Welcome Mate

If any of you have been watching world news updates, you know that part of Australia is flooding. That is where we will be living in the near future. That is where Lindsay is currently supposed to be starting his training for our new adventure.............we are lucky he made it there before the airport shut down. That is why we feel blessed we weren't sent to live there when they had originally wanted us there last fall. Truly a blessing.

While Lindsay is waiting for down under to come out from under the water, Erik and I are having a great time with family. My brother is on his two week leave from a deployment in Afghanistan. It has been nice talking with him and seeing him with his sweet wife.

So spokanites if you want to see us let me know.

things i love about spokane

1. when a snowstorm rolls in it is beautiful and looks like a winter wonderland, at least when you don't have to drive in it too much.

2. you can use your back porch as extra refrigerator space because its cold enough outside.

3. In the summer it's so green and beautiful and you are never far from water to play around in.

4. There are plenty of places to take your kids or family for fun. Lots are cheap and inexpensive.

5. Our families are there and our hearts also.

We hope to one day return there to live but for now we are preparing for our next adventure.

Hope you all had a wonderful Holiday ours was fantastic!

it's a holly jolly christmas

These were some super cute reindeer cupcakes that some friends dropped by last night along with a christmas card. I couldn't help but take a picture because they were so cute. Erik scarfed his down and tried to eat Lindsay's too.

For Family Night tonight we made a gingerbread house and used the LA temple as inspiration. It was fun especially since today we also are celebrating 7 years of marriage that have been wonderful! And although we were married in the Spokane temple, the temple is where our family started.

Here is our temple, complete with the reflection pool. And Moroni is not smoking I promise....Linds tried making a trumpet for him and this was how it turned out. Also we didn't have white icing so brown it was :)

This weekend we opened gifts as a family for christmas so that we didnt have to tote everything up to Washington and back. Erik got a big baseball thing and he loves it. It's funny how he gets so excited about things these days.

But you know the absolute best "toy" has been a dishwasher box that the plumber cut into a house for Erik. He loves knocking it over, using the windows as a basketball net, popping his head through said window, watching movies, crawling in and out, etc. etc. all time best entertainment for him and it was free! If you need ideas seriously go to home depot or whereever and ask for a large box to cut up. It will provide hours of the best fun!

And last but not least I thought I would mention that all these little ones were in my care today, two for half the day and the rest for the whole day. It was a mad house and I think only one child made it out alive without a bonk or blood, the rest fended for themselves nicely. It was fun and chaotic and I was glad when it dwindled down to just Erik.

Ahhh family!

Random bits

Recently Lindsay and I were able to get away for an evening and attend his wing's Christmas party. It was an enjoyable night with live music and we even won a gift certificate to Lindsay's favorite local restaurant.

This was a pic of us on Turkey day and while yes I have a huge scowl on my face I could not get rid of it because the sun was glaring right in my eyes. It was an interesting experience eating Turkey dinner outside but fun. We were able to spend time with my parents and our dear friends from Arizona.

On a side note: We thought we were going to have the opportunity to see S over the holiday weekend and I was so stoked. Unfortunately things wouldn't end up working out and let me tell you how bummed I was. I understand that she is at a point where she is moving forward with her life but I feel so spiritually connected to her and wish there were a way for me to have my cake and eat it too. She actually did want to see us and our schedules just didn't line up but oh how I wish we could see her more. I never in a million years thought that I would feel that way towards our birth mother before we experienced the adoption but I really feel something deep inside that we go way back before this life together. I hope she enjoyed her holiday and spent it with important people close to her heart.

Erik played with Grandma in an ikea bag. He didn't want to get out and I ended up toting him around on my shoulder for a while. I carried him in a sling a lot when he was small and I think it reminded him of it because his eyes were getting all heavy and he was super relaxed.

Erik also got to meet and play with this little guy. They are a month apart and after the initial jealousy of toys and such they got along great. They played in dirt, played with trains, and loved chasing each other up and down a hallway!

I am succumbing to the monster

you all know that crazy popular social website named facebook......well I have purposely avoided that thing like the plague. I have been asked plenty of times to join and just didn't want to be tied into the computer any more than I needed, it already is hard for me to keep up on the blog sometimes.



Well with the upcoming move I think it will only make some things easier if I actually cave to the trend. My man and I will be seperated for some time before we head down under and although we plan on skyping and talking I keep thinking the instant messaging would be nice. I also know it is a great way to stay in the loop with others,etc.



So now with a drudging sense to join I am going to do it. But I will have you know that I do not plan on going crazy with it

To the outback mate!

It's official. Today was a magical day in that we learned we just received orders to move to



AUSTRALIA


yep you heard me right. we are moving to the outback just as our winter is ending and theirs is beginning. i am so stoked i can hardly believe it! i am sure little man will pick up the accent and who knows we may come back with a little bit too. i am sure that we will at least be picking up some of their lingo.

so if any of you want to go on a foreign vacation and want to see friends and have a free place to stay........we would love to host you!

Honestly i feel so blessed that we get this opportunity. We heard about it originally way back in early spring of this year and have just been keeping quiet as we wait to hear official words afraid we would jinx ourselves.

It's funny how we felt cali (as much as i hate it here) was the place for us to be to have our family expand. and although australia wont be able to offer us adoption or fertility services which means erik may not have a sibling or at least for a few more years, i feel like this is the path for us.

New Dining room set

so i took on a project that i think was much bigger than i bargained for and i don't think i will be another such project anytime soon. but i finished and am pleased with the results. the picture below is showing the old fabric and the new fabric with a little touch from the little mans help. he wanted to help so bad when i was screwing the seats onto the chairs and would pretend in the middle hole.

I didn't get any really good before pics because i didn't think about it until i had the table apart and had started sanding. but this is what the finish looked like before. and you see the light circular spot in the middle, yeah that was from a gun cleaning escapade a couple of years ago.

And the finished product! i love it! i am definitely no pro and will not be showing you close up pictures of the chairs. The table turned out exactly how i wanted but i had a hard time with painting and finishing the chairs those boogers. but unless you inspect they will suit us just fine. this dining set was the one that i grew up with at my parents house. it is pine and pretty soft so the black glaze shows the flaws in the wood from different dents and things, but i thought it added great character!

I am so glad to be done with this project and am glad i had some friends to help me out.