67 Boxford Place

Here it is...a photo session of our new house:)  Again, we couldn't be more excited, there will be more pictures to come as the guest bathroom is still being worked on (hopefully finished tomorrow) and we still have work to do in the master and office, but you'll get the idea, woohoooo!

Here it is from the street although we've planted a lot of flowers in that front dirt patch and there is a gorgeous bouquet type thing of flowers between the front door and the window:)  Also, our lawn is currently striped cause we're new to this homeowners thing and have been fertilizing it (apparently in a striped pattern:)

As you can imagine we've already had a ton of fun in the front yard including having dawson come over to play on a blow up water toy:)  Here is a picture of Dawson and his baby brother Evan (who is 3 months younger than Myla) and the girls:)

They're so excited about the space to play.

When you walk in the front door the living room is off to the right and the office is through some really cool glass doors off to the left (pictures to come of the office, gotta keep you waiting on something:)

The girls watching TV together:)

Myla enjoying some of the space she has to play now!

Then you walk into the amazing kitchen!!!  we knocked out part of a wall here (you can see to the right of the picture where the wall used to be and it went all of the way to where the island is, instead of the island the pantry in the right side of the photo was there making the kitchen tiny, it is gorgeous now!)  we also added new floors.

A different view from the kitchen, we had that beautiful green wall painted!

The view from outside the kitchen window

This used to be a waterfall in the backyard but we turned it into a flower garden.

Back inside as you walk down the hallway first thing to the right is the girls' bathroom, Myla loves it (pictures to come:) Then the master bedroom to the right...BUT straight ahead you have this amazing view...

Myla's room!

She has 2 striped walls and 2 white walls, it's coming along so nicely!

Myla loves that she has her own space and no longer sleeps in the bathroom:)

Next room on the right is Avery's room, she has her own collage of pictures and one amazingly bright pink wall.

She couldn't be happier about it!

The other corner of the room we're still working on but she loves it.

Sleeping in her bed in her room (this was taken at 0115 in the morning when i got home from work, she had gotten up, turned the light on and was screaming for water, once she got it she was happy:)

She loves loves loves her new room and feeling like a big girl which includes picking out her own outfits:)

After Avery's room is the laundry room followed by the garage, we love it!  Here are some outdoor pictures as well...

Andy built this planter, he's pretty much amazing.  We planted lots of fruits and veggies, we'll keep you updated on whether or not we keep everything alive:) But as you can see we're already producing blueberries...

Got the playhouse and slide at garage sales, score!

Also got this picnic table at a garage sale, Aves loves to eat outside.  To the right in the dirt/along the fence we planted the really big sunflowers, can't wait for them to grow! (although they probably won't be full grown for another year)

Here's a close up of the sunflowers sprouting through the dirt

Different views of the backyard...

This random patch of cement we'll be turning into a 4 square court:)

 

The storage side yard!

 Added to the amazing features of the house there is a park within walking distance!  It's hard to see in this picture because it's at the far end of the trees but it's great!

We're so excited about the house and beginning to be able to relax more and enjoy it which is so wonderful.  Thanks to everyone who helped make this possible!!!

Alright people, we know it's been FOREVER since we last blogged but we're back up and running.  Life is beginning to slow down (a little bit) and we're getting into a "normal" routine:)  Life has been even more crazy than normal with us working, taking care of both chillins, and our big move just over a month ago.  We are settled into our a new house and while there are still things to be done, we're absolutely loving it here.  Going from 2 rooms to 4 AND having a yard has been life changing.  When people ask me about it I say that I'm embarrassed that a "thing" can bring us as a family so much joy, but the reality is that it has.  Having a yard for Avery to play in has been amazing and Andy and I have really gotten into gardening and what not.  We have a fruit/vegetable garden and flowers all over the place, it's so great!  We're in phase 2 of construction, we're currently having the girls' bathroom re-done and we did some work on the kitchen (tore down a wall, new flooring, etc)

As far as the kiddos go Aves is almost 3, we can't believe it!  She's a non-stop talker (as Jeff says who is doing the construction) and she's VERY BUSY.  She is starting a real dance class the week of her birthday where they have a uniform and it's tap and ballet, she's going to love it.  We've also signed her up for preschool starting at the end of august because she needs a little bit more stimulation and attention:)

Myla just turned 7 months and we're working hard on her sitting up which she's not quite doing on her own yet, she's just not into it.  She loves playing with toys, chewing on EVERYTHING, and being entertained by Avery.  Unfortunately...she's also a Daddy's girl and despite all the things I try, she gives the biggest smiles to him;)  She's also getting sooooo close to giggling, we're just not quite there yet.

It's Andy and I's birthday week which was good.  We both worked both of our birthdays (to keep it fair:) but we both felt loved and special.  I'm attaching a link to some pictures of the last couple of months including a trip we took to winnemucca, NV to enjoy Grandma and Grandpa Larsen's 70th wedding anniversary.  Enjoy the pictures and expect a house update of photos soon:)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.757459094427.2144881.68602760&type=1&l=7ec99c7b1a http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.757459094427.2144881.68602760&type=1&l=7ec99c7b1a

Avery worshiping

Here's the same song as before but Avery doing a solo:)

I need you

This is a new song that Andy has introduced to the congregation at church, it's called "Lord I need you" by Matt Maher. I sing it around the house all the time so Aves started singing it too, such a joy to have your 2 year old walking around the house singing worship songs:)

Smiles!

We finally got a smile on camera...it's in the last few seconds!

Seasons of Life

Life constantly seems to be changing for us Koning's...never a dull moment! I am in full swing back at work fulltime and Andy is still working full time at the church. We laugh because with us covering child care we feel like we're both single parents/the full time worker/full time stay at home parent because we both do it all:) however, I couldn't ask for a better partner in crime through all of this, on my work days Andy lets me sleep in until at least 0900, then he heads off to work when I get up; he then heads home around 1400 (2pm) for me to leave for work. I try to get everything done so he can just play with the girls when he's not feeding, changing diapers and/or finishing up his work from the day but I don't always succeed. He's often stuck with washing/stuffing the diapers, a bath or two, etc. and never once has he complained. Boy is he amazing!

We've resigned to the fact that this season of life = being tired. We know it's just a phase which is what makes it okay...Myla is doing a great job sleeping through the night but her last feeding is between 10:30-11pm and she's up around 0800. I know, you're thinking, "that's 9 hours, who are you to complain?" but generally there is more to do after putting Myla down like brush my own teeth, pick up, etc. Bed time is usually around midnight and then we have to get up once or twice to pop Myla's nuk in her mouth (usually done by Andy) blah blah blah you get the idea; bottom line, we're tired!

I recently heard from a TV show that being a parent is being a servant, I loved that because it's so true. And I never realized just how much my parents did for me until I had my own kids (and I'm sure I have so much more to realize!). This past weekend has been a perfect example of that in Andy; it was my 3 days off of work (happens every 2 weeks) and I unfortunately came down with the stomach flu yesterday. Boy was it a rough one; I was upset because not only did I feel awful BUT I couldn't hang out with my family for one of my only 3 days off. Andy totally took it for the team and did EVERYTHING (including rubbing my back as I vomited:)

I'd like to say that I'm loving this season of life and I enjoy every moment but the truth is, I'm not. I know we're blessed and I wouldn't ask for any other life than the one that I have but it's work and we're tired and somedays I'm just glad if I find joy in 10 minutes of the day. That's my reality. This blog that a friend of mine posted words it perfectly (it's a little wordy but you get the idea in the first few paragraphs).

http://momastery.com/blog/2012/01/04/2011-lesson-2-dont-carpe-diem/

The truth is raising kids is hard, working full time is hard, putting time into our marriage is hard, finding time for friends and family is hard, but we do it. And we're grateful. We thank God every day for this little family that we have, especially through the not so easy seasons of life.