It's beginning to look a lot like moving time

I'm relishing moments here in Kansas City.
Things I will miss:
10 minute drive to the airport.
The Red X
Peeking out my front window to spy on my neighbors (and I adore most of them, all but the lady who yells at my kids when they walk on her grass)
Using a baby monitor so I can take my kids to the park while Ruby sleeps peacefully.
My friends. My friends. My friends. I am pretending they are going to come visit me all the time.

But guess what? We have a lot to look forward to.
Josh "the builder" has become my own HGTV host, right here in my house. He is SOOO EXCITED to have projects to work on for our house. I will be talking with him about something and he'll change the subject, back to something he's been thinking about for the house. I got a text message out of nowhere about tools he wants. He drew up a work of art tonight, a diagram, figuring out where we'll put our TV. He's anxious to get moved!!! I love it.

I packed 3 boxes today. The first of many more...

Our Easter

To start our Easter weekend we dyed Easter eggs. Amelia: you are such a ham. She was not smiling on purpose. This is the best picture of her.
We went to our townhouse Easter Egg Hunt after we dyed eggs. Kelly the Easter Bunny did a great job, what a sport! He was hopping all around with that big old grin on his face. I almost died when he hopped past me! Conrad asked me if he was the real Easter Bunny- because he could see his face and... well, he just didn't think he was the real Easter Bunny. He figured out he was wearing a costume. This kid is gonna make the next few years (or couple???) difficult with his questions about Holiday figures.

After the egg hunt. Yet again, no smile on purpose. Not sure if she's taking or giving.

Typical scene!!!

Today we hung low at home vs. going to church. Amelia developed a nasty cold. When kids are this young, why do we even bother to buy Easter clothes?!? Seems like my kids always get sick around Easter. We watched the Easter-related Mormon Messages this afternoon. Conrad was asking me question after question. Might've been the first time I've been so happy that he's so curious.

I made us a ham dinner. We also had cheesy potato casserole (Utahns: funeral potatoes). Fruit salad. Rolls. Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. We were living the high life. I bought a 10 lb. ham, but didn't invite anyone over to share it with. It was good that we didn't invite anyone over, though. Josh started to feel sick today and went to bed at 7:45 pm. If you want some ham, I take chocolate in exchange!!! Actually, just take the ham. We're on the diet wagon again. Anyway, I hope your Easter was nice. Here's a nice picture to end my post.

check this out: 2 more weekends to deep clean and pack most of our house up. Have we started? nope. :0

Decorating my blog

I put Ruby in the high chair, just to give her a different view of stuff. So I snapped a few shots of her adorableness. The bib is there just to catch drool.

This girl has turned into a drooler... please, don't be teething already!!!

If she's anything like Amelia, she's about to lose all that precious hair. Amelia's all fell out around 4 months old. I pray hers doesn't!!!

(probably) HOMEOWNERS!!!!!!!!

Check it out y'all. We went house hunting in St. Louis yesterday (Friday). We started at 1:45 pm and by 5:45 pm we had put an offer on a house. This morning I got a phone call from our Realtor (loooved her!) and she asked me if I wanted to go see my new house!!!!!!!! SCREAMING!

We really didn't think we'd get this house. We were giving them all we had. Which wasn't quite what they were hoping for (based on history). But when they heard we were a young couple with 3 little ones they gave in. As Regina (our realtor) said, "Ruby needed this big house so she could have a spot for all her headbands!"

We felt like we needed to be quick about it because it had been on the market for 3 days, 7 people had looked at it, and 2 wanted to put contingent offers on the house. It had been on the market previously (and tentatively sold) but the people who were going to buy it had something fall through before closing.

1600 sq. ft!

It's a raised ranch style home. Almost like a split level home but the split entry doesn't happen right when you walk in. 3 FULL bathrooms!!!! There is a community swimming pool, park for the kids, and a pond for fishing in the summertime!

Here's the master bedroom. Notice anything funny? In the basement (the fourth level) is this rec room which we can use as a 4th bedroom in case we have 5 more kids during residency. (NOT!) It'll probably be a playroom.

The family room (with a wood-burning fireplace!)

Our fantastic backyard!!!

The front room!!! (A gas fireplace in here, too!)

The kitchen!!! Oh the kitchen!!!!!!!!!!! What a dramatic difference this will be from my tiny kitchen now!!!!

The front of our house!!! We're at the very end of a cul-de-sac!!!

The icing on the cake for Josh was, of course, the workspace in the 2-car garage!!! WE ARE BESIDE OURSELF WITH GIDDINESS!!! We honestly didn't think they'd take our offer!!!

This is your formal invitation to come stay with us!!! Of course it won't look as nice when we're in it. They had the house staged. We have frumpy furniture! I'll have to go yard sale-ing!!! Which is probably one of my favorite things to do!!!

Sorry about all the exclamation marks, but, like, yeah. We are like, totally, like, freaking excited.

Ok, go throw up now!!! :) )

Because it's my blog

I can post these work-of-art pictures. Absolute breath-taking I tell you.

This is what eating (and drinking?) at Tucano's will do to you. Be warned.

Highlights of our trip to Utah

Ruby met Grampy. Better luck next time, Grampy :) Uncle Tom brought cousin Caroline up for a playdate. Tom did most of the playing! :)

Ruby got to meet Miss McKall (I love this picture of McKall!) Amelia rekindled friendships with Katie-bug. Debates Debates Debates (I am a good photographer of them, that's my lame contribution)

Ruby had multiple bad hair days

The twins Sophie and Ari were a hit with my kids

cousin Ari was jealous of her momma Jeni's affections for Ruby

Sweet sweet moment. Grandma Bev meeting Ruby.

Someone who appreciates food as much as I do

Ruby meeting her 2nd cousin, Lincoln. My cousin Kalynne and I were due the same day. They ended up being 10 days apart, but we're still friends! :) Ruby looks like she's already conspiring.

Amelia rekindling a friendship with Brielle.

My sibs. Minus Tom and Lisa, and Ethan and Kim. :( We had pizza and lots of teasing. Erin brought a new boyfriend so of course we teased.

Amelia's first professional haircut. Yay, no more orphan Amelia!

Fun Fun Fun with McKall!

+ Grandma!

Riding horses at Uncle Jake the Bishop's house (he's the bishop now!!!!!!)

Story time, my kid's favorite

There's a snake

Flying kites in the pasture

I freaked Conrad out, here you see Grampy working his magic. Conrad touched the electric fence and wouldn't move away from it, I pushed him away (thinking he was paralyzed from the electricity... oh dear...) when in fact he didn't get shocked at all. Thanks Gramp for loving him.

Candid. My favorite!

Tucker's 1st birthday!!!

Rhino riding. So so so fun for them!!!

Ok! I can breathe now that that's over with!