By Jove... I think we've done it!

We are finally hitting the point where the majority of house decisions have been made and we are able to get a little more excited about the whole thing each time we inspect the building progress (HALLELUJAH! All that's left design-wise is the cabinets... then the electrical... then the landscaping...ok... still seems like a lot). It's such a nice feeling after all the stress of finding the perfect location, and then the stress of deciding on floor plans, and colors, and windows and... grout (really? There are different grouts? Oh, only about 500! And I get to make the decision in 5 seconds flat. Awesome!). Don't even get me started on the stucco decision process... oh the stucco (won't even get into how many different shades of poop green a normal looking sample of brown stucco can look like once it's on a house and not a swatch).

ANYWAY, point being... we are starting to enjoy the whole process a bit more the last few days as some of the big decisions wind down. :)  We really feel like we've found the right place for us, and feel really blessed because we admittedly had some crazy criteria:

*Numero uno our list: we wanted our own little neck of the woods.  As weird as it sounds, coming back from 5 years alone in D.C. I knew that we needed somewhere where we would be close enough to family and friends to get together easily and often, but still have our own space... our own ward... our own retreat. With sisters, friends and cousins all building like crazy, I didn't think it would happen (goodness, that could come across wrong! If you are a relative or friend who's recently built, you know I love you to pieces and love being around you, right? You get me and my odd quirks. I'm weird about my space... and just weird. So no offense taken? :)). CHECK.  Our little neighborhood is the perfect haven, full of strangers, but still close enough to all our loved ones that we can enjoy them often. 

*I didn't want to live in my old stomping grounds. I wanted a fresh location and adventure. CHECK. (Not sure I even knew Bluffdale existed when I was growing up. :))

*Brian needed a short commute. CHECK. (Although, anything seems short compared to the hour and a half in D.C.). 

*We wanted it to have people having kiddos. CHECK. We've already met a few girls who are pregnant too... I think it will be baby land. And there was a good mix of older people too. You know how at home Brian and I felt on our Holland America Cruise? Loved it, and will love having older people around.

*We needed it to just feel right, and after weeks and weeks of looking, and checking out lots of awesome locations, were starting to doubt that could happen. But, CHECK. Something finally felt like it was just... it.

*Last, but not least, we needed it to be chuck full of BYU graduates and fans.  Ha ha ha... ok, that was NOT a criteria, but it was pretty awesome to get called over to our neighbor's house the last time we were visiting the lot, and get introduced to all of our surrounding neighbors (seriously...a dessert party with like 20 people), all of which were connected to BYU in some way and sporting BYU grill covers. We're moving to Cougar Nation! :) (Not cool that I was in my pjs/lounge clothes, with absolutely no makeup on, rocking the 'I'm 8 months pregnant and starting to be really uncomfortable' look. Alas. Great first impression.)

To mellow out the perfection and keep us grounded, there are some downers... the big HOA fee, which we swore we'd never do... the 120 days from start to finish dragging out way past that (looks like we're looking at mid-November to move in)... interest rates climbing... making cabinet decisions... and did I mention the stucco? :)  But all in all, I think, by Jove, we've done it! Or rather, been led to it... the perfect spot for us.  (Keep your fingers crossed that I haven't spoken too soon...or jinxed us...)

Now, after all the blabber (sorry... I don't journal these days, so some of these turn into a record for me...)... some photos of the framing. It's coming right along! (And so is baby Lincoln! Look at that tummy!)

Happy 24th of July!

We celebrated the 24th by eating so much delicious BBQ that I thought I was going to pop, and then lighting off fireworks in the front yard. Tons of fun.

We also realized that baby Linc is scheduled to arrive in ONE MONTH!!!! Aughhhhhhhhh! (That's a shriek of excitement and sheer terror... all rolled into one.)  We can't believe it, but thought it deserved a belly shot to document the day.

Hope you all enjoyed your Pioneer Day!

Well, Mr. Lincoln Alexander...

there are some things you should know. First, Mommy and Daddy sincerely apologize for the trendiness of Alexander that is about to commence, and promise that we had you named long before the royal baby madness. :) We named you after the city where the three of us got our start--good ole Alexandria, VA--and since we love it, and have already embroidered your name on your quilt... you are stuck as one of the masses. :) 

That's right... embroidered your name on the quilt. Mommy said it, and Mommy doesn't sew (which you probably guessed after hearing her growl, shriek and do everything but throw a sewing machine across the room while working on her little sewing projects for weeks and weeks). But you are oh-so-loved, and Mommy wanted you to have something made by her, just for you. So here they are; your little quilt, receiving blanket, and burp cloths (the cute decorative corners and name band on the quilt might or might not have come about to disguise major sewing mistakes, but you didn't hear that from me). 

 

Much love baby boy. We'll see you in a month!

It might just be a hole in the ground...

but it's our hole!

So excited. It's finally started...

Tummy Travels

I never realized how much my tummy gets around! (Hm...weird way to begin any kind of conversation, but hear me out...)  Last night Brian and I were chatting about the fun places Little Boy L has already been in his 28 short weeks of existence, and we came up with a fairly decent list: South Carolina; Washington DC; Virginia; Chesapeake Bay, MD; Salt Lake City; and the additions of the past two weekends, Disneyland, Newport Beach, Lagoon and Yuba Lake. World traveler already. Just the way we like 'em.  :)

Our 5th Anniversary celebration in Disneyland was a whirlwind of fun, exhaustion and yummy food. We spent the day (the whole day... 8:30-10:45) Saturday in Disneyland and California Adventure, riding every ride I was allowed to go on, and catching 2 amazing night shows (Fantasmic and World of Color). By mid-day, Baby L was asleep, and we didn't feel him get feisty again for a couple of days. Wore him right out (and his mommy too!).  Talk about FUN! We spent an hour or two off our feet that afternoon enjoying the incredible atmosphere of the Blue Bayou Restaurant, which was a definite highlight (isn't Pirates always a highlight?). But mostly we just ran around like two crazy kids.

Sunday was beach day, and Newport was beautiful.  We enjoyed the drive down in our awesome rental car (although, finding a parking spot was NOT fun... we ended up lucking out and getting the perfect one in the end, but we were beginning to wonder), laying on the sand, walking the boardwalk and just relaxing the day away.

Monday we were back at Disney early, where I FINALLY talked Brian into walking on to some of the big kid rides (Indy, Matterhorn and Splash Mountain).  He did them all within the first hour (reluctantly, but seriously...one of us had to do it. Once I convinced him it was either him or me, he decided to get on board). Awesome!  Then we re-rode some of our favorites, introduced Baby to Mickey, enjoyed a yummy lunch and played the day away until we had to head to the airport at 4.  Awesome weekend, and awesome way to celebrate 5 years. Love my boy... boys. :)

This past weekend, we were at it again. Friday was Brian's work Lagoon day. His company had the whole park rented out, so it was fun to stroll in the zero crowds park, enjoy lunch, meet his co-workers, run into one of my best friends and her adorable family, enjoy a couple of rides and win Baby a stuffed ginger fox playing ski ball (okay, so technically I was 10 points short, but the worker took pity on the pregnant lady and bestowed a gift).

Straight from Lagoon, it was off to Yuba Lake to meet my parents for a fun weekend of camping, relaxing in the shade, scenic walks, playing games, eating yummy food and enjoying the lake.  It was lovely.

Needless to say, Baby L and I are exhausted, and plan on spending the day with our feet up. Oh-so-worth it, though, to get our summer started with such a bang!

Here's to lots more tummy and post-tummy travels!

(Oh, and as always, all our favorite photos from Disneyland and Yuba Lake are being stored on facebook ).