Apartment living vs House living

As we are less than a week from closing on our house, I can't help but think how thankful I am for God even providing a roof over our heads. When I get annoyed with apartment living, I have to check myself and be thankful for even having a place to live. However, there are many annoyances with apartment living. Here are just a few that have been getting on my last nerve lately:

Sharing walls. Our apartment in Columbus had very thin walls and I could hear EVERYTHING! We were on the 2nd floor, so we heard the people above and below us. Our neighbor below us had a very bad, sporatic temper, and our neighbor above us had lead feet. I guess I don't need to complain about that anymore, because that apartment is out of our lives forever. ha!

We are actually very lucky with our apartment in Az. After about 10 people moved out of the apartment above us. (And 10 people is not an exaggeration) One man moved in up stairs. He's actually very quiet and I really don't ever hear him. EXCEPT when he vaccums about every other day right at nap time. It usually doesn't wake Bri up, but how annoying! Nap time is suppose to be quiet time for mommy and baby!

So in about a week, we will be done with apartment living...until the season starts next year. And I am so grateful!!!

Here are a couple of my favorite spaces in our new place:


                                                                        The Kitchen!

                                                                    The Master Shower

I'll post more pics when it's completely done! 

We're back in Az!

Well we are back in Az! It feels so good to be back minus this hot weather! This is the time of year in Columbus when it starts to get a little cooler, and well, in Phoenix, it probably will not get cooler for at least a couple of months. *sigh* But loving being home. It's funny because I am enjoying little luxuries such as having more than 4 towels on hand. During the season, we normally have the bare necessities. 4 forks, 4 plates, 1 frying pan, no decorations etc. So having pictures on the wall and not having to run the dish washer once a day, feels like a luxury to me. 

In the mean time, I am trying to get in some sort of a normal routine now that we're back. It's been a difficult adjustment for Brielle at the gym. The Lifetime fitness is SO busy here and I think she gets a bit overwhelmed. She finally got used to the girls at the gym in Columbus, and then I go and change it on her. Sorry babe! I am missing the Lifetime back in Columbus myself. The one particular instructor I loved, is amazing! She was so great at really caring about the material, and people taking her classes. I don't particularly get the same feeling at the Lifetime here in Gilbert.... I'll adjust! 

Our house is coming along just beautifully, and we are set to close September 5th! I can honestly say that I  really love this house and plan on staying there for a long time! Even though Matt and I had the house in Queen Creek, this is a house we bought together, so it's officially ours.... So needless to say, I really haven't unpacked from the season yet, because I feel like we'll be moving so soon. 

Oh yeah, and there's 12 games left in the season... Not really ready for Matt's season to be over for him, but ready for the season to be over-if that makes any sense. 

                                         Here are some pics of our last few days in Columbus! 

And our house! Not completely done, but getting there! (PS- I plan on our yard having a little more green in it!) 

God and Baseball

I’ve been wanting to write about my feelings about baseball for sometime now, but honestly, it’s hard to completely write my true feelings for the “whole world” to read. It also may seem like I am complaining for no reason. Don’t get me wrong, I feel very blessed with the life we live. So many people dream of being in the situation we are in. I know it could be so much worse. I thank God for my husband. For his health, his attitude, job, and I could go on and on. But sometimes I get discouraged. Living an unstable, inconsistent life can be wearing. (I can’t imagine how my husband may feel) I was reading a baseball article recently, and a player was quoted saying “I was disappointed when I broke camp with A ball. But I knew my future was in my own hands. If you pitch well and get better at the things they want you to get better at, odds are they'll move you up." I couldn’t help but chuckle when I read this. Ok, yes this is true in some cases. But in baseball, you can do your absolute best and it is still not "good enough". I have many stories of Matt doing basically everything he could, and still it not being “good enough”. Goodness, my husband is a fighter. I look up to him in so many ways. And when I really think about it, I seriously cannot believe some of the things that have gone on in his baseball career. (Maybe I’ll go into detail when I write a book later-Ha!) So just when I feel like “Geez God, what in the world are you doing with us in this baseball life?!” He shows me. Yesterday, Matt called me after his game excitedly telling me about a conversation he was having with one of his teammates about God. I couldn’t help but feel as excited as he was telling me the story. We hung up the phone, and I realized, oh, that’s why we are living this unstable, inconsistent life. God may have placed us on this triple-A Columbus Clippers baseball team, to change the mind of that one player on Matt's team.

I know my husband has been a witness to more than just that one person. He has witnessed to many, including myself. Thank you sweetheart, and Thank you, Jesus! I am reminded, once again, that we are right where we are suppose to be…. For now :)

Click the link below to see Matt hit a BOMB! I think it's probably the farthest homer I've ever seen him hit! *proud wife* 

http://www.milb.com/multimedia/vpp.jsp?content_id=22985421&sid=milb

Goodbye Grandma Pris

I’m sitting here writing with a heavy heart as we heard the news of Matt’s grandma Priscilla’s passing, Weds evening.  I’ve been sad all day today, but I feel happy knowing she’s in heaven.  I’ve always thought of Pricsilla to be a special person in my life. She’s always made me feel so welcomed in the Pagnozzi family. She was so loving, caring and thoughtful.  She always remembered me for birthdays and holidays, which I have always been particularly impressed with, because I’m not her blood granddaughter. But some of my favorite memories of Pricsilla, were her phone calls. Before she got extremely ill, she ALWAYS called Matt and myself to see how we were doing and to give us words of encouragement. One of my favorite phone calls I will never forget was when Matt was in one of the first seasons of his professional baseball career. He had lost some weight because he went from playing college ball, a couple times a week, to pro ball where he played almost every day. She left the cutest phone message that I will never forget. It went something like this: Hey Matt, it’s grandma. I heard that you are getting a bit skinny, so I don’t want you to worry about what you eat. Eat whatever you want. Eat lots of macaroni and cheese, and McDonald hamburgers. Love you, bye” I will never forget it. Matt saved it on his phone for a while, because we thought it was so cute and sweet. I can also remember her leaving messages saying things like: “Just hit the crap out of the ball.” I loved it.  Not only did she call Matt to see how we were but she would always call me as well. Made me feel so good. I will always cherish the memories I have of Priscilla. We love her so much and she will be greatly missed.