All about our home in Pingree

I have not been writing as often as I should, which brings a problem… I'm far behind on my blog. No one probably knows what's going on with my life. We purchased a house at the end of July, the last day of July. We kept it from EVERYONE!  Mostly because I kept getting the feeling that it would fall through, and I didn't want to be disappointed and keep sharing and sharing in the disappointment.  We have a small budget so that equals a small home or a home that need major work.  We looked for a year for a home in and around Blackfoot, everything within our budget we either couldn't get a loan for or was falling down.  Kade wanted some land, but that was pretty much nonexistent for our price range.  When our home came on the market we looked at it and made an immediate offer.

Some stuff about our home.
It was listed as a 2Bed 2Bath home with an office, when we looked at it and realized there were in fact 3Bed 2Bath with an office we figured it would be big enough. It is 1682sqft so we may not have any room for more kids and  Kade didn't get the garage he wanted but we hope to build one someday in the distant future.  It was stick built in 97 so it sin't very old and has some nice custom things about it and central AC.  The one and only previous owner was in a wheel chair and so all the doors are nice and wide, there are 3 outside doors, the toilets are super high, the closets have nice shelves and the tub and shower are a little different designed.

The house was in rough shape (foreclosure).  Cats and dogs had been left inside.  There was even feces on the walls (YUCK). We knew it would be a lot of work, but it's always more work than you anticipate. Especially since I mostly had the kids and so when they were with me it was impossible to get much done.  Trecia and Jake helped a ton, painting, pulling out floor, painting, putting in floor, painting, and cleaning! you guys rock thanks!  Plus my mom and Annie watch my kids from time to time, thanks for that, awesome people.

These are the pictures from the realty website.

front room/living room

The kitchen while standing in the dinning room

Kitchen standing by the laundry room/ backdoor.  You can see the dinning room as well.

master bedroom, and master bath.  

master bathroom, there is another mirror/sink on the other side of the tub.

The office

one of the bedrooms.

There isn't a picture of the 2nd bedroom, and I didn't take one. As soon as we closed Kade went and ripped out all the carpet before I had a chance, haha.

bathroom

back of the house. 

It took us a full month to redo flooring, paint, and make it so we could stand to live in it.  We didn't get the bathrooms or the laundry room floors done.  they are just subfloor. but we can use them and eventually will finish them.

I never want to move and I don't plan on it EVER again!

The house is on a 5.3 acres and is up on a hill.   The outside is surrounded in sagebrush so establishing a yard will be a big to-do. There are also 2 single-wide trailers on the property...which are torn to shreds and the kids love to explore in them *yikes*  we are hoping to burn them or something in the spring,

The moving is slow and painful.  Someday we will finally be unpacked......someday. But we officially are living here.

Perks of Living in Our Neighborhood

We love shopping the DI, ever since we moved back we go about once a week. We could walk if we wanted!

I tore my last pair of jeans that fit so we made another trip yesterday.

The kids scored some sweet trikes! 

It was bright outside! I can't believe how warm it has been. I hope every autumn stays this long. 

Lex and I cuddled while the older two played.  He loves my kisses!

We also live walking distance to the greenbelt. They have some fun things all around, it is a beautiful place. 

One night I went walking along the greenbelt and had only been out a few times before. It was dark and these bears scared the pants off of me. After my scare I made a special trip with the kids to visit the bears in the park!  

On the Sunday of Drakes primary program, for a reward for doing so well, the primary walked over to the visitor center.  He brought home a leaf and he talked and talked about how he got to see and touch Jesus! :) I'm excited for the chance to visit the temple when Lex doesn't need me so much. 

I miss the wide open space of Monteview but I am happy to take advantage of the wonderful things close to this home. 

This weekends project 10.11.14

First off happy birthday to beautiful Emma, you are such a sweet and fun girl. I was thinking of you all day. I can always remember your birthday because I was baptized on this day 17 years ago. CRAZY, how time flys.

I have been looking at our front room wall for a while. I was really unsure what I wanted to do with it. Our tv cabinet although I love it is small and I wanted more decorating options. 

This was the previous setup when we lived here before...I wanted to be able to hang more decorations.

SOOOO.....I found some great inspiration on Pinterest and even got Kade to tell me what he wanted/liked. Let's face it, he did the majority of the work! He is pretty handy and sweet to boot!

Here was my inspirations. 

http://lifethrualinds.blogspot.com/2011/01/diy-living-room-media-shelves.html

Kade was a huge fan of the chains so those had to be included in our shelves. 

This was what we planned, plus some chains. I however didn't love it. After we looked around some more we found this idea 

http://besimplyorganized.blogspot.com/2014/07/simple-diy-floating-shelves-tutorial.html

and came up with adding more wood 1x4s to the front and sides giving it a more floating shelves look. 

I was in love!  I would have been fine leaving them this way but....

We still wanted to add chains not just to stabilize these shelves but to add some character. 

My husband was brilliant and nailed a boarded underneath to hide the router. It's a little shelf on the left where the grey cord hangs out. 

We ran our tv coards through the wall a couple years ago. So the DVD player is the only coards that sticks out. And I put the ottomans in front to make it less obvious. 

I'm so excited and so happy with how it turned out!!!! Now for more decorating!

Christmas 2013

We were spoiled this Christmas season.  Many sweet people anonymously, and non-anonymously left us very generous gifts.  Thank you everyone who was so kind to our household this year.

My kids got to see Santa 3 times this year, they were so cute sitting on his lap.  Drake kept going back hoping he would get more gifts to unwrap.  He even sat and talked to Santa for a few minutes just jabbering away.  He has come a long way since last year when he cried the whole time.

We went to a lot of Christmas parties and I really enjoyed myself, even with finals so close to the holidays.  

I made some gifts this year, but not as many as last.  These little tiles are what I gave my visiting teachers and those I visit teach.  

I also made some Christmas bulbs for the YW

I printed this picture I photoshopped, modge podged it to a canvas and gave that to Jay and Jenny, Kade's brothers family.  I didn't take an after picture, silly me.  

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Ean asked me to make him a shirt this year, I drew his name.  I did exactly what he asked for.

We were given a handmedown play center, so the kids look really spoiled.  They love it tho, and they are okay with used toys.  

 Kade didn't have an exciting Christmas, a little toy, a few movies, some parts for his truck, and a crock pot.  Sadly, he is the one that uses the crock pot the most.

I was spoiled, and a little grumpy at how much Santa spent on me.   I have been wanting a bosh for 4 years, and have pretty much burned up my kitchen aid by trying to make bread in it too much.  I love it so much, and making 4 loaves of bread is a breeze.   

Here is my family by our Charlie Brown tree.  We had it up for a record of 3 days.  The day after Christmas we took it down, because the kids just would not keep out of it.  Drake cried when we took it down "oh no, where is my christmas tree?" He cried until dad told him we will get a new one next year.  

I hope everyone had a happy holidays. 

Canvas Subway Art

My SIL has a beautiful subway art hanging above her piano.  It was made in Photoshop and it is chalkboard looking.  Although the one I spent a day designing didn't turn out quite like hers(not as beautiful), I like the originality of mine.  I plan to do what she did, make it into a canvas.  If my husband would just tell me his opinion, I get lots of I don't knows, so I am unsure of how it really looks.  So here is my artwork, I am excited to hang it up. 

Yes, I should be studying for finals :)

Happy Left Hander's Day....and Happy BDAY Oakley and Kaitlynn

Okay, so my excuse for breaking down and buying this was for left hander's day, LOL.  I am not 100% sure that my kids are left handed, but they eat with their left and throw with their lefts...yeah both of them :(


Someone was selling this on FB and when I saw it I couldn't help myself!  I have never seen one like it and I fell in love.  SO, I got my kids a gift for left hander's day, because I have to have an excuse to buy things....that is just how my mind works, plus I didn't want to store it and wait a few months till their birthdays, so they are just being spoiled.

Also, Kaitlynn Sauer, my oldest niece turned 12 today....and Oakley Kunz turned the big 8 yesterday.  Happy birthday to my two oldest nieces on separate sides!  Love you girls to pieces 

Cars, AGAIN

So sad to report we traded in our Prius.  I will so miss that car and its gas mileage.  But I won't miss the lack of space it gave our growing family.  No, I am not pregnant again, we just decided to get a van, for the DVD player (SUCH A LIFESAVER) :D

Plus Kade has been really wanting a full sized truck for a while, it isn't the prettiest but it is big enough.

We got rid of one car and got two....making it a total of 7 vehicles that we own right now....yeah he promised he would sell a few if we got him a truck.

So, hopefully in a few weeks we will be proud owners of only 3 vehicles, and I sure hope they are all running vehicles...knock on wood.