New Adventures!

My two little boys have a love/hate relationship. They play and laugh together like nobody's business...but when they are upset with eachother- they are out for blood. They love the backyard and the stairs at this new house. We have a waterfall that has a small pond at the bottom- they go out and sit with sticks and go "fishing." They also take Travis' sleeping bags and play up and down the stairs...I hear them laughing on a regular basis and it makes me smile.

Inflation

Gwendalin lost one of her front teeth this week. I remember getting coins for my teeth- she got $2 from the tooth fairy....She is so stinkin cute- she deserved it!

A Few Dallie moments

We've been sick around here for a few days...it's been a little ridiculous. Hunter is the only healthy one around here...but that doesn't stop us from doing a little outdoor play (Dallin especially). He went out yesterday to play and watch the dogs and ended up stuck on the rock climbing wall....luckily Hunter helped unhook him and he got down unharmed. :) Dallie has had a "Croop-like" cough the last few days and realyl doesn't feel well. This morning he came in and wanted in bed with me - he'd already been up for an hour...What is it about your parent's bed that makes you sleep so well? I did the same thing when I was a kid...if my dad was gone sometimes I'd get to sleep in my mom's bed...it was such a treat. Travis didn't grow up that way, he wasn't really ever allowed in his parents bed - just a difference in parents. Anyway, I put Dallie in bed with me and he fell back asleep for another hour...he's so congested though that his breathing became very songlike because of the congestion and such. I love it when my babies lay next to me and sleep...what a treat!

Almost as good as Disneyland!

This new house has a pantry the size of 4 huge things...my kids love to hang out in there....it's different than my wall pantry because in this room they can see everything and they go in and eat and then they come back 5 minutes later and eat some more...it's not good food they are eating, it's licorice, cookies, fruit snacks, etc....so we had to put a stop to it...Travis was super handy man and installed this fantabulous bolt lock and a new handle so that we can keep them from going in whenever they like. Now that they can't get in all the time, they will get yogurt, fruit, cheese, etc. from the kitchen....much much better!

Our First Pinewood Derby!

Hunter participated in his and our first Pinewood Derby on March 17. We had Uncle Philip send us a car because he's had several boys do this and has gotten very good and mastering the car building part and being very competetive. Hunter wanted to build one of us his own as well, so Travis used Philip's car as a model and Hunter helped sand and paint and glue the weights. I think he has a fun time - the great thing about Hunter is that he loves to win, but doesn't get bent out of shape if he doesn't. He lost one race due to a bad start and when his car hit the bottom last he looked up and just smiled at everybody! Cute kid! It was a super loud fun night!

Different People, Different Job Prefrences...

Growing up my dad worked for one company ( with the exception of a few years that didn't work out that way). It wasn't a standard schedule like your 8-5 workday, but it was consistant. He worked for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in Gallup, New Mexico and then in Phoenix, Arizona. He would get random phone calls and it would be the railroad operator lady on the other end that would say "Call for LA Slade..." and then depending on how old we were we could say "go ahead" and take down the information for his next job or we would go find somone old enough to take it down. I remember him working odd hours...sometimes we'd see him Christmas morning before he'd have to go and he'd be tying on his workboots while he watched our reactions to our Christmas presents. He drove a little truck/car for his entire RR career...even in Phoenix he drove a truck that had no A/C. He never complained....I think he would've rather been working on his ranch in Colorado milking cows and taking care of water wells, but he worked every day and didn't complain - although he didn't love it. It provided for us in a way that I didn't realize until I entered adulthood. I never wanted for anything as a kid. I can't think of a time when my parents ever let us know that there was any financial struggle....I'm sure there were those times, and I just didn't know about them.

My point is I grew up with consistencey as far as work goes. We had insurance and I got used to the random schedule that comes with working on the Railroad. I grew up - or so the world tells me- and married someone who has no desire to work for someone else....he thrives on his own and loves to work for himself only. He's brilliant when it comes to learning new trades or retaining valuable information....but with this freedom of working for yourself, comes a set of stresses that you don't get when you are employed by someone else.

In pondering what I would rather between these two, I find myself at an impass. I know my dad disliked what he did, but it provided for our family....I know Travis loves what he does and it's not his fault that the economy took a dive...but it stinks wondering and fretting over business/personal expenses. So, I have no real conclusion, except that now some of my posterity will know what my dad and my husband did for a living.

Just a Shell ... but it was mine.

The last few years of our lives has been a bit stressful, much of it leading up to this point that we lost our house. I used to try to explain to everyone the circumstances surrounding it so they knew that it was not our fault in any way, but I have since decided that it doesn't matter what they think - it matters what the Lord thinks and I can say that we feel very close to Him and have felt that through the entire experience these last few years.

It's been challenging because we have had some people flat out say to us "we were raised better than that, our parents taught us to pay our bills..." really? did you actually just say that to me? You think my parents didn't teach us that as well....you think we didn't try everything in our power to keep this from actually becoming a reality? C'mon - think before you speak, you have no idea what has led us to this point and what circumstances we had to go through to get here.

Moving here and starting our own business was so excited and nerve wracking...but we were guided every step of the way. We picked our house - I had 2 babies in that house, we were there for over 5 years. We measured our kids at each birthday in the doorway of the laundry room...we were comfortable there. We loved it.

Change is inevitable. It comes always regardless of our circumstance, life will always offer change and how we deal with it shows what kind of people we are. This change, while stressful and at the time - unwelcomed, has become a great blessing to our family. We have learned, we have grown and we have seen the hand of the Lord in our lives every step of the way. So as I leave this house - while now it is just a shell that once housed my family, my possessions, my taste in paint colors, I find myself a little lost for words - emotional without realizing exactly why. I knew this was coming, I've known for a few years this was coming, but knowing that what was once mine is not anymore and although the Lord has blessed us immensly there is a part of me that feels like I have failed because this change came about in a very non conventional way.

I look forward so much to the symbol of a new start for us as we move to a new place. I welcome this change and hope to be positive and upbeat when change continues to knock at my door.

More new house photos

So here are picture of the 2 family rooms...the upstairs family room has a nice view of all the elk/moose/ dead things that my husband loves....luckily from the door downstairs you can't tell they are there because they are so high. These are quick snap shots without me picking things up prior to the pictures. :)

There are 2 sets of french doors that go into the office. They were clear glass and I bought some "frost" paper and covered both sets to make the office more private since Travis does so much work from home.

Here's the dining room....

Here's the downstairs family room....with our new couches. The loveseat rocks and reclines and the couch reclines on both ends....the leather stinks right now, but they are super comfy. This room is our "formal" room, so the kids don't eat or watch TV in here.