All that she wants...

is this:

Remember way back when I posted this picture?

This is our lot where our house will hopefully eventually stand

Well, it looks like this now:

Yep, the same-identical-still house-less!

Good news, we are going to get our loan this week. Why in tarnation has this taken so long? Because we had to rezone, split the lot and put the lot in our name. On top of that, we have had to deal with wetland issues, an uncooperative city who drags their feet, fights over the sidewalk and about a million other stumbling blocks I don't have time to list.

But.............what's that? A light at the end of the tunnel! Water and sewer are being put in next week...perhaps I will attach a dishwasher directly to the main line, camp out and dig the foundation with a shovel. Sounds better than sitting around waiting for people to get things done!

Knock-Off Wood

If you haven't heard about Knock-Off Wood, you really aren't living! The second I have a garage (and a babysitter), I am whipping out the power tools...okay, Dustin will whip out our borrowed power tools, we'll work away and furnish our house b.e.a.utifully for thousands less than purchased furniture.

Here's our (future) dining table

And benches!
Anywho...Ana- the owner and fabulous carpenter at KOW, makes absolutely NO money for her hard work on her extremely detailed plans. She looks at the fancy-schmancy websites like Pottery Barn and West Elm {swoon}, and then gives us plans (for free!) so we can build our own.

Pottery Barn is mad now...she uses their pictures (stating that they are knock-offs) and she now has to take those pictures down. Imagine...a company who makes way too much money off of something we can make ourselves and we support them?!?! (I don't think there is one in Utah, but still...)

So, scurry on over and check out Ana, and spread the word. Us bloggers should have freedom of speech, or the press, or whatever.

Gibberish

I am so glad I have our wonderful brother in law as our general contractor. He knows how to speak gibberish. Reviewing our house plans with our equally wonderful drafter last night, I could have sworn we had been teleported to another country. "This can't be English" I thought- but I kept it to myself as to not look like a fool. (If you need either of these guys, let me know...he is beyond a perfectionist and does awesome work. She is super nice and by far the best deal around.)

Anyways, things are moving quickly now...a little too fast for me. I hate change, even though our new house is awesome. The lot, plans and mortgage will be rolling in the next 2 weeks...then it is a waiting game until I find a job...

Really, seriously? I thought I had credentials...*huge sigh* sometimes life just gets you down...I feel like a pretty big failure. Not that I ever feel supremely (diva-ishly) great about myself, but life.is.just.beating.me.down.

Alright...so we don't end on a bad note and you don't all think I am such a whiner...I saved 55% at Macey's yesterday. I am now getting good at this whole coupon thing most of the time (yay for success!). Best deals I found:
The whole coupon book they released, namely the $3 off meat (just look for "FP" after the name of the meat) Pick it up at the front of the store, most are good until the 16th, some until the 31st.
Stauffer's mac and cheese for $1.99 (same as the 1/2 pound!)- normally $3.49
3 liter water for 88 cents (normally $1.89)- Great for food/water storage.

Go here for more great deals and matchups!

Morbid decor and AA

I will try to be sensitive as I explain this morbid? thought I had last night. I was at Allen Hall Mortuary to attend a viewing for a great neighbor of my mom's. I walked in and noticed they had redone their decor. I was there to pay my respects and I did graciously, but...man! It is seriously beautiful! White details with a mainly brown and blue theme. Most awesome were the mirrored dressers and other details throughout. Anyways...I am morbid and I want my house to look like the funeral home. Don't worry, I refrained from taking pictures or asking for the name of their decorator. Anyone else covet decor in odd places? Nope...alright then, I will keep it to myself :)

Other happenings...

We are getting our house plans drawn up on Thursday! The lot should be in our name by next week. Then, we wait...and wait...while I try to find a part time job that I don't want to go to. I think it shows in my interviews that I really want to be home with my little man *shrug*

My name is Ashley and I am addicted to coupons. I don't think this requires a trip to AlAnon but I may have to pay the cashiers to go to anger management classes. They don't have a coupon addiction, more like a hatred. I have kept track of my purchases and just in the last 2 days (I shop at the beginning of the month) we have saved over $45 or about 53%. YAY! Last week I saved about 80% on my shopping trip. I felt like a thief.

Just so you aren't completely picture-less...I made these sun shades and decorated with Ryker's favorite things (horses now trump deer, I just can't keep up). Tutorial here.

Dun Dun Dun DUN!!!

That title looks creepy...but it is supposed to be a trumpet, or whatever it is when you have big news...perhaps a drumroll would be better *rrrrrrrr BING* (I really don't know, but this is big. huge!)

We have picked a house plan! This is a bigger commitment than marriage...okay...well not really, BUT we are going to live in this house forever and always so I wanted perfection. I came close but that darn budget just wouldn't let us squeeze in a bonus room...Let's take a tour of the Hayword....

Note the changes...it is so so ORANGE but don't worry, my contractor brother-in-law is super good at making things look awesome.

Step inside to THIS:
Just a few changes....
1. Most important: flip the house like a mirror image so the garage is on the right to fit the lot better.
2. The den will be a bedroom and will have the door in the hallway near the other bedroom
3. Move the 3rd car to be a little set back and open to the front like the other garage. The spot where the third car is right now will be turned into a large patio.

Just a little disclaimer (mostly to myself). The bedrooms are somewhat far apart which makes me nervous...but like Dustin reminded me "they are big more than they are little" code for: Ryker will sleep one of these days. That great room is really where we will be as a family.

I want it done NOW! Plans are being drawn up next week as well as finalization on the lot YAY! We so need in there like right now- we have big dreams for a HUGE garden...who would have known my veggie hating husband would be so excited about our garden and seed catalog coming in the mail?!? Almost as good as the tax return that could be entirely blown on our mega awesome garden.

The Good (No Bad or Ugly)

We got Ryker's test results and the good news is that he does not have celiac disease or cystic fibrosis! Don't get me wrong- I am very glad that he does not have a serious disease. We just can't help him becuase we don't know what is wrong! So so frustrating, but now we wait until we go see the great doctors down at Primary Childrens (December 12th). Thanks for all the support and prayers- they are very much appreciated.


In other news- we have chosen a house plan!! We still haven't got the lot stuff all squared away (hopefully by late January) but since the owner kind of likes us we think he is still game to have us as neighbors :)


Anyways- let me have your input- the good, the bad and the ugly.

Here is the outside- it will be jazzed up a bit with some rock and hardy board. It will be darker too. There will also be 3 dormers on the roof. Basically, it won't look like this :)

Here is the houseplan itself. Horrible picture but I don't know how to get a bigger one. Anyways, there are a few changes that I tried to write in. They are just small: double sided wood burning fireplace, mudroom, walk in pantry and possibly a half bath added to the back of the house near the laundry and minor changes in the master bath.

• 
  Things I LOVE about this plan:
  Huge master (16X21) and large bedrooms (12X12)
  Nice open living area with a large island in the kitchen (don't be suprised if I never ever leave that kitchen).
  Fireplace and nice sitting area in back- I can envision myself sitting in my sunroom (I have always wanted one!) sitting with a book, blanket, hot cider and a nice fire reading a book while the snow falls. *sigh*
  Large walk in pantry for all of my future canning.
  Bonus room for crafts and lots of family fun!
  Dustin just loves the 3 car garage and we will be adding a lift for him to perfect his Camaro.

There is also a bonus room above the whole house that doubles our space (YEAH!) Since we can't have a basement due to the high water table, we are building up.

Seriously, tell me your input because living in this cracker box, I have no real ideas as to what makes a great house!

I CANNOT WAIT!

BIG Update

So, since our last update (which I didn't get actually posted until today...) we have had BIG changes. This:

is now our house...

that's right, pitching a tent and moving in...NOT! (Me, really camp? NO!)

We are going to build a house in the spring on a one acre lot in Providence (I will be home, YAY!) For those of you who know Providence at all, this is about 3 1/2 blocks north of the Elementary School. We are SO excited but due to stupid paper work and deciding on a house plan, we won't even start construction until Spring :( but the end is in sight! We are beyond excited and can't wait to spend the next 50 years or so right there!

PS: Thanks for those of you who suggested we buy a starter- this is going to be more affordable for us (just trust me :) and also, save us from moving to timbucktoo! We are so excited to be close to family.

2 Years

Yesterday was our anniversary. We have been married for 2 whole years! It seems like just yesterday and forever sometimes. I am so proud of us and how far we have come. I am excited for the future and so happy to have our little man to complete our family.

For our anniversary we went to look at houses. We are still in love with the house in Dayton. Even more now that we have looked inside and seen the space and other goodies like a deck, SEVEN barns and the large bedrooms and bathrooms. It would be so great but we just haven't quite committed to moving that far away from everyone we love.

For our anniversary, I got a vacuum (yay! I really am excited) and I got both of us a trip to see Gary Allan in September! We went to Chilli's and my mom watched Ryker. It was a nice, relaxing, fun day with my boys!