It's a Place to Hang my hat...

Well right now its a place to hang my hat, it will become my palace all in due time. So I've finally gotten around to posting pictures of our new house. I have been unpacked for quite a while, thanks to my Nana and my Mom helping me. I was unpacked almost 2 days after the move (still the office and garage have some work to do) but it been just beautiful in Edmonton and since we don't get too many hot beautiful days in Edmonton and summer has almost come to an end I've been trying to get out as much as possible and enjoy the sun with Avery and friends.

Anyways, as I said we have had some complications with the purchase of this home... our home we've been so excited about and have such dreams of renovating and raising our family here. So I feel like I've told this story SO many time to so many people, so hopefully this is one of the last. Maybe since I've written in on my blog when it comes up next time with people I'll just tell them to read my blog, haha.

So here we go! In the pictures you might be able to see this, but on the left side of our house (when your facing the house) we have a strip of grass about 5 feet wide in between our house and our neighbors (who we met today and he's very nice.) So its owned my the city, its called a "utility right away" because there are power lines at the very back of it. Anyways, the day before we too possession we found out that garage that is on the left side of the house, encroaches 1 foot on the utility right away! I don't know why we didn't find out about it until then, they knew about it for about a month, but I think they were hoping the city would have come to approve it and got the permit work done. Because the sellers are the original owners (they house is 50 years old) they never got a permit when they built the garage or checked with the city and since they've never sold the house they never got a "real property report" done which we requested as one of conditions. So because that wasn't met and it was one of our conditions, our lawyers have advised the banks hold of on releasing money and between our lawyers and the sellers lawyers we have come to a agreement to rent and live here until the city comes to look at the encroachment.

So if they city approves the encroachment (which we are really praying they do) then the house is ours and its done! If the city doesn't approve it and wants the garage taken down, we will have to negotiate from there. We are hoping they will take about $15k off the house prices, and we can just deal with the removal of the garage and build a new one in the back. Thank goodness we have a big yard and it wouldn't ruin our yard, but it would be a hassles. Lets just hope it doesn't come to that. We are hoping that the fact that this garage has been here for 30 years and the city has never had a issues with it being in the way of anything, that they will approve it...

Anyways, I had to share that hic cup, just a bump in the road to our family home! So here are some pics of the home. As reno's happen over the years I'll pull these picks up to show the before and afters. But here is our lovely dated home, keep in mind its all original. And until we own the house we can't do anything! Frustrating I know... we would have new carpet by now if this didn't happen (it was to be installed the day before we moved.)

Okay, I'll stop dwelling on the worst and show you the pics, there not much yet...

The backyard that we just love!

Living Room, what you see when you walk in the door

Looking towards the front door in the living room

Dining Room off the living room - who puts carpet in dining rooms?!

Kitchen - yes those are pink metal cabinets, ha!

Bathroom - I actually don't mind the wall tile, I have a plan to work with it.

Avery's room - I can't wait till we can paint!

Our room - I think I'll keep the orange carpet... JUST KIDDING!

Office - Haven't quite tackled this mess yet, on my to do list this week

Av's first B-Day invite

So because we were moving during Avery's 1st birthday, we are celebrating it over a month after! haha, thank goodness she doesn't know right now when her birthday is! So this is the invite! I just love it, it makes me smile when I see it.

I cant take credit for the idea, I got it from Elizabeth's (see side under "Sites I Enjoy") daughters invite she did. I did do it a bit differently though, her's was mostly just the top part that I copied! Anyways, it should be a fun time!

So we have moved into our house, I love it and can't wait to do some reno's I took some pictures of the house which will become "before" pics. There have been some headaches of moving in here; some things that the seller should have taken care of that they didn't and we just found out about the day before possession. I'll post about that soon, I just don't have time right now since Avery's crawling all over me. I guess I should go be a mom!

1st Birthdays

So don't be fooled, the above picture is me... not Avery. Just kidding, we don't look that much alike, when she was born I only saw Jordan in her, but as shes gotten older and I look back at my baby pictures I see much more of me in her!

So we had a little mini birthday bash on Avery's actual birthday on Friday. Since we are moving and my house is all boxed up right now, I got some cupcakes from Flirt Cupcakes on Whyte Ave and we enjoyed some cupcakes with Avery and sang her happy birthday! My Mom came and joined me and Jordan and it was a nice pre-birthday bash. I'll do a proper party in September for Avery once we are settled into our new place.

She was a little timid at first, but then really enjoyed the cupcake! It was fun, I still can't believe shes one!

Well now I best get back to packing and planning this Church thing for a Stake Primary conference this Saturday. Ahhh! Its a busy week, I'll be so happy when its over!

My 1st Baby is 1!!!

Everyone told me how fast time flies when you watch your children grow... well now I believe them! I honestly feel like we just came home from the hospital with my sweet little Avery. My first baby and first girl, she just melts my heart!

So yes, Avery is 1! This last few weeks she has grown up so fast. Shes quite the funny kid, it's amazing how much they change, grow and developed in one short year! I can already see her little personality developing and some of her characteristics coming out already.

Here is some things about our Avery that I've noticed and just love:

- She loves to discover! And by discovering she points at everything, her little routine when she gets up from a nap or in the morning is she has to touch the light switch and then touch her mirror above her bed and then we can go on with our day. She loves feeling textures and has to touch and point at everything new. Her Grandpa Pizzey takes her on lots of adventures when they are together and they discover lots of interesting textures and sites.

- She is double jointed in her finger, as am I! We discovered this since she points so much. The joint below her nail she can bend and when she points she always as then bent, so she never points her finger straight, its so weird and funny. Its sort of hard to describe, next time you see me ask or I'll have to take a picture of her point and put it up here.

- She was never a cuddly baby, but as she has gotten older she realizes its not such a bad thing to cuddle up to Mom and Dad, and I love that!

- She LOVES animals, especially dogs! I guess that may come since we have a dog, and she loves chasing Kona around and fighting over her toys with her. In fact aside from Momma and Dadda, her first word was "dog." Except she says it "dug." But whenever she see's a dog on TV or on a walk she says "dug."

- She loves to be tickled and play peek-a-boo. They get her laughing so hard so chokes on her spit, she is very easy to make laugh and play with (there are the exception when shes very tired or hungry.) Shes also a bit of a dare devil and loves to be tossed around and LOVES water and swimming and swinging!

- She has a strong determined personality. And she does things are her own pace, she loves to be independent and do things on her own. She would rather feed herself and for the most part do things herself (that she can do herself.) And if she is going for something she shouldn't an I move it, she will keep looking for it until she finds it.

- When she meets people for the first time she plays shy and nervous, but its mostly a game because 2 second later she will be laughing with them.

- She is an outdoorsy girl, definitely gets that from Jordan (not saying I don't love the outdoors, he just really does.) She is totally at peace our there and loves EVERYTHING about being outside. Grass, trees, leaves, bugs, everything!

- She is very strong, and been tall for her age ever since shes been born. BUT, takes her time to get her mobility going. She's still not walking, even though I think she would love too! Just a little nervous to take the plunge.

Well that is my little girl! We love her so much, and can't wait to watch her grow over the years and when our family grows become our big girl!

Creativity is lacking...

I haven't scrapbooked in too long! With summer vacations and enjoying the sun and moving, there hasn't been much time! I did a shower invite this morning for my Mom (for my aunt's shower for her little girl) which got me missing it so much!

So once we are moved in I'll have to get caught up again, I was doing so well as staying on top of everything and being caught up. But I did realize I haven't posted pages for a while and thought I'd post some I did a little while ago. So from our trip to the zoo and some with the great pics Leah took at Millcreek pool.

Oh the Joys of Parenthood

There is a blog I quite enjoy... oh you know, one of those people you have never met and probably never will but look at there blog frequently! She is actually a great scrapbooker and featured in Creating Keepsakes quite often, so that is originally how I stumbled across her blog. She posts great pages as well as cute things about her family - and she has an Avery too!

Anyways, Jordan is not quite home from Young Men's camp, should be in about an hour. Me and Avery have missed him very much this week, it made me appreciate the wonderful father and husband Jordan is! So to pass the time since Avery hit the hay I decided to do some blogging. I was checking out Elizabeth's blog (see under "Sites I Enjoy") and her husband will occasionally do a post and I was cracking up laughing! I usually don't laugh out loud all by myself reading things, but it was quite the funny post about parenting.

Anyways, go read it! It sure made me laugh! It was posted yesterday (Aug. 7) and titled "Confessions of a SAHD." He's watching the kids while Liz is at a CKU convention and its sort of a tribute to Mom's as well. Anyways, he explains, and its quite funny. It made me think:

- Maybe I'm doing a pretty good job as a Mom
- And maybe I'm not awful for picking up McDonald's on some busy nights and giving Avery a couple fries to keep her quite while shes fussing on the way home
- and also maybe its okay to run baby Einstein 4 times in a row because it keeps her happy while I'm trying to get the house clean
- And HEY, maybe there are other people that don't have perfect sleepers and average 5-6 hours a night and sleeping in is 7:30 / 8ish?! (I guess I could avoid that by going to sleep earlier, ha!)

Anyways, many funny thoughts went through my head reading is day with his girls as a SAHD. Do read!

And I just enjoyed a little extended vacation while Jordan was gone at YM's camp at my parents. There new house is great! I should put some pics up since I consulted my Mom every step of he way. It very peaceful a there new house and the house is amazing! I just loved it! Definitely didn't want Panorama to end, so why not leave my basement suite and enjoy some more R&R at the folks! As well as some good company!

BUT, back to my little humble abode. This week brings more packing, since our move in on the 19th and then.... drum roll... I FINALLY LIVE ABOVE GROUND! I can't wait for our new house, and I think this blog will consists of lots of renovation projects. It will be over time, but I'll definitely keep updates coming as the reno's happen!

I hope your all enjoying your summer, here are some recents of my little Avery (shes such a blast lately, quite the character and funny kid) and some fun at my folks!

This picture shows a little of the weird bum scootch / crawling that Avery does

Playing drums with Grandpa

"Vacatons - All I Ever wanted, Vacation - Had to Get Away!!!"

We just got back last week from such a wonderful family vacation with my family! My grandparents always did family vacations with the whole Pizzey side every other year, and my parents have started that tradition. I think it is just wonderful and so gracious of them! We are very grateful to have these vacations with my side and make such wonderful memories over the years to come!

Our first vacation was Jan. 2005, we went to Playa Del Karmen in Mexico - fabulous! Next was July. 2007, went went house boating in the Shu Shwaps - totally blast! And this time we went to Panorama which is right by Invemere in BC. Its a sort of resort little town on the ski hill. Years ago when I was in grade 10 or 11 we went skiing there for Spring Break, and its a great place! This was the first time staying there during summer and it was so much fun! There is tons to do there during the summer.

This was also Avery's first family vacation - it is so much fun watching her discover all the wonderful things in nature. She is such a outdoorsy girl and water baby (outdoorsy from Jordan, and water from me!) Right when we drove into the mountains she was glued to the window and pointing at all he mountains and big trees! Every morning we had breakfast on the balcony and she loved pointing to the tree, mountains and birds.

Our family was always the first up in the morning (Avery is up at 7, therefore we are!) So we would go for a walk everyone morning to the river and along the beautiful paths! There is a big pool that everyone in Panorama can enjoy! We loved that, there is a cold pool and a heated pool and hot tubs! We also enjoyed the beach in Invemere which was great! Did some cliff jumping at this really neat spring - SOOOOO cold, but lots of fun! And played lots of card games and just enjoyed time all together. Jordan also golfed a couple times with my parents and I was the trusty golf driver one round (I find golf such a peaceful sport, and once we can afford it and our kids are a bit older, I'm definitely taking it up. Something Jordan and I can do together, hes quite good.)

Anyways, enjoy some pics! Sorry if there a lot, and thanks to my wonderful friend Tara Fullmer who dumbed down some instructions for me to get big pictures on my blog, your the best Tar :)

Avery enjoying the view from our balcony

Playing in the sand with daddy, Avery's first day at the beach!

I love her face here, she LOVED sitting on the shore playing with the sand and getting splashed.

The pool at Panorama


Avery's first pedicure by Auntie Taren, while Auntie Paige is teaching her to text - Diva in training!

Further down the beach its more rocky, which doesn't feel nice on the feet but Avery loved playing with the rocks! She would build pile after pile of rocks!

AND this is a hand me down very functional water suite - I don't prefer dressing my little girl as a boy, just to clarify!

Avery thought it was pretty neat to sit in this big chair by herself, she was probably also amused by all the people taking pictures of her. She got her fair share of attention. Every morning Nana and Grandpa would make there way over to our place if they hadn't seen her yet cause they were so excited to see her! Its cute, they are such great grandparents!

My wonderful family, it was a great trip!