Crazy Life...

As anyone knows moving is crazy enough...but let's just say we had the craziness of moving and pretty much gutting this new home....to say it needed some work was an understatment! (Correction...in my opinion it needed some work!) So before we closed on the home I had our old home all boxed up and packed away...I wanted to be ahead of schedule so that once we signed I could move forward and start the dirty work on the new palace.

I had some amazing helpers every single day! They all SAVED me!!!!!!

Here are a few before and after photos...Here is the main family room wall.

Empty stairs...yeah, NO MORE GROSS carpet!!!

 

Office picture...I don't have the finished photo yet...it's becoming darling each and every day! I'll post this one soon.

No more weeds!

 

Good bye brown trim...HELLO white...You are so beautiful!

Spraying the trim was a mess, and a messy job. A huge thank you to my Aunt and Uncle with the talent and skills to help us do this BIG HUGE MESSY job!

The other main wall in the family room is really tall...the builder had put in plant shelves...honestly they were too high and such a odd design that it would only drive me crazy...so we had them removed! Oh, it look so much better!!!

Then down came the ugly stone around the arch on that wall...so much better. Pictures to come soon.

White doors.

White Masterbedroom

White closets.

The view from the dining room to the main room...it was a MESS. Oh, I am so glad this mess and filth is OVER!

Pre- moving day, garage.

The kids favorite job...water the plants.

And Jake being a great big brother and moving Ben around...and keeping him happy while we flutter about being too busy!
I'll go around and take some updated photos today....What a crazy whirlwind this month has been. It actually hasn't even been one month yet. But from where we started and where we are now, it's AMAZING the transformations that have taken place. It feel soooooo good to be some-what settled. We love it here. The funny thing I've learned through all of this is that life just keeps moving on. The regular responsiblities of life don't go away just because of the extra mess...laundry, kids, breakfast, lunch, dinner, meals, homework, ballet, church callings, etc. It's been quite the juggling act. But I can see a small glimmer of fresh air coming soon. Jared and I are so humbled by the level of help we have recieved it's been amazing. So thank you one and all for all your HELP!!!! Because we sure have needed it! THANK YOU!!

Updates on Life...

Can it be any cuter when your youngest learns how to fold his arms...I think not!

Ben LOVES laughing at his brothers. 

Mr. Ben has become Mr. Personality. He really is such a riot. He runs around the house like he owns the place. We can just eat him up because he's adorable. 

Life throws curve balls sometimes. Sometimes they are really exciting. Well after four years we decided it was time to spread our wings and buy a home. It was a super quick process...stressful, unknown and totally exciting all wrapped into one. Here Jared is signing our life away!

I'm there joining in the fun!

Home Sweet Home...well it really wasn't ours yet, but we couldn't stand the weeds any longer. So we decided to do a little community service and help out the house. It has been on the market for over a year and it obviously needs some attention!

So we called in reinforcements, my mom, an expert gardener, the kids are expert helpers. They couldn't be more excited to pull weeds!!! Or maybe it's to use the "tiny" shovels. 

Here is a lovely before picture. I can't find my camera of the after pictures, but we since have planted flowers, wood chips, etc. It looks darling!

Sad lonely tree...before we gave it a hair cut! Stay tuned!!

It became official last Thursday! The key is ours....let the fun begin. When I say fun, I mean paint, sprinklers, yard work, trim, carpet, etc....WOW we are in over our heads. I'll keep you posted!!!

In between fixing up the house, Alayna has been practicing like crazy her ballet performance. She is darling as a little red riding hood!

Happy as can be. 

First project near completion...I really should wait for all the before pictures but I can't find that right now. It was dark brown trim...but I couldn't live with that...no way, so we taped off like crazy and we begged like crazy to get my super talented Aunt and Uncle to spray them white...oh It's beautiful!!! I can't wait to see it finished tomorrow!!! AHHH So pretty. 

And sweet Caleb. My amazing sister Krista took him home with her to stay while we get a little more organized this week. We've been totally crazy running between end of school year activities, ballet rehearsals, painting, ripping out carpet, late nights, apples and cereal for dinner, etc. He needed structure and since I couldn't provide that nor keep up with him...(I've been super sick from allergies! AHHH) So THANKFULLY she saved the WEEK and whisked him away to the fun life of Fillmore. Thank you! Well, that's all the details I can give now, I'll keep you posted later!

Life back here on the ranch...

Well, we dream of living on a ranch...but the kids run free and wild as if it were a ranch...Anyways, here is Ben doing what he does best...exploring everything. He figured out how to turn the vacuum on and suck up his face. It was honestly HILARIOUS. He would giggle and giggle. I took some great video of it!

His lips are gone...

Herriman Endurocross....this was an event we took Jake to on his birthday night. It was AWESOME! Our good friends were riding motorcycles and my cousin was in a side by side. Then there was an announcement for a foot race...well let's just say I HAD TO DO IT! So bare feet and all I was out to find Amanda my trusty friend who will do anything with me. She's the adventurous one! Anyways, it was awesome and super painful. We wore flip flops so we had to take them off and go in bare feet. It was pretty much a nightmare and super painful because it was running on pointy gravel. But besides the pain the rush of it all was awesome!

 

Ok, so I look like I was speedy but I was not fast at all!

Us to mommas were awesome! But some 13 year old girl won all the females...such a bummer because Amanda had the lead for such a long time until she cut her foot! Poor thing! Either way it was adventurous and unlike any mother of four daily activity...so here's to being spontaneous!

Jake has a few loves in his life...and one of them is Cotton Candy. Papi made his birthday wish come true...He couldn't have been happier!

 

Before Endurocross it was some golfing with Grandpa Randy and Daddy.

The kids loved it.

Oh, more endurocross

Random picture...Caleb loves cashews. He has said he would like to be a cashew for Halloween. He also said, he could be called Mr. Cashew because he loves them so much he wants to be one! (Picture courtesy of Alayna)

The day we cut off the shag...He's sad, can't you see that cute sad lip!

More celebrations and Mother's Day

Grandpa Randy and Grandma Mary made it to the soccer game as well.

This darling mom wrapped up the soccer treats in a tiger bandanna because their team name is TIGERS

Jacob's request for his birthday cake...Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate...so that's what I did. it was so delish!

My climber

My cute baby face

The big climber that teaches him everything

Birthday boy!

The gang at the party...and mother's day celebrations

Our cute teenage kids that have braces and are growing up! It's a riot to see them grow up!

Cute girls

Our tradition on Mother's Day is to take the kids to Grandma Jacqui's cemetery. The kids love it and Caleb told me he knows she's an angel and watches over them. How true is that!

The kids LOVE her headstone because their daddy's name is on it.

The beautiful tulips we brought. I just thought this smile was priceless.

Oh, How your legacy lives on. We make sure our children hear about you often. We love you and will miss you forever until we are all reunited again!

Cute baby face!

The family photo...I couldn't be more honored to raise these four children. They are the light of my life and with my amazing husband by my side. I love our journey together here on earth. So grateful for Eternal families that we truly can be together forever. What a blessing that is, especially to think about on Mother's Day!

We attempted for an updated kid picture but Ben was screaming so Caleb thought he would try peek a boo...which worked, but then Jake was yawning and Caleb wouldn't stop...oh the joys of trying for perfection.

This was as good as we got...Jake is finishing his yawn in the picture and not really growling!

The one child of ours that will pose for any picture.

And to top it off my silly boy that loves to say, HAT and put anything including his milk and cereal on his head...At least I caught the cute "I'm a stinker" smile! I love this kid.