Three Christmases

Merry Christmas!

I can say that cause it's still Christmas in Kamas!

Hana & I at the dinner table...and Emma...Creepin.

After a lovely, quiet, gentle Christmas morning with the Stavri, followed almost immediately by a fun, rowdy, high-energy evening of the Nevi, Josh and I drove up to Kamas this morning with Haela in tow, to visit Mom and Richard. This year Josh and I found what we felt was the perfect gift for those two: a Carl Rungen painting of a bull and a cow moose set against a beautiful mountain backdrop. (I hope they love it as much as we loved giving it!). That being said, one thing I love about my mom is her joy in giving. She is always more excited to give me my present than to receive one from me.

I got literally seconds into showing Mom pictures of our house before she started to get up from her seat saying, "Okay we need to do presents right now. Richard! Time for presents!" I didn't understand until she gave me this to unwrap:

I'm already sixty pages in and it's really a great book. I've gotten lots of ideas and inspiration and I'm just ready to get started! I suppose we should actually close on the house before I start shopping for paint chips and area rugs huh? Lame. Hopefully we'll get word tomorrow.

Anyway, it's been a great marathon Christmas and I feel so very grateful for all the wonderful people in my life. I truly have been blessed by amazing family and friends who touch my life all year round! So although technically it is December 27th, I'll say it again.

Merry Christmas

and, in tribute to my marathon viewing of

A Christmas Carol

with Miranda (we watched 4 versions in 2 days)...

God Bless Us, Everyone!

House Hunters: Cedar City Edition

Oh my! Christmas is almost upon us and our world has been turned upside down! In addition to all the regular hustle and bustle of the season, plus my extra work at Sunrise, and all of Josh's involvement in A Christmas Carol...

WE'RE BUYING A HOUSE!!

And it has happened so fast I can hardly catch my breath! It's been crazy and wonderful. It's an adorable little 1950's three bedroom rambler right around the corner from our apartment. Here are all the checked boxes and details that made us fall in love!

• It's in our ward. We absolutely love our ward and our ward loves us. They made me feel so welcome when we made the decision to stay in what was then "Josh's Ward." I love my young women and Josh has great relationships with the young men and is just getting started as Scout Master.
• It's close to the University. This is fantastic because it means we can put off buying a second car for a few more years.
• The yard! It's big, beautifully landscaped without being overdone, and fenced! And you know what that means...PUPPY!! eventually...or sooner.
• The house is covered in hideous carpet, but underneath it lies oak wood floors just waiting to be refinished!
• The price! It was previously owned by a little old woman who passed away a few months ago and the kids don't live here and don't want it! We agreed on a very reasonable purchase price very quickly and they are ready to hand over the keys!
• The house is in great shape for its age. There are some summer projects in the tube but nothing serious and it passed inspection!
• Free stuff! This clip from How I Met Your Mother should appropriately convey the excitement of having stuff left by the previous owner. Seriously. They left a TON of usable free stuff!

• This is particularly poignant because the master bedroom has a slight curve to it. We're going to have to shim the floor at some point. Yeah.
• Finally and most important, it feels right. It's the right home for us and we both knew it almost as soon as we walked inside. There has been a beautiful, harmonious spirit between Josh and I over the last week that has brought me a lot of peace in the decision to move forward.

We have been working toward this since we got married and we are so happy to have finally found the right home for us.

Happy Packing 'n stuff!