We are on the MARKET

Our house is officially on the market. Actually funny story about that:

I am driving home from the store with Jackson in the back when we pull up to the house and see the for sale sign in our yard.

Jackson: what's that mommy?
Me: our house is on the market

Jackson runs out of the car to the sign and is looking at it.

Me: Jack Jack what are you doing
Jackson: I want to go to the market

So cute.

It is pretty sad because we cleaned out a bunch of stuff to make it more "model like" for the sales. No more pictures, A LOT less toys (which I happen to like), and less furniture. It is like we just moved in. And we did just move in. I am really sad to be leaving. I didn't think I cared that much but now that it is coming I am getting nervous and sad. It doesn't help that we still haven't found a new place to live yet. Brandon and I went down to NM last weekend to look for rental places but there really wasn't much. Apartments which I am not super excited about and 1 house. The problem is we want a short lease because we really want to get into a house as soon as our house sells and everyone wants at least 1 year.

Albuquerque is an interesting place. It is divided into 4 main sections. NE, NW, SE, and SW. You really don't want to live in the south at all because it is really run down and the University is there. So that leaves the NE and NW. The NW is on the other side of the Rio Grande. There are only 4 roads across so traffic gets really bad. What takes us about 15 min in the middle of the day will take Brandon about 45 min to get to work in stop-and-go traffic. Which leaves us with the NE. We like it but the houses are a lot more expensive. We looked at one house that is the same size as our house in sq footage, but has a much smaller backyard. (We are talking a patio, that is it). It is going for $350k we are selling our house for $220k. BIG DIFFERENCE. It was really frustrating. If we are looking for a house that is a decent size and yard we are probably going to have to go into the East Mt which are awesome and beautiful but far away. Not a big commute for Brandon because it is a straight shot on the freeway, but the houses are a lot more spread out and distance wise it is far. It will take us about 20min to get to church every Sunday. Hopefully we will find a rental option and learn more about the area when we get there. But right now I am frustrated and a little down about having to move.

I don't know if I have any finished pictures of the house on my blog so I want to document them for memories. OUR FIRST HOME!

Check out how green and thick our grass is now. NICE.

So empty:(


One of my favorite features, the red door.

We put so much work into the house and really made it our home. I feel like my biggest fears about moving to ABQ are coming true. I was worried we weren't going to find a house as good as our home now. I know we still need to keep looking, and new houses come onto the market every day, but I really think that this house is a shinning needle in a haystack. Whoever moves in is getting a great deal.

We are Fancy

We are fancy around here after taking a bath. Elizabeth really likes wearing my necklaces and running around the house naki. She sure has a personality on her.

She has the best little lips. Naturally pink and great for kissing. This girl is not going to be needing any makeup when she gets older. A natural beauty.





Oh yeah, I made the hat. I think it looks really cute. Ever since Sarah came to visit I have been into hats.

BTW if you haven't checked out my craft blog yet please go over and see all the fun crafty stuff we have been doing.

http://acoupleofcraftaddicts.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to sign up as a follower! :)

1 Month 2 Win It

I AM A CONTESTANT ON ONE MONTH TO WIN IT! AHHH. I am super excited. Not the best timing since I am moving to New Mexico in two weeks but I am ready and willing to give it a try. I got in on the paisley sweatshirt I made for Elizabeth. Hopefully I can come up with some crafty ideas and creations. Wish me luck and don't forget to vote on:

http://onemonthtowinit.blogspot.com/

BEST POST OF THE DAY

This is the best post of the day. http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/2011/02/look-into-life-of-real-mormon-mommy.html

It was inspired by this article: http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/01/15/feminist_obsessed_with_mormon_blogs. I read it, very funny.

I would just like to say THANK YOU to Becca for showing the world what life is really like for mommy bloggers and just mommies in general. I think that in the church we sometimes compare ourselves to other moms. I know I do it. Their families come to church each week looking perfectly pressed, sitting so quietly in the chapel reading their books, and holding hands with big smiles. The truth is most of the time there was a disaster that hit the house in the morning, everyone was dragged to the car (with at least 1 of them crying), and life is not all together as perfect as we would like it to me. But here is the kicker. . . who cares! Life is messy. It may be a crazy life, but it's our life. My house is a disaster most days. I admit it. It drives me crazy. But between my work, playing with the kids, making dinner, washing dishes, washing clothing, and spending a little me time who has time to be a full time maid? Some days chicken nuggets will do for dinner. Some days I just don't have time to care that all my shoes have been thrown on the floor. I don't think the Lord is going to say to me, "why didn't you keep your house clean?" I think he is going to ask me how I treated my family and if I thought I was a good wife and mother. I would love to live in a home where all I had to do was play with my kids all day. . .but that is not life and I am okay with it.

Here is a look at might house today:

Elizabeth's room. Books, blankets, toys, Jackson's bed because he likes to sleep in her room every night.

My bed, unmade most days and on the floor because I still haven't gotten around to buying a bed frame. Ikea and hand me down furniture.

The kids posing in their mess. Jackson is still in his pjs around noon.

Elizabeth eating a marker, don't worry it is non toxic.

The family room/toy room. They take the train apart every day and ask me to set it back up every night.

Yup that is my life. Some days are better than others. Are you brave enough to show your life?

Happy Valentine's Day

Elizabeth blowing bubbles and enjoying the party.

I love her.

Last Time I Promise

Yeah, the title is the way I got my kids to do one more photo shoot with me. "Last picture I promise." I wasn't entirely pleased with the pictures I took the first time. To be honest I think I am getting too into photoshop and not relying on my natural abilities. Hence, I will probably do one more photo shoot with the kids before we move. I feel like my pictures are too edited. I want to get back to the pure pictures. Crisp, clear, and clean. That will be my motto. In the mean time here is what we shot on Friday with Sarah.


On another note Sarah went home today. I was sad to see her go but kind of relieved too. I have so much to do over the next few weeks I really need to focus and not be distracted by all the fun things I want to do with her. It was so nice to have someone around though. Someone to run errands with or go shopping with. Someone to play with the kids with me. We fought like usual but we also had a really nice time together and she bonded with the kiddos which is really important to me. She will be missed.

Last picture, Lizzy giving me a kiss goodbye.

WAY TOO MUCH FUN

Jackson and Elizabeth are having WAY TOO MUCH FUN with Aunt Sarah. She chases them around the house, plays hide and seek, and reads books with them every day. We will be sad to see her go on Sunday.

PHOTO SHOOT

I can't believe how long it has been since I did an actual photo shoot of my own kids. I have been taking pictures of so many other people I totally have been neglecting my own family. This week we are lucky enough to have my sister Sarah visiting from Seattle so I decided to take advantage of the extra hands and do an actual photo shoot of Jackson and Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is a total posing model. She sits still, says cheese, and is up for any position I put her in. Jackson on the other hand is a little more difficult. He hates taking pictures and I have to trick him to get a smile out of him. It was nice to have Sarah there distracting the other child so I could get individual shots but by the time I wanted to take some of them together they were done for. I think we might try to take some more tomorrow at a different location.

Today we did the shoot at The Groves church. There is a beautiful tree orchard there with wood benches and lots of awesome branches. Plus the trees shade the sunlight which makes for a perfect location in AZ. It is usually pretty crowded there with people taking picture but today we were lucky enough to have the whole place to ourselves. I have to admit it is much pretty there in the fall because the leaves are still on the trees but I still like the way the pictures turned out. Here are some of my favorites. I also posted more on my photography blog.






After the pictures were done we went over to the playground to let off some steam. It is an awesome playground because it has a tube that leads up to the slides and the slides are both really tall and short. Perfect for Jackson and Elizabeth. Although, Lizzy is much more of a daredevil than Jack and she went down the big slide all by herself. It was REALLY tall and fast. She went down backwards on her tummy but man did she shoot out the bottom landing on her face. I was a little worried but she just got up, shook herself off, and went again. Crazy little girl. Fearless. And so funny.

Liz trying to make the teeter totter go with all her little might.

Going down the big slide backwards.

After she went down the big slide. All smiles.

Jack liked hiding in the tube from mom. He was really quiet, whispering to Aunt Sarah that they were hiding from mom. Then I came up and scared him. He thought it was so funny, giggling his adorable little laugh. Sometimes kids can be so entertaining.

GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

This week as been full of good news and bad news. I will start with the bad (only because I like to finish on a high note!).

BAD NEWS!

Our household is infected by illness. It started with me on Wed night I began to feel a little sick in the stomach at the gym. I thought I was just hungry but when I got home it had begun to hit me full on an pretty soon I was about as useful as a lumpy pillow on my couch; which is where I stayed for the rest of the night. I felt so awful Brandon had to stay home from work the next day to take care of the kids as I was a zombie unable to move. Thankfully I was feeling better by Friday and Brandon could go back to work which I think he prefers to the other option of staying home and taking care of the kids.

Then last night Jackson started to get the same symptoms. He kept telling me his body hurts, and he threw up in the bath tub. Between the aching and the fever I am guessing he has got whatever I had. Two year olds are not fun to take care of when they are sick, especially since I am giving him a lot of extra attention which makes Elizabeth super jealous.

Elizabeth has had a runny nose all week. It just keeps dripping and runny. Thankfully those are her only symptoms so far so I am hoping she will escape the illness. Not likely but we can hope.

*The real bummer is that we had a superhero birthday party to go to today and I made superhero capes for them to wear. Liz has been wearing her's around the house today and when Jackson saw her wearing it he said, "Lizabeth you are a SUPER HERO!" It was so cute.

GOOD NEWS!

Brandon got the job in NEW MEXICO. It was a tough decision to leave Arizona. All of our friends and family that lives here. The weather. The house. The ward. But in the end we decided it was best for our family to take the risk and move. This job is an amazing opportunity and it is unheard of for a person in Brandon's position to get the job. I also found out that I can still teach for my school from NM as long as I have a valid AZ teaching certificate. So we are moving. Which is sad but exciting. On a new adventure. It will be hard but I have a really good feeling about it. It is Brandon's first real big break in his career and we couldn't be happier for him about it.

They need him there by March 16th (as long as he can get out of his current contract otherwise it won't be until April 5th), so that gives us some time to look for a new home, sell our current home, pack, and say our goodbyes. I am just glad Brandon's parents live here because then I feel like we will still have some ties with the people we have met here. And who knows where we will end up in the future. I love living in AZ so I wouldn't be surprised if we move back someday.

Before the illness hit we had a fun project this week. We made some potato print shirts. We wanted to make them with our mom's group but unfortunately it has been so cold and then getting sick it didn't happen. But we had fun making the examples. Lizzy wasn't much help, but Jackson had a great time. Here they are modeling their designs.


And here is our little star being her usual self.

Modeling the tutu swim suit Grandma Miller sent her for Valentine's day and dancing.

Thinking she is bigger than she really is by riding Jackson's big wheels when he is sick. He won't let her ride it if he is around. We are working on sharing.