The Move. A Fond Farewell. An Exciting, New Beginning.

Hello.  I don't know if anyone even reads these anymore....

But it is for me if no one else.

It is time now to document our move.

This year, we have spent much of our time and energy towards a move - preparing the house, putting it up for sale, trying to find a new home, moving twice, and now trying to get resettled.  It was really time to move - as our family was outgrowing our old home - the backyard and kitchen were pretty small, Jeff shared a closet with Jonathan, and we were being buried in toys.  Jeff really wanted to have an office to work at from home too.  I think I could have been happy there for a few more years.  But we knew it was coming and the timing felt right while the kids are young.

Oh but the sadness I feel at having left Highlands Ranch....  Most the time I am fine.  But there have been times of sadness too.  I sometimes wish that I could turn back the clock and change my mind when I said I'd be okay leaving.  But here we are in Parker -  And there is no turning back now!  There are many good things too to leaving.  And I'll talk more about those things in a minute.

We left our first home.  We put a lot of work into that home.  It was the home we brought two babies home to.  The home where we spent eight years of our lives.  We left a great ward.... a ward with truly outstanding women that I looked up to... Excellent in every way - educated, spiritual, hard working, beautiful, healthy, achievement oriented, kind, and generous.  I felt accepted for my strengths and my weaknesses and that people "got me".  I felt I was needed and appreciated.  And I felt that people loved my family - my introverted husband, and my two babies.  I'm sad for Mary having to leave a wonderful primary teacher and great playmates.  She needs friends right now.

I also just miss the city of Highlands Ranch.  I know people refer to it as "The Bubble".  But I find it to be more cosmopolitan than Parker - more diverse in people and politics, faster paced, and closer to the mountains and shopping.  I also already miss the rec centers.  They came out of HOA dues there.  Not here in Parker.  : (

But there are nice things too about leaving...

I am excited about having a fresh start.  I am so happy to be living just 5 short minutes from my sister, Jennifer.  I'm happy to live close to trails and parks.  I'm happy to be in a good solid ward.  I'm happy to be in a beautiful home.  And I'm grateful for the personal growth I am going through.  I'm happy how it is bringing Jeff and me closer.

So here are some pics from the move....

4205 Cherryhurst Court.  I'm really proud of all the work we did to the house and how it showed - not that I'm a great decorator by any stretch.  But we did a lot to improve the house over the course of our time there.  I will show the pictures the photographer took of the house, and list the improvements we made.

(Improvements over the years we were there:  New tree and house paint.  New roofing and gutters.)

Living room (New carpeting in the whole house)

Dining Room (New Window Treatments)

Kitchen (New refrigerator, dishwasher, sink)

Kitchen Nook (New glass in sliding door)

Family Room (Painted)

Mary's Room (Stripped wallpaper, new paint, window treatments)

Jonathan's Room (Stripped wallpaper, new paint, took out old window treatments)

Master Bedroom (Took out old window treatments)

Master Bath (Tiled floor - in 2nd bath as well.  They were both carpet originally.)

Backyard (Stained deck, put in sod and side fence)

Basement (New water heater, sprinklers fixed)

I didn't post the pictures of the bathrooms.  Not that exciting.  : ) We also had a new cement floor laid in the garage and the garage door fixed several times!

When we first moved in... back in 2005

We brought Mary and Jonathan home here.

After our house sold, we weren't able to get into our new home because we hadn't closed yet.  So Jeff's parents offered for us to come and stay with them.  Not only did they offer, they really seemed to want us to!  So we stayed in their finished basement for a month.  I have to say that it was a very good experience.  And we were so blessed to be able to stay in such a nice accommodations, especially amid a stressful double move.

We had fun.  Here Jeff is taking Mary and Jonathan for a ride through their neighborhood.

The scenery was really pretty at their house.  Here you can see - if you look closely - a deer standing in front of the neighbor's house.

Playing with the kids in "our room".

Jonathan sat in a chair that Jeff sat in growing up.  Kinda fun.

  Mary bonded lots with Belle.

Jonathan enjoyed scaling their windows.... YIKES!

  The kids had so much fun with GrammE and Papa.  It was wonderful!

After a month of displacement, we finally moved in to our new home about a month ago.

We are still unpacking...

(Jonathan loves pressing the buttons on my yet-to-be set up treadmill)

So now.... we are here.  And we have so much to do!  But it is exciting to think about starting this new chapter of our lives.

Farewell dear home in Highlands Ranch.

Home in Parker, it is nice to meet you!

I Love Nursing

Hello!  A few weeks ago (the last Sunday before we moved), I woke up and went in to nurse Jonathan.  He nursed as usual that day.  But the rest of the day, he was just not interested.  And for the next week or two, he only nursed when he first woke up.  Maybe it was a "tender mercy" from God that it just happened so easily.  It was pretty easy after a couple weeks to finally let go and drop that final feeding.

I had planned to wean him at a year.  But with the move, it was just too much to think about.  So the fact that I didn't have to do anything was really great.  And also, that I could enjoy all those last final feedings with him.

I have called him a "breast man".  : )  Maybe it was because I nursed him immediately after he was born,  but Jonathan never did take a bottle or a pacifier.  I used nursing more than I should have probably.  I often nursed him to sleep - which I don't think is the best habit to get into.  But it all worked out okay I guess.

I guess I just wanted to write this post to say that I have loved nursing my babies.  It is so wonderful!!!  From the health benefits to the bonding, I think it is so worth it.

Here are a few pics:  (Don't worry... Nothing too scandalous.  But please do excuse how very unglamorous I look.  That's another thing:  babies don't care if momma is pretty or smelly!  : ))


Don't you love looking down at your sweet baby's face?  Their beautiful skin and EYE LASHES???  Don't you love how happy and peaceful they are next to you?  I always loved when Jonathan would first attach:  Eyes would roll back in relief and happiness and the sounds would change from stress-filled to utter contentment.

Don't you love just looking into their eyes?

Don't you love the games that go on?  Jonathan had several.... putting his hands in my mouth and then I'd nibble them and he'd giggle.  Or he'd push my head one way and pull it back to him.  So cute and fun.

 Don't you love how siblings know how special it is too?

Don't you love things like this?  Mary used to put her hand in the middle of my cleavage.

I know nursing doesn't work out for some women.  We were so blessed to both enjoy nursing!  Look at that sweet smile on Jonathan (this was when he was still pretty new).

Jonathan Turns 1 Year Old!

So I am slowly but surely getting caught up again....

Jonathan turned 1 on June 3rd!  The first year is hard in some ways don't you think?  Mostly for me, it is difficult trying to figure out their signals, not getting great sleep, adjusting to a major life change.... But oh it is so joyful too!!!  My dear, sweet Jonathan has been a joy from the beginning.

He is a happy boy!  Mostly he doesn't cry if he has his needs met.  He IS most definitely a Momma's boy! But if I have to go somewhere, he will cry just for a minute and then he is happy again.

Jonathan is so cute in looks and personality.  I love all his little boy noises he makes - shouts, grunts, etc.  I love how he trills, plays pat-a-cake and peekaboo, and his giggles.  I love how when he crawls he gets his head down as though he is really plowing through and how his hips sway (hard to describe.  It's like they wouldn't sway as much if he would stretch his legs more.  So instead it reminds me of a how a beetle moves or something).  I love how boyish he is - hitting, throwing, grunting ...  Jeff has nicknamed him "The Destroyer" because he is into everything...toilet paper rolls, cabinets, pulling stuff out of drawers (and putting it away too : )), smashing the table, grabbing hair, throwing stuff...  So much fun!

As I write this, he is now walking quite a bit (started at 13 months officially), has started sleeping through the night (almost exactly at 12 months), and he has almost completely weened himself.   Also, at 12 months he had 4 top teeth, and 2 bottom.  Since then he has cut 2 molars and is working on 2 more poor guy.  He is very interested in birds and dogs and says "AH AH!" when he sees them.  He also hears airplanes and fire engines and wonders what they are.  If anyone coughs, he mimics them.  It's pretty cute!

So anyways, his birthday landed right when we were in the throws of showing our home to sell it.  I still wanted to celebrate though - 1 is a big birthday.  My in-laws offered to help us in any way and so I asked them if we could throw a little birthday party for him at their place.  They said yes!  And we had a nice family party.

Here are some pics:

We had a potluck barbeque.  Everyone brought a side dish.  Look at the spread!

 The Guests

Opening Presents

 The Cake!
 My friend Stephanie made this cute rubber ducky cake.

He loved it.

Happy Birthday Beautiful Boy!!!  I just ADORE you!!!