The Next Chapter....

So the financial situation is tough for all of us.

And it finally got to a point where something drastic had to happen.

Ashli and Mack offered to let me move in with them so I can save up some money.

The boys would stay in Nephi with their Dad while Tyler finishes up high school at Juab.

It was a heart wrenching decision.

I analyzed it from every angle.

Over and over again.

I consulted all of my trusted advisors.

And there was not one disssenting vote.

Everyone said I should take Ashli and Mack up on the offer.

That it was the absolute best thing for me financially and emotionally right now.

Mack sent me this picture in a text.

They had set up a bed for me in the spare bedroom.

With an Easter basket full of lotions, candy, a big fluffy towel...

I cried.

I knew I'd made the right decision.

The night before I moved out of Nephi, the boys and I spent hours just hanging out at my apartment. Zack brought Sweet Pea and played me lots of music. He kept saying

"You wanna hear a song I wrote?"

I fell for it every time. He'd play a gorgeous song, I'd be like "Wow, Zack. That's amazing." Til either he or Tyler finally cracked a smile and I knew it was just some popular song that I haven't heard on the radio. So he'd say "Sorry, Mom. No, really. I wrote this one." Then do it again. We had SO much fun:) A night I'll never forget!

I kept a stash of tootsie roll midgees over there by the computer.

But Tyler doesn't really eat junk food or drink pop.

Little Zack downed nearly the whole bag of tootsie rolls.

I'm super proud of how much I've downsized my stuff this past year.

Starting when we thought we had the house sold last Spring and we took literally 20 tons of stuff to the dump.

Then taking only what I really needed to the apartment in Nephi.

And now I've taken it down to one room and a corner of a storage unit.

It feels pretty good, actually. Freeing.

The grandfather clock my Dad made was the most important item in my move. It was the first thing we loaded because I wanted to make sure it would be safe for the 40-mile journey.

I LOVE this clock:)

Tyler took good care of it.

Mack brought the Cummins and a horse trailer over to Nephi to load up my stuff.

I don't think he's nearly as impressed with my downsizing as I am.

It seemed like a lot of stuff as they hauled it outside.

But I think I did pretty well. There was still room at the top of the trailer:)

I know I say this all the time.

But I have the most amazing kids in the world.

I already LOVE it here.

Ashli and Mack have made me feel so welcome and loved:)

NO MORE LAUNDRY-MAT:)

This is a little bit bittersweet for me, as I kind of got used to the whole thing.

It's great, though. To have a washer and dryer RIGHT HERE where we live. lol.

I had a washer just like this many years ago. I think Dixie gave it to us.

Those Kenmores last forever!!!

Hemi hung out with me today while I did some homework.

Love her:)

And if we walk through the backyard, we end up at the ball fields. Woohoo!

We watched Kritter play against Biggie and Makenzie tonight.

Super fun night:)

Life is good. Really.