Friday, August 26, 2011
Moving day
Moving day! I keep thinking that if I can get through this period in my life, I can get through anything! Wish us luck!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
ELIJAH LOUIS, how we love you!
We are quickly approaching Elijah's second birthday and I am afraid that in the midst of the move, I will not find time to document how much I love this child. He was meant for our family and every day I thank my Heavenly Father for sending this spunky, funny, and loving child into our home. He makes me happy!
Here is a sampling of Elijah as he turns 2:
-He follows me around the house ALL DAY labeling my actions! He opens the shower curtain to tell me "Mommy in the shower, mommy shampoo, etc." If someone is changing, he sings at the top of his lungs, "NAKED (name of person) on the loose!!!" (Pierce's song!) Uh, oh, spoon fall down, I want to get down, etc. HE TALKS ALL DAY! And, he speaks really well. I am amazed daily by his ever-increasing vocabulary and the way he uses it!
-Elijah loves to sing! When he takes a bite, he sings to the tune of Go Shorty, It's Your Birthday, "GO ELIJAH! HE'S A ROCKING!" He will eat his whole dinner stopping to sing the song between each bite. He usually looks to us for applause! He can sing every Taylor Swift song and High School Musical song. We were in Costco today and he was singing Taylor Swift at the top of his lungs!
-Every time we pass the llama farm (yes, there is a llama farm in our town) he sings, "Me and my llama, me and my llama, going to the dentist today!" (from 1970's Sesame Street) Tonight he was eating his dinner, singing the llama song, picked a booger, stopped his song and looked up at me and started singing, "Me and my booger! Look mom, BOOGER!" He is such a boy already!"
-This child knows how to joke. He likes to call me by my first name. He knows this is a joke and will say it over and over again until I say, "YOU CALL ME MAMMA!" He will laugh and say, "TAMI!" He teases us, and even his Papa who he still refers to as Stinky Pete. He always says it with a chuckle. He is always good for a belly laugh with hide and go seek!
-Elijah is a shoe thief. If there are shoes missing, you know where to find them!
-Elijah loves to eat! For this reason, he and Corom, though 18 months apart, are only 2 pounds apart.
-We have already gotten used to his quirky little smile! It is still a smile that makes me happy!
-Elijah loves cartoons. I will be preparing breakfast in the kitchen while the kids watch morning cartoons. The cartoon will ask a question like, "What color is Mickey's balloon" and Elijah always shouts back a response. He is usually right!
-He says beautiful dinner prayers!
-Loves to be rocked and sang to with his blanky!
-Sings to the temple every time we pass it!
-Loves his family, though prefers not to be bothered. I think this is one of his funniest traits. He has a strong sense of personal space and makes it known!
-When bored, he will start running around the house saying, "CA-CHOW! or "LOOK MOMMY! I'M FAST!"
-As I type, he is asking me, "Mommy, where is my ice cream cone?" over and over again.
Elijah Louis, we love you and cannot believe that we have had you for almost 2 years. Our lives are so much more complete with you in our home, teaching and snuggling us. I am excited to see what the future holds in store for you
-
Friday, August 12, 2011
So much to write about...where do I begin?
I cannot believe how quickly this summer is coming to a close. At the end of May, we moved into a rental, with the thought that we would live here until our home was completed. The building process is going MUCH slower than anticipated and the rental has sold and we must be out at the end of the month. We found a wonderful family in our ward at church who are going to let us live in their basement apartment until our house is finished. I cannot even begin to express our relief at finding this wonderful family, as we had been pricing out single room hotel rates. This option would have been expensive and cramped! So, after feeling like we just unpacked (only some of our belongings) and feeling like we are just getting settled, we have once again pulled out the packing tape and have started reloading boxes. This time we are keeping out only what we will need for a month or so and the rest is going in to storage. That, is our current living situation.
On a more fun note, my wonderful husband has been listening to a homesick wife complain about wanting desperately to go home to California. When we found a potential new owner for our puppy in Sacramento, (long story, but we couldn't keep her) we loaded the children up and Dan drove through the night on Thursday after having worked a long day! We had a WONDERFUL, QUICK, trip and loved every minute of it! The kids swam, we barbequed, spent time with family, we slept in and relaxed. It truly felt like a vacation. We were able to meet our beautiful new nieces attend their blessings. Dan drove the whole way home on Monday while I played angry birds! Told yah I have a wonderful husband! (Actually he thinks I drive too slow!) He knows I do not like driving and steps up to do it!
When we came home, our home had finally been framed! We turned the corner of the street to see what had been only a basement in ground when we left, was finally a framed 2 story home! YIPEE!!! They put the stairs in this week and we actually got to walk through it and show the kids their rooms upstairs! The framers worked late into the evening tonight and it is really starting to take shape. Building has been the most frustrating process and seeing the start of the home is giving us hope!
We also came home to an apricot tree that is fully in bloom and hundreds of gooey apricots all over the ground! What a mess! Dan and I tackled about half of the tree tonight, sorting the fruit. We are hoping to do jam, pie filling and canned fruit. THANK YOU ASHLEY for teaching me to can in Salt Lake! I would give anything to have you here right now to tackle this fruit with me!
The kids are thriving and doing well! We are loving our summer days, but feeling ready to add the structure of school into the mix. Noelle will begin kindergarten and we have had some sign ups for our preschool. It will be a small year as far as students go, but a great place to start. We are going all out, as if we had a full class. It is only fair for students who are enrolled and paying. I will also have my children. So great to use my creative side!
I hope you are all doing well! I apologize if this is kind of a gushy post, my emotions have been on a roller coaster this summer. There is so much change, it has been intense! Love you all! Thanks for checking in!
Warning! Pictures are not in order and I could not put all of them on the blog. I know I do not have pictures of everyone! (Especially we are missing photos of Marco's birthday!)
These kids always pick right back up when they get together!
THE GIRLS!
We didn't anticipate thousands of apricots, but we are up to the challenge!
And how did we get to 9 grandkids? SOOOOO FUN!
Tessa and Riley's blessing day
I LOVE this boy! He tugs at my heart strings and is looking like such a big boy these days. I still think of him as my baby!
A trip to California would not be complete without helping Nana and Papa in their garden. The kids all have their own baskets and even Elijah took part this year. The kids really look forward to this!
Auntie Gina and Corom have a close bond! They played and played!!!
Corom and his Papa! The smiles say it all!
Happy little Tessa! She is so sweet!
Read the sign on the door! Hilarious! The kids were playing beauty salon! Did I mention that my 5 year old insists on doing her own hair everyday? Nikki, I am so sorry if she has had an influence on Lucia! Independent children!
We love our Nana!
Sweet Baby Riley!
This is the first time my kids have been in the pool all summer! There really aren't pools in Idaho! Noelle and Corom loved it! Elijah was not so sure!
PHEW, I could have posted more! It was a wonderful weekend!
On a more fun note, my wonderful husband has been listening to a homesick wife complain about wanting desperately to go home to California. When we found a potential new owner for our puppy in Sacramento, (long story, but we couldn't keep her) we loaded the children up and Dan drove through the night on Thursday after having worked a long day! We had a WONDERFUL, QUICK, trip and loved every minute of it! The kids swam, we barbequed, spent time with family, we slept in and relaxed. It truly felt like a vacation. We were able to meet our beautiful new nieces attend their blessings. Dan drove the whole way home on Monday while I played angry birds! Told yah I have a wonderful husband! (Actually he thinks I drive too slow!) He knows I do not like driving and steps up to do it!
When we came home, our home had finally been framed! We turned the corner of the street to see what had been only a basement in ground when we left, was finally a framed 2 story home! YIPEE!!! They put the stairs in this week and we actually got to walk through it and show the kids their rooms upstairs! The framers worked late into the evening tonight and it is really starting to take shape. Building has been the most frustrating process and seeing the start of the home is giving us hope!
We also came home to an apricot tree that is fully in bloom and hundreds of gooey apricots all over the ground! What a mess! Dan and I tackled about half of the tree tonight, sorting the fruit. We are hoping to do jam, pie filling and canned fruit. THANK YOU ASHLEY for teaching me to can in Salt Lake! I would give anything to have you here right now to tackle this fruit with me!
The kids are thriving and doing well! We are loving our summer days, but feeling ready to add the structure of school into the mix. Noelle will begin kindergarten and we have had some sign ups for our preschool. It will be a small year as far as students go, but a great place to start. We are going all out, as if we had a full class. It is only fair for students who are enrolled and paying. I will also have my children. So great to use my creative side!
I hope you are all doing well! I apologize if this is kind of a gushy post, my emotions have been on a roller coaster this summer. There is so much change, it has been intense! Love you all! Thanks for checking in!
Warning! Pictures are not in order and I could not put all of them on the blog. I know I do not have pictures of everyone! (Especially we are missing photos of Marco's birthday!)
These kids always pick right back up when they get together!
THE GIRLS!
We didn't anticipate thousands of apricots, but we are up to the challenge!
And how did we get to 9 grandkids? SOOOOO FUN!
Tessa and Riley's blessing day
I LOVE this boy! He tugs at my heart strings and is looking like such a big boy these days. I still think of him as my baby!
A trip to California would not be complete without helping Nana and Papa in their garden. The kids all have their own baskets and even Elijah took part this year. The kids really look forward to this!
Auntie Gina and Corom have a close bond! They played and played!!!
Corom and his Papa! The smiles say it all!
Happy little Tessa! She is so sweet!
Read the sign on the door! Hilarious! The kids were playing beauty salon! Did I mention that my 5 year old insists on doing her own hair everyday? Nikki, I am so sorry if she has had an influence on Lucia! Independent children!
We love our Nana!
Sweet Baby Riley!
This is the first time my kids have been in the pool all summer! There really aren't pools in Idaho! Noelle and Corom loved it! Elijah was not so sure!
PHEW, I could have posted more! It was a wonderful weekend!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Quotes of the Day
Dan started a game with my kids. As we are driving through the miles of farms on our way to and from town, the kids have to shout, "CORN" when they see a corn field before the other people in the car shout it. It has turned into quite a serious competition. Well, anyways, this morning Corom shouted, "CORN!" And Noelle, knowing that it was not corn, shouted, (I wish I could say that she was calm about it) "THAT IS NOT CORN, THOSE ARE JELLY BEANS!!!!" When I looked over, I got a good laugh, she was looking at a sugar beet patch! Similar in name, I guess! Noelle makes me laugh!
This afternoon I was snuggling Corom (my 3 year old) and he said to me, "I really like Brenda, she is a nice girl." Brenda is Dan's boss's wife and had tended him for awhile today. Corom just loves expressing his feelings, it makes me smile every time.
This afternoon I was snuggling Corom (my 3 year old) and he said to me, "I really like Brenda, she is a nice girl." Brenda is Dan's boss's wife and had tended him for awhile today. Corom just loves expressing his feelings, it makes me smile every time.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Oh, Corom
My little Corom gave me an eye-opening experience this morning. Corom is quite possibly the sweetest child I have ever met. He makes friends everywhere he goes. This morning the painters knocked on the door. (Painting the exterior of our rental home) I was in the shower. Corom opened the door, "My mom is in the shower right now and we are eating breakfast. Do you want some breakfast?" When I got dressed, I came in the living room, opened the door to introduce myself to the painter and he recounted the conversation. EVERY TIME I get in the shower, I drill the kids on not opening the door until I get out. I was mortified. Corom hasn't any fear when it comes to strangers. It is scary! Lucky for me, the painter was nice.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Lazy July Days
I have been neglecting my journal, so this post is going to be a bit of an entry that I typically wouldn't put on my blog. Sometimes you just have to write things down before you forget them.
I had a bit of an ah-ha moment the other day. The kids and I drive Dan to and from work every day. Transitioning from grad school, we are just trying to gain our foundation and a second car is one of the things that has been put on the back burner. Most mornings I wake up from a dead sleep to get in the car to take him. We pull the kids out of bed in their jammies and with their blankets. Anyhow, I believe it was Monday, I was driving home after dropping him off. I checked the temperature. It was 57 degrees and gorgeous. First we pass by the temple, and a field with cows. Elijah points out the sprinklers every day and says hello to the cows. When we pass the temple, the boys sing, "I love to See the Temple." It makes me smile every time. Elijah also says hello to Moroni on top of the temple and points to his trumpet. We pass through miles and miles of farms before entering our little community. We were driving down the road, the kids were singing to Simon and Garfunkel at the top of their lungs. (Li-li-li-CHHHHH!) We sing the Boxer, "ELIJAH-LIJ! CHHHH!" If you know the song, you can see how the kids think it says Elijah's name. As we passed through the farms, we were naming the crops: corn, onions, alfalfa, hay, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, etc. When we first moved here, I couldn't get over how bizarre it all seemed to be in the middle of farms and yet on that morning, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for my life, for my beautiful, innocent children, for Dan's job, for our surroundings and for our new beginning in this land that still feels so far from home. I don't know why this particular moment hit me, but it did. I love that I am a mom, that I am blessed to stay home and raise my children and I am also grateful for the time we get to spend as a family each morning. I was also telling Dan today that I have felt more in tune to the Spirit since we moved here than I have felt in a long time. There aren't any distractions. The children and I are together all day. We spend most of our time outside and go to the park for lunch daily. The TV is off and most of the time, though the children do talk a lot, I have time to think. Life is simple, but it is good.
Last night Dan volunteered at the soup kitchen and the kids and I got take out and went to the park to picnic and play. When we got home, we went on a nice, long walk and set up the tent in the living room. This morning we picked up our Bountiful Basket (food co-op) For just over $20, I came home with a HUGE basket of produce. (an assortment of fruit, veggies and a mexican mix with peppers, onions, cilantro, tomatillos, etc.) It is like Christmas every time we pick it up, you never know what you are going to get. We lounged, napped and then went to the lake for a bit and then to our Stake Pioneer Day Celebration. Tonight, Dan slipped away to go see Harry Potter.
Again, I apologize if this is more of a journal posting than a fun one. Thank you all for tuning into our blog and keeping up with our family. They are growing and I love recording our lives sharing it with so many of you who live far away! Have a great week!
Friday night means camping out in the living room. The kids get to stay up late and watch a movie. Elijah REALLY gets a kick out of it, but has yet to settle down enough to actually fall asleep. Last night we watched Tangled! Then on Saturdays, the kids wake up to Dan's waffles and eggs. I live for the weekends these days!
Noelle "helped" me sew her a new skirt yesterday and then today we had fun shopping for a shirt and sweater to go with it for church!
Can you say ,"brothers?"
My birthday was on the 10th. I turned 30!!! We celebrated with cupcakes from Coldstone. They were AMAZING! I was wonderful having my birthday fall on a weekend with Dan home.
Our fun dad! Always the life of the party!
CHEESE!!!!
The ice cream cupcakes were a little cold!
Daisy is really growing and has turned into quite a mellow dog already. We will have her for a few more weeks and have found a good home for her. Our time for a puppy will come when our children are a bit older!
The kids spend their days in our backyard. They can dig in the dirt all day!
I had a bit of an ah-ha moment the other day. The kids and I drive Dan to and from work every day. Transitioning from grad school, we are just trying to gain our foundation and a second car is one of the things that has been put on the back burner. Most mornings I wake up from a dead sleep to get in the car to take him. We pull the kids out of bed in their jammies and with their blankets. Anyhow, I believe it was Monday, I was driving home after dropping him off. I checked the temperature. It was 57 degrees and gorgeous. First we pass by the temple, and a field with cows. Elijah points out the sprinklers every day and says hello to the cows. When we pass the temple, the boys sing, "I love to See the Temple." It makes me smile every time. Elijah also says hello to Moroni on top of the temple and points to his trumpet. We pass through miles and miles of farms before entering our little community. We were driving down the road, the kids were singing to Simon and Garfunkel at the top of their lungs. (Li-li-li-CHHHHH!) We sing the Boxer, "ELIJAH-LIJ! CHHHH!" If you know the song, you can see how the kids think it says Elijah's name. As we passed through the farms, we were naming the crops: corn, onions, alfalfa, hay, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, etc. When we first moved here, I couldn't get over how bizarre it all seemed to be in the middle of farms and yet on that morning, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for my life, for my beautiful, innocent children, for Dan's job, for our surroundings and for our new beginning in this land that still feels so far from home. I don't know why this particular moment hit me, but it did. I love that I am a mom, that I am blessed to stay home and raise my children and I am also grateful for the time we get to spend as a family each morning. I was also telling Dan today that I have felt more in tune to the Spirit since we moved here than I have felt in a long time. There aren't any distractions. The children and I are together all day. We spend most of our time outside and go to the park for lunch daily. The TV is off and most of the time, though the children do talk a lot, I have time to think. Life is simple, but it is good.
Last night Dan volunteered at the soup kitchen and the kids and I got take out and went to the park to picnic and play. When we got home, we went on a nice, long walk and set up the tent in the living room. This morning we picked up our Bountiful Basket (food co-op) For just over $20, I came home with a HUGE basket of produce. (an assortment of fruit, veggies and a mexican mix with peppers, onions, cilantro, tomatillos, etc.) It is like Christmas every time we pick it up, you never know what you are going to get. We lounged, napped and then went to the lake for a bit and then to our Stake Pioneer Day Celebration. Tonight, Dan slipped away to go see Harry Potter.
Again, I apologize if this is more of a journal posting than a fun one. Thank you all for tuning into our blog and keeping up with our family. They are growing and I love recording our lives sharing it with so many of you who live far away! Have a great week!
Friday night means camping out in the living room. The kids get to stay up late and watch a movie. Elijah REALLY gets a kick out of it, but has yet to settle down enough to actually fall asleep. Last night we watched Tangled! Then on Saturdays, the kids wake up to Dan's waffles and eggs. I live for the weekends these days!
Noelle "helped" me sew her a new skirt yesterday and then today we had fun shopping for a shirt and sweater to go with it for church!
Can you say ,"brothers?"
My birthday was on the 10th. I turned 30!!! We celebrated with cupcakes from Coldstone. They were AMAZING! I was wonderful having my birthday fall on a weekend with Dan home.
Our fun dad! Always the life of the party!
CHEESE!!!!
The ice cream cupcakes were a little cold!
Daisy is really growing and has turned into quite a mellow dog already. We will have her for a few more weeks and have found a good home for her. Our time for a puppy will come when our children are a bit older!
The kids spend their days in our backyard. They can dig in the dirt all day!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
VISITORS!!!
As an update to my last post, Dan found a zip with some retrieved photos. PHEW! Thank you for all of your suggestions. You can never be too careful with precious pictures!
We had a fun weekend. Emily came up and brought the kids. (Jeremy stayed behind to take a test!) We played hard and loved spending time holding the baby. Here are a few pictures! Again, we love visitors if anyone else would like to come our way! Thanks Emily for a fun weekend!
At Chili's!
The boys couldn't resist climbing in Daisy's cage! Quite funny!
Playing in the dirt on our construction site. We never let the kids get out to see the house's progress and this picture explains why!!!
The kids had so much fun, but were soooo dirty!
Our basement walls have been poured!
According to the builder's calendar, our house should be complete in 9 weeks!!!! We shall see!
We had a fun weekend. Emily came up and brought the kids. (Jeremy stayed behind to take a test!) We played hard and loved spending time holding the baby. Here are a few pictures! Again, we love visitors if anyone else would like to come our way! Thanks Emily for a fun weekend!
At Chili's!
The boys couldn't resist climbing in Daisy's cage! Quite funny!
Playing in the dirt on our construction site. We never let the kids get out to see the house's progress and this picture explains why!!!
The kids had so much fun, but were soooo dirty!
Our basement walls have been poured!
According to the builder's calendar, our house should be complete in 9 weeks!!!! We shall see!
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