Catching Up a Bit

I've been incredibly lax about keeping my blog updated. I let the entire month of January pass by without a single post. It's not like I've been lacking in things to talk about, or to share! So here goes. Soon I am hoping to share some pictures of some of the "goings-on" in my life.

On December 18, we were officially moved in to our new home. The day of the move was busy. We were very blessed to have both family and friends come to help us move. We rented a Uhaul and loaded that sucker up. Of course the weather was less than what we had hoped, it was busy raining and snowing most of the morning when most of the moving was taking place. We're just lucky that no one slipped and broke their neck. When the loading of our moving van was done, I stayed behind with my oldest sister Jenny, her husband Rich, and my brother-in-law Ken to clean up the odds and ends at the old apartment. They went above and BEYOND any expectation I could have ever had when it came to cleaning that nasty old place. I am not a dirty person, but just the things like cleaning the oven, vacuuming under things that hadn't been moved in a while, or mopping were not fun assignments. I don't know what I would have done without the help of my family. I would have been stuck there for hours cleaning by myself. It was just such a relief to be able to sit down in my new and clean home and be rid of what was a terrible property manager, horrible neighbors etc. Being a home owner is more expensive, but it's all on my own terms, which to me is absolutely priceless.

About 4 days after we moved in to our new home, we packed up the CRV and headed for Denver to spend Christmas with my parents, my grandma Dorothy, and my Uncle Steve who we hadn't seen in way too long. It turned out to be just a very low-key holiday. Hallie was spoiled beyond reason when it came to her first Christmas with our family. She was in need of some more age-appropriate toys. I held out on buying any since my mom warned me to bring a near empty car so that we'd have the space to fill the back of it with presents and toys for the way back. Some of her favorite toys that she received were some My Little People sets, some Duplo Legos, and a baby stroller for her baby doll. Brandon and I received some money to help set up house.

When it came to purchasing our new home, there were some builder incentives that allowed us to buy some new furniture for the house. We were able to get a new entertainment center, a flat-screen television, a new bedroom set with mattresses, and a new refrigerator. Can I just say how blessed I am to have all of these new things. I feel spoiled, but excited at the same time to be able to buy a new home, but to have some more "grown up furnishings". I was tired of buying cheap furniture that wasn't very durable or long-lasting. I was able to buy some pieces of furniture that are made very well, match my taste, and will be around for a VERY long time.

I also used some Christmas money to go down to the closest Home Goods store and buy a few things to decorate the house with. I bought a big watercolor modern art piece to hang in my kitchen, some wall art to hang in my new master bath, and some knick-knacks for the display shelf in my new kitchen. I also stopped by Shopko to buy a few things to hang in the house. Overall I got some GREAT deals on stuff for house without blowing tons of money. Now the house is set up just the way I want it. I have yet to decide what I am going to do with Hallie's bedroom since she is about to outgrow her crib, and I will end up buying some new bedding for her sometime in the near future, so I don't want to paint it just yet until I find just what I am looking for. The guest bedroom is also a project that can wait.

Almost two weeks ago this coming Saturday, we were sealed to Hallie in the Ogden LDS temple. It took us a little while to decide on a temple that we wanted to become a forever family in. We got married in the beautiful Jordan River LDS temple, but our experience with interpreters there wasn't the best one that we've had. We considered places such as the Draper temple, the Logan temple, and the SLC temple. But when it came right down to it, we wanted to be sealed in the Ogden temple because as of April 2, 2011, they will start a near total renovation of both the inside and the outside of the building. Ogden is also where Hallie was born, adopted, and where we call home. So we decided that was the best place. We were sealed at 10:00 am on Saturday January 22, 2011. What a special and wonderful experience this was. It was incredible that my family could be there, as well as some very dear friends. Our sealer was a sweet and caring older gentleman, and our interpreter was our friend Jeff Born who we were so grateful to have there with us, and blessed to have him. Everything went smoothly and wonderfully. There was a luncheon after the sealing, in which family and friends just helped us out a great deal with.

The next day on January 23, 2011 Hallie was blessed in our branch where we attend. Brandon gave her a wonderful blessing. It is not a day that I will soon forget.

And that's about it. I have had some requests for pictures of the new house, so when I get around to it, I will post them.

I am so grateful for everything that has occurred in my life these last several weeks. A new home, a new daughter, and a New Year to look forward to. I am so grateful for the knowledge of eternal families, and of the gospel in my life.