Turning the Page

As we start a new year, our family is also starting our life in our new home.  We are planning to make the big move this coming weekend.  The past week has been so busy, but super productive.  We have been transforming our new home from a boring, white blank slate to something that we can call home.  The walls have paint, colored paint, and we've done some other personalizing in the kitchen and laundry room too.  By far, I think the biggest transformation is the kitchen.  Take a look for yourself. 

Before

After

We have been taking over a car load with each trip we make to the new house, and are almost done moving everything except the big furniture. Our parents have both come down to help us get everything ready.  I was having a rough time this weekend, because the house was a mess with the painting and because some dryall had to be retaped, muded, sanded, etc. It was hard to imagine that my family could live there.  But yesterday, Bill and Lana came and cleaned, and today the house started to feel like home.  Audrey has also been very helpful.  She got some play cleaning supplies for Christmas and has been helping clean the new house.  She has also helped with some packing, but usually gets distracted by playing with her toys.  Barrett just wants to eat the boxes and bubble wrap.  Audrey is really good at helping entertain Barrett, which really is a bigger help than I think she knows.  I am just glad that we are in the home stretch.  I can't wait to be done moving for the next two decades! 

Holly Jolly

I like Christmas music...a lot.  I love when I can listen to it on the radio 24/7, and do so as soon as they start playing it that often.  Since I take the children to school every day, that means they have been listening to a lot of Christmas music as well.  Audrey is now familiar with a handful of holiday songs, including Jingle Bells, Away in a Manger and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Last year's favorite, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, hasn't been as popular this year.  Instead, she is very into Have a Holly Jolly Christmas.  As usual, Audrey has  her own way of singing it too.  Her version is as follows:

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas; 

 it's the best time EVER!!!

I guess you could say this Christmas was the best ever; it definitely was for Barrett,, because it was Barrett's first Christmas.  He loved eating the wrapping paper and crinkling the tissue paper.  I think he also liked the toys he got too.  Audrey is also at such a ripe age to be amazed by the splendor and to enjoy the xcitement.  We had a busy couple of days, but they were so full of fun times and our loving family.  It really was a joy to be with them all.  With all of the house chaos that has consumed our lives lately, it was nice to take a break and focus on the people we love and the Savior who loves us. 

We started by opening gifts at Nana and Papa's on Christmas Eve.  Barrett got a Pottery Barn chair with his name on it, which mommy loves.  We also discovered that when he is starting to throw a fit, if we get out the camera, he will smile and laugh for pictures and forget why he was starting to cry.

 

Then, Christmas Eve night, we came home to go to church at Central.  Then, we went home to put on jammies and start a new tradition.  Audrey got to have a glass of milk and a small cookie before bed. Barrett didn't have any cookies this year, but he did get to wear his special Christmas jammies.

Christmas morning, we opened gifts at home.  Audrey was so excited about her Bitty Baby car seat and the clothes she got for her.  Barrett was excited with anything he could put in his mouth that I didn't take away.

After we got dressed and ready to go, we visited Granny and Grandpa Gerdes in Litchfield for some more gifts and a delicious Christmas dinner.  Both kids got to wear their special Christmas outfits for the occasion.  Bitty baby even had a dress that matched Audrey's.

 

Then it was off to Grandma Rosie and Grandpa Pat's to close out the day with more gifts and more yummy food.  We really are so blessed; thanks to all of you who are a part of our lives and fill them with joy.  Merry Christmas!

The McNansion

We are homeowners again!  As of Monday, officially own what one of Billy's friends called the McMansion.  From there, Billy took it and ran with it (as he usually does) and is now calling our house the McNansion (I think that is how you would spell it). Anyway, it seems like it has been such a long process to get to this point, and we won't even move in for a few more weeks.  The house is only 3 years old and has never been inhabited.  The walls are all white...well, they were when we closed.  They are now in the process of being painted.    We will move sometime in January.  For now, we are trying to fix a few small things and enjoy the holidays.  Here are a few photos that I took the day we closed, before any color was introduced to the walls. 

 

Foyer and office

 

Looking into the living room from the foyer

Upstairs hallway

 

Master Bathroom



Guest Bedroom 

Living Room