New Couch!

I have wanted a new couch for quite a while now. The brown one had served its purpose. It was a great couch, we got it for $200 on Craigslist. Microfiber, easy to clean and super comfortable. This couch has been through the ringer, lasting through three children, and all that that entails. We have also had several guests come to visit and they have stayed on the couch, some just for a night and other for a couple of weeks. But I was over the brown and I had ZERO intention of reupholstering it! I had found a couch that I fell in love with at IKEA but it was $600 and while that is a great price for a couch, it was a bit out of the budget. So I waited... and waited... and waited. Then there was a sale. $449 and that was the best deal I had seen so we pulled the trigger. And Jakob had doubts, but he loves me so I went shopping! 

 Sprout was an excellent helper. Gotta love IKEA and how they make you get all the pieces for whatever you are building. Good thing we live super close!

 Honestly SO excited!!

 My friend Heidi was borrowing a trailer and so it was super simple to get it home! We unloaded it and set it in the garage. I was so tempted to bust it out and put it together, but I still had our old couch. So I posted it to Craigslist in hopes of selling it. Jakob came home that night and by chance half of the Elders Quarum just happened to stop by. So five men moved out my old couch and put it in the garage. (Making a rather large hole in my wall during the process.)

 And then I set it up. (All by myself I'd like to add for the record.) And I LOVE it!! It fits our space perfectly and really changes the whole feeling of the room! 

 It's super functional and the whole family can sit on the couch without feeling like we are on top of one another!

 It also pulls out to a full sized bed. It's light weight and can be converted while someone is still sitting on the couch! This was huge for me. We have quite a bit of company and while yes we have the futon I really wanted to have an additional full sized sleeping area on the main floor! Naturally I needed to make a throw to have on hand for snuggling as well.

And the cherry on top, it opens up for storage! Needless to say I am super happy with out purchase. Jakob and I pull the couch out just about every night to snuggle and watch football or whatever show we are currently into. Jakob was sick a while ago and he slept out on the couch for three days trying not to contaminate me. It is so nice! And as an additional side note, I sold our old couch for $100!!! After 10 years of love I was pretty pleased with myself. I am so happy and super grateful!

Our Newest Pumpkin

At long last we are so beyond excited to announce we are expecting our third little one! Although the gap between Duke and this little one is much larger than I had originally anticipated I am so glad that the timing worked out the way it did. E will be going into kindergarten come next fall and I feel we are in great place with Duke and his speech progression that I'm not sure we would have been in if we would have had a little one already. The Lord knows what's best and while I've wanted this for what seems like forever, this was the way it was meant to be. 

So far I'm feeling great! Tired and a bit sick but no throwing up at all. I feel like I'm eating all. day. long. and I'm much bigger this time around than I was with E or Duke, but that's expected (while not enjoyed.) E couldn't be more excited about the baby and keeps asking to listen to my tummy and talks to the baby all the time. She was so little when we had Duke, so it's a fun change to have her a bit more involved. She of course wants a sister but I am almost positive it's a boy! Duke on the other hand doesn't really understand what's going on or he just doesn't care which I'm sure it's more the latter. 

We can't wait to meet this little one in April and I know it will be here before we know it!

Fair the Well Goldilocks

 As before mentioned our poor Goldilocks was stolen and lit on fire. When they called and said that I could come and take a look at it I assumed that it would be pretty beat up, a few burnt things but I was not expecting THIS! There was just shy of NOTHING left! 

 That is the front end sitting on what used to be the front seats. 

 The trunk. Needless to say the people who took her had a good time. I'm sorry your end was so violent old girl! You served our little family well. 

So we got a 2016 CRV and we LOVE it! Clean, classy, reliable and doesn't even shake when you accelerate or brake. It has been one expensive month in this Tobler home!

New House!

 On August 10th we closed on our very first house! To say we are excited would be a serious understatement. Everything happened so fast it was hard to believe that we were really buying a home. When I came back from Vegas we had determined that we would start our search for a house. I got online and picked out three to check out and quickly realized what we were NOT looking for. After diussing with our realtor we decided to narrow our search but at our price point we had pretty well determined that we were going to get a 3 bed/ 2 bath home with an unfinished basement. As soon as I signed back onto my online account I found our home. I went and saw it by myslef the next morning and there was another couple coming in as we were walking out who were planning, from what we understood, to make an offer. I called Jakob, told him I loved it and he said well then go for it! I'll come look at 4. Within a few hours were were signing the dotted line and we got 4 bed/ 3 full baths and a semi finished walkout basement. I was pretty excited!

 Once we closed the kiddos could hardly wait to go see the new house! Don't get me wrong, it is small. I mean sure it has rooms but it's an older home and it's just cozy as could be which we love!

 One of my new favorite pictures of E twirling in the living room.

 So grown up! 

We are excited and now we get to MOVE. (So many mixed emotions about unpacking!) We are looking forward to making this house home!

Lost Car

On Friday night I woke up to a strange pounding sound. To me in my sleepy mind it sounded like someone hammering in yard sale signs. It went on for a solid minute or two and I asked Jakob what he thought it was, only he didn't wake up. After hearing it again I finally woke Jakob up and we both listed. At this point I wish I would have looked at my clock to see what time it was (it was 3:00a.m.) we heard the pounding again and then some car started and car light flicked on and they drove away. We both went back to sleep. Jakob thought, that sounds like our car... it was. 

Jakob woke up to go toe the gym 2 hours later and the car was gone. Yeah, it was a bit baffling. We called the police who said that usually kids steal them, go joy riding and then dump them somewhere. So we had some hope that it may if fact be returned to us, a little worse for wear but still driveable. They also ended up taking the car seats, which aren't cheap to replace and that car had the stereo that my Daddy installed. He said "No girl should be without a radio." and he worked really hard to get that stereo to work and while I know the car would eventually die, it was a bit mad that yet again another piece of my Dad was taken away. 

Well today thy found our car. Someone had lit it on fire. And while I am really just angry about the entire situation, the fact that they burnt the car just puts me over the edge. While I am grateful that at least there was nothing truly expensive or valuable in the car, and even more grateful that no one was hurt, I am still frustrated. They took our ONLY car and at a rather inconvenient time. And while we are blessed to even have a vehicle, and we are blessed that Jakob has a good job where we will be able to buy a new car without it being a great struggle, it just wasn't in the plan. Just goes to show be grateful for what you have an to follow promptings and instincts when you have them. RIP Goldilocks! You were a good car and I'm sorry your end was so violent!

Back Home

I'm not sure how to even write this post because I really don't think it has sunk in yet. I have been putting it off. I know that I spoke at the funeral, I made the arrangements, went to the grave, but it all still feels so surreal. My father has passed away. He had a condition called myeloblastic syndrome which was a precursor to leukemia. All we knew (because Daddy didn't want to know too much and it have affect the way he lived) was that if he caught a fever, he had to go to the hospital. Well for the first time in more than two years, he got sick. Kind of strange because it wasn't the flu, there were no other symptoms other than stomach pain and spitting up large amounts of blood. He did what he was supposed to and though we tried and we prayed he passed away. I really don't think he knew he was dying, things were slow for the first few days and then it really all went terribly wrong within 24 hours. I was going to fly home, I booked my flight and he just had to hold on until 3:00 in the afternoon when I would land but he wasn't able to. He passed away at 2:22 in the morning on June 26th, 2015. While it makes me sad that I wasn't there to hold his had or to tell him how much I loved him I feel grateful. My last memories of my Dad are of him playing with the kids, or working on projects and racing through IKEA not of him sick in a hospital bed. I didn't need to tell him how much I loved him and I didn't need to hear it from him because we already knew. I knew how much he loved me, how proud he was of me. I wish I would have known that he was going to go while he was visiting because I would have held him a little longer when he hugged me good-bye. I would have cherished watching the hockey game with him a little more. We wouldn't have worked so hard and would have had more fun. I would have captured more pictures of him laughing in my memory but I already had those times with me and I'm so grateful that he was here, happy and thriving just two weeks before he passed away.

I landed in Canada 12 hours after he had passed and here was my mother, completely broken and I had no idea how to help her. She had lost her love, her partner, and her friend and I couldn't understand her pain. We went to the hospital so that Chris (who wasn't able to be there when he passed either) could see his body. I sat outside with Jared since I didn't want to see him. I could see the pain in Jared's eyes. I felt so bad for him. He had such a burden written on his heart having had to watch Dad go. He was strong yet broken and I felt bad because while I felt confusion I also felt peace because I know our Heavenly Father's plan and I also knew that Dad and I were okay. Jared was lost and my heart just ached for him.

The next day we just had a day. We went to DQ and got Dad's favorite shake. Chocolate Banana (so gross.) And we all had a sip. 

We went to the farmers market and just wandered. I could feel that I needed to step up. That I was going to be peoples rock and I was okay with that. It was a strange feeling since that was Daddy's roll. Things happened way too fast after that. I have only ever been to two funerals in my life, my great-grandmothers when I was 8 and a family friends 8 years ago. As I sat with Mom making the arrangements I felt this pressure having to write an obituary, having to speak at the funeral, all of the loose ends that needed to be tied up it was all so surreal and happening so fast!

 We went to church as a family and Jared sat there with his arms around Mom. I was so proud of him. It felt empty and strange with out Daddy but we were leaning on each other and it was so nice to be at church. 

When somebody passes away suddenly, you find yourself clinging to everything that was theirs. Just to feel their presence in your life just a little bit. It was strange to me to have all of these emotions and not know how to capture them. I am a picture person but pictures didn't feel right so I tried to capture my Dad with the little things that were his. 

Dad didn't have much that was "his." his list of personal belongings was short but he was blessed in so many other ways and he didn't mind. 

His slippers. I'm not sure why but the fact that they were just sitting there just as he left them made things a bit better. When they accidentally got moved I lost it. I'm sure those were the last things that he touched before he left for the hospital for some reason it really bothered me.

 For the most part I was fine. I felt empty in a way you can't describe but I had this strength that I didn't understand. I was calm, put together and focused on what needed to be done. It was fine until my family arrived. Everyone was over for dinner and my cousin Jessica came with her daughter Lydia. I brought some of my toys upstairs for her to play with and I sat there watching her play. Then Uncle Mark (her grandpa) came over and they started tickling, wrestling and laughing and in that moment my entire world shattered. The memories from last year hit me like a ton of bricks when my dad was giving horsey rides to my kids in that same room with those same toys. It hit me that that would never happen again.  I raced outside, completely embarrassed by my outbreak of emotion and cried the ugly kind of cry. You know the one where you feel like your stomach is being ripped from your body and you can hardly breathe. Of course I had to have my "moment" with a house full of people, with everyone's eyes on me, watching me waiting for me to crumble. It was horrible and embarrassing and all I wanted was my Dad. When I finally pulled myself together it was time to go get Jakob and I was so relieved to have him there with me.

Someone left a candle on our front porch. It was a small yet profound gesture that meant a lot to me. It may have seemed strange but I loved all of the company. I disliked being alone and the first few days our house was like a rotating door of family and friends and it was so comforting. My parents are so well loved and I am so thankful for all of the comments of love, support and encouragement. I cried all day writing this post. I know the pain will heal. I know that I will miss him forever but that with time it won't hurt as badly. I find myself on my knees asking for support. I know I am not the first person to lose a parent and I consider myself to be very lucky that I had him for so long. That he got to see me get married and that he got to see my children but at times I feel as though no one understands, and that is when I turn to the Lord. I know that He understands, that He feels my pain and that our Savior suffered and felt exactly what I am feeling now and through His atonement I can be healed of this suffering. I am so thankful for the plan of salvation and for the gift that the knowledge of this plan is. Heavenly Father didn't send us here to this Earth and simply say good luck, He gave us a plan. I am thankful for eternal families and for the blessing of the temple. I feel so blessed to have been raised my such a giant of a man. He truly was amazing. And I look forward to the day when I get to give him a hug and hear him say "Welcome home Roo."

House Tour

We moved to Kansas the end of May. It was a whirl wind! We had just spent two weeks in Vegas and my parents drove in from Canada 20 minutes after we had walked in the front door. It was literally, "Hey! So glad you're here!!! Sorry you just spent the whole day in the car but, Mom, you start cleaning and Daddy, grab a box!" May I recommend to all those moving to ensure that you have an entire day to unload. By the time we had unloaded the truck it was almost bed time and we still had to set everything up. I was so thankful that my parents were there to help sort, play with kids, unpack, and settle us in. Here is the front of our house. 

The living room from the front door. To the left (not pictured) is the entrance to the kitchen. The door way in the corner is the way to the main bath, play room and bedrooms. 

 The wall from the couch. 

 My photo frame collection wall. Mama and I had such a fun time finding frames that would pull the wood, rustic, steel and yet a fresh vibes from my home. It was a challenge but I am in love with it!

From the hallway entrance to the front door.

The hallway doorway. There is a little coat closet straight ahead. Then the main bathroom. If you turn right, there is the kids room, the linen closet and our bedroom.

The main bathroom. It is tiny. There is a tiny lip around the sink which is an upgrade from our last house and there is a cupboard below. But unlike our last house there is no closet in the bathroom so we store everything in the linen closet right next to where I am standing taking the picture. 

It's bigger than our last bathroom. At least two bodies can fit in here if necessary but it's still tiny.

I do really like the tile in the shower though. 

Next door to the bathroom is the kids room. Tiny closets but plenty big enough for a crib and *ta DA* a BIG girl bed for Ethnie. She loves her big girl bed and Duke is stoked to finally be in a crib! P.S. I seriously thought about making her bed but this is how it always looks, just keeping it real folks. :)

Opposite of the bathroom is our room. It is our smallest one yet but we don't need to fit anything accept our bed and a dresser in here which is a bonus! 

 While we have a ton of wall space in our house I was finding I still didn't have enough room for all of my pictures. I have wanted to make a collage wall for a while now and so I gathered up all of the black picture frames I had and arranged them and hung them up on the wall. I can't tell you how much I love it! 

The hall and our growth chart from our room. 

Back at the hallway door from the living room now looking left is our play room. We have never had a play room before and let me tell you.... I LOVE IT!!!!!! It is so nice to have all of the toys contained in one room and not have that room be your living room. My Mama, Daddy and I had a great time figuring out just how we wanted to set it up. 

This is my doll house the my G-pa made me when I was 5. It's massive and I played with it for hours and hours. My Dad rented a U-HAUL and brought down all of my things so E had a ton of fun things to play with that were mine when I was little.

Love these storage bins from IKEA they are great! Plus those buckets are HUGE and can fit a ton of things in there! 

And the reading center. We used picture frame shelves as book shelves and added another bin storage along this wall. We then made a cozy corner next to the doll house for reading. It's my favorite!

If you continue on through the play room you will come to the 1/2  bathroom off of the kitchen and the biggest closet in the house. 

 The kitchen. The hallway with the potty is right by the fridge. I love having some counter space once again. This kitchen has way more cupboard space than our last place. They are little and set up a bit odd but I am so glad that I can put my things away in a drawer or cupboard at least! I also love the L island. It's a blessing and a curse since it is a flat space, lots of things end up just being piled there. It is a lot of work to keep it clear! The door the the left leads to the garage and downstairs.  

 

 This is the smallest fridge I have ever had but we once again have a garberator and a gas stove!!!!! HALLELUIAH! Our dishwasher is also super quiet which is awesome!

 

 My favorite feature though is being able to see the kids in the play room while I make dinner.

 

Our dinning room. We bought the table from the people who lived there before us. We can actually seat more than 4 people at the table at once which is so nice! 

On one wall I hung up a string with clothes pins to display all of E's art work and creations that we made instead of taping them to the wall. 

I was also blessed enough to have some fresh flowers sent to me by my brother and sister in laws Chad & Janet and Clark & Rachel. I love having fresh flowers in the house and they really meant a lot to me! Thank you guys! 

 On the other wall I finally got to hang up our picture of the SLC temple. Jakob and I were married here 6 years ago and I got this bad boy for $20. I haven't had the wall space to hang it up and now that I do it makes my heart happy! 

From the kitchen back into the living room.

My main complaint about this house is having to go through the garage to get downstairs and outside.

To the downstairs.

From the door that lead to the garage. If you go through the door pictured it will lead you to the storage room.

 The hall to the "Tornado Room"

We call this our "Tornado Room." There was no way that I was moving to Kansas without having a basement. While Mom Tobler was here she really helped get all of the boxes out of this room so that if it was needed to hide out for a while we could. It's the perfect space for running, climbing, and playing. I think that we will be moving the doll house down here. 

I was on the hunt for some toy storage for down stairs. I went to this yard sale and I found this bad boy for $10! Jack Pot! It is the exact same as the ones upstairs but double wide. It has a bit of water damage but for what we were using it for it was perfect!!! 

 If you go through the door that was in the pictured before you will go to the storage room. 

This is where the washer and dryer is as well. To the right though, there is a door. 

Which leads to our office/ craft room. 

It is so nice to have an office/ craft room again. It's a bit hard to hear upstairs which is a bit annoying but it is great to have all of our stuff in one place again and to have a spot to work! 

At the top of the stairs to the basement is the door to the backyard. We have a window in the kitchen to see in the back but i still don't feel comfortable sending them out here by themselves just yet. 

It's nice a spacious and fenced in. We have been so blessed with this home and I {love} it! It fits us just perfectly for now and I am excited to make memories here! Welcome to Kansas!