Christmas 2010

 Christmas Eve Service

 We decided to bring sleeping bags over to our new place and spend the night.  We are not moved in yet but just had to be there for Christmas.  This is a tree someone gave us for the youth group so Andrew set it up so we had something to put the gifts under.  Unfortunately the lights didn't work but we didn't care.

 Sadie Jane opening her gifts from Grammy and Papa Jim

We were blessed to be invited over to a friends house from church.  It was so nice to have a good meal and to be able to just sit and relax in the midst of moving.  We move tomorrow and then will be in Merced on Wednesday to celebrate Christmas with the Nelson family. I can't wait!!!

Day #3-Unpacking kitchen stuff and the couch arrives

SJ and I spent the day at the new house.  While she napped I got to work in the kitchen trying to figure out where to put things.  I think that is one of the hardest things to do in a new place!  I am getting there but I am sure I will move things around some more before I get it just right.  We got our new couch delivered which was very exciting.  We ordered it back during Thanksgiving so we've been waiting to finally get it.  Andrew and I have been on the search for a new couch for a while and I almost thought it may not happen but then we found this one.  It was rough finding the right couch because he had to like how it felt and I had to like how it looked:)  Below are some lovely pictures I found of this house when the previous owners lived in it.  I was shocked to see these online and to see the huge difference.  Pink is just not for me but I guess they were big fans of it.

 Previous owner pictures

Day #2-Painting and Cleaning

I am still in shock of all that got accomplished today.  Andrew and some men from our church worked so hard to complete the painting, install our microwave, fix some plumbing issues, fix the closets, and I am sure I am forgetting some other things.  Then tonight I worked with some ladies from our church to clean out all the kitchen cabinets and line them with contact paper.  I was able to sweep up and vacuum all the rooms too.  It feels so good to get things ready to move in.  This place is already feeling more like home!

It's Official! We are Homeowners!!!

 As of Tuesday, December 21st we are officially homeowners!!!  This has been a long 4 month process for us so we are glad to have it all done.  The Lord has been so kind to us blessing us with this house and teaching us many things along the way.  We are so excited to starting making this house our home.  We didn't waste anytime.  Once we got the keys I started cleaning and Andrew started prepping the house to be painted.

 There are several things in the house that will need to be updated over time but this light switch will need to go immediately!  I guess the last owners style is just a little different from ours.

Today Andrew and some of the men from our church are painting.  We are so appreciative of our church family and all the help they are offering to help us make this move.  I will try to keep updating our process here with pictures.  I hope to put some up of the new paint tonight.  I can't wait to see it!  It's scary picking out paint!

6 Month Photos

Grabbing everything, eating momma's face, rolling over, trying to sit up on her own, sucking her toes, these are a few of SJ's favorite things!  She's now eating rice cereal and trying out green beans.  We'll move onto fruit next and she won't know what hit her!  She downs it all so I am hoping she won't be a picky eater.  We love our little June bug and have so much fun watching her grow.   

Christmas in Boxes

This Christmas is SJ's first and it has been quite the challenge for me to be okay with spending it living out of boxes.  We have no tree and our stockings are not hanging but that's okay because the good part is she's not old enough to remember:)  We put in an offer on a house back in August and now we are just waiting for everything to be finalized so we can get the keys to our new place.  These last four months have been a huge test in patience and the Lord has revealed a lot to me through waiting, waiting and more waiting.  Andrew reminded me of something from Christ's birth that really helped me to stop being so selfish wanting everything to be perfect.  He said that Mary probably wasn't expecting to have Jesus in a stable so I can be okay with having Christmas in boxes.  It might sound silly but it did help me get over myself and put things into perspective.  So there's 5 days until Christmas and I am still praying that we can get the keys to our new place before then but I want to be prepared that it might not happen and that's okay.  God has so richly blessed my life that all of this house stuff is so small in comparison to all He has graciously given me.  Christmas will be Christmas as long as we celebrate the birth of Christ and it will be an extra blessing to have Andrew and SJ with me no matter where we are.   

6 Months Already???

I can't believe it.  SJ is 6 months old.  I just spent some time looking back through the pictures on our blog from when she was born and I am still in shock.  It has been 6 months but yet if feels like she has been with us forever.  Everyone tells you that you need to enjoy the time because it goes so fast and I believe them but I am only starting to understand what they mean.  I look at SJ and I know that she is going to be a young woman before I know it but yet I can only think of her as a baby right now.  Its times like this when things are really sinking in that I just want to soak up this time and enjoy every stage.  I always want to be grateful for each new day to be her mommy and to love her the best I can, whether that is changing a dirty diaper or tickling her to make her laugh.  This time is sweet and I want to remember that in the midst of the business of life.  Okay, enough of me going on and on-6 month pictures will be coming soon!

SJ's New Favorite

SJ has a new toy and is loving it.  If you notice she is surrounded by boxes because we are hoping to move next week.  More on that later-for now just cute pics of SJ!

Auntie Erin Visit

SJ Chowing Down

SJ is getting this eating thing down a little more each day.  She still ends up spitting a lot of it out but is enjoying it as she tries to figure it out.  Its fun to see how excited she gets when she sees the food and to watch her try to eat it is great entertainment for us too. 

Daddy Dresses SJ

 I just had to capture this moment when Andrew put SJ's pants on-a little high daddy!

Fun family photo although SJ looks a little scared that these 2 people are her parents:)

SJ's 1st Time Eating Food

 

SJ had her 6 month check up with her doctor yesterday.  That's right-6 months!!!  I can't believe we are already half way through her 1st year.  So now we are trying to slowly introduce food to her.  It seems so weird that it is already time for this.  She had her first taste at rice cereal this morning.  I am still not so sure what she thought about it but we'll give it a try again tomorrow.  It was funny to watch the faces she made.  She always brings us great entertainment!