Easter 2017

We had a peaceful morning (without any YW meeting!) going through Easter baskets and having a family egg hunt. The kids loved finding out that the Easter bunny brought them a baby fish! After church we went to the Milne house for a delicious dinner, egg hunt, and hours of cousin time. I love this holiday and the way it reminds of the blessings of the atonement and resurrection. I know that  the plan of happiness would be nothing without Easter and without the plan of happiness there is no eternity with my family. I feel so blessed to have a testimony of the true meaning of Easter and a personal relationship with my Savior. "He is not here, for He has risen"

Everyday Life

Life has such a steady flow these days and I have come to really appreciate the simplicity. Mondays Alice and Scarlett have tennis lessons with an amazing coach and love taking it with friends. Jack always runs around causing all sorts of mischief during the lesson. In September he will be able to take it with the girls and I know he will just LOVE it! Tuesday Scarlett has dance after school and takes it with 2 little girls in her school class. She is so excited for the end of the year recital where she will dance to the Moana song. I find her singing and practicing her dance in her bedroom and it melts my heart. Every morning I wave goodbye to Scarlett as she bikes to school and she yells out "I love you mom". It has been a dream of mine to have my kids have good friends and a school close enough to walk to. We all LOVE it! Alice has preschool Tuesday-Thursday with Spencer and of course she has a gang of little girls that she loves to play with at school. And that's our week! We have friends come play in the afternoons and we started going to the library on Thursday evenings for family story time. Nick has been selling pest control till after the kids bedtime so I try and keep us all busy and happy in the evenings. We make dinner, do homework, and of course spend hours in our backyard. That backyard is crazy and wonderful and a complete lifesaver. As I type this Scarlett and Alice are painting fairy house back there. The kids love having no rules outside and can bang and destroy everything! I love that they are all smiles and enjoying the beautiful time of year. 

This time last year we were in a house that didn't meet our needs, a school we weren't growing/learning in, a ward we felt stagnate in, and Nicks job he felt stuck in. In one year we refreshed and revived our life and quite frankly I am very proud of us! We were able to come together as a family and make big/hard decisions and best of all make them with the help of the Lord. Now we have a house and jobs we love, schools we are flourishing in, and a ward we know really needs our service. I wake up every morning in the dark and as I run with dear friends I watch the sun rise over our near perfect corner of the universe. Every morning I get teary thinking how blessed we are as I watch the sky light up with sun!! I know the Lord loves me and my family and has set us up to succeed. I also know that the best way to show my thanks is to love and appreciate every minute!

10th Anniversary

We spent a wonderful 10th anniversary together at Lake Las Vegas. We shopped, ate, and slept in!! It was just so great to be together without the distraction of kids, work, church callings, and marathon training. I look over these past 10 years and can't help but feel humble at all our blessings. Every step of the way we have seen the hand of the lord, especially this year with our big move and nicks recent job change (going out on his own). Through all the ups and downs we have had each other to lean on and offer support. 

Traditional picture of our family at the spot we got engaged

Some Craziness Just Happened

Last weekend was so crazy, one for the books! I was at the temple with Emily when I get a text from Nick saying that he broke his arm skateboarding with the girls. OUCH! We ran him over to Dad's office and sure enough he had a radial head fracture. Luckily is just requires a splint/sling and no cast. But it was sore and he can't do anything to help me around the house or with the kids. Which leads me to my next thing. Jack is a nightmare! Like 15/10 bad!! Jack why oh why are you wreaking havoc like this on my poor life. He started climbing out of his bed about a month ago and has not slept through the night since. He climbs out and kicks his door (which we have baby locked) over and over. He will go hours kicking it and screaming "mom where are you?" Since Nick is hurt he can't help me at night with him. Jack is also refusing naps...lets say we are all sleep deprived! During the day he does everything naughty you can imagine! He gets in my car and eats all my gum, climbs in the fridge, breaks everything, finds and eats all our chapstick, puts toothpaste in his hair...you name it he has done it. My sweet little boy has turned in a tornado of crazy. On top of all this crazy I was made Young Women's President for our ward. Holy cow I am stressed. Excited but so under water. YW is the busiest calling in the ward and I am struggling to keep up. But I know I am there for a purpose and that this adjustment will pass. Next week is Nick and I's 10 year anniversary and I guess I am officially an adult right?! Life sure is wonderful, fast passed, and meaningful all wrapped into one amazing package. I could never image a life filled with so much love, joy, laughter, sleepless nights, and everyday simplicity!

Presidents Day Weekend

Alice's birthday almost always buts up next to Presidents Day Weekend. All she wanted to do for her birthday was head up to the cabin to play in snow with her cousins. That is just what we did!! Emily came up with her boys, Caity and Clara came down with their hubbies, and of course grandma and grandpa came up. It was a big Camp weekend and Alice loved it. Unfortunatley it was freezing and snowy so it made skiing not so much fun but we still went. We only went for half the day and it was perfect amount of time. The rest of the time we ate and watched movies...cabin perfection!! Happy Birthday Alice!!

Alice Turns 5!

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Alice is just about the sweetest, cuddliest, squishiest, kissable creature on the planet!! I am loving her big smile and CONSTANT happy demeanor. She is simply a joy to be around. She still can be a little sassy and bossy but really that is mostly turned to kindness. I see her mother and take care of Jack all day. She gets him drinks, opens his fruit snacks, and turns on his favorite TV shows. In the afternoon we love to snuggle up and watch a "mommy show" and read books. Alice loves preschool and all her friends. She lives such a carefree and social life. Everyday is filled with friends, park dates, preschool, and activities (dance and tennis). She adores her favorite stuffed animal Twinkle ( a tie dyed beanie boo bear) and all her blankets. We have to tuck her in every night just the perfect way with her 4 blankets all on top of her. Alice wins the heart of every person she meets. All her teachers at school, dance, and church adore Alice's charming personality, bright smile, and gorgeous golden hair. I love how easy it is to be around her and how excited she is about life!! Her new missing front tooth melts my heart too. Her happiness is contagious and I have to kiss her chubby cheeks a 100 times day. Alice never forget that you are so, so loved!

Her favorites

TV show- Little Mermaid, Octonauts, Trolls Movie and anything- she loves TV

Food- Mac n' cheese (everyday for lunch)

Toy- Beanie Boos (she has like 20 of them and nows all their names and LOVES them), dolls

Book- Olivia

Color- bright pink

best friend- Scarlett and Maddie (from school)

Activity- going to the cabin, watching her TV shows, playing make believe, and being with friends

For her birthday we got special pedicures at the nail salon and then drove up to cabin to spend Presidents day weekend. Alice loves the cabin and request going to the cabin for her birthday months ago. So off we went per her request! All she wanted for her birthday was a hair salon for her dolls and lots and lots of beanie boos...her wish was granted!!

She loves posing for pictures

making cupcakes for her school class

eating her favorite food mac n' cheese

Getting our nails done