Camping over Memorial Weekend

 

We decided to go camping this last weekend since Craig had Memorial day off.  We spent the longest time deciding on  spot.  Craig wanted a nice secluded place that a million people wouldn't be at.  We changed the location about a dozen times and right before leaving we changed it again. 

We invited Craig's younger sister Lindsey and her family.  We planned a menu and split up the meals with the Lillywhites.  Every time I thought about it, my list of things to pack grew exponentially.  We haven't camped like that for a while...usally Craig's mom is nearby with her 5th wheel so stuff like spatula, whisk, knife, dish soap and can openers are things we never have to worry about...  We had our explorer packed full and the back of their truck plum full as well.  GEZZ... We still managed to leave some stuff behind...like condiments, pancake mix, peppers, and newspaper to start the fires...but it turned out to be a great weekend.  

Friday night was pretty cold(not to cold...but my toes were cold) but the next 2 nights weren't so bad.  It actually rained and kept things warm.

The guys went fishing with the kids and even let them fish for a second :)  We all went for a little day hike that was pretty fun and the kids did great.  Craig has been wanting to go on little day hikes with them so we can go on longer hikes when their older.  We played board games, took naps, and just relaxed and enjoyed the scenery.  We found a really great spot, in this little valley/meadow next to the creek.  It was perfect because we only had one fellow camper near by and they were bear hunting, which alarmed us a little but at least the had dogs to warm us of near by bears.  They kept us entertained most of the trip.  We thought we might see a bear but they were only training...and actually treed one.

overall great weekend and I guess I better get back to the laundry...

NEW BED!!!

If you can't get an idaho boy into california, bring california to HIM.  Craig's brother got remarried about a year ago and they have been storing this gigantic CALIFORNIA KING bed in their garage because they don't have room for it in their home.  So they got sick of having it stored in their garage..worried mice would eventually get to it they gave it to us.  LITTLE Craigers has been wanting one forever...he is sick of being huddled in a corner whenever the kids hop in bed with us.  She gave us her nice headboard and all of her Ralph Lauren Bedding with brand new sheets!!!  We put it together last night and it really doesn't look like it takes up that much more room...but when you lay on it it certainly feels bigger!!  The bed is a lot firmer than our Queen, which craig was excited about!!! He is always complaining about his back...I had the bad back growing up and he's the one that complains :)  Actually since being married my back is 100% better.  It gets strained a little, but not nearly what it used to do...lets hope this new bed doesn't flair up any back issues with me while clearing up Craig's...if so we will need to upgrade to a sleep number bed..because apparently we have different bed firmness needs.  :) anyway....

 We love the bed and its our very first headboard...it's a tad darker than our bedroom set but still looks nice.

now all we need is a house with a guest room for our queen :)  We are still looking and still haven't heard anything regarding the "doll house" house.

father/son

well craig is off on his first father/son outing and I think that is so so cute!!!!!!  Soren was so excited to be going without Kaydence...he hoped in the car hours before we were ready for them to go :)  I hope they have fun.  

6 years of BLISS

So it was our 6th wedding anniversary yesterday and to commemorate the occasion I will do as others have done in the past and blog about the last 6 years accomplishments.

Craig and I got married one week after graduating with our specialized associates. (me in photography and him with Agronomy(weeds and soil science).   It was really nice to graduate together and as it turns out was the only graduation we would ever attend. :)

We spent our first summer in Emmett while Craig worked for his dad on the farm and I at Taco Bell.  We purchased our first home ( a 1999 Oakwood single wide trailer with over 1200 sq. ft.) and rented it out that summer in Rexburg.  We also found out we were pregnant with our first child and bought our first Car together as a couple...it happened to be My first car ever!!!!

That fall we went back to Rexburg for more schooling.  Craig changed his degree a bunch of time and ended up with History and a minor in philosophy.  He also got into teaching seminary and thought that might be the route he would take.  He taught 2 periods in Idaho Falls for a year.  He also worked at Circuit City, which didn't turn out to be as fun as he originally thought, and Best Western hotel.  We applied to several schools that offered a bachelors in Philosophy, since BYU-I did not... and we were accepted to the U of I.  As we were making plans to move up to Moscow a wonderful thing happened.  We were able to get some connections with some philosophy professors at BYU who ended up getting Craig into the program. 

We had Kaydence in February and I continued to finish my schooling, thanks to the help of Craig's sister Lindsey who was also attending BYU-I at the time.  She watched Kaydence while I was in class and we couldn't have done it without her.  I was able to graduate with my Bachelors that december.  We sold our trailer and had to move in with my brother and his Wife Helen the last few weeks of school, because the owners wanted the trailer before school ended.  So another shout out..this time to Helen...thanks!!!!

We moved down to Provo and were able to live at my Aunts house for the first semester while they took the semester off and went to SPAIN.  My uncle is a Geography Professor at BYU and the timing was perfect.  They needed someone to housesit and we needed a house :)  While we were there we found out we were 3 months pregnant with Soren...while only having a 10 month baby at home.  Craig started working as a research assistant for one of his professors (one of the professors that got him into the school)  who quickly became one of the most influential people in his life.  Craig was fortunate enough to help Prof. Paulsen publish some great works on Joseph Smith and the church's theologies.

We always assumed Craig would continue on to get his doctorate in philosophy and become a professor but the job market and the amount of schooling needed was to long and unpredictable so we decided to try LAW.  We signed him up for this LSAT course just to try it out and he did pretty well, so we presued it further.  Applied to a few schools and got accepted again to the U of I.    So we packed up our stuff and headed North to Idaho once more.  Craig was so glad to get out of the Utah bubble and swore he would never want to go back to that. (I  mention this because a few years living in liberal moscow he quickly changed his feelings about happy valley.)

The next 3 year is kind of a blur :)  Starting Law school with 2 young toddlers is something that is probably highly discouraged but we did it anyway.  I got a job working at a local photography studio and put the kids in a near by daycare....that lasted about a month with dues being too expensive to be worth it and also Soren didn't handle it very well.  He had abandonment issues afterwards.  I continued to work part time while Craig watched the kids....that took a tole on his studies so we decided for me not to work the next year and live completely on student loans.  His grades greatly increased and so did our debt :)  That first summer we lived again with his parents while he worked for ADA county public defenders office.  He really enjoyed his time there.  The second summer we lived yet again with his parents and he worked at the Gem County prosecutors office.  He always thought defending would be where he wanted to be but after working for the prosecution he feel in Love with that office.  His DREAM job would be to work in Emmett, his home town, along side Dick Linville in the prosecuting office.  Because he chose to do two externships for credit, instead of trying to find a paid gig.. we looked over everything and found he had enough credits that he could possible graduate early.  He had to take 20 credits that last semester but he did it.  

We said goodbye to Moscow where we had made some really great life long friends and headed AGAIN to Emmett.  We have lived with Craig's parents for a combined time of more than 12 months out of our 5 years of marriage and so you can see my eagerness to buy a house of our own :)

Craig took the bar in Feb.  Passed and was sworn in in April.  We lucked out and found a job in a great little firm in Boise and we couldn't ask for more.  Everything has been working out so well and we couldn't have done it without the help of so many friends and family.  

When we got married we had no idea this is the life we would be living, but so far the Lord as guided us down a great path.

1 marriage, 2 children, 3 years of law school, 4 cars, 5 degrees and 6 years of bliss.  

I LOVE YOU CRAIG!!!!!  

** I didn't realize when I sat down to write this post that it was going to turn out to be a mini biography of our life...but thats basically what it turned out to be :)               

Im too old to play doll house

We for the last month or so Craig and I have looked inside over 35 homes....with no luck finding "OURS".  We have put in 3 bids and all have been rejected one way or another.  One was just perfect here in Emmett....but the builder refuses to sell for what its worth and says he will just sit on it until he can.... the second was a 2700 sq. ft. fixer upper here in Emmett.  We loved the size and layout but it just needed updating out of its 1975 decor.  This one was bank owned and for us to have money left over to fix it up we low balled them and they didn't bite.... It has been on the market for 6 months so he figured we gave them a decent offer...nope!!!! The listing agent said " they just received a strong offer"... yeah right..it's been weeks and it's still active on all sites.  I think the listing agent was pulling some trick to get us to go higher..we didn't fall for it.  This third one is in Meridian...a little closer to where Craig works...it's just a beauty on the outside.  Like a classic doll house..seriously it could be in a movie like "father of the bride".  This one is a short sale and the pervious owners really worked it over hard.  Its only 6 years old but needs new carpet and the hardwoods need refinished.  They had several dogs it looks like and just ran them over and over that house.  The sellers are very motivated and its about to go into foreclosure so we put in an offer and it was basically accepted by the owners we just have to wait on the bank to approve it.  I am just in love with this house.  I love the layout...perfect amount of room to grow. 2600 sq. ft.  4 bedrooms and 2 bath upstairs with this giant bonus room above the garage...it would be perfect for a play room for the kids.  Down stairs is another bathroom, utility room, office, living and then of course the kitchen dinning area.  Its probably the worst house in the neighborhood so great potential for us to fix up the inside.  It sits in a golf corse community and all the houses and yards are picture perfect.  There's a Church just down the street which is perfect, the school is around the block and there is this giant park/ rec area nearby too.  I WANT THIS HOUSE....so bad.  But we only have a certain amount of money to offer and hope the bank will agree to it.  Wish us luck!!!!  

While looking at houses is fun... another 37 is really not something I want to do again.  I have looked at hundreds online and they all seem to be blending together.  

We would love to stay where we are and save money for the next year or 2...but with interest rates the way they are and the 8000 tax credit and market...we don't want to waste saving for 2 years to just lose 20,000 in equity when the market and interest rates go back up.  We wouldn't be able to save more than what we would be losing.  We are between a rock and a hard place...just low balling till someone bites. :)