Where We're Headed

So I thought I'd show everyone a little about the place we are moving to. Rutherfordton is the county seat of Rutherford County. The southern end of the county touches borders with South Carolina. In fact right now Kendall has to drive into South Carolina and back into North Carolina to get to work until a new bridge is constructed that can withstand the heavy loads of haul trucks heading into and away from the Horsehead property.

Rutherford county. About 6 hours from the beach, 1/2 hour to the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Highway.

 Here is a closer look. Our house is below the red dot, next to the sharp curve in the red road, which is highway 221. It is that very road that takes Kendall to work, about a 20 minute drive. The commute was a big deal. There were other homes that would have suited our family better, I think, but only this one had the commute Kendall needed. The hour each way commute was too much here. And living closer to work wasn't an option here in AZ.
If you look at the map, you'll see that there are three towns close together: Rutherfordton, Spindale, and Forest City. Driving down 74 it all blends together, like Farmington, Centerville, and Bountiful. Without the signs, you'd have no clue you'd changed towns.
We're only about an hour or so to the outskirts of Charlotte, the largest city in NC. The locals consider it "rural". We drove around there that first weekend and it was more like Layton, with the amount of people and businesses. That first night in town we decided to look for a nice place to eat, something beyond KFC. Urbanspoon showed us this restaurant:

 It was ITALIAN FINE DINING. So, so good. Reasonable prices, fabulous food. When we mentioned going out to eat to our realtor, she complained, "Oh, yeah, we really only have five or six restaurants." When we questioned her (we'd seen several more than 6), she explained, "Well, I mean nice restaurants." Kendall and I looked at each other. Coming from a town that boasts over priced steak and measly sides and a $3.50 salad bar that they charge you for twice as "the" fine dining establishment, plus a few fast food places and pizza joints, an area that has 6 nice restaurants that you'd go to for your anniversary or other nice occasion is NIRVANA. We traveled two hours to Tucson for decent food, sometimes. We didn't find sushi, but since I was there for only a few days, I may have to go on a hunt for it when we get there.

And just for fun, if you look at the county map and see a town up in the left corner, you'll see a lake and town called Lake Lure. This is one of the locations from Dirty Dancing, including this famous scene in the water (I heard they filmed it in October and the water was freezing) and that really cool staircase that Jennifer Grey dances down.

It's only a 25 minute drive up there, so hopefully during the summer we can take the kids up there for a day to go swimming.



So there you go. Or more accurately, there WE go. I hope that it will be on people's list to visit sometime, since it's not the nasty dry desert three hours from true civilization.

The Big Move Cometh

This is our home now, in Safford, AZ. Cute, perfect kitchen, fabulous master suite, if a little dusty in the desert.

This house will be where we will call home after the new year in Rutherfordton, North Carolina.

Even though most of you know what is going on, I thought I should document it for myself, at the very least. 

It's been an interesting process, this getting to the point where after not quite 2 years we pack up and move across the country. 

When we moved down here, it seemed like we were going to be down here for a long time. I'd even entertained the idea of how we could fit our children bringing home their spouses and children to this house, wondering if it would even work for the long term.

The kids loved it here. Sarah has developed some of the best friendships here, ones that I hope will last her a lifetime. Peter has come into himself here as well, discovering the depth of his testimony and commitment to the gospel.

Meri, Andrew, and Benji have all become more themselves here as they have grown, and I'm glad for all they've accomplished here.

But clearly the Lord had other ideas in mind for us. When Kendall first came to work here in AZ for Freeport, he had a superior a couple of levels above him that was, well, scary. Loud, brash, and a foul mouth. Quick with praise where warranted, and equally quick with strong questions when he didn't like what he was seeing. Very opposite from Kendall. But over time he came to appreciate Anthony's good qualities, his intelligence and drive. And more than once other people in his department commented that Kendall's even temper and cool demeanor in a stressful situation was the only thing that kept Anthony calm sometimes.

When Anthony left in Feb. of this year, it was a mix of relief and regret for Kendall. And when Anthony called in August to see if Kendall was interested in coming to Horsehead, Kendall was flattered, but pretty quick to say "no". We'd already discussed that it would have to be after Sarah graduated before we would consider moving again. But when Kendall told me that Anthony had called, I had what Dad called "a spiritual 2x4" to the back of the head. It was clear to me that the Lord wanted us to pursue this opportunity. And when everything from beginning to end has worked out so well, so smoothly, it's been clear that the Lord wants us there.   

So this blog will become even more important, so we can let all of our loved ones know what is going on in our lives, how the kids are growing, and the changes and challenges that we face as we make this huge move.

   

 

Has It Really Been Almost a Year?

I knew I'd been procrastinating blogging on this blog, but I realized just now that October is around the corner and the last time I blogged it was a year ago. Time flies when it's all the same, huh?

Though there have been differences. Kids have grown. Kendall has gotten used to the 2 hours of commute each day, though he hates it. Benjamin started school a couple of weeks ago, so all of my kids are in school in one form or another (Pete is still homeschooling this year).

I have an iPhone now, so I need to get all the photos off of it and onto the computer and show you what's been going on. Maybe then I'll blog more regularly. Yeah. Right. ;)

Well, Life is...

So. The dog went away. (Ahem.)

But the rest of life continues. The kids are involved in fun stuff. At least the older two. We attended two concerts this past week. One for Peter and the middle high school bands and orchestras. That went...as expected. Though it was nice to see Pete play the xylophone (thanks Bent for the instrument). Honestly, he was the only one in tune. And his rhythm was spot on. Very important when your instrument carries over the entire 7th grade band. He even made up a part for one song that didn't have a written part for him. I don't know if the teacher noticed, but he didn't hit any sour notes, so it's all good.

Sarah is in choir at school. She is part of Bel Canto, an all girls group (like Xela, for those Bountiful alum), that does the singing and dancing and singing. She is so brave, and tries out for every solo. Their director is a BYU alum, and even sang in Vocal Point, their all male acappella group. Their concert was...honestly wonderful. The production moved fast, the performances were spot on. And every group did a fabulous job. She wants desperately to be in Taste of Sound, the mixed group. Not that I blame her. Most of her best friends are in that group this year, so she is anxious to join them.

Now that we've officially moved, we now have official new callings. Kendall went from High Priest Group Leader in the other ward to Executive Secretary. He keeps threatening to move back, if only so he wouldn't have to call so many people. Not his favorite activity.

I got called as a Sunday School teacher to the 14-16 year olds. It's a good thing Mom has had so much experience teaching teens. I never have since I've been old enough to have any kind of calling. I've always been in Primary or music. Or both. And Mom, if you read this blog at all, thanks for the tips. I especially liked the idea of having more activities than you have time. Very helpful.

This is also Sarah's class. We haven't decided if we are going to be mortified or pleasantly surprised by the close contact in church. Like I said, Primary or music callings have been my thing for many a year. Apparently it was my inability to be quiet during Sunday School that got me this new calling. (I never have been able to shut up in church for some reason. Mostly I think it's because I feel so bad when there's dead silence when a teacher asks a question.) It appears that the bishopric had the wrong number for us, so couldn't get us in for  our "what have your most recent callings been" interview. If they had, they would have known that the past six years or so have all been music callings. Not that I mind, but it's nice to do something else for a while. And when you're willing to say you've done music, they tend to stick you there. Forever.

Today was my first lesson, and it went pretty good, though one girl kept burying her head in her hands and then throwing it back to stare at the ceiling, sighing dramatically everytime. I have to say, everyone had me pretty scared about this class. The bishop even came in to my lesson today, prepared to "sit on them", he said. But he didn't need to. Today. Just watch...next week it'll be total chaos, and he'll be nowhere to be found. We shall see...

Of course now they know we are musical, and I have a second calling as the ward choir accompanist. :)

Kendall and I have joined a local group called the Gila Valley Chorale, a group of great singers from around the valley. We have our Christmas concert on the 28th of November (a minor snafu of scheduling moved it QUITE close to Thanksgiving). It is a great group, challenging songs, tight harmonies, and good energy from the director. We really enjoy it. It's fun to sing in a non-church setting every once in a while. And it's a great way to sneak in an extra date each week. ;)

And Then There Was This Dog...

So we had dogs growing up. A few, anyway. Mostly little ones that didn't shed, just had to be groomed once in a while. And that liked to pee on the carpet. Mom and Dad said we had a beagle when I was small, but I don't remember, and there are no pictures that I know of with said dog.

Anyway, we'd been in our new house for a week (which I love more than ever), and Saturday we had to do a lot of decluttering of the family room. The main living space was still filled with furniture and boxes that belonged elsewhere. But the weather was pleasant and Andrew and Benji wanted to be outside. No biggie. We live out in the wilderness basically, there are lots of places to wander and explore like I did when I was young.

Twice they came running in the house saying a dog was chasing them. I didn't worry too much because there are dogs everywhere, all belonging to someone, some distant neighbor. Besides, we have the fenced backyard and the boys closed the gates.

Later in the afternoon Meri went out to join them, and again they came in to tell me about the dog. But every time I went out to see, the dog was long gone.

About 5 o'clock or so, after Kendall and Peter had gone to the Priesthood session, the dog appeared on our back porch, laid down by the back door, and slept. He was medium sized, with the look of an Australian cattle dog mix. He looked exhausted, and even though I knew if I did anything nice, we were in trouble of permanently adopting him, but I couldn't stand it. I gave him some water, and then after a little while I ran around the corner to the little gas station on the freeway near our house. I left a note about the dog and picked up some dog food. I know, I know. Total marshmallow. But he was so mellow, and submissive, and hungry.

We spent some time with him outside. He has all the earmarks of a cared for dog, except a collar. He was neutered, his tail had been docked, he's house trained, he doesn't bark, he's not hugely energetic. He is a scrounge, which means I have to be extra careful about cleaning off the table, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Oh, and he likes to go through the garbage. That, and an increasing tendency to want to be around me all day, which looks like a lot of anxiety when we all leave the house. That could be a problem.

The kids love him already, but since I'm doing most of the caring for him, I'm not completely sold on the idea. I've discovered my brain has switched into "newborn" mode, that little part of me constantly being aware that there is another being that needs me all the time. I was enjoying getting out of that mode, frankly.

But if there was ever a dog for our family, this would be it. He's still on probation. We'll have to see. I have a friend coming over this afternoon. We'll see how he does with strangers. That might tip the scales a bit.

He looks like this, with a thinner frame and head, and black in his coat.

We're Moving! (Not Far)

Yes, we are moving again. We really liked our current home, but the owners owed too much on their home to come down in price. And we could find a comparable home for tens of thousands cheaper. So alas, we are moving again. The house was build in 2008, so only a few years old, and it was custom built for the previous owner who was relocated in February. My understanding was that it was an older couple. The wife clearly had a good idea of what she liked, and I loved what she did with the place. Which is why we are buying it. ;)

We hope to have the papers signed no later than the 23rd, and then we can move before conference and Kendall's recruiting trip to the University of Utah the first week of October.

Here are some pictures of the house. It sits on an acre, about 5 minutes closer to town, but only about half the property is developed. There's still 1/2 an acre to do something with over the next few years. I suggested a pool with a Mediterranean courtyard surrounded by cedar trees and oleander, but we'll see. ;)

 Here's the front. It's much bigger than it looks.

 Here's the build in fire pit.

 A view of the rear of the house. The windows on the left are part of the master "wing".

 A view from the back porch to the patio and the mountain beyond.

 The built in BBQ on the patio.

 The front door is just out of sight to the left. The alcove is flanked by 2 closets. The woman who built this house knew the value of LOTS of closets. I love her.

 This will become the "piano" room instead of the "pool" room. The door you see leads to the kitchen, so it could also be used as a dining room. But I want room for a baby grand some day...

 A couple of different shots of the great room area.

 I'm not sure why, but the space looks much smaller in the pictures. It is a really large room.

 The dining area. It looks smaller, too. It could easily fit a table for 8.

 Sigh. The Kitchen. Loved it. Soooo many cupboards and drawers and places to put things. And a great breakfast bar that will fit all the kiddos.

 You can't tell from this picture, but the stove is gas. I have missed gas. I was thrilled to see this! There is also a water softener (yay!) and reverse osmosis for drinking. This will be the first time in forever that we have that. And the hard water around here is awful, so I'm thrilled!

 This wall has the fridge (which they left and is part of the purchase) on the left and the doors on the right are the in-kitchen pantry. Yes, there is another entire pantry off the kitchen, perfect for long term storage. Did I say I loved this woman?

 The master bedroom. They left that nice love seat, too. Yay! Financed furniture! ;)

 The master bath, with separate vanities. If you look in the mirror, you can see the shower on the right, the "loo" on the left, and the two doors on either side are walk in "his and hers" closest. Huge. Closets. The jacuzzi tub is right where the photographer was. This was a happy bathroom. :)

 This picture and the one following are of the same room attached to the master by the two glass french doors.

Of course we're taking our children with us. The house has 3 other bedrooms, so we'll have the same arrangement as currently. They are spacious, if not as humongous as our current house. But considering how little time the kids actually spend in their rooms, preferring to be all together in the main living areas, they saw the benefit of having more space where we spend the most time. It also has a fabulous laundry room near the master and the half bath off the kitchen.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour. Wish us luck...it's going to be a crazy few weeks.

Long Time, No Post

We are very boring. I mean...really, REALLY boring. Everyone seems to make all kinds of fun posts because they're doing fun things. We are NOT those people. We are stay at home bums, most of the time.

So a brief update: School is over. Duh. I've had the kids home for a month, and I'm so grateful for a house big enough that people aren't tripping over each other.

Andrew is headed for school this year. He's so tall, he's as tall as my friend's 10 year old. (Who is thoroughly disgusted by this fact. But their family is short and mine are tall...genetics. What can I say?)

Benji asks me everyday if he is going to school with Andrew. When I tell him no, he gets to do preschool with mom and won't that be fun, he throws a tantrum (which consists of stomping and snorting like an annoyed bull). I think I'm very glad there is only a year between them in school after all. Though I can hardly believe that Benji is 4. Way too old.

Meri is missing her friends. One of the pitfalls of living in the "suburbs" of a small town is lack of friends. There are a couple of girls her age nearby, but we have run into the "oh, you're Mormons?" issue. So she waits for school to start again so she can play. I am glad that the youngest 3 play so well together.

Pete is excited for scout camp coming up in mid July. They were supposed to go up on Mount Graham to camp, but the fire danger is so tremendous around here (by the way, we're fine...the fires are far away from us) that they're doing some merit badges the first two days at the stake center and then heading over the border to New Mexico (about an hour away) to camp for 3 days. Not the 5 days of filthy camping you'd expect a 12 year old to love, but close enough. But he is headed to middle school next year, including band (thanks for the xylophone and drum kit, Benton!), so hopefully he'll make some good friends there.

Sarah is officially 15, and every inch a 15 year old. She auditioned for the performance choirs this year and made it into the "Xela" type choir, all girls. She was very disappointed not to make it into the mixed girls/boys choir, but she has two more years to audition. I'm sure she'll enjoy every minute of it. She's really missed the Salt Lake Children's Choir, not just for her friends, but for the singing. Mr. Woodward was a weird old music geek, but he knew what he was doing.

Kendall works. And works. And sacrifices 2 hours a day making the drive up to Morenci so we can have a house big enough for all this insanity. And then some days he comes home and goes out visiting for his calling as High Priest Group Leader. He's a good man, my husband.

We occasionally go out on dates and get to talk without interruption. Very. Occasionally.

And I'm Mom. So there you go. It'll probably be another 2 months before I update again, just because nothing really changes around here. :)

Happy Holidays!

This is our first holiday without family nearby. There's a part of me that is sad, but a part of me is excited to start our own family traditions. So today we had an Italian inspired feast, including six courses. Yes, you heard right, 6 courses!

We didn't go monster elaborate, it being Sunday and all, but we made an exciting discovery (for us anyway). We've quested for years to find "panna", italian table cream that is thickened and makes a fabulous sauce for pasta. Now we've never found anyone that sells it. But yesterday while at Walmart Kendall found something in the Mexican food aisle...a product that seemed suspiciously like panna. We bought a can (a steal at $1.45 instead of the $9.99 if we'd bought actual panna on Amazon) and used it today to throw on tortelloni. A great substitute. I'm thrilled, because it means easy cream sauces, or pink sauces, or other nummy stuff.

So while we miss family, it was fun to start something new for just us. :)

Where to Vacation

So even though Kendall just started a new job, he'll have almost 3 weeks of vacation this year. We have only a couple of months of summer break (the kids start again in the beginning of August), so we have to squeeze it in somehwere between girl's camp and scout camp. We're contemplating all kinds of things, but since we are in essence at least a day away from anywhere, more like 2 days, it's kind of a challenge.

So...any recommendations would be nice. :)

Anniversaries

Anniversaries. We celebrate or commemorate all sorts of occasions with days of remembrance. Our birthday is the first one that's truly important to us. As we get older we find other reasons to stop and recall what made a certain day noteworthy.

Not all anniversaries are happy. But today is one for me. (It is still today, even though it's after midnight as I write this.) Today is our 16th wedding anniversary.

Now this can seem like an eternity to some, and a mere sprinkle of the sands of time to others. But as I sat here pondering this occasion, it occurred to me that when I was sixteen, I was a boy crazy teenager, eager for my first date. I had a very shallow notion of what type of person I would like to marry, other than he fit my standard of "good-looking". I had no idea what it really meant to be married, to bear each other's burdens sometimes, other times yoked together, straining in unison against the weight of life.

I've discovered something...unlovely about myself. I seem to have a knack for getting an idea in my head and continuing with it like the rest of the world no longer exists. Time and time again I have seen the Lord's hand in my life, literally picking me up and moving me out of my place, just to set me on the right path. I'm not sure why I deserve such conscientiousness, but I am eternally grateful for the hands that placed my feet on the road that led me where I am today. I would have been lost, and the Lord knew that, and straightened my road so I wouldn't get confused by the twists and turns.

Love you, K.