And She Still said "Yes"

Hey!  What's that blur on the right side of the screen...maybe that's the mess culprit, tricking me into insanity!  Notice the fabulous goodies all over the floor, and even super stained carpet with a new carpet shampooer sitting two feet away.

  As you all have heard by now, James is engaged.  We had Nichole in our home many times and hours over Winter Break.  I was having one of those times in my life where I just COULD NOT get the house cleaned.  I was HORRIFIED that my malfunction was occurring while Nichole was getting to know us.  I remember growing up and having some anger or energy or anxt...whatever it was that caused me to do some MAJOR clean-up around the house on occasion, and cursing mom and her house management under my breath... "I will teach my kids how to clean." and "My kids will never be allowed to make these kinds of messes."


 If there's one thing I've learned in life at age 42, it is NEVER be super judgemental about something or it will come back to bite you.  I can name many, many examples of it happening in my life.  Art oft reminds me, to my chagrin, that I'm the lady who indignantly said, "My children will never wear just a diaper." 

 Anyway, back to the subject of cleanliness:  When I saw that the cleaning just wasn't getting anywhere, I asked James what kind of house Nichole's mom kept.  Yep...tidy...very much so.  So thank you, Nichole, for overlooking my weakness...a weakness I could very well have passed to James (let's not beat around the bush...a weakness I DID pass to James, if his bedroom is any indication).  And thank you as well for not turning and running for the hills when you came upon me at Christmastime, in the bathroom, having diarrhea, and singing the diarrhea song at the top of my lungs with my little ones (my kind husband taught it to me).  What a great thing love is for hiding all our flaws...until after we're married : ) .

Moving Day

Just thought you might enjoy a look at the Elk Ridge house empty and some pictures of the new house in Payson.  Enjoy!

                    ELK RIDGE HOUSE

                    

                      THE NEW HOUSE



Jetted tub in master bath.




Large corner shower in master.




Vanity outside of main bathroom.




Walk in closet.




Master Bed Room




Guest Bathroom




Guest Room




Laundry Room




Office




Entrance to office




Large Kitchen with TONS of storage





Living and Dining room



Signs of Family

I looked around my entryway last night and noticed that I had some signs of "Ekins love" all around me.  I thought this would be the perfect place to post some of the Christmas spirit going on at the Eck house.  I type to the sound of Sophie blowing away on a trumpet that was just given to her by my friend...the perfect addition for that perfect Christmas ambiance : ) .

Kristen made this quilt for our Christmas gift two years ago.  She wrote a great poem to go with it that talks about how each square represents one of our family members (we're short one square now), each having a square of likeness (all of us Ecks)  in the middle and the others unique from each other (each of us having individual likes and personalities).  We really love it and it has matched our living room perfectly.

I love the JOY sign that Laura sent this year.  I am always amazed with the cards she comes up with each year...ever paper crafting!  I think it really adds some punch to this corner of the entry.  Thanks Laura (and anyone else who helped in its production-sorry I discounted Brian and Brandon for a minute there...we all know what crafters they are). 

This is a card holder I bought this year at a boutique.  It's actually full, but the amount of cards we have on it are not many.  I blame myself because I have failed to get cards out for at least two years now.  We're still crossing our fingers for cards from all of you to hear your latest going ons or see your sweet smiles.  Mom's is at the bottom..the picture in it cracked me up!  Mine is written and collage made, but still no closer to getting mailed.  Still so much to do, and yet I remain cool as a cucumber.  How do I do it?!!

Wishing you all a great holiday season and especially Christmas...and especially these days leading up to it, that you will all get your tasks accomplished and bask in the real meaning of Christmas...the birth of our Lord.  We love you from here in Arizona!!  It's great to have James home and see a legitimate love between he and Nichole going on (in other words, it's not all in his mind....phewww!).  Merry Christmas!!!!

What's up with the Jordan's?!?!

Well, I love this idea and hope we all find it easy to use and keep in touch.  It is kinda like a personal Facebook :)  I love to look at pictures and see what people are up to.  I LOVE to see Jordan's post of Poland.  Does Nate have access like that? 

We are 7 days short of living in Delta for 3 years.  AND we still LOVE it here :)  Dakota will mention out of the blue that he loves Delta.  I have been at my job at the hospital for almost 3 years too...it will 3 in March.  I truly love my job.  Dakota got done with football and now he is in the pep band for basketball.  It keeps our lives hopping, but I like it.  They have wanted him to wrestle and throw the diskus and shot put (?), but he doesn't have any interest in it.  He just came back from a whirlwind emergency trip to his Dads.  On Thursday before Thanksgiving we found out that his Dad was really sick with pancreatitis...Friday they admitted him into the hospital and Saturday morning I had a call to please send him there and his Papa would foot the bill.  So Sunday morning he flew out to Tennessee, missed Monday and Tuesday of school and cam back a week later.  His dad had been released from the hospital on Saturday and Dakota flew home early Sunday.  Hopefully he continues to recover.  We were thinking of vacationing there at Christmas, but now there is no sense in that.  Especially since plane tickets are between $600 and $800 each.

It is a relief to have Mom and Dad on level ground this winter too.  It has been great to go visit them and not have to "drive up the hill".  We still would have done it, but it is much nicer this way. 

Hope you will all join in and post some things.

We love you all and invite you to visit anytime!

Ya know...Delta is Gods Country...there is even a profile rock of Joseph Smith here :)

Yea! Thanks Karen

The Ekins Family Blog

Welcome to our family blog!!  This is our new "family letter".  This is a place to privately share what is happening in your family.  You can share pictures, stories, video, anything to bring us closer together as a family and keep us all up to date on what is going on in 5 different states.  Share as often as you would like.