Our New Castle

I am living in my dream house! No our house has not been built. We have decided to rent a place (or rather i encouraged Benjamin). There was no way i could endure the summer with four children in a small travel trailer. At Least during the school year the girls could escape, I mean go to school, and the boys and I could have a little more elbow room, but the summer would have been too much. I know my limitations and I had passed them.

So what is this dream house..... A double wide! We now not only have one bathroom but two! The master bathroom even has a garden tub to boot! No more port-a-potty...... It is grand! There is a boys room and a girls room and an awesome wood paneled kitchen, oh yeah! But the laundry room is my personal favorite. Having used a laundry mat for ten months, it is so nice to pop in a load at will. It sits on an acre with mature mesquites and a fenced yard, a must for my escapee Parkin. It is amazing how when you go with out how appreciative you become ( I know their are people who have lived in worse, I can empathize on my own scale). So here is a list of forgotten comforts.

10. A sink large enough to wash dishes without flooding anything.
9. One step better a dishwasher!
8. Room for everyone of my kids to have a bed (instead of 6 people to three beds).
7. A normal size fridge!
6. Room for toys indoors.
5. A vacuum. My favorite chore, little effort with amazing results.
4. Couches!
3. Elbow room at the dining table, a dinning table.
2. bedroom doors
1. Indoor toilets, did you have any doubt that wouldn't be number one!

We are at this rental for a year and the way things are looking with the bank, our future build is uncertain to say the least...... My new phrase has been, "The lord giveth the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord." We may not get our "dream house" but for right now I am so grateful for the comforts we are enjoying.

I thought of putting in pictures, but I thought it best for your mind to imagine how cool the house is, because its just so great!

Bella's Baptism

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet. Thanks to Kim for posting about Kaylee's she reminded me to do it :) Crystal too is on the ball with writing about her son, I will get there.

It was so neat to have family and friends come down for the special day. Bella has been waiting for this day for a year. Benjamin and I have also been doing last minute cramming making sure Bella remembers everything that she has learned. First and foremost that after baptism she can always repent when she does something she knows is not right, and that those mistakes can be forgiven too. What a comfort that it doesn't have to last only a day.

Bella was baptised in the dress that I was baptised in and she and I made the dress she wore afterwards.

After the baptism we went over to Kartchner ponds for a barbecue, and thanks to cousin Madison a swim too. She went in the water and started the trend. The kids had a blast.

Mothers note to Bella:

Bella we love you so very much! You are the perfect older sister, always lovingly helping your younger siblings who adore you and you genuinely adore them too! Thanks so much for being an awesome example of always looking on the sunny side of life, your attitude is contagious! Keep up the great job we have all the confidence in you! XXXXOOOO