Home Sweet Home

We're starting to settle in down here.   It's going to take a while but at least we have the main parts of the house without boxes.  We just don't go into the garage or playroom yet.  They aren't going anywhere and we'll get to them sooner or later.

 

Thanks for the thoughtful emails & phone calls checking in on us and our move! It's been so nice to hear friendly, familiar voices.   Lucas said it best when he said, "It's just lonely here sometimes."  I agree.  We've only been to our ward twice since last Sunday was stake conference.  But we've met some super nice families and hope to get to know them better.

Our saving grace has been relatives.  And I have to admit that has been a.w.e.s.o.m.e.  We're talking Sunday night dinners, back to school BBQ's, and last minute FHE's.  We went on a double date with Genet and Mark and we had JACKSON and LUCAS babysit the kids!!  Welcome to a new era of freedom and fun! 

Jonah: Loves playing with cousins and with playdoh.  He's way into crafts and painting "just like mommy."  He misses Lukey at school and always asks when he is going to get home. 

Big news: We went cold turkey on the bottles!  For those who don't know, he had lots-o-swallowing issues when he was little and has still taken a bottle.  Granted he is totally fine now and we could have gotten rid of them 6 months ago, but I didn't have the stamina.  They would not go quietly into the night, rather kicking and screaming and a little hitting thrown in.  But with Aaron's determination, we just told him they were going "bye-bye."  Jonah was devastated, "That's not twoo!  That's NOT twoo!"  But after a few days of tantrums and said kicking and screaming, he has done fabulously.  And what do you know?!  His appetite for other foods has improved!  Go figure.  (I know. Don't judge.)

He said, "I wanna do 'cheese'!"

Monday is family night where we get together for a spiritual lesson, a fun activity and of course, yummy treats.  This last week we had a last minute Family Home Evening with Uncle Brant and the kids.  Here's Jonah sitting in Grandma's childhood rocking chair "retelling" the story of Abinadi, a Book of Mormon prophet.

Lucas: Had a few not-so-fun days at school near the beginning, but has since made friends and is enjoying his time at middle school.  He starts trombone and cross country next week and he is really looking forward to both.  (Aaron is just as excited for the cross country. These Williams boys were built for running.  Not this Jackson girl.  It's all Williams.)  We're still looking for a piano teacher but I heard there is someone great in the ward.  She won't be Laurie, but she'll have to do. :)

There are lots of boys in our new ward so he's enjoyed scouts and had
 a class pizza party on Saturday.  Super fun! We couldn't believe how many young men were up there passing the sacrament on Sunday!  There are 7-8 kids from our ward just the in 6th grade with Lucas!  Muy cool.

Aaron: Loves having some space to breath while he works.  He literally was working on our bed all summer because we packed away his tiny work table to sell the house.  He's got his own desk now!  It's the little things in life.  Put that desk in an actual office, and he's in heaven.  I have given him this office and decreed he can decorate it any way he wants. :)  Since time began, he has wanted a big, poofy, u.g.l.y. recliner to sit and read in, but since our space has always been in such short supply, I have had put my foot down wanting a little more style in our communal space.  I know. I'm a recliner snob.  So now he is scouting out the biggest, poofiest, comfy-est recliner for his office and I am excited for him. 

He's busy putting the house together, coming up with WILD ideas for an extreme playroom and mowing the lawn.  One of the very first things he said when we drove into our neighborhood to first look at the house was, "I guess I'm gonna have to mow regularly now."  Peoples' yards are meticulous here which goes so against all we stand for.  Well, not we really what we want to have occupy our time on weekends.  We are just not gardening people.  But I guess we'll have to kick it up a notch now that we have neighbors who seem to care.

As for me:  It's so strange not to have PTA, Relief Society or visiting teaching to do (work at church).  But I've filled my time with unpacking boxes, running errands with Genet and, this week, painting.  Our house is wonderfully painted but in all the wrong colors.  At least for me.  It's all warm, dark colors and I am just into light, cool colors right now.  I want to paint just about every room plus the trim.  Yes, it will take me years to to it all but I'll just start one room at a time.  I'm almost done with the living room and I'll post pictures when I am done.  (I haven't hardly been taking any pics at all.)   Anyway, the room looks like a completely different space.  I have to admit that one reason I was looking forward to moving was that I would have a different "canvas" to work with.  These past few years I couldn't have been more surprised to find myself loving decorating and crafting!  So not me.  But I love refinishing furniture, creating stuff for the house and thrift store shopping.  Which leads me to the complaint, there are NO good places near me!!  I ran up to Tigard to their Goodwill and was sorely disappointed in their selection.  I'm gonna have to branch out if I want to get this house decorated.

Well, that us in a nutshell this week.  We love you all and love to hear a familiar voice!