another exciting chapter

Rememeber on this post how I'd said that we'd been up to some pretty exciting things?
Well, this is what we have been up too....

This is our brand new home!

10 months ago, when we moved in with Preston and Sue our plans were to pay off all debt and save money to move back to Utah. Well, we did all, but move back to Utah. When I went home in March for my sister's wedding I had the strongest impression that this is where my family needed to stay, For Now and I was finally okay with it. So, I called Lance and told him how I felt, and not even kidding, the next day he was looking at listings for a new home.

It's been quite the process and I've had to learn how to be very patient. I also had to learn what buying a house entitles! (No one ever told me how stressful closing was going to be!) And I do suggest if you're a first-time home buyer, take a course, if it's avaliable, on buying your first home. It's amazing how much you'll learn!

Anyway, it's a perfect home just for our little family. Three bedrooms two baths a two car garage, with a nice yard, just for Layla. Oh and I can't forget my favorite part of the house...

Ah, the things I will bake this coming holiday season in MY kitchen!!

We're so blessed to have the parents that we do. Thanks Preston and Sue for taking us in for nearly a year! You have been so good to us. We love you!

Here's to yet another new chapter in our lives. We're so excited!

eventful week

"one is pretty easy, two isn't that bad, three... well, you just don't go anywhere!"

My mother said that to me after I had Layla.

I had questioned her about the difference it would be from traveling around with only two.

Then we had three.

(Lance Me and Layla)

Hope that makes sense.

Meaning adjusting to having one child isn't to bad, maybe even after having the second, but three is a different story.

Get where I'm going?

And no, I'm not about to have twins.

Our cousin, Ashley, recently got a new teaching job and she asked me if I would watch her kids until she found someone permanent. I gladly accepted, not knowing exactly what I was in for.

The first couple days were challenging, which I expected.

But just like everything, after figuring out each of the their schedules, I did it!

I made it through the week with three kids under 3!

I even got up the nerve to load all their car seats up and run some errands.

   

{the Saturday before, I made sure to spend a lot of one on one time with Layla. We did little pedicures. I didn't know how she'd handle having two more around but she did pretty good.}

{here they all are, destroying Sue's living room.}

Layla.Kade.Alyssa

{yes, Layla is trying to sit on poor little Kade. There was a lot of refereeing going on}

{we also started doing piggy tails. she looks more like a toddler when I do them.}

{and long, fun baths at the end of the day.}

{I found her doing this a lot during the week. It was like she needed to get away from everyone. So she'd grab a book and sit behind the armorer (sp?) door. But only until Kade would find her!}

to tired to care

Yes, this is Layla.

Her diaper is on backwards

and she wrapped her face up with a hand towel.

On the bathroom floor.

But don't fret, I had JUST cleaned it.

It was a Saturday afternoon.

(nap time)

She was tired, I was trying to blow dry my large amount of hair.

She was quite content on just taking her nap here.

And the reason for her diaper being on backwards:

This particular day, she didn't want any clothes on,

and insisted that her diaper come off too.

SO

I put it on backwards and it ended that problem.

Try it mothers.

It works.

she walks around the house saying this repeatedly...

yes, that's her counting to ten.

i swear, when i was trying to teach her that, she wasn't listening and had no interest.

the next day, she was doing it all on her own.

and i love how she holds the # 8.

she's also smothering her lips with her chapstick

(she picked that habit up from me)

aren't i so blessed to get to listen to that sweet little voice all day?

her new thing lately..

..and it's her favorite.

(but not necessarily mine)

It really wouldn't be that bad if she'd stay on the paper.

But she's getting curious and wants to see what the marker would do to

my clothes

the carpet

the walls

our skin

her skin

the bedding

the furniture

and

anything else that is in her reach.

We started out with coloring pencils, then she discovered pens, then crayons.

But now, nothing is better than The Marker!

(I'm so glad they're washable, now I'm just doing laundry a lot more!)

^

{I just love how she holds her pen. It's pretty good for a 19 month old}

Side story:

Saturday, I was in our bedroom doing a couple things and could hear Lance and Layla giggling.

Come to find out, they were having a little marker war.

Lance had a couple spots on his arm.

She looked like this...

And the reason for no shirt...

When she tries to put the cap back onto the marker, she marks on her belly.

It's just much easier to let her color in her birthday suit!

One more thing..

She's very good at copying anything I do.

This night, I was sitting in a rocking chair reading a Better Homes and Garden Magazine.

She scooted her little rocking chair (from Grandma and Papa Chivers) right on over next to me and rocked in it. She even tried to cross her little chubby leg.