lil update

I know. I've neglected the blog. I've had friends and family ask where i've been in the blogging world so I'll run through a few things that have been happening in the household, sound good? 

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So a lot of you have known that Darin has flipped 4 homes.. I have been apart of 3 of them. We LOVE buying something old and making it look new.. cater it to what we want it to look like. 

Love.

It. 

And love the equity we've built. =)  But the both of us have had a dream from the get-go of our marriage.. we'd love to end up out in the country with some acreage and live in a home we've custom designed and built from scratch. We want to be super hands on and have a home that is new, but doesn't look or feel brand spanking new. We want build-in's and character.. we want it to have our touch like all of our other flipped homes had.

A few months we found it. Meet our new land. 3 acres. quiet, non-busy road, 6 min from Darin's high school, 1 minute from Adie's (and eventually all 3 girls') elementary school.. it's just perfect. 

We love it. 

We will build in 2-3 years and this is the cool part.. a high school building trades class will build our home. Yep, you read it right! 16-18 year old's will build our home. Well, along with Darin and I'm sure I'll be painting up a storm when the time comes! We are on the list for the 2014-15 year. It's just perfect for us because it's *very* cost effective and will let use be major contributors to building our home. And you all know we love high school kids. At the beginning of our marriage Darin was a youth pastor and we've both coached at the high school level every since. We love high schoolers!  Darin's had a dream of building a home himself but he kinda lacks the time for that with teaching and coaching 2 sports. He'll be able to do as much as he's able this way.  

I have a step sister whom is an architect so she has our favorite house plans and is making all kinds of changes to it to make it ours. Including a studio in the home this time, a high ceiling vaulted great room/kitchen, killer mud room, jack and jill bathroom for the girls and a grand 2 story foyer. 

I. can't. wait!!

It's so fun to have something to look forward to all while being completely content with our current home. We still love it.. it meets our needs.. we brought all 3 babies home here. Yeah, it will be hard to sell when it's time but we are perfectly content until the 14-15' school year! For now it's dreaming time!

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In other news.. Em had a massive fall last week. =( She climbed up on a bar stool and pulled it on top of her and had a crazy cut on her lip and moved one of her teeth. yep, you read that right.. moved a front tooth. This is what it looked like after she did it: 

Here's her little smile before.. 

again a before pic of her smile: 

and before picture of her up in the loft: 

And yes. I showed you all those pictures because she's climbing in every. single. one of them. The girl climbs like no other. Hm, wonder how she fell climbing? 

here's her new smile: 

Can you see the right front that's slightly up and into her gums? 

Ah. 

Hoping it doesn't turn gray.. fighting the urge to want baby braces. =/ 

It'll fall out, right? 

in 5 years. =( 

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It has been crazy cold here. Like keeps snowing 4 inches at a time and honking us all off cold. 

We are over it. 

Cept for this day when school got cancelled and the girls played outside in the snow. Doesn't Joya look like a Mario Brother in that hat? 

"Hey Luigi!"

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In other news, my baby can read!  Adie is reading at a crazy high level. Proof that there is no way that I could have taught her at home.. pretty sure she's going to read and spell better than I can hear soon.

 (Ok so I spelled "hear" wrong for you all to be funny. Promise.)  

She's such a smarty pants and I'm so, so proud of her!  And yes, that's an American Girl Doll chapter book she's reading in the pic! 

She's 5.

I KNOW.

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I am so. stinking. happy to announce that I'm back down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Praising the Lord for that one! 

Now. 

Body parts don't look exactly like they used to but the good ol scale and I are friends again cuz it says the right number. I've worked hard since January and did the 17 day diet at the beginning of the year and dropped 10 lbs.  It was hard core but it worked.  Still trying not to eat many carbs past 2pm and working out to my Turbo Fire.  

Love. Turbo. Fire.

When you can ring out your undies from sweat after a workout you know it's a good workout. =) 

Yes, TMI.

Yes, the truth. =)

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Done a couple of fun things with the girls since the weather is still crummy.. went to the Carousel at Shipshe...

Lotsa riding in Barbie cars...

Lotsa cousin/BFF friend play dates doing hair on a train...

Going to a daddy/daughter dance for Valentine's day...

Trying to give up naps.  Ask mommy what she thinks about this... =(

And lotsa playing.  Most of the time in the front window of our house. So if you are a local and drive by and see baby strollers and barbies and blondies in the front window.. it's their favorite place to play. 

I think they are just HOPING that the weather will be nicer to play outside so they play in the sun through the window. =) 

That's all we're up to here. Track is in full swing and my photography schedule is packed. We've had our share of pukes and ear infections and fevers just like the rest of you, I'm sure! Just ready for spring!!!!