Birthday and Christmas

Well Christmas came and went so fast! All the snow and Joel working so much made the holiday sneak up a lot faster than usual. Decorations are already packed up and the house is clean and back to normal. Kind of sad to see if all go, but it feels good to have a clean house again. A tree and decorations seem to clutter it so much than just Charlie's toys.

We also celebrated Charlie's second birthday the week before Christmas. I can't believe he is already 2. He is getting so big, but I know he will just keep going day to day. He is very active and very stubborn (who knows where that came from ;) ). Talking a lot, and it's getting easier to understand him. He has started putting sentences and thoughts together, which is fun. He knows a lot of his colors, and loves to draw circles. He tries to count, and knows "two, three". He is such a smart little guy. I just wish "mine" and "no mommy" would go away, but we are working on it. Hahaha!!! It will be a while, I am sure!

After a record in snowfall for snow in December here in Iowa, we aren't sure what the next few months will have in store. We have loaded up on shovels, salt, and are trying to keep a small food storage in case we get some more bad storms.

We wanted (ok, I wanted) to take a trip to California in the next few months to visit family and friends, especially with all the changes in the last year, but the joys of a new house, a new family, and just the costs of travelling have made it tough. My little brother gets home from his mission in August, and 1 sister had a baby in August and another one is due in January, so next Christmas will be a sure trip out to see everyone, so I just have to wait.

Pictures to come. Charlie is asking for milk and I haven't uploaded them from the camera yet, so hopefully soon. If you read this and want them sooner, just send a reminder email or make a comment. :)

Happily Married

Well, we were married on September 19 in the Nauvoo Temple. We had some family and close friends with us, with more outside. We had an absolutely perfect day! Then went to Branson for our honeymoon while our close friends, the amazing England's, watched Charlie. It was great!

Now we are enjoying settling into our wonderful home, getting to know each other, and having fun being a family. Joel has been working long and weird hours, but we make time to be together whenever the opportunity arises. I will be happy when hunting season is over, too, so we have more time together on the weekends, but I know he loves him mornings out while they last.

Charlie is doing wonderful, too!! Our sweet little man will be 2 next month. He is getting so big and learning so much. He is fun to be around, sleeping all night in his twin bed, and loves time with daddy!

Holidays and both my boys' birthdays are coming up, so I don't know how long it will be before I post, but I should have lots of fun stories!

The Countdown!!!

Well, we closed on the house and have moved in... well, Joel has moved in! The beds are set up, his clothes, Charlie's toys, and the kitchen are unpacked, but the rest is still waiting for us to figure out where it all is going to go. We are putting up blinds as we can buy them, slowly getting all the bathroom hardware, such as towel racks, up as we have time and motivation, and then the decoration will come with time, money and gifts. I never realized how much goes into a new home, but I am really loving the process. Joel got our mailbox up, too, so that is fun!

We are pretty sure September 5 is the wedding day. We were told the approval from the First Presidency showed up on my church records, but I have to have the letter to be able to get the recommend and get sealed, so we are eagerly checking the mail everyday. My bridal shower is this Thursday which is making it so real and fun. Lots of friends and family gathering for a true celebration. I am so excited! Less than 3 weeks, so it's about time for this all to seem real. Picking up my dress and his suit this week, and hopefully will find a little suit for Charlie, too. I really need to send announcement for the reception, too, since I realized they were still in my car. I am a nerd like that!

So other than that things are pretty much the same. My sister had her third child on Wednesday, a little girl named Peyton Elise, and she is so beautiful. My mom is now back in Iowa after a month in Mississippi. It's nice to have her close again, but I know she misses it there. My brother, Nathan, just hit his 1 year mark on his mission in Ghana. Everyone is growing, changing, becoming more amazing... and for once I feel like I am in the move forward!

August already!!!

Well, it's August already! That means we have either 5 weeks or 7 weeks until the wedding. Since we have to wait for the First Presidency's approval, we can't plan for a specific date. We are hoping for September 5, but the 18th is our backup, and the reception is set for the 19th either way. It makes it tough to get hair appointment and make honeymoon plans, but at least it's not a busy tourist season so we should be ok.

As for our house, we didn't get to close yesterday like planned. We are still waiting for paperwork to be processed. The loan has been approved, but some guy in a cubical still has to look over the documents to make sure they have everything so they get their money later. So hopefully that will be done soon so Joel can move in, since he is now homeless sleeping on his brothers floor. It would be nice to move in (and get our stuff out of Kristi's garage :) ) and start unpacking and decorating so once we are married and working we can just live life!

Charlie has gotten to his organization stage. He loves to move and stack everything. There are big piles of toys and books all over the basement. For the most part he moves things one at a time, but lately he has been carrying books in stacks, so he gets a lot more done. He also loves to dust surfaces and wipe faces (his, mine, Joel's...). It's cute, but sometimes annoying. He is a blast, sleeping well, talking more with words I can actually understand, and dancing all the time. He loves music on while he 'works', and he randomly stops and dances. So fun!

That is our update. Wedding plans are going well. Thanks to Olivia, the reception is pretty much planned. My dress will be totally done in a week or so, and Joel's suit is bought and being hemmed too. The basic outline for the wedding and honeymoon are set, just need a date to finalize. I still need to plan the ring ceremony for the families, but that will come with time, I am sure. But if you have any ideas, please add a note.

Engaged

We got engaged on July 7, 2009 and are so excited. We close on our first home this Friday, July 31, 2009 and will be married in September. Our little family is starting out strong and happy!

Charlie is almost 20 months, born 12-18-07 and is growing and learning so fast. He is so fun, but the 'terrible twos' stage has begun with full out fits. I just hope since he started this early, he will finish early, too. Hmmm..

We live in Des Moines, Iowa. Our new home is in Carlisle, which is just outside Des Moines. It is absolutely beautiful here, and we are so happy.

We are engaged!!!

Joel and I have been going through the process of buying an unfinished house and finishing it before the sale is final, but as of July 28 we will be the proud owners of a beautiful 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home in Carlisle, Iowa. I absolutely love it, even more so since it will be where I start this beautiful family we are creating.

On top of that, Joel proposed on July 7. It was a quiet day here at my current dwelling place, watching "Sandlot" while Charlie took a nap. We curled up on the couch and were talking when he knelt next to the couch. He was smiling and kissing me, but didn't seem too out of the ordinary. Suddenly he put a black box right up next to my face and asked me to marry him. I was thrilled!!! I knew it was coming because of conversations and other events, but it was still special and amazing!!!

So Charlie and his "daddy" and I all went to Idaho 2 days later for Scott's wedding (greatest college friend!) and had a wonderful time seeing friends and going to the sealing. We are hoping ours will be September 5, but there is a pending situation that needs to be attended to before we can fully decide and set the date.

So that is my update. We are happy and healthy and working on our new life. Life is happening, but I wish I could fastforward 2 months, then slow it down. I guess I will just take a deep breath and enjoy the process and the stresses as they come. I am marrying in to a great family, and completing my personal family with Charlie and Joel as we take this next step.

(The photo was taken by the amazing Sallyann while we were in Idaho.)

Catching Up

So I just wrote a post, then lost it... Stink... And I can't figure out how to turn the picture of Charlie, so enjoy. HAHA!

So, the recap. I moved to Des Moines, Iowa in July 2008 and couldn't be happier!!! Charlie is doing great, enjoying daycare while I work 4 days a week as a substitute teacher. I am trying to get a full-time teaching job for next year and if I do I will be buying a house here in town. I am so excited!!! Charlie will be 15 months next week and is just so fun. Such a happy kid!!! He loves to run, he wants to walk up the stairs, not crawl, and he is starting to talk. Mostly he points at everything and says 'what's that', but he says 'rama' for grandma, 'keegy' for kitty, and goes 'mmm' if you mention food at meals. He loves to ride on his rocking horse and car, he loves to talk on the phone, and even has been known to call people on my phone, and he absolutely loves to push his cars around the room.

I am doing great, too. HAPPY! I love my job, I have some great friends, the most amazing son, and I am dating the greatest guy ever!!! Joel Hanson is from here, I met him at church when I first moved here and we have been dating since last fall. We take trips to Missouri to see Olivia a lot, but curl up on the couch most of the time because we are both so tired from work. He comes over and hangs out and plays with Charlie until bed time, then we watch tv and talk until he goes home for bed. He is a carpenter with the greatest family! I love him so much!

I must also document that it is 8:55 am and Charlie is still in his crib. I am working on him sleeping all night in his crib, and through the night. He went to bed at 8:45, only woke up once at 3:30, and is still sleeping soundly. HOORAY!!!