house in the 2 short months we've been living there. Here it is:
Then, after all the plumbing was in, all the information and power lines pulled through the walls, and the fireplace finally installed they came and hung the drywall. They finished all the finishing work on the drywall the day before we left to come to NV for Thanksgiving. I took a few pictures that night. So its textured, primed and waiting for us to come home and paint!
- 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms painted
- exterior shutters hung
- interior blinds installed
- shower curtain rails installed
- bathroom hardware installed
- 2 decks stained
- lattice hung below both decks
- lots of furniture picked out, purchased, and placed
- 1 BBQ assembled
- landscaping started
- mail box put up
- house numbers installed
- washer and dryer purchased and installed
This is all the stuff we did on our own. We also began the construction on the basement as quickly as we could. Our contractor pulled his building permit the day that Grant was born. It has taken a lot longer than we planned, but he's kept pretty well within the budget we set, so we can't complain. The whole project got set back nearly two weeks while we waited for the fireplace to be installed... Anyway, we're getting close the end, and we are so excited to have that space! Here's a little peek at the progress. It went from empty to being framed in about 4 days.
Then, after all the plumbing was in, all the information and power lines pulled through the walls, and the fireplace finally installed they came and hung the drywall. They finished all the finishing work on the drywall the day before we left to come to NV for Thanksgiving. I took a few pictures that night. So its textured, primed and waiting for us to come home and paint!This is the bathroom.
This is taken from the guest bedroom. You are all welcome to come and stay! The door on the right goes out to the living area, and the door on the left goes into the bathroom.
This is the main living area. The fireplace is further off to the left.
This is the view coming up the stairs into our upstairs living area.
So, once we have all the painting done, they'll install the finish lumber, flooring, and the rest of the lighting and bathroom fixtures, and voila! I'll finally get the rest of our stuff unpacked, and we can really start decorating.
Well, that's what we've all been up to. You are officially up to date!
11.12.2007
Recap Part V: Visitors (AKA Life Savers)
The last couple of months would not have been possible without the unmeasurable help of some amazing family members.
First, my brother Jared came out the weekend we moved into our new house. He lifted boxes, organized the garage, kept me company, helped Cori move the furniture, helped me unpack, and played with Grace. It was a treat for me to be able to talk with him and spend some quality one on one. Isn't he just so handsome? Sorry ladies, he's putting in mission papers.
The day he left, we welcomed my sweet mother-in-law, Sandy. She stayed for a marathon-esque 2 1/2 weeks. It was so wonderful. Especially for Grace. I got to sleep and rest and figure things out with Grant, and Gracie got 200% more undivided attention than usual. Sandy took care of so much around the house--she was always cooking or sweeping or changing laundry. Not to mention all the painting she helped us do the weekend before we had Grant (and putting up with me!). Thanks again, Mom O!
Part way through her stay, her hubby Ray joined us. He also helped so much with things that we wanted to do around the house and with playing with Gracie. This guy knows how to have fun. (Don't be alarmed. That's a non-alchi drink he's got there!) It was really nice having them both here with us.
Just over lapping their stay was my sister's. Sara came and stayed with us for just over 2 weeks as well. It was a little piece of heaven to bum around with her, plan meals with her, go shopping with her, and work around the house with her.
Conspicuous by their absence were my own parents. My mother had a knee replacement surgery just a few weeks before Grant was born, making it pretty much impossible for her to make the transcontinental voyage to stay with us. I missed my mom so much during this time. But lots of phone calls and cards from home helped ease the hurt. We'll look forward to having them stay with us soon.
So there you have it. The great secret to our success. Thanks again all! We couldn't have made it without you!
First, my brother Jared came out the weekend we moved into our new house. He lifted boxes, organized the garage, kept me company, helped Cori move the furniture, helped me unpack, and played with Grace. It was a treat for me to be able to talk with him and spend some quality one on one. Isn't he just so handsome? Sorry ladies, he's putting in mission papers.
The day he left, we welcomed my sweet mother-in-law, Sandy. She stayed for a marathon-esque 2 1/2 weeks. It was so wonderful. Especially for Grace. I got to sleep and rest and figure things out with Grant, and Gracie got 200% more undivided attention than usual. Sandy took care of so much around the house--she was always cooking or sweeping or changing laundry. Not to mention all the painting she helped us do the weekend before we had Grant (and putting up with me!). Thanks again, Mom O!
Part way through her stay, her hubby Ray joined us. He also helped so much with things that we wanted to do around the house and with playing with Gracie. This guy knows how to have fun. (Don't be alarmed. That's a non-alchi drink he's got there!) It was really nice having them both here with us.
Just over lapping their stay was my sister's. Sara came and stayed with us for just over 2 weeks as well. It was a little piece of heaven to bum around with her, plan meals with her, go shopping with her, and work around the house with her.
Conspicuous by their absence were my own parents. My mother had a knee replacement surgery just a few weeks before Grant was born, making it pretty much impossible for her to make the transcontinental voyage to stay with us. I missed my mom so much during this time. But lots of phone calls and cards from home helped ease the hurt. We'll look forward to having them stay with us soon.
So there you have it. The great secret to our success. Thanks again all! We couldn't have made it without you!
Recap Part IV: Me
For me, the last couple of months have been exciting, overwhelming, fun, exhausting and memorable. I can say that I am certain that this is where we are meant to be, and that we came at the right time. I can also say--with absolute certainty-- that I will never, EVER move that close to a due date again.
I'm staying busy with the usual daily mommy tasks. Grant is responding well to our routine. I'm so grateful to have some structure and predictability back in my life. The house keeps us hopping too. We have workers at the house for one thing or other every single day. We are currently having the basement finished. We're getting close. But if there isn't someone over to work, our contractor comes over for one reason or other. Then, we've had a laundry list of other visitors. Most recently, the task of finally getting information lines pulled out to our house so we could get our internet, cable and phone service. Oh, and our oven and dryer (both gas operating)started filling our house with the smell of burnt kerosene oil. So there was the visit from the gas inspector Friday, wherein he informed me that the smell was not coming from the gas and that he had no idea what could be causing the problem. So this morning someone is coming to look at the dryer. There's always something, right?
I've also been called into the Relief Society presidency in our branch. I love the sisters that I'm working with and for. There is a special feeling in the branch. The active members have been loving and serving the Lord and each other for so long now. It is a very close family kind of group.
I'm really looking forward to the next couple of months. Holiday time with family will be so welcomed. And then, once the basement is finished I can finish unpacking and organizing everything. And THEN, I'll be able to get to the projects I've been planning in my mind for a little while now: scrapbooks, organizing our digital photos from the last several months, and maybe even getting my sewing machine out. Cori's family has recently started a fitness challenge which is helping me get into the swing of exercising again.
Here are a few pics:
Just minutes before going into the OR. It was so weird having a planned C section. Entirely too predictable!
I'm staying busy with the usual daily mommy tasks. Grant is responding well to our routine. I'm so grateful to have some structure and predictability back in my life. The house keeps us hopping too. We have workers at the house for one thing or other every single day. We are currently having the basement finished. We're getting close. But if there isn't someone over to work, our contractor comes over for one reason or other. Then, we've had a laundry list of other visitors. Most recently, the task of finally getting information lines pulled out to our house so we could get our internet, cable and phone service. Oh, and our oven and dryer (both gas operating)started filling our house with the smell of burnt kerosene oil. So there was the visit from the gas inspector Friday, wherein he informed me that the smell was not coming from the gas and that he had no idea what could be causing the problem. So this morning someone is coming to look at the dryer. There's always something, right?
I've also been called into the Relief Society presidency in our branch. I love the sisters that I'm working with and for. There is a special feeling in the branch. The active members have been loving and serving the Lord and each other for so long now. It is a very close family kind of group.
I'm really looking forward to the next couple of months. Holiday time with family will be so welcomed. And then, once the basement is finished I can finish unpacking and organizing everything. And THEN, I'll be able to get to the projects I've been planning in my mind for a little while now: scrapbooks, organizing our digital photos from the last several months, and maybe even getting my sewing machine out. Cori's family has recently started a fitness challenge which is helping me get into the swing of exercising again.
Here are a few pics:
Gracie took this one at Sunset Park the night before we had Grant
Just minutes before going into the OR. It was so weird having a planned C section. Entirely too predictable!
11.11.2007
Recap Part III: Cori
The last couple of months have been pretty huge for this guy. After moving our little family across the country, we bought our first home and he started a new job, became the father of 2, and turned 30. He's really loving his new role at work. Cori is a people person, and its very fulfilling for him to be one on one, influencing change, and seeing results from the decisions he is making. He's happy when he comes home and he's excited to go to work the next day.
Aside from work, Cori has kept himself very busy. He is so much help to me at home. He and Grace have breakfast together most mornings before he goes to work giving me another 20-30 minutes to sleep. He has spent time almost every Saturday working on the house. (Details about all we've done around here--with the help of many others--to come shortly) He has also been called into the Branch Presidency as a counselor. Part of this calling includes being the Young Men's president. We love our little branch and this calling has been a special experience for Cori and the rest of us already.
I know I can speak for him when I say that he really loves Michigan. Our only complaint is that we are so far away from family and friends. But he, like myself, has been so impressed with how beautiful the country and the people are here.
Aside from work, Cori has kept himself very busy. He is so much help to me at home. He and Grace have breakfast together most mornings before he goes to work giving me another 20-30 minutes to sleep. He has spent time almost every Saturday working on the house. (Details about all we've done around here--with the help of many others--to come shortly) He has also been called into the Branch Presidency as a counselor. Part of this calling includes being the Young Men's president. We love our little branch and this calling has been a special experience for Cori and the rest of us already.
I know I can speak for him when I say that he really loves Michigan. Our only complaint is that we are so far away from family and friends. But he, like myself, has been so impressed with how beautiful the country and the people are here.
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