Coming Home

Naomi loves coming home. She is quickly becoming a homebody to say the least. Whenever we get back to our house from an outing Naomi has a lot to say. She squeals, talks and wiggles all over the place. The trick is getting it on camera. If she can see the camera, her performance comes to an abrupt halt. Today, we finally got Naomi's jubilation upon arriving home on camera.

Interior Pictures

As requested here are some pictures of the interior of our home. As it is new and was originally built for an out of state investor, the interior lacks the detail and character that accompanies most older homes. Libby and I see this as our opportunity to truly make this home ours. In the coming years we will be making many modifications. At the top of our list? The most practical of modifications: a garage door opener. Libby and I, with the help of some friends, installed our new garage door opener this last weekend. I am happy to report that it actually works!

In time however, we would like to add paint, laminate flooring, a back splash for the kitchen, trim and a closet organizer. For now we are just happy to be in our new home.

A Place to Call Home

Libby and I have finally purchased a place that we can call home. The bank has finally accepted our offer and we will move into our first home next month. For a long time now, Libby and I have been searching for a home in the community known as Daybreak in South Jordan, Utah. This community has only existed for about 6 years now, but already has 7000 residents as the community appeals to families at every stage of life. The community was designed by renowned planner Peter Calthorpe to adhere to the principles of New Urbanism.

New Urbanism is not new as it essentially copies the planning methods used before World War II. Towns used to be constructed in a manner that did not lend itself to automobile use. Instead, people would walk to shops or to work. They did not have to take the interstate, but rather walked a short distance to the office or maybe even down stairs to thier occupation. This mixed-use idea was deserted after the war as most everything since was built to accomodate cars with new zoning laws that separated commercial and residential uses.

This resurgence of traditional planning is encapsulated in Daybreak's design. Grocery stores, schools, gyms, restraunts, parks, trails and even a 65 acre lake will be within a short walking distance of our home. Libby and I have dozens of parks to go to along 22 miles of trails. We also look forward to the new Oquirrh Temple that will be completed this year as we will only be 5 minutes away. TRAX will also be built in Daybreak so we will not have to drive a car to go downtown or to the U. All of the homes feature traditional architecture instead of the banal stucco boxes you find in most new neighborhoods. This architecture gives the neighborhood a more welcoming feel and distinquishes it from other neighborhoods in the valley.

Our home is a modest bungalow with a large porch and a nice backyard. It has three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms which will provide room for our growing family. Things we are most excited for? A dishwasher, a garage and our own backyard. Oh yeah, and a closet that is larger than 12 square feet!! Having been a nomadic apartment dweller for the last decade it will be nice to finally call a place home.