Our final move (hopefully)!

It's been awhile since I've posted.  Preston is now 6 months almost and couldn't be any sweeter.  I am so grateful to be his mama!  I can't believe how fast these little ones grow....

So our family had a big change in plans.  Right before we were to go to Cincinnati (like 1 week before) we were told we were going to Chicago instead.  To keep a very long and complicated story short...we decided not to take the position.  It was one of the hardest choices Jeff and I have made, but taking that store would've meant hardly ever seeing Jeff.  We already hadn't seen him much the past 8 months and were feeling it.  He only got off 3 hours for the baby's birth!  So we decided to leave what would have been a very lucrative job to be together as a family.  We had to make this decision while Jeff was away in Denver and I was left at home with a 3 week old recouping from a c-section and trying to pack all our belongings by myself.  It was nuts!  However, the Lord was watching out for us.  We received 2 job offers back here in Utah out of the blue the same week we decided to come home.  My brother and sister flew out to Mn and packed us all up.  Jeff flew in on a Friday night back from Denver and we left the next morning for home.
So here we are.  We moved in with my parents while we figured out what to do.  They have been so good to us and it's been so much fun to be back at home!  We are having a blast.  We aren't staying much longer though.  We are moving to a little 5 acre farm in Salem.  To say we are excited would be a massive understatement.  Jeff and I have always wanted to have some land so he could get back to his farming roots!   We really feel like all our dreams are coming true.  It's been a long ride.  5 moves in a year and a half.  Most of our stuff has been in boxes since we sold our house in 2011.  Now the kids will have some room to run and play complete with chickens, pigs, cows, a tree house, etc.  It's an old house from the 1920's and needs a little Tlc...but that's the fun part right?
Anyhow...just wanted to post an update and let everyone know where we were.  Sometimes Jeff and I wonder why The Lord had us go to Mn just to lead us back here...but whatever the reasons, we are glad to be home.  We loved seeing the sights, but love having our husband and dad home even more.

My Favorite Things About Summer

1.  This little guy.  He is the essence of sweet.  I even look forward to getting up to see him during those 2 A.M. feedings.  Every time he wrinkles his forehead I think of his daddy and it makes me smile.

2. Having my Mama and Mirs come out.  I won't lie.  Having them come out made me completely homesick.  They are incredible women.  Right away they went to work cleaning, cooking and stocking our shelves with groceries.  They played with the kids, helped with the baby and kept us all entertained.  What a treat to have them with us!!  How I love these ladies.

3. Seeing my Pops.  I've missed his hugs...his words...everything.  Dad treated us all to a trip up to Two Harbors on the North Shore.  We stayed in the most BEAUTIFUL cottages, sat around the fire at night and played in the water.  Dad even treated mom and me to the most amazing massage I've ever had.  It was in a cottage right on the shore where you could see the lake and hear the waves crashing.  It was so peaceful and serene.  We also went to Stillwater while he was here and hit Nelson's for their gigantic Ice Cream Cones. 

4.  Experiencing this wild ride of having a baby with my husband and 2 little guys.  I don't know how Jeff does it.  Each and every time we have had a baby...they've struggled a bit to get breathing.  Jeff sticks by them every step of the way while I'm recouping.  He watches as the doctors/nurses work on them and comforts them through it.  He is my hero.  Secretly I'm glad I get to be in another room so I don't have to see them hurt.  He is way stronger than me!!  The boys have been the best little helpers and proudest big brothers you could find.  I can't believe how much they love Preston.  Will rushes to help with his diaper changes, and to comfort him when he cries.  Grant is constantly coming up to him and in a high voice exclaiming "Hi there!  How did you get sooo cute?!"  It's adoreable. 

5.  Blessing Preston.  Knowing my dear cousin had to bury her little baby girl the same week I had Preston made it somewhat of a bittersweet experience.  She was in my thoughts constantly...especially the day we blessed him.  My heart has ached for her.  But, feeling heaven so close through his little spirit just reaffirmed to me that the other side is closer than we think.  

  

6.  Looking forward to a move.  That's right.  We are hitting the road once again towards Cincinnati, Ohio.  This time we get a house to live in!  HALLELUJAH!  Seriously, this little townhome is closing in on us.  We are thrilled to get a backyard once again and have room to stretch.  Although we miss our friends and family immensely...we are so glad to have this opportunity to explore the U.S. a bit.  Love ya all!! 

Black Eyes, Wisconsin, & Baby

I've been going crazy. Literally.
Bed rest does not agree with my personality.
However, the contractions have been coming and we're not ready to let this little guy out yet, so bedrest it is.

Anyhow, Jeff took pity on me and took me for a drive through Wisconsin.  It is beautiful country!  There were so many quaint farms and fun sites to see. 

As you could probably guess, the boys have been going a bit crazy in the house during the day.  While doing jumps off of the little bed Jeff brought downstairs for me, Grant hit the bridge of his nose pretty bad.  Here it is a few days later and bruising up.  Boys will be boys!  I'm surprised I haven't walked in and seen Jeff doing jumps off the bed with them.  ;)



I am soooo anxious to get this little guy here!!  I love him to pieces, but I'm sure ready to hold him in my arms instead of my belly.  I get asked if I'm having twins.  I tell them that I'm starting to wonder!!  Only 19 more days!

Como Zoo

When Bree was here, we took the boys and Kya to Como Zoo. The zoo is run by the city of St. Paul and is completely free of charge. The kids had a great time getting out of the house and the rain that had been coming down most of the week! Here are a few pictures of the fun. Not sure which one is the real monkey....Will was so great to carry Kya's pink back-pack even though it wasn't a "boy" backpack. Will is our African boy by heart. He wants to go to Africa so bad and is saving his mission money, determined that's where the Lord is sending him. :) We had to keep him from climbing over the fence to join his African buddies. The kiddos enjoying the view of the flamingos. As fun as the real animals were, I think they had the most fun climbing on the statues instead. Thanks Bree & Kya for coming to see us! We miss you guys! P.S. I just finished my quilt and will get that up next! Sooo glad it's done.

Carver Lake & New Wheels

There's a little lake nestled in the trees less than 3 minutes away. It's breathtaking with small old cottages dotting part of the shore and shaded walking paths along the rest. Our favorite part though is the park hidden back in the trees. Any day it's sunny...which hasn't been too often lately, we head to Carver Lake Park. I park in a camping chair with a book while the kids get their wiggles out chasing cotton weeds and playing on the grounds. I wish I could pack this park up with me next time we move. I'm in love with it. Here are a few pics I shot of the kids last time we were there. Woodbury is hosting their annual yard sale this weekend. This is unlike any yard sale I've seen before. The boys and I hit the sale all day yesterday and got some terrific finds!! We even found a new bike for Will. He had dad help him get the hang a "taller" bike yesterday. I have more pictures to post from Bree's visit and Will's program I'll get up next!

There's a reason it's so green here! The rain has been coming like crazy lately! It's fun though and the boys love the rainbows after the storm. We're just praying the tornado's keep missing our town. :)

Family Pictures

We finally got our family pictures back from earlier this year.
Jeff's family was doing pictures with everybody at once, so we had a few taken of our little fam at the same time.
Don't you love Grant's face in the first one? What a cheeser. :) I love it.

Cake and Missionaries

We are loving Woodbury. The people are fantastic out here and we are dreading the time we will have to leave. Also, the weather hasn't been too shabby either! Instead of the normal 40's that are supposed to be here now, we have been in the upper 70's all of last week! Since last week was Spring Break, the kids and I spent every day in the park, going on walks, going to the library, etc. We are loving getting to know this wonderful city.
So we had the missionaries over for dinner yesterday. What a fun experience! They are such terrific young men and left us with a wonderful message about staying close to our Savior so we can be ready to help others when he needs us. One of the Elders is allergic to dairy, so I searched online for the perfect cake recipe to make dessert with. I found a recipe that I fell in love with!! Not being a huge fan of cake, this is definitely one that is going in the recipe book. It is unbelievably moist!
*Since we didn't need an entire 9x13, I used my stoneware bread pan and increased the baking time a bit.

Chocolate Cake..minus the dairy
3 c. flour
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
6 Tbs. cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. vegetable oil
2 c. water
2 Tbs. white vinegar
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl, and all the liquid in another. When the liquid ingredients are mixed smooth, pour it all at once into the dry ingredients and mix. Pour into a greased 9x13 and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

I did a dairy free frosting with shortening, powdered sugar, almond extract and almond milk. Then I dusted it lightly with powdered sugar.

It's a Boy!

We got to see #3 today. It was a boy! Looks like we are on our way to creating our own sporting team. He didn't want to give us a peek, but the tech finally managed to get him to move. We are so excited to meet the little guy this summer. Now it's time for name picking to begin...hmmmm

Speechless

If any of you know me, you know I usually don't have a hard time talking. And it's not often I find myself without words. However, Will definitely rendered me speechless twice this week.

The first time I was asking the boys what they wanted the baby to be...a boy or a girl?
Will thinks hard on it for a few moments and finally asks in an exasperated voice..."Isn't there another option?"

So I guess I'll be letting you know if we come up with an Option C on the Ultrasound in 10 days.

The next time came when he was playing with his little transformer that rolls up into a ball. He was spinning it on the couch when the transformer popped open unexpectedly. His eyes went wide as can be and then he turned to me and said "Mama, did you see that? I finally have Jesus' power!!"

I guess it's time for a FHE lesson on the priesthood.

Sigh...funny times. Gotta love kids, right?

Hell's Kitchen...a Minneapolis Must

We were a little hesitant by the name.. but the clerk at the Origins store insisted it was the best place to eat in the Twin Cities. It definitely did not disapoint!
If you ever get up north here, eating at Hell's Kitchen is a must!
It's set up in a massive basement right downtown. There is a live jazz band playing music and the ambiance is great.
Dad treated us to a terrific dinner (we even sat at that table above) and EVERYTHING was homemade (they even make their own ketchup). Jer even took a walk on the wild side and ordered some Mango Jalepeno ice cream for dessert. Everything was phenomanol. Come and visit me. You'll love it. (Yes this is another desperate attempt to get visitor's. I'll keep trying).

Healthy Hearty Banana Bread

This recipe is my new favorite Banana Bread recipe.
It's healthy...for the most part, not too sweet, and each piece fills you up.
It makes a large loaf, or two small ones. The kids loved it! Enjoy.


Healthy Hearty Banana Bread

3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. ground flax (I get the Costco kind in the big bag & keep it in the freezer)
5 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. rice milk - can use skim milk as well
1/4 c. fat free sour cream
2 egg whites
1 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. oats
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 c. coconut (optional)In my opinion, the more coconut...the better!

Mix everything together and pour into a greased bread pan. Pop it in a 350 degree oven for 70 - 80 minutes, depending on the type of pan you use. (My favorite most beloved pan in my kitchen is my Stoneware Bread Pan)...see below.
I got it for my wedding and life has never been the same. I use it weekly for my Honey Whole Wheat Bread. If you don't have one, ask for one for Valentine's day. You'll love it. It's from Pampered Chef, but I'm sure you could get them other places.



Happy Cooking!

First Day of School...Again

Will started Kindergarten again this last Tuesday. We were excited to enroll him out here. Minnesota schools are rumored to be among the best, so we hope he enjoys it! He couldn't wait to ride the bus for the first time. Since the bus stop is just a couple doors down from us, I was able to snap some pictures of him. It was harder than I thought putting him on that bus. He still doesn't seem old enough. I wonder if he ever will...

Here is a little shot of our townhome too. (Don't mind the full garbage) We are pretty settled in! The ward members and my parents and brother were terrific and got us unpacked rather quickly. The people out here are great and we are enjoying ourselves. I got a calling our first week at church even. We are excited to make Woodbury our home for a short while!

Hello Trader Joe's

I was ecstatic to discover a Trader Joe's just a few short miles from our home. Right after visiting Will's school and my new O.B.'s office this morning, the boys and I scooted on over.
Not knowing too many people yet in Woodbury, Trader Joe's was like a breath of fresh air. One of their store people found us wandering the aisles and welcomed us to the town with flowers to take home. She also went out of her way to write a whole list of activities in Woodbury that the boys would enjoy! The checkout lady invited me to her mother's group this week. I truly love this store. Not only is the food good and wholesome, but it's such a treat to visit there! Woodbury is shaping up to be a very friendly city.
Here's what's on the menu tonight:

1 box Trader Joe's famous Cornbread Mix
2 can's Trader Joe's chili

Mix and bake for 25 minutes at 350. I'm also going to make one of my summer time favorites:

Mint Lemonade (fast version)
1 packet of Crystal Light Lemonade
2 Limes, sliced, squeezed and tossed in
Mint leaves, chopped finely

I know this meal doesn't go together whatsoever, but hey...I'm pregnant and crave weird things. After a long past couple of weeks, an easy dinner (and a restful evening) sounds amazing.