We Have a HOLE!!!!!

Well, yesterday, it was official... we have started on the house! YEAH!
We now have a REALLY BIG HOLE!

(this is looking from the driveway towards the garage)

(front corner of the house by the garage)

(backyard looking into the house)

(future street name - cul-de-sac)

(couldn't resist snapping a bunch of pics!)

(we just HAD to call the boys and have them come over...they were loving it!)

(and ian of course brought his excavator to help dig our hole! haha)

Drumroll please!

So we cut into our 1st yr. anniversary cake yesterday, and it tasted.......
drumroll please..............

actually REALLY DELICIOUS!

1 Year of Wedded-Blessings

Today is our
1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
I can't believe that one year ago today,
I married my very best friend. He is the most amazing man...
the man that was truly meant for me in every possible way.
I love you honey and I am excited for the many
more years that God blesses us with together!
MUAH!
-------------------------------

To my husband.... Matthew Dale Hoekstra
Thank you...

For loving me....

For making me laugh...

For comforting me and encouraging me....

For being goofy with me....

For sharing your emotions and feeling with me...

For kissing me....
(even when you really don't want to because you've already kissed me 10 times 2 minutes ago! haha!)

and most importantly,
for being the wonderful God-fearing man
that God has created you to be.

I love you with all of my heart honey! Now, forever and always!!
You are my best friend, my love, my life!
MUAH!
-----------------------------

What a BEAUTIFUL and AMAZING day that was!
It was perfect in every possible way.

ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND! (yes, WEEKEND! haha)

Steak, Flaming Cheese, Cake, No Working and Love....

I'm taking a break from work this weekend
(3 portrait shoots & a wedding)
and I am going to enjoy this whole weekend....
whether I am doing stuff with my husband or just running errands or maybe even crawling up with a good book...... I really wanted to make this weekend, just Matt and I, all day every day, but that's just not reality.

We have started to thaw out the top layer of THIS..... which Matt is super excited about...
and when I say super excited...
i mean SUPER EXCITED!
(I hope to take some photos of him devouring it! =) Haha....)

We are going out for dinner tonight at THE PRINCESS CAFE with a gift certificate that Matt got as a thank you and then maybe we will hit up a movie or something. Who knows! Saturday we have a friend's party to go to and then SUNDAY is our ACTUAL
1 YEAR anniversary!
I will be making lunch for us.... which will be made up of roast, mashed and sweet potatoes, corn casserole and some wedding cake for dessert!!! (too bad the mood won't be very romantic on our card table and all my candles and table clothes/decorations all packed away (but like matt could really care less about that! haha!)

Can't wait for the weekend to start!
I LOVE YOU BABY!

photo update...

House Update

"I have the PERMIT IN HAND!"
(well, now it is nailed to our sign in the front of our lot!!)
We are so excited! We met with Justin our "Builder" (he's doing the 1st 3 steps of excavating, foundation & framing!) and he is hoping to start digging Thursday or Friday of THIS WEEK (but the rain might get in the way, darn it!) and then close on our loan FRIDAY!! Things are falling into place.

I am trying to decide whether or not to reveal what things we have decided on for the house and what certain things will look like in our house or not, or just keep it a surprise..... and take a bunch of photos of when it's all done. I know that I might change my mind and also it never looks the same from computer generated to real-life.... so maybe I will..... ok, I WILL... check below. I have been working with HOLLY at PROJECT PLACE in Bradley/Bourbannais to come up with a kitchen layout! The kitchen is the 1st thing that I wanted to get started on because #1. it excites me, to be able to design my own kitchen and #2. i don't want all that stress of just that one room while i'm trying to decide on everything else (carpet, tile, wall color, etc). So Holly has been wonderful to work with and we have come up with a pretty concrete design.

(I just quickly colored them in in Photoshop to see if i really liked on other over another!)
(there is actually an island too.. you can only see the corner of it... but it is in the shape of an "L")







one last thing.... our anniversary is this weekend! =) I CAN NOT BELIEVE that it's been a WHOLE YEAR ALREADY! WOW!

(our future home! sort of the colors i/we want! but not for sure yet!)

I really wish that I had an excuse for not updating this that much lately. We have been busy, but not THAT busy.... I could update at work, but I just don't seem to think about it when I'm there. Oh well..... but NOW, I am finally sitting down and can update you on how everything is going.

We have our blueprints, we have started the loan process, getting them what they need and are now waiting to hear how the appraisal goes. We are VERY CLOSE to getting our permit and being able to start digging a hole!!! Matt has been so busy and pro-active (which I am VERY HAPPY ABOUT!), getting things in place and trying to move things along as fast as possible! There are a couple of things that do have to get done before we are able to get our permit. More on that to come in the next post!