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So we are having baby #3! I am due September 26th- a very busy month for us already with Ben, Parker and my birthdays and Spencer and my anniversary (not to mention TONS of extended family's birthdays and anniversaries). Oh well, guess we'll all be celebrating together! I'm coming out of the crappy can't eat anything but have to eat somethign phase and the being tired 24-7- though it is still lingering. Guess it's time we got into that house! :)


And here's a few updates-
This picture of Parker cracks me up every time. Parker is scared of the dark so he sleeps with a "wand" or "lawn-d" as he calls it despite our trying to correct him. It's usually this huge pencil stick we cut off the end to but sometimes he chooses other objects. This time it was a 2x4 apparantly. At least he'll be safe!

Big Parker.

Sweet Ben

We took the boys snowshoeing a couple weeks ago. Parker was stoked about it until we got out in the snow- he always wants to be carried in that back pack and we have finally told him he's too old. So he's walking now. We didn't go far but it was fun anyway. And he always likes it in retrospect. I'm glad we do it despite the tantrums. Last time we went snowboarding with him (last week) he didn't even complain about his boots! Finally!

The first weekend in March we did a half marathon in Las Vegas. It was a tough one- lots of hills so I was especially proud of the three first timers we ran with. L-R: Sara Thomas (Spencer's brother Perry's girlfriend), me, my dad (first timer, did great), Spencer, Jana (first timer- also did awesome) and Sadie (first timer and rocked us all!). It was a fun weekend.

Ben in the hotel room with Grandma watching on.

Spencer and I and Jana (my cousin) who ran her first- good job!

Our First House

Spencer and I just bought our first house. It is in Cottonwood Heights/Sandy area. We close March 29th and will move in shortly after. We're stoked and I can't wait for the backyard! But we are going to miss our little apartment a lot actually. I actually started to cry one night thinking about leaving because of all the memories this place contains for me- having our first child, Spencer in school and finally graduating, church callings, managing apartments, our second child, running everywhere with a huge stroller, going to the library, playgroups, parks, the zoo, our amazing ward and great neighborhood. So ironically, leaving is sad for me in so many ways. I have loved being poor (not that we'll be rich now!) and living in this small aparment- in close quarters where I can hear my boys everywhere I go. And I am so grateful for the opportunity we've had to manage this place and make it through school.

But what can I say, we're excited too. We'll let you know when the big house warming party is! :)

California

A couple of weeks ago the boys and I took a trip to California for a couple different reasons. The first was to hang out with two best friends from high school (and college and beyond)- Megan and Summer and kids. It was awesome. Meg lives in Paso Robles and Summer and I left Monday morning and drove the entire 14 hours to get to her house. The boys did awesome! Megan, Summer and I. We used to call ourselves the "MES"- and some people thought that was appropriate- mostly our parents. How I love these girls.

The boys all asleep in the back of the van on the way there. They seriously did so well.

The kids had tons of fun together. Parker was in heaven with all of Dallin's (Megan's-6) toys. William (Summer's-3) and Parker shared really well and said the funniest things to each other (their final days were full of "I'm in charge of you" "no, I'm in chare of YOU!" "NO, I'M in charge of YOU!"). Dallin (Megan's-6) was a great host and leader. Marin (Megan's-6) played with ALL boys very well and Ben tagged along quite nicely. Pierce and Mayzie were great little babies.

We had a lot of fun going to parks, candy stores, the beach, In n Out, and just hanging out at the house. Megan lives in a beautiful part of California and I wish I could live next door.

The second part of the trip was spent in Santa Cruz with Angie and Ajay. Summer drove up with me and spent a day hanging out in Santa Cruz on the pier and then left the next morning to go to AZ. I stayed with Angie and Ajay and my mom who flew in and met us. The occasion turned out to be a bit different than anticipated. Angie and Ajay were going to be adopting a baby there in California. They spent a week with a little angel they named "Belen" before the birth mother changed her mind and decided to keep the baby instead. Needless to say it was emotional and very hard for all of us, Angie and Ajay of course above all. But they handled it with more love, understanding and charity than I will ever see displayed in my life and are an absolute inspiration to me. I am grateful to have been there- to have been touched by their examples. I am unsure why this trial continues for them- I feel like they have already lived through the death of two children, one when they were told they would probably never have their own, and one when they willingly, though heartbrokenly, handed over a baby they had prepared to parent with all their hearts. But I know the Lord has a plan for them and someday we'll all look back with understanding.

Angie and Ajay stayed with Justin and Syliva McCleod (friends of Ajay's from college and a friend of mine from college too- one of those small world things) and Justin's sister and husband and fam. They were awesome friends, hosts and support system. They took us to visit some redwoods and Parker loved climbing around in them.

He also of course loved the train yard we had to pass through to get there.

I love this girl. God really gave us each other. She teaches me so much.

COSTA RICA!

I am at the end of a trip of a lifetime. I just got to spend an entire week in the sun with my best friend of all time- my sister (she and Spencer of course). It is late and we are leaving at 6am tomorrow to try to make it to church before we have to catch the plane home but I know I'll be catching up with my little boys so I'm trying to post a few picts before we leave. I'd also like to try and make these pictures do justice to the beauty of this place with a little photoshop or something, but once again, I know how time will be when I get home so I just thought I'd say a few things about this week. It was heaven.

The first thing Angie wanted to do is head to the beach- I love the way you feel her energy rise as we near the coast. We spent 4 glorious days in the sun, surfing in the morning and in the evening- two days in Tamarindo and two in Playa Avellanas. Awesome. the waves were perfect, the sunset amazing and my sis is an incredible surfer these days. I remember Hawaii and the beginnings of surfing. I am still there but now I watch her and am amazed. She charges. I love it. Someday I'll be half as good.







Drinking fruit juices, yummy!

We stayed in such a cool hostal in Playa Avellenas- we slept in treehouses! This dog followed me on my morning run and though I usually hate when dogs follow me, this guy was super sweet and kind of protective. I love hostals. I love the energy and meeting all the travelers. The Pot picture is self explanatory

After the coast we made the much-longer- than-expected trek to La Fortuna and spent three days in the jungle.

Did the canopy tour- this one was awesome. AMAZING views, huge cables, AWESOME. I tried to load a video I had of it but it wouldn't load. Sorry. We had the coolest views of the volcano, the huge lake and the forest below.

We checked out the volcano and saw lava

We went to a hot tub heaven- I have to bring Spencer back for this one. It was heavenly. And Angie and I laughed for 20 minutes straight about this waterslide that...oh I won't ruin it for you, it is just funny and very unexpected. I haven't laughed like that in I don't know how long. We were choking on the water we were laughing so hard.




















Saw beautiful waterfalls- and yes we are wearing zebra and tiger print in the jungle. :) Ate amazing food, stayed in a cute little cabin in the rainforest, got to know such cool, sweet people and loved the beauty of the rainforest.






It has been amazing. More than anything I have loved a week of uninterrupted talking time with my sister. She understands me better than I understand myself. She is such a gift to me. I am so excited for the next phase in life she is entering. She will be a wonderful mom. And I am so so grateful to my wonderful husband who would so willingly, without batting an eye, encouraged me to go on this trip while he held down the chaos at home. I owe him big time.