Busy Boys

With Johnny traveling so much this month, and most likely this year, I figured I needed some things to mix up our schedule and get the boys out. I decided on tumbling, each one going a different day. I am in the class with Bubba and Con, helping them do their different things, but Drake is all on his own. So far, we all love it!

Bubba had some issues our first time, not wanting to do what the class was doing and throwing some pretty huge tantrums, but this week was excellent! I loved having that one on one time with him. Con is con, pleasant and chubby, and the teacher couldn't believe how excited he was to do back rolls. I told her those were nothing compared to the tossing around he gets at home with his dadda.

Admittedly, I had a really hard time leaving Drake on his own and listening to the teacher discipline him. I wanted to go help him and remind him to listen and do what he was supposed to. This is a good lesson for us both on letting Drake figure things out for himself. I feel like such a baby!

He looks so little in his bright green shirt.

One of my favorite lamps broke today.

I don't know how many times I thought it was in a bad place and thought I should move it before it broke. I guess I can't be too sad about it, I kinda asked for it.

I'm going to try and fix it, but can't seem to get it straight.

In the meantime if anyone happens to see one of these at TJ Maxx please let me know!

We've entered the Lego phase. We've only had them since Christmas and I've already stepped on them about a thousand times.

Seeing Drake's creativity and endless amusement makes it worth it though : )

(Why do they make the Lego men have creepo facial hair and angry eyes?)

Backyard Project

We've made a little bit of progress over the last three months on our backyard lot project.

I made a diagram (or multiple diagrams) of how I'll want to landscape the land and it meant a lot of the trees would have to be removed.

You can't tell with all of the leaves, but these trees and bushes have been neglected for about 20 years. They are pretty disfigured with loads of dead branches.

Johnny got to be a man and chop everything down. On top of that, he also went through the house and salvaged all of the old doors and windows.

It may seem gloomy, but it's on it's way to being cared for and beautiful!

Questar was here today capping off the gas lines, one step closer to getting a demolition permit. As soon as that happens we'll be able to tear down the home, level the land, and prep it for landscaping. Exciting!

In the meantime, I can figure out what to do with these items. If you have any ideas send them my way!

...and if you were wondering, YES, Con is keeping his weight up.

Visit From Gaga

We were so lucky to have Johnny's mom Mary, or Gaga as we refer to her around here, come stay with us over Christmas. A visit from Gaga leaves us feeling very spoiled. From the time she arrives until the second she leaves she is helping, cooking, cleaning, and giving. She did loads upon loads of laundry, took me shopping, babysat so Johnny and I could go out, and changed some awful diapers. Everywhere I look there is something she has given us. I'm sorry to brag, but I kinda have the best mother-in-law a girl could ask for!

One of my favorite things when Mary visits is for all of us to head up to Park City.

We hit our usual spots, grab some lunch, grab some carmel apples, and go home. This time we drove through Midway and saw some beautiful barns and horses, too.

It was such a great time and I'm just sorry Mary wears herself out so much, though it's a vacation for us, she goes home more tired (and usually sick) than she was before coming : (

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

Christmas

Christmas came and went so fast this year! We had a wonderful time spending the season with family, the best kind of Christmas!

I'll start off my holiday post with some festive sweater modeling:

(I made Johnny's, our brother-in-law Brett found his magically embellished sweater somewhere)

My family - all of us in town together for the first time in about 5 years - saw the beautiful Christmas light display at The Riverwoods.

The boys did a little better this time around meeting Santa. Bubba actually sat on his lap, and Drake didn't tell Santa what he already knew he was getting, he just played along and answered Santa's questions.

1:00 in the morning when we finally got everything put together. As Johnny assembled the mini trampoline for Con he read 'Not suitable for children under 3'.

Con thought the racetrack was just a great, big, fun circle to sit in. So easily pleased.

Johnny helped Drake assemble his train track, getting frustrated and using expletives like millions of dads around the world were doing at the same time.

"TWO LIGHTENINGS??!!" Yes, Bubba, we know you so well.

Proof I was around through the holiday season, just behind the camera as usual.

Montana

Right before Christmas Johnny, Drake, and Bubba went up to Montana for Johnny's little brother, Porter's, mission farewell.

2 iPads for the boys and headphones for Johnny made this long drive bearable.

They stopped halfway in Rexburg, ID to spend the night at Johnny's grandparents home.

After getting to Billings, Drake and Bubb's aunts and uncles did an excellent job of wearing them out.

They got to ride on Grandpa's horse, Drake's favorite thing ever.

We learned just how bad Bubba's horse allergies are - just like his Dadda.

And here is glimpse of what Drake gets out of sacrament meetings...

Me and this guy had a nice little break, filled with lots of sleeping, eating, and more sleeping.

Every morning this guy would shout for his brothers at the top of the stairs. If I asked where they were, Con would answer "uhtaahs" (upstairs), and stare at the banister waiting for someone to come. It was so cute!

Africa

Every time I sit down to blog about my trip to Ghana, to write down the amazing lessons I learned, to share the things I saw, I start looking through the pictures and have to stop.

It was the best and hardest thing I've ever done.

I guess I'm still processing.

I will say, the only way I got through ten days of bus rides, ninety degree weather (with 90 percent humidity), awful smells, dying children and sick adults,

and as sick and emotional as I've been with this pregnancy,

was through the gift of the Spirit of God.

It's an amazing gift to have.

There is no other way I could've done it.

iPhone Photos

There are so many things to blog about, but I can't seem to find the energy.

In the meantime, here are some photos I just uploaded from my phone, in no particular order.

Drake and Bubbs share a bunk bed, but they prefer to sleep together on the bottom bunk. I can't get enough of the snuggling that unintentionally happens.

A picture I sent Johnny after I got done at the dentist.

Two pieces to a bookshelf that Johnny lost when carrying it up the stairs. We looked high and low for these for a week.

This little hole is where I found them, along with other things Conrad felt necessary to frustrate us with hiding (cough, maybe my wedding ring, cough)

Johnny's little brother Porter is leaving on his mission to Brazil in two weeks, so we went up to Temple Square and Cafe Rio one last time before he headed back to Montana.

When Johnny gets home from work chaos ensues. Shoulder rides, back rides, throwing in the air, tossing on the couch, etc. and the boys LOVE it. I often wonder what Johnny would do with a little girl.

This pregnancy has been rough. It doesn't help that while I'm in the bathroom throwing up for the third time this day, Bubbs found it necessary to stink up the house with nacho cheese, and rub it into every surface he could reach from this chair. Ugh, gag.

No wonder Con is such a muscle-man-baby, he uses the shake-weight religiously.

PS I never dress Con, I prefer to watch him waddle around the house all day.

It's one of those simple pleasures a mother enjoys.