Our House in Midland!!

As promised, I've posted a few pictures of our new home in Midland. I was going to wait and post OUR pictures, but that's not going to be for a while. So, these are the pictures from the listing. I LOVE this house. Looking at these pictures again, makes me really wish I had more rugs. There is zero carpet in this house - which is awesome! The only down side is how much it shows the crumbs and dust. I sweep at least once a day and sometimes more. Jon and I laugh (sort of) at how much our feet ache when we go to bed each night. I've finally wised up and am wearing my cushioned Nike's.
We have been here almost a month now and I still can't get over how much I LOVE this house. The basement isn't finished, but that hasn't stopped me from putting all of the toys down there and letting the kids go crazy. It's amazing to me how much something as simple as a play/toy "room" can change a persons life!

We haven't been able to figure out yet why this play set isn't IN the fenced area of the yard.  So one of our first projects is to add some fencing to this back portion of the side yard.  We are on a corner lot which you can't really tell from the pictures, but the yard is BIG.  I love it.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE this house?!  Jon's not here much, but he loves it too. :)

Oh yeah, there is a new porch that was put in after these pics were taken.  It looks great.

Okay, now scroll back to the top and notice how far spaced the top windows are in the front.  They need something...shutters.  I've been observing a lot of the houses around that are similar to ours and some have dark shutters, some have light.  I really like both versions but I haven't been able to decide.  What do you think?  I'm gonna make a poll on the side bar or leave me a comment if you have a thought.

Anyway,  here is the house...LOVE IT!! :)

Emily's Welcomers

 Emily's Family

Lauren, Rissie, Anna, and Kade

and Dad & Mom...What a sweet sweet day!

 Emily's Visitor's

Aunt Alishia & Uncle Tyler, then Josh, Uncle Kenny & Aunt Jamile, Aunt DeAnna, My cousin Lisy, 

Grandpa & Grandma Jenkins with Uncle Brett, Papa Lee, Aunt Carillisa, and Grandma Lee

My cousin Joe and his wife Amy were expecting their little boy the same time we were and we ended up only a few doors apart after delivery.  Jon saw Lisy in the parking lot after visiting her new nephew.  Fun coinsidence.    

Emily's "Welcome to the Family" Party

Before Emily was born we bought her some gifts, each member picking out one to give her.  Then, without the kids, Jon and I pick out a gift for Emily to give to each of her siblings.  The day she came home, we celebrated by exchanging gifts.  It's become a favorite tradition in our family.   -- Emily slept through the whole thing! :)

Emily had several visitors and welcomers.  In this collage we have Aunt Carillisa and DeAnna with the kids, Amy Fox, Uncle David and Aunt Elaine, Uncle Jared and Aunt Andrea, and more of Aunt DeAnna.I didn't always remember to get a picture, remember all of those who came.  Thanks to those for all of your gifts, love, and support.

 We've had some crazy fun!  Having a new baby home brings all sorts of excitement and love.  I had to include a representation of what happens when Mom in "unavailable".  Kade in his jammies, Anna is a princess with mismatched shoes and Rissie is a ragamuffin.  

Aunt Missy came to visit from Kansas, Aunt Jenny came from Seattle (her pictures are on Mom's camera still needing to be downloaded), and Marcy came with her friend, but I missed getting a pic.  Aunt Alishia helped get a great smile out of Kade.

I made similar hats for both Anna and Emily, and by chance ended up with two very similar pictures.  Emily does look like Anna, but really, she is a good blend of everyone.  She doesn't fit into any one particular mold.  She even looks a little like her Aunt DeAnna, which is cool seeings how Emily is girl number four following our only boy.  DeAnna fit in our parents family in the exact same order (3 girls, boy, girl - my parents then had another boy and then another girl - we'll have to see if we can fit one more boy in our family too so Kade can have a brother.)

 Emily Caroline Jenkins 

March 15, 2012 - 7:15am - 6lbs15oz  

I don't remember how long she was - it wasn't 15.

More to come.

We found a HOME!!

Birchfield Drive

I am leaving to meet Jon for lunch and sign the papers for this cute little house we found.  After WEEKS of finding and losing houses, I am so excited to finally be done and have a home!!  None of the changes or upgrades we are planning will keep us from being able to move in, so we can just improve as we go.

click on the link  "Birchfield Drive" for pictures.

Happy Birthday, Kade!! TWO - Wahoo!

 I can't believe our little man is already TWO!!  He is only going to be my baby for a few more days.  I'm excited to meet our little Emily, but I am in mourning for my together time with Kaders. 

Mikell's baptism was on Saturday, so we celebrated with the Jenkins' that evening and had a fun little pizza party with cake and ice cream.  Kade was too funny when it came to blowing out his candles.  I still need to get the video from Aunt Missy.  Anyway, he was fine with the candles at first, but when they didn't blow out the first time he got uneasy and eventually started crying and reaching for me.  He was curious a moment later with his second mini cupcake, so we tried it again.  He did better the second time but still didn't like it.  In some ways he is such a boy, and in others he is just a little tender heart.  Cutie pants.

Sunday, was his birthday and poor guy was sick.  Sad way to celebrate your birthday, but he did alright.  I did manage to get a little smirk in one of the pics.
Thanks to everyone who was able to help make this a Happy Birthday to our little Kade!  

Rissie's Spotlight Poster

 Do any of you remember this sweetheart?  I made a spotlight poster for Rissie's unbirthday today and brought it to her kindergarten class.  It was so fun to go through all of these pictures and remember her.  I eventually had to stop adoring her poster to keep it together.  So many fun memories!!
These were the 8x10's

This one I had to leave off, but only because I didn't have space for it.

Anna had just learned that she was going on a date with Daddy.

I wish this had come out clearer.  This is Kade in the process of bedtime routine in Lauren's boots.

I 

The girls had to walk home without the rest of the other kids a week or so ago.  They are so sweet together.  They held hands the whole way.

Ten weeks to go.  Well actually, now we are down to nine.  Little Emily (sometimes Emmie) is getting so active, especially at night.  Sometimes Jon and I just watch her movements across my tummy before going to bed.  It's fun.

Lauren turns SEVEN!!

 In Bear Lake with the Jenkins - I should let Jon narrate the swimming/sledding party.  I was home in bed all week so Jon took the kids without me (he is so awesome).  But from all the reports I heard they all had a great time (although apparently Kade didn't like the sledding as much).  Mikell and Braden came with Uncle Jared, while Aunt Andrea stayed home to recover from her foot surgery with Kelten.  Aunt Missy and soon to be Uncle Josh joined in the fun along the Grandma Jane and Grandpa Jenkins.

Ice Skating with the Lee's

 Ice Skating was a hit!  The kids totally loved it.  Kade would cry anytime Jon brought him to me.  So he basically spent the entire two hours on the ice.  Rissie was non-stop go go go.  She was our energizer bunny.  Lauren and Anna liked it, but they enjoyed the socializing too.  Not at all surprised about that one.  Uncle Kenny went so fast with Anna that she was either moving her little skates at super speed or they were dragging behind her while she held on for dear life.  Allie looked adorable in her new little hat and coat, and Gavin brought a couple of girls from their ward to keep it fun and entertaining-and give us a reason to tease him.  Aunt Carillisa was going to just visit but she saw the need to even out the adult-to-kid ratio.  Thanks C.  Jamile and Josh kept me company (at 7mos along) while I was the official coat/scarf/purse holder and photographer. 

 Grandma Jane was getting rid of an old skirt from somewhere when it was too big for the girls dress-ups.  It reminded me of Lauren's Halloween costume as Little Red Riding Hood and an idea sparked.  So with Mom's help I transformed the old skirt into a cute little hood for Lauren using some of the leftover satin from Alishia's wedding for part of the lining.  She loved it! (Yay.)  We played heavy-heavy-hangover with Lauren's gift opening.  She loved it-she absorbs the lime light so dragging out her being the center of attention was almost as good as getting the gifts.  I love that she gets so excited about her birthday!  She's always been my birthday enthusiast.  

Oh yeah,  notice the flame?  Feeling rushed to get to the rink in time I totally forgot about the candle and singing bit until someone mentioned it.  I'd already given the birthday girl her requested brownie and chocolate ice cream, so I just put the seven candles in the middle of her little dessert.  It took several huffs and puffs to blow it out and nearly lit her hair on fire in the process. 

Happy Birthday my sweet birthday princess!