Our first Christmas at home...

This is our 10th year of being married...yet we've never spent Christmas night at home with just our family.
What can I say?  We both have really fun extended families that we usually bunk up with.
But our family is growing bigger.  And let's face it...presents are a bit of a pain to haul around.
So we thought we would try it out this year.  And it was great.

The night before Christmas. 

Christmas Morning.  When we were young we'd wake up at 5:00!!

What's up with this 7:00-8:00 stuff?

 We never dreamed that this little boy would love this car so much.  

If we did, I would've bought it months ago!  It is our entertainment.

 Grant asked diligently for a Skylander.  Good ol' Santa came through.

Yes...2 hours later and he still wouldn't get out of the car.

 Lego's were the theme of the year.  The boys loved putting them all together.

It was so nice being together.  Jeff made his family's famous breakfast casserole for Christmas morning.  We played games, assembled Ninjago's and Chima's, and had a great Christmas break.

Love this woman!

Don't you just love Marjorie Hinckley?  I was passing this quote on my fridge this morning and just had the urge to share it.  It is hands down one of my favorites.

I've felt so blessed this week.  Maybe it's the hint of good weather ahead.  Maybe it's the fact that my darn old cold has finally left! But as I sat in church in Ward Council, I felt so blessed to be among such strong, good people who are trying to make a real difference in the world.  I love this church.

A couple years back, Jeff and I weren't the best at attending chuch.  We were tired and made excuses.  When we moved to Minnesota, we knew that we had to make a decision.  Were we in or were we out?  Ever since then we do our darndest to show up, and make a difference.  The results?  Pure joy.

Sure there are still hard times...plenty of them.  But our own testimonies are growing.  And we know that all we gotta do is rely on the Lord during those tough times.  He'll always be there.

So thank you Sister Hinckley for keeping me focused on what matters most!!

Family Pictures

I didn't want family pictures this year.
I kicked and screamed the whole way there.  Which was across the street.
But my sweet friend Tonya had offered to take them free of charge and we couldn't pass it up.  She did such a great job.  I love even more that these photos are taken within a short distance from the farm.  Next time I would love to get some on the farm!!  So sorry they are about 6 months late posting, but here they are.  Thank you my dear friend.  You are amazing!

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!