Our First Home

Tuff and I married in June 2008 in Staples, MN. Immediately following the wedding, we took a ten day honeymoon throughout Minnesota.  Sounds fun and typical to honeymoon after the wedding, but what made this honeymoon different was this was our home. You see, we didn't have a home, apartment or even a location to live because Tuff was in between jobs. Just weeks before he was released from the New Orleans Saints. That means he was fired 😉.

Thus the start of our married and moving journey began. We stayed put in Staples, MN and house sat for the Erholtz's while they were on vacation. We also lived at my parents' house for a few weeks, then traveled to Spokane, WA for the Edwards's wedding where we had all intentions of house sitting while they honeymooned in Europe. However Tuff got picked up by the Tennessee Titans to play some more football. So we moved to Nashville and lived in an Extended Stay America for a few weeks followed by a fully furnished month to month rental in Green Hills, then our friends The Pleasant's home for a few weeks in between apartments, then a one bedroom basement apartment, all in Nashville. One year later we sold all our Craigslisted furniture and relocated to Pittsburgh where we lived in a 400 square foot, really cute waterfront apartment. The next year, still in Pittsburgh we lived  in an old hotel, The Allegheny, for a few months, then with our friend Maggie in between places, finding out if Tuff would get to keep his job playing football or not. When we found out he'd get to keep his job with the Steelers, we moved to an attic and third story house apartment in Troy Hill, Pittsburgh where we stayed for almost two years. Most people considered this a sketchy part of town (hence the cheap rent) but we loved it. Part of that time Tuff moved to Edmonton, Canada to play football and stayed with two other teammates in a hotel.

As if things weren't interesting enough, we left Pittsburgh and lived with my parents in Minnesota in the downstairs of their home for five months with our first baby, Grace Goodie, who was two months old at the time. Then we moved to Colstrip, MT with Tuff's cousins The Green's .  Grace slept in the office and us in the guest bedroom. A few months later we moved to the Heights in Billings, MT for six months with Tuff's cousins The Lyman's. During that time in Billings we searched for homes but didn't pull the trigger or didn't win the bids on foreclosed homes. We really weren't sure of our future plans or if we would stay in Billings.

Then came an incredible blessing. Tuff's cousins, The Caton's, needed a renter for their Billings home while they relocated with the army. The timing was a godsend and so was the past three years we rented from them.  Since living in thier house, we added a dog and two more bundles of joy.  

Fast forward to today. Today we purchased the Caton home and it is our first home. Feels weird to say we are homeowners. We don't even have to move!

We want to say thank you to all who were involved with our journey, our many past living arrangements, the help with housing us or moving us or welcoming us in your city.

Especially, thank you Caton family, for blessing us beyond measure.

“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

http://bible.com/114/luk.6.38.nkjv

Oops I Did It Again; August Update

Oops I did it again, and no I'm not singing the Britney Spears song.  I somehow allowed another several months to pass before updating the blog.  Which means you'll need to fasten your seat belts and take a journey in the time capsule back to August.

Lets start with August 11th and 12th.  Tuff was inducted into the Montana Football Hall of Fame.

What made this extra special was that it was the first year of the hall of fame.  Also Tuff's family made it to the induction ceremony as well as Robert Stuker, a high school teacher at Lodge Grass that left a positive impact on Tuff and his high school football coach Mark Ator.

Tuff was the last speech of the night.  In the video below, you'll see Tuff's brother Jay introducing Tuff, which was such an honor, followed by Tuff's speech.  If you have the time its about 22 minutes and a great set of speeches.  

If you want to read more Colter Nuanez, founder of Skyline Sports wrote a bio for the hall of fame called The Legend of "Tuff" Harris.

The Montana Football Hall of Fame also has a Facebook page to stay connected:
https://www.facebook.com/montanafootballhalloffame/

August 17th-22nd was Crow Fair.  For those of you who don't know Crow Fair is known as the "Teepee Capitol of the World."

Parade.

Watching the parade.

Walking the fair grounds.

The photo below is of us taking a break at the Gatekeepers Ministries tent with Gwen.  Gwen is on the board for One Heart Warriors and runs the Gatekeepers Ministry.  My kids also call her Grandma Gwen.  During the fair, Gatekeepers tent offered a resting place and changing station to families with little ones.

Liza Love 2 years old, Crow Fair 2016.

Flashback to Crow Fair 2014 when 2.4 year old Goodie wore the cute regalia.

Goodie, VV, Liza and Sarah watching Grand Entrance.

Yas and Griz too, they traveled all the way from California to be at Crow Fair.

The arbor just before Grand Entrance.

Merval set up a barber tent at the fair.

Tuff was honored and recognized in the arbor between dances for getting inducted into the Montana Football Hall of Fame.  

Tuff and his niece Amara.

Judah's first horse experience.  I think he's saying, "That's a huge dog! Save me Papa."

Crossing over dates with Crow Fair was the Montana State Fair.  It was fun...but left me wondering where my $50 went and where it went so quickly.  

The ladies of the summer session One Heart Warriors and I took a mini day trip to Bozeman.  First we stopped by our college friend Richie's house.  Richie is actually a part of Tuff's and my 'first time meeting' story back in the dorms at The University of Montana.  Richie and Rachel welcomed their first child, Reed to the world in August.  

Sarah and VV are in the photo below.  We enjoyed some tacos from local venue, Victory Taco and then hiked a little hike to Victory Falls.  So it looks like V I C T O R Y was the theme.  

VV and Sarah.

Milestones:  At the end of August, by a miracle of the Lord, Liza became potty trained!  I tried for several months with no results.  I knew she was ready because she could tell me she wanted a diaper on and could hold her pee from morning to nap so she could go in her diaper, then hold it again from nap to night time.  Every morning I'd ask her if she wanted to wear her big girl panties and she would say no, I want a diaper.  Then one morning, completely prompted on her own, she asked for panties.  That was it.  She brought herself to the potty, and viola, she was trained.  She potty trained herself.  

Video of celebration "potty song:"

Of course I have some fill-in pictures of life in between all these main events.

3 month old Judah Jet.

Zoo Montana.

Ran into our cuzzies at Target!  Kylee, Goodie, Kaydee.

Family workout time.

Goodie on the ropes video:

Pre-K orientation.  Ms. Ashley and Goodie.

 Liza at a hearing screen test for her left ear, which still doesn't hear.

Momma Mary and her happy boy.

I got me and the family on a 10 day no sugar added challenge.  Wow that was hard and enlightening.  The kids and I put a piece of tape labeled 'sugar' on everything that existed in our house with added sugar.

Then we went to the grocery store to restock with some no sugar added options.

Tuff's friend Lonny tagged me on Facebook with the photo below.  Its Lonny and Tuff probably from 2000 during the reenactment for Little Bighorn Days.  

Speaking of reenacting, here is an epic bedtime story video for the kids of Merval, who is like an uncle to my kids, and Tuff reenacting David and Goliath: