More updates

I have decided that I really need to do better at this blog thing. I keep wanting desperately to write some things down in my journal... but, alas, it is packed away in a trailer at my parents house and it would take me at least a week or 2 to find it. That 2 weeks wouldn't include all the re-packing I would have to do.

First, our house update :)
This week they have been installing tile, interior doors and trim, and on the outside they're working on the stucco and siding. The brick is all on, even our address block! Today the kitchen and bathrooms are being measured for the cabinets and then we will have to go sign the approval on the designs once they create their mock-ups for us. Then we will still have to pick out carpet, and stuff for our fireplace mantle, lights, and we decided to paint our own colors (honestly SO much cheaper that way) and THEN we will be able to move in!!! I am so looking forward to living in my house I already love it! The area is great and I am so excited and pleased with all our choices on the house.

Secondly a Gwendolyn update
Gwendolyn will be 16 mos in 5 days, she is getting so grown up every day. She is still a little behind in her clothes sizes, the 12 mos jeans keep falling down, but she is a healthy happy girl. Her favorite foods are
Mac and cheese (not kraft... the REAL stuff)
Peanut butter (on a spoon)
Watermelon
Corn (on the cob, she hates eating it if you cut it off. She's no baby (= ha ha)
graham crackers
spaghetti
carrots
cucumbers
chicken (in any variety, but usually grilled)
and to be honest as long as you'll let her hold the food herself... she will taste ANYTHING
Mushrooms
green bell peppers
purple onion
raw potato...
We went to fireworks over the 4th and everytime she would see a bag of cotton candy she would get SO excited, pointing at it and saying "OOOHHHH!" so when we were at the Layton fireworks we got her some. Interestingly enough... as cool as it looked in the bag, she is NOT a fan. She eventually ran the other way when we'd offer it to her. And Jeff was happy to oblige in finishing off the bag ;)
She is also improving her vocabulary SO much and putting little sentences together and I love hearing her little voice! Here are some examples of what words she knows right now
Kowy (Kori)
Annie (used to be Ammie but she's fixed that)
Mimmie (minnie mouse)
Pooh (winnie the pooh)
tih-der(tigger)
Whee!
Box (sandbox)
bucket
buckle
parkle(sparkle)
shoes
pretty
please (although she will only whisper this word)
thank you (or something close)
Mama
Daddy
Dogs
Coal
hopper (copper)
ti (Tink)
Car
Kar_y (Karly)
Katie
pa (grandpa)
juice
cup
milk
num-nums
cheese (not the food... she can pose for the camera)
owside (outside)
bulls (bubbles)
BIG (when she wants the BIG bubbles)
bath
wa-ther (water)
No (don't worry she says it nicely... for now...)
pink
blue
one
two (she can actually count to 2, not that great to some people, but she understands the concept)
Go go go (from Dr. Seuss' book Marvin K Mooney, one of her favorite books)

There are many more, but this was just a sample :)
The other day, we went to a craft store with my sister in law Natalie and when we were driving back to South Weber, Gwendolyn was starting to get fussy and to distract her from whining and crying the rest of the way I started talking to her,
me-"Gwendolyn, why are you so sad? Don't you want to go home to see the dogs? They're waiting for you."
Gwendolyn- "Dogs? No No! SHHHH"
Which is funny because whenever ANYONE comes over to my parents, the dogs go crazy barking. So we always yell NO at the dogs when they bark and a few of us tell them to SHH, but she put it together and now says it everytime they bark. "dogs, no no, shhh!"
She will also say thank you (without being asked) if you surprise her with something she wants but hasn't asked for yet. Like a cup of juice, or a cracker, or any treat :)
I cherish every little thing she does because it all changes so fast.
I was once saying to someone how it sort of made me sad knowing how fast she was growing up, and that person told me. "It doesn't matter, just have another one." And I've given that some thought and still come to the conclusion that having another one wouldn't change me feeling sad that she's growing up too fast. Because she still will. It's bittersweet really. I want her to grow up well, healthy and happy and always wanting to learn and explore... but I just want to hold on to every moment. I love being a mom and I hope it shows, especially to her.

All things considered...

I've been trying to decide whether or not to give up being a Scentsy consultant... I mean I like the product and all, warmers are cute-my house smells great, but I honestly don't do it for the income or anything, I usually only do parties at my family/friend's requests and I just do that to get everyone free shipping.
My life just seems too busy right now, I'm working part time with Davis Early Intervention (works with developmentally delayed kids age birth to 3 years) and I do Scentsy, and I'm a mortgage loan officer for North Star Mortgage, AND I'm starting my own photography business. I feel overspent. I love to be busy, but if I keep up with ALL these things, I miss out on the MOST important thing in my schedule, Gwendolyn.
I need people to take a vote, or really more like give me advice. What sort of thing would YOU choose to get rid of in your life to be able to spend more time with your baby?

We're also making BIG decisions on the house. Who the heck knows what soffit and facia are? I know I never notice them on other people's houses... yet, we have to start naming colors for that, and then... Windows. Trim color? Grid no grid? shutters? are you sure? please sign in blood if you're sure!!! We also went and picked out our doors. Exterior and interior. Now we have to know what finishing we're putting on the hearth so the framers can frame accordingly. Where do you want your attic entry? Where do you want your fridge? How many lights in this room? What kind? Dimmer switches? Light switch controlled plugs? So many questions that I don't have the answer to. Luckily I know of a house I really LOVE that looks just like our plan, only mirror imaged. Whew... Now for the rest of those questions...

New House!!

Finally, after MONTHS of waiting, I am thrilled to announce...

WE'RE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AGAIN!!! WAHOO!!! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

This is our lot

Gwen and me standing in our future front yard!


The hole is dug...

Meet our first neighbors (if you can see them)

Footings

Foundation is IN!

Cement floor is done!

Framework started!

As of right now I still don't have the most up-to-date pictures fo the work done. This isn't going to be a mansion or anything unique at all, but it is going to be ours and nobody else's :) We get to make it our own from day 1 and make it how WE want it. I am SO excited! And as you may have noticed in the above photo, we are RIGHT across from the elementary (well one of them) so I can just walk my kids across the street for school. I am really really lucky! I hope you will all come to visit when construction is complete! :D

Hmph!

Okay, so hindsight is 20/20. We all know that, but seriously lately I am missing my condo SO MUCH! I can't really tell if it is because I acutually WANT to be in my condo again or if it is me wanting my own space back. Honestly we've hit a big snag in our construction on our home. We started out fantastic with Centennial Bank, but they were taken over and closed by the FDIC, so now we are loan hunting trying desperately to find a place that will refinance our construction loan and it seems like it is just making bigger headaches! I'm so sick of dealing with Bank of Utah. When we first started trying to refi, they were our best option. They were seeming like they understood our predicament. Now it seems like they were just playing around with us. "well we have an approval, all YOU have to do is find $20,500 to come in with at closing." What the!?! Seriously??? I HATE Bank of Utah, and I really HATE that we've been in this process for SO LONG. And I hate most of all that my perfect little baby who deserves the BEST has to sleep in my parents family room because that is the only place for her! HELP people, where do I go from here. We can't throw in the towel on the construction because it's already started. BLAH! I just want to curl up, go to sleep and wake up with everything magically better. Tell me how.