We bought a HOUSE!

I have been dying to blog and document this, but we JUST got the internets this week.

     After months of looking, we closed on a house November 22nd.  We expected to do a little work on it before we moved (like putting tile in all of the wet areas).  However, we ended up doing so much work so fast!  Things that I thought we wouldn't get to for 2-3 years!  We had originally planned to have the carpets cleaned, but found out they weren't worth keeping, so we had to replace them (something I only hoped to do in the next 2 years)... and while we waited for the flooring to come in we decided to go ahead and scrape ceilings, peel wallpaper, and retexture both walls and ceilings.  Oh, and lay tile in the meantime.  It was a crazy first 3 weeks!  Corey worked so so hard.  And we had a ton of help from friends and family!  A barn-raisin if you will.  We moved December 15th, and I am dumbfounded at how far we have come in the past 3 months.  I attribute this to: lots of snow days,  pent-up energy from renting the past 5.5 years, having children that go to bed at 7:00, not owning a tv or the internet, and having awesome family and friends that let you borrow their tools, time, and watch your kids for you.
   

For our records, here are some before and after shots... or "then" and "now."  The original photos are ones that I took during the home inspection.  It's not even the same place!

living room as you walk in:

     We're still a work in progress of course.
     I love how much the place has brightened up!  I was a little worried when we walked through initially b/c it felt cave-like, but I knew with all the windows that it SHOULD be a bright and cheery place.  The photos were taken around the same time of day, it's crazy the difference that scraping the ceiling and paint choices can make!
     I love so many things about our new home.  Thank you Lord for blessing us!

For the record, here's what we've done to date:
1) tile: kitchen, laundry, hearth, both bathrooms.
2) peeled wallpaper: entry, dining, guest bath, master bath, den, kitchen
3) scraped ceiling: living, dining, hall, 3 bedrooms, kitchen, guest bath (remaining: den, master bath)
4) retextured everywhere (walls and ceilings) except for kitchen, den, master bath
5) primed and 2 coats of paint everywhere (including ceilings) excluding den, kitchen and master bath
6) laid laminate flooring
7) laid transitions between tile/wood
8) updating trim... so far we've done living, dining, hall.
9) new exterior door on den
10) dozens of other tiny projects :)

An Ode to Wood-Whistle

It is probably dangerous to reflect on this because it might make me really sad.  But it's important to stop and think about these things and jot down a few memories.  In no particular order, a list of randoms about our 4 YEARS at Woodway:  (This might bore some). Written as we were moving.  Published after 1 year of living in the new house.  :)


1.  Living in Community.  It's like living in the dorms, kind of, but you're an adult.  I feel like very few people get to experience this and it was such a fun season of life.  Hanging out by the pool.  Sitting out on the porches together.  cookouts.  spontaneous dinner parties.  Being able to just walk over to a friends' home.  Life here has evolved and friends have come and gone, but it has been some really sweet times.  At one point 5 of our best couple friends all lived here at the same time!  Need a cup of milk? an egg?  some flour?  a strange spice you've never cooked with?  No worries, walk on over.

2.  Woodway Gardens.  Our little plot.

3.  The roar of 540 and how we joked about the fact that if you closed your eyes you might feel like you were at the beach when you sat on our balcony.

4.  The wind tunnel in between our building and the next.

5.  The grassy knoll.

6.  What in the world did we do with 3 bedrooms when we first moved in?

7.  Praise God that we were able to have an on-sight storage unit for all of our crap.

8.  The wonders of one bathroom.

9.  Robyn Cloud living with us for 2 months as our "foster child."  It came at a season when I needed it the most.  So fun having a roommate for a little bit.  (lot's of dance parities and creative brainstorms- corey did not partake in either of these.)

10.  Almost losing my salvation multiple times while doing laundry here.  (for 4 years I haven't had laundry in home.)  Let's also point out that the 1st 6 months of Jack's life laundry wasn't even available on the property!!!

11.  Both Jack and Charlotte were BORN here.  Literally.

12.  The first two years of Jack's life were in this apartment.  He took his first steps and said his first words, all of it, right here!

13.  How pretty the maple trees all around the property are in the fall.

14.  Being within walking distance of all kinds of stuff.  Our bank, Harp's, sonic, pizza places, etc.

15.  Scary Sam.   HAAAA!  That one is for me and Corey.

16.  My small attempts at curb appeal ruined by my inability to water things and the harshness of the west sun- ferns and window boxes with mums or impatients.

17.  all of our white dishes on display above the cabinets.  (because they didn't fit inside the cabinets) looking at them was just as good as eating on them- they are so pretty!

18.  walking over the Greshams for Downton Abbey watch parties.  Awesomeness that our baby monitor reaches to their apt.

19.  Watching the Hog's game on Nate's TV outside.  Complete with burgers and dip.  Nate grilled almost every night in the summer on their charcoal grill.

20.  All of the kids playing outside.  Jack getting to be one of those kids.

21.  How mad we used to get when all of the college kids rolled into town after the summer and we would end up having to park down by the dumpster.

22.  walking the mile loop around the neighborhoods behind us.  even though parts of these neighborhoods seemed a little scary.

Jack | 2 years old!

Coolest kid alive.  

Try to make it all the way through this post because there is a grand photo finale at the end worth waiting for.

1.  This month he became attached to a stuffed animal.  "Ber"  It happened so fast.  I have no explanation.  I've been letting him sleep with Ber.  I probably need to find another Ber asap in the tragic event that something were to happen to Ber.  (Ber isn't pictured.  he is blue and kind of like a bear head on a wash cloth.  I'm sure he'll make it into a photo soon.)

2.  We've been reading "Good-Night Moon" a lot lately.  The best part is him looking for the mouse, then finding it, then fake laughing at himself.  ?  Papa had something to do with this.

3.  Speaking of Papa, another funny thing he does is every time we leave Aldi he looks at the big blown up photo above the exit with a smiling family and points to the man and says, "Papa!"  HAHA!  I always feel so rushed in there... like cattle being herded, but I managed to finally snap a pic to send to my dad     .... I mean maybe my dad makes this expression a lot?  HAAAAA!!!!

4.  He's been playing a lot with stuffed animals lately.

5.  He drives me bonkers with his shoes.  He wants them on and begs me until I give in.  I put them on... 1 hour later he's taken them off and is begging me to put them back on.  (He usually does this 30 seconds after I get on the phone.  she's taking a call....cue the shoe routine!)  Oh, and the way he asks is "Iooonhel"  (I want help)

6.  Still loves cheese.  As a test I let him sample every cheese that I cook with.  He hasn't balked yet.  We sat down together for a Gouda and cracker snack the other day.

7.  He's been demanding a little more milk lately.  I think he just likes having an opinion.  I pour water in his cup.  "No.  mill"  I pour milk.  He refuses it.  I ask him if he wants it warm or cold.  "warr"

8.  He is very well behaved at the grocery store.  I get so many compliments (by the old folks) at Aldi on how good my kids act.  I think the kids are just enamored with the outside world after staring at the walls of the apartment all day.

9.  I have been prepping him for turning "2" and telling him the correct response for when someone asks him how old he is.  It's not working.   I'll say, "Jack, you're about to be two!"  to which he responses, with vigor, "ONE!"

10.  He can actually play on the equipment at the park and really enjoys it now.  We visited the park a couple of times while the weather was still nice.  Also to be noted, he finally swung on the swing and didn't hate it.

Current events as he is turning 2:

11. Snowmageddon 2013

12.  We bought a house.  We did a few more renovations than expected before moving in.  We are still  living among boxes.  We had to postpone Jack's bday until after we move and celebrate Christmas.  I'm looking forward to partying at our new place!  Jack is holding the keys in this pic.

I really can't believe two years has gone by already!  He has grown so fast!  I feel like these are all cliche' things to say, but seriously.  I can remember him as a baby and it hardly seems like it can even be the same person!  I'm trying not to let myself be sad about it because there is really nothing I can do about him getting bigger, but at least I have photos and videos and blogposts to look back at and remember.  Here are his official 2 year pics.  I have yet to do the annual balloon photo because the helium tank is in the rafters of our shed.... alas, I'll get to it soon...

he reminds me of my brother in this one.  school boy pose- ha!

Charlotte | 7 months

October 28-November 28

Love this baby girl!

 sweet angel!

1.  maybe we're imagining it, but she is somewhat attached to a small big-bird toy.  She cries when she drops it.

2.  When Charlotte is frustrated or needs something she lets out an exasperated grunt/growl.  It's similar to the noise I make when Jack does something to push my buttons.

3. She sits!

4.  She eats banana, avacado, peas, green beans, pear, applesauce, and sweet potato.  I took this pic to show Corey my view.  I think I told them I was sending it to daddy.  Jack is saying, "Where Daddy?"

5.she splashes in the tub.  It is so cute.  

6.  We are eating 2-3 solid food meals and 5-6 milk feedings a day.  Drinking from a big girl cup.

7.  A little bit of boot-camp to get ourselves on a good schedule and start sleeping through the night!  Boot camp was really only for me.  I made sure that she got adequate naps... laid her back down if she got up after 45 minutes.  I also started feeding her more solid food meals so that she wouldn't be hungry at night.  It WORKED!  Within just 2-3 nights she slept through the night!!!  Apparently she was overly tired and hungry.

8.  She's got a tooth!!! and another one poking through.  (both bottom)

9.  She's in the grabby stage.  She grabs everything. with much tenacity.  She had a hold of my iPhone and i snapped pics while she looked at herself- HA!

10.  Her chewbacca/Ferbie noise.  She does it all the time.  we find it so amusing.  

11.  Her hair is growing quite a bit!

12.  She's started giving baby kisses.  They are fierce.  She grabs me by the hair or neck with both hands and head butts me or buries her face into my cheek or neck.  (Whilst kicking excitedly)  Her grip is killer.  She will grab you by the skin of the neck and not let go!  I'm reconsidering the idea I had about growing my hair out.

13.  She's all over her crib now.
When I come in her room she's peeking over the bumper pads.

14. Saying bye-bye!  first words!  In context as well.  The first time was after I laid Jack down from bed.  (He tells her "bye" every night)  When I came out of his room she said, "bye, bye bye, bye..."  The next time was when I dropped them off with my parents one evening.

15.  She's outgrowing some of her "baby" toys.  We're introducing new fun things....

16.  I borrowed a few friends' Ergo Baby carriers this month while I waited to snag one 1/2 price @ The Deal Depot (in Springdale)  This thing is fabulous.  I can cook in it, take Jack to the park, clean....it's actually comfortable and Charlotte is both safe and happy in it.  She's taken quite a few naps in it.

 random photo of the girls.  moving box photobomb in the background

17. Time to accessorize.  My friend Carleigh helped me get a great deal on headbands.  I ended up buying 14!  Charlotte is fixed up!

 18.  cold weather is upon us.  Baby, it's cold outside...

 Charlotte feeling a little claustrophobic in her coat and car seat.  Maybe you aren't supposed to wear your coat while in your carseat, but it's too much trouble taking it on and off!

That's all for now!