A Blessed Year

I haven't posted this year at all.  We've been busy settling down, re-doing the house, clearing out the farm, building chicken coops, planting gardens, canning, etc.  We are busy each spare moment we have...but we are having a heck of a lot of fun!
Life is sweet.  The boys are loving the farm.  We are all loving it here.  I can't even express how blessed we feel each day we wake up here.  I thought I'd post a few pictures from fall of the boys and the farm!  I'm going to be starting a new blog soon.  More to come on that!

We took a ride up Payson Canyon a few weeks ago when the mountains were alive with color.  It was fun being up there together!

We also took the boys over to the Pumpkin Patch in Springville this year.  It was super cold so our trip was short, but it was fun letting them run and play!
Couldn't resist to put in this picture!  Such a handsome guy!!

We have been savoring the last few days of Fall here on the farm. The kids have been playing in the dirt for hours at a time these last few warm weekends we've had.  Preston LOVES waddling around the farm and kicks, screams and arches his back when Mama carries him inside.  It's pretty entertaining.  

This might be my favorite picture I've ever taken.  He was watching Daddy and Papa build the garden shed one day.  Priceless.  

When we moved from our Twin Home in Spanish Fork before, I missed our gorgeous view of Mt. Nebo every day.  I loved our view there!!!  In Minnesota, I would long for those mountains!  I never imagined I'd have an even better view one day.  The downfall is that in this house...NONE of the windows for the lower level face the good views!  haha However, we can see it every day we head outside and that is enough for me.  

More to come soon!  Hope you are all happy and getting ready for the holidays!

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.