Engaged

Jacob and I decided that looking for a home to buy is a lot like dating.  Let me explain:
First you  look at many houses to try and figure what floor plan you prefer...you go on a lot of dates with different people trying to find what you like and don't like for a spouse.  When you've found a home you like you put an offer on, usually here you stop looking at other homes for a while...same as when you start to date someone.  Then if you're offer is accepted it's as if you've become engaged and then get married, usually.  This happened for us a couple of times.  We put a total of 4 offers in on homes.  The first one we were outbid.  We were devastated  but still had faith that we'd find where we needed to be.  The second and third time stung a bit more, on both occasions we had people tell us of the good of a chance we had.  Then we didn't get it.  Now going back to the analogy,  it was as if we were dating seriously and made mention of marriage.  We started to see us in the future and started to get really excited.  Then they decided to go with someone else.  It was really a lot more emotional that I would have thought...  BUT  our story has a happy ending.  We are currently engaged with a home, if you will.  It's in Lehi, only 2 minutes from Jacob's work.  It has 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms, a great room, a mudroom, wet bar, and an office/craftroom.  Not to mention it comes with a nice playset in the backyard, that is fenced, I can't wait to send boys outside while I make dinner or clean up!  We're pretty excited.  We think we'll be able to move in anywhere from mid-January to first of February.  We've been really lucky to like where we are living enough to be patient (9 months worth) in finding our new home.  We really hope there's no snags in this one, because we're finally letting ourselves get excited!.

Isn't it so cute!  Did I mention how cute the front porch is?  The only draw back is it has no fireplace...but I think we'll survive.

Reality

I've started probably 5 posts trying to put into words the life lessons I've been learning, and what's been impressed in my heart, but none of them really seemed to be good enough.  So I'll try one more time to combine them all.  They all have some story that illustrates my new realization: my reality is better than anything I could imagine or try to create.  I've tried to stop trying to make my family or myself fit into a mold that I think we should be in. But when I embrace this fact and go with the flow that my children are handing me, our life is much more magical.  It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be real.

It's ok if the boys fight, it means they are learning how to share and play with others.  It's ok if we watch an extra half hour of T.V. if it means I get to clean the house uninterrupted (something that I need to be happy).  It's ok if we don't have a fancy meal every night, sometimes oatmeal and toast is all we need, and I'm happier because I didn't have to fight off playing with the kids to spend hours making something.  I'm learning I don't have to be perfect.  This is a huge realization to me.  All my boys need is a happy mom to read to them, "nuggle" them, and go on grand adventures with  Lego's and treasure maps.  I feel like I can do that, which puts the pressure off of me to be a mom that ends up on pinterest multiple times.  My family doesn't care.  They care if I'm happy and will give them love and attention.  That I can do...most of the time.

Life is too precious to not enjoy everything you've been given, the hard and the easy.  Here are some moments we've had lately.

Christopher says, "thank you mommy,"  after most things I do for him, even changing his diaper.  I could eat him up!

On a "mommy date"

William has started to scoot around on the floor.

These two boys are in this position within seconds of being set next to each other.  I hope someday they'll let me into their club.

Ryan smiles at me the second I walk into their room to wake them up; whether he's awake or asleep.

Ryan trying out Grandma Morrise's exersaucer 

Holiday Cheer

Steven asks Christopher to make him things out of the Lego's that look exactly like his.  Their favorite is called "elmo." 

What we were doing 12/12/12 at 12:12
(sorry it's blurry, Christopher's always on the move)

Ryan on everyone's first time on the front runner

We had to walk around for a bit till the next train came

twins in the hood

 Steven starts to tell me jokes only to stop because, "they're just too funny".

cleaning up leaves...

...then putting them in front of our neighbor's house

Steven and Christopher playing a game they made up:  rolly rolly sandwich.  (they twirl around until they fall down.)
 

I love the wonder in William's eyes

Yep, my reality rocks!