Great Grandma's Birthday Weekend

My Grandma and Grandpa Harston helped fund and make a family reunion happen every two years growing up.  It was great.  We would travel to a different place in the US every two years.  I always looked forward to those trips.  This year my Grandma Elaine turned 90 year so my parents planned a big party in her honor.  My dear cousin Scott came in town from St Louis with his daughter.  Scotts wife Faith is one of those kindred spirits I am glad crossed my life, even if I don't see her often.  Her daughter Monroe reminds me so much of her.  

During that busy weekend that Scott and Monroe were here, My sister candace took my kids and her's to Pocatello to see my nephew get baptized.  So Monroe didn't have anyone to play with but Abby.  She was a fantastic babysitter.  Darren borrowed a tractor from our neighbor.  He smoothed out my garden and didn't kill any of my fruit trees.

Then when my kids came home we enjoyed a great birthday celebration.  There were so many people there to celebrate my Grandma.  My Grandma said a lot of good things.  I wrote this down.... Life's an adventure.  Just go a head and be happy.  There's certainly a lot to be happy about.

My mom is a master entertainer.  She kept so many little kids happy.  Putting on skits and plays.  And including everyone.  

Heres to a fun weekend.  

MOVING IN!

April was move in month.  We had lots of things going on.  And lots of adjusting when it comes to driving in to Sandy three times a day to pick up and drop off kids at school.  I was so grateful for the friends and family who helped, stop by to make sure I wasn't buried in a box somewhere, and some brought a much needed meal to eat.  

My local sisters each spent several hours here.  When I was just walking around feeling over whelmed and not knowing where to start... they walked in and just starting putting things places.  My brother in law even came over on his spring break and put all the beds together so we could stop sleeping on mattresses on the floor and slew in beds!  

I remember several days in, sitting down and eating a meal.  soup. In my kitchen with the sun coming in.  Just a few minutes to breath!  Another day I was so tried I thought I might just fall over.  I asked Ella to do an art project or something and let me sleep for a few minutes.  an hour and a half later I woke up to a clean house.  She had cleaned almost the whole time.  

Another night Darren and I stayed up until midnight organizing and unpacking all the kitchen stuff.  My sisters had done so much already but this was us now, trying to arrange it for us.  As the clock struck midnight we slipped off to bed and felt good about our little kitchen.  We stayed awake many other nights until midnight building storage shelves.  Each little things making such a difference.  

We listened to conference on our computer.  I wondered why the kids would just cuddle up with their dad on Sunday and listen, but on Saturday they were clambering all over me to stay occupied

Abby seems to be growing up so fast right now.  I can see her mind thinking about things and growing.  She is a mover and a talker.  She likes to sit on the edge of the stop and read her siblings books.  Not the ones that I got for her, but the big kids books.  We also started to get Abby sleeping again this month.  We had to make some darkening window coverings for her room.  We still battle the sadness when I have to wake her up to get T and E from school.  Abby loves her new house.  She sat in the coat closet one day hiding.  And her balance and walking is great.  She signs lots of things and wants you to understand her.  Her favorite sign is Bath.  She wants a bath all the time!

The furniture has been moved 10 times.  But I think it is getting closer to being in a good place.  Now to hang some pictures.  

And our fireplace... or rock climbing wall.  Ella has tried it out a few times.  

The day finally arrived

Time is up.  Its time to go.  Pat and Seth came down for 4 days to help.  Pat and I packed up the kitchen.  That was a big project!  So grateful for the help. 

 I lost a lot of sleep over my fruit trees and flowers and plants.  I wanted to take them.  The new owners didn't want all the fruit trees.  I  just wish I could have dug up so many more plants.  But oh well!  With the combined effort of my parents, Darren's parents and my little family we got 5 bushes planted and 5 trees moved over and planted at the new house.  

This one was one of those projects that my husband just has to tell himself he loves me, he loves me, he loves me.  If he says it enough times he won't hate every minute of moving my precious plants over to a house we don't even own yet! I was so grateful!

 We went to church and people were still just finding out that we were moving... the next day.  We never put a for sale sign so it was a surprise to many people.  We had so many people come help us.  It was amazing.  People would stop in to help for an hour or two... and it always seemed just when we were dragging.  When we were exhausted and needed a fresh back!  some fresh energy!

 Darren saying "Mon' Back"... because its a joke we say all the time, but he really was doing it for real!

Nolan, Darrens brother came to help.  I laughed really hard at these photos.  

And one of the last things we shoved into the U-haul.  The log house.  Poor Ang was stuck inside on the phone.  But don't worry, she can manage getting out even while on the phone.  

As we loaded up the last load.  The Third big U-haul load. What a relief.  We were all so tired.  But we all had mattresses to sleep on.  Abby had her crib up and ready.  We found our toothbrushes.  WE didn't find the extra toilet paper until the next day.  

I even had great friends who took my kids for two days so we could just pack and unpack and move with the truck.  It was amazing!

This picture was beautiful.  I knew it wouldn't work but It has a memory.  Darren and I finally laying down on a mattress up stairs.  It was pouring rain then.  (we were so grateful it hadn't rained while we were trying to move!!!) and the temple was glowing outside our window.  We are so grateful to be here in this town.  We will love it!

Things to miss in Sandy

There are lots of things I will miss about Sandy.  We lived there 11 years.  We met lots of great people who shaped me to who I am today.  Here are a few things I will miss, documented with pictures.  

I will miss my yard so much.  It was beautiful to me.  I had so many plants.  It had taken me years to love my yard.  I know a new house can be great again one day.  But right now its just to overwhelming to even think about!

I really loved my calling as Cub Scout Den Leader.  I worked with two ladies who knew everything.  I helped but it wasn't me who knew it and had to do it all.  I got to do it with Tyler and he was so excited to be there.  I also got to bring Ella and Abby.  And not having to coordinate babysitters was so great!  Tyler loved the Pinewood Derby.  I am glad we have more years to master car making.  

I will miss the time when Tyler and Ella slept in the same room.  Thats like an era gone.  They have shared rooms for almost 4 years.   Tyler is excited to have his own room.  and Ella will hopefully keep loving Abby in her room.  

There were so many people I will miss seeing on a regular basis in Sandy.  So many I cant even start to write them all down because I will miss some.  But I started running with these girls.  Many years ago.  It is a hard things to find girls to run with at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning.  Who you know will be there every morning.  You know they won't sleep in,  you know they won't bail.  They are reliable.  The best part of all of this is that they are both moving now too.  CLOSER TO ME!  I need my workout buddies! Thank you Amber and Liz!

And I don't have pictures of Kathryn or Sarah who taught me so much.  Cooking, canning, how to be a good mom.  How to have fun with your kids.  how to balance out life.  

Oh I must stop.  the list could go on!

Daren and I made lots of list. I needed these lists often.  Too look at.  To think...  WHY ARE WE DOING THIS!  Should we be doing this!?

What we want in a house.

Outside house appeal. Place to stay for 20 years
Nice kitchen
Socializing area.  Big open area.
3 car garage /bike shop area
Lots of yard for fruit trees
Cul de sac
Not too much on water
Young families. 
Fireplace that works
Cold storage
Window or room for plants
Shutters
Craft room.  Sewing machine out.
Bonus room over garage
Open ceilings in kitchen.
Bar seats 6ish
Not too recessed front porch
Unique windows
Kitchen outside /Pueblo looking outside fireplace
Love cool arched ceilings in up stairs rooms
Central vacuum
Master shower




The Pros and Cons of Moving

Pros
Change is good
Hard things are good
Build character
Low Interest rates
Have a nice house because you work hard
Enjoy Mnt more often
Investment
Away from ____
3 car garage
Corner canyon. Lifestyle.


Cons
Moving stressful on marriage/family
No baby.  But move house
Guilt of not being clean
Less time to clean.
Commuting - no walk home school
Don't go to school with neighbors
Money. Can't build up savings
More money for commuting &Bills
Work to move.
Longer mortgage
School for kids - get to know kids in neighborhood
New house expenses
What can we afford?
Bigger house - harder to keep clean