Month: May 2011

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welcome home

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We finally did it. The vagabonds have turned domestic, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. There has been no buyer’s remorse, no regrets, no second-guessing. We know we bought the right house at the right time in the right place. Now if we could just move in already!!!

Before and During side-by-sides:
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Progress is being made, as you can tell from the photos. The flooring should be finished in the next few days. Then comes new counters and stained cupboards. So excited for that. :) Finally, they will lay the carpet. We are still shooting for a move date of Memorial Day Weekend, but it looks like we could actually be officially done with the remodel a few days before that.

Here’s our beautiful pool, and outdoor kitchen. We LOVE this feature.
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We’ll keep pictures coming, as the updates happen.

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bags o’ fun

Great-grandma Chapman sent home some handmade beanbags with Adam a couple of months ago. They have become the center of attention during recent Family Home Evenings. All we do is line up some bowls, assign each a value, and try and hit the bowl with the beanbag. The kids go nuts over this very simple game.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GBjBV17JwI

We have also started going through scripture stories one by one for our FHE lessons. The kids all speak good enough English now, and they have had enough exposure over the past few years, that they are loving it.

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victoria’s baptism

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We drove up to Washington in March for Victoria’s baptism. I try to make it to as many special events as I can. After all, that’s what a Penning does. That’s what my parents taught me to do. And I enjoy doing it. I really really like my family…especially my nieces and nephews! I suppose that being Anutie for so many years before getting married helped solidify their places in my heart. :)

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double dipping

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In February, we took a fun little excursion to Ventura, CA for a baby blessing. It was nice enough to swim that weekend. Well, at least for the kids. :) It was the Littles’ first time visiting the ocean. And Marisa and I were so excited for our kids to spend some time together. There are 11 children between the two of us now. It was awesome to watch the kids get along so well. We got to eat at Tito’s…even though a car had just backed into the restaurant…we were the last order to be taken before the Health District shut them down for the night. We also visited the Los Angeles Temple Visitor’s Center. It is recently reopened, and completely worth the trip. Very Cool!

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What’s even better is that a couple of weeks later, the Brown family came to stay a couple of days with us. Again, it was nice enough to swim! The kids had a blast. Annie still asks where Lyndie is. :) I felt so spoiled in February…twice in one month? Whoever would have thought it possible between our busy schedules.

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Marisa and I have been friends for a decade now, and I am so grateful to her for the influence and friend that she is in my life.