I don't think we're in Seattle anymore, Haley!

Snowy trees in our backyard



We woke up this morning to a little bit of snow on the ground and all I could think about was "oh, I better watch the news to make sure the kids have school". I have to keep reminding myself that I am not in Seattle anymore and they don't cancel school for an inch of snow here.

After being in Seattle for the last 3 years, I had kindof learned to like not having much snow in the winter although, i would have traded the rain and wind for snow. It is so funny how different things are in different places. In Seattle, if there is the littlest bit of snow people don't go to work or school and most don't leave their houses. I was out doing errands this morning and by the time I got home it was pretty much a white-out I could not see in front of me but yet everyone was still out and about doing things that need to be done.

So much about living in Avon Lake reminds me of being home in Utah. Just after we moved here and the leaves began to change it really reminded me of fall in Utah and now with all this snow hopefully we will have the white Christmas we have been missing for the last 3 years. There were a lot of things we loved about Seattle and those things we miss a lot but being here in Avon Lake all though further away from home somehow makes me feel closer to my friends and family in Utah!

What a great neighborhood we found!!!!

There is a group of about 15 girls in the neighborhood that spend a lot of time together and are very good friends. I have been very lucky to be able to get to know them and feel like I am making some friends and meeting some great people.

We went to lunch today for Stacee's birthday(one of "the girls") and I was very unexpectedly suprized when they celebrated mine as well. I'm sure that there was only one person in the neighborhood that knew my b-day was coming up and now Shannon(another one of "the girls" that has become a good friend and lives across the street from us.If your up to date with the blog, you have seen pictures of Isabel, she is Shannons daughter) is in big trouble for telling and arranging a very nice gift!!

I tend to be a little on the quiet side and was a little bit embarrassed that they had made a point of paying for my lunch, telling the waiter it was my birthday as well as Stacee's (which always means getting sung too, and free dessert) and giving me a gift as well. It was very unnecessary and unexpected but appreicated!!!

It feels kindof funny to have a bunch of people that you have only known for a short period of time let you know that they are thinking about you even when they really don't know you that well YET!

Thanks to "the girls" you guys are awesome and I look forward to many more fun times with you!!!

Our House

I have had a few requests for pictures of our new house. If you have already seen them sorry, if not enjoy!!
I love the family room!!!!! We don't have much in it right now but my favorite part is that the hallway upstairs is open so you can look up or down and see what is going on. It's also nice because I can hear the kids in their rooms so I pretty much always know what they are doing.
We got lucky to find a house with a nicely finished basement it has a work space for the kids to do homework. It has become the neigbhorhood hang out for playing x-box,fast action football or shooting hoops.
The office is pretty much the reason we bought this house. It is Brandon's favorite room.
The kitchen has this very colorful backsplash and a wall to match that we weren't sure about at first but are really liking it now. The thing I love about the kitchen is the hardware on the cabinets and drawers. (don't mind the dirty drawer picture).
We don't spend much time in the formal area unless we are sitting at the piano or decide to eat in the dining room.
We are really glad we found this house as quickly as we did and that we moved in and are loving it. It makes a move to a new place a much easier adjustment!!!!!!!