Moving Moving Moving!!-- February!

So... I recently read a life sketch on Henry Waldermer Erickson and Sarah Besty Sarah Crook.  It was such a inspiring read. The link is found here.

https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/7653864

Besty stood out to me as such an example she being the mother of 15 and  13 living children and she labored and delivered twins by herself. Do you want to read it yet?    She had True dedication to family. She really knew how to cook.  But more importantly she really knew how to work.
So...  Lately I have been thinking a lot about work and have had an  experience that taught me that the Lord is my super power... as long as I'm willing to work, and keep the commandments, he will bless me.

   Ben and I have decided to live her for at least two more years, including the year we have spent here that would be three. And to be a little redundant that is a long time for us. So a with more permanent mind set, I decided to look for a different place to live. I came across a house that was the same in rent cost,  We have been living in a four plex, so a house with a yard is something that I dream about. Plus I thought it would be nice to have something more updated, and, of course, a third bedroom.  The first or second time I looked on craigslist I found a house listed for the same cost of rent that we had been living at.  Out of curiosity I called and  took a look.  After a day of thinking about it and wishing I lived in it, I had Ben take a look.  He liked and we both felt good about it.  We decided to move.   MOVE after 14 moves ( now 15)  you think I would be done.   At times during the process I wondered if I was going crazy to inflict another move on myself.
     Ben was going to help me after work each night and our goal was to get the whole house moved over in a week.  The houses were only about five minutes apart, so with our handy dandy truck, we could load and unload until we were done right?
      Here is where my lesson of work started taking effect. We got the keys at about two pm on Monday. We moved one small load over that night. and I clean some of the new house. The next day I did three loads. I broke down bunk beds, the table, blankets and what not. It all had to go right, and it wasn't moving itself. When Ben go home we loaded the queen bed and the couch. By the time we were done we were able to sleep in the new house. On Tuesday night it snowed.  So it was really soggy the next day. I was only able to get one load that day.  The end was far out of sight. I was starting to feel overwhelmed. At the same time I was feeling grateful. I had done so much the day before. My kids had been patient and helpful.  Eli was my doorman and door guard.  He made sure that Anna didn't escape out the front door every time I took something out,  What I am most amazed at was with each burst of effort it seems like everything just started to fall into place. After a slow Wednesday, I began to be aware that I was not doing this by myself.  I had not got all that done the day before by myself.  I was receiving divine strength.
   On Wednesday Ben got home late and  we were both tired so we didn't get another load.  In the past, I only have had to load one truck up and take one load across a state, or so, and unload.  This back and forth, a little at a time, was not something I was used. (I was tempted to call you Mary and get a few tips)  By Thursday I was ready to see the end. I was anxious to try harder to get more done. It was a warm day so the snow had melted and it was not so soggy. A bit slippery, but at least the loads were not getting wet. I knew there was people that would help me, but aside from feeling a bit tired I was doing okay.  So I put my shoulder to the wheel. I wanted to see how much I could apply myself before I called in the backup, (Visiting teachers, friends and so forth).  Thursday I was able to get two loads.  It was really motivational to get the turck loaded and unloaded before picking up Lydia from school.  On the second load the kids slept in the Truck for an hour while loaded. ( A tender mercy).  On Thursday night Ben got home at eight.  To clarify, Ben wakes up at 5:00 gets out the door at 5:15 works from 5:30 to about 6:30 and  then repeats.  He commutes an hour and a half each way.  Each day of this crazy moving week he had been climbing pulls and running a crew as a temp foreman.  He, to say the least, was exhausted.  I knew at least we would have the weekend but I was prepping myself to take on the move because he would be tired.  Well all that prepping wasn't in vain because on Thursday night he got called out on storm damage to Cody, Wyoming.  There are 2000 people out of power and a huge transmission power line down.  They had to gather equipment and poles and crews together to head out.   He stayed up all night and called me the next morning at 9 to tell me they were just leaving town to go to Cody.  He worked a 23 hour shift on only two hours of sleep in a 36 hour period.  Talk about hard work... Just a little brag moment for my husband.
Friday.. two more loads... All that little junk at the end. Ben's still gone.  Friday night I call for the backup.  I needed muscle.  Brothers,  and Chrystal, I was thinking of you.  I told Ben I wouldn't lift anything too heavy.  So I called my home teacher and a the young men's president came with some of the young men..  Amori, who is living in Casper, also came and helped.  She helped me clean.  A friend watch my kids in the morning and Amori watched them at night while I cleaned the carpets. I got everything done around five.It was so nice to have all the help I did from people who were in the right place at the right time. Phew !
    This week was one of those super human weeks where the impossible somehow happened. It was blessings from the windows of heaven. One of those experience that I am feeling that there is not room enough to receive.

Pros about our new house
Awesome natural light.
Washer and dryer set that is new. 
An extra freezer
A big back yard (Anna walks around it like she owns the place.)
A counter with barstools.
Updated --like bran new
Three bedrooms
A great deck
built in microwave
lots of cupboard space and counter space

Christmas

In a whirlwind of driving and traveling we completed a two week family vacation.

The first stop.

Idaho Falls. Dalton time
We enjoyed --

• A girls shopping trip
• A sister reunion-- We hadn't seen a Lesley for more than two years.  And the cousins got to meet and catch up too.  Total number of kids---12 two six year old, (Montanna and Lydia)  five year old (Aubrey),  Three four year old (Eli and Brynlee and Eden) Two three year old (Ada and Emily) and three one year old (Anna and Ruger and Logan)
• Great Ham dinner
• Family Gift exchange and Grandma and Grandpa parents.
• Homemade ice cream 
• Games.

Next stop...
Post Falls
It also had been almost two years since we have been to visit them in Post Falls

• Homemade ice cream
• Basketball games
• Funny faces
• Temple night and fish fry
• Lunch Date
• Movie night
• Uncle visits
• Christmas morning magic
• Banana grams
• More homemade ice cream.
• Great Chats
• Great Food
• Home improvement project

This armor was a gift from the Lydia!! It was from the dollars store.  Some of the favorite presents cost so little.  Its just what he needed to play Narnia.  It is all a hit for his friends that come over.

The Nutcracker,  a Christmas classic.  Earlier in November Lydia and I went to the nutcracker ballet.  It was hosted by a company called Beautiful Feet.  They had a Russian Ballet come in and it was amazing.  Ever since then she wanted a nutcracker doll.  

Anna loves babies.  When she opened the baby is was all she would walk around with.

Eating Stocking food , Of Course!!

Fancy Pants  Esther!!

This was a shirt dress that I made Lydia!! I took a shirt that I had bought from Walmart and sewed on to the bottom of a shirt that I never wore.  It was a fun project and a great play and school dress for her.

The boy and his bow and arrow.

Trying out Lydia's Ear muffs

Let the Nerf Gun war begin!!

Nail time with Lydia's new fingernail polish

Then On our way to Bigfork. We couldn't resist the trip when we were so close!

• Great food, Poor mans Lobster- Which is Halibut. So tasty.
• More Homemade Ice Cream
• Date Night
• A few trips to the lake for Ben
• Sledding
• 
  

After a couple of days we head to Sugar City to visit Chrystal.  

• Late night chat 
• Packing up Christmas tree

It was a night there and then on to the the Beautiful Mountains of Star Valley

• A short a sweet visit was spent here
• The kids played with Grandpa
• Lydia ate and ate all of Grandma's potatoes.
• We wish we didn't have to leave

Great Grandma reading to Anna.  Anna would pull this little rocking chair where ever she would go.

 More Snow and a sled ride down to he barn and horses.

All the tripping around was spread of two weeks.  We loved spending time with all the family but after a two week trip we  were sure glad to get home and sleep in our own beds.