crazy life

It's been a little nutso at our house these past couple of months. First we spent 7 weeks with Mom and Dad while we shopped for home sweet home.  What a blessing that was to have a comfy, cozy place to stay with a bedroom for each child and lots of cousins in the neighborhood to play with.  Ian developed a borderline obsession for horses during that short time as well... I'll have to tell you more about that later.  A few weeks before Thanksgiving we moved into our new house in Sandy. Mom and Dad claimed they loved having us stay with them but I still imagine they took a huge sigh of relief when we packed our bags and left! It was pretty much torture going from my mom's clean, organized, and cozy house and head over to disaster-ville. Can I just say that I hate moving? I really hate moving. Hate it. I get so overwhelmed with boxes to ceiling in every room.  Especially when you can't find the soap or the towels or the toaster or the dishrags or the silverware.... whew am I glad that is OVER! Double yuck. I had 90% of the unpacking finished by Thanksgiving so I decided to take a break and decorate for Christmas. That was the best decision! It is so uplifting to have the sparkly tree up and the pretty garlands and shiny ornaments and festive wreaths. With Christmas tunes playing, it's actually fun finishing up my work of hanging up pictures, etc. Except things are going very, very slowly because there's a new villain in town, name of Ian.  If he isn't climbing on the table and chucking off glass (to shatter on the tile), he's pulling every single book we own off the bookshelves, splashing around in the toilet, escaping out the door to run down the street in his socks, rearranging the pantry (cans in the garbage and cake mixes in the drawers) or plucking ornaments off the tree and (again) shattering them on the tile. He genuinely loves to create mayhem.  Neither of my other children were like this.  I'm in over my head because I have no idea how to deal with him.  At 20 months, it's hard to discipline. I say "no!" and he smiles and throws whatever it is he has in his hand.  I put him in time out and he smiles and swings his legs. I even gently swatted him on the bum (don't tell) and he smiled and laughed like it was a new game. At least he is a happy little guy.  And he is about as cute a button. But sometimes I wish I had a pen to put him in so I could vacuum or maybe even shower.

Back to the new house. I love it! It feels really good to be (half-way) settled.  We need to get some work done on the house (just new flooring and painting) and I have some furniture to buy but it's coming along wonderfully.  For now the upstairs is plenty of room but we have room to grow in the basement which will come in handy since I don't ever plan on moving again! Our neighborhood and ward is Amazing!  Everyone is so friendly and nice. It's almost weird. In a really awesome way.  I was blown away with how open and kind and accepting my ward was. The ladies literally gathered around and introduced themselves and chatted with me on our first Sunday. It was incredible. I feel like we are where we are supposed to be. This house, this neighborhood, these people. It just feels right. The kids are adjusting well too. I enrolled Nyah in a little preschool and she is loving it. She is pretty darn adaptable though with her super-friendly personality!  Gabe is the one that I was worried about.  This is his third elementary school this year. He has been amazing though.  Even though it's been really hard for him, he's been so brave and not complained at all. His teacher now is honestly the kindest, happiest, sharpest woman... another huge blessing.  I know we are being watched over. She welcomed him with open arms and a big smile! She has helped him every step of the way to adjust to their classroom and school routine, even going so far as to personally call me and let me know she was getting him a school tshirt so he would fit in on "spirit days".  What an incredible teacher!! 

Things are good.  We are loving having family so close to us.  It's such a treat to have Caitlynn over for a movie or my siblings come for football or run over to grandma's for Sunday dinner.  My heart is so full this Christmas season.  I feel so blessed!