House Hunting

We did it!  We got all the way to Utah and did the house hunt!  We looked in South Salt Lake County and North Utah County for a house to buy.  We had compiled a list of about 30 houses, but before we got there,  more than half of them had gone under contract!  What a bummer!  Regardless of the slim pickings, we found a great house.  Well, actually, we found THREE.  So we put them in order of the ones we liked the most to the least, with all things considered -- location, price, bedrooms, lot size, house size, etc -- and made our first offer.

After a few hours and a good night's sleep, and another few hours (ugh), we found out that our offer had been outdone and we missed it!  So we moved right away on to our second choice and put in an offer.  After waiting to hear back (and having to get on an airplane and fly home in the middle of it), we got an answer and we got the house!  Hooray!  We only had to counter once, which is nice, and it turned out to be just lovely for us.  Our new house is in Lehi, UT and will be so good for our family!

Everything has been going well since Sunday. We have had the inspection done as well as sent in all the paperwork for the contract, etc. It's been a bit of a busy week, but it's been really nice and exciting, and we're getting pumped for the move.  I've felt relatively un-motivated recently, but I did find the energy to pack a few boxes and make a few changes around here to make packing easier.  The next month or so will be fun in trying to get everything worked out.  Below are a couple of pictures from the Realtor's website.  We think this is going to be a great place for our little family!

Thanks for keeping up with me!

-C

 Front of House

 our GINORMOUS back yard!

Our formal living room in front and family room behind it

Winds of Change

It's officially Winter, I guess!  It has been a little on the chilly side these last few days in the Seattle area and I'm finding that I am more and more dependent on my coat.  I love this time of year because the Christmas Season is in full swing and it is my absolute favorite holiday.  I love the Christmas carols, hearing bells ringing, and the generally good attitude that everyone seems to have this time of year.  I also love that I am able to watch any and all of my favorite holiday movies without any complaining (well, without MUCH complaining) from my husband and children. :)

This year, though, the decorations are a little sparse and the Holiday season is sliding a little into the background as we anticipate a very big change in our lives:  We're moving!

We have made the decision to move out of the Seattle area and make a trek across a couple of states to the beautiful state of Utah. John has been granted a transfer with his job to the Salt Lake City Branch, working around the Provo area.  This brings so many opportunities for our family, as well as some sad goodbyes.

Due to the move, JJ and I will FINALLY be able to buy a house.  A REAL HOUSE!  We're so excited about being able to do this.  We feel like it has been a long road of waiting and we are so grateful that things are starting to fall into place for us.    Another amazing opportunity is that because he will keep the same rate of pay, I may not have to continue to work for much longer.  I will continue to work for a while until we get settled and figure out what needs to be done and make sure our finances are in place. Then I will be able to stay with our kids full-time. I'm so grateful for that chance!  Also, I will be able to continue with some of my amateur cake business, as it is a little easier to do that from home in Utah state.  Maybe one of these days it won't be just amateur!

John will have to work the same job, just in a new location.  While that's not ideal, he can start looking elsewhere for employment once we're there and hope he can get into a police department.  He has already taken the written test and has passed that.  Now it's just a matter of getting an application when positions become available.  Who knows?  Maybe something will come through down there in a faster manner than they did here in Seattle.  He would make an amazing officer and I can see that being a good profession for him.  For now, though, he'll stay where he is.

Andrew will have to switch schools.  He loves Kindergarten and has had a wonderful time at his current school, and though we're sad to leave it, we know he'll be just fine and will really excel in Utah.  I think that he and Mason are just so excited to finally have a house with a yard that they don't really care about much else.  They are truly excited about moving closer to cousins and getting a chance to get to know their Grandma and Grandpa Platt.

While all of these things are good, we are going to miss John's family so much.  They have been such an immense amount of support to us, so kind, generous, and helpful, and we are going to miss them the most of all.  The whole move is bittersweet, but we know that a few hearts are breaking during all of this excitement. We're so grateful that they are on the cusp of retirement and will be able to come visit.   We will still plan on visiting them here in Seattle, as well, and a few more camping trips and adventures will await us in the future with them.  We look forward to the happy memories we'll make in the future!

Everything is pretty well in place.  John and I are flying to Salt Lake this week to go house hunting.  We have 2 1/2 days to find the right house, get the paperwork in, and pray that it all goes through before we have to be back for work again next week.  After we get back, I'll put in my notice at work and start trying to find someone to train into my position.  Our move-out date for our Apartment is January 25th and my dad will fly in that night to help with the drive to Utah the next day.  We'll stop in Nampa to see my brother, Jonathan, and his family that night and drive the second leg on Sunday.  John will start his new job at the beginning of February, which will give us a little time to get settled and, hopefully, unpacked!  It's going to be a whirlwind of a month, but it will be good!  We are so excited, and also very sad, but it promises wonderful things for our family.

Consider yourselves updated. :)

-C