before and after

Ok- I'm going to attempt in some way to actually finish this blog post even though Gage is due to wake up any minute from a nap. So this one is just going to show some before and after pictures or a couple of projects I've been working on. There are endless more but I'm happy to report that at least these ones are good enough for public opinion. One is my living room where I painted the brick- took some shelves down- and gave the two alcoves on either side a pretty light jade color. Cody and I couldn't stop starring at it for days. PS brick, it turns out, is incredibly time consuming to paint. But well worth it. I also painted the fish tank stand that used to be an ugly damaged wood. The other picture is of the tiling job that my mom in law and I did. She is such a wonderful women to share her knowledge and help with me! Cody and I found a very retro surprise when we pulled up the carpet. Turns out linoleum was there but not the best design. So there you go! The projects continue!

Still homeless

Hey everyone. Just a quick update this time without any pictures. Sorry. But we are still not in our house yet. I know... terrible huh? I feel like the show "where in the world is carmen san diego" but without the fun and prizes. Cody started law school orientation yesterday so we're down here in Denver sleeping in an empty real estate unit that our realator found for us to crash in. We are hoping to close by Friday but the loan officer has been really hard to get a hold of and he refuses to give us an answer of when we can get in. He's a total idiot and admits that he's new to Colorado and doesn't understand all the requirements so he's taking very long! It is a hundred times more complicated than that but I'll let it suffice to say that he's about my least favorite person in the whole world right now. Cody is enjoying his orientation this week and even managed to find a BYU-I student that he went through the business program with. Such a coiencidence! He said the most shocking thing was how innappropriatly all the girls are dressed. He said he never knew that "professional" clothes could look so trashy. We've been in Rexburg for too long. :) So anyway- I'm just trying to stay busy down here without a house or any perminant place of residence. I just can't wait till it's all over! So wish us luck this weekend. Hopefully we'll be moving into a house. Love you all!

Ode to Idaho

In just a week we will be moving from Idaho. It's a bitter sweet feeling and although I'm so excited to move on I'm going to really miss the place. Reading Becky's blog made me even more sad at the thought of moving just because this place can be so beautiful and so fun. Then winter hits. So I just need to keep in mind that I'm going to a warmer place. In honor of beautiful Idaho, my home since 2002 (other than a brief 2 year stay in Spain), I'm posting these top thirteen "you know you're in Idaho when"...

- someone in a home depote store offers you assistance and they don't work there

-you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time

-you've had a lengthy conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number

-"vacation" means going anywhere north of Salt Lake

-you measure distance in hours

- you know several people who have hit a deer more than once

-you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" and back again in the same day

-you install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked

-you can drive 75 mph through a raging blizzard without even flinching

-you design your kids halloween costumes to fit over snow suits

-driving is better in the winter cause snow fills all the pot holes

-you know all four seasons as: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction

-you find 10 degrees a "little chilly"

So Idaho I bid you farewell! Thanks for the land, the people and the beautiful sunsets. You can keep your horrible winters, terribble roads, and zero airports.

Things are moving along with the home purchase. I'm not going to say that they are moving right along, cause we've had some crappy snags but we have to be out of our apartment by the first so we're moving one way or another. The following week will go as follows: monday packing, tue through thursday family reunion, friday packing and moving, sat driving to mom and dad browers, sunday driving to denver and monday closing on a house and moving in. Is it weird that I'm really excicted for it all to happen? I love the thought of moving somewhere new and meeting new people. It also helps that for once I won't be working and I can finally start taking care of Gage. Update on Gage- he had a WIC appointment today and he's 19 pounds 4 oz and 27 inches long. What a little weed! He just keeps getting bigger! And he had pears for the first time yesterday and he loved them. He has never willingly opened his mouth when food is offered before and yesterday with the pears he just kept opening it wider and wider every time we offered some. It was priceless. Also he doesn't have to wear his helmet anymore! I can't believe that wasn't the first thing I wrote about! He hit the legal limits to how far the doctors could change his head so we called it quits a month before we thought we could. He was the fastest baby they've ever had go through treatment. Good job Gage! He's sleeping so much better and overall seems much happier. I just feel so lucky to be able to feel my sons head against my cheek again. It's such a little thing but it means so much to me. He's still super heavy to lug around but at least I don't have to fear a head butt from him anymore. Well everyone I'll keep you posted on whatever else crazy pops up in my life!