The House

See how happy we are for a new house?
This will be my sewing room - I can work on a project and actually leave in the middle without having clutter central in my living rom!
The "girls" room
The play room (Marcus will be in the master cuz I don't want to have to walk down the hall in the middle of the night)
The 3 season room off the back of the house

The dining room
The family room - the fireplace will not be purple for long!
Looking from the entry way into the living room
From the living room towards the entry way
kitchen

Its a hallway - wonder whats down there? :)

This is our new house and here are the before pix - we should have some after pictures for you in about a month. Lets see what kind of magic we can preform!

Pack it up and Move it out!

Hooray, hooray! We got it! We bought a house in a nice neighborhood that we can grow into as well as work on and boy are we excited! I'm debating on whether to put numbers on the blog but I'll do it anyway cuz I'm so happy with the house we found.
This house we found has 2 stories and a basement, a fenced backyard with a shed, 2 car garage, 4 bedrooms, a fireplace and a 3 season room off the back of the house. Three years ago it sold for 168K and we're buying it for 98K. When things are on sale you stock up right? :) We will start the fixing up process tonight becasue the biggest problem is that there is no carpet. Previous owners had pets and I"ll just tell ya a major scrubbing and new carpet is necessary! The smell is basically the problem and a few minor things we can fix up as we save up. We won't know what to do with all the space but I will not complain about that! When we get pixtures we'll have to get them up here. Before and afters are always fun to see.
Just whistle while you work will be our theme for the next few weeks!

The Search...

We all search for various things though out our lives, whether it be the perfect pair of shoes, just the right garage sale bargain, a favorite recipe or in our case a great deal on a house. I LOVE a good deal! Right now is the time to buy a house in our area (and many other areas I think) and so there are a lot of houses on the market. I want the most bang for my buck, hence THE SEARCH. We thought we'd found the house right after Christmas but that didn't go through so we kept looking. Yesterday we looked at several and we think we've finally found something that, if it works out - we got a deal! Has the search really ended? We don't know. Does this house get us excited - you bet. Mind you these deals we find require sweat equity and we're not afraid of that. To quote Dave Ramsey - "Live like no one else so later you can live like no one else!" I hope we're making the right kind of financial sacrifices to ensure our children despise debt and have financial peace in their lives. It makes such a difference! We'll keep you posted!

Kiddie Kandids

First lessons
uhhh...so far we like this little guy
Marcus lines up against his Chan cousins
Future gymnast?
Ballerina - no question! This girl likes the "fancy" stuff

Hello everyone! I've had a busy month. Life in general keeps me on my toes. I tell ya 3 kids is quite the job and so my vacation in January was quite nice. I got to spend a week in WA state with Eric's family and it was just Marcus and I. Eric got to hold down the fort at home and he did a good job! He was very glad to have me back and let's say there is a new appreciation there.

We are all doing great. We're about to put our house up for sale and are trying to keep an eye out for a good deal we can buy. We are ready for a bit more space - my sanity is crying out for just another bedroom and another closet or two at least!

We hope you are all well.

xoxoxoxo Happy Valentines to you to!

Baby Smiles

Hello everyone - I owe all you readers a post and I failed to put up my "Christmas Letter...Post" so I apologize but I hope this darling video will make up for it. Somehow 3 munchkins keeps me on my toes and doesn't give me much time to sit and blog anymore. We love you all and hope winter is warm and cozy where ever you are!

Marcus is 7 weeks old already!

Home Alone

Have any of you seen the movie Home Alone? I had a moment last night... So in the movie the bad guys are trying to get in the house and one of them goes to the front steps, which Kevin has "iced" over, and once he steps onto that first step he finds himself flat on his back. I did the same thing in reverse and I've got the bruises to prove it. I stepped on our top step and found myself landing 4 steps down before you could say "banana peel." Man my tail bone is sore! I've even got bruises on my elbows and the palms of my hands! I can tell you the stunt guys were not needed for that bit in Home Alone - just some oblivious soul with shoes that have no traction. I can find them such a person! ha ha and ouch!

So Big So Fast

His first Sunday - boy church clothes are so fun!
Look at those cheeks!
Peacefully sleeping - until Cora discovers where "Baby Mawkin" is!
Here are a few pictures of our Marcus. I can't believe how fast he's filled out. This boy likes to eat! Newborn clothes are getting tight!

Baby Love

Eric loves this picture!
this one too!
Daddy and his boy catching some zzzz's. It was great having Eric home to help for a whole week. I know he saw a whole new side of life (namely his girls!)
I like the blanket - start 'em young!

Marcus Boyce

He's here! Hooray for our beautiful new baby boy! He came on November 22, at 3:05 a.m. He weighed in at 8 lbs 6 oz and 21 in long. He is healthy and we are so thankful he came to us! What a thing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving. Mommy is doing well. Labor went well, only 9 hours. Yeah, "only" 9 hours. We were only at the hospital for 5 hours though. All natural -- again. Daddy is doing well too in case anyone was wondering! He is no longer the lone man in the wilderness.

One more week...PLEASE!

I've got one week left until said "due date" for baby boy Haffner and I'm ready, as are my swollen ankles and numb fingers. I'm ready to feel like I can bend over and pick something up off of the floor without feeling like a giraffe getting a drink of water! Picture that if you dare! I'm very excited to meet this little guy and see just what he looks like. The combination of Eric and I could mean dark, blonde, and even a possibility of a red head. Bald is always an option as well. :) I'm excited to see how the girls react to a little baby.

Cora will, I hope, be very happy to have a "bebe" around because she gets so excited anytime we see a baby anywhere. Balls and babies are what excite our sweet Cora, while Jodi would prefer to be "fancy" or wear a cap backwards and announce, "I'm a boy." What fabulous little personalities wrapped up in my two little girls.

We'll keep you posted on what happens with us. Pray for a baby before Thanksgiving. I want to enjoy my turkey without a kicking, pushing, all consuming baby in my belly. I'll let someone else hold him on their lap while I eat my turkey and stuffing! There will be no posted pictures up until we have pictures of baby boy to add. I consider my figure too much for words and a picuture is worth a 1000 so I'll spare any jealousy. haha

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween!

Hello out there! We had a fun halloween letting the girls beg from house to house. They really enjoyed it. Jodi asked me while I was uploading pictures if we could go trick-or-treating. (Last year she said "trick-or-treat" to every new door we stopped at for about 2 weeks!) Now Cora is a candy kid - we'll have to be careful with this one. She wants a piece in each hand and while her mouth is full she's asking for more. She cries when I have to take it form her to open a wrapper! If I'd let her I think she would practically inhale as much of her candy as she could. Sounds a bit like her daddy - he's never been good at saving treats! Check out the Halloween album.

Run Run Run as Fast as You Can!

This year Eric has been the official assitant coach for the HS cross country team, (last year he was "unofficial".)
They have had a great season (they have their Semi-State meet this Saturday) and Eric has had a lot of fun with it. He started a website for the team and I thought I'd post it so anyone who wants to can see what is happening with Concord Cross Country. http://highschool.concord.k12.in.us/crosscountry/concordcrosscountry.htm

"Mae-men"

This is what Cora says when we finish saying our family prayers! I love it! I think it is soo cute. She folds her arms with Jodi and they each get defensive about whose turn it is to say prayers that night. Cora is getting to be a pretty good copy cat and can repeat at least the syllables of what we have her say. Jodi didn't talk (in words we could understand at least) until well after 2 so this if fun to hear somebody so little say so many words. I love that both girls are learning how to pray and learning how important it is in our family. Children are capable of learning so much. What a responsibility we parents have!

The Boyces Work?

The title is a little play on words. In my family growing up a holiday was just a day when my dad didn't have to go out on the tractor or go to work anywhere and it meant he could get work done at home! We sure learned the meaning of the word! However, I have my Dad to thank for teaching us how to have fun while working. Not enough people take the time to actually teach their children to work let alone that it can be fun to do together.

Over Labor Day weekend we commissioned the "Boyce Girls" (and parents) to help us get stuff done around our house. We sure labored on labor day - a good solid 8 hours - but man we got a LOT done. We took out 4 trees, Renae got the roots out for one of them; painted 9 window frames and a porch; mulched and pulled weeds around the whole house, and put in hostas in the front. General beauty and fix up. Thanks ladies for all your help! Here are some pictures of the exhausting day.

Go Cougars!

We haven't paid proper homage to BYU football this season so here you go. (Even though the dumb MWC won't allow normal fans viewing opportunity!!!) These outfits are soo cute on the girls and the age difference was just perfect!
This is about as cheerleader as I want them to get.
She's standing at the top of our slide. At least she didn't jump off.
Sticks as pompoms - I think they are quite resourceful!

Picture's of People

Jodi and the camel. We got to see the camel getting her treat for the day. Jodi loved it!

Helping wash dishes. She LOVES water and the sink!
Feeding the Koi at the zoo.
Sleeping Babes and Betsy. Sorry Nana we had to put this on-its too cute of all of you sleeping.
Eric's boot - its off now and he's running a little.
The train ride on our zoo trip.

New Look

I felt like changing things up a bit so here is the new look. A little less green and a bit simpler. I should be cleaning my house or working on my Sunday School lesson for church tomorrow but this is how I felt like spending my time.

Adventures in Breadmaking

I like to make bread. Its better for us without all those preservatives and I know how much wheat is or isn't in the bread. I feel accomplished, like Susie Homemaker, when I get my bread out of the oven.
The other day I was trying to be efficient. I needed to make my bread but had garage sales to hit and grocery shopping to do and I didn't want to wait around for my bread to rise. Time is precious. Well I mixed up the dough and let it rise while we got ready to go. Then I toted the bowl with us. Cars seem to get warm quickly and I figured it would do the trick to help it rise faster. I am a genius! Okay garage sales done, stop at home and put the bread in the pans. Done. Now off to the grocery store. This time I put the pans in the back window to get optimal heat from the sun. Well for some reason grocery shopping with 2 toddlers is not a quick trip. Between switching who's riding, who I can trust sitting near the eggs, and who wants to help push we finally made it back out to the car. I saw my bread in the back window and it was beautiful! It was big and rounded over the pans and...
...oops it was really rounded over the pans, spilling over the pans, flowing over the pans spreading out in a doughy mass taking over the back window. I couldn't help but laugh. I wonder how many people walked past and saw my "science experiment" and then as I was driving home I wonder how many people noticed the crazy lady in front of them with bread dough all over her back window! I laughed all the way home!
But hey how is that for trying to be efficient? It really works if you need dough to rise quickly - just find a hot car and snap you're dough will rise!

Toilet Turtle

I've just got to share this little tidbit with anyone who cares. Jodi -who is mostly potty trained thank goodness- has this funny little thing she does on occasion. There isn't really a turtle in our toilet by the way.

In our lives we spend an ample amount of our lives using "the facilities" and Jodi as a toddler loves to sit and sing, perhaps play with a toy car or rubber duck, look out the window, etc. My favorite antic is when she grabs the toilet seat from behind her, leans it against her back, leans forward and says to me, "Look Mommy I'm a turtle!" It never fails to amuse me and I just wanted to share that little window into Jodi and her adorable personality.

Holes in my ears

After 25 years I got to pierce my ears!
(My mother is slightly disappointed - none of my sisters or my mom have pierced ears - we weren't allowed. She's kidding with her little comments and its funny to me but apparently I'm becoming a "wild child." I threatened to take all my sisters with me. Maybe its this 3rd baby.)
I was worried it would hurt more than I thought it would but it took a whole of 2 minutes and $8 and the deed was done. Now I just have to wait until they heal and I can start wearing "cutesy" ear rings. We'll see how long that lasts before I just wear the same pair every day. :) "Low maintenance Lesley"

We're Still Alive!

Hello out there...
Our computer is on the fritz and we've had some company so I'm terribly sorry I haven't updated everyone on us. :)
Here is a list for you!
1. Eric has a walking cast on his foot. He sprained his ankle really bad at a Cross Country camp running downhill. (His lazy pregnant wife is so happy to do all the work now!) No really he's been quite the trooper with the thing on in the muggy heat. Timing is rough cuz school starts while he's supposed to be on crutches but what fun is wearing 2 shoes every day when you can get away with only wearing one?
2. Jodi saw the movie "Madagascar" and now sings the song "I like to move it move it" ALL the time. Can anyone shed light on where her "groove" comes from?
3. Nana and Bapa Haffner came to visit. The weather was nice and we got to do lots of fun things with Nana while Bapa went to a phtography workshop in upstate NY. (Photo album of the zoo and other fun excursions will have to wait)
4. ITS A BOY! Eric can officially relax - as long as the ultrasound is right. We are excited to add some blue to our twirling, dramatic, giggley household of pink. This bundle is supposed to join us around Thankgiving (I hope before!).
That is us in a quick nutshell. Hope all is well for everyone. We'll enjoy our last week of summer - school starts Aug 16. xoxoxo

This is just a quick note to let everyone know I've linked photo albums to the blog. Its easier than posting all the pictures and its a more compact, viewer friendly format. We have such cute kids I felt the need to post more pictures for all our loved ones to see.

Birthday Fireworks

We had a fun opportunity to go up to Diamond Lake in Michigan and visit some friends. The lake was shooting off fireworks on Sat June 30 and so they invited us to come up. How fun it was to be out on their boat and see the fireworks. They felt like they were coming right at us and exploding right over our heads! The girls loved it! Cora kept pointing and grunting and after Jodi got over the "scary" part she would tell us the colors lighting up the sky. Looking at their faces was so fun. To see the way a child's eyes light up with a new experience is such a fun part of being a parent! (I need to remember these moments when the "other" moments of parenting come up!)
Happy Birthday America! We love our country! How blessed we are to live in such a place! God Bless America!

Workin' at the Carwash

Eric had "wash the car" on his To Do List and naturally there were little helpers who had no problem taking turns playing with the hose and scrubbing with bubbles.

My Girls

Kiddie Tidbits
1. Cora can say uh-uh, we shall see where that takes us!
2. Cora loves shoes, she tries on shoes whenever she sees a pair. She even knows which ones are hers and brings them to me, sticks her foot out for mommy to put them on her
3. She has also really started to copy what her big sister is doing

1. Jodi loves to wear her swimming suits - she calls them "my pink" and "my blue"
2. She loves to draw and color. Lately she's been drawing happy and sad faces after one of her nursery lessons. Then she'll scribble them out and say "Oh, no a monster!"
3. Jodi has got groove - this girl loves to dance and jump around and where those little hips learned to shake I do not know

Here comes the rain!!!

Yippee for rain! It has been soo hot and humid lately that we've just been sitting around like wilted flowers draped over whatever piece of furniture was closest. (not having AC has been rough this past week!) It helped that we had a friend loan us some fans so we could get airflow and man what a difference!
However, it cooled off yesterday with rain and today was overcast and 75 degrees. What great summer weather! Eric and I both think that is just about the perfect summer day. Do you think someone is a born Seattle-ite?

The Paper Route

Allright everyone we have started our latest adventure - a paper route. Its our summer opportunity to help us get out of debt faster. We are living like no one else so later we can live like no one else. I mean really who wakes up everyday at 2:15ish, loads 2 toddlers into a car and commences to spend the next 2 hours tossing papers at houses of total strangers? I know, I know...WE DO!!! Yup, everymorning for the past 5 days. We are only at the beginning here but the prospect of an extra $200 a week to throw at the debt ratio we have is great motivation!
The girls are such troopers too! They have actually been more awake during the paper route than I thought they would be. Its okay though because it means that when we get home we can all go back to sleep for however long we feel like. (The girls and I that is, Eric had his last day of school today so now he can join us!) This is forcing us to attempt earlier bedtimes, hopefully one of these days we'll get it all figured out. Happy summer to us!
Funny/weird sidenote: Apparently I'm just motion sick enough that the constant motion while looking down rolling papers in the front seat got to me the 2nd day. Eric jumped out to porch deliver a paper and I opened the passenger door to empty my empty stomach. Eric gets back in the car and says, "Can we at least get out of the driveway?" Uhm, well let me think? If looks could do harm mine just might have. Let me finish my business and pour my water bottle on the driveway and then we can leave. Now we call that house the puke house very morning. :)

Bye Bye Uncle Matt

Helping Uncle Matt play baseball
Pucker up! No more girls for 2 years

Cora Eric Matt Jodi Lesley
My brother Matt left at the beginning of May for his LDS mission (San Fernando CA) and so we thought we'd post some pictures in honor of Matthew. We also want Lisa (who is currently serving a mission and won't have seen Matt for 3 years by the time he comes home) to see some pictures of Matt.

We love our Uncle Matt. Jodi loved talking to him on the phone while he was out at school and won't have the chance for a while. Cora also decided to officially walk by herself the last night Matt was here. We got a video of Cora walking to Matt. She'll be 3 when he sees her next. My guess is she'll be doing more than walking at that point!

Cute Kids

Here are some quick tidbits about my cute girls. :)

1. Cora is very good at imitating the car alarm of our neighbors car. (One of many less than desirable noises heard in our neighborhood often!)

2. When Cora puckers up for bedtime kisses her whole face seems to turn into a pucker to give Daddy his good night kisses.

3. This morning while eating pancakes Jodi kept telling me that I needed to be nice to Daddy and that I needed to say sorry, "Be nice a Daddy okay?" What have I created? I wasn't being mean to Daddy just for the record, she had been reprimanded for not talking nicely earlier in the day and I suppose this was her rebuttal.

My poor little girl!

Sunday while Eric and I were at church meetings Jodi tripped and fell onto my parents fireplace cutting her bottom lip and mashing up her upper gums. We decided stitches would keep her beautiful little face with the least amount of scarring.

Here are the pictures from right when we came back from the ER. She was hungry so she got some yogurt (which you see on her face) and you can tell by her eyes that she is exhausted. We got home after 10:30p.m. just a bit past bedtime. She got 4 stitches in her bottom lip. She was a good sport, mostly. The princess stickers when we left made it all better.

Here are the stitches. Its lookin' a whole lot better!

Great closeup of her dirty face! Doesn't anyone ever clean this kid! :)

And the bathroom drags on!

Jodi pounding away
Cleaning up the dust - plenty of that stuff!
Eric finishing the exhaust fan (well the part before drywall)
Eric putting in insulation - itchy pink stuff
Don't mess with a crazy woman with a drywall gun!