If...

I love this quote and feel it very appropriate for a few things that are going on in our life right now. In many aspects, this move has been a challenge for us. Especially the ward and the lack of unity and love we feel here. I think it is hard to compare to Mendon where we were so adored and appreciated. We need to realize every area is different and we are working on that. But, meanwhile I NEEDED this message from Brother Holland today!

We Refinanced!

Every once in a while I like to blog about something other than my cute kids. Real life things. Things that I would like to remember for our personal record.

Today I thought it would be worth blogging that we refinanced our home last Thursday. We had one main reason for doing it, to get rid of our monthly mortgage insurance. How the mortgage insurance works is that you have to pay it until you have paid down 20% the value of your home. Well, we bought our house short sale last May. We got our house for a deal because of it at $218,000 and with our down payment only had our loan for $208,000. It appraised for $267,000, automatic equity for us! For the first 6 months after purchase the value of your home is determined by the sale price. So we waited 6 months and then started talking about refinancing so we did not throw away $200 a month in mortgage insurance. We had to get a new appraisal which was a bit stressful with the market. If it still appraised in the range it did when we bought it then we would be down below the 80% owed on our home loan and therefore would not need to pay mortgage insurance anymore. Well, we got a new appraisal and this time it was $272,000 so it went up and we were more than good! We refinanced and locked in at 3.65% we were at 3.75% (crazy low) before and we got rid of $200 a month in mortgage insurance just like that. Now, our monthly payment is only $110 more than it was on our older, smaller house out in Mendon. CRAZY!!!!!

We are so happy and plan to use this extra monthly money to power pay on debt. Yeah!

Creative Play

Dayton is getting very creative with his play lately! He plays pretend with Baily a lot! His favorite is to be dogs. One day they used almost every toy we had to make a big or as Dayton said "Huge!" pack n play in the upstairs hallway. They spent about 30 minutes making it and they even put thick brown paper (that came in my shipment of books as packing) under their blankets to the bed made a crinkle sound like Dayton's bed. As the picture shows they were the babies when they were done and had so much fun doing it!

Dayton also explains to me a lot lately that he is just "retending" or pretending. He is creative! It'll be fun to see if his creativity lasts or if it just goes along with the developmental phase.

More of the funny boy!

Today at lunch Dayton said, "Mom, I am having yogurt ranch!" I responded with, "That sounds disgusting!" He quickly said, "No, it's not disgusting it's delicious and it's my choice." D loves ranch on anything. Ew!

Also at lunch while sitting on our taller barstools that have leather seats he said, "I'm gonna sit on the other one because this one is making my bum sweaty. See!" This kid sweats like MAD! He always has especially at night. I guess he was just born a hot body.

I have the flu so I'm not feeling well and I have been on the couch all day. I told Dayton he needed to be a big helper and take care of me. He has been totally sweet rubbing my back, patting my leg, getting me tissues for Rachel's nose, going potty with no help, and much more. I heard him getting me goldfish crackers when I said I was hungry. He brought them in a Tupperware bowl filled to the very top and said, "Mom you need to be very careful this is very full, I had to pat it!" Then he quickly went back to the kitchen to sweep up those he spilled on the floor (I didn't even care). Wow! How responsible! He has told me many times today that he is big so he can help me.

And one more while Adam was peeling oranges. "Hurry Dad! I smell the crust!"

I think I'm addicted...

to children's book!! All of these are filled with books and the one that is empty is because the books are on my shelf in my preschool room right now. Crazy! I LOVE books!

Hanging at home!

While Adam has been resting we have been playing lots! At home, McDonald's play place, or at Grandma's just trying to stay out of his hair so he can sleep. Here are a bunch of pictures I've taken just during the past couple of days. I think they document real life for us.

USU Lacrosse

We got to watch my brother Jared play lacrosse for Utah State today and it was neat! Dayton liked it much better yesterday, which was his first game. It wasn't as cool today, especially for 2 hours. Rachel came for the last 45 minutes of the game with Adam and she loved it! She watched, giggled, clapped, and squealed. It was fun watching her! What the kids liked most was that they got to run on the field when the game was over. Jared played well and I think it is pretty cool that he plays for a college team! Adam just got his nose fixed so don't mind his "out of it" picture.

Deviated Septum

Everything went okay, we go in tomorrow morning for a follow up with Dr. Bennion. Adam is very uncomfortable and sore. I'm just glad it went well and hoping for a quick recovery! His biggest complaint is his nose just keeps bleeding, yuck! It is driving him nuts!

Love you babe! You were so brave!

And he made sure to get beautiful flowers delivered on Valentine's Day to me! What a stud! I'm so grateful for my sweetheart and one and only love! I'm so happy I married you Adam!

Love

You are the trips I cannot take;
You are the pearls I cannot buy;

 You are my blue Italian lake;
You are my piece of foreign sky.

You are my Honolulu moon;
you are the book I did not write;

you are my heart's unuttered tune;
you are a candle in my night."
-Anne Campbell


My friend shared this poem on her blog and it touched me so deeply I cried. These words filled my heart and at that moment I knew that I was meant to be a mother to my two children. Even when days are hard there is always more happiness than frustration. Why? I think it is because children are sweet spirits right from God, and I am grateful they call me Mother. How I love them and I would not trade my life as their Mom for anything. When I hold them I am truly whole!

The unknown...

Tomorrow Adam is having surgery on his deviated septum! The doctor is really good, Dr. Bennion, and said Adam's septum is as deviated as it gets. He explained many benefits as to why fixing his deviation would be a good thing.

1. Sleep better, more oxygen at night
2. Less headaches and migraines
3. Prevent some more serious issues down the road like sleep apnea.

Adam and I talked about it and since we have already met his deductible for the year from his hernia this nose surgery would be covered 100%. Over a month ago we decided to do it!

Surgery day is tomorrow and I am afraid of the unknown. Recovery is supposed to be long and he will be in a lot of pain. Mix this with two young children and it just doesn't look too promising. On top of handling life on my own for at least a week, Rachel still can't get over her ear infections and is cutting her molars.

I am praying that everything goes smoothly and that God will give me the strength I need this next week or so to be a single Mom and a nurse.

I am blessed with two great women, my Mom and Sue, who are planning on helping here and there. Thank heavens!

So wish us luck! I am praying for everything to go well. :)

Funny

This morning while trying to get Dayton to eat his toast at breakfast I told him if he ate his toast he could have some dried mangoes. He loves dried mangoes! I went to switch the wash, about 1 minute, and I came back to him in the kitchen on another barstool so he could reach the bag of mangoes and stretching his body across the counter to reach them. When I walked in he said, "Mom I'm smart so I can sneak. Smart boys sneak!"

Where does this kid think up this stuff?

Just yesterday he came in from playing in the snow and said, "Mom, this snow is delicious! It's yummy! Mmmmm!" With red cheeks and all.

Love my boy!

A Valentine Sunday

We made heart and winter shaped sugar cookies this Sunday as a family! The kids both loved helping and D made a mess frosting his cookies. It was fun to see him do his cookies on his own. He was very focussed! Rachel on the other hand just spooned frosting into her mouth. :)

And we finished our day with a family walk in the cold! Yeah!