New House

We are so grateful for the opportunity to build a new home in Rigby. Mark's uncle asked us, "What makes you think your marriage is strong enough to withstand that?" Ha! Honestly, it has been one of the funnest things we have ever done together and has been practically stress-free. A lot of that is because we are totally on the same page with things though and he trusts my judgment on colors and what not. =) It's been fun to see it progress so here are pictures of the journey thus far.

 This is the view from the kitchen looking into the living room.

 Same shot a few months later.

 The stucco got painted this week! I  LOVE the way it is turning out. Looking forward to seeing it with the rock and my yellow door.

 I adore the molding around the windows. It looks so much better in person.

 From the living room looking into the kitchen.

As of right now we are scheduled to be finished September 13. Sometimes it feels far away but for the most part it is flying by! And that's a good thing because I am losing sleep over the whole process. Decorating and re-decorating it in my mind and envisioning moving day, etc. So very excited!

Update!

Emmett is growing like a weed. He is crawling everywhere and loves to pull himself up on anything and everything. He has his two bottom teeth and is cutting teeth on the top but it's his eye teeth, not his front teeth. That will look interesting! He is such a happy, content little bug (unless he's tired or hungry, but aren't we all that way?!) and we are thankful every day that we didn't have a little girl because we never would have had him.

This is probably my favorite picture ever of these two. They posed themselves and everything! Such cuties.

 Blocks! Every day, blocks! Right after breakfast just about every single day the kids break out the blocks. They are so creative and imaginative and I'm so thankful they got that from their dad.

 I left Emmett at home with Mark with a double ear infection and a heavy duty antibiotic so I could go to girl's camp for one last time with the Sageview ward. It was so nice to be out in nature and spend time with the girls and leaders I have come to love so much. It was a bittersweet experience for sure!

 Goofy kids. Love them all.

Two Birthdays in Two Days! (Again)

Well, we've done it three times now and I'm not sure if it's getting any easier or not. But it is always fun! Saydi turned FIVE on the 20th and Jonas turned THREE on the 22nd. Where is my life going?! It's happening too fast. Since my computer posted them in reverse order and I'm way too lazy to fix that, we will recap them that way. =)

Messy boy eating his green cupcakes. He adores the color green. If something is green - it's his. Period.

 

 His birthday fell on a Sunday and it was after a trip (more of that to come) so we had a pretty low key day at home after church. He had fun opening his gifts, playing outside, and watching movies with the fam. It was a good day! 

 To celebrate our weekend of birthdays we went to Seven Peaks with Mark's family. We left first thing in the morning on Saydi's birthday, after she had opened her presents. I got to sit in the back with my babies and I loved it! Cute kiddos.

The kids had fun but the last hour or so I must have heard, "Are we there yet?" about twenty times. It's a rite of passage as a parent to endure it.

 After a crazy fun day at Seven Peaks (where I took NO pictures because I had so much anxiety about keeping track of my kids in that zoo) we were all worn out. Mark and I got lovely sunburns that we just added to the next day.

 The plan was to get Saydi a cake in Provo because I didn't think one would withstand the 4 hour car drive. We got to our hotel and saw that there was a Dairy Queen right in the parking lot so Saydi decided she wanted us all to go have ice cream after dinner instead of having cake. I am having mom guilt that she didn't have cake on her birthday but she got what she chose so maybe one of these years I'll learn to let it go.

We spent all the next morning and afternoon at Seven Peaks again. My kids were champs. Weston went down the huge slides all by himself! I am so proud of him. And they all went down a couple big slides with Mark and I. I honestly never ventured out to do things like that until I was about 13. For real. My kids have their dads sense of adventure and I am so thankful for that. We had a great weekend celebrating our June babies and we sure love them! They are growing up way too fast!

Saying Goodbye

Miss is leaving for Texas in just over a week so we have been trying to squeeze lots of visits in. I don't know what I'm going to do without her. I've been in denial and not letting myself think about it. I think when she actually leaves I'm going to have a mental break down. We had fun with almost all the sisters last weekend while my boys were at the father/son camp out.

 

Earlier that day some of the cousins met at the park for lunch and playing. Love these kiddos.

We are going to miss this sweet little family. They are the best. Miss is the most unselfish person I know. I was thinking the other day that I literally can't think of one unkind thing she has done (not counting our growing up years!). They are off on a new journey for their little family and we are excited for the new experiences they get to enjoy. But we will be sad to see them go!

Kindergarten Graduate!

I can't believe my baby boy is gone and has been replaced with this big boy first grader! It was an emotional day. I am so proud of this kid. He is golden. We loved and adored his teacher, Mrs. Dixon, (on the left) and I am so grateful for her help in teaching my son to love learning.

 Kasen Murdoch

 KiLyn Criddle, Carlie Brown and Clara Brown. These girls love Wes!

 Weston's very best friend, Peyton Shumway (incidentally, my childhood best friend's nephew!). It is so hard for me to move Weston and split these two up. They are hilarious together and we are definitely going to keep this friendship going even after we move to Rigby.

 Kiaus Newman, Kasen Murdoch, and Peyton Shumway

 Wes with Ethan Mecham.

 Receiving his diploma.

 Here he is! He only missed two days of school and had perfect grades. He also received a reading award. He is so smart! He is going to rock 1st grade. Love this boy with all my heart.

So Far Behind!

I have never been so terrible at keeping an updated record on my family! It's shameful! Our computer screen broke so we can only use it when it's connected to the TV and I must be getting old because it's just too hard for me to see it that way. So that's my excuse. But I need to be better because this is our family's journal and the only place I keep a record of the important event in our life. So here we go with a ton of pictures and updates.

Emmett is getting semi-mobile. Not exactly crawling but finding his own way to get around and get into sister and brother's things.

 Ha! The last clean bib I had in the drawer. Perhaps I need to do better at keeping up with the laundry too.

 Family fun on Memorial Day. Our kids and Sean's kids.

 We are building a house in Rigby. We broke ground on April 23rd and will be in some time in October. It's fun to take the kids on Sunday evenings and check on the progress. Also a little surreal. They are looking out the window in the master bedroom in this picture.

 In my kitchen looking out into the living room.

 Saydi Baby's last day of preschool! (I guess I have to stop calling her that now? :'( )

 I always find her in the most random positions and with the most random objects that she wasn't originally put to bed with. This is my favorite - her scriptures.

 "Mom, can I feed Emmett?" You bet buddy!!

 At the zoo with Saydi's preschool class.

 Taking walks and loving it.

 Getting in as many outings in with Miss as we can before she moves to Texas. Down to just a few weeks now. =(

 Now that Emmett can sit and sort of get around he doesn't really like being stranded in this toy anymore. Luckily his older siblings are still putting it to good use.

 Easter! Super low key this year but we prefer to keep Easter small anyway.

 I love it when I randomly catch them doing things like this. Happens all the time.

 Another random sleeping picture. She put this clip in her hair. In the morning she came upstairs and said she couldn't find the "crown" she was wearing when she fell asleep. Hilarious.

 I am going to miss hearing all the fun these guys have together building forts in the basement when these guys move. 

 Saydi did this to Emmett the other morning. Poor boy. I can't help but find it hilarious though. Especially coupled with the hand-me-down pink Bumbo.

 Which he can no longer sit in because he started doing this. I literally caught him the split second before he rolled out of this thing and off the table. Twice. Now it's put away for good. =)

 He had his first hair cut at six months old!

 He was watching me get ready one morning and when I turned to look at him I saw this instead. Cracks me up.

 Cuddles with cousin Trevor.

A quick update on each of us: Mark is still limping around a little but not very noticeably. He doesn't have full function of his knee but is grateful for the things he can do. 

Weston is finishing up kindergarten next week and I can't even let myself process it because I will just fall apart. Sometimes he goes and plays with a friend after school and doesn't get home until after 3 and when I think that that's how every day is going to be next year it makes me want to bawl. I love having my kids home. He is still the most amazing big brother you ever saw and is very helpful with big boy chores like helping take care of the chickens and the garbage. He loves playing electronic games and picks up on things after watching just once or twice. He is reading on his own as long as the words are small and loves learning.

Saydi really thrived in preschool this year and knows her whole alphabet and the sounds they make. She changes her mind daily on whether she's going to be a dolphin or a dragon when she grows up. Sometimes a tiger. She has become such a tender hearted girl and although she can still show her feisty side, she is the one that is the peacemaker more often than not. She loves helping with anything and everything around the house. All she wants in return is a sticker for her sticker chart. =) She is so imaginative and tells the most creative stories you can imagine. So creative that most of the time you don't understand anything she's talking about!

Jonas has absolutely no traces of baby left in him. He is 100% little boy now. He talks more than the other two ever did at this age. He is so incredibly loving and still likes to cuddle. I've been sick this week and yesterday I walked by him while he was on my bed and he stuck his arms out to give me a hug. So I gave him a hug and then he said in the most concerned  little voice, "Mommy are you all better?" Melt my heart. He gets attached to little things and you will find no less than five different toys in his bed (that weren't there when he was put to bed) on any given morning. He is having a hard time with the concept of sharing lately but he is so fun loving and kind hearted that it's hard to stay upset with him for very long.

Emmett is growing like a champ. He has been my easiest baby without question. Maybe I just have the hang of this now. Or maybe I don't care about the little things as much. Maybe both. He is babbling now, mostly saying "dada" and also likes to fake laugh and fake cough. He adores food. And pretty much anything that goes in his mouth. He got his first two bottom teeth about a week ago and so far doesn't handle teething all that great. Can't blame the guy. He loves watching his siblings play and will rarely be happy if he is by himself. He won't sleep in the car because he loves looking around so much that he doesn't let himself fall asleep. As long as there's no crying I'm ok with that! 

Life in general is great and we are feeling very blessed. We know that we are on a path the Lord has set before us and we are grateful to see what new journeys come our way when we make our move in a few short months.