We've Muevete'd!

     Well, it doesn't look like the Sunday-blogging is going to work out for me...at least it hasn't so far.  So here's an update for the last two weeks.  Sorry its so long and detailed.  I'm trying to be more detailed for journaling purposes:  WE MOVED!!  It has been a crazy couple of weeks.  Our house has been a mess as we painted the cabinets, vacuumed, shampooed? carpets, washed walls, fans, light fixtures, bathrooms, etc.  I really wasn't sure if we were going to get everything ready to move in time.  Well, we got things ready enough.    Thanks to Derek, Blaine, Julianne, Trenton, Jordan for helping us move and to Mom for watching Briggs.  I can't believe how much "stuff" we've acquired over the last two years!  So after we got all our things moved and finished off with some Papa Johns Pizza, I was exhausted- sinus infection and 2AM bedtime the night before.  Those boxes were just going to stay that way for a while.  I had one of the two bathrooms cleaned.  Except for the tub.  I had attempted to clean the tub several times but every time I started I would get too overwhelmed and give up.  At one point I was even scrubbing it with a pumice stone which apparently is a no-no for a fiberglass tub.  It was seriously disgusting!  I wish I had gotten before and after pics.  So like any good daughter, I roped in the help of my mother.  She's had a little more experience cleaning than I do so I knew she would know some tricks.  We started out with spatulas and scissors and graduated to big dry wall spatula things to scrape all the soap and water scum.  That and lime-away.  Oh lime-away, you are my friend.  2 hours later...whala.  A beautiful fiberglass tub.  Mom, you are my hero.  I'm sure everyone at church was also appreciative that we were able to take a shower as well. 
     Today my friend Rocki Nelson and her two girls came over to help me organize.  Rocki lived next door when we live in the apartments and I swear I don't think I've ever seen an even remotely dirty house.  Really.  She volunteered to help me organize and I jumped at the offer.  We worked all day (besides a little taco bell lunch break) and my kitchen is beautiful!  The cupboards don't have doors yet- they are in Willcox waiting for us to paint them- but everything is super organized and clean.  At least in the kitchen and front room.  Thank you Rocki!! 
     As for Briggs... he is adjusting ok.  It was kind of rough the first couple nights.  There is a street light that shines directly into his room and I hadn't washed the blinds yet.  He wasn't used to the light and woke up several times throughout the night.  But I put the blinds on yesterday and he did better so hopefully he's getting used to his new surroundings and will continue to do good.  He is still not walking.  I realize he still has time and people tell me to count my blessings. But I think, if he's crawling around and getting into everything anyway, he might as well be walking.  As long as he's not tall enough to open doors.
     I played the piano at the YW's New Beginnings tonight.  I have no idea why they asked me. I think because I'm the primary chorister people assume I'm this amazing musician.  Well, I'm not and it was very apparent in my many missed notes.  Why did I not practice more growing up?!  I really enjoyed listening to all of the talks that were given.  Our ward has such cute young women.  Not very many girls but they are so cute!  
    

1/21/2011

     I am finally mostly caught up!!  I guess maybe I should take the approach of this being my journal.  That probably won't do much good though since I'm not good at keeping a journal.  With 9 o'clock church now, maybe I'll make it my Sunday afternoon project each week.  Right after my Sunday afternoon nap :)

     Our house finally closed and we are working on getting it ready to move in.  It hasn't been lived in for a year so its pretty dirty and it needs a little updating before we can move in.  The biggest project is redoing the cabinets.  I am no designer and have a hard time with decorating, so it taken me quite a while (internet research and asking people for ideas) to come up with something I'm hoping will look really nice.  We got new cabinet doors and are going to paint them black distressed style.  We've got everything sanded down and I'll finish taping today.  This evening we'll start painting!  I'm so excited for this to be done!  Next week I can focus on cleaning everything and then we can move in next Sat!  Yeah!! 

     We have lots of plans for our house but will only do a little here and there as funds are not limitless.  We are so excited to have our own home and can't wait to move in!!



Not the best shot but its what I had on my camera....more to come later.





Our kitchen...so excited!



1/7/2011

 My mom and dad got new carpet!!  What a project!  We had to move everything off the carpet and then back on.  By we I mean, I helped mom get everything ready to move and then Mom, Dad, Trenton, Derek, and Guy moved everything and Britni made everyone dinner.

At one point during the night, Brigham was in the way of Guy and Derek as they were moving furniture and Lincoln picked him up and took him to the kitchen.  I peeked around the corner and got this shot.  It was really cute watching Lincoln talk to Briggs and make kiss faces at him.

This is his first experience on the horse and he liked it.  You can also see the new carpet!!

12/30/2010

What a busy day...I worked the night before, so when I got home, I slept for a little bit but I had to take some paperwork to my realtor for our house.  I knew buying a house was a big deal, but I can't believe its such a headache.  We ended up having to drive to Phoenix to sign our paperwork just  in case one of the companies wouldn't accept our signing the papers a day later.  So Guy got off work, we packed up and drove up to Phoenix.  It was stormy and snowing but we were blessed to miss all of the rotten weather while driving.  It took us a while to find the place but we found it, signed papers...lots and lots of papers, and jumped in the car and came home.  We had a very important guest staying in our home that night.  Jairo Hernandez.  Jairo is a convert from Costa Rica that Guy met on his mission.  He is in the US often and one of his goals is to do a session in all the temples in the world.  So he did a session in the Gila Valley Temple and stayed with us.  We were so sad we had to drive to Phoenix that cut our chatting time with Jairo down, but glad we were able to make it home in time for him to stay with us at all.  He was such a sweetheart- he brought a Christmas gift for Briggs...the cutest outfit ever. 

Remember, my day?  I have an excuse to look like that.

12/27/2010

Along with the Christmas break comes a get together with the girls from high school.  We usually go to La Casita where they know most of us by name and can guess what we're having...a bean burro.  But since the best day for everyone to meet was Monday and La Casita is closed on Monday, we resorted to Casa Manana.  Its fun to talk and catch up with everyone that I don't get to see as often as I'd like.  Hopefully we have an even better turn out next year.  Thanks girls for inviting me! 

Starting with the prego girl on the left top:  Jasmine Smith, Me and Brigham, Brittani Clonts, Rocki Gibbons Nelson with her two girls Brikelle and Brinlee, Kassidy Stevens Bendall.  Bottom row L to R:  Jasmine's girl Jadyn, Lacie Welker Crandell, and Bethany Morris.

12/24-25/2010 Christmas

     I love traditions!  And our family is full of Christmas traditions.  On Christmas Eve afternoon, the people that want to get together with some neighbors and rake leaves around Central.  This year there were 4 women and 4 kids, and I must say, we did an awesome job considering!!  It may not have been a record for most leaves raked but I was impressed by how good the kids worked.  The men were helping Dad up in the hills.  By the time they made it to us, we were ready to move to the last house.  The Rhino wouldn't start so we left them to fix it.  When we hadn't heard from them, we called and they said, "Well, it looks like the radiator differential is out.  We might be a while."  (laughing in the background)  Apparently,  there is no such thing as a radiator differential.  Well, I guess that's what we asked for when we left them with the Rhino.  We left the trailer with leaves for them to empty so they could share in our service.   haha, its always a good experience raking leaves.
    Next, was dinner.  We have bean flautas every year...yum.   After dinner, we had a special visitor show up.  I think our family must be pretty special, because Santa- who looks an awful lot like my Uncle Dennis- comes to visit us and let us sit on his lap Christmas Eve and then he comes back later to give us our presents.   Briggs still wasn't sure about the big guy in red. 

Lincoln on the other hand, is pretty tight with the old man.

     After Santa left, we continued on with the festivities.  We did the nativity while my dad read from the Bible.  Then we enjoyed hot apple cider and gingerbread cake and lemon sauce. 

The Shepherds:  Brigham and Blake

The only picture I got of the wise men:  Lincoln standing up, Derek and Guy sitting on the couch.

 Guy and I wanted to experience Christmas morning with our Nolan family since we haven't yet.  So packed all our gifts and drove to Willcox.  We arrived around 11 that night and helped Santa put the finishing touches on the front room.  In the morning, the Nolan tradition is to get ready for the day and then line up in the hall and take a picture.  Then we move to the family room and open presents. 

Back: Andrew, Papa, Jonathan, Joshua.  Front:  Stefani, Guy, Brigham, Porter, Sarah

After presents, we all helped make gnockies (i have absolutely no idea how to spell it).  Its an Italian dish- pasta with spaghetti sauce and meat- that Guy's Grandma Nolan taught Mother how to make when she was alive.   

Jonathan, Guy, and Seth rolling cutting and poking the gnockies

In the evening, the family got together and had "The Apple of Love".  Its a really neat family story and tradition.  Guy was in charge of sharing the story and then we all ate sliced apples.  The story reminds us how important it is to forgive and love our family.  We then played a very competitive game of the Family Feud where we were able to apply the principles we had just learned.  It was a lot of fun. 

Briggs liked the trampoline for the most part..

Guy fell asleep on the couch watching a movie.  We had kicked his brothers out of their room, so sleeping on the couch, he was on their "bed".  In an attempt to wake him up, Andrew drew him a uni-brow with marker and he didn't even flinch.  I finally had to wake him up with my special touch.  Luckily, the marker came off pretty easy and we were all laughing.

12/18-19/2010

On the 18th, Guy and I dropped Briggs off with Jeck and Mom and headed up to Tucson to celebrate our 2 year anniversary(a day early)!!  That's right folks, its already been 2 wonderful years!  We started out the day by going to the mall and doing a little Christmas shopping.  And then hit up the theater.  I finally watched the Harry Potter movie, I've been wanting to see....rates about as good as any of the other HP movies- not as good as the books.  Anyway, then we went off to drop our stuff off at the hotel room which had a dozen roses and a bottle of sparkling cider- two of my most favorite things.  Go ahead and say it with me, Ahhhhh.  So then we went out to do our activity for the night- a surprise to me.  We stopped at a SUPER busy gas station where everybody was getting the same thing we were...hot chocolate.  I was stumped.  Guy finally told me what we were doing- a wagon ride to see Winterhaven's Christmas lights.  Its a community where its a requirement to put Christmas lights up and some people get really into it. Not wanting to pay $5 to park, we drove a couple blocks away and parked in a random parking lot.  As we got out, a woman approached us and said, "We're asking for $5 or donation to park here" and held up her hand.  Hmm..."What's the donation for, if you don't mind me asking".  "We're raising money for a girl in my daughters school.  ...  She just doesn't have much.  ..."  In my mind I'm thinking, uh, that didn't sound like you've ever said it before, more like you made it up.  But what could I say?  As Guy started to get the money out of his wallet, a cop approached us and asked, "Has anybody asked you for money to park here?"  "Why yes officer.  This woman here just asked us for $5 or a donation."   He proceeded to tell her in a not so kind and gentle manner to pack up her things and go home and that if he saw her or her friends again tonight, he would arrest them for trespassing.  You go cop!  And thank you for coming just in the nick of time!
 The wagon ride was squished and it was evident that I enjoyed it much more than Guy.  haha, thanks hun for enduring.  I definitely want to go back sometime!

hmm..got to give them credit for being creative right?

Look closely and yes, that is a snow machine! 

I love this idea.  It says "Santa"  with an arrow pointing to the chimney.

That's got to be a huge electric bill, but I love it!

Way cute!

This was definitely the most popular and most extravagant house.  I didn't get a very good shot of it, but the lights match the music and they have water fountains that go with it all.  It was amazing!

On the 19th, we went to Colton's baby blessing.  He's Matt and Mary's boy and the newest grandkid on the Smith side.  The blessing took place in Tucson so we met up with Brigham there.  I couldn't believe how much I missed him!  I was super excited to see him even though it had only be a little over 24 hrs since we dropped him off and it wasn't our first time to leave him overnight.  He wasn't quite as excited to see us as we were him, but who can blame him, Grandma and Grandpa's house is FUN!

On the way home, we decided to stay the night in Willcox since Guy had taken that Monday off to use his paid vacation.  Brigham had a pretty rough night.  A sign we don't go there near enough- something I intend to improve on!   I was in my pjs all day since I didn't have any clean clothes for our spur of the moment stay, but it was fun hanging out with Mother while Guy worked with his dad.  We made TONS of bread, like 16 loaves! and she taught me how to make french bread.

Before going to bed Gram showed Briggs how to play the piano- we really need to get one!

I have the cutest video of Gram and Briggs playing the piano but after numerous attempts of failed uploads, I gave up.


Thank you to everyone who helped make this the perfect weekend!

12/16-17/2010

One of my best friends, Kassidy Stevens BENDALL went through the temple on the 16th in preparation for her wedding.  Guy and I were able to attend.  It was fun to support her as she experienced such an important event.  In the mean time, Briggs went with Grandma Smith to their ward party.  He got to sit on Santa's lap but wasn't quite sure what to think.  The camera couldn't even get a smile out of him this time.   

 On the 17th, Kass got married.  Not only was it neat to watch Kassidy and Bryson make such amazing covenants but I love going to sealings!!  It brings back so many memories of my own wedding day.  Such sweet and tender feeling too close to my heart to share on a blog but it is so nice to remember those feelings.  Kass and Bryson, we are so happy for you two and wish you the best!

12/14/2010

 Briggs has always been pretty good at getting his picture taken but I didn't realize just how much he liked it until this day...   Briggs was in the high chair eating cheerios- pretty much a daily routine.  Guy and I were busy doing who knows what in the living room (open with the kitchen- he wasn't by himself).  He was fussing for a little bit and by the time I got to him, he was turned around.  So I grabbed the camera as he was screaming, so I could get a pic.  I lifted the camera up to take a picture... instant silence and he was smiling!!  Lowered the camera, and he started crying again.  So I got Guy's attention and tried it again.  Camera up, he smiles, camera down, he cries.  We've tested it several other times and most of the time it works.  It is so funny.  This kid has so many quirky qualities that make him the cutest thing in the world!!  I love it!

He's such a cheeseball!

12/10/2010

When I give Briggs a bath, I usually take something into the bathroom to do while he plays.  You know, shopping list, email, BLOGGING, etc.  I guess I got a little to involved in whatever I was doing this day because when I looked up, he was sitting in the bathtub and floating along side his smiling self was..... you guessed it, a dukie.  Gross!  So I grabbed the camera and took a quick picture (had to have evidence), took him out, set him on the floor (that might sound really mean because the tile is cold but I really don't know what else to do), flushed the nasty, drained the tub, cleaned the tub, filled the tub with water before I was ready for him again.  So as I picked him up, I think, "wow, you were really wet, the floor is soaked.  Oh, that's not water!!"  Double gross!!  So now when I bath him, I try to listen for silence, grunts, or any other noise that could indicate there's something going into the tub that I really don't want there. 

As cute at I think Briggs is naked in the tub, the picture probable isn't appropriate to post on the blog.  It is really funny though, sorry you missed out.

12/7/2010

Chocolate.  Like any normal woman, I love chocolate.  I like the chocolate ice cream, brownies, fudge, any candy with chocolate in it.  So why do I love the month of December?  Chocolates.  Every year, my mom and her sisters and some of their daughters get together and dip chocolates.  This was my first year actually being able to participate the whole time as in the past I've had school.  36 pounds of chocolate.  And all of it got used.  Yum!  We make mint truffles, peanut butter cups, big hunk, almond joy, caramels, toffee, chocolate covered pretzels and nuts, oreo chocolates, and girl scout cookies.  By "we", I mean the more experienced make the candy, and the rest of us dip.  I tried helping make the 1st 2 batches of big hunk but that was a disaster.  It was nice to find out that it wasn't really my fault.  The thermometer was inaccurate.  But I just stuck with dipping after that anyway.  Didn't want to chance it.  Its so fun to re-acquaint with cousins I only get to see once or twice a year. 

This is how we roll....t-shirt, no make-up.

All those boxes on the bench are being filled with chocolates.

Briggs enjoyed the kids to play with and all the scraps that fell on the floor.

Macady...a girl after my own heart.