We're buying a HOME

I didn't think it would ever happen but we did it.  We signed papers for the purchase of our first home. If everything goes smoothly we may get keys by Monday.  YIPPEE!

It's a great little fixer upper and we have our work cut out for us.  But James has been diligent with saving our money for the past six months so we should be able to make this little place our HOME!

So excited to finally to share this wonderful news.  I'll post pictures of our new baby (the home) and then tell the Whole story.

Front Yard

This will be the girls play area

The house is on a quiet neighborhood with a beautiful view of the Puget Sound just 3 houses down

 Front door and living room

Will will be painting EVERY room

Paint colors to be determined, if you think of a beautiful color that will look amazing please share your thoughts and ideas.  We might not do it but we're open to some input.

The view from the Front door

left to right: dinning room, Kitchen, living room

We'll probably remove the closet to add room to the Kitchen

Kitchen

Thanks to some Wonderful wonderful friends, we have some beautiful cabinets that we will be able to use instead of these not so flattering ones.  So excited!

Kitchen view from the other side

We'll take down the big cabinet in the middle and add more counter space

I'm still trying to convince James of my big plans for the little kitchen  :-)

But I told him he could get his garage before we redo the kitchen so I'm trying really hard to be patient

 Upstairs bathroom

(future plans:  black and white tile floor, bright yellow shower curtain)

Our temporary master bedroom (upstairs)

Girls bedroom (upstairs)

Stairs (James will be redoing the banister)

family room downstairs

(the blue room is the pantry)

Laundry room

(We'll be adding black and white vinyl to the floor and shelves for storage)

 Storage room till James builds his Garage

then master bedroom

(Gwenevere really really wants this room.

We keep telling her we're going to repaint it but she's insistent she wants this room.  silly girl)

Not sure what to call this room, but it's right next to the downstairs bedroom and next to the bathroom

I'm thinking we'll make this apart of the master bedroom at some point.

Downstairs bathroom with Shower

(black and white tile on the floor and a splash of color, I'm thinking maybe a bright blue)

 Backyard

James has big plans for the back yard.  I think this is what sold us on the house

(Someday the back yard will have:  an unattached garage, an apple tree, a plum tree and a cherry three,

rows of berry bushes, large veggie garden and two bee hives.  Possibly some chickens or bunnies for eating. 

James spotted this house on the market back in July.  I was totally against it and didn't even let it be on our to view list for several months.  then in October they dropped the  price and it made it's way onto the list of houses to go see.  It was very tempting for the price but I still wasn't 100% sure.  Infact I was really hesitant   James loved the idea of this house, and I was  in full panic that we'd buy this house and I'd hate it.  hahahahha  Then in November they dropped the price again, and I was ready to reconsider it.  But we where too late someone else put an offer in on the house.  That's when I realized that I really did like the house and was sad to see it go.  Two weeks later it was back on the market.  our Realtor (my amazing brother, was out of town for the  weekend) and when he got back the house was pending again.  At this point James wasn't really into the house anymore and it was more of me that was wanting this house.  It's funny how things change, I guess it just wasn't the right timing.

  Even though it was sale pending I just knew it would come back on the market again.  I even told James we need to have everything ready so when it does we can put an offer in.  Well, on Dec 19, 2012 it was re-listed and we jumped.  Will, (my brother) clarified why the last two pending fell through and we felt comfortable putting in an offer.
 The seller came back telling us there were multiple offers and gave us 24 hours to resubmit an offer if we'd like. Boy that was a hard decision.  We basically asked ourselves how much are we willing to pay for this house.  And that was what we submitted for our 2nd offer.  Our offer won, yippee and because it was right around the Holidays we didn't get things set in in writing until December 27th.

Okay I have to go to James' work so I'll finish the story later.  Check back soon for an update.

  

When He comes again

A few nights ago, during scripture study we read in 3 Nephi about Christ's appearance in the Americas.  Since then Gwenevere and I have had some very special conversations about when Christ will come again.

"Mom, When Christ comes to earth again I want to give him a big hug and tell him 'Thank you for the sun and the moon and the stars in the sky'."

"Mom,  guess what?  When Christ comes again I want to give him a hug and tell him 'Thank you for all the animals, like the cats and dogs and hamsters'."

"Mom, I can't wait for Christ to come, than I can see your Grandma again.  That will be nice."

Gwenevere and Grace have an announcement

Kids say the funniest things.

Please watch the video before reading this post.

A few weeks ago we were sitting in Sacrament meeting (trying to be reverent) when Gwenevere turns to me and asks  "Are you Pregnant?"

I was hoping to keep it a secret from the girls until we were in the safe zone but that little girl is just too smart.

Grace and Gwenevere love talking about their baby.  Yes this little one will be loved by not just one mama but THREE.  They already think this baby is theirs.

Yesterday I was wearing a tighter shirt to Church, while getting ready Gwenevere got really excited and said "Oh mom, your tummy is getting so BIG.  I want to take a picture of your belly"  hahahaha  I'm only 11 weeks along but I guess I can't hide it anymore.

Yep this is the oh so not flattering picture she took of my belly

Happy Monday Everyone

Clothes hog

Gwenevere wears dresses 6-7 days a week.  On very rear occasions Gwenevere will wear a shirt and pants.  Since both her shirt drawer and her pant drawer are filled to the max I figured it would hurt to pass along a few of her clothes.  Gwenevere I and went through her clothes, every shirt I pulled out she would say, that's my favorite, give it a hug and then put it back in her drawer.  We got rid of a total of 3 shirts.  ha  To say the least we still have a very full dresser and a little girl how loves her clothes.

Zoo day

I can't believe how much fun we've been having at the zoo lately.  The animals are crazy during the winter and it's way more entertaining.

We went our friends the Adams at the zoo as a one last hurrah before they move.  :-(

We are happy for them and are excited for Chris to graduate but they will be missed dearly.  Especially little CJ.  I do believe Grace is in love with that boy.  She is always asking for him, and who woouldn't be he's 100% adorable.

Anyway,  like always, I'll let the pictures tell the story.

Gwenevere asked me to braid her hair like Papa did the day before.

It was my very first time braiding the back and although it's cricked Gwenevere was very please.

I thought you would be proud of me Dalynn

The sun was shining and it felt like Springtime

When we checked into the zoo they had some stuff animals at the window and if you donated to their conservation efforts you could get a free stuffed animal.  Gwenevere wanted to use her birthday money she got from all her Grandparents to buy Grace, CJ and herself a little stuffed animal.

I'm so glad Gwenevere loves to share.  Gwenevere picked a small wolf like dog (she has about 5 stuffed animals that look the same already but that's what she wanted.)  Grace picked a blue monkey and Gwenevere and Grace picked a little white polar bear for CJ (which he really loved.)

Thank you Grandparents for your generosity. 

Going down the slide

I love that Gwenevere wanted to catch Grace

Grace and CJ admiring the Meerkats

The Amazing Adams

A new meaning of the words "Bear Hug"

This little Puffin sure liked Gwenevere's stuff Wolf

I love living in Tacoma 

CJ liked the fishes

I can't believe CJ is walking 

CJ and Grace loved the peacocks

I thought it was time for a new family zoo picture.

We missed you Papa

Happy Valentines Day

This year Valentines day was really special for me.  The love I felt from my friends and family reminded me just how blessed I am.

Gwenevere and Grace enjoyed an awesome Preschool Valentines day Party.

And thanks to Jill we have pictures to prove it.

that Grace isn't she so tute.

Just doing a bit of motor gross skills to get the heart going.

We played musical hearts and when the music stopped they had to do the action that was written on the heart they were standing on.  A bit of karate kicking, spinning, jumping and flying like a butterfly took place.

Cupcake decorating

and eating

And mailbox making

   Then we exchanged Valentines and gave each other hugs.


When we came home we found Valentines in our mailbox from the Bohman family.  We felt so loved.

But the celebration didn't end there.  Later that evening the Girls went over to a friend's house for a Pajama Pizza Party and James and I had a little one on one time.  We made delicious omelets for dinner and for the first time in months I got to hear James talk about all the bee research he's been doing without him being interrupted or cut off.  It was wonderful.

I was also given a Hello Cupcake from another dear friend.

It was a wonderful day of love and service.

Happy Valentines day

Happy happenings continue

I forgot to add the videos to my last post.

So here is some more happiness

Happy Happenings

Despite the somewhat stressful and difficult week we've had ( i hope to elaborate soon)  We have found ourselves a lot of happiness and joy.  Here are the pictures to prove it.

Trying out a new hairdo 

I've started letting the girls play computer games. 

They seem to like PBSkids.org

If you have received a prank call from me, with heavy breathing or random babbling

It wasn't me

We love the Children's Museum

I never know what to expect from Grace

Sometimes she super shy and very clingy and Sometimes she jumps right in no fear.

This girl concurred the rope bridge and the slide at the Children' Museum 

A truck and a boat

look at her smile

Oh the hours of entertainment a pair of mittens can bring

"My robot arm"

Biking to the Library

Insisting to swing on a big girl swing like her big sister

Growing up is fun

An amazing weekend in North Bend with Friends

Hat complementary of the cabin

 

Just a little guy time on the canoe

Yest James I am very proud of all the pictures you took.

We the ladies of the house, enjoyed a marathon of Project Runway and quilting

way to go Jill and Dri

the little girls turn on the Canoe

Silly hats and life-jackets are required