The Hunt

This past September when we renewed our rental lease, instead of renewing for 12 months as usual, our Landlord only wanted to sign a 9 month lease.  This wasn't much of  a surprise for us, since the selling market is so hot right now...but it did mean we would have to move...and possibly buy in this crazy seller's market.

So we spent months and months searching, discussing what we wanted, and waiting for something that fit our needs to come available.  With school and ward boundaries to consider, we didn't have many options...nothing that we were excited about.  We finally found one neighborhood that was still under construction...it was in our schools but not our ward.  We started to get excited.  We even made an offer...but the house ended up selling for over a million dollars with about 15 bids.  Crazy.  We were disappointed.  But we got back to looking.

One weekend in early March (keep in mind our lease was up in May, so it was getting close), I got a stomach bug and was in bed all day Saturday and Sunday.  There was a house Mike was kind of interested in that had just dropped in price (I had written the house off because it wasn't in our school or ward), so on the way home from church he took a look.  When he got home, he was really excited.  It was a brand new house, on a half acre lot...something that is impossible to find in this area.  I was too sick to go look and of course, Mike had a plane to catch for a business trip to California within the hour.  So he rushed off and I made plans to look at the house the next morning (hoping I would be well enough).  The house was beautiful, there was no doubt...and it was still in our high school boundaries...but not our ward or our middle school (which is crazy because it is just down the street from our house now!).

So we stewed about the whole thing...many prayers, many discussions, a few tears and a lot of uncertainty.  But what options did we have?  None.  This was the only thing that we had found that we were excited about...and we were really excited about it...and there were not other options that were within our school or ward boundaries, and we were running out of time.  We decided to make an offer.

Once the decision was made, we felt at peace (a little scared and disappointed for Tyson having to switch schools, but excited for the possibility of making new friends and having possibly even a better experience in the new ward and middle school--change isn't always bad, right?).  Our offer was accepted, and the house was listed as PENDING.

Sweet Sixteen

Not sure in what universe I am the parent of a 16-year-old, but here it is.  

Jordan, my first born baby girl, is now SIXTEEN!!  

Where has the time gone?!

Klondike #1

We sent our little boy out camping in the winter with the scouts from our ward...

He came home...3+ hours later than expected...missing his brand new wool socks...and without my very best gloves...and sporting a scratched up face!!

I'm guessing this is what the next 4+ years of scouting we have ahead is kind of going to look like...BOYS--Yikes.

I should have expected this...

It happens every year, yet every year it still seems just as unexpected as the year before.  After all the hype of Christmas and New Years is over, I can't quite seem avoid the gaping hole that it leaves behind.  I set resolutions and it actually feels good to clean up and take down all the Christmas decorations, and the kids head back to school and I finally have a little time to get things done and catch my breath.  Yet, there is always still that little sadness that creeps in...and the resolutions and fresh start feel more like hard work than exciting possibilities.  We've got head colds, early morning seminary in below freezing weather, church from 1-4pm (with a toddler and as nursery leader), and no immediate plans for anything exciting.  Welcome to January.

Written by Kya in the snow at midnight

Summer asleep at 5pm on the first Sunday of 2017--ugh

Boxing Day in Canada

Since moving to Washington, we've always headed to Canada the day after Christmas (I guess that's fitting since there is no "boxing day" in America).  This year, I was a little worried that the snow would keep us from the trip.  But there was no snow was in the forecast for the 26th...

Well, sure enough as soon as we hit the border, we ran into some snow.  And of course we planned on driving the back roads since it was closer to Tina's house...you see where this is going?

That's right.  We got stuck...in the snow....driving up a hill...on a curvy country road...with no gloves or boots...and a car full of kids.

Jordan and I tried pushing...then Mike and Jordan...then we accepted defeat and called family to come help.  Luckily less than 5 minutes after I called, a couple of friendly Canadians (fitting every stereotype) stopped and helped us push.  After just a minute or two we were up the hill and on our way.

And just like that, we arrived safe and sound for 5 days in The Great White North!

Snuggles from Grandpa

Even for me

Stories with Grandma

Black light, 5 Pin Bowling with these grumps and The Tambres

Snuggles with Peetah

And finally (after who knows how many years) Tim Hortons!

Christmas 2016

Another wonderful Christmas has come and gone...too quickly, as usual.

Christmas Break

We were lucky enough to have some of our friends (The Boyntons) staying with us for a few days.  We went to Bellevue Botanical Gardens, which were beautiful but we walked through the entire display in about 10 minutes.

We also went roller skating!  Super fun and brought back childhood memories of birthday parties.

Christmas Baking

This year we only made sugar cookies, pulla, and naniomo bars...Summer loves to be "Mom's Little Helper!"

The kids got a little out of control with the decorating of the sugar cookies this year...we ended up with quite a few black ones (due to mixing food coloring) and even a few broken ones.  But I'm sure they'll agree it was more fun.

Christmas Skating

As cute as those tiny size 8 toddler skates are, and as excited as Summer looks...she absolutely HATED ice skating.  Jordan and Kya didn't last too long either this year, so I think we were done in under an hour.  Hopefully it'll go a little better next year.

Christmas Jammies

Christmas Presents

A lot of clothes and shoes for the girls this year...and a lot of toys for Tyson and Summer.

Christmas Naps

There's nothing I can do to stop these two from falling asleep once we put on a movie.

Christmas Sunday

I actually loved having Christmas on Sunday this year (it helped that church wasn't until 11).  It was a beautiful way to honor our Savior and celebrate his birth.

Christmas Dinner

 Yum, Yum, Yum!

Christmas Tree 2016

I swear we never used to fight this much when picking out a Christmas tree!!  Here's how it went this year:

Anita

-wants Mike to hold up just about every tree (well only every tree in the 8-10ft range)

-wants everyone to look at each tree with her, trying to determine if it's the perfect tree

-wants to take her time and make sure she gets the right tree

Mike

-wants to hold up as few trees as possible

-wants to leave as soon as he gets to the tree lot

-thinks every tree is fine

Jordan

-wants to leave...didn't really want to come in the first place

Kya

-wants to play 

-doesn't want to miss out on picking out a tree but is too busy playing and before she knows Mom is forced to make a quick decision and we are done and she doesn't get to help

Tyson

-wants to play

-doesn't want to watch Sumner

Summer

-wants to play with Tyson 

-wants to stay and play at the tree lot all day

So we ended up leaving with a tree Mom didn't love, Kya was sad that she didn't get to help pick it out, Mom lectured everyone about making the whole experience miserable.  Then we got home and Mom hated the tree.  

After the lights and decorations were on it, everyone agreed that it was one of our most beautiful trees...even Mom.  Maybe next year we should skip all the bad stuff and just get to the good stuff...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Christmas Lights ✔

Looking at Christmas lights is something that truly makes me feel Christmassy.  We are so lucky to have a church about 5 minutes from our house that puts on a beautiful little light show, with music, lights, cookies and hot chocolate and they even have a little train that travels through a miniature village.

Snow ✔

It's not every year we get snow around here, so when we do it is super special...and of course super Christmassy.  We were lucky enough to get  a day off school to play in the snow.  Summer absolutely LOVED it and we had to force her inside after probably 3 hours.  Her favorite was making snow angels and eating the snow.