Building Our Home

Ben and I have been looking at homes to buy in Tooele County since we moved here over a year ago. None of them seemed right for us and in our price range. So after thinking about it this past year we decided to build a home in Grantsville. It is a smaller town of about 6,000 people. We’re building right on the edge of town so we’ll be close to Tooele, about 7 minutes away.

We have been so blessed to be able to build a home. However, I would never do it again. It is such a rollercoaster of emotions: a lot of excitement and frustration. There has been a lot of prayers and fasting going on regarding this house.

We were supposed to have moved in on the 15th. Because of several situations, we’re not moving in until the 28th...or so they say. We are happy with the work they have done on it so far and are so excited for the day when we can sleep comfortably in our new home. I must admit, I haven’t slept comfortably since they started building! I’m up lots of nights, stressing, planning and over-analyzing. Since Ben is at work during the day I’ve taken up a lot of the responsibility for research on lenders, rates, home insurance, etc. I’m on the phone and internet every day negotiating, trying to understand, and trying to get what I want with these builders/brokers/lenders/you name it. We go out to the home several times a week to walk through it, make sure they are doing their job and that they are doing it correctly. I have to keep reminding myself that this time next month we’ll be in our own home!

Here are some pictures of the building process.
 

August 1, 2011

 August 10, 2011

August 17, 2011

August 20, 2011

August 20, 2011

August 24, 2011

 August 27, 2011

August 31, 2011 (Back of the home)

September 5, 2011

October 10, 2011

 October 12, 2011

Stone and Stucco is Finished!

 

 

Here is a video and picture from September 30, 2011. A lot has changed since then.

The inside is now all painted with doorways, doors, tiled bathroom and flooring. They had the light fixures ready to be installed yesterday when we went. We were told cabinets are going in today.

We are in the final stages now and they tell us the home will be finished next week! 

The County Fair

This weekend was the county fair. Last year we went and had a blast. We won lots of prizes. We didn't know hardly anyone and after spending three full days at the county fair we felt like we were a part of the community. We met a lot of people. So of course when the county fair happened this weekend we made sure to be there. We spent all day Saturday there playing games at the indoor stage. Lucy won $1.25 by completing the children's scavenger hunt. We played the Newlywed Game. Last year we played but didnt do very well. This year we competed against 9 other couples and WON! We got a $100 gift card to Home Depot.

Last year there was a Deal Or No Deal game. They chose 15 people to come on stage to be possible contestants and then they chose 1 of those people to actually play. I was lucky enough to play last year and I won $90. This year I thought there was no way I would be chosen again. I ended up being one of the 15 people on stage and then I was chosen again!!! This time I won $104. It was so fun, and very nerve-racking!

We also played "The Price is Close" and won $1 and a free car wash. We played the Tooele County Trivia Game and won $6. 

Later that day we visited the petting zoo!

To end the evening off right we participated in the Funny Honey Money. Its where contestants pour honey all over themselves, roll in hay and whatever sticks to you you can keep. Super fun! Before the adults do it they let the kids do a dry version of it. Lucy participated and found an orange ball! Sorry for the huge belly shot. :)

We didnt get pictures of Ben and I doing the Funny Honey Money. We were sticky and both busy rolling in the hay. Haha. But we won more money there with a grand total of .....

$143 !

The county fair is so fun! We love all the friends we've made! The librarians that we visit weekly were there cheering us on during the newlywed game. The indoor stage directors remembered us from last year. By the time Funny Honey Money happened we knew a good handful of people in the audience and one offered to watch Lucy while we participated. I was talking to Ben afterwards and we've decided that Tooele really does feel like home. :)



Sewing Projects

Two months ago a couple of my friends had babies. So that meant it was time to turn on my sewing machine. I made these awesomely cute onesies for them. They were super easy to make and pretty cheap too.

I also hate all of my jeans. So what do you do when you hate all of your jeans? Easy. Cut them up and make them into shorts and a skirt for your daughter. Right before I took the picture I washed a spot off the skirt. Hence the water spot.

Speaking of  jeans, I won a pair of jeans from IndiCustom on Freebies2Deals website. Thats worth $155! The most expensive jeans I've ever owned.  So I got to design the perfect jeans and have them sent to me. Sadly they were a little too tight so they are being exchanged but other than that I LOVED them.

Fourth of July Weekend

It has finally warmed up around here and we are enjoying the sun while we can. It's nice to be able to spend our days outside and in Lucy's kiddie pool that her awesome Aunt Lyndsey and Uncle Jeffrey gave her.

We started off the weekend by having a picnic outside eating hamburgers and fries. Then we went on a walk around the neighborhood. It was so simple but it was so fun! That night I had the urge to make Lucy a patriotic dress that I saw online. So at 10pm Friday night I started sewing and continued until 3 in the morning when it was finished. And I must say she was darling in it.

On the actual Fourth we went to the parade and enjoyed all the candy that we got from the floats. Lucy had so much fun and was happy the entire time. She loved lounging in mom and dad's chair much more than her stroller. She ate lots of candy and waved her flag like a good little American. :)

She wanted so badly to play with the kitty that was on the other side of the fence.

After the parade we checked out the little festival thing down the road. There were games, food, crafts, and entertainment. This was the sign at the coin toss. It says "$1.00 Games Eveyon Wins." We got a kick out of it. Good ol' Tooele. We love it here.

That evening we went to our friends' house and had a barbeque with 4 other couples and their kids. Can I just say I love my friends. It was so fun. The kids were adorable and the food and conversation were great. We all gathered in the driveway to watch the men put on a firework show. The kids loved them, minus Lucy.

By the way, we love it here so much we're settling here for good! We signed a contract and put down money to build a home in Grantsville, about 10 minutes from here. We've picked out all the details and they'll start building this month! It wont be finished until October 15th. We took a picture of our lot. It doesn't look like much now but this is where our children will grow up.

Lucy's One!

 On the 15th was Lucy's birthday! Can you believe she is already ONE!? This year has gone by so fast and I have loved watching Lucy grow and learn and explore. We had her one year check-up and she is 29" long and 21 pounds. She's in the 73rd percentile for height and 53rd percentile for weight. She has 8 teeth and lots of hair. She climbs the stairs, can walk backwards and sideways (forwards also :) ), and dances. She 'talks' on her play telephone, and gives hugs and kisses to her dolls and stuffed animals. She is a wiggle worm and is constantly going. Lucy can say uh-oh, teddy, daddy, and hi. She says more stuff but i dont think she does it discriminately. She says hi to everyone and several times to me after she peeks around corners and from behind blankets. Anything thats stuffed is teddy. And she thinks its a game to throw things on the floor and say uh-oh. I love her so much and I love to snuggle with her (when she lets me)
.

For her birthday she was spoiled. She got lots of gifts from relatives and friends. She didn't really have any toys until now and she's in heaven. Her grandparents and aunt and uncle came over for a small get together. We ate and opened presents and of course ate cake. Lucy wasnt interested in her cake and she didnt eat any of it. I tried to encourage her though. She loved her sucker though that I got her at the store.  She LOVES her new toys!Can you believe that she used to be this tiny!? She has grown so much!I Love her.

Mount Rushmore and Julie's Wedding

We drove to Canada for Julie and Tony's wedding and on the way we stopped in South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. We had such a fun time. It was windy and cold but we got to take great pictures and visit a museum about the historical site. Gutzon Borglum was the scultor. He had the idea and ran with it in 1927. It took over 400 workers and 14 years to complete. 90% of the sculpting was done with explosives. Borglum chose Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Lincoln to represent the founding, expansion, preservation, and unification of the United States.

There were columns leading to the mountain that had all the names of the states. Here Lucy and I are in front of Utah (45th state, admitted to the union in 1896).

When we got the farm Lucy warmed up quickly to everyone there. She loved her grandparents and loved wandering around the house.

On Easter we dyed eggs with Mom, Tony, and Julie. We got pretty creative.

Here we are shooting at the farm. I'm still learning but I did pretty well for a novice.

Lucy and I went to chicken coop several times a day to see all the chickens.

Julie's wedding was beautiful and Lucy did so well with such a busy day and no nap. They were married in the Regina, Saskatchewan temple on the 29th. Here Lucy was waiting outside the temple to see Julie and Tony.

All the girls on the Shugart side.

Lucy was an angel for the 19 hour drive there and 20 hour drive back. It took 3 hours longer than it should have on the way home because Lucy got the flu and got sick in the car about 7 times. It was a mess. Also we got stuck in Sidney, Montana because the roads were closed from so much snow. We got stuck and thankfully a man had a shovel and dug us out. I am so grateful Ben is such a good driver and kept us safe despite the fact that we could not see the road and were swerving back and forth for 15 miles. Once we got to Sidney, we called the bishop there and spent some time at the church building cleaning up Lucy, her carseat, and waiting for the roads to open. After that, the roads were perfectly clear and Lucy did not throw up again. She slept the rest of the way home. Heavenly Father was definitely looking out for us.

We had such a great vacation and I'm so glad we got to go and that we could enjoy time with family. I only wish I got a good picture of Lucy with her grandparents. They are so kind and we are so blessed to have them in our lives.