A Roof Over Our Head

I want to thank you all for your prayers and fasting while Devin and I search for a home. The one we really reeeeeeeeeeeeeally wanted is probably not going to happen; if the house were a box of evils, then that would make the home inspector Pandora. We already have a list of homes to tour on Monday, but I thought it would be fun to include you in our dreams. Here's the house we were fighting for
Holly St House

Here's the 6 contenders for Monday:
Big and Fenced, but Dated
HUGE, but funky and far
No Fence, No Garage, but Lots of Space
Small house with big, fenced yard
Small and far, but near
Great Yard, Small house

I hope all the links work. I don't know how to make them automatically open a new window, so you'll have to right click it, or follow it and then go back. Also, I don't know why I capitalized those links sporadically. I'm just a lazy product of the culture I guess :)

Have you seen House Hunters? This is kind of like house, so put your pick in the comments, and tell me your thoughts about the houses!

Kindergarten Registration

Courtney has been registered for kindergarten at Tabb Elementary! I am so excited for her to start; I know she's going to love being there, and she will excel as the newest Tabb Tiger. As a side note, Tabb is named after Mary Octavia Tabb, and Postmistress from the 1800s. Like I told my mom, I'm glad they chose tigers for a mascot, because Tabb Mail Carriers just wouldn't be the same.

Happy Mother's Day

I woke up this morning to find that Devin had made me chocolate strawberries while I was sleeping. He definitely knows the way to this girl's heart. As I focus on my mom today, I can't help but be overwhelmed with how awesome she is. She not only had 6 kids of her own, but she babysat a family of five kids every weekday! She had a lot of patience for us :) She also taught us all how to read, write, add, subtract, you name it, she did it. She also tried to teach us how to cook, but all I remember are a lot of messes in the kitchen accompanied by eye rolling from us kids; fast forward to college, and you would find me staring at the contents of my fridge trying to figure out what to do. Oi vey. I love her, and I am proud to pass down her love to my kids. 

Devin must be exhausted after melting chocolate and dipping strawberries. He cashes in some snuggle time with the Bug.

Merry Christmas

And thank you to family for presents and well wishes!

Work it!

Devin and I decided to get Courtney her very own, non-thrifted dresses. I had so much fun watching her model them. My favorite was a tie between the grey dress with polka dots and the black dress with the big pink bow. Courtney wanted the purple one without ruffles and the black dress with the multicolored sequined top. I ended up getting the purple one she wanted, and the Santa dress. She is going to be the cutest girl in church.

Primary Program

I am so excited to announce that October 13th will be Courtney's first Primary Program! I wish you could all be here with us to share. She has been practicing her songs and her line, and she is so pumped! I am too :)

Wintergreen Resort

Devin is a member of A.C.E. or Airmen Committed to Excellence. This week, their chaplain took the airmen and their family on a trip. We spent Wednesday through Friday together. The airmen spent time planning activities and receiving counseling from Chaplain Duplease. We stayed in this awesome 2bd/2bth. On Wednesday, we went zip lining, and it was so exhilarating! We also ate very well. We had dessert for lunch AND dinner. Jealous? :-P

This picture shows Courtney holding a glass bowl which contains a melted princess bowl. I put it in the oven so Mason could pretend to bake, and pull his creations out of the oven. Then I forgot it when I preheated it for dinner. Courtney wanted to make sure you all knew how sad it made her. 

Irony

Irony is buying a baby gate for your house, only to have it broken by your 15 month old, and then watching your graceful 4 year old somersault head first down the stairs last night. This bruise is the only visible injury she had, and she says nothing else hurts. She got a blessing from her daddy, and she is fine. God blesses his children, and protects mine when I can't. 

Father's Day Haul

Maybe someday, I'll learn how to work a camera and get the lighting perfect. Today is not that day. The first picture shows off the kids' homemade playdoh hand prints. The second picture shows Courtney's traced cutout hand from Primary. Devin couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear. I presented him with french toast and chocolate pomegranate candies in bed. Happy Fatjer's day to my dad, my dad-in-law, and my brothers and brother-in-law. Being a dad is hard work; you do a great job!

Mormon Humor

We've been busy

We have decided to return to Washington D.C. this summer. We loved it so much last year with mom, dad, and Becky, we thought why not? Courtney and I love to watch DC Cupcakes, so when we heard we were going (even though we don't know when) she wanted to see Sophie and Kathryn, and she even dressed like them!

Who's got two thumbs and fixed her own sink? This girl (you'll just have to take my word about the two thumbs)! All this crud (which smelled like actual poop) was in a length of pipe less than 6 inches long. Yuck. I snaked it, Drano-ed it, and replaced the pipes. It didn't even leak afterward :)

Devin's squadron hosted a "Mandatory Fun" event. A picnic on Bethel Lake was the event, and Courtney spent 2 hours in the bounce house! The heat was almost unbearable.  Mason vs Chocolate chip cookie was the highlight for this mommy, except for maybe the cake truffles. Good times were had by all. 

First Steps

Noah's Ark

Courtney had a lesson in what she calls "Primary School" about Noah's Ark. The teachers provided this awesome craft for the kids, and Courtney talked about it all day. Also, Mason learned how to climb on the TV stand. You might have noticed that his face is scrunched together in a crying fit because he hasn't learned how to get off said TV stand. Poor little man.

The Mother's Atonement

I found this article through Pinterest. I was inspired by the idea, but then I immediately felt inadequate. We all feel inadequate at sometimes, but I do not feel discouraged. i feel even more resolve to try harder to do better. Enjoy!

http://powerofmoms.com/2012/10/christlike-mothering/

Par-tay!

The kids had a great day Saturday. Their birthday party was equal part Cinderella and Perry the Platypus (the cupcakes were either pink and purple or teal and yellow to match the themes). Due to kids being sick, only three families attended. To be honest, our kids were sick too. This stupid weather is the perfect breeding ground for the cold and flu. Can't spring weather just come already? Anyway, they kids had fun playing. I made a life size version of Candyland. The pink squares were customized with characters from Cinderella and Phineas and Ferb. Then we had them go to town on a pinata. Unfortunately, they couldn't figure out how leverage the stick very well, and they just tapped it instead of whacking it. Then it was time to sing "Happy Birthday" during which Courtney giggled and said, "Aww, shucks." Is she not the cutest? They got a lot of great presents. We also decorated with helium balloons, but we got more than really fit in the car. After the party, we let the kids take some home, then we told Courtney to pick one balloon to save, and then we popped the rest. When we got outside, the wind ripped the balloon off the string! And to make it even sadder, Courtney started sobbing, and she asked me, "Why doesn't Cinderella want to be with me?" My heart just broke into 1000 tiny pieces. Other than that, the party was a huge success!

Easter Pics

These were taken at "Once Upon a Child". These kids were born for the camera :)

The Cabin

Here it is, our home away from home. As you may be able to piece together, it was very small. Luckily, we were out and about, so we avoided cabin fever. And I know it looks like a window there by the TV, but the curtain is nailed at the top, and it hides a wall. The pop on the desk is $2, and the bottle of water is $4! Crazy, right?

Needless to say, Devin and I enjoyed our long awaited honeymoon. I hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Full Day at Sea

Early Wednesday morning, our ship left Nassau, and we spent all day and night at sea. We were afraid we'd be bored, but the ship had lots to do. We went to a towel folding class (doesn't that sound so boring?), and really enjoyed learning how to fold bulldogs and elephants. The towel folding is kind of a big deal; the stewardesses fold animals every night. Our stewardess, Antonina, made a person the first night, but I forgot to take a picture. Then she made a monkey hanging from the TV. The last night, she saw Devin's glasses on the desk, and she put them on the creation in the second picture. We're not really sure what it is though. I was thinking a crab, what do you think?