Moving right along

 We were able to actually walk through our house for the first time on Saturday evening. The workers were gone, so we could explore how it's coming along. It's so exciting! Framing is done. Plumbing is in. Windows are mostly in. It's going so fast now that we've finally past that huge wait we had for framing. The set of townhomes that are behind us have the hole dug to pour the foundation, and I noticed it's a good big lower than ours. So we won't be totally lined up with our windows, which will also be very nice. The front of our house across the street are a different model of townhomes and they're lined up perpendicular to ours instead of parallel, so there's no windows facing each other on that side either and the driveways face a different direction. I feel like as townhomes go, we got a super ideal location and we didn't even have any say in the matter, it is just what was next available when we signed back six and a half months ago. We're SO excited to see the progress finally. It's been a lot of waiting this last year. 

Speaking of a year, it was nearly to the day a year ago that Bill got laid off from what we thought was his dream job in Seattle and our whole lives got turned inside out. Amazing what a difference a year makes. We are in such a better place now as far as our goals and life progress. It would have been several more years until we could buy in Seattle and we really didn't enjoy a lot of things about our living situation there. It's really wonderful to have hit our home buying goal earlier than expected and to be able to settle in without plans to move again anytime in the near future. 

Genevieve drew this yesterday. Hers and Spencer's art talent is so delightful to watch develop. 

Chloe's hair is so curly! It brushes right out, but I just love her curls when it's wet and if it ever decides to come in longer and thicker, we'll have fun times with her curls. 

We had a fantastic time at an F3/FiA bbq at one of the member's cabins up Parley's Canyon on Saturday. We have such great friends from those workout groups. I don't have the full group picture yet, but this is the guys saving the day when this car got totally stuck in the parking. They got them out lickety split. 

And this is at the top of a little hike/climb we did while we were there. 100 feet straight up, then a pretty good slide down a steep trail. Good adventure! Spencer loved it so much and Chloe had no problems doing it even though she's just a petite little thing. She's so capable. 

And lastly, our new sideboard that will go in our kitchen. The granite top ought to match our counters nicely. I'm SO excited about this new piece of furniture. 

Summer!

The house is framed! This was mid week last week before they'd finished the roof, but it's done now. So nice to see progress.

Bill got to go out to Ohio to celebrate his brother's 40th birthday with some of his siblings and parents. They had a fabulous time. Ohio is so beautiful. 

Cutie picture of Chloe and Bill. Bill shaved off his beard and cut his hair. He's like a different person. He also tried to get LASIK this Friday but he's one of a very rare breed of people that the lens of his right eye is connected underneath, so when they cut his lens to flip it back to get to his eye, it wouldn't move. Quite the surprise! They aborted the surgery and now he's letting his eyes heal for a month and then will do PRK in July, which will give the same results but with a much more significant recovery, unfortunately. But he's going to get rid of those glasses for once and for all anyway! Thankfully his eyes are already feeling back to normal today, so that's good. 

Chloe had her last soccer game. I'm not sure soccer is going to be her sport. She spent most of the season randomly following the crowd around the field with seemingly no intention of ever kicking the ball, but she had a great time and maybe we'll try again next year and see how she likes it. 

And last but not least, our last day of school picture, taken the day after because I never got around to it. And as you can tell, they were so thrilled to take it. Hahahahaha!

 

Happy Memorial Day

House progress. 

My cutie niece was in her school's musical and we went to see it. Very cute show. We really enjoyed it. She was quite long-suffering taking photos afterwards, haha!

Went to a FiA/F3 bbq on Saturday. Bill and I discovered these workout groups last year and they have been lifesavers for us in finding friends here in Utah during Covid when we weren't around hardly anyone else and also just for our health and well being during this intensely anxious year. 

I've had this end table on my list for years. Finally ordered it and I like it just as much as I'd hoped. It'll be in our bedroom sitting area in our new house, but for now it's serving as my nightstand. 

Birthdays and preschool graduation

Genevieve and Spencer are both such great little artists. Genevieve drew this at school the other day.

And his is the beginnings of one of Spencer's Ironman drawings. He is so detailed now in his drawing. It's pretty amazing to watch. 

My two nieces were born on the same day, which is pretty amazing. We celebrated their birthday this weekend and one of the activities was of course a piñata. Bill ran the activity and you can see him in the background laughing maniacally. Haha! 

Grandma still packs a punch with that little bat. 

Chloe had her preschool graduation yesterday. They sang so many songs for their program. It was so adorable. 

We got her ice cream afterwards to celebrate and she was SO excited about it and wanted us to take pictures of her with her ice cream. 

The good and the hard

We are letting Spencer watch the Marvel movies. He's in heaven. I'm watching with him as I can. So fun. 

Chloe was going a little crazy on costumes one day this week. So cute. Harry Potter, ninja, Wonder Woman here. 

Harry Potter! 

Fourth of July Table runner done. 

Purple and gray because those are Bill's absolute favorite colors. I love this one so much. 

Our finished creations from Mother's Day. I adore how my pitcher turned out. 

The kids are always thrilled when they get to ride with Grandpa in his convertible. 

I survived making slime with my kids yesterday. Parents and teachers everywhere relate to despising something our kids love so much. 

Bill and I spent three hours reorganizing our two storage garages that are holding all our worldly possessions this year while we wait for our house to be built so that we'd have room to store our fridge and washer/dryer we just bought. I'm glad we snagged what we wanted there so that they'll be ready for us when our house is as opposed to my worries for months now about ordering them at the right time so they're in stock when we need them as there are crazy appliance wait lists. We're on week three of waiting for framing to start on our house and it's an anxious time wondering how this is all going to go down. This is a hard time to be buying/building a house. We found out this week our contract has a clause that the builder can pass on added costs to us beyond what we signed for back in December. They haven't done that yet, but it's just very nerve wracking.