what will you do with your money

I am so excited. We are coming into some money. That's right. Our rebate check. I don't know how much it is yet but don't worry, I've already got it spent. Since we aren't having much luck finding a house we like and I'm all eco-friendly like that I figure we'll just build one of these. . .

With a price tag of just $45,000 we could build one with our equity and use the left over money to , I don't know, maybe by a bungee cord and harness for an easier exit strategy. Apparently the builder is working on plans for a separate bathroom sphere with plumbing and electricity. We could really be living the high life when we get finished with this.
What will you do with your money?

PS For those of you who make too much to get a rebate check, please email me privately and let me know so I can leech off of you.

a different list . . .

I'm blue.

It's a combination of things but here I am.

Instead of griping and whining which I know I normally do and I'm very good at, I figure I'll try a different approach so that you all (all 3 of you!) will keep reading my blog. Many, many years ago when I was still in HS, young, optimistic and fun I started a "happy list" of all the little things in life that made me happy. I still have it, although right now I'm sure it is packed away in some box in the garage along with the rest of my life. But I know I can remember some and even if I can't there are many things I can write to go on my happy list so I can lift myself out of this funk. So here goes, 10 CHEESY little things that make me happy:

1) rainstorms

2) singing along to music

3) a baby's laugh

4)hugs

5) sleeping in

6) a good book

7) making snow angels

8) getting a long distance phone call from someone you love

9) dipped ice cream cones

10) new shoes

Now it's your turn . . .

On why we moved . . .

This post is long overdue and I'm sorry I've been such a slacker. It really isn't very exciting. Mostly we moved because of financial reasons. This might get a little technical so feel free to skim down to more interesting stuff. We bought our house with an FHA loan (3% down) so we had to pay mortgage insurance. The market is down right now but on starter homes it has stayed fairly solid. So, we could sell our home and get the equity out and use it to buy a nice home for a killer price, get a good rate, not have mortgage insurance and not up our payment by very much at all. That's it in a nutshell. But the main reason is that it was the right choice. We both prayed felt good about it and the way things went SO fast shows that it was. (From the time I mentioned it to Jason 'til when we moved out was about a month and a half.) Now we're in a pickle. We are renting and don't know where to go. It is very good that we felt right about moving and had peace about that because if not I'd be a wreck, but I'm doing okay. I'm learning to exercise my faith in God and building on my unity with my husband throughout this, so it is a good experience.

That said-- I'm happy. We are doing what we are supposed to be doing and I'm with my sweet little family and we're all healthy. For those of you that have asked, our phone number has not changed and is still the same. Plus, you all have my blog address and my email address. If you want my mailing address just email me. Otherwise, you have no excuse to not keep in touch!

Eden and her cousin

I haven't posted any pics for a while so here is a recent one of Eden with her cousin. They are almost exactly 2 months apart but couldn't be more different.

He is content to sit still, she is always going.

He is chubby, she is skinny.

He is dark, she is light.

They are both SUPER cute (of course I'm biased) and I love them! The other day they got together for the first time in a while (he has been sick a lot and his parents were in Hawaii) and it was fun to see how they loved eachother. He loved to grab her (when she was by him) and she would pull herself up to stand on him! Here are a few photos of them that I think show their personalities well.

Eden's funny face

Eden upstaging Landon

The two cute babies

well then you might as well arrest me too!

I read this article on msnbc and was amazed. There are all kinds of things that as a nonparent might sound bad until you are actually in that position. Sometimes, you do what you have to do for that situation and even if it is hard, it is what is best. I know there have been times I've locked my kids in the car to run and grab something. I feel guilty the whole time but they're safe and better off. I feel for the mom in the article which, BTW, the charges have been dropped. It is hard enough being a mom without being judged by everyone else. So, you do your thing, I'll do mine and if I ask for your advice feel free to help, otherwise, please don't tell me what I'm doing wrong!

To Do Tagged

So my friend Colleen had a thing on her blog and tagged anyone who had been a slacker on their blogs lately. Well, unfortunately, that would most definitely be me and I thought I could very easily do this one, so here goes:

5 Things on my To Do List:

1. Find a place to move to in 13 days and counting.

2. Pack up my whole life (including 1 year of food for 5 people) for imaginary place to move in 13 days and counting.

3. Tell my piano students that I will be moving somewhere in 13 days and counting and will they commute to wherever I move to?

4. Clean my old house from top to bottom for new owners moving in, in 13 days and counting.

5. Feed my family, teach piano lessons, teach weekly music lessons in kindergarten, type up PTA minutes, type up library board minutes, prepare primary lesson, get new brakes on my van, clean out my van, do laundry, change the baby, go to choir practice, go to the temple, write thank you notes from Christmas and Mara's birthday, put together Asher's birthday party for him and 5 friends, keep living a normal life all while wondering where I will be living and what I will be doing with all my crap . . . . . . .IN 13 DAYS, AND COUNTING!

Mormons are "smug"

I found this article on the Deseret Morning News website as I was trying to find a house. Yes, that is why I haven't posted. It's a little consuming. My house is a disaster, my kids had goulash for dinner (meaning, I threw all kinds of random things into a pan with some sauce and called it a meal.) I won't go into it too much but it may be that we won't have a house by the 27th of this month. Anyone know of any good places in Pleasant Grove?
I read this article and thought it was pretty fun. One thing that frustrates me in the LDS religion is that it seems so many people have a hard time disagreeing. Even people within the religion seem to feel that we need to be on the same page about everything. But, oh my word, if I had to scrapbook I'd poke out my eyeballs first. Seriously. I have no artistic inklings and it would drive me crazy. But if someone else likes it, great for them. You don't have to scrapbook to be a good, mormon, SAHM. So many people are afraid to express an opinion and can't stand to disagree on things. It's okay. We can be different and still get along. I loved this article because people can disagree on issues, joke about them and still get along. It's ok. Really.