Home Sweet Home

We're all moved into our new apartment, and it's starting to feel like home!  We moved in Saturday afternoon with the help of Brad's parents and some awesome members of our new ward, who all laughed maniacally when they found out we have a piano and that Brad plays.  Should we  be worried?  Here's a mini-tour!

This is the door to our apartment from the outside.  Come on in!

We have been very blessed to receive a small loveseat and recliner as temporary seating until we can afford a couch; and the previous tenants left a big screen HD tv.  We haven't found time to enjoy it yet, but I'm sure we will.  :-)

The dining room is funtioning as an office for now since our desk can't fit through the door to the office.  And until we can get a kitchen table, we're using a card table and some borrowed folding chairs.

And we had a cute little deck outside of the dining area.

The kitchen is a bit haphazard, but slowly improving as we get organized and figure out the most efficient way to do things.  And it comes with all the luxuries of a modern home-- fridge, stove/oven, dishwasher, AND a garbage disposal! 

And then there's bedroom #3, which is a limbo room for the moment.  We thought it would be an office, but the desk doesn't fit.  We're hoping it can be a nursery for baby #2 when he/she arrives, but that's still 7 months away.  And since we're trying to save for getting a house in the next year or so, we don't know if that room will ever be needed for that, and we're still debating whether or not to have Naomi and baby #2 share a room or have their own rooms right away.

I feel like this room could qualify us for the TV show Hoarders... I promise, this is temporary!

We got Naomi's bed set up, converted her crib into a toddler bed (basically leaving off the side rail) and set up her room to sleep in, though all of her clothes are still in boxes in her closet waiting to be hung up and for us to get a dresser for them to get folded up in.   Needless to say, this will be a big adjustment, since she can now get out of her bed!  Last night she fell asleep at the door of her room crying.  :'-( sad munchkin!  Any ideas how to help her go to sleep peacefully when she can run after us as we leave the room now?  I stayed with her in her room singing and trying to sooth her for over an hour last night, and she still cried herself to sleep at the bedroom door!

And this is the "main bathroom" that Naomi and guests use-- still has a lot of unpacking and organizing to do.

Brad and I's room is still under construction.  We got all of our clothes either hung up or folded and put away.  We have a mattress and a bed frame (with much thanks to the Wright family) but are still looking for a box spring so we can put it all together.  Blankets are all over the place since we haven't found where to put them yet. 

There's a walk-in closet!!!

The master bath still needs to be organized, but is mostly functional-- except for the toilet being slightly more than an long arm's length away from the toilet paper roll.

The toilet paper roll is under the counter-- quite a stretch!

We'll have more pictures after we finish getting organized and put pictures on the wall.  Until then... have a wonderful day!

The door going outside of our building. See ya later!

Bed Hog

So we found a new apartment, but we can't move in until Saturday even though Brad's first day of work is Wednesday.  We worked stuff out with the property manager and Brad can sleep at the apartment by Wednesday night, but Naomi and I are staying with Brad's parents in Beaver until Saturday when we can move in fully.

That means-- my first nights away from Brad :-(.  And because I was feeling all sad and loney in the bed all by myself at night and really cold, and Naomi was having nightmares and crying all night-- I decided to let her sleep with me at around 2am.

Worst night of sleep EVER.

My munchkin likes to sleep curled up on top of the pillow with her little baby butt in my face.  if I moved away, she scooted closer.  Until my head is hanging off the side of the KING SIZE bed!  I get up and move to the other side of the bed, and she moves too.  Snuggles up on top of the pillow and sticks her bum in my face!  This continues for a couple hours, every hour or so, i have to get up and go to the other side of the bed because I'm now falling off the edge.  Around 5:30am, she starts sleep crawling all around the bed, laying in random places and waking back up and moving to another place on the bed every 20 minutes or so.  At about 6:30-ish, she crawls on top of me, tucks her little feet under her, lays her head down on my stomach, and--yep-- her butt is in my face again.  I roll to the side, she is cuddled upside down against my side and I get to sleep til about 7:45am before she wakes up, crawls out of bed and then goes upstairs.

This is why I will NEVER let my kids sleep in my bed again.  So tired!
But her cuteness makes up for it :-).

6 Weeks Down, 34 to Go

Baby Neeley #2,

I really don't want to make a habit of comparing you to your big sister, but she NEVER made me feel this sick.  Mommy would love it if you could stop making her want to vomit every hour of the day.  Thanks!

Love, Mommy

Big News #2

More big news!  I don't know how much good, big news our family can take this year, but we are recognizing the blessings of God raining down on our little family right now.

First of all, Brad got a job offer!!!  We are so excited to start our new life in Canton, Ohio.  We came back East on faith and prayer, and the Lord has blessed us ten fold.

And more big news is #2... yep.  you guessed it--This little cutie is going to be a big sister!

Baby Neeley #2 is due May 28th!  We are so thrilled!

Big Changes

Well, we are here-- Beaver, PA.  In the basement of Brad's parents.  It was a rough start for us all, but I feel like we're beginning to settle into a groove.

Naomi LOVES her Nana, and Grandpa Neeley, and Great-Grandma Ruthe, and Aunt Sam. One day, Nana (my mother-in-law, Krsten) and I were gone for most of the day at a church activity.  When we got home, I came in through the front door-- Naomi got a big smile on her face and started walking towards me, until-- Nana walked in the side door form the garage, and Naomi squealed with delight looking back and forth between us, and then ran to Nana laughing.  Today, she wanted to sit with her Great-Grandma Ruthe at church the whole time.  It was so cute! 

Brad has an interview in Canton, Ohio tomorrow morning for a company that seems really incredible so far; it's called In The Round.  I've been very impressed with their high standards as a company.  I hope things go well, but mostly I hope that he comes away from the interview knowing what Heavenly Father would have us do.  We came here on faith that this is where the Lord wanted/needed us to be. We have seem many blessings from our decision so far, not just for us, but for many people here.  I know we are where we are supposed to be right now.

I'm so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ, and that the Spirit can guide us in major life decisions.  Including helping us to be at peace with choices that seem crazy sometimes.

Big News!

no.  i'm not pregnant.  just so that's clear.

We're moving to Pittsburgh! 

well, technically, it's Beaver, in Brad's parents' basement.

I realize this comes as a shock to many of our dear friends and maybe to some of our family also.  But after spending lots of time in here...

and lots of time on our knees, we know this is the right thing for us to do right now.  Maybe you have questions about why we're doing this now, but so do we.  We are putting our faith in God on this one and trusting His plan for us.  And when we figure out the answers, then maybe you will, too. 

So, in 8 days, we will be packing everything we still own into a truck and driving to our "new" home... in Brad's case, I guess it's his old home.  ;-)

I am just so thankful for the many things that have happened in my life that have given me the faith necessary to make this big change.  That I grew up in a military family that was constantly moving, and frequently living with extended family.

For my family that taught me that your address isn't home; but that home is where your family is and where you are loved. 

For those moments when God let me go into the unknown to learn that He is always holding my hand, or ready to catch me when I leap into unknown territory.  For the best in-laws a girl could ever have and a husband who doesn't think tell me I'm crazy when I tell him I think it'd be a good idea to pack up and move across the country when he doesn't have a job and we don't know how to pay rent the next month.

And for my munchkin, who gives me that Mom Courage, to do anything and everything necessary to give her the best in life. 

I am so blessed, and excited for this next chapter in our lives.


goodbye, provo! 
Hello, Pittsburgh!

5 Generations

This weekend, I had the pleasure of being with 5 generations!

Norma Smith (my great-grandma) holding Charlotte Naomi (my daughter), Linda Smith (my grandma), Charlotte Lynn (my mommy), and Charlotte Marie (me).

More Summer Pool Time Fun

We have a little kiddy pool that we like to get out on hot days when we don't go to the water park.  Lots of fun!

that's my cute little munchkin!

playing with daddy

 mid-fall

Sales Shopping Win!

I need a dress for my uncle's wedding on July 30th.  So I participated in a couple research studies to get some personal spending money and get a new dress.  I originally thought I would end up using most of my money on 1 nice dress that I really REALLY liked, and maybe a couple accessories or new shoes if I got a good deal.  But then, this weekend, Brad took me shopping for said new dress-- and I ended up getting 4 new dresses and a skirt.  Here's the loot.

From: Dressbarn
Original Price: $39.99
I paid: $34.28
Savings:  $5.71 or 14.3%

From: Dressbarn
Original Price: $59.99
I paid: $21.84
Savings: $38.15 or 63.6%

From: Mikarose
Original Price: $36.99
I paid: $15.99
I saved: $21 or 56.77%

From: JC Penny's
Original Price: $80
I paid: $15.97
Savings: $64.03 or 80%

From: Macy's
Original price: $59
I paid: $17.70
Savings: $41.30 or 70%

I love my new clothes!  Losing weight can be expensive-- but these beautiful new clothes and my self-confidence, energy, and awesome body are worth that and more.  Especially when I can get new clothes at such awesome deals!

Summer Time; Pool Time!

so, this is from last month...

We bought a Pass of All Passes this summer, and the Munchkin and I have been making great use of it!  We've gone to Seven Peaks Water Park 3 times this week!  Munchkin LOVES the water!  As soon as she gets in, she throws her arms forward and her feet back, and she starts to kick and move her arms.

Plus, the water park is about 2 miles away and walking there and back gets me a decent workout.  I'm less than 3 lbs away from my first major weight loss goal, and going to the water park is going to help me reach that goal before the end of the month!

since this is from last month... I'm glad to announce that I have since surpassed my first major weight loss goal-- to be under 200 lbs.   :-)