back to the drawing board

Well, 

I was about to post a picture of the house with the new floorplan we'd picked out for the lot.

Because we decided that the lot, the location, the ward, the view, were all worth sacrificing the floorplan we liked best.

We wanted to live there more than we wanted to have our first choice in house.

But,

just now we got word that 

as they put it,

"the soil is like jello."

And in order to build on that lot we'd have to have some major and expensive restructuring of the foundation.

So.

I guess we'll be out looking at lots again tonight.

How disappointing.

decisions decisions

A piece of the lot and the view looking down the street.

We found a lot.
In fact, we put an offer on it yesterday.  It's in a beautiful neighborhood, with one of the highest rated schools in the state, and in an incredible ward (we visited it on Sunday).  

Where the house will stand and the view from the back.

 The view...phenomenal.  The entire valley to the west.  The lake. The temple. 

The view from the front of the future house.

PLUS, this lot happens to be about $40,000 cheaper than most of the lots we've looked at. Yay!

Basically, we love the lot.  Like a lot.

However, the builder went out to survey the land and they discovered that it's too narrow (it's a long, skinny strip of land) for the floorplan we've picked out and modified and fallen in love with.

Hrm.

Kent and I spent a good two hours last night looking at alternate floorplans.  We're going to have to put a two-story house on this lot instead of the rambler style that we prefer.
Is it worth it?
We certainly won't find another lot with this kind of view for this kind of price.
But what's more important to us, the lot or the floorplan?

And then I got thinking, will we be sorry that the backyard faces west? Will it be too hot in those summer evenings that we were so looking forward to spending outside?

But I love this lot.  Really really love it.

going to my happy place

 

Yesterday morning I watched the sun come up from the window in the kids' room. 

This week has been pretty challenging so far.

I guess I deserve it.  I was feeling pretty awesome a week or two ago, 

like I had this two kids thing all figured out.

And then Ellie stopped sleeping through the night.

And then Nicholas stopped sleeping through the night.

Now I'm back into the deep realms of sleep deprivation, where you crave sleep every second of every day.  

And instead of life getting easier and easier as Ellie gets older, 

right now it just seems to be getting harder.  I feel like I spend every moment of every day (and night) working and working and working to simply prevent people from crying.  

It's not so happy.  And because I'm so tired, I can't think of anything we haven't tried already to get these kids to start sleeping again.

So, in the interest of my sanity,
today's blog post is a list of five (of many) reasons why my life is still awesome.
 
1. This view.  We had a bit of a setback this week as we discovered that the lot we wanted to build on has already been purchased.  So I did some searching, and I found a whole list of lots that have even better views of these gorgeous mountains.  We have a new list of favorites to pick from, and it feels good.

2. Springtime.  I went on a walk last week. I wore shorts.  It was 70 degrees.  We saw daffodils, new green grass, little purple flowers. 

3. These two.

 Sure, they're the reason I'm not sleeping.
But Ellie was fussing the other day and Nicholas said,
"It's okay, Eh-wie, I'm going to get a book to read to you."
He ran upstairs, came back with his Book of Mormon, and started to tell her the stories in the pictures in the front.  And she stopped fussing to listen to him.
I mean, can it get any more adorable than that?

4. Nicholas.  Yesterday I told him I needed to change his diaper and he said, "Um, no. My bum is too busy right now."
He made up a song a few days ago that he sings all the time.  It goes:
"I wove Mommy. Mommy woves me. I wove Daddy.  I wove Eh-wie.  I wove me.  I wove Mommy." and so on.

5. Ellie.
 Funny, as I typed her name just now she woke up and I can hear her fussing on the monitor.
Maybe she's teething? Maybe I'm not paying close enough attention to her eating/sleeping schedule?
I don't know.

But gosh, she's so adorable, I still just can't get enough of her.
Maybe it's lucky that I get to wake up during the night and see her again.

wishsome

 Tonight I am in a wishsome, lonesome, miss-some mood.

I know we are in the right place for our family,
and I am glad that we moved here for so many reasons,
and I even knew it would be hard like this.

Tonight, I'm just letting myself feel that.
I've been browsing all my picture folders from the past two years.

Tomorrow we have some neighbors coming over for lunch.  I'm making crepes, and hopefully Nicholas will have fun playing with his new little friend.   

Tonight,  though,
I wish I could go back. 

I think she's related

Me-4 months

Ellie-4 months

four months

  

I went to a Relief Society dinner tonight, and someone had brought their tiny two-week old baby.
Was Ellie really ever that tiny?
And was that really only four months ago?  Incredible.

Ellie is four months now, fat and happy.
She had a growth spurt a few weeks ago, and her chubs just got chubbier.  Her wrists are now wider than her hands, and her ankle fat nearly engulfs her little feet.  I bought some 3 month size mary jane shoes for her the other day, and her toes didn't even begin to reach the enclosed front of the shoe.  I guess she has small feet?

  She's at the point, though, where she's just so stinking adorable that I can't even contain myself.
I'm constantly squeezing her thighs, nibbling on her cheeks, kissing her fingers...I can't get enough of her!  I thought she was pretty cute when she was born, but goodness-she just gets cuter every day!

She is curious, always looking, watching, paying attention to the people around her.
She is happy.  That's usually the first comment I get about her from strangers--they say something about how she's such a happy, content baby.
And believe me, I'm perfectly aware of how wonderful it is to have an easy baby like her.  She's dreamy.

She doesn't laugh as much as Nicholas did at her age, but when she does laugh it's so much fun-a big belly laugh.

Two weeks ago, she woke up one morning and realized she has a voice.  And suddenly she became a very loud little girl.  She has the most surprising, adorable squeals and exclamations. 
Most of the time, she's content, but if something ever begins to bother her,
she does not hesitate to let us know,
and she isn't quiet about it.

She wiggles her feet around when she "talks," her toes are usually curled up when she's sitting up, and when she lays on her back, she lifts her feet up and wraps her toes around each other like this.

Oh, and the sleeping?

Well, something happened.  My champion sleeper isn't sleeping so much lately.
Today her naps were 15 min, 5 min, 10 min, and 5 min respectively.  And the past week she's been waking up 2 or 3 times a night...
I'm not sure what's going on; I'm trying to get it figured out so we can have our sleep again,
but if it doesn't come back, I can say with complete confidence
I enjoyed every single moment of sleep I did get these past four months.
It was oh so good while it lasted.

When she does sleep, though, she likes to have something on her face.  I often find her with her fingers resting on her nose, or with a blanket on her cheek (and just so you know, she cuddles with those gauzy swaddling blankets--nothing that will smother her.)

She plays with toys now, and
in fact, she gets quite agitated if she drops her ball or if you take a toy away from her.
She's going to be a spunky one, I think.

one little word: march update

As the months go by, I see that my decision to use the word "choose" as my one little word for 2012 was an inspired one.

I see myself changing.  I am progressing, little by little, and it feels good.
Instead of spending time discouraging myself by thinking about all the things I should be doing,
I focus on the progress, and if I start to feel antsy,
I tell myself to start doing one more little thing right.  As a result, I've gotten better at daily scripture study, less computer time, a tidier house, more playing with the kids, and a happier attitude overall.

Maybe the biggest thing I'm learning is that the Atonement isn't just for when we make a mistake.  When we bring our weaknesses to the Savior, the power of the Atonement can help us move forward and reach our goals.  Little by little we can change when we turn to Him for help.  

Each month I plan to focus on one particular aspect and try to make good choices in that area.

In January, I planned to work on healthier eating.
And even though I only made little choices here and there, now I'm cooking at home more, Nicholas is eating a wider variety and healthier things, and I've eliminated all junk foods from my house, choosing to snack on fruits and vegetables instead. (Well, most of the time.  I do have a pan of chocolate-chip banana muffins cooling right now. And last week I made cookies.)

In February, I focused on nurturing my relationship with Kent.
I've learned more about the ways that Kent receives love, we've made an effort to communicate better, and we are kinder and more forgiving. 

In March, my goal is to get moving.  Because of being pregnant, a record-hot Texas summer followed by a Utah winter, I've mostly been indoors for a year now. A year!   I'm feeling so antsy to get outside, get moving, and get in shape.
It is supposed to be in the 60's by the end of the week here.  You can bet I'll be taking the kids out for a long walk.  And maybe I'll convince Nicholas to let me dance with him the next time he does "Viva las Vegas" from the Wii Just Dance.
Little choices.

more Nicholas speaks

Because I don't have anywhere better to record these
(I need to get one of those kid quote books I've seen on amazon)
I'm going to tell you about a few more things that Nicholas said this week.


1.  On Saturday we were at my parents' house.  My mom asked Nicholas if he knew where Sarah was.  He tapped his chin with his finger a few times, "Hmmm," he said, "she's in the closet."  (she was not, she was over at the computer)
Laughing, my mom asked him why Sarah was in the closet.  Without pause, Nicholas said smartly "oh it's just peaceful in there for her."

He'd never used the word peaceful before. I have no idea where he got that idea.  I do not put him in the closet, nor do I spend any time in the closet.
Although, if it really is peaceful in there, perhaps I should.

2.  Tonight we told Nicholas it was time to do Family Home Evening after he finished dinner.  At first he complained "No, I don't want to go night night!"  So we corrected him and said it wasn't bedtime, it was time for Family Home Evening.
His head popped up and he said "Like a party?!"
Well, sort of a party, Bud.

3.  I took the kids to the mall today so I could buy my dress for the Spring Event next month.  As soon as we entered, Nicholas said,
"I'm going to be excited! We need to go see Santa!"
After I managed to explain to him that Santa is only at the mall at Christmastime, he spent the rest of the time telling me that "Santa is going to be in his rocking chair and he goes rock rock and he makes Christmas trees!"

This last one was him being hilarious without actually saying anything.

4. I was nursing Ellie a few days ago while he was watching the Lion King and eating applesauce. I got the chance to watch his face while he was watching.  It was the part in the movie where there's the stampede.  Nicholas has seen that movie many, many times, so he knows what's coming.

During the lead-up to the stampede, his hand froze in front of his face with a spoonful of applesauce. His eyebrows got higher and higher and higher.  As the stampede started and you see the shot of all the wildebeast coming down the cliff, his mouth dropped open, eyebrows up, eyes wide. 
Then, as the stampede continued, Nicholas started to eat his applesauce really fast, shoveling the bites in as if he could save Simba if he just ate fast enough.

It was all I could do to not laugh out loud.  My kid is awesome.

from his mouth

This is either a "pinky" or a "fie-sa-pie-sir."

I love this kid.