Happy 2018!

My sister finally asked me if I was ever going to update my blog, so guess it is time. 

My first thought is to apologize for being silent, then I catch myself.  Why do I feel like I have to apologize?  This blog has always been a place for me to keep a written record of my boys' growing up.  I just invited some of you along for the ride!  Don't get me wrong, I love keeping everyone informed and since I don't do Facebook, this is an easy way.  I just don't want it to ever feel like something I HAVE to do, but something I enjoy doing.  And I guess the past 6 weeks (actually all through summer and fall), it has felt more like a HAVE to.  I am in a season of life right now that is hard.  Just life stuff...dealing with stresses, difficult decisions, kid issues and I guess I am tired of keeping up appearances.  I don't want to 'adult' some days.  I don't want to put on a happy face and pretend all is well in my corner of the world...whether online or if I see someone in the grocery store.  Sometimes life just gets you down and all you can do is keep your head down and plug away, day by day.  So, maybe that is why I have been silent, just not feeling like I had much to share or not sure what to share...I just feel like I am an observer and not a participant in my life right now.  (However, someone on Facebook put up a post to write one word that they could carry into 2018 and it had to start with the first letter of your name.....I wrote 'strength'....a great reminder for me that I will persevere...so thankful for my faith!

But life with 3 crazy active boys does not stop, so neither will I.

We have made it through Christmas Break and the boys went back to school today.  We had 6 1/2 school days off, that is it.  The weather was cold, bitter cold some days.  My mom was here for 5 days and my niece stayed with us the whole time.  Sure was fun having the extra family here.  Aside from church and Christmas Eve service, we stayed home.  Just hung out, worked puzzles, watched movies, drank hot chocolate and played games.  Christmas morning has moved beyond all the craziness and chaos of young kids, to controlled, thought out time.  All the packages were numbered and there was a scavenger hunt to find clues that would lead us to the master package list.  Then we opened things one at a time.  Sure is fun to actually see and enjoy what others received.

Next week we will be springing into winter basketball through the YMCA.  Jacob is wanting to play.  There is a Crossfit class starting for middle school kids, so hoping that Jacob and Benjamin will get in on some of the action.  (Both of the boys finished up their basketball seasons before Christmas.  Our friend took lots of pictures, but he has not passed any of them along yet, so none to post yet.)

I will be wrapping up my home assembly job in next week or two, then we take a break before another contract is started, sometime in the spring.  I am researching the option to drive for Uber.  Seems super flexible and a great way to meet people.  I would hopefully be able to pick up rides up the mountain (which is about 2 hrs round trip).  I think I would enjoy the longer rides better than lots of short rides across town.  All I need to do is upload my driver's license and download the app.  If I decide to do it, hopefully my first ride will be in the next week or so.

One of the things I have been watching for the last year of so is the real estate market.  We are just busting at the seams in our place and my goal has always been to be in a house by the time Benjamin turns 15.  Well, that is 18 months away!  The time to get serious is now.  We have our punch list on the fridge of all the repairs we want to make and hopefully by early spring we will have made a good dent in the list.  I have also had an initial contact with a realtor and I am now getting weekly emails with new listings.  This week I will be calling the bank to get an idea of what we would qualify for.   I would love to think we would move quickly, but I think we are probably looking at another year. 

We are somewhat specific what we are looking for.  Because JR drops/picks up a lot of cars at the airport, we would like to stay within 1 mile of airport, so that if he or I need to walk/bike there, it is not too long.  I really want space for the boys.  Growing up we had a double car garage that we turned into a game room (complete with astroturf!).  Oh the memories.  I so want that for the boys.  A place that they want to hang out with their friends.  It would be nice to find at least a 4 bedroom house and a double car garage/workshop/shed.  And parking.  We currently only have room for 2 cars at our place and with added drivers coming on and JR's client cars, we need more parking options.

The housing market right now is crazy though.  Yes we will get good price for our place, we will also pay a pretty penny for another place.  Rentals right now are renting for about a dollar a square foot and houses are selling for close to $1.50 a square foot.  Seems overwhelming if we want to sell our place before buying something else, or can we make it work to keep our place as a rental and buy something else, or should we be considering a totally different layout in the event that JR's parents want to move here and live with us ( :-0 ).  Oh, God will definitely have to take care of the details/logistics of this.  I just need to be patient and wait, but also preparing ourselves. 

One good thing in all this, we have had conversations about how the house needs to always look show ready.  So we are starting to practice.  Every night before bed we walk through the house and see what needs to be done before bed.  Oh, the purging (yay!).  Not that we have tons, but every little thing we can get rid of makes me happy!  My plan is to spend a week on each room.  Touching every item in that room and asking the importance of the item.  I just need to allow myself to get rid of anything that does not bring me/anyone in the family joy.  Why hold on to things??

So, that is where we are at the end of 2017!  And what we are looking towards as we start 2018.