Puppy Love

When we were packing everything up to move out here I found not 1 but 2 gift cards from our wedding to PotteryBarn. Needless to say it was amazing! So while I was waiting to figure out what I wanted to buy I came across the amazing fact that PotteryBarn kids does Halloween costumes! After seeing them online I decided to go to the store and see which one I liked best. It was a hard choice but we finally picked out the puppy costume. I absolutely love it! Along with the fact that I still have money left on my giftcard! Now all that's left is to make Jake and my dog costumes. Nothing better than old wedding giftcards, and chubby baby cheeks in costumes! I just love this time of year!!!

Lunch Dates

I think yesterday started a tradition that I happen to love! For the last 3 weeks every Wednesday Bubba and I go on a little lunch date somewhere. Yesterday was even better because we went with an old teaching friend, and teaching friends always make lunch better! It's nice having T around to go places with and to help pass my time when Jake is traveling. I think T likes going to eat at new places and he definitely liked lunch yesterday he was all smiles at my friend. Although having a baby isn't always easy or fun our little lunch dates are a reminder that he won't be little or mine for much longer!

Ps theres no better place to pull yourself up and stand then the front seat of the car. Sorry to all the people who thought we honked at them!

Belief

Although I normally don't write about religious matters I found that this is one that I just couldn't keep quiet.
  
Lately as a clean up at night I have found myself listening to church talks.  I have found that it is an easy way for me to bring the Spirit into our little home as well as give me inspiration for how better my life.  Tonight as I did my usual cleaning I listened to Elder Holland's CES talk titled "Israel, Israel God is calling".  Which can be found here. 

I found this talk so intreguing that I stopped cleaning and just listened.

I have always known this church was true.  Although there have been many times in the past I have checked my religion at the door, I can honestly say that underneath it all I have always known it is true.  I look back on those times with a twinge of sadness that I acted the way I did.  That I kept my mouth shut at times I should have opened it. It was convenient and less awkward for me to check my religion at the door.  And although I don't regret my past because it made me who I am today, I can honestly say that I am bothered that some people will look back on their time knowing me and remember me for the times or experiences where I checked my religion.  There are days I wish that those people could know how much my religion means to me and how true I know it to be.        
 
It has taken years for me to be at the place I am now.  I know with every fiber of my being that it is true.  It brings me peace and fills me up with happiness.  It brings purpose to everything I do, and is the foundation of who I am as a person. This religion makes better people out of anyone who is willing to listen and follow the counsel given. I know that some find it hard to believe, too hard actually and that's ok. 

But I believe in it. 


    

Hugs

To celebrate national grandparents day (last Sunday) I ran across a cute math idea dealing with measurement and a child's hug.  So I quickly traced Bubbas hands, and measured his wingspan and then put them all together.  Everything took less than 10 minutes, my kind of craft project!  So I quickly wrote a note to my parents and Jake wrote one to his parents and then after a ridiculously long trip to the post office (always takes too long at that stupid place) they were off!  Both of our parents received their packages this weekend.  Needless to say they were a big hit.

Please ignore how awful the right hand looks, I blame it on Ty

Living away from Jakes parents and my family has been interesting.  It's been a great chance for us to grow closer as a little family and to start making friends that are our family out here.  But we really do miss them. So until my Dad and Gabby come in October, we see both parents and one of my best friends Leilani in Novemeber and last but not least spend Christmas in CA, little crafts and factime every Sunday will have to do for now.


 

Say Cheese

I think growing up in my home made me obbsessed with putting up family pictures.  My mom has pictures all over the house in this stragic places that make sense and always look great.  Since we don't have a lot of space to set frames on things I knew I needed to hang them up.  Thanks to pinterest I was able to take my favorite things from a bunch of different examples and use it on our living room wall.

Although we had finished hanging all the pictures last week I was still waiting searching desperately to find our printer cords so I could print off our print I made.  Luckily I found them this week, happily printed off that loved cardstock paper and stuck it in its designated frame. Now that its officially and completely finished I love it.  The second we walked into this place it felt like home, the more we add little things here and there it feels like we've always been here. 

Write it on your heart that this day, is the best day in the year

Ralph Waldo Emerson  

Yellow

Sunday we talked it over and decided to wear yellow in support of Suicide awareness day, as well as for my sweet sister Brenna who lost 2 really good friends last year to this tragic event.  

Only Picture I could get him to smile!

I find it perfect that yellow is the color associated with this important event.  I love yellow.  Its my favorite color.  It is a color that always brings a smile to my face and instantly relaxes me. It reminds me of the sun.  Large and always constant.  Filling the sky with its rays and warming up everything it touches. Yellow...such a simple color, yet connected with a million wonderful things. 

I hope that on this day some people will be filled with peace.  Full of the warmth of love.  I desperately hope that this gets the recognition it deserves.  That maybe we as a society can figure out a way to be more like the sun.  Constant in bringing warmth to those we come into contact with.  Maybe if we could do that, be a little kinder to everyone we come into contact with there will be people who feel loved enough to not take their life.  Heaven knows this world could use people being a lot kinder to one another.        

For you Boo, yellow pants & a gold belt.

Brenna we all wore yellow, even Jake...I just dont have a picture because my mind didnt think that great at 4:30 am on our way to the airport.

Brenna, I hope you can look at these tragic events and find the strength and the means to be a moving factor in your life. As you come into contact with many different people throughout your life try and be the person who anyone can look back on with fondness, never having heard something mean come out of your mouth.  We will all be praying for you to have a little extra strength tomorrow.  Try and focus on the good times with your two friends and live your life so that if they were still here they would be proud of who you were/are.  We love you, and always feel a little helpless on days like today, wish we could do something to take your pain away. 

Life Lately Through My Iphone (and a couple from my camera)

Writing Grandmas an email

So big!

Too big, to let mom feed him

Just reading the menu

In a Mickey Mouse trance

Reading at dinner

Thanks for my Jersey Papa!

Go Raiders!

I sure do love this new phase and place we are in! These pictures are just mini snapshots of this life we are building which gets better every day.

Labor Day

We decided to be all fun and adventurous and go to the Kansas City Zoo as a little family Monday.   We came to the conclusion that it is never a good idea to explore an outdoor event when it is 95 outside, you don't know how large the area you are exploring is, and when you are wearing capris that basically reach your ankles. To be honest it was a really nice zoo, and we will definitely be going back. We loved that they divided it up to different sections with animals native to that section, like Africa and Asia.  We will just be prepared the next time we go to be there first thing in the morning, or only visit during fall and spring. And to take a family picture first thing upon entering the park, because I looked like a disgusting mess after.  I feel a little guilty that I only snapped these pictures of Bubba...maybe the next time we go I'll get some more of us as a family and maybe some of the animals.  Which are so close its freaky, the only things behind glass are the snakes, everything else is so close and outdoors that its incredible to realize how small we really are in this world compared to other things.