Sunday, January 23, 2011

Snow blower

Jacob went to Mexico last week on business on business. He was gone for 3 days. I survived. I really did. I wasn't sure I was going to. I usually plan girls nights and go to mom's a lot while Jacob is gone but this time there is no one to hang out with or Mom to visit so but I was survived and so did the kids. I know you are all proud. Anyway while he was gone there was the first big snow storm in Michigan, While I have been here anyway, it wasn't even that big I have yet to see a ton of snow. I'm not complaining about that though I am more counting my blessings. Anyway I learned that a lot of people give up and do not shovel the driveways or parking lots. A couple people told me that you get in the car and drive back and forth about 10 to 20 times and it flattens everything down. This makes for a slippery mess that my little Suzi car hates. I got stuck on the flattest surfaces ever several times that first day that were handled this way. I decided I needed to shovel my drive way before it turned into the same icy area and I couldn't get out of my driveway.
I am sure that if you could have seen us you would have laughed. Mason was out there helping me every second I was out there shoveling with a cute little shovel we found in the barn. He was loving it. The problem was that he kept grabbing snow and dumping it where I had already shoveled. It was so cute. He was so proud of himself for being a "Big Helper."
Mirra came out after school for a few minutes but then got cold and needed her after school snack so she went in. I am so proud of both of them for helping.
It ended up taking us about 3 hours total to get everything cleaned off and drivable and I was so sore the next day. It was so pathetic on my part. When Jacob got home the first thing I begged him to do was get a snow blower! I am so grateful for the person who invented the snow blower. The day we brought it home we got another 6 inches of snow and Jake took care of it.
It took him about 30 minutes and everything was done and a lot cleaner then I had it the other day. It was great. I love the snow blower.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Staring Out!!!

So the day after we got back from Wisconsin my Mom and Dad finished their long 3 day trip out here to see us. They towed out my car so that Jake and I wouldn't have to worry about driving 2 vehicles. It was so nice of them. I think it really helped Mirra adjust to being here. She was worried that she was never going to see her Grandma again and having her be here helped. While they were here Mom helped me unpack and arrange the house while Dad fixed things and made Mirra and Mason a rocking horse. I am so excited to have one. The kids like it a lot too but I think I am more excited. The only problem is no one would paint the face. I had to do it. I am not a painter it looks terrible if you look close but from a distance it's not too bad.

I am so grateful that they were able to come spend the time with us. It was probably really boring for them but we loved every minute of having them here. It was hard to see them go though. Mirra cried for over an hour in loud sobs that broke my heart. It was so sad. Heidi and Mathew gave them a book though that Grandma read and it recorded her voice reading the story. They love to listen to it. Mason will open it about a hundred times a day and say there's grandma Mommy. Poor baby I know he doesn't understand. He keeps asking to go play with Hazel and Joshy or Wesley and Kissa. When ever someone comes to the door, which is not that often, Mason says there's grandpa Mommy it's Grandpa. I know he will sometime get used to the idea but it might take a while.
I think that he is also wondering when I am heading back to work. He has been so clingy like he is holding on to every minute of me being here. He said to me today after Jacob went to work that Mommy go work too? I tried to explain to him that I don't have work any more. Someday he will understand it all right......
Jacob really likes his new job. He feels like he is understanding what they need him to do and he has really made some improvements this first week. He says that the biggest plus is that I am home waiting for him when he gets here. I think it is the fact that he doesn't have to do all of the cooking anymore but he will not admit to that.
I have had several people ask for pictures of the house so here they are. Don't judge the messes though k. I am very new to this stay at home thing and I am still trying to get moved in k.
Ok we are looking at the coldest room in the house. No matter what we have tried this room will not heat up warmer then 66 degrees though most of the time it hangs at about 43-44. It is so cold. It is the family room and behind the couch where the kids are sitting is the dinning room. About this house.. it is an old farm house that they have remodeled and built around. The older part of the house has barn wood on the walls and the rooms are dark. The remodeling made the house kind of a maze. I can never figure out where I am. It is weird.

So this is the same room just the other from the other side. I am now standing by the dining table. The door you see in the back leads to the sun room that is along the whole side of the house.

This is the view that anyone see's as they are passing our house.

and this is another view from that room. These are the main stairs. To the left of the stairs is the laundry room but I didn't take a picture of that. The coolest part is that there is a laundry shoot though from my bathroom so I just throw my cloths down the shoot and I don't have to carry them. The window you see is actually just an opening to the kitchen.
I have lots of complaints about this room. The oven is tiny, old, the tops heating element hardly works at all so we have to bake everything as high up as it will go and it doesn't stay closed. It barely fits the little cookie sheets in it. The open cupboard is a lazy susan that will not stay shut and we have not figured out the recycling system yet so all of my empty milk jugs are still sitting on the counter.
This is the front entry way. We never use it because we park right next to the sun room and just come in that way. You can see a little corner of the front door. To the left is another window that leads into the kitchen right behind the lazy susan that will not shut. the room behind Mirra is the library of the living room and to my right there is a bathroom.
The door at the back of the room leads down to the basement. It is kind of strange.
This is the Library. All the boxes are Jake's speakers and things like that so he will have to take care of them when he gets time. off to the left there is a door that leads upstairs. The steps are really steep so we don't really use them. There is also a little bed room.
We are using this as the guest bedroom and the closet for all my craft stuff....
Up at the top of the steep staircase is Mason and Mirra's room. This first one was going to beMirra's room but the whales scare her so this is now Mason's room. He loves the big fishy's on the wall. to the left of the picture there is a little bathroom inside the room with just a toilet and a sink.
This is the other side of Mason's room. While dad and mom where out here they helped us get a big bed for Mason. He is so proud of his big bed.
It's small but Mirra loves it. Mom helped me push nails in the cracks in the barn wood to decorate. The boarder is a sticker. It turned out really cute. Most ofof you know that I had just painted Mirra's room at the new Springville house and put up a boarder that I had saved for Mirra for a long time. I even made her blanket to match it. Mom and Dad went out in search of that boarder or something close to it but couldn't find anything. Mirra loves this one though. She says it is even better. And Heidi found me 3 rolls on Ebay of the other boarder so I will be able to redo Mirra's room when we get a place of our own.
So even though the master bed room is right next to Mirra's room you have to go down a little hall, turn, go up 2 stairs, go down a hallway, step down one stair and you get to our door. This is a view from right inside the door. The tub doesn't work yet. Well I guess it would if you wanted a cold bath. The land lord is coming to fix that sometime next week.
This is the other side of the room. the door is to our closet. It is really big. It is in a L shape and has a big built in dresser. You can see the tub in the picture but that if from the huge wall mirror. It is rather annoying and I will just leave it at that....... on the other side of the mirror is a little hallway that leads to the bedroom.
It is a big room but there is a big window right by the bed and no blinds. At least there are 5 acres behind us with nothing on them. the little windows look into the sun room. My favorite part of Michigan so far has been the last week at anytime you can look out the window and it is snowing. There is flurries in the sky almost always. we only have about 2 inches on the ground but there is always snow flying. It is really pretty.
This is the front of the house. Off to the left is a big red barn that is in the back. It is a different house but we have somewhere to live. While Mom was here she and Mirra put some apples outside to feed the chipmunks. We finally caught the animal that we were feeding though.
It's a possum. They are ugly little things. I thought that you found them down in louisiana Not here in Michigan and don't they hibernate? Obviously not though because here he is....

Christmas 2010

Christmas this year for me was a true vacation. Before we left Utah Mirra had one request from her Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen that we act out the Nativity. My family graciously came over to help out some even missed out on important things just to participate. I am so greatful for them and all of their help with the move. They are amazing. Mirra got to play the part of Mary. She took it very seriously. It was so cute. All of the kids were adorable.
Mason was the cow, though he didn't last very long. Josh was sheep that Ian the Shepherd ended up holding for him, Jordan was the other Shepherd, Isaac the camel, Porter the donkey, Collin played Joseph, Hazel the Angel, and Wesley, Owen and Ethan were the Wise men.

After we arrived to Michigan Jacob's Dad and his sister Aylayna made the 6 and a half hour drive out to help us unload the trailer and start getting this place organized. They were a ton of help. Jake and I are so lucky to have such great family on both side who do so much for us...
Anyway we started all of that on Monday the 20th and by Wednesday night we were on our way to Wisconsin. I love my in laws but I don't know how much it meant to me to stay with them this time. I had just left the place where I have lived all of my life and most of my family to come out here. It is so comforting to me to know that they are close and don't mind if I show up to visit. I just felt really at home there.
I got there and it was a rush to get things done. As of December 23rd at 9:00 PM I still had not wrapped one gift but with lots of help we got it all done.
The kids had a great Christmas and had so much fun with the kids. Mason got a long really well with JV and Gia. It was a great trip.

i love this family they are amazing.
We stayed there for a few days after Christmas and we were able to got to church with them. Most of the kids were sick that morning though so just a few of us went but Mason and Mirra got to try out their new church cloths.

It's a good thing my kids are sweet because they are very spoiled. Mirra did say while we were still at Grandma Enszer's that she loves all her gifts but she would give them all up if she could just see Grandma Nielsen. I knew that would be hard for her. She has had my mom there for all of her life. They have really developed a strong bond. Mirra misses her so much.