Priceless

Mortgage on a home $139,500
New Refrigerator $1049
Earnest Money $500
Having Electric, Gas and Water ran at two houses for a month $500
New Water heater $367
New blinds $230
Deep Freeze $213
Moving expenses $120
Canceling Internet at old house $108
Twin bed for Alona to have her own room $75
ladder to replace porch light $62.00
New shower curtain rod and curtain $ 48.00
Mirror/ Medicine cabinet for downstairs bathroom $35
New shower head $30.00
New lock for front door $30.00
New valve for bath tub $29.00
Replacing the pipes to the kitchen that got damaged when moving in $25.00
New light fixture $22
New dryer hookups $15
Curb key to turn the water back on after the seller winterized the house $9
Toilet paper holder $8

Being Home Owners
PRICELESS

Home Owners

We are officially home owners!
The stove was put in early Friday morning. The time was ticking and closing time was coming up I was getting anxious to call and see what was happening. The appraiser was suppose to go over and just make sure that the stove was in the house and once that was done the funding could happen!
At around 3:00 I called the lender to see how it was going, he said he would call the funder and then get back to me. An hour later, he hadn't gotten back to me and now he wasn't answering his phone, he had left for the day. So I called our realtor, she called me back five minutes later!
She had called the Title company, it had funded and recorded! It is Our house!!
I have been weary of putting in our thirty days at the home that we are at now. I was worried that the house wouldn't go through and then we would be stuck frantically looking for a place to move at the end of the thirty days if the house didn't happen. But... It Did! So today I mailed the thirty day notice to the landlord. Though we are planning on moving our things over to the other house this coming Friday. We can use the time after our stuff is out to clean the house we are in, maybe this time we will get some of our deposit back.
After the house funded on Friday we went and picked up the keys and looked at the new stove that was put in. The next day before Paul went to work he went to the house. The house was scheduled to be winterized, and no one told those people that the house had sold. So somehow they got in and winterized our home, pouring antifreeze down all the drains and toilets and saran wrapping the toilet seats lol. They also turned off the water and then they decided since it wasn't anyone's house (or so they must've thought) they took the 12 pack of toilet paper and the gallon of 409 cleaner that was in our bathroom. We figured out that all we needed to get the water back on was a curb key. So our water is back on and ready :) And we changed the locks!!

House closing and financing Taking its Toll

A closing date was set, Friday November 5th but then at about ten am the realtor called saying that Utah Housing needed some more paper work and that we would have to wait and close on Monday at the same time.
So Monday comes around and I am calling the Lender to make sure that the paperw ork got to Utah Housing and that we are good to go, nope the paper work just got there on Monday so we are going to close tomorrow at the same time he says.
So then Tuesday comes, I wake Paul up at 3:30, 30 minutes before we are supposed to be there and we are getting ready to go. Then we get a call, from the lender saying that the Title Company is charging more than what was written on the Estimate and so legally we have to wait 24 hours after that to close in case we want to contest the charges, SERIOUSLY, UGHH!!
So Wednesday comes around Paul's phone had died earlier in the day, I didnt think much about it people usually call my phone. But at about 2:40 I check our email, the title company had moved up our closing time to 3:00 instead of 4:00. They had called Paul's phone and left a message earlier in the day but we didn't get it. I called the lender told him we got his email and that we might be a little bit late, our daughter gets out of school at 3:00. So we hurried and got ready and picked up Alona early from school. All the paper signing went great and taking the kids proved to not be too difficult, there was a huge basket of toys and drinks for everyone. The realtor even had one of those fancy phones that plays movies so the boys enjoyed Donald Duck for a minute! So We CLOSED on the house!! BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE HAVE THE HOUSE :(

In order for financing to go through we need to have a stove in the house. When the appraisal came back on October 12, the appraiser said the home needed a stove. On November FIRST the other realtor ordered the stove, she said that it was supposed to take 7-10 days to get here. Why she ordered it, I do not know, maybe it is just the way things work with FHA loans/ Fannie Mae property. But anyway it has been 13 DAYS, It is Now November 14 and there is still no stove in the house. Financing will NOT go through until there is a stove in the house. On the papers that we signed at closing it says that settlement date is set for Monday November 15. With the funding process not even started that is not going to happen.

I am starting to lose it, starting to get very down and losing hope. I can only hope that the realtors will pull through and get the stove in the house so that funding will go through. I started to think of our last failed attempt at purchasing a home and hope that this one does not fail, I mean jeeze all it needs is a STOVE!!!!

Kacen is Four!

Kacen had an awesome birthday.
I took him to the store earlier in the day and he picked out the cake that he wanted
Sams club had a Cars cake that was small and cupcakes surrounded it
and had a Car ring in each cupcake.

(which is awesome for eating and clean up for kids when outside)

He opened presents, he got TWO Thomas movies and a Diego movie! He has been loving these! He asks to watch them every morning when he wakes up.

He got spiderman and cars games
he loves playing them and is great at doing the puzzle.We invited friends and family to come play at Kangaroo Zoo with us
so many friends came, he had lots of fun with all of them
riding on grandpas shoulders, bouncing in all the jumping houses
and going down the slides
Happy 4th Kacen!

cute things

Jesse is running around carrying three balloons every time he loses one he runs to it screaming "Loon" until Alona comes and gets it for

whenever Jesse hits you and you get a sad puppy dog face he gets all empathetic, and exclaims "hug, hug" in the sweetest little boy voice. He wants to make you better.

He told me "no" today. I asked him if he needed a new diaper, he squished his nose and round his mouth, "no".

Hiking Y Mountain

A few weekends ago I drove up to "Y" mountain to hike all the way up to the "Y". Even though the children were willing and excited at first, we soon realized how tough the hike really is especially with small children and just one parent for support. But man my kids are tough! The were pulling me along and encouraging me, "Mom you can do it!" Kacen a top the Y with his hiking stick

Sisters walking down the trail together :)

Alona and Abbi at the very top of the Y, they were brave. It was steep up there, too steep
for me to take the younger kids up there. Love the fall colors in the back of the picture.


A nice lady asked if I wanted a picture with all of us in it and kindly took our picture!

Love the picture and the view

All of the kids on the Y

I could do without

surprises every time I go in to the bathroom!
Even though we have a children's bathroom and a Mommy bathroom,
whenever the children's bathroom is occupied and someone needs to use the restroom
the "Mommy" bathroom gets used by a child

I dont know how they manage to do these things or why
a few hours ago it was water drenching the trash can in the restroom leading from the top of the toilet where the full roll of toilet paper is dripping, soaked...
I could have used the toilet paper roll knowing that I would be clean but still dripping wet
or would I be, would they actually use the clean running tap water from the sink or
the infamous toilet bowl water
knowing my children, I didnt dare use the toilet paper

a few days prior, the toilet paper met an even worse demise
walking in to the bathroom I could see the toothpaste more than half way empty
having been squeezed from the bottom up noticing blue streaks on the counter tops
I undoubtedly knew the child behind it
but then as I look around the toilet paper is not in any
usable location but in the waste basket covered on all sides with blue Mommy toothpate
as if to say Mom I didnt want you to go to the bathroom or have clean teeth today

just waiting

Front of house

Back of the house

Kitchen...it is missing the refrigerator and the stove
to the right is the dining room

Upstairs living room

Paul and I went and put an offer on this house on Thursday (yesterday) I love the downstairs living room as well, but there aren't any pictures available for show yet. The house is in a cul-de sac in a neighborhood in Orem there are 5 bedrooms (the 5th is real small) there are 2 bathrooms and 2 living rooms. I am excited and nervous and skeptical all at the same time, the last time that we tried to buy a home it failed horribly. The interest rates right now are really low and in the past five years we have increased our income dramatically. I hope its good news from the realtor next week.
I am totally spazing out

UPDATE: Today, Monday October 4 we were suppose to hear back from the other realtor/ bank about our offer to see if it was accepted. Well, I guess our pre-authorization letter was supposed to get to them with our offer and it didn't! So the pre-authorization letter got there today. So now they have everything they need and we are still waiting to see if they accept our offer. Waiting game, ughh...I will be thinking about the offer every day and waiting for their response, but trying to keep busy so that I dont go crazy.

Update: Tuesday October 5th
heard from the realtor around1:00. There has been another offer put on the house. We go in tomorrow to our realtors office put in our final offer, the most money that we are willing to pay for the home. So it is so up in the air if we will get this house. It is all depending on if we bid more than the other people. Here's to hoping.

Update: Wednesday October 6th, we put in a new offer on the house 5,000 more than our previous offer and they accepted our offer! Now the next steps, the inspection and getting the loan...
Update: Monday October 11th, I know its not a big update today, but the appraisal has been ordered! Which means the appraiser has a date to go and do the house and has the codes so within the next day or two he will go do that and then we will get the report from him. About 48 hours after the appraiser is done the realtor will have his report and we will see what if any repairs need to be made before we get the closing date.

Update: Tuesday October 12th,
appraisal on the house is done! it all looks good and we are paying 12,000 less than what it appraises for :)

While the girls are away...

The boys and Mommy will play

and be Mommy's big helpers :)

I have an Eight year old!

Eight

Alona decided this year that to celebrate her birthday she wanted to have a sleepover.
I was getting quite worried, I handed out most of the invitations more than a week in advance
most of the replies were coming back that they would be able to come but then would come get their girls at bed time. I didnt want her first attempt at a sleepover to be totally ruined.
I was pleasantly surprised when Donna's mom called to tell me that she would be coming!
And not that she would only allow her to stay until bed time, but that she would come for the party!!

Alona was so excited for her friends to show up and get the party started. She was waiting outside for more than a half hour, until she got a little discouraged and decided to come eat some pizza. And then they all showed up!
After eating pizza and breadsticks they played hide and seek, that was really fun! There were some good hiders!
When Paul came home for his lunch break
they were all called in for presents

Alona got a camera and walkie talkies from Mom and Dad.
Some books, notebook, pencils and a ball from her friends
And then they spread out sleeping bags, candy, popcorn and root beer floats
for a night of fun movies

Before two of the girls left we watched the Tooth Fairy

and then Alona and Donna decided to watch Enchanted and stay up until one am talking
They decided to fore go sleeping on the floor and put their sleeping bags on the couches
probably not a good idea, its easy to roll in a sleeping bag...right on to the hard floor

Kate came back and joined us for breakfast. French toast, eggs and fruit
and then the girls made necklaces from the assortment of beads that we have

After the girls left and we had cleaned up we invited our friends the Hardmans over
and had cake and ice cream!

Alona had a great birthday! Thank you to everyone that made it wonderful!
What a great Eight year old that I have!

who am I

I was asked at our first PTA meeting this year to name my strengths, and I couldn't do it. The thought of digging deep enough within myself and seeing something that I am good at, something that would bring something valuable to the PTA. Something that they would know oh, Heather is good at that we should go to her! I couldn't do it.
Quite often I am having my husband reassure me that I am good at something, or that I am good enough. It is nice to have that reassuring voice, to know that I am good at this, that I can do this or I am wanted! So it got me to thinking, what am I good at, what is there to me?
So first some strengths, characteristics that I have come to the conclusion that I have...

determined, strong willed, compassionate, stubborn, understanding,
independent, realistic, humble, reliable

I will try to think of some of why these characteristics make ME.
Determined, I was determined to get married. Though underage, I didnt let that stop me, I persuaded my aunt and uncle to sign me over for that. Paul and I saved our paychecks and paid for our wedding ourselves, we went to the flower shop, to the decorator, the cake decorator, did it all by ourselves and got it done. I even took Paul, his brother and my uncle to the tuxedo shop where we had them measured and paid for it all (which is why Paul and my uncle were the only ones with full on tuxes). I guess this also falls under Independent as well.
I was determined to have children, a strong desire in me to have a baby. Paul kindly gave in to his wife, four times, and now we have four of the sweetest children.

Strong Willed, well strong willed and determined seem much in the same, but to me strong willed is more of me being Strong and being able to make it through, through anything.
I have made it through much in my life.
Now I have quite a bit on my plate, being co-leader of the girl scout troop. I am trying to keep up with it. I have to be the reliable one, the other leader has much on her plate. Repeatedly calling to remind her that we need to schedule a meeting, to constantly ask her to send me things that I need. To be willing to plan and make this a great year at girl scouts, and do it with everything else..
I am a "commissioner" on the PTA, currently I am dually responsible for Hispanic Heritage Month. I have with two-four children went to different stores and asked for donations to help with this. Spent more than three hours at the Elementary school, in meetings, in the small little copy room, copying, cutting, passing fliers out and making posters and hanging them up.

Alona is struggling with some things in school. Her teacher has expressed concern with Alona not staying on task or completing her work in time. I have set aside time each night to help her work on things that she needs to from school and hopefully she can do better at finishing the work she is given and staying on task.
Okay so determined, strong willed and independent.
Basically, I take on a lot (by myself) and find it within me to keep going
to get things done that need to be done..

Compassionate and understanding, this is an easy one for me. I have been called as compassionate service leader twice. God really knows what I am good at. I (usually) am able to see others needs and am willing to help them in any way, even if it is listening, watching their children, etc. Though sometimes I give a little too much and it takes its toll on me.
When I hear, see others life stories, things that are going on in there life, I can understand where they are coming from and not judge them and I love that.

Realistic...one Too many times people have not come through for me, or have not lived up to what they should have. My mother not trying to get us back or be a part of our lives when I was a teenager (12yrs old), I remember at 11 years old being taken away and at nights I would sing myself to sleep in the shelter home with hush little baby, I wanted my mother. Being SO alone after having my last two babies, literally losing it especially after Kacen was born. Even in the simplest things, like right now I am so broke, I am helping to put together the Family Fiesta at Provost, the other lady that is working with me, is hyped on things being copied in color. In order to that you have to have money to go take your copies elsewhere and then the PTA will reimburse you. I dont even have the money to make the copies to get reimbursed..so I copied them in White! And I speak in English and Spanish would not have fit on the paper so I did not put spanish translation on my fliers or poster! Part of being realistic is knowing my limits now and spending to much time on something and doing way too much makes me too stressed out and occasionally gives me panick attacks, so I TRY to be realistic with how much I can handle and its hard.
Especially when it comes to our kids and finances, I wish I could afford more for them

I am realistic in knowing that people dont always follow through, that they are not always there for you, that other people and their own lives are most times more important and will overshadow things

I am stubborn, when I am hurt I stay hurt for a while but I am humble enough to be the first one that will go to that person to work things out, I cannot stand letting things be for too long. Thouhg at times it bothers me that I have to be the one to suck it up and work things out, part of my stubbornness but I am glad my humility wins over :)

I posted on facebook what others Think some of my strengths are
and here are their answers as of me writing this,

*Courage, Brave...I have more than one!
*Patience. You've got it in spades. It's amazing what you do.
*energy
*Hardworking!
*Determenation
*righteousness. creativity. patience. those were the first 3 that came to my mind. you are an amazing woman!!

A lot of people my age and older have a lot of small talk of things that go on through their day, that they bring up in conversation . I dont seem to have much small talk left in me anymore. The little things in life dont bother me so much anymore and they havent for awhile. I easily let them go. Its the bigger stuff that gets to me and with that as long as I am talking things out with people everything is fine.

little tidbits..I cook, not as much from scratch as I used to, my stress dont allow for it. I clean, my house isnt the cleanest OR the dirtiest and I am okay with that. I am a mom to two soccer players. To two little rambunctious boys that stay home with me during the day, a third grader and kindergartner. I try to help/ allow them to have as much fun as possible, and stay within our means doing this (man is it hard, I want so much more for them). I teach my children responsibility, the differences between wants and needs and love teaching them new things.
I was asked at the Dr.s office, what I do, what kind of job that I have... and I told him, I dont work... I should have spoke up, I work! I work hard to be a good mother to my children, even though I dont bring in an income, I bring much to my family! In love, support and strength

Abbi's first day of school

Abbi is officially a kindergartner!
She had her first day this week. She is super excited about kindergarten and loves going!

Kindergarten open house Wednesday September 1

Abbi sitting at her desk for the first time

Thursday September 2, 2010
first day of school
We all walked her to school and were waiting outside for the first bell to ring to take her to class.

She hung up her back pack right under her name
and then went and sat down, she was so excited to learn that
Kindergarten is not like other grades

in Kindergarten you play first!She had a wonderful first day, they not only read books,
but they read Two books.
The books were about racoons, and a mommy and little
racoon and how they kiss, they kiss on the hand.
Which is so sweet, I have been getting "hand kisses"
the past two days!
She made a raccoon puppet and ran and jumped in the gym.
She also had recess.
Next week she gets to eat lunch at school.
She all ready knew two kids in her class, Archer and Suelie (sp?)

Sleep is calling my name

I want to blog, I really do.
But I am so tired, yes I know its only 9:30 pm
But I wasnt able to fall asleep until 2 am
and of course woke up at 7 am with my boys

There has been MUCH going on in the past month
that I am excited to put updates on

Like Alona starting Third grade

Abbi got her kindergarten class and teacher,
I am excited, nervous and scared about this all at the same time

Both girls are half way through their soccer season all ready

Alona got glasses, shes a cutie!

I am now one of three leaders of the girls girl scout troop
I was in charge of the last meeting and even though there were only three girls there I think I did a great job planning and executing :)

I am on the PTA board at the girls school, and in charge of many things including the Fiesta that is planned for September 14 @6:30!! And also Hispanic Heritage month

I went and visited my friend from Elementary school again with the kids and we went swimming in her pool, fun times!!

and of course there is so much to look forward to as well!! Alona will be eight years old in 18 days :)

Jesse discovered "off" today

I put him in the van to go to soccer and he said "off" as he reached for his shoes and tried to remove them with all the force that he could muster.
Such a cute little guy

another word, today Saturday August 28, Jesse said "Gamma"!!

strawberry reservoir

Last weekend in July/ first weekend in August we went camping up Strawberry Reservoir. It really surprised me with how close that Strawberry is. Only about a 40 minute drive!

Here is Jesse about 24 hours in to camping, he was starting to get a little dirty.
Each child has their own chair, Jesse even has one that is low to the ground, but every time that he went to climb in a chair to sit down, he would get in the froggy chair, Kacen's chair!

We went for a couple of walks, to enjoying the outdoors, get exercise and have fun! Abbi really loved pushing Jesse along the gravel road in the little stroller.

We went down by the water twice. The first time we went to the day use area that they had. It wasn't a very useful place, it looked like there was green moss every where in the water, there was stinging nettle all along the path to get to the water, dead little crawdad bodies and sinking gushy mud, eww!
After I went on a walk with Alona and Kacen, I found a better place to go down to the water. No green stuff in the water, less sticky mud and practically no stinging nettle and instead of dead little crawdad bodies, Paul was able to catch a real crawdad when we all went down there together. Paul, Abbi and I even waded in the water and had fun!

Kacen's time was spent fighting off the weeds and trees! Jesse even tried to join in
with him a few times.

tents are great big awesome play pens!

And OF Course, the Traditional SMORES!!

Second morning, Jesse waking up daddy!

One of our friendly little visitors
We headed home on Sunday morning, but instead of heading home I thought that it would be a great experience to go to see Dinosaur National Monument. I knew it was close to Vernal, which seemed like it took FOREVER to get to. We came to Vernal and then we passed Vernal and we kept getting further and further away, and still didn't see any signs for Dinosaur National Monument. We only happened across a sign for Dinosaur, Colordao. So guess where we ended up for lunch that day at 1 pm after a 3 hour drive, yep Dinosaur Colorado! Which of course after we talked to the people at the visitor center, come to find out the turn off for Dinosaur National Monument was 30 miles back the way we came, back in UTAH!!!

And so we went back to Utah and of course on the way in to Utah there is a sign for the turn off to go to Dinosaur National Monument. We had called before we went there to make sure that they were open, and the visitor center was open until 4:30. We got there at 2:00, after having lunch in Colorado at 1:00, upon arriving the visitor center attendants preceded to tell us that the only way to see the fossils was to travel on the shuttle, and the last shuttle leaves at 1:30!!
Talk about frustration! They didnt even have a sign traveling eastbound for the Monuments turn off, if there would have been we would have been there in Plenty of time to see the fossils and would not have felt that our trip there was wasted. All we were able to get were pictures of the visitor center and pictures of some of the dinosaurs that they have from the monument back through Vernal.
The travel time from Strawberry to Colorado and back was over 6 hours! Wow,
we all had a long car ride home! And here is a truly awesome funnel cloud/ thunderstorm that was almost touching down right before strawberry reservoir.
We had an awesome trip and some good family time!

Pioneer Day

Ever since we moved to Provo we have gone to the activity that they have at North Park for Pioneer Day. It is pretty awesome! The missionaries all come to the park and have a booth for children that they are in charge of and of course we did all of the activities and the children had a blast!

The first activity was needle in a hay stack. They had to dig through the hay for a pin with a picture of a needle on it. So cute!

Next was the obstacle course. The girls went first, Alona against Abbi, Alona was so quick! She decided to go again with Kacen. He was a bit unsure of himself and what to do on each obstacle, but he made it, and loved riding the horse back to us.We took pictures inside of a real fire truck!

Abbi got to drive!

Then they all rode ponies. I stood next to Jesse to hold him on his horse, come to find out its not the greatest idea to stand next to the horses feet, I got stepped on, ouch! They loved riding the horses! Abbi is my animal lover!

they did home made harmonicas and dream catchers, Alona did a great job! There harmonicas were amazing and made great music!
Ought-OH

Their rewards for doing all the activities, a balloon and a candy stick!

Alona holding a baby goat in the petting zoo

Jesse next to the shaggy miniature donkey

Watermelon Eating Contest, my two brave kiddos, Abbi and Kacen eating right along with adults. They had fun!!