As many of you know, we've decided to move from the Sandy area and relocate to Weber or Davis county. The rationale behind this move is so I can be closer to work, lessening my commute and gaining more time with my family. Currently I travel 42 miles one way to work, which takes between 40-60 minutes each way depending on traffic. Based on my current schedule, that means I leave the house at 5:50 a.m. and get home around 4:30 p.m. My hope is that when we move closer to work, I'll be able to spend more time with my family. And if the truth be known, I'm ready for a change and want to live in a newer, larger home. Call me greedy, but our "stuff" has outgrown our current home. I'll blame it on two kids, all their toys and the fact that I don't dare part with any of their old clothes since I'm afraid the minute I do, we'll somehow be blessed with another baby. I can hope, right?
Each time I've purchased a home, I've gotten more and more particular in the things that I'm looking for. My first home was a townhouse in Millcreek, UT. Buying my first home was so scary, but so exciting at the same time. It was a 3 bedroom 2 story home that was only about 5 years old when I moved in. I was so scared that I wouldn't be able to make the mortgage payments, so I rented 2 of the rooms to roommates. Over the 5 years I lived there, I only had about 7 roommates, and oh what an adventure. I learned a lot about people and I learned a lot about myself. . . some good and some not so good. I loved everyone of those roommates and miss those relationships today since I've lost track or have little contact with most of them now.
When I married Jon, he moved into my house with me, but we wanted to find a place of our own that we both chose together. We found a home in Sandy, before it was even on the market. Weird situation, but I'm a firm believer it was meant to be. So we bought our home and have lived here for the past 5 years. It appears I have an itch to move every 5 years. :) We've loved this home, but now it's time to move on.
Finding the right house is so hard. There are so many to choose from in today's housing market, but some are better than others. I'm getting very particular in my old age and want very specific things in my new home. Now that hard part is finding all the particulars in one house. I keep finding some of my particulars in each house. The biggest thing we're careful about is finding a home that is CAN NOT be a fixer-upper. If you've seen the projects that Jon and I have done together on our home, you'd laugh. We're not exactly the handy type, oh and forget plumbing and electrical. . . we don't touch that. . . or shall I say, I won't let Jon work on those projects. We've had too many incidents with plumbing particularly that now I make sure we have a plumber's number handy at all times.
We've found houses that we like and that would meet our needs, but nothing has jumped out and "spoken" to me yet. :) Am I just crazy? I need to find a home that when I walk in, it feels like home! I know we can make any house feel like a home, but I also feel like I'm suppose to be somewhere, but I haven't found where that is yet.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Missing a Friend
A dear friend of mine posted to this blog on October 20th. Cheryl Smith. I've lost track of you and don't know how to reach you. Please let me know how I can contact you. E-mail me at this blog e-mail, tomicrane@gmail.com I miss you and want to talk to you, but can't seem find you. Miss you!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
New Additions
Jon pointed out that our last post in July 2010 introduced Lola to the family. It's sad to report that Lola left our family months after that introduction. She was part Boxer, part Labrador and was so high energy. It got to the point that she was constantly jumping our fence and we couldn't keep her contained. She didn't jump the fence to run away, but would jump the fence to go visit the neighbors to the east and to the south, both of which had dogs. On more than one occasion we got the phone call or knock on the door from the neighbors saying that once again, Lola was in their yard playing with their dog. We tried everything, but to no avail, so we listed her on KSL and found her a great family with a stay at home mom and a dad who wanted to take her running twice a day. Interestingly, I got a phone call from them about 2 weeks ago where they reported that she's doing fabulous. She still jumps the fence at her house and still has lots of energy, but she fits in perfect with their family and they are so happy to have her.
Well, we weren't lonely too long, because in February, Tayton joined our family. She is the most good natured little girl ever. Just so happy and easy going. Only fusses when she needs her diaper changed or when she is hungry or tired. Now at eight months old, she's nothing but smiles and happiness. She's so happy and giggly. We recently discovered that if you put her in her excersaucer in front of a Baby Einstein movie, she squeals at the top of her lungs and shivers she's so excited about it. Tayton has a full head of hair that has a little curl to it and everywhere we go, someone stops us to ohh and aww over her. Think she's too young for "Toddlers and Tiaras"? Just kidding. Tayton enjoys blowing raspberries all the time and sticking her tongue out. Not very lady like if you ask me, but I think she can get away with it for a few more months. Noah enjoys giving her kisses and blaming bad smells in the car on her.
A 2nd new edition joined our family on May 23rd this year. Sonny is a black miniature Schnauzer given to us by Jon's brother Mike and wife Sara. We didn't want another dog after Lola, but couldn't resist Sonny. He is calm. . . he wants to lay around all day right next to you with his head on his lap. He is quiet. . . he never barks, even when someone comes to the door. He puts up with Noah hugging on him, kissing him, mauling him and yelling, "Sonny Come!" so quickly and loudly that it sounds like "Sick'em!" He even let Noah bury him beneath mounds of toys. Couldn't have asked for a better dog and am so glad we chose to welcome him into our home. 
No other additions to our family to report at this time. I keep telling Jon there is one more little soul out there to join our family, but I don't know how or when. Give us the strength to keep up with the two we have! We love each of them dearly!
Well, we weren't lonely too long, because in February, Tayton joined our family. She is the most good natured little girl ever. Just so happy and easy going. Only fusses when she needs her diaper changed or when she is hungry or tired. Now at eight months old, she's nothing but smiles and happiness. She's so happy and giggly. We recently discovered that if you put her in her excersaucer in front of a Baby Einstein movie, she squeals at the top of her lungs and shivers she's so excited about it. Tayton has a full head of hair that has a little curl to it and everywhere we go, someone stops us to ohh and aww over her. Think she's too young for "Toddlers and Tiaras"? Just kidding. Tayton enjoys blowing raspberries all the time and sticking her tongue out. Not very lady like if you ask me, but I think she can get away with it for a few more months. Noah enjoys giving her kisses and blaming bad smells in the car on her.
A 2nd new edition joined our family on May 23rd this year. Sonny is a black miniature Schnauzer given to us by Jon's brother Mike and wife Sara. We didn't want another dog after Lola, but couldn't resist Sonny. He is calm. . . he wants to lay around all day right next to you with his head on his lap. He is quiet. . . he never barks, even when someone comes to the door. He puts up with Noah hugging on him, kissing him, mauling him and yelling, "Sonny Come!" so quickly and loudly that it sounds like "Sick'em!" He even let Noah bury him beneath mounds of toys. Couldn't have asked for a better dog and am so glad we chose to welcome him into our home. 
No other additions to our family to report at this time. I keep telling Jon there is one more little soul out there to join our family, but I don't know how or when. Give us the strength to keep up with the two we have! We love each of them dearly!
Potty Training Challenges
Can't believe it's already been a year since we last posted to this Blog. Everyone's posting to Facebook and Twitter these days, but I want someplace to write more. This Blog was originally intended for prospective birth parents to be able to get to know us a little better in hopes that they'd select us. Now that the most amazing two children have joined our family, I'd like this Blog to be more of a "In the Life of the Crane's" blog.
My most recent challenge is potty training. Noah turned 3 in September and we're still working on perfecting the potty training. We started back when Noah was about 2 years old, but based on Noah's lack of communication, there was no way we would be able to master it. So we waited and started up again when he was about 2.5. We tried asking him, we tried forcing him, we tried M&M and Swedish Fish as potty treats. Treats were a hit for about 1 day, but then he'd just go into the bathroom and eat the treats without sitting on the potty. We tried putting him in underwear. The underwear turned out to be a big failure since Noah would just run around the house and suddenly stop. You could see that he was peeing and by the time I'd get to him, he'd say, "I peed!!!" All proud of himself and everything. We went through about 8 pairs of underwear and shorts each day for 2 days until I couldn't handle it anymore and we'd run out of underwear. We've now resorted to a sticker chart. Once the sticker chart is filled up, he gets to go to the store and pick out a treat (toy, candy, balloon, whatever he chooses). We are also still doing the potty treats. That seems to be working, but only when Noah wants to. He takes the treats and stickers if we happen to force him to the potty, but whenever we ask him if he needs to go potty throughout the day, he adamantly refuses. He's definitely a strong willed little one. Of course, when it's time to go to bed, Noah tells us he needs to pee 4 times and poop twice. We spend a lot of time on the toilet when it's bedtime. How is it I can be manipulated by a 3 year old? I don't dare not let him go to the bathroom though, because the few times I've called his bluff and refused to allow him to go, not more than 30 minutes after I shut his door for the final time, I'll hear him crying that he's peed and sure enough, he's gotten naked and peed on his floor or his bed and now wants me to clean it and him up.
Well, something has clicked in little Noah's head because we've come to discover that he's learned he doesn't like to have poop in his diaper. However, his way of handling it definitely not appropriate. About 2-3 times a week, I go outside to find Noah, naked from the waste down saying proud as punch, "I potty! I potty!" I ask him where and he goes to show me where he's taken off his pants and diaper and pooped in the yard. Oh My!!! What am I to do? We've told him time and time again that we poop in the toilet, but it doesn't seem to phase him. The best part is when the neighbors see Noah out there naked and us cleaning up poop in the yard. How embarrassing. Thank goodness they just shake their head and laugh. The other issue is when he does this at other people's homes. We were recently in Boise with my aunt when I temporarily lost track of Noah. Oh, but don't worry, my aunt quickly found him and my 2 year old niece in the yard where Noah was proud to report he had pooped in the garden. Grrrr! Can't we keep our little secrets safe at our house?
My most recent challenge is potty training. Noah turned 3 in September and we're still working on perfecting the potty training. We started back when Noah was about 2 years old, but based on Noah's lack of communication, there was no way we would be able to master it. So we waited and started up again when he was about 2.5. We tried asking him, we tried forcing him, we tried M&M and Swedish Fish as potty treats. Treats were a hit for about 1 day, but then he'd just go into the bathroom and eat the treats without sitting on the potty. We tried putting him in underwear. The underwear turned out to be a big failure since Noah would just run around the house and suddenly stop. You could see that he was peeing and by the time I'd get to him, he'd say, "I peed!!!" All proud of himself and everything. We went through about 8 pairs of underwear and shorts each day for 2 days until I couldn't handle it anymore and we'd run out of underwear. We've now resorted to a sticker chart. Once the sticker chart is filled up, he gets to go to the store and pick out a treat (toy, candy, balloon, whatever he chooses). We are also still doing the potty treats. That seems to be working, but only when Noah wants to. He takes the treats and stickers if we happen to force him to the potty, but whenever we ask him if he needs to go potty throughout the day, he adamantly refuses. He's definitely a strong willed little one. Of course, when it's time to go to bed, Noah tells us he needs to pee 4 times and poop twice. We spend a lot of time on the toilet when it's bedtime. How is it I can be manipulated by a 3 year old? I don't dare not let him go to the bathroom though, because the few times I've called his bluff and refused to allow him to go, not more than 30 minutes after I shut his door for the final time, I'll hear him crying that he's peed and sure enough, he's gotten naked and peed on his floor or his bed and now wants me to clean it and him up. 
Well, something has clicked in little Noah's head because we've come to discover that he's learned he doesn't like to have poop in his diaper. However, his way of handling it definitely not appropriate. About 2-3 times a week, I go outside to find Noah, naked from the waste down saying proud as punch, "I potty! I potty!" I ask him where and he goes to show me where he's taken off his pants and diaper and pooped in the yard. Oh My!!! What am I to do? We've told him time and time again that we poop in the toilet, but it doesn't seem to phase him. The best part is when the neighbors see Noah out there naked and us cleaning up poop in the yard. How embarrassing. Thank goodness they just shake their head and laugh. The other issue is when he does this at other people's homes. We were recently in Boise with my aunt when I temporarily lost track of Noah. Oh, but don't worry, my aunt quickly found him and my 2 year old niece in the yard where Noah was proud to report he had pooped in the garden. Grrrr! Can't we keep our little secrets safe at our house?
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