We're Rollin'.....

Jack just rolled from his back to his tummy!! What a big boy!! He has been so patient with us and our packing. We are almost done. Hopefully everything will be packed tonight and we will get the bathroom and the kitchen cleaned. Then we just have to vacuum the rest of the house. Easiest place we've ever had to clean. If we DID do any damage you couldn't tell because the rest of it is so beat up! And no matter what we'll have left it cleaner than we found it. When we moved in the bathroom was nasty. Tomorrow is our closing date. Hope everything goes smoothly. I'm SO excited!! Our last night in this place!!

And congrats to my Aunt Samantha! She had a little boy...number 7 two days ago. A big boy too...9.8lbs and 23 inches. Can't wait to meet little Fletcher!

Packing

Well we are packing up. Hopefully...hopefully....we will close on our house Wednesday. Claire can sense that we are distracted and is getting into everything.

The flour

The peanut butter

I hope to not have to pack for the next ten years. Two times in 3 months is a little much. I'm super glad to be getting out of this place though. There are so many spiders!!

I know I say this a lot but Jack is such a SWEET baby. I wish I could keep him this age for the next month or two...just to slow things down a tad.

Claire watching tv

Russell Allen Leslie

My grandpa passed away yesterday morning. He found out Christmas of last year that he had pancreatic cancer. We were shocked because he was a person who took such good care of himself that it was unfair. I love my grandpa so much. About a week or so ago I wrote him a letter listing as many memories that I had of him as I could....although I kept thinking of more after I sent the letter :) I'm so glad I did that so he could see how much he did for me. I called him the Monday before he passed and we had a really special conversation that I will remember forever.

My grandpa was a big time teaser.

He was so funny. Every time he talked to me on the phone he said the same thing...something I think I wont share :) He was very involved with us grandkids. Technically he was my "step-grandpa" which makes him even more great. He didn't have to be what he was to us. But we know he loved us. He was a big hunter.

He took me fishing and taught me how to clean fish. He made us homemade icecream. He made me eat an ant once lol. He killed every spider in the canoe before I would get in. He taught us how to drive a go cart. He was at my wedding.

He would help us make whirlpools in his pool. He let us have the forbidden soda when my mom was out. He loved watching Nascar. We went white water rafting...twice. He had this wild pig head that used to scare me so much.

He brought us boomerangs back from Australia. We dissected an owl pellet. We hiked up A mountain in Ajo Arizona and he had to go down first to scout out way for us to get down. One time he shaved his beard and it was hard to recognize him. He teased me for being so white. We liked talking about the Biggest Loser.

He liked to play cards. He took off Bryan's shirt in the IMAX theater when Bryan had his arms in his shirt because he was cold. He talked Bryan and I into going on this ride at the Airspace Museum. Soo many good memories.

He saw Claire a couple of times. I wish he would have been able to see Jack. They will hear stories though. I am so lucky to have him as a Grandpa. I'm grateful for the knowledge that this life is not all we have....that we have the ability to be a family forever. I love you Grandpa.

The weekend

Our weekend started out with a visit from my friend Cheri. We worked in the same little room at Nexus doing prior authorizations with insurance companies. She made the job bearable for me :) Her oldest daughter is 4 weeks younger than Claire and her baby is a little over a month younger than Jack. It's Claire and Chloe and Jack and Jenna. It was really good to catch up and we have to hang out more. Claire and Chloe got a long half of the time and then....not...half of the time. They'll work it out haha.

Jack trying to pull Jenna's hair

Two chunky babies

Here...hold my hand

Haha

Saturday we went to Salt Lake and went to a discount store called NPS. It has stuff that didn't get to the store on time or had minor defects. We got a couple of things....we would never buy produce or frozen stuff there but there were some good finds. Then we went to This is the Place state park. I saw a guy who used to work at Nexus too! Really random. We were debating buying tickets to go in when his wife told us that everything was closed and it would be a complete waste of money. Then I saw him and met his wife and we chatted for a bit. We did take a picture under the eagle that my great great grandpa designed. We had a ceremony unveiling it a couple of years ago and I was the one to pull the cover off it and it got stuck. Kinda embarrassing. But the guy in charge said that President McKay was the one to unveil it the first time and he had a hard time too....so I didn't feel so bad.

The Eagle Gate

I LOVE this picture. She just looks so happy. It was a very nice day.

Pretty girl

After we went to Olive Garden and got their endless pasta bowl. The creamy parmesan portobello sauce was really yummy.

Jack is starting to get interested in things and enjoyed grabbing at toys.

Church went well today. It was the first time in our ward in a month. The boys came over after to eat dinner and stuff. I like it when they do because they clean the dishes after!

She had the cutest little curl that I was trying to get a picture of.

Jack is so adorable when he gets out of the bath peaking out of the towel. I love it.

Happy baby :)

Please send some prayers to my grandpa. He is in the hospital and not doing well.

Cute Kids

Today was a cleaning day. I was going to vacuum the front room and Claire jumped up on the couch because she is scared of the vacuum. Jack was laying on the floor and I was going to pick him up and hold him while I vacuumed but Claire was concerned about him. She told me that she wanted to hold him so I put him on the couch next to her. She immediately put her arm around him and every so often would lean over and give him a kiss. Of course, I had to get some pictures after I was done vacuuming. :)

We went grocery shopping yesterday but went pretty far over budget. We bought both kids diapers from Costco and Macey's was having their food storage sale so I got a bunch of stuff. They had whole egg powder on sale for 11.98 (!!!!) That is way good. We got some apple slices, cream of wheat, and Brian wanted to try Morning Moo's Chocolate Milk. Morning moo's isn't the best for you but it is the best tasting. I love being in Utah for case lot and emergency preparedness sales!

So big!

You cant REALLY see but I put Claire's hair in pigtails. I dont have small hair ties but I'm totally getting some tomorrow! I almost started crying!! She looked adorable and so much older!

Update

My dad came on Wednesday night and was here till Friday morning. We LOVED having Grandpa here to play with. I picked him up from the airport Wednesday. I've discovered that I am a very wussy driver these days. I went like 55 the whole way, my hands clenched on the steering wheel, and it was very sweaty when I let go, haha. And that was driving on the interstate at 9 in the evening. I didn't use to be. It's been since having kids. I want to make sure I get back to them :)

Thursday we went a couple of places with my dad and went and met Brian at a Mexican restaurant near work. That evening we went and watched while my dad ordained Logan to the Melchizedek Priesthood. That was very special. M'Kay came down with Calvin and Caroline. After I made some taco salad and we had root beer floats.

Sadly my dad was only able to stay for a day but we are SO glad he could come. Thanks dad! Come back soon!

We didn't go grocery shopping this week because we were cleaning. So....it's a pantry week :)

Update on the house....we made an offer and they countered and we accepted! The inspection is going to be Wednesday so as long as that is good and the appraisal comes back good we are buying a house! We are SO excited! It's cheaper for us to buy than to rent a house. I'm glad...this little rugrat needs a yard to run around in and get rid of some orneryness and energy!

I wish...

I wish that life had a pause button so I could get reorganized and re-prioritize without everyday things piling up. It's so hard to do when dishes never stop and laundry piles up and your two year old insists on dumping everything out of her play kitchen 5 times a day. And I have a bunch of videos to upload....I'm just so tired.

We put an offer on another house today. They have till tomorrow at5 to respond. Hopefully....

My dad comes tomorrow for a day...we're pretty excited about that.

It was really nice to have a 3 day weekend. We went up to m'Kay and Angie's for dinner Sunday and took Logan, Bryan, and their friend Bruce. It is SO nice to have family around.

No one wears cloths around here

Waking up
That boy loves his momma

We packed away all his 0-3 clothes. *tears*

At the park. She wanted to wear jammies. Claire loves stepping on ants.
Such a cutie
We were playing on the floor so nice and then...
POOP

Menu and latest happenings

Thursday-Hungarian Cabbage and Noodles (there is always something that is p;ushed back for some reason)

Friday-Bean burros

Saturday-Biscuits and Gravy and eggs

Sunday-Chicken Nuggets

Monday-Tomato and Rice soup

Tuesday-Pancakes and Yogurt Syrup

Wednesday-Leftovers

Grocery: $22.58

Household: $15.97

Food storage: $19.90

So, I don't remember if I have put this on here but our landlords are renting this apartment illegally. They are not zoned for multifamily housing. It's not been an issue before because apparently they have always rented to someone who was related. Anyway, we got a letter saying we had to be out by Sept. 8th but he got it extended till Sept. 28. SO....gotta pack up again.

We've looked at some more houses. There was a foreclosure we kinda liked in Pleasant Grove but it would need some work and definitely new carpet. The lawn wasn't too impressive. We really liked on in south Provo and went to Sacrament there on Sunday but decided that the area was not good. In fact I want nothing to do with southwest Provo. Anyway we are looking at one in Orem tomorrow that both Brian and I are very excited about. *crossing fingers* Hopefully we can find one we love soon so we don't have to get into another apartment.

The boys started school Monday. They both seemed kinda overwhelmed but the first week of school is always like that. I'm excited for them. We went to campus Sunday with Bryan and his friend Bruce and showed them where their classes would be. BYU has a beautiful campus.

The kids are doing great. Claire is Claire and can be so sweet one minute and a sassy handful the next. Jack is SUCH a good baby. man oh man we love that little boy. He's started laughing this past week and it is so adorable. I love my babies.

Making food
They look so different
Mr. Smiley






Reading a newspaper in the car