SOLD

SOLD!!!

The last 5 weeks have been a whirl wind of events. It all started about 4 months ago when we found this home listed for sale that we loved but it was out of our price range. We would talk about this home and drive by but we were never really serious about it. Well one day Adam was notified that this home  was now listed as a short sale. We decided to go see it. Upon seeing the house the listing agent said, "just put a low ball offer in and let's see what happens." So we did. Never in a million years expecting anything to come from it. 

We went home and decided we had better get serious about selling our home. We listed the home and the showings began. Remember I am 6 1/2 months pregnant at the time. So a few weeks went by and the we decided to list it with an agency...more and more showings. We had great feed back but no offers that we were happy with. Another month went by...8.5 months pregnant. The showings had slowed down which I was ok with but then we got a phone call from this agent representing the short sale. She told us it was looking like the bank was getting ready to accept our offer and she was wondering if we had sold our home yet. CRAP! 

Two weeks later I am in the hospital drugged by my epidural and I started getting phone calls from relators who wanted to show our home. I explained that I was having a baby at the moment but they were welcome to show it...as long as they could accept less than perfect. I had 3 phone calls while on the delivery bed!  We checked out of the hospital and 3 days later received an offer we couldn't refuse. FANTASTIC! However they wanted us out of the home in 3 weeks. SERIOUSLY?!! 

So the next day we began packing, and packing, and packing. After a few days and no word from the bank regarding the short sale home I began to get a little bit nervous. We will be homeless in 2 weeks, with 4 children AND it's Christmas!

We all started praying. We prayed that this home would come through. We prayed that if this is where Heavenly Father wanted our family that it would all work out in a timely manner. 

The next day we received word that our offer was accepted by the bank and we were ready to finish the process. WOW!!! Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would all work out so well. 

Which brings us to today...

We sold our home a week ago and have been living with my sweet in-laws. We are planning on closing on our new home on thursday. We are praying everything continues to go smoothly for the rest of the week. We are so grateful for the Lord's hand in our life. We are excited for this new adventure!!

Baby Talmage

Our little Talmage has been the most delightful baby. He has been a dream thus far. He sleeps, and sleeps, and sleeps. Just in the past few days has he started to explore his personality by getting to know his parent ins the wee hours of the night. We are trying to work on this!

 Charlotte has been the hardest for me. She just turned 2 a couple days ago and I think she is definitely feeling misplaced by the little brother. She is doing better now. At first I had to hide him in closets so that Charlotte wouldn't mall him to death. She loves him so much...sometimes a little too much!
 Anna has been wonderful. She has been helpful and happy to hold her little brother. Quinn too has been great. Days before Talmage was born he said to me, "I'm so excited for the baby brother to come...I am going to love him so much...as long as he looks like me!" He has been making big plans for Talmage. Just yesterday Quinn asked if we could take "the baby broder" to sizzler when he turns 18yrs. "I think he will love it!" Then he asked me if we could take the baby to St. George when he turns 12yrs. And then there was disney land and the movies. Needles to say I think Q is pretty excited to have a little buddy to play with.

 We are so grateful for this little bundle of BOY! He is absolutely precious.

Talmage Charles

On November 1st we welcomed our 4th little angel into our family. I don't really have a spectacular birth but I would like to remember what happened on that day. My body seems to get ready weeks before the baby actually comes and then just hangs out for the rest of the time; meaning I was dilated to a 4 and 80% effaced when I was 37 weeks. We woke up early Thursday morning to a phone call from the hospital asking us if we could be there in 45 mins to be induced. We quickly got the kids off to school and to the cousin's house and then headed to the hospital to have a baby! A little bit after I arrived I got my IV. The anesthesiologist came by and asked if I was ready for my epidural. I thought it was odd to be totally numb before I even experienced any pain. He assured me it was just fine! It was actually quite nice not to get to that "I think I am going to die" state of the process. So there I am totally numb with an IV dilated to a 4 and 85% effaced (no pitocin yet) and the nurse comes in..."Um, we can't get a hold of your Dr. I'm sure he'll call us right back to give us the order to start you." A little while later they come in, "Um, we really can't find him so we have 2 choices. We can disconnect your epidural and you can come back later or we can have you deliver with the Dr. on call." There was no way in heck I was going home still pregnant so of course I opted to have the on call Dr deliver me. They broke my water and started the Pit and told me they would still try to contact my dr.

Shortly after my water my dr showed up and apologized he had scheduled me on the wrong day in his calendar and was out working in his garden! He said he would be back in an hour to check me. One hour he came back...I was complete. 2 pushes later we had a baby boy! Total time was about 1hr and 15 mins...thank goodness for drugs! 8lbs 8oz 19.5 inches long!

I love the excitement on the kids' face as they meet their little brother for the first time! 

Drive-IN Birthdays

The Fall has become the season of Birthdays!! I love it!! Seriously one of my favorite things about being a stay at home mom  is planning birthday parties for my kids. Anna turned 7 in September and Quinn turned 5 in October.

  So this year Anna and I came up with the idea of a Drive-In movie. We are so lucky to live in a neighborhood filled with little girls...14 of them Anna's age. However our small home isn't quite conducive to the ever growing number so we decided to host the movie in the garage which actually worked out perfect.

The cars were made out of Costco boxes. Anna chose the color for the cars. One lesson I learned...make sure the box doesn't have some sort of waxy finish on it. Spray paint won't stick! This particular car could have used a second coat...i was too tired:) The wheels were just cut on the cricut and hot glued to the box. The steering wheels were spray painted silver and glued on. 

When the girls began to arrive I had them decorate a license plate. They all did different things which turned out pretty cute. Once they were done we glued them to the back of their cars. 

Anna had the idea of "buying" candy at the movie so we came up with this idea of a concessions table. There was popcorn, candy, and soda. 

Each car had a little purse with tickets inside.

Everything at the Concession Stand cost 1 ticket. They could spend it all at the beginning or they could wait for later. The girls had a lot of fun playing "store" and I know they loved all of the candy.

When they came to the table they each got a tray that matched their little purse. On it was a little cup with a 3-way divider to hold the different candies. 

 The Theatre

The kids watched the Lorax. 

We turned of all the lights and decorated with Christmas lights. The kids loved it. Simple and fun. 

  I have to say that my favorite thing about this party {in my current 8-month-pregnant state} was the minimal interaction with all of the kids. They came, decorated license plates, filled their tray with food, and then watched a movie. We opened presents and sent them home with a milk shake- Anna is not a fan of cake! The kids were all quiet and happy and the mess was minimal. I guess all of the work was before hand getting everything ready but I enjoy that part. Overall I would say huge success -- so much so that Quinn had the exact same party 3 weeks later! Score!!

Welcome Home Elder Calvert

My Sweet little brother came home from his mission on September 6, 2012. He served the people of Merida, Mexico for 2 years with his whole heart and now we are thrilled to have him home with us. Brian got to meet Charlotte for the first time. He also met a new sister-in-law, Kelly and one other neice, Megan! It has been so fun to have him home. 

Adam created this little video of the airport. I have seen it a dozen times...still make me cry. I'm so grateful for the missionaries. Love you Brian!!!

First Day of 1st Grade

My little girl goes to school for 6 hours. If you ask her she will tell you that it is exhausting. We have made it through 2 weeks now and she is happy as can be. In the days leading up to school I was waiting for her to have a little breakdown of some sort- she never did. She woke up excited and happy- eager and anxious to get to school. She loves it. I am so proud of her.

This little sister though...she was a mess all day long. Crying out for "Anna! Anna!!" She just wanted her big sister/ best friend back. I don't blame her. Anna is a wonderful big sister. On a side note- a few months before school started Anna says to me, "So mom, you are going to have another baby." Yes. "And I am going to be in school." Yes. "All day long." Yes. "How are you going to do this with out me?" She's right. I don't know how I am going to do it with out her! Anna is a dream with her siblings. I am so lucky to have her as the oldest. 

 How did I get so lucky?

The walk way- which conveniently for us is around the corner.

 We love walking Anna to school each morning. 

Mrs. Martin

She seems absolutely perfect for Anna! I am so thrilled with this teacher. She is happy and kind, social and outgoing. She has welcomed Anna with open arms and provided a safe environment for the her to feel comfortable. She has already commented on what a good/ helpful student Anna is. We are both excited to see what this year has in store!

For the 2nd year in a row Anna has requested fruit pizza cookies as her first-day-of-school after-school-snack. It was so much fun to decorate cookies when she got home and hear about all of the details of the FIRST GRADE!!