We're HERE!!!!!

Its day 6 in Colorado and I can honestly say we LOVE it!!!! What a wild ride it was getting here and settling in, so completely overwhelming!! After actually getting to the airport after being homeless for two days, my favorite person in the whole wide world, our dear President Bush, delayed our take off by two hours so his worthless bum could do who knows what. Finally we were reunited with Ryan at the Denver Airport and headed to our new home. Ryan made a sign that said "Welcome Home Girls" and had balloons in the house. He's so incredibly thoughtful and I am soooooooo grateful for him and love him to pieces!
Honestly the house was a bit of shock to my system. It looked smaller than the pictures, needs new carpet, and has a freakin small kitchen. THEN the SNOW fell!!! AHHHHHHH!!!! I started crying. Had we just made the biggest mistake of our lives? Could we just turn around and go HOME? I was freaking out and it made Ryan freaked out. Talk about STRESS! We eventually got the trucks unloaded, beds in rooms, downed some frozen pizzas, and went to sleep.
I had called my mom and she assured me it would all be ok in the morning. She was right. As we started filling the house it got bigger, the kitchen however is still cramped, but it will do. Julia loved playing in the snow and I even got Lauren bundled up for a romp out back. :)

So we have spent the last 6 days adjusting and it has actually turned out really fun! There are so many ways life has changed and its all so great. Here is a list of new things that we love...
1) FRESH AIR, so invigorating and renewing!
2) Julia has been playing with all her toys in our new basement, on our deck, and told me the other day, "Mom, I love our new house."
3) A grassy backyard - Ryan put together a soccer goal for Julia and they had a fun night playing
4) Walking to the neighborhood park, which we use a tunnel to get to and its the BOMB!
5) Sitting closer together at dinner time since its too squishy to leave the leaf in our kitchen table.
6) Just the cool feeling of realizing one of our dreams, and it working out so well!!


We'll be sure to keep updating.

One big milestone is Lauren Grace started rice cereal the other night. Its a work in progress, she really just spits it out, but I can tell she like the idea. :) She is putting everything in her mouth, and is completely enamored by me drinking water bottles, she'll reach for one and want to put it to her mouth. What a cutie pie!

Trust in Him

Our stake had an Enrichment activity last night and it was the most beautiful program. It was called, Consider the Lilies, and was about how just like pioneer women, we are all on our own individual prairies today. There were stories of women in our stake, about the trials and burdens that have been placed in their lives that have made them trust the Lord and be refined. It was incredible the things that these sisters have endured and have lived through, the loss of children, cancer, divorce, unfulfilled expectations. It made me realize the trial of not selling this house really isn't that big of deal. It made me realize that even though I feel stressed, the Lord is aware of me and my family and is refining us, giving us these opportunities to really trust him (in a new way).
When all we could do was trust him to give us our Lauren Grace, I thought I really learned what it meant to give your will to the Lord. He truly made the impossible, possible. He obviously knows me better than I know myself! As I have watched our savings dwindle away I have wondered HOW we're going to make it. I have brushed off the people in our ward that have had similar experiences, thinking my situation is worse. But now I see them as Heavenly Father's little support group for me, reminders that he knows my concerns and in his time it will work out. His will be done.
It always amazes me when I really understand what little control I have in this life. It is also freeing, knowing that if I can just remember to do the Lord's will I can be an incredible instrument in his hands. Even if my reach only goes to those people who read this blog, are in my ward, or neighborhood, those are the people the Lord needs in my life, and in that I have pure gratitude.
I know The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints is true. It has taught me to know my Saviour, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for his life, example, and atoning sacrifice. That I may make this journey through mortality and learn, and learn, and learn again those things that will refine me and make me the daughter he needs me to be, excites me and humbles me. I am grateful for repentance, for the priesthood, and for the temple. I have witnessed miracles through obedience to the principles of the gospel. I have felt my Saviour's love through the power of the Holy Ghost. I give thanks for in the midst of this little trial, the Lord put in place this Enrichment night that I may be uplifted and encouraged to push forward on my own little prairie and inspire me to remember my blessings and testify that Jesus Christ lives, is aware of us, and there beside me as I am refined.

One last Disney Hoo-Rah

Mom and I took the girls to Disneyland yesterday! It was a lot of fun and such a special thing to do together before we leave!
Our trip started in Baker, CA at the Mad Greek. We needed a potty break and had some food. The "World Famous Strawberry Shakes" we're okay, but somehow the hamburger that as mom put it, "tastes like how a cow smells" put a damper on the shakes.

Anyway before long we were there!!!!
Lauren's FIRST Disneyland trip! She was soooo WONDERFUL! She loved being out in the fresh air and as always just contemplatively took everything in. Julia was adorable to watch! She LOVED seeing the princesses! Her favorite ride was the rockets, which she rode on with Grandma. We all had a great relaxing ride on Small World. A timeless favorite! Even Lauren was awed by the singing dolls. :)

Mickey Mouse sure tried our patience though. As Julia's expression shows, after waiting over an hour in line, she was less than impressed by the Big Cheese. But we all chilled out after with the BEST frozen yogurt we've ever had!!! We're still talking about it! YUMMY!!!

I love these pictures! It is so much fun being Julia and Lauren's MOM!!!
They are the CUTEST girls in the world!!!!!

Mom and I really had a great time! It suddenly hit me how hard it is going to be to be away from her. I know she loves these girls with all her heart and this move is going to be so hard. I am so grateful for this trip and the fun we had. She can make me laugh so hard! Julia adores her "grandma peanut" and had such a blast on the rides, getting spoiled with gifts, and even sharing a bed in the hotel with her. I finally am crying about leaving Las Vegas, not the city but the family and friends. I guess I am getting a little scared and giving into the sadness of being away from my mom. I am almost positive she will move to Colorado someday so I try not to get too sad. Being with mom has made this last hoorah extra special, thank goodness for memories!

Feeling Nostalgic

Nostalgia- a terrible thing that makes you want to take pictures at tourist spots in the same city you've lived in your whole life, and would otherwise scoff at. None the less, our cute little family is so happy and I love pictures that we're in all together.







Earlier this day we went to Walmart, Julia "needed" to wear her Cinderella dress. EVERYONE stopped to tell her how pretty she looked. She's so confident, she always has to walk in front of me and the cart. But it is funny to watch her, like today she walk right up to a padded bra and gave it a big squeeze. Cracks me up!

Three weeks to go...

Ryan: It's General Conference Sunday. We saw/heard about 45% of Conference this time, and we think that's amazing. The rest of the time was spent playing "Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck on Ice" with Julia, feeding and changing Lauren, taking photos of the girls at the Picture People (on Saturday), etc.

Chanel: I picked up my Grandpa at the airport today and took him and his girlfriend to the Flamingo Hilton. Lauren was with me and needed to eat before we made the long trip home, so I parked in the parking garage and nursed her. It was funny to think I was nursing my baby on the Las Vegas strip, a place so common to me, but will soon be a memory. I could smell the mix of chlorine and casino food wafting from the building nearby and remembered all the times I have eaten at buffets and swam in the casino pools, and how my girls probably won't know that at all. Our time in Vegas is quickly coming to end, its crazy, but good.

Ryan: Yes, it is crazy. For years we have dissected our road atlas, and we've known for a certainty where we were going to move. New Hampshire. North Carolina. New York. Kentucky. Illinois. Washington. Oregon. Denver was never one of the places. And now, in 22 days, we take possession of our home in Castle Rock, a suburb of Denver. This is the moment we've looked forward to for a long time; the exodus from Vegas. I wish I had the same excitement level as I did when we dreamed of moving, but reality has a funny way of dampening our excitement, doesn't it?