A month of bumps and blessings

Life has been...tiring. I know I'm not the only one who gets worn out during the holidays. Just thought I'd post a little about what has been going on, in no particular order...

1) Ben was gone for 3 1/2 weeks of December, including my birthday. HOWEVER, he did leave me a birthday surprise, and he came home the next day, and then we all spent the next week together at my parents' home for Christmas.

2) The end of the year in Primary is the most work--getting new teachers, organizing the classes, preparing and exchanging all the manuals, welcoming the new Sunbeams, preparing a Christmas gift, planning for the next year (including the Meet Your Teacher breakfast, Priesthood Preview, and Baptism Preview in January), visiting the less actives, and all the other regular Primary stuff. HOWEVER, I have had to rely on my counselors more than ever, and they have come through, over and above, every time. Compared to past years, this was the smoothest. (Give me enough practice, and December won't haunt me anymore. Just kidding. Don't.)

3) OK, so I'll spill the beans for those who don't know--I am pregnant with little Roper #5 (currently 13 weeks), and have spent the past two months lying on my couch each evening clenching my teeth, trying to decide if food will make me feel better or worse. It has wiped me out. HOWEVER, my days seem to go well usually, and spending a week with my family (especially after Ben had been gone for so long) was very refreshing. I am finally in my second trimester this week, and am feeling much better. I'd had some bleeding around week 7 and 8, which I learned was because the baby is low, but it's all cleared up now.

4) We had to put our house on the market the first week of January to be sure it sold in time for us to move into our new one in March. The house was a wreck from me not being able to do anything in the evenings, and I didn't know how we'd get all the work done in time. HOWEVER, my wonderful mom took pity on me and drove down with us after our vacation, and spent a couple days helping with the deep cleaning. And I can handle the every day maintaining, especially now that we removed about 90% of the toys...

5) My Grandma Stay passed away on December 23rd. HOWEVER, we were with my family when it happened, and we learned it was a very peaceful, almost happy death. She got to spend Christmas and her birthday with my Grandpa, who passed away in June. I sure wish I had been able to go see her one last time. Instead, I was able to go out to her funeral on January 6th in Utah. I took Caytie and Gracie, and they were excellent travellers, despite the late, late flights and schedule disruptions. They were happy to spend the day with Grandma Roper while I went to the funeral and spent time with my family. I would highly recommend living a life like my Grandma lived. She was so well loved. She did things right.

Sorry no pictures this time. I'll get some new ones on again soon.

SOLD!

Hooray! Kaloo kalay! Alackaday! Our house sold! (OK, so the inspector is coming on Monday, and the buyer then has 10 days to decide if she still wants it, but...) Hooray! That is one huge stress that is checked off the list. Now we have to pack everything up, because she wants it a month before our new one is finished. Tricky, but her offer was worth it. And I don't have to keep the house sparkling clean for showings every day anymore!!! (That may be my favorite part.)

In other good news, the new house is right on schedule...

Exterior is about 1/3 done, and they started the drywall, too. Can't wait to see it finished!


And then just for fun...my little Kewpies:

X-treme

Before:

After:
Locks of Love gets a nice, fat donation, and I suddenly have more time!