House Construction: May 22

Bunk beds plans

Our doors

Laundry room

Downstairs guest half bathroom

Kitchen!!

Kitchen & Bar

Hearth room / breakfast nook

Stairs going up

Great room looking up at the loft upstairs

Great room, looking up at the cieling and the loft

Great Room Gas Fireplace

Master Bathroom

Master Shower

Future Dining Room

Simplx Office

Upstairs guest bathroom

Boy's bathroom

Loft upstairs looking down

Vacation to Utah

Jaxton, Cooper & Mom got to go to Utah to visit our family and friends out west! What a fun trip! Our lease at our apartment ended and we were living in Kendallville for about 2 months before our house got finished, so we decided to use up some of that waiting time by spending it in Utah. Nate had work to do here in Fort Wayne, as well as watching the house construction closely to make sure if finished in a timely manner. My family was so excited to hear we were coming. We were able to use our credit card reward points and got free flights for all 3 of us. Here are the boys on the airplane ride. Jaxton really understood this time that we were up high above all the houses and cars and he was just thrilled looking out the window at all the "ants" as he called them. When I told Cooper to look out the window of the airplane and reminded him that he was on an airplane, he responded, "Where? Where Airplane??" Cute boy! I don't know if he really realized that he was on it the whole time!!

Mother's Day

We were lucky we got to spend Mother's Day at my mom's house in Utah. What a special treat for the both of us to be together this Mother's Day. For about a week and a half, Melissa and I planned to teach the kids "I Often Go Walking" so they could sing it to Grandma on Mother's Day. They all learned it and sang it beautifully to her that day. It was a precious moment and they all knew they were singing to her.

We took a trip to Temple Square the afternoon that we flew in to Salt Lake City. It was our first opportunity for the boys to get reaquainted with their cousins, and they loved every minute of it. Here are all the kiddos at Temple Square.

We took another trip to the Mount Timpanogos Temple, which was our temple when we lived in Utah. It was fun for the boys to see such an abundance of temples out there and to see and feel the beauty they bring.

Playing Pirates in Grandma & Grandpa's backyard

Thanksgiving Point Farm Country

We went to Thanksgiving point to see all the farm animals. What fun! We got a trailer ride, got to ride the ponies, feed the sheep, and play in the miniture town & jail hall. The kids had a blast!

Jaxton on a Pony

Cooper on a Pony

Feeding the sheep

The town criminals...

Melissa & I

Some of our good friends still live in Utah. We got to spend some time with them on our trip, the Glausers. Here is Jaxton & Audrey, about 6 weeks apart in age. They got a long great and had tons of fun together. We will definitely keep in touch!

The boys each made a crown for me for Mother's Day at church in their different classes. Jaxton went to sunbeams and Cooper was in nursery with Grandpa. Super cute! Thanks boys!

Fun with Grandma

Of course Grandma had all kinds of activities planned for the kids. From homemade Play-dough to painting to snip soup, they loved every minute of it!

Making "cookies" and decorating them

Painting a bird house

Cooper's birdhouse

Fun with Grandpa

Grandpa took me and the boys up American Fork Canyon to go "hiking." Hiking with a 2 and 3 year old is hardly hiking, but the boys loved it. Here they are down by the creek.

Big time hiker!

Another big timer!

We drove to one of the reservoirs in the canyon which was beautiful and clear. We picnicked here till it got so cold and windy that we moved our picnic to the trunk of Grandpa's van!

Grandpa & Jax

Grandpa with Cooper

Grandpa & Jax

Fun with the cousins

Spending time with the cousins was the highlight of the trip for the boys. They ask all the time still when they will get to see Amanda & "DD" again. Here are Cooper & Amanda at Cabela's:

Having fun just playing

We will miss you guys!! Love you all! Thanks for a great trip!

House Construction: May 4

Jump for Joy! It's almost done!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma Routsong!!!

The boys were so excited for Grandma's birthday! She even let them help blow out her giant candle!! What fun! Happy Birthday Grandma!!

Timmmmbbberrrrrr...

Whenever I am in Kendallville, Indiana I happen to have brand new experiences of which I never thought I would have. Well this particular day, I had 3 new experiences that a city girl from California never would think of!! First, Nate's dad found some wild mushrooms growing out in his land. They were mushrooms of a shape I have never seen before in my life. I think they were called sponge mushrooms or something like that and they looked like sea sponges that grow in the tide pools of Monterey Bay, California. Well he picked a bunch of them and fried them up on the stove for dinner. I have to say, they were actually quite yummy. I thought they sort of tasted like fried calamari, but that was just me.

Later that day, Nate's dad came to tell me that he found a swarm of bees. When I think of a swarm of bees, I think of Winnie the Pooh and bees following him. So I honestly didn't really know what to think of. So he shows me the swarm, and again, it is something I have never before seen!! Hundreds and hundreds of bees crawling on top of each other and completely covering one of his bushes. For some reason, they chose that bush, the Queen was there somewhere, so all those bees just decided to land there in a big pile! It was so crazy! I have never seen more bees at one time in my life!! So Nate's dad wanted to capture the bees. He got one of his beehive boxes down and set it down next to the bush. He shook the bush a little and shoved some bees into the box where they found some honeycomb. And then one by one the bees started to march off the bush into the box. It was an act of nature that was something I had never before seen! Pretty amazing. Several hours later, every bee had left the bush and was in the box. But by morning, they had decided they didn't like the box and they all left!!

My 3rd experience of the day: Nate's dad is remodeling his barn. He needed a tree cut down that would be in the way of the barn. So he got Nate all dressed up in his work coveralls and had him climb up this super tall tree and chainsaw it down. No, I have never seen a tree be cut down before, let alone have my hubby all the way at the top of it!!! So the boys and I and Grandma watched him cut down the tree and saw it crack and fall! Pretty cool! The boys thought it was awesome!! Thanks for all the fun exciting experiences in Kendallville!!