Week 4

Things calmed down a bit in the neighborhood this week, but that's a good thing! It means that they are ready for us to start working. 

This last week our basement and garage slab were poured, and temporary electrical was installed. Coming up this Saturday-- we start pounding nails!

Week 3- Backfill!

Now that the house is all back filled, we can finally see how big our lot is. There will be plenty of space to run around, and even for Dallas to build a shop in the back yard (one day). 

The rough plumbing was completed, and the basement and garage floor were prepared for the slab. 

For now, we don't mind relaxing in the basement on the rocks. 

And look!!! Our sign is up! :)

I Love to See the Temple

The first temple day was in Salt Lake.  Dallas and I had the opportunity to see his cousin Nate be sealed to his wife, Becca.  It was a beautiful ceremony and reminded me that the most important person in my life is my incredible husband.  He is, as the sealer said, my ticket to the Celestial Kingdom.  We can't get there without each other, and I don't want to be there without him.

Dark and early the next morning I filled up my car with a group of valiant young women and headed down the canyon.  We were in the Provo Temple at 6AM, and within what seemed like no time at all, the waiting room was filled with youth ready to participate in Baptisms for the Dead.  To see that many worthy young men and young women was inspiring!  There is so much good in the world.

The very next day my husband and I sat with his grandparents as our building was made to be an extension of the temple for the purpose of rededicating the Ogden temple.  What a wonderful opportunity we all had to participate!  The meeting was beautiful, and I was humbled to be there.

I don't know if I will ever end up in the temple three days in a row again, but I hope I will.  Everything we are taught, all we are asked to do, leads to the temple.  What a blessing it is to be able to participate in sacred ordinances and to be reminded of all our Father in Heaven has in store for each and every one of us.  

Twinners!

It's always cute to make your kids match.  Even when your kids are 31 and 23.

***Side note: Scooter needs a haircut.

Boys will be boys!

I cannot keep up with Will.

The holes in clothes, the dirt, the scrapes!  It's one thing or another with that boy these days.  In the last week he has ended up with a terrible rope burn on his neck from riding his bike into a twine rope stretched behind someone's property, he's come home from his friend's covered in mud from head to toe, he showed me a rad new trick on his bike, and he cut half his eyebrow off with scissors.  I can't make this stuff up!

He turns 8 in just over a week, and I have a sick feeling this is just the beginning...

That Annie!!!

These are old, but I have to be sure they are not forgotten!  I'm betting they were said about April of 2013.  Annie still kills us!

"Mom, why did Jesus create bum cheeks?  I think it was to hold in our #1 and #2."
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My cute friend Mindy that just so happens to be 4'10" came to bring us dinner after we had Paige.  Annie says, "Mindy, you are so cute and so little.  Are you a kid or an adult?"

We laugh and Mindy says, "I'm an adult!"

Annie replies, "When I grow up I want to be just like you.  You are so cute and so little."
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Week 2

I may or may not drive by the house up to 5 times a day.  It's like a moth to a flame!  So much is happening and it is all so exciting.  This week our foundation walls were poured, and the waterproofing was painted on.  The other houses are coming along, too.  We were told that they are being built according to which home is easiest to frame.  Of the 6 homes that are being built in this phase, we are 4th in line.

The kids still love to go and see what has been done on the house.  Paige is the most content.  Give that girl a pile of rocks, and she'll be happy for hours!

Canning

I have so many memories of my mom canning.  Since I was called the "Pickle Pusher," it was my job to scrub all the cucumbers.  I would help my mom remove the skin from peaches, pears, tomatoes, and apples.  Our house would be steamy, hot, and full of preserved quarts of delicious harvest for the coming year. It was a labor of love.

I have loved carrying on this tradition with my own family.  My mom taught me everything I know, and this was the first year that I didn't can with her by my side.  Usually I take a day or two and spend it canning in Syracuse with her, but now that I have two kids in school, it is much more difficult to get away.  I will admit, that I loved steaming up my own house, and having my rooms smell like pickles for a change!

I even got my own little helper this year.  I didn't even have to ask, Will just came into the kitchen and asked how he could help!  He was a champ.  He took care of the blanching and the peeling while I filled the bottles.  We were a dynamic duo!

My bushel of peaches only filled 21 quarts this year (we ate A LOT of peaches in only a couple of days.... probably a little too much), and I got 14 quarts of pickles.  Plenty to keep our shelves stocked for the coming year, and to keep our name of the "Pickle Nicoll's!"

Flawless

The temple is perfection on earth.  I don't believe there is a flaw in that entire building.  During my tour of the Ogden Temple yesterday, that is all I could think about.  Did it take lots of time? Yes.  Were there mess ups that likely had to be redone?  No doubt.  With patience, time, and a skillful hand, it was finished.

Flawless.

The Lord will shape us in a similar way.  Be patient.  Don't worry about how many times you have to start over, just keep trying.  Eventually, we will all be perfected in Him.

I attended the open house with two of my young women, Hailey Ostergaard and Rebecca Hokansen.  We had such a great time together!  I am so blessed to serve them.

Week 1: A hole and footings.

Last week we got a hole in the earth! They broke ground on August 26, 2014.  It's pretty astounding to walk through the neighborhood and see 6 giant holes and mountains of dirt all around. Also a little overwhelming to think that we'll be building the homes that go in those holes- and they still have 3 more to dig! Things are really happening!

I swung by today and they poured our footings this morning. It is all so exciting and so great to see progress. In the words of Annie Kate, "This is more exciting than Disneyland!"

One Crazy Summer

From Seattle, to Yellowstone, and Afton and Causey,

We flew through our summer spending an awful lots-y;

On gas, and plane tickets, food and Lagoon,

it seems every night we played under the moon.

We ran down the mountain to hit Seven Peaks,

picnicked in parks, and ate lots of cold treats.

 We shoved it all in thinking any second,

we'd start building our house and that would end it.

We made plans and we waited, building delayed.

So what did we do?  We played, and we played!

With Jenn, James and Alli, and so many friends,

it's hard to believe our summer has come to an end!

Good memories from Girl's Camp, family reunions and more,

of geysers, and Grandparents we'll be sure to store.

We're ready for calm.  For leaves to fall down.

We're ready to spend time in our own lazy town.

This summer was great, we'll never forget it.

Here's to the next season, this one's my favorite.

Back to School!

The first day of school is one of the greatest days.  There is so much anticipation!  My kids are always up at the crack of dawn, dressed in new duds, shoe laces tied, and back packs on... all before I even roll out of bed.  It's a shame that it doesn't continue through the entire year.

This year Will is a Second Grader!  He is excited to have a boy teacher- Mr. Neal.  He has several good friends in his class, which we are all very happy about.

Miss Annie Kate is a kindergartener!!!  We have been waiting for this day for a looooong time.  She has Mrs. Palmer whom Annie will no doubt love and adore.  She already one a prize for being "the best student in the class" according to Annie.  She loves school, and she is going to grow leaps and bounds this year.  I made it through the day almost without shedding a tear.  Annie wanted to ride her bike home from school (all 1.6 miles!), so I pulled Paige in the trailer behind her.  Watching Annie bike in front of me made her seem so big.  How does time go slowly and quickly all in the same breath?

I love having my kids in school.  Don't read this the wrong way- I don't necessarily love having them gone all the time.  What I do love is knowing that they are engaged for the entire day.  They are socializing, they are learning new things, they are playing and growing!  School is a very, very good thing.  Love those little students of mine.

As for Paige, she is just doing her best to stay awake through her lunch.

Home for a Nicoll

We are building a house!

Deciding on where- and how!- to settle was no easy task.  I feel like we went through quite the process, research, and many, many tears on my part before we settled on where we will settle.  We are building with a group called Self Help Homes.

What does this mean?  This means that we are building, with our own two sets of hands, not only our own home, but NINE others.  There will be 10 families in our group, and we will all be building under the supervision of a licensed contractor.  Some things we will be subcontracting out- excavation, foundation and cement work, dry wall, mud, electric, rough plumbing; the majority, however, will be completed by the homeowners.

The task is daunting!  We are very excited and anxious to start the process.  We closed on our loan last month and we just got word that our permits are done at the city, and we will begin digging hopefully this week!  I will be blogging throughout the process, so stay tuned for many more updates.

As of today, we have picked our floor plan, exterior colors and finishes, and are waiting to start framing some time in the next couple of weeks.

Anyone willing to pound a hammer?  Or adopt a child for a few months?  'Cause we could use you.

Abby's Mission Call

We are so excited and proud of Dallas' baby sister Abby.  After spending a year at college at USU, she made the decision to serve a mission.  Of the 9 children, she will be the first missionary!  We are all so thrilled to have a missionary in the family.  Abby is wonderful, and I know that she will make such a great influence in Santiago, Chile.  She leaves December 17th-- perfect timing to get out of the cold and snowy Wyoming weather and see the sun! 

We all gathered at Jenn's house to watch her open the call.  There was laughter and tears of joy when she read her call.  What a humbling experience to give up 18 months of your life to be strictly on the Lord's errand.  It is surely a life changing experience.

Great Grandma Nicoll's Reunion!

The Great Nicoll family reunion is something we look forward to in the summer.  We camped just below Causey Reservoir again this year.  The water was cold, but our hearts were warm!  It's amazing how when you get together it seems like so much has changed, but so much remains the same.  Our family has grown since last we camped, adding spouses and babies makes things more fun as there's new people to get to know.  Grandma kept the kids busy with superhero games and scavenger hunts, and the adults enjoyed something we rarely get to do- SIT!

All of Grandma and Grandpa Nicoll's kids were able to be there!  

Top: Diane and Nancy

Bottom: David, Phyllis, Lyman, Mark and Alan

Look at our family!!!  It was almost all of us.  We were missing Jake, Misty and Austin this year.  Words can't express how much I love this family of mine.