Exploring

After many years of searching, we have bought a new family car.  There have been hours of conversations about vehicles and what is right for our family.  Comparing between cost and miles truly was a main factor.  Thankfully we found something that fit all the things we need/want.  It has low miles 57k, and not a high cost, 25k, and only 3 years old.  I had been focused on Expeditions or F-150s, but just never found quite what I was looking for.  Jeff mentioned the Explorer and I had just started looking at them that same day.  There was one pretty close (that they could bring to the local dealership) so that was a huge plus.  We took the kids over on Saturday to test drive it.  Everyone fit in the car so that was awesome.  I was especially nervous about Clark fitting in the back seat.  Jeff drove it and everything felt great.  We didn't buy it, but planned to come back on Monday.  

Over the weekend we went over more vehicle options again.  Jeff found an Expedition for about the same price and miles, just a few years older.  That definitely made me think.   After going grocery shopping on Monday I had made up my mind, I was done with big vehicles.  Sorry Expedition, I'm sure I would have loved you, but I was just done driving big vehicles.  We purchased the Explorer Monday night.  That was the easiest car buying experience we have ever had at a dealer. On our way out Jeff even said that he would buy another car from them.  That's pretty high praise!  I'm loving my new car and getting used to all the fancy features.  Her name is Yvain, from the movie Stardust.  She's such a great little Explorer!

It Died

Easter was a beautiful day, until the oven died.  It was quite old and a hand-me-down from Jeff's parents.  It was a wonderful double oven though.  I did tell Jeff as the oven started to die that he knows he will be buying me a new oven when this one dies and he said yes.  I got it ordered on Easter and it arrived 2 days later!  We also ordered a microwave to go above the oven, but that's not installed yet.  At least I can use the oven again!  I'm so grateful for resurrection... or rather, a new oven :)

Happy Easter

Happy Easter, from our ranch family!  We are grateful for our Savior!  He is Risen! Oh and Jeff added a silly selfie to the family photos... Love him!

Little Builder

Lorna is loving her new bunkbed.  She loves being on top.  She mentioned to Jeff that she wants a little book nook spot.  He told her she can build one.  She found some wood and asked me to trim a piece and went to work.  I love that she felt confident to go forth and create what she wanted.  It's not very big, but now she has room to store a book and flashlight while she's up in her bed.  Way to go Lorna!

 

Highlights

Mhari has been asking to have highlights for a few months.  I was not interested in doing that in the middle of moving and building a house.  She finally got her wish!  This is the first time she has ever had her hair colored/bleached.  It is always a bit scary the first time.  I did a balayage style bleach so it would blend and just add some more color dimension.  The toner I used should have turned a nice copper tone.  

Let's just say it was a big change in her hair.  It looks so blonde.  That wasn't quite what we were wanting.  Her friends at mutual all noticed.  I guess we will see if it tones down on it's blondeness or if we need to add a darker tone to calm it down.  It's lighter that's for sure.  

 

Bunk Bed

Sandra came down from school to visit for a few weeks before her summer job starts in Idaho.  We don't have a bed set up for her so it was time to make a bunkbed for the girls room.  I had already precut the boards so we just had to assemble the bed.  It was fun to see Jeff and Sandra work to get the bed done.  We had to pick up a mattress so it wasn't quite ready for sleeping on for a few days, but it is nice to have room for all of our girls again!

Plasma

It has been almost 4 years since this tv has been out of storage.  Jeff and I were thinking back to when we bought it and it is over 10 years old.  It has such great images and we really loved using it in our media room in our last house.  I'm happy it's out of storage and working again!  Hopefully we can get a few more years out of it!  Jeff and Clark worked hard getting it installed.  They have the stereo hooked up, but for some reason they aren't talking to each other.  I guess the stereo will have to wait for another day. 

Conference Fun

It has been about 5 years or so since we have enjoyed a "normal" General Conference weekend.  Buying the ranch has made our weekends full of travel and projects.  It was so nice to be at home, on the ranch, and just enjoy conference.  I really liked getting to hear every session!  The little chicks got to join in the fun and cuddle during conference too.  Of course Dad and Clark each got their big toe painted by the girls.  It wouldn't be conference without nail polish fun!

 

Baptism Trip

Our homeschool friends have started taking regular trips to the temple to do baptisms.  We weren't able to attend last time with all of the move stuff going on, but we went this time.  We were a smaller group, but we had fun.  Lorna offered a ride to a friend so we had Adalyn with us too.  It is always nice to be in the temple and even better when you get to go with your own kids.  Next year Clark will be old enough to help perform the baptisms!

 

Cheepies!

Mhari got some fertilized chicken eggs and an incubator from our friends, the Eldredges, so she could hatch her own chicks!  The Smiths gave us more eggs so she had 11 viable eggs.  It took about 3 weeks for them to hatch!  It was so exciting to hear the little egg start cheeping before they even hatched!  One chick hatched earlier than the rest.  It was alone all day waiting on its friends.  Jeff and I ended up at Atwoods and decided to surprise the kids with more chicks.  We bought 4 more!  When the kids got home from mutual they were very surprised to see so many chicks!  After that the rest of the chicks started hatching.  With the 4 we purchased she has 13 chicks. Mhari is loving her little friends and has been naming them all, with help from Lorna.  It is fun to have little chicks again!