On the other hand...

So. Our new land is fabulous, wonderful, beautiful. Our house to me is charming. But just to keep things real...we have ants. Lots of little sugar ants that I can't get rid of. I found one on my bed this morning while I was reading my scriptures. That is a heck of a long way for an ant to trek from my kitchen. Maybe he hitchhiked on me and I just didn't notice? Also, the brand new shiny, nicer then I would ever buy dishwasher stopped working. Ugh.  At least I think it is still under some kind of warranty. And the upstairs heat does not work, and it is cold here now, 25 tonight. Kids are piled under quilts and are taking it really well thinking it is some grand adventure to have so many blankets on your bed you can not move. Our master bedroom is freezing. It only has one heater vent and is just always cold. And one of our sweet new kittens is no where to be found. We think she is under the house with her sister, but have not seen her since Sunday. And because this house is smaller, I can't figure out where to put everything quickly and we have been here a week and it still looks like a tornado has been through our house.

But because of how private it is here I can leave all the blinds open all the time if I choose to. I woke up today facing my window, and watched the colors and light change in the woods.  Trees silhouetted black against a deep blue almost morning sky. The sky  lightened slowly and all shades of blue appeared. Eventually the trees became their fall browns and golds. There is so much beauty here. I can deal with the ants, eventually they will loose their battle with me. Everything else can be fixed. Just takes time and effort I am not sure some days I have. Plus to be honest I do nurse a bit of phone phobia. It really is not my favorite thing to call people, which has to happen when you are trying to get stuff fixed.

Tonight as I was fixing dinner I sent the crazy, loud kids upstairs to play. I listened to them laugh and laugh with Apples to Apples, a new game we just got today. Made me happy. We got the new picture version which I super, duper fun. Way better then the classic.

 I love how this house draws us together as a family. I love the opportunities to teach grow and learn here. I am trying really, really hard to rely on the Lord and let this experience strengthen my faith. Our other house still does not have a renter. Both mortgages are due for the first time in December. How would we learn to walk by faith if it is never tested and tried?

Henry

We have fallen in love. Every one of us, with possibly the exception of Sophie who I am sure has at least fallen in like with Henry.

We are the proud owners of a Ford 1952 red belly tractor. Notice the sign. I just couldn't help but take a pictures. Jason has already spent hours working on this tractor. But they are cheap and super reliable and so cool looking (which I know is not that important, but it helps).

Dad and Jason figured out how to plow while he was here. Jason plowed our garden area this week. It is huge! The plan is to use a cultivator ( are you impressed yet with my growing farm knowledge?) between the rows and have way less to weed. Both boys drove this afternoon with Jason's help. Clutch, throttle and steering. It was super fun to watch them. I got video but haven't figured a good way to post them. Videos on this blog are weird and just keep playing over and over at super speed. I am sure it is me not knowing what I am doing.

Grace and Sophie did not want to try driving today. They were too worried trying to track down our 2 new kittens. The cats promptly disappeared under the house when we brought them outside and the girls spent the afternoon fretting and trying to find them. Grace spent most the afternoon in tears about it. Poor kid. She tried to get me to let her sleep with them on the concrete garage floor last night when we brought them home. I finally played up how much dad and Dessa both know about cats and both girls felt better after we skyped Grandpa Smith and Grandma Hardy and were reassured by experienced outdoor cat experts that everything would be fine.
The Lawrences, previous owners, left a trailer we have used all weekend to move things into sheds with the tractor and pick up piles and piles and piles of leaves. The kids would help rake and then climb on top of the leaves for a ride to the burn pile. We also helped with leaves at a less active member's home Saturday morning. His trees were so beautiful in the morning sunlight. It was enjoyable to clean up his leaves. Also easy because they just had to go out to the curb. The kids all worked super hard and then had a ball playing in the enormous piles of leaves.

On a final note...I have learned that my mom was wrong and there is such a thing as too much work. I have temporary nerve issues in both hands and spent the morning at the urgent care instead of church. Doctors orders to rest were promptly followed and I took a 3 hour nap today. When I got up kids were fed, kitchen clean and Jason had everyone outside playing. I should sing his praises more!

New House!

Here are the first pictures of our new house.

 View from the front porch. Mom is giving Grace and Sophie some tree climbing pointers.

 Our road, our woods. How cool is that?!

 6 acres of woods. Heaven. Seriously beautiful. Not sure if Grace or I is more excited about them.

 Kids were all riding their bikes around. Guess Grandma just had to give it a go too...

Backyard. 6 acres of cleared land

Sophie was determined to pose in each and every picture she could. This is on our back patio.

Halloween 2013

 

Luke and Noah were Ninjas again this Halloween. All the kids recycled a costume this year. It was so fun that Grandma and Grandpa Smith were here to celebrate with us this year! Grandma even brought a costume to wear trick or treating. We had a beautiful night in the 60's. I actually remembered  to bring water this year. When it is so warm we all get thirsty traipsing all over our huge neighborhood. The kids wanted to trick or treat the every street this year. Noah peeled off first, the other kids made it to all but one small section. It is always super fun to see all the candy at the end of the night, they really had a huge haul.

Fall Festival 2013

 The elementary school Fall Festival was Friday night. All of our costumes are in our storage POD, the company made a mistake so we couldn't pick them up in time. Luckily I had picked up a $3 thing of face paint the night before at Target. The kids were troopers and we just made due with what we had. Sophie was beyond relieved to be able to wear her kimono and be a Japanese princess. Cracks me up how pretty she looks and how totally creepy the other kids are next to her.I am better at face painting then I thought!

 Luke's pumpkin got lots of laughs. When we were making it at home I kept seeing his shoe and pants leg on the floor and thinking it was really him for a few seconds...

 Noah and his ninja pumpkin

Happy Fourth of July!

We drove about an hour south of us to go to a "small town" 4th of July. It has been pouring rain the past few days, the parade had just a little. It was super hot and humid. Kids rode rides after as we baked in the heat. It was too hot to even begin to think about eating fried cheesecake, but it cracked me up!

Happy St.Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 

 Sophie couldn't eat green eggs with her eyes open. She said that she understood Sam from Green Eggs and Ham. We also had kiwi and kind of green coffee cake, Noah said it was "swamp green".

 Ready for church. Everyone has on green, it is a bit hard to tell in the picture. While I was getting ready Grace and the boys made a tiny plate of food and a drink of green water in a small tin foil cup and put it outside for a leprechaun.

I am in love with this picture. Luke is growing up so fast, everyone is. He cracks me up all the time. Even without a green fuzzy mustache.