Final Verdict

We are moving to Tucson.

Pros:

Big city= restaurants, stores, malls, movie theaters

doctors/businesses we trust

Northwest Hospital, I heart thee and want all subsequent babies to be born there

friends we love

familiar

Cons:

HOT

car thieves

mourning doves

cockroaches

HOT

no grass

no trees

HOT

serious crime

car/baby seat/stroller thieves

mourning doves

You get the idea.

But Nate got a great job working for our good friend Derek at the bank and he is so excited. We are excited to be by friends again. We are also excited because we are renting this 3 bed 2 bath house down the street from Derek, Pam and Haley. I'm so happy to be in a house!! No more apartments!

Not a very stylish kitchen but as long as I can make dinner, I don't mind.

Living room

The best part is this great backyard! Gabe will be in heaven with all those rocks and the swings!

The tough thing is that we have a contract at this apartment until July 31 and Nate has to start work June 1. We can move into our house June 7. To break our contract we would have to pay about $4,800 that we don't have. So, there is our pickle. Nate has to move to Tucson and crash on someone's couch for a week but Gabe and I have to stay in Flagstaff and pack and clean for 2 months. Alone. Packing. With a toddler. Alone. Yuck. And then Gabe and I will be in Provo for the month of August. I will be playing the role of parental guardian for Emma. I'm helping her move in to her dorm and get adjusted to things, go to orientation, buy twin XL sheets, etc. So 3 months away from husband/dad and paying two rents. Not fun! But we got a house! Wahoo!

Crotiques

A few people were wanting to know where I found the cradle purse pattern. Her site is called Crotiques. Really easy project. It took me a day.

Just Like Grandma. Almost.

When I was very, very little, my Grandma crocheted me a little purse that turned into a dolly bed. It came with a little doll and she would sleep in the cradle. I still have it and I'm relly impressed that is had held up so well after 20-odd years. I was thinking about it yesterday and googled to see if there was actually a pattern or if it was just a creation of my grandma's. I found a pattern and had a big ball of yarn I have tried using a couple times and could just never find the right project. So I made one myself! It's definately not as cute as the original but it's a start. The next time, I'll get some cute yarn and the right size crochet hook but... it's a good start.

The Original

The Replica

Have you sentimentally kept anything from your childhood like this? Or what about trying to remake or buy things that remind you of childhood with your grandparents? When my grandparents passed away, Emma really wanted a little keyboard that my grandpa kept in his office closet. It was Emma's favorite thing all growing up and it played this addicting demo song on it. I love those memories. Grandma also made me a couple crochet necklaces with flowers on them. She always had homemade cookies ready whenever we came to visit and when we came to visit, she would let us each get a special cereal for the stay. They always had Honey Comb cereal in their pantry but it was such a treat to get a fancy cereal! Anyway, it was really nice to make this and think about my childhood with my grandparents.