Happy 12th Elijiah

12, 12! Can you believe it. It’s a milestone year. I mean really…graduating from primary into young mens, getting the priesthood, one year from official teenagerhood…man time is flying by isn’t it? So this time last year we were moving into our lovely home on Hickenlooper and promising you we would never move as it was our dREAM house and perfect for our family. Which is was. You immediately felt at home and said, we aren’t moving are we? Well here we are again and yes we have moved. Just a short 8 months later. It took a lot of talks and time, but you are patient with our endless reasons. Downsizing, me trying to stay home and quit working. Simple life. So here we are at Grandma Noelles while we wait for the house to be built. This last year you tried out for a new soccer team- the BLAST and we moved you from Lehi to Salt Lake which seems to work out fine for everyone. You have become a superstar leader on your team. You have rediscovered your love of the sport and excelled a ton. You also tried out for a comp basketball team and while not quite the superstar working hard and gaining confidence. Its hard to walk on a team where you haven’t played the sport for long and expected to perform at the higher level…but you love it and doing just fine playing great defense. We had a great summer, Noel came out- granted she spent most of the time with Dan but you went lots of places, spent a week with us in Canada, played both sports and for the most part it went fast. You were excited to start school again and see all your friends. So far you are maintaining your all A’s and your friends have a hard time keeping up with you J. You and Tristan continue to be great and not so great. Actually you guys have found some common ground and interests that make hanging out easier. He still looks up to you and misses you, and I know any brotherly fights are just that. Brotherly – you love eachother a ton. Jett lol– man you little teaser! You love to antagonize him till hes screaming, running after him to kiss him- you adore him and love all over him…hes just not all that interested in returning the affection. If you play with him hes all yours…but the teasing…oh my Elijiah! You still devour book after book often reading one in just a day. You have a voracious appetite for reading and I love seeing that. I just wanted to say to you how proud I am of you. Ive seen a lot of growing up this year. You are wearing my same shoe size and just a few inches away from being taller than me. That will be a sad sad day for me you know! All I know is that our time is always so limited. I miss you so much. I love every minute we get with you and our family isn’t complete when you are not in the home. There is something special that we all feel is missing when you are gone. When you come home…its like we can be a true family again. Your 12th birthday will be a bit more mellow this year as we don’t really have a place to host…taking you and some friends to dinner and movie perhaps this Friday. So maybe a bit more grown up time…? I just wanted to wish you the happiest happiest birthday of all. I love you oodles and oodles and cant wait to see what 12 brings. Love mom

Still no pictures

Ive been having trouble with blogger….or maybe its just my computer being infected with viruses…either way I haven’t been able to post pictures…which is why ive put off updating things here. EK the time has come however that I need to at least jot a few things down least I forget! Blah. We had a bit of a scare for a minute, but that passed…. We have been living in the basement of my mothers house now almost 2 months. I cant say its been that big of a deal. We aren’t home a ton and when we are its cozy. Soccer is still underway for Elijiah and Basketball is starting up again. Tristan has started indoor soccer and honestly I thought there would be a big improvement in a year…but alas…hes just as uncoordinated. Hes very happy to play, loves it so far but not sure he will be a soccer star in the making. Hes at least a head taller than most and a bit ungainly so I know that doesn’t help. But honestly the fact that hes trying, happy to participate and is getting some exercise each week…I cant complain. Jett is the cutest! Oh my. Hes talking in almost full sentences now. Hes growing fast, and man is he a tornado. Hes sooo busy. He lights up my life and Jonathans…we are so blessed. The house building has just begun. I finally went and walked through our floor plan. When we selected it back in the summer no one had built it yet. Goodness what a shock. I know I said I wanted to downsize and honestly I am excited about that. But the house we choose is small. Like apartment size. The total square footage is okay…but when its spread out over 3 floors lits a lot like a condo/apt feeling. I know it can work…but there wont be much indoor play space or ability to have people over as the main floor with just a small front room, dining, and little kitchen cant hold a lot of folks…it will be tricky. AND lots of my furniture I thought I would be able to keep and WANTED to keep wont be possible. It will have to go. I guess that is freeing. 75% of my wardrobe will have to go too. Toys etc as well. And on and on. BUT its going to be great ( keep telling myself that). I think whats eating me up the most is this. If we were getting a small house at a small house price I would be fine. But in the end…the housing market is climbing and this will be a new house, but its more than my mothers triple size lot and 4K square foot home one block up. I could get a super cheap house and spend money fixing it up, but that is what we are trying to avoid. Or move to a different place. But honestly as much as Herriman is a bit out of the way…its quiet out here. There are literally TONS of kids and Tristan has met great friends so far. Im a block from open space and trails…and seriously moving back to the east side without those things doesn’t quite appeal to me at the moment. So small house it is. We will make it work and ill keep focusing on all the positives that made us decide on this new adventure. Speaking of adventures….after 4 years Ive decided to leave Ancestry.com. I still cant believe it honestly. Im moving on to a company in SLC( hate that drive) but it puts me a few blocks of Elijiahs school which was the deal maker. Im nervous but happy about it all. So much change all at once, but that’s how I roll I guess. Okay that’s the gist of things right now in our home. Fun fun!

Update on the Boys

Goodness I havent written much about the boys lately. Things move at a rapid pace around this place and once we decide to do something nothing stops us. Ive never been someone who does anything half A$$ed so when the decision came to downsize rethink our work lives, we kicked it into high gear remodeling and doing projects around the house to get top dollar for it this summer. Then Noel came and went, school started and we are moving. But my last one…Jett. He is sooo fun. Hes learning new words every day. Starting to speak in 2-3 word sentences. His world is opening up, and hes funny, quirky and a love bug. His hair keeps growing which we still put in a ponytail everyday. Despite everyones objections. He wants to sit at the table, NOT his highchair, we got rid of his bottle with much drama. He still cries for it on occasion poor kid! His newest obsession is all things tractor…he carries his books around, looks at them at all hours, sleeps with them….hes a one track mind. Between that and his blanket hes got his stuff that makes him happy! He has started to give the biggest hugs and kisses and honestly is becoming a great sleeper again. The bottle thing and Canada threw a wrench in it for a while but hes back on track sleeping his 12 hours again at night. I just honestly could eat him up. Hes in a phase that will pass all too quickly and I hate it. I love being with him, and miss him so much when Im gone. Tristan started first grade and so far doing well. Ive figured out a time once a week I can go into his classroom for an hour or so and im excited about that. I really want to see how things are going for him during the year and how he is compared to his peers. We are working with a therapist now and Im very hopeful that we will see continued improvement. Hes a smart kid…almost photographic memory when doing anything…which makes it difficult because you think he is learning something but really hes just memorized it. Minecraft is still a daily thing, along with his time with Dad playing video games. While we have loved this house, its not been the best neighborhood for kids/friends for either Elijiah or Tristan so the move I think will be good for them both. We still need to figure something out for him sports or activities wise but once we are settled in the house I think soccer( because he wants to try it again) or karate? I dunno we will see. Tristan is in size 8 clothes, tallest in his class and bigger than Elijiah was at the same age. Hes a big kid, but I have to remember hes just 6. Ive had a better time with him these last few months than ever and Im excited to see that progress. Elijiah turning 12 soon…and really been a superstar in all things. Juggling his school work, and both competitive sports like a champ. Hes on a good teams and learning a lot. Loving soccer again and hoping to improve a bunch with basketball. He complains about Lourdes –his school- wants to go to public school but I don’t think too much about it. Its been the best environment and honestly if I could have all the kids go there I would. Hes been wanting to quick piano for a while now, but again wont let him. The main issue with Elijiah is motiviation. He actually is a natural to everything he does so hard work isn’t something hes familiar with. He gets straight A’s with little effort and is in advanced classes even. Hes good at sports, so while he could be the best if he tried harder or practiced more he hasn’t had that motiviation. Same with paino. He never practices but when he does hes exceptional. I think its harder for him or will be as the years goes one when you are a natural at most things, you tend to get a bit lazy and not work as hard as the next person….we will see what happens down the line. Hes still an avid reader – always nose in a book and smart/mature/and really fun to be around (for the most part lol)

Oh Canada

Oh Canada...our heaven on earth. Fabulous week....horrendous drive. August has flown by...vacation and came home to first week of school and packing hell. We will survive! But below are just a few of the pictures ( ha just a few! ) couldn't have enjoyed the kids more.

Sold!

Under contract so crossing fingers all goes well.

Move out in 30 days! Ek! We have a general idea of what we will be doing, but that could change...huge decision people.  Downsizing...committed, ready and on board, but where to go...Im a creature of habit and like my routine and where I live...to go west is a huge deal for me to consider.

Sigh.  We will figure it out.

I will mention this...Im not terribly creative but after 7 homes in 7 years one thing I know is that I just have to make a house MINE. Put my personal stamp on it...im absolutely drawn to project houses I realize, or just a bit of a project that when I walk in I can envision fun changes.  New is great, easy - but bland.  That's the dilemma.  We are leaning towards new for a variety of reasons, but im drawn to older SLC...Tree lined streets, larger yards, old homes that need work and a loving hand.  BUT this move is about simplifying our life/time/money and a fixer requires all that and more...

Going to move in with my mother until we figure it out and find/build a place so wish us luck on the next chapter!

House pics

The house is clean.  No easy feat these days, its up on the MLS and here are just a few pictures of our home we are now selling, missing a few bedrooms, bathroom and yard pics but you get the idea....