What it means to be a Homeowner!

I'm sorry I have fell behind in my blogging duties, this post has been a LONG time coming! Lets start off with a definition.....Homeownership: The act of being enslaved to your house every free night and weekend in order to appease your inner desire to be surrounded by perfection.....

 First off, I do not consider myself a home OWNER. I don't own my house yet, so when people say, "how does it feel to be a home owner"....I say "I don't know, ask me in 20ish years!"....But most people use the term homeowner to describe someone who has purchased and is currently paying off a mortgage. So, yeah, that's us.

When we bought our house about 9 months ago we knew it was going to be a lot of work. Andrew wanted to build/remodel a house (he's the fix-it/make it your own type)....and I wanted to have a move in ready home. So I guess this home was a good compromise. We did most of the major changes before we moved in. A few walls came down, new paint EVERYWHERE, new carpet downstairs, a few minor landscaping changes, etc. And I told myself I would be HAPPY with that for a while. And we were. And time flew by. Before we knew it, it was spring. And it was time to get to work on all our spring projects. We had 2 major projects we wanted to complete. 1. Our BSU Bonus Room and 2. Landscaping.

The Bonus Room. This room was a perk to buying this house. We originally planned on buying a 3/2, but we ended up getting lucky with this house, it's a 3/2.5 + Bonus! So I didn't really have any plans for the bonus room. Andrew was quick to call dibs, and request that it be a BSU "Man Cave." We are BIG Boise State fans, so I didn't have a problem with it. But we debated about the paint for a LONG time, as in almost a year. We knew we wanted BSU Blue and Orange, but we didn't know what design we wanted. We decided to do some strips. 

Luckily, I have paint in my blood, my Grandpa Bassett and Dad are excellent painters! So, they came and helped me paint. They have decades of experience, so I told them what I wanted and they helped me.

I'm really happy with the final result. We're hoping to add more furniture and a TV next year sometime, but for now, I'm happy with the paint. :)

When we purchased our home the backyard was trashed. It was covered in weeds, holes and trash. We knew this would be a BIG project. But we didn't realize HOW BIG. Let's just say there is lots of blood sweat and tears in our landscaping. But it was worth it. 

Over the winter we just left the backyard alone, but in February Andrew rototilled, and it was beautiful!! Sure, It was only dirt, but it was evenly leveled and graded dirt. No holes, trash or sticks.

After this was done, we tackled the sprinkler system. I didn't take any pictures of that project because, well, it was the worst part of the landscaping, and I hope to never think of sprinklers again. We were working with SOME sprinklers the previous homeowner had installed and installing new ones. Lots of troubleshooting and angry words. But finally, we were ready for sod. Here is our lovely installation team enjoying their work:

And after they were done, it looked like this:

Hallelujah!! It's beautiful wonderful grass!! After a few weeks of this, we ended up finally finishing the gardens. We moved the garden boxes to the side of the patio, added rock and some trees and now we have this:

The new location of our raised garden beds 

 We still haven't planted anything, but I'm hoping to get a few plants in this year. 

And we added a garden at the back of the house:

We even re-did the garden in the front....don't mind the small lawn growing on the left hand side of the garden. I learned that bird seed will grow if it falls into your garden :)

So. After almost a YEAR of not being proud of our landscaping we can finally say, "Look what we've done!!!" We are happy, we love it!

We are glad to be done, at least for a while, because we have a BUSY summer coming up. In the next 6 weeks we will be celebrating Amielia's 1st Birthday, Beth's 3rd Birthday, our 6th Wedding Anniversary, My 25th Birthday, and Andrew's 25th Birthday. In. That. Order. And within 6 weeks of eachother!! Summer brings LOTS of Birthdays and my little niece June will be adding hers to the mix because Jana is due in just a few short weeks. We are so excited for what this summer will bring. I hope you guys are getting your projects done too and enjoying the sunshine!!

Until Next Time, Happy Blogging!

The busy BUSY month of January

Well! January was REALLY busy for us. I figured it be best to go through it chronologically, that way I don't miss anything.


My last blog post was about my Grammy Bassett, who passed away on New Years Day. We had her funeral on January 7th. It was a beautiful service.

The Group of Bassett and Dahlquist Girls who sang "Be Still, My Soul" at the Funeral

My Grandpa Bassett saying Goodbye to his Sweetheart. Luckily, we will all see her again.

After a few months of going back and forth, I finally decided that we needed to bite the bullet and Potty Train Beth. She'd been expressing lots of interest in the idea, but I just didn't have the tools to do it. Some people are successful easily, without plans, and without giving up. But I didn't think I'd be one of those people. I'd played around with ideas. But nothing was working, so I let it go. After Kristin (one of my best friends) Potty trained her son, she recommended the method she used. Which was the 3 Day Potty Training Method by Lora Jensen. The method is a 40 page e-book, and it made SO MUCH SENSE. It potty trains for both night and day, so you get rid of EVERY diaper, pull up and padded "training" underwear.  It is all about teaching kids to recognize their body signs, and know what to do. The book prepares you for 3 days of potty training using patience, love, consistency and dedication.


So on January 9th, we started the first day. I thought it was going to be a 72 hour battle. But Beth did really well and caught on pretty quickly. She was telling me she needed to pee after only a few hours, which was a miracle. We are still working with her, and sometimes we have to remind her. But she is doing very well and  I am very happy about getting THAT milestone out of the way. 


On the 13th, I hosted an Essential Oils Party. One of my new favorite things is doTERRA essential oils. They've come in handy considering my family was hit with the Plague the last few weeks. I'm sure we all know a little about essential oils. I've loved using them for relaxation, rejuvenation, and anxiety. Andrew uses them for headaches, razor burn, and just cause he likes the smell sometimes. And I use them on my girls to help them sleep, and a few different blends when they aren't feeling so great. They have oils to help with pretty much everything.

Copyright doTERRA International

On the 14th we had a WONDERFUL time at Jackie's baby shower. With her due date just a month away, we had a great time celebrating Titus's (Titus'...??) anyway, Baby Love's impending arrival. Nichole (Jackie's sister) did an amazing job with the party and it was a great afternoon! Jackie was still TINY, although I'm sure she felt like her tummy had taken over. We all had guesses about when she'd deliver, I thought probably a few days before her due date. Man. We were ALL surprised when she delivered less than 48 hours later.


I woke up to nurse Ami around 5:30am on Monday, January 16th, and looked at my phone. On a whim. And realized I missed a call from my brother at 3am (yeah, I won the TERRIBLE sister award there). I had a text from him saying that Jackie's water had broke and they were headed to the hospital. I counted weeks, then counted again. And Again. She was 4 wks 1 day from her due date. She wasn't even considered full term yet.  After a few phone calls to my parents, who were also waiting for news, I decided to get up for the day and get ready, knowing I'd have a nephew in just a few short hours. For more on Jackie's delivery and the experience, go here: http://bassettmommy.blogspot.com/2012/01/big-surprise.html

Long story short, my handsome Nephew came into the world weighing only 4lbs 1oz. And he was 16.25 in long. But just because he was small, did not mean he wasn't strong. After only a few minutes with him it quickly became apparent that he was strong like his dad, and determined like his mom. Titus Jay commanded everyone's attention that day when he came into the world. I got to visit him two more times in the hospital before he came home 2 weeks later. He was 4lbs 8oz when he was released, and is doing well.


Due to the PLAGUE that I will brief you on in a minute, I haven't been able to see him for about 2 weeks. But I can't wait to snuggle him soon.


The same week that Titus was born, I went in for a job interview. What? You didn't know I was looking for a job? Yeah neither did I. I went to my WIC Appt with Ami in December and saw a flier advertising a job opening at the Southwest District Health office. I felt prompted to apply. So I did, and not really knowing how it would work out, I left things in Heavenly Father's hands. Well. I interviewed on Friday the 20th, and was offered the position the following Monday. WHAT will I be doing you ask? Well. My official title is a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor for the Southwest District Health Department. I will be helping expectant moms and new moms with Breastfeeding. I have posted a few times about my issues with breastfeeding, so I am grateful to have an opportunity to help other mothers with concerns.  I am very excited about this job, and have already begun the training. I'm still nervous about how I will be able to balance my home responsibilities, children, husband and work. Luckily the schedule is very flexible, and I have lots of support from home and my supervisors to find a schedule that works for me. I also have faith that the Lord knows how things will work out, and I just need to trust in him.

Now. The PLAGUE I've been referring to. Andrew had a terrible flu in December, and I was grateful that no one else got it. Well at least I didn't get it at the same time. We've all been battling colds at our house, Andrew had the flu, then he got the cold again. I took a break from my cold, and got the flu. It was terrible. And Andrew had to come home from work and save me. I literally felt like I was going to pass out every time I moved. Both girls got a touch of the flu, Ami threw up a few times, and Beth. Well. She had a different, but equally messy problem.


A few days later, Beth started to complain about her ear, and so did Andrew. Finally, after I felt like I could function, we took them in, I really should have earlier, but it was hard to tell if things were getting better, or if I was going to survive (joking, mostly). Sadly, both Andrew AND Beth had ear infections. A few days later (and on my first day of work) the cold caught up with me again. Luckily my scratchy voice stuck around long enough for me to get through work. Then it left for a few days. I HATE Laryngitis. But it seems to LOVE me. And to top it ALL of, Ami got viral conjunctivitis. Like I said. The PLAGUE. Anyway. We are all almost 100% again. I used my essential oils like crazy this month. They definitely helped all of us get back to normal much faster.


 I have a few other cute pictures to share and then I will end this extraordinarily long post.

Beth and Andrew dancing

Love for Daddy

Enjoying a Snow Day

Beth's new friend - She was very sad when he melted

Beth, Ami, And Lydia (My Friend Madi's daughter) having a tea party

Someone found the Kleenex box....

Beth skipped her nap, and ended up falling asleep in Andrew's hand  at 7pm

Well. I think that pretty much catches you up. Our life is crazy. But we love it. We feel very blessed.


Happy Blogging!!

Legacy

Well, I've definitely had some mixed feelings the last 2 weeks. Things were really busy right after Christmas as we hosted our first Holiday Party. I invited mostly friends from highschool, and a few other good friends. We tried to keep the amount of people low, since it was our first party. We ended up having about 20 people. It was lots of fun to catch up with friends. And we will definitely do it again. Shortly after that we had friends over for New Years Eve. Just 2 of our best friends, Madi and Porter Moses. It was lots of fun to play games and relax after the kids went to bed. Andrew and Porter lit off fireworks at midnight, and we were looking forward to an amazing 2012.


About 8 hours later I received a phone call. It was my dad. His mother, my grandmother had passed away in the early hours of New Years Day. It was hard to hear my dad fighting back the tears. The phone call was quick. The day was going to be very busy for him. Andrew and I were starting new callings that day (Andrew teaching CTR5, and me in Senior Nursery) so, we went to church and then headed to Boise to spend the day with family. That week was full of moments of sadness but also moments where I was grateful for my eternal family. Friday night we went to her viewing, and spent time with some family. It was wonderful to see aunts, uncles, and cousins from near and far. 


On Saturday, January 7th we attended her funeral. I was able to join other cousins and sing "Be Still My Soul" during the services. I cried a lot more than I wanted to through out the song. But it was a very spiritual moment for me. The speakers, songs, and prayers were all tear jerking, but wonderful. My aunt Lajuana gave her "life sketch" at the funeral and she spoke of memories that we had. Some of my favorite memories of my Grammy are:


-Pancakes shaped like animals. When we slept over we got animal pancakes for breakfast. 
-My grandma always sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow to the grandkids
-We always played games like phase 10, solitaire, and marbles 
-Her delicious Chicken and Noodles Dinner


One of my most interesting memories was when I told my Grandma & Grandpa that Andrew and I were getting married. They were excited, but I remember my grandma being concerned. She asked if I would be able to take care of Andrew if he got sick. I thought maybe it was because Andrew had a heart condition. But at her funeral I learned that in their first few years of marriage, my grandpa was very sick with ulcers. She had to take care of my grandpa, and when they had children it was even more difficult. So, now I know why she asked me such an interesting question. And it makes me understand her even more.

June 2006 - My Wedding

July 2009 - Beth & Grammy

July 2010 - Grammy, My Mom, Me & Beth

Halloween 2010

Grandpa & Grammy with Amielia June 2011

- Pure Joy -

Although I have many MANY more pictures with my Grammy. I don't have them available to me right now. 


One of the speakers, Charles Dahlquist, spoke of my grandma's legacy. That we can honor her by living up to it. And that really stuck with me. My grandma was an amazing woman. She had 5 boys, raised them all with love, sent all 5 on missions, kept her house immaculate, fed many MANY hungry family members with delicious homemade food, and inspired so many. And she inspires me. And her legacy will live on. 


Until Next Time,


Happy Blogging

The Truth About Christmas

The Truth about Christmas is that, well, sometimes it's PURE CRAZINESS. Especially with 2 young kids. But I feel like this year, we did a lot of the things we wanted to. We decorated our house, not as much as Andrew wanted, but enough to feel non-scrooge like. We got practical gifts. We got a few fun ones for the kids. And I finished all the gifts I was working on BEFORE Christmas eve. So, I was able to relax. 


Last year we decided to make our own family traditions for Christmas Eve. Up until 2010, we'd unsuccessfully split our time between Andrew's family, who has a white elephant gift exchange. And my family, who has a Birthday Party for my cousins Austin and Kayla. They turned 17 this year, so it's been a tradition for awhile. But we really felt like having our own traditions was important. So we started some. We read stories, watch movies, and went to look at lights. We added a Chicken and Noodle dinner this year, and we plan to do it every year. All in all we felt very blessed this year....here are some pictures as an overview....


Here are my girls in their Christmas Jammies.

I was very happy with our tree and decorations this year. Simple. Classic. Done.

Stockings.

And a few presents I took pictures of.

We have been very blessed this year. Our Holidays were crazy, but good. And I am always grateful for the two beauties in my life.

Beth is growing bigger and smarter every day. She asks "What's that?" about 20 times a day. I have to remind myself that it's important to answer those questions. No matter how many times she asks. Recently Beth started waking up again in the middle of the night, fighting nap time, and getting up way too early....it's like having TWO babies. But I have to remember that it's life. And these stages pass too quickly. So we give her loves, and explain why she can't sleep in our bed, or stay up till midnight, or skip a nap. And we try to remember that every day is an adventure.


Ami just passed the 6 month mark and is right on track for growth. She's a smiley baby most of the time. She is still having sleeping issues. But I have to remind myself that there could be worse things. She has a love/hate relationship with rice cereal and we will start feeding her some baby food soon, and that's sure to be entertaining!


Well, I can't believe 2011 is almost over. A LOT has happened for us. I hope things with YOU have been as exciting as things have been with us. Have a Happy New Year!


Till Next Time....


Happy Blogging!