More on being cold.

Ever walk to the park on a 30 degree day? Sure, probably a handful of you have. As for me, I never remember Utah being this cold. Or slushy. Or unforgivingly windy. I am definitely a mushy gushy wimp. So is Lillie, just look at her! Bundled up like an Alaskan toddler. It's just that we run out of things to do indoors. And just think about how bad the whining would have to get to cause me to walk to the park in the winter. Now you know how bad the whining gets!

But we did amass a small collection of pinecones. And decorated them with glitter. And the clouds drifting off the tips of the snowy mountains was breathtaking... although that could have been the cold wind.

All together, it was a good day. I love you my little loves.

p.s., I took photos of this baby on Friday, see all of them here.

And I know what you're thinking... but there was a space heater blasting him the entire time. He was nice and toasty!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Change.

There have been some changes in the Smylie household. As in we sold the Smylie household.

We will be moving to Utah next week. Jake will still be working with his family's business.

We put our house on the market and thought we'd be here until it sold in the spring or summer. We had an offer within three weeks, a buyer who wanted to close in 8 days. So it's been quick. And stressful.

We're heading back to the west. Most things about that are good. Except the heart-wrenching aspect of leaving our family behind in Florida. Two years of living next to Jake's parents (who are like my own) and several sister-in-laws with children the same ages as mine, all living in the same neighborhood. It's going to be a huge change and I get really emotional when the absence of those I've grown so close to sinks in.

Grace embraces it, Ruby is worried about the changes, Lillie doesn't even know her middle name. How will we all handle it? Pretty good, I hope... as good as we always do. We're thinking (I know some of you don't believe us given our record) that we'll stay in Utah for a long, long time, and that encourages and uplifts us. We are both ready to plant our feet.

We have grown immensely these past two years. I have learned so much from the people of Gibsonia ward, my dear friends and people I've met through Lincoln Academy. We've melted into the community here and really experienced the southeast. It's a different world!

So, onto the new. We'll be living 7 minutes from Cafe Rio. You may laugh like it shouldn't matter... it definitely does. My two sisters and my two brothers live there and will be there to greet us. Grace's new school is very close to our house. It's nestled up against the mountain and we have a big fenced backyard with fruit trees and a large space to grow a garden.

Photos to follow!!