Sperry on the loose!

Our little Sperry girl is someone I have to write about. This girl is on the loose I tell you.
She is very cute, friendly, smart, happy, and talented. Did you know she has been waiting for her baby teeth to fall out? She has been waiting since the first day of  kindergarten.  I guess it just took moving to a place where the air gets a chilly fall morning. Yesterday she found one bottom tooth was loose, and she is so excited. She has been giving it a work out and cant wait to trade a tooth for some cash!

Oh, and this is the same girl who after a long meeting with the Bishop of our church...thought the "old" phone in the hall of our church was so funny with the big receiver and the long cord. She was playing on it and then quickly sat down quietly.  I asked her what number she just dialed. She told me, "911, mom I didn't know it would call. There's no "talk" button like on our phone at home." I had to calmly tell her that if the fire department thinks this is an emergency, all the people who are in the chapel for church will have to leave the building and go outside. That's several hundred people we are talking about. Big Sigh. Fortunately for us, the nice man called back and I explained that it was not an emergency, just our daughter playing on the phone. Scott and I couldn't laugh about this for about a week. And, Sperry has been on doggie do-do duty for the  next 2 weeks.

But then again, this is the same girl who has a really cool bedroom. The most comfy bed in the house (thanks friends!) and is getting super great grades. She is our most avid love-note writer and always is one to cheer up the sad and make someone feel glad. I'm so glad she is our Chica and is quick to make good friends. And, I'm hoping that she has learned her lessons about emergencies. (Does this type of stuff always have to happen to us?)
Sperry Specs:
age 7 1/2
Favorite sport: soccer
Favorite books: Judy Moody
Favorite Food: Mac n' Cheese
Working on: keeping her room clean
Favorite dessert: candy & ice cream
Special talent: painting, making friends, thoughtful. She is a very good reader and tries to be a good friend to everyone.

And here's her little snowman. Can you see the smiley face? 

motionsickness...chapter six

moving saga continues...
Motion sickness is something that I get all the time. I get sick on a plane unless I have earplugs to help my equilibrium. I get sick riding in a car and looking at a map.  And of course, I can get sick going through experiences so quickly that it makes my head swim. Yes, I was getting motion sickness following all the details in such a short period of time. For example, our house hunting trip.

During our house hunting trip, I could not have planned it any better. I kept feeling like I needed to stay thru Thursday in Denver. My mom kept assuring me that it will be fine and the kids will love a few more days with their cousins. I wondered, "do I need a little alone time? Why would I set my flight for 2 days after Scott returns to LAX?"  I felt I was being pushed to stay a few days to learn the streets and find a route to the kids schools and to get started on the paperwork.  I'm glad that I stayed because I needed to be present to help with the counter offer, I was able to visit both schools, and got the car insurance all tucked away.  Our offer was accepted, we would be renting from them until our home sold (we could rent thru January). I had an address I could start putting on all my paperwork. I had a new floor plan that I loved and got to figure out where furniture would go. I felt really good as I flew back to pick up my kids in Utah.  I spent the night at my mom's and then early, early the next morning we started our drive back to Cali. We had to get them ready for school (or at least 6 days of school).

We promised our kids that if they read the Book of Mormon this year, we would take them to Knott's Berry Farm. Sperry had to read 100 pages, not the whole book. And, I prefer the words, "earn" instead of bribery. But either way, I hoped it would help them to get into the habit of daily reading from a book that can change lives. If it took a trip to Knott's for them to deepen their  testimony, I thought it was a good investment (and a good way to release some pressure we've been feeling and kick back...scream a little, and enjoy the day). Who knew that I was the biggest whimp of the family. The coaxed me into going on one minor roller coaster while Sperry was the biggest thrill seeker of the group. While we were playing, we talked about how many families were going through our house and all the realtor cards we would come home to as proof.

No cards! When we returned home, we found that no one had come while we were gone to look at the house. I freaked out again because I wanted our house to sell quickly, as in my time "one weekend". But I have learned that the Lord's promises are sure and I need to be patient. I don't like being patient, I like to get in there and get 'er done. But it became obvious that we were to focus all our time on getting the house ready, pack up our gear and move on out. And we had to have at least one trip to my favorite beach to watch the kids boogey board, build sandcastles, and get my head to stop swimming.

Two weeks later, we left our house empty, vacant, family-less...this is not what I wanted to do. But we decided that we were to move as a family. We didn't want Scott try working during the week, and flying home to LA every weekend. So we left our home, and took our family to a new adventure in Colorado. Our offer had been accepted, and the Labor Day deadline fell right into place.

Mental note, pack the sleeping bags and pillows when you embark on your roadtrip to your new home. You will need them as wait not so patiently for your new home. Living in an empty house for 5 days till the stuff arrived. I still can't wear the 3 outfits that were the only ones I packed. They got a lot of wearing during our trip and move in days.  When the moving truck came, the kids were already in school, Scott had been at his new job for days, and I was ecstatic to dive in an empty boxes!

not the house, but the street...chapter five

We arrive into Denver and have Monday and Tuesday to make something happen.  Scott and I ask Matt, our Colorado realtor to widen our search to additional towns. I had spent hours upon hours before the trip looking on the internet and was feeling a little dejected because I didn't see a lot of new listings since our last trip two weeks prior.  We spend Monday looking at several properties in surrounding areas. We increase the search to include 2 floor homes, but at the end of the day, my body was dragging and I was concerned that two floors wouldn't work for me.  None of them feel as a fit for us. Some of the homes, I didn't want to spend any time inside, because I felt strongly it wouldn't work. (and one belonged to a cat lady and the allergies started to kick in.)

One of our agreed conditions of the home was that we didn't want an older home that had more maintenance associated with it. And, wouldn't you know that Scott started to feel really good about an older home that would cost significantly less than what we were planning to spend. The dollar signs started to light up in his eyes and yes, the backyard was wonderful. But I had to remind him of our plan and lovingly explained the things we would have to do in this home to get it to feel nice and newer.  Then, it was my turn to get a little "struck".  I wanted a home that was mostly white and super nice condition. It was one story, but it was more of a grandparents home because the backyard was 95% flagstone patio. It was really pretty, but Scott nudged me into the right direction again.

I'm getting a little frustrated because we are down one day and have a second day to find a place for our family to live in a few weeks.  We asked Matt to set appts to see homes on Tuesday and he talks about the other home in the same cul-de-sac of the home we were going to put an offer on.  We continue to widen our search in surrounding cities for Tuesday.

The home that Matt mentioned, was one that we saw on the first visit. It was cute and I loved the curb appeal and the main floor and I was impressed with it during our first trip out. It had a finished basement, but had only one guest room in the basement (the other had 2 big bedrooms). But, we couldn't get over that it would be right by the other house we would have put an offer on.  We didn't know if we could get over loosing that house we planned to purchase.  Late Monday night, while Scott and I were discussing how the day went, Scott mentioned "maybe the impression that you had wasn't for that specific house, but it was about the street? I think we should go into that home again and see how it feels."

We finally agreed to see this home again at the end of searching on Tuesday. Tuesday, we looked at the edge of our $$ range, and still the houses didn't seem to be working. We like comfortable and easy, and many of the homes seemed a little too fancy, or had 2 floors. A few of the homes would have worked, but something didn't click.  At the end of Tuesday's looking, we went back to the street that we loved, and to the neighboring house we thought to place an offer on.  When  we entered the home, we both felt really comfortable about moving our family there.  It was an amazing feeling to see how things would work, how we could set up the basement so it would fit our family, and even where the dog would go.  It felt exciting and just fell into place. It was like an answer to our prayers.  That night, we prepared a contingent offer and asked if they would rent to us beginning in two weeks.

as a miracle...chapter four

(wow, this is a long story. but bear with me, it's a part of our family history. and if you are just joining us, please begin at chapter one)

In the prayer mentioned earlier, it was promised  (and this part still makes me nervous, but I'll share it with you anyway) that our house would sell quickly and it would be as a miracle to our family. It would manifest to our children that the Lord is mindful of them. With this prayer in mind, we began our long list of "house to-do's" before we could have it listed. We had one week to get it all ready and it was a nail bitter, but we had so many people helping us, I couldn't believe it all came together.  My friend Jan surprised me on a day that I was overwhelmed to tears.  She told me, "we are coming, because we love you."  I still cry writing this now.  She had asked several sisters to drop their plans and serve our family for whatever hours they could spare, doing the ever super fun, manual labor.  Shelly planted flowers and  helped with my scrape project, Cathy and Corinne I literally sent packing starting with specific rooms, Tarja gave me some scrubbing elbow grease, Jan cleaned carpets, Barbara got her inner karate kid and helped me paint our wrought iron fencing, Shellie and her husband helped weed and plant flowers in our "vacant for years" rounder. And there were many more in the behind the scenes work lending prayers, emotional support. I felt what "relief" felt like. It quickly made the load feel bearable, and I appreciated it so much. During this "rush to market" my kids lived as vagabonds. They made their own breakfast, lunch, found things to do watched TV.  Each morning they were mandated to participate in a big home improvement project each day.  Sperry even practiced on our old gate, hammering in nails and painting. They rarely complained, and were hard workers. Scott even got our local Missionaries to serve us by painting and attacking some ivy. Thank you to everyone (and there are so many more I didn't have room to mention).

Two weeks after our "interview" visit, we decided to do another trip to Colorado to find a house. My plan was to take the kids to Utah and attend my nephew JC's wedding to Jordan.  It was an awesome wedding and so fun to see everyone. My sis, Kris handled the "mother of the groom" title with grace. After the wedding, I left the kids with grandma's and cousins (they had a great time and didn't even miss me). Thanks everyone, it was a group effort and you guys are lifesavers.

When we were with a realtor, there was a neighborhood that felt good to us.  There was a house that we loved, mostly because it had a finished basement and a yard big enough for a trampoline. In preparing for our house hunting trip, I felt the impression "I've shown you where, now make it happen."  Scott agreed and we planned on going out to put an offer on this home, contingent on the sale of our Cali home...oh yeah and we would need them to be ok with us renting their house till our house sold.  Tall order, but we thought it could be done. The plan was for me to fly out from SLC Sunday night and return Thurs afternoon. My goal: have a house under contract (escrow), an idea of insurance stuff and visit the would be elementary school and middle school.  A few days before I flew out, the home that we saw and were planning to put an offer on had been...shockingly taken off the market. What happened? Why would we have felt so good about this area, only to have this home taken. I started to question things. Maybe we shouldn't even be going out again this soon. Maybe we should put the time frame later to allow more time for additional homes to come on the market in Colorado.  Maybe we should cancel this trip, and get the kids ready for school.  If we kept to our original plan, the kids and I would return from Utah 5 days before school started, and I had not purchased one pencil to prepare them.

Scott calmly mentioned that he felt we should go forward with our plans.  Good thing I love this guy, cause I was ready to cancel the trip.  I flew out from SLC and Scott flew from LAX (in Sunday, and he was to return Tuesday afternoon.) for our house hunting trip.

Come as you are...chapter three

(this is chapter three, for newbies...seek for chapter one first)
The day after the interview, we set up a day with a Colorado Realtor, Matt. Our fab friends the Cox family watched our kids for the day as Scott and I went in about 7 houses. It was a quick pace, which was becoming the norm for everything about this move. During our interview visit, we wanted to get an idea of areas that would be a fit for our family.

Our criteria for a home included: keep it in the budget, a ranch style home, family friendly neighborhood, newer than our Cali home, basement for the kids to kick it in, AND close to schools and shopping. Actually, each of these were on my list, Scott's list was more like, "I want to be able to ride my bike into work and keep it within 30 miles of work."  Now that doesn't sound like a lot of things to meet, and during that first look, we found a few homes we really liked. There was a neighborhood that stood out a little more than the rest. We didn't know it yet, but the Lord was working on us. (thank goodness).

We retrieved our kids from the Cox party house and on Sunday we visited the ward that belonged to that neighborhood we liked.  The ward blew us away. It was big...like 150 kids in Primary.  There were several friendly people and it was a congregation that has a mix of kids between teenagers to babies. After recovering from the initial shock of the sheer numbers, I liked it.

We flew back to LAX and had some good laughs about the contrast between LAX and the Denver airport. It's like going from the masses to "many". It felt like it would be an easy transition going to Denver in the "commute" department at least.

Scott and I started to do the math: finding a home, getting our home sold, school starts within a week, and oh yeah, our callings that we liked. I had just been called the month before as Relief Society President (In our church, this is working with women: humanitarian efforts, Sunday lessons, building spiritual strength, and remaining sane as we balance it all).  I really was enjoying serving as Relief Society President, I was learning a lot and we were cruising. There were so many things that we were working on and it was fun. I had to tell our Bishop that we had to keep things on the down low, but that we would be moving and it looks like I was to serve as President for a record breaking, brief 2 months.  But, if the Lord calls your family to another area, you follow His lead.

I was a little overwhelmed, and we contacted our realtor who has the biggest heart, Lea Stevens.  Lea was our go-to realtor and a part of our family.  We asked her to help us with each of our moves, this would be our 3rd time working together and we knew we were in good hands.  After listing our home, we had to decide how we would manage the move. Would Scott commute from CO till our house sold? Do I stay with the kids till after the first semester of school (and I could get some extra bond time with all my gal pals)? What if the house isn't in escrow before we have to move? What if we don't find a house in Colorado?  Once again, we turned to the  Lord  in prayer. We felt we were to come as we are, a family.  We were all to move together and felt that Labor Day weekend would be the big commute day. Even when that was only weeks away.

6MOV843...chapter two

Sorry, you might want to read chapter one first (scroll down) if you are a chronological person.

During our "no strings attached" trip to Colorado, we were taken with the beauty of the area. It's so pretty out here, I've seen more rain and lightning out here than I do in a year in California. It all started when we landed in at the Denver airport. The rental car we were assigned had California plates, the only Cali plates we saw on the lot. Our car's license plates read: "6MOV843"  What, we are a family of 6 (as long as the kids insist on keeping our dog.) And the letters "mov", well putting in context of the purpose of our trip...I thought it was so funny that it read "move". Now for the 8 in the plate, I can't make up any relevance. But the 43 were some of the house numbers we looked at (and live in, 14300) more about this later.


We asked our family to be prayerful during this trip. To see if we were to make a change, of everything. Once again prayers were answered unexpectedly, but clear. Turn by turn, in and out of neighborhoods, I was driving around without a map and with the kids in tow during Scott's interview.  While I was driving I had another impression come to mind, "this is where you will land." That thought brought a lot of peace and broke through the "what are we...crazy. To even consider this job that came out of the blue." thoughts. I felt happy, at peace, and considered how my kids would react to their new "hometown". The kids were so excited to talk about snow, skiing, and a new adventure, it took me by surprise. It was welcomed news and once again, peace came.

Later at dinner that night, Scott was excitedly talking of the possibility of working with this new company, Barber Nichols. He loved the projects they were working on, how he would be able to wear different hats in his responsibilities. And, the people, he couldn't wait to get to know the people who were so friendly and comfortable to talk with. The company is much smaller than the one we have been with for over 13 years. They employ 75 people and want to keep it small, private, and personal. Scott longed for less red tape in his current job, but he loved the people he worked with. This was going to be hard to leave all those friends who have taken care of us for so long. A family from Barber Nichols invited our family for dinner that night and they graciously answered all of our questions.

Scott called the new company, Barber Nichols, and accepted the job. He was to begin work in 3 weeks. We had no idea how much work was in store for us making it all happen.

One Month...chapter one

If you had ONE month to: interview with a new company, accept a new job, go house hunting in another state, find schools for your kids, leave a wonderful ward family, fix up your house, put your home on the market, work with 2 realtors, go to your nephew JC's wedding in Utah, and pack up all your belongings to move...would you do it?
If you would have asked me this early July 2011, I would have said there's no way. But then again, I had no idea what was in store for us this summer. It has been quite an adventure, and I'll give you some of the details. Because, I always like the details.

It all began when our family was happily comfortable with our schools, Scott's job, our friends and the So Cal lifestyle.  Jacob was practicing football, Carter was on the swim team, and Sperry couldn't wait to begin playing soccer again with friends. But, this past summer felt very different for me.  I kept telling my husband, Scott that something was different about that summer.  We had to be very flexible this past summer, our plans kept changing and we had to roll with it.  Our vacation dates would change and where we would go camping changed. In our Church I was asked in early July to serve as Relief Society President which was a big change. I didn't even have time to visit the beach which is one of my centering spots. There were more changes to come to our family, and I didn't even know it yet.

Mid July, a phone call came from a recruiter about a position that was interesting to Scott. He told them that he would be happy to hear what this company had to say, but let them know that we were very happy and settled with where we were. He wasn't interested in changing jobs at this time. The phone call from the company was very friendly, and they had some great projects that Scott was interested in. But, once again, Scott graciously mentioned that we were settled and he wasn't going to make any changes at this time. We laugh now at how we thought we knew what was best for us.

Nothing happened, two weeks went by and then a friendly e-mail came from Jeff, one of the Engineers from the company in Colorado.  Jeff wrote in his e-mail that they knew Scott wasn't interested in changing, but asked if we would be interested in taking a trip with our FAMILY out to Colorado to see the area. It was the "no strings attached"" that caught my eye in the e-mail. Wouldn't that be a fun trip for us? Sperry had never been on a plane before and the job did sound like something Scott might like. The interview would only take part of Friday, and the rest of the weekend we could play.

While Scott and I were deciding if we should accept this trip offered. I had the impression that if we were to make this trip, relocating our family would have to be something we were open to. We would have to see the area and decide if we could see our our family could living here.

The trip was wonderful and it was fun to see Scott so excited about projects and the workplace. The kids loved the area and were elated with the fact that it was 4 hours closer to see the grandma's and cousins. It felt like a fit and I knew that we were being directed by our Heavenly Father to make a change. I guess I was too comfortable and there was another place the Lord wanted us to be. It was all falling quickly into place. Did I say quickly, I mean at the speed of sound.