WE MOVED!

After nearly seven years we said goodbye to Rutledge Drive.  We moved into our condo when Oshyn was just 6 months old and we were a family of three.  With all of that history and all of the effort we put into making it our home, you would think there would have been more sadness in leaving.  I think the excitement was so grand and we were so ready for more space (going from three to five) that we all adjusted without one tear shed.  We moved to a house about one mile north of where we were, so we were able to keep the same ward at Church, the same elementary school for Oshyn and preschool for Cruz, and most of the same shopping, etc.  We now officially live in Woodbridge instead of Lodi, but it couldn't have been much more convenient.    It was so easy that I kept waiting for the moment to come when someone would say, "I wanna go back to our old house".  It happened after about 2 days in our new place.  I really wanted to hear what it was that Cruz was missing.  It turns out that he just had forgotten this new gun that a neighbor gave him.  That was it.  And I haven't heard it since the gun was retrieved!

It is amazing the peace we feel here.  The quiet was so apparent the first few nights that I had a hard time sleeping!  I've since gotten used to it and love our little retreat back away from the road.  Who would've thought living off a round about would be so pleasant?
I love that our house is one story.  The boys don't mind playing in their room as much because I don't think they feel as though they're banished so far away from everyone.  They can peek their head out and know what's going on.

Laundry is a kazillion bazillion times easier being inside and minus the stairs.  I actually wash, dry, fold and put away in the same day (most of the time)--and it doesn't even feel difficult.

 (No one was excited :)

The kitchen is spacey, the bathrooms both have showers/tubs, and Tyce doesn't even have to sleep in a closet (although ours is big enough that he can, need be!)
The backyard is a dream made even better with a trampoline left by the O'Connell family.  The boys spend hours out there doing all sorts of great boy/brother stuff and I am able to go in and out without worrying about them in the street or bombarded by the whole neighborhood gang.  Wow.

As you can tell, we have a sweet thing going.  We feel so blessed and fortunate to be here.  We are so thankful we fell into this house at the right time and that we were able to get a renter so quickly for our condo.  Don't pinch me--I'm liking this dream.