January Snow

January Snow

1.10.2017

^^There's something about a quiet snow covered street that I love.^^

Last week winter was showing her wild and snowy side!  Drifts as tall as me, no school for two days, streets so snowy the garbage man never made it through, sub zero temperatures, and church was even cancelled.  It meant we had to reschedule Conrad's blessing day!  If it weren't for kind neighbors with tractors, we would never have made it out of our driveway.  I love winter storms though (as long as the power stays on). If it's going to be cold it might as well be cozy and pretty!

This week, however, winter is proving herself to be a bit more mellow with drizzly overcast days.  I already miss the snow but am happy to have a bit of routine back in my life.  After nearly three full weeks together, the boys need a break from each other.  (Read: Mom is tired of playing referee!)

Still, I want the boys to remember their awesome snow days.  Their second day off from school, the house was a disaster.  I told Jed and Levi that there would be no tv until they cleaned up the living room.  We wound up playing in and out of the house together all day long!  When dinner time came around, I bribed the boys with their favorite Dad's-out-of-town meal.  In exchange for picking up the living room, I would make Macaroni and Cheese!  So it was an all around win for everyone.  We had a fun day playing outside AND I got a clean(er) house.

Check out the fun!  

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First Smile

First Smile

1.05.2017

Oh, my heart! Scrape me off the floor. Bron helped me catch Conrad's smile on camera for the first time.

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Snow Day!

Snow Day!

1.04.2017

^^Jed warming up with a cup of hot chocolate.^^

It's a blizzard out there!  The boys stayed home from school and we enjoyed a cozy snow day.  We ate a big breakfast followed by playing in the fluffy white stuff.  I helped Jed and Levi dig a giant hole in one of the big drifts in the backyard.  Then Jed's hole caved in!  Levi didn't miss a beat to pile on even more snow on top of his big brother.  It's not very often the little brother comes out on top, literally!   Haha.  We built a blanket fort in the living room for reading, watched movies, baked banana bread, and get this: all three boys napped at the same time.  It didn't last very long (Conrad woke up) but it happened.  I almost didn't know what to do with myself for fifteen minutes!  It's been a good day with the promise of a second round tomorrow.  Good thing too because I'm not sure I can get the car out of my driveway.  I'm just keeping my fingers crossed the electricity doesn't go out.  Forget the routine and our responsibilities... it's an extended Christmas break.  Bring on the snow!

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When I Asked

When I Asked

1.03.2017

The new worldwide church youth theme for the year comes from James 1:5-6. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."  As the teacher presented the new theme to all the young women at church on Sunday, I became lost in thought and was taken back to exactly this time last year.

I was aching and I was desperate.  Two years, one miscarriage, and countless tears later, we just could not conceive a baby.  I know I sound like a broken record when I mention our struggle, but it was one of the harder challenges I've ever had to navigate through, not knowing why or if I'd ever become pregnant again.  And I wanted another baby so badly!  I had hit my low point, the time when I had absolutely no where else to turn but to God.  No one in the world could possibly provide an answer; not a doctor, not family, not a friend.  Only my Heavenly Father had an answer for me.  It was truly humbling.

And so I fasted and I prayed.  I asked Heavenly Father to bless us with another baby and if it was not His will, I asked Him to bless me with peace; peace to know that raising the two amazing boys I already had was exactly His plan for me and that it was enough.

As I prayed, I felt a distinct impression: 2016 was going to be our year!  We would have a baby!  I also felt that I just needed to hang on a little bit longer, it would happen soon, February or March to be exact.

And so I pressed on with faith and hope.  But oh how easy it is to forget and become discouraged.  By the time March arrived, I'd given up hope that I would ever be pregnant again.  But that's when it did.  That's when I saw two precious lines on a pregnancy test!

Sunday, I looked down at the baby peacefully sleeping in my arms.  Tears filled my eyes because here he was: Conrad, that perfect baby whom fills my heart with so much joy and is more than I could ever dream.  Conrad is a living reminder that my Heavenly Father does answer prayers, that He has gentle lessons to teach me, and that He loves me.

 ^^A little experiment with in-camera double exposures and little Christmas lights.^^

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It's a New Year! 2016 Quick Review

It's a New Year! 2016 Quick Review

12.31.2016

It's been a good year.  As I look back, I am amazed at how much we did!  We were busy.  This year was one to remember for sure.  We've been blessed with so much: health, loving family members and friends, and the opportunities to travel and adventure.  The crowning highlight, of course, was welcoming Conrad earth side.  I have to pinch myself.  We're a family of five now and I couldn't be happier.

Here's what happened: 

January:  We celebrated Kaleb and Chantee's wedding!  We visited the Living Planet Aquarium in Utah and hiked to Ross Falls as a family when there was three feet of snow.

February:  We enjoyed a fun day of sledding as well as an epic date snowshoeing in the South Hills with our friends, the Horsleys.  I also attended my very first photography conference, but the highlight was getting to hang out with my Grandma.

March:  I traveled to Arizona to see my sister and cousin's new babies.  I also found out I was pregnant!

April:  We celebrated Jed's 6th birthday!  We took the kids to Park City to see the Imagination Movers live in concert!  I don't remember anything else because surviving morning sickness was all I could concentrate on.

May:  Bron and I went on vacation to Kauai!!!  We will never ever forget our legendary overnight backpacking trip to Kalalau.  It was an amazing trip.

June:  We celebrated the beginning of summer with a party and a pool full of kids.  We had fun at the Nelson family reunion.  Jed played his first season of t-ball.

July:  We rock climbed and sat under the best fireworks show we've ever seen on Independence Day.  We found out our growing baby was a boy.  Bron exhuasted himself on a week long 50 mile backpacking adventure with the scouts in the Whitecloud Wilderness.  Jed and Levi learned to fish with hot dogs and we went camping.

August:  We celebrated Levi's 4th birthday, Bron conquered Pierre's Hole for the third time, and Jed started the first grade!

September:  Two of my photos won prizes at the county fair.  Jed played soccer for the first time.  We saw the Wagon Days Parade in Ketchum.  Bron and his brothers tinned a barn in just one day.  And Bron and I stayed out way past our bedtime at a Boise State football game one evening.

October:  We took the boys to the Hogle Zoo and celebrated my grandma's 80th birthday in Moab, UT surrounded by the beautiful chaos of family.  My girlfriends spoiled me with a baby shower and pedicures.  And the boys were the Dark Side for Halloween.

November:  We welcomed Conrad to the family!!!

December:  Bron did some snow skiing.  We adjusted to being a family of five and enjoyed another magical and blessed Christmas.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Christmas Day 2016

Christmas Day 2016

12.28.2016

Due to the demands of a newborn, this year was a little bit harder for me to catch that magical Christmas spirit that makes me so excited.  I mean, I didn't even have anything wrapped until two days before the big day!  Instead, that Christmas spirit came in waves as we visited the lights at Rock Creek, made peanut butter balls, went sledding on Christmas Eve, and of course as I anticipated both Bron and the kids' reactions to the presents I'd bought.  Plus, it was Conrad's first Christmas!  Having a baby at Christmas feels so special.  I told Bron to just wrap Conrad up and place him underneath the tree.  I didn't need any other gifts this year.

The boys are still at such fun ages.  Young and innocent, they believe!  And they make the magic of Christmas come alive.  We got out the globe and tracked Santa on Bron's phone as Santa made his way around the world on Christmas Eve.  "Where is Santa now?!" they'd excitedly ask.  "He's in Colombia now and heading North towards us!"  They screamed.  "We gotta go to sleep so Santa can come! Hurry!"    

The boys slept in with the sun.  No one got out of bed until 7:45AM!  Santa brought Jed and Levi big Nerf guns this year complete with refillable magazines.  And he brought Bron an automatic Nerf gun because dads need an unfair advantage against their formidable offspring, right?  Right. 

Upon seeing everything that Santa had brought, Levi exclaimed, "I guess we WERE good this year!"  Bron and I laughed, but Levi's comment means one of two things: A. We're awful parents and make our kids feel guilty or B. Levi knows when he's being naughty but tries to get away with it anyway.  I'm going with the latter.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.  We have been blessed with so much.  I am grateful for my Savior who made it possible for this family I love so much to be together forever.  It was another magical Christmas!

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