Caitlin: 4 years old

Caitlin is the best little buddy and such a joy to have around. Everyone is going to miss her while she starts going to school this year! She is such a good helper and is so loving and kind and sees the joy in life. She is spunky, curious, girly, smart and so sincerely sweet.

She has endless energy. She always wants to be doing things and every night she asks me "What's the plan for tomorrow?" and she wants specifics. She will still do "quiet time" during the day and it's nice for everyone to get a little rest. Otherwise she plays hard and is very active. She likes to joke and laugh and be tickled.

She has always been very curious even as a baby and now that she is getting older and learning more things she asks questions and asks "why?" all the time. She is extremely observant and nothing gets past her. She wonders about people and wants to know everything that's going on.

When given the choice between shorts/pants, a dress and a tutu (she has never called them skirts... Only a tutu) she will pick a dress 7 times out of 10, and a tutu the other two times with shorts being last. She LOVES playing dress up, princesses and pink. She also loves coloring and she is VERY good at it. She loves being creative.  

She is so smart and is constantly surprising me with things she picks up and things she understands. She is a great conversationalist and has a very active imagination. She loves to make up stories and songs. She is always happy to perform and dance and sing and put on a show. She is also very stubborn.

She is sincerely sweet. She is naturally very nurturing and inclusive. She is not always super outgoing, sometimes you have to work for it but when you do its totally worth it. She is never afraid to tell people she loves them and is always willing to give a kiss or a hug. She truly feels for people and their emotions and she always wants to make people happy.

Caitlin is just our perfect little princess. She is such a light in our home and such a good helper and so obedient and good natured. We are so lucky to have her and we all just adore her!!

On her actual birthday she got to have a special breakfast date with Daddy to IHOP. When I was helping her get ready she said "Oh! I have to wear my crown today!" and also wanted to have her hair curled so she could "look like a birthday princess." After breakfast we met them at her preschool open house. She got to see her teacher and her classroom and talk about school a little and she got really excited to start. After that she had a special date with mommy to get her nails painted! We snuggled in the pedicure chair together and she got her nails and toes painted hot pink with sparkles. I said "these kinda look like Barbie nails. Which princess do you think would like to have her nails painted like this and she slowly pointed to herself. She really is a little princess. She was so good and liked getting her nails done. After that we went to Provo Beach Resort and met up with Cason and Corinne and played games for awhile then rode the merry-go-round. For lunch we got grilled cheese sandwiches from sonic then came home and played while Nolan was napping. We colored a lot and did blocks. Daddy got home early in the evening and we opened a few presents then had pepperoni pizza for dinner. The McCulloughs stopped by and gave her some more presents and played for a bit. Then we finished up opening presents and then she got to blow out her candles and have some cake frosting. It was a busy and full day full of exactly what she had wanted to do.

Caitlin's Candyland

A candy princess, two dozen kids, endless amounts of candy, balloons, face painting and so many presents and how could it NOT be a successful sugar high?

Caitlin has been planning and looking forward to her Candyland Party Day for literally months. The weather gave us a scare and it poured the night before and was supposed to continue right up until party time but prayers were answered and we had a morning without rain and beautiful sunny but not too hot weather for the two hour span of the party. As we were cleaning up and the last guests were leaving we felt a few raindrops and sure enough it turned into a downpour and even a little hail for a couple hours! Couldn't have timed it better... just also couldn't walk on the back half of the grass because it was flooded. But other than some soggy spots it was great! Also because of the morning crunch time (having to mow the lawn, etc.) There were some decorations and finishing touches I just didn't have time for... pretty sure the kids didn't notice. My favorite thing was probably the arrow sign with all the different Candyland spots. My other favorite thing was seeing the kids get their faces painted. We had some cute neighbor girls come help and they tried whatever the kids asked for. Caitlin got her rainbow and Nolan got a superhero mask. We had kitties and mustaches and lollipops and butterflies and they were all so adorable.

We had about 22 kids aged 6 months to 6 years in attendance and quite a few parents and it was really fun. Lots of different personalities and playmates and candy intake levels. As people arrived they helped themselves to the candy bar, made cereal necklaces and got their faces painted. We also had lunch (pizza and watermelon) and then we played a game. We did a "cake walk" type game along the pathway and took away a square at a time. With so many kids at varying listening and skill levels it was basically a complete flop but it was fun to try! After that we did the pinata and sang Happy Birthday to our candy princess and blew out some candles. Everyone got a rainbow cupcake and then we opened presents! Caitlin was super enthusiastic about every single present. Each one was "just what I've always wanted!" and "look how cute this is!! " and "I just love it!!" she was very entertaining to say the least and also very grateful and fun. We spent al the time in between jumping on the trampoline with balloons and playing in our "candy castle" play place. The favors for the kids to take home were toothbrushes and a few extra suckers.

Caitlin was happy with her party. She had a great time and it was so much fun to throw it for her. I had a lot of fun planning it and working on different things and to see my candy princess enjoy her day with her friends was the best treat I could have asked for. I can't believe my little girl is turning 4! She really is just the sweetest.

August begins

Our last month of summer! Also my last month of being pregnant. We went out with a bang! This summer has been so fun, we have literally done things every day and gotten out in the sunshine and explored and the kids have loved it. They've actually gotten quite spoiled by it.. I'm a little worried at what they will expect for entertainment once things slow down and follow more of a routine in the fall!

-This has been in the works, but we officially got the magazine this month so I needed to include it! Paul was chosen as part of Recharge News 40 under 40 "Leaders working to transform global energy"
His article was really well written and I am very proud of Paul and how much he stands out in the business world, he is savvy beyond his years and most of all a very hard worker. He is passionate about what he does and the people he works with and it shows.
INFO about the initiative
Paul's article in the magazine
Press Release announcement

-For the first couple weeks of the month we had my mom and Grandma & Grandpa Goulding here. My mom came for Zoey's birthday and then stayed to help my grandparents move into their new place! They have moved to Provo to some condos called "Trellis on the Green" and have a really nice place. It's been fun to already so so much more of them and we look forward to it! The kids already love them and know them. We also celebrated my mom's birthday, she helped me with a few projects, and the kids got to spend lots of time with Grammie.

 -Rebekah also came up for a visit to attend a wedding and it was so fun to have her here again. We can't wait until school starts and her and Jordan are back for good! We've missed them this summer!

-Paul took Nolan to the Gottfredson cabin along with a few friends and their sons and they had a daddy/sons overnighter. They fished and explored and swam and did fireworks and had such a great time. Nolan absolutely loved being with all the boys and outdoors and with his daddy especially. I love that Paul enjoys doing things like that too and I love how much he tries to put in special time with the kids.

-While the boys were gone, we had a girl's night out to dinner then to see the "Fiddler on the Roof" musical at Sundance! We brought blankets and sat on the lawn and enjoyed the show. It was an awesome performance and Caitlin loved it too! It was a really fun night!

-It was Zoey's first birthday! She turned one and had a cute fishy party! We ate and swam and had cake and lots of fun.

-We had a family cabin day on the 9th. We decided to just go up for the day and a few other families joined us. It was seriously a dream day... we fished, threw rocks and dipped out toes in the river, went on the swings, went on RZR rides, snacked, chased cows around, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows and set off a few fireworks. The kids were completely in heaven! They fell asleep within about 5 minutes of getting in the car. I love how much they love being outside and how they can still be entertained by the simplest of things.

-The kids had their first dentist appointment on the 12th. They has so much fun and it was basically like Christmas.. they got so much loot! They loved it. Both of their teeth look great. Caitlin has all of hers and Nolan just needs his upper molars. No cavities and they learned to brush, floss etc. Afterwards we went and saw Paul to tell him about it and he asked Caitlin what she did and she said "They taught me how to brush my teeth but I already knowed how to do it!" Haha

-On the 12th Paul took me to see the musical "Wicked" !! When I heard it was coming to town I knew I HAD to see it. I'd been wanting to see it for years and already knew a lot of the music. Paul more than obliged by getting us front row tickets and to say that I loved it is a complete understatement! It was amazing! I loved getting to know the actual story line and hearing the music. All of the cast was so talented and I enjoyed every second!

-We took the family to the Monster Truck Rally with the Meads on the 14th. It was a blast! There were (obviously) monster trucks as well as ton truck races and even lawnmower races! Caitlin really wanted her won little lawnmower to ride around. The kids loved it... as they love anything wild and loud. Nolan was SO excited to see all the trucks. At first they were covering their ears but by the end they were used to it and shouting and stomping and getting so into it (could have also had to do with the massive amounts of cotton candy and treats consumed from the fair vendors).

-Saturday (16th) we drove the RZR up the Alpine loop and went to Cascade Springs and did the little hike (walk) there. Nolan ran almost teh whole thing and Caitlin took her time to stop and read every single sign. She also was looking for bugs the whole time (notice her "looking goggles" in the pic). After that we went swimming at Humphrey's then Paul rode the Alpine Loop!

-Our garden is booming! Year after year I am so pleasantly surprised at how well it does. We especially have a lot of tomatoes, basil, cherry tomatoes, and bell peppers. Also starting to get more cucumbers and spaghetti squash and strawberries. The cherry tomatoes we planted started all turning orange and I patiently waited and waited for them to be red and they just weren't turning. So finally I popped one in my mouth and it was so sweet and delicious! Turns out we planted an orange variety! They are awesome! I've been having tomato caprese salad almost everyday and I'm loving it!! We've made pesto and I look forward to making salsa!

home tour: backyard

The grand finale is our backyard. We decided instead of doing more of the basement, we would do the backyard and we definitely haven't regretted it one bit. It has become an extension of our home and we absolutely love being back there.

We took an area of the yard that previously we never used or were in and made it usable. So since we used an area that was doing nothing before, it actually makes our yard seem a lot bigger. Previously it was just a big patch of grass and now it is a full on seating area, fire pit and built in grill. 

First we extended our previous stamped concrete patio out and back and they also poured the fire pit. Then they built the pergola. This was a big expense and one that we weren't sure we would do. I thought we had decided against it and Paul surprised me by having it built while I was out of town! Best surprise to come home to! It really is beautiful and offers a fair amount of shade (more or less depending on the time of day) which is so necessary back there. It also really separates the space. Then they built the fire pit bench and the built in grill area and covered it in rock. We chose the granite countertop for the grill. Then just some electrical work and hanging the chandelier to finish it off. Then we got all the new furniture, pillows, and Paul made our benches out of leftover pergola wood! 

As for the rest of the yard area, we re-planted the whole back area and filled it in with plants and trees that will (fingers crossed!!) actually live and then added a river rock bed for drainage. We also got my parents old trampoline and put it in the ground. We also added a lot of perennials and took out some bushes in the front yard. We are really happy with how everything turned out.

We have already thrown quite a few parties back there and love having friends and family come and enjoy the space. I find myself wanting to be outside way more often and the kids too.

details: most outdoor furniture is from Crate & Barrel, pillows are from Target and World Market

home tour: basement bedroom 2 and bathroom

The second bedroom in the basement is now being used as my crafting and sewing room. There is also room for an air mattress if the guest room is also being used (which has already been done.. told you we needed the extra room!) I'm loving having a dedicated space for all of this. We also have half the big double closet full of storage. All of this furniture came down from the loft, with the exception of the green desk which I inherited from Whitney Taylor. I look forward to some good sewing sessions down here, until we decide we need it for something else!

 The bathroom is just that. We kept some finishes the same but wanted a lighter look since there are no windows in it. Originally we were planning for double sinks but after framing realized the space wasn't as big as we though it would be. We matched cabinetry, the bronzed finishes and the flooring to the upstairs and then I chose the lighter subway tiles to be laid in the herringbone pattern as well as the lighter granite countertop. And thanks to Paul's traveling we have plenty of samples to offer all our visitors!

 

Details:: art: ikea, rug: bed bath and beyond, apothecary jar: hobby lobby, towels and soap dispenser: target, everything else was re-used.

home tour: basement guest suite

I was determined to still have a little wiggle room in our house after the baby because we have so many visitors come and I didn't want to always be displacing someone. I also wanted visitors to have access to their own bathroom and entry as well. Enter: the basement project. We finished off 2 bedrooms and a bathroom (about a third of our total unfinished space). Another thing I love about having this done is that we know have a set amount of bedrooms. Even if we finish the rest of the basement, we wont be adding any more bedrooms so now we know exactly what we have to grow with.
The main portion of the renovation was this "guest suite." It is a sitting room, bedroom, and walk-in closet. It will be great for visitors now and we think eventually great for a teenage shared room and hangout space. The barn door can slide to completely close off both rooms. We re-used many things and added in a few new and overall we are very happy with the outcome!

Details:: bedroom: bedroom set as been painted white, but furniture and bedding were existing. Wood lamp was from my grandparents and matching lamp shades are from TJ Maxx. sitting room: love seat = Down East, bench ottomans =  repurposed stools (painted and added cushioned top), emerald dresser = KSL find that we painted, a few accessories have been added, otherwise everything was existing and reused.