.a new place to lib.

It has seriously been three of the craziest months of our lives for obvious reasons. 8 months ago when we decided to put our house on the market, we had know expectations.  We didn't absolutely have to move, but we wanted to see what would happen.  The condo sat with no interest or showings for about 6 months, and to tell you the truth I wasn't really in any rush to move the closer I got to Eisley coming.  I had even requested that we take the house off the market the month she was due so I wouldn't have to worry about cleaning and the such.  But Roy talked me into keeping it on just in case the right buyers came along.  We had one showing...count 'em...one...when I was about 8 months along and it was a no go.  Then all the happenings of Eisley being born a month early and a 10 day NICU stay took over all our thoughts and energy.  We were so relieved to finally bring her home and return to some normalcy.  Three days after she got home from the hospital we received a text from our realtor about another showing.  I didn't clean much, and felt like if they really liked it, they would see the condo for what it was.  Needless to say the offer came through the next day, and it was an offer we couldn't refuse.  We started the dreaded house hunting, which was extremely frustrating in the booming market.  We would give our realtor a list of houses we wanted to go look at and the next day 3 of the 4 would already be under contract. I started to get down hearted about the whole thing and not feeling like we would find something we really liked from what we could afford.  About a week after we started looking, Roy wanted to drive out and see a short sale.  We loaded up the kids (as we had done almost every night that week) and drove out to Riverton.  We loved the neighborhood as soon as we drove in.  It was an older established one, but well kept, wide streets, big yards, close to the schools and church.  As we drove in I noticed a different house for sale and made a mental note to check on it when I got home.  The short sale house needed a lot of work, but we loved the neighborhood so we thought we would look more into.  The next day I checked out the listing of the house we had seen when we drove into the neighborhood, and it was within our price range.  I quickly contacted our realtor so that we could go look at it.  I don't want to say that I fell in love with the house when we walked through it, but I felt home...if that makes any sense.  I could envision our kids growing up here, and how I wanted the house set up, and the yard...it was awesome...complete with swing set and sandbox.  It was an estate sale with two offers already.  We knew we would have to push our budget limits to make a competitive offer, but we did, and ours won.  Of course I started to stress thinking about tightening our budget to make it all work.  But another miracle happened, the appraisal came in lower then our offer and the sellers excepted the lower price.  So not only did we find a good house in a great neighborhood, but it came within our price range too.  We have felt directed though this whole process and are so grateful for my parents and their wisdom and help in making it all come about, but we know it all came down to the Lord blessing us.  We have been here just over a month and we love it.  There are the endless projects that come with home ownership, but its our own, and that makes all the money and energy worth it.  We have been shown so much love from the ward and the neighbors, and feel even more like we are right were we need to be.

As we were looking for a house we would tell Finn we are looking for a new place to live.  After we were under contract we came to show him the new house, and he said, "this is my new place to lib".

We are still getting things organized and put where we want them so pictures of the inside will have to wait.  And of course we have taken a perfectly good backyard and started demolishing it...mostly because it was loaded with pine trees, but it is starting to take shape the way we want it.  I will post more about that later too.

We love our new place to LIB!

.easy.

It is summer time...and the living is easy...at least for our kids.  They have spent the summer in deluxe fashion, spending hours playing and eating popsicles outside, just as every kid ought to.  So even though mom and dad are busy hauling rock, cutting down trees, and going through the list of countless projects, the kids are living it up!
A quick run down of  the summer so far...
-Eisley turned three months on the third of July and spent the day eating and sleeping like she does most days.
-We started our fourth of July celebrations with a neighborhood parade and breakfast.  Finn whined and dragged his feet the whole time because I was pulling him too fast.  I still don't know how he thought that since we literally were the last two people in the parade.  (thanks to our wonderful new neighbors who took pity on us and pushed Eisley in the stroller so I could deal with mr. slow poke).

Roy enjoying his mountain man breakfast while the kids play in the background (really Meg, who refused to eat anything I gave her, was busy foraging off the ground and other peoples plates for scraps...seriously??)

We spent the rest of the holiday living it up at Grandma's.  There was good food, plenty of water, cousins to play with, and aunts to hold Eisley.  I pretty much had the day off.  It was wonderful!

Eisley spread eagle in the shade trying to keep cool.

-On Saturday, the nursery leaders threw together a bbq for us to meet the other kids and parents in the nursery.   Another good night of food and new friends.  The kids played (Meg foraged again) for hours.  What a great place we've moved to!

- Monday night we got together with some friends from our old singles ward.  We met at our old Bishops house (AJ is Roy's boss too) for a night of swimming and catching up.

Eis and I sat poolside watching everyone else enjoy the water.

I always tell people that my kids don't really like water, because they've never really taken to it.  I've concluded it might be because the water is cold.  They like bathtub temperature apparently, because the Jackson's pool is set at a brisk 85 degrees and the kids loved it...especially Finn.  That kid couldn't get enough of the slide.  He kept wanting to run to get over to the slide, so we had to keep reminding him to walk.  He would slow down and take very deliberate heel to toe steps.  He was cracking us up!

 Baby Henry tried Roy's goggles on for size.  It was my favorite picture of the night!

As you can see, we have been taking full advantage of the hot weather, and living it up!

.three.

Little Eis,
Another month has completely flown by with me barely even realizing it. Most of the time I'm not aware at how much you've grown, but then suddenly diapers and clothes are too tight, and you're longer in my short arms.  How can my little 5 pounder really be as big as you are?

 You are really starting to bust out the smiles, and coo A LOT more.  It's so wonderful to see you start to develop and recognize those who love you.  My most favorite thing of yours is still you quirky little smile.  It absolutely melts my heart!  When I come and get you first thing in the morning, I'm always greeted with a string of happy smiles.  What a way to start a day!

Seriously...how could you not love this?

You are still one amazing sleeper!  Thank the heavens for that.  You will now consistently pull 8 hrs at night.  I'm fairly confident that we will be moving you in with your sister in about a month since I don't have to get up in the early morning to feed you anymore.  Not that that matters really because your sister is up with the sun anyways.

3 months old!

Being the baby, you are absolutely loved by friends, neighbors, and especially family.  You and your brother and sister our are life and we love you baby Eisley!