Recipe for a Great Summer

Take 4 cute kids who are ready for some summer fun

Add in a early summer dose of Baseball, T-ball and freezing cold swimming lessons (next year we won't be doing the first session of the year).

Follow with one FABULOUS family reunion filled with TONS of Karaoke... (Go Mom and Dad!!)

Lot's of fun games...

And Loads of all over family fun! We LOVED getting to visit and the kids enjoyed every minute with their cousins. It was the first time in a very long time that my whole side of the family was able to be together. Love them all so much!

No fun summer is complete without a family evening at the local county fair:

The kids held their noses through the entire hog barn! haha. It was the perfect night for a fair! We enjoyed the rides, along with your typical fair food. Bryan even had to try a deep fried twinkie!

For a great summer you also need to have one 2nd annual family trip to the Nauvoo Pageant. I love that we are able to take the kids there and let them see the Temple and learn about the History of Nauvoo. (For some reason I can't find the pictures I took. I know I took some!) The kids LOVE the singing and dancing of the actors and they LOVE all the pioneer games before the show. It was HOT that night (I felt bad for all those dressed in their costumes), but that didn't stop the fun!

Mix all these together and you definitely get a summer to remember!

I wasn't ready to see the summer end. I love having my kids home during the day and making memories with them. The last few weeks before school started we were able to just take it easy and enjoy the time we had before school started. One day towards the end of the summer Ethan said to me: "I had a really fun day. Yesterday was fun too. I'm having a lot of fun days!" It made me so happy to hear him say that. I feel like so often our schedules are packed and we are running here and there all the time. I hope my kids are also getting the time to just be kids. To play and have fun!

Evan's Eyes

Evan had his second cataract surgery the very beginning of June (less than a week after the first).  I thought I would be able to handle everything better because I knew what to expect, but the opposite was true.  I was a wreck.  I think because I knew how miserable the surgery, drops and plastic shield (with all it's lovely tape) made Evan, I hated the thought of him having to do it all over again and make the "torture" last even longer.  He didn't bounce out of the anesthesia nearly as well the second time around as he did the first. He was cranky and groggy and downright sad (and so was his mommy!).   I don't have any pictures of him at the hospital (told you I was a wreck, I even forgot the camera), but here's the little guy a couple days later:

Couldn't get any sweeter!



Lot's of eye drops to keep track of!

Next step? Contacts.  2 Tiny contacts +1 Nine month old baby = One Total Nightmare.  When I took Evan to his first contact appointment mid-June I was overwhelmed to say the least. Getting those contacts in and out of his little eyes was so hard.  The nurse at the office had me practice over and over while Evan screamed and screamed.  Evan was crying and I was crying. I wished so much I could just get it right and it could be all over for him. Then came the time when the contacts were in and I knew that Evan was seeing ME for the first time in a very long time.  More tears.  I left that appointment still very overwhelmed, but very, very thankful.  My baby was finally going to be able to see.  

Learning to get used to the contacts has been full of ups an downs.  The first morning that I ever got one into his eye on the first try, I called Bryan at work to tell him how excited I was!! The next time I put them in (or especially if I was taking them out) it could take me 20 minutes or more.  Right now (end of July) I feel like we're finally in an okay place.  Evan still fights it almost just as hard, but I'm more comfortable with handling the contacts and that seems to make a huge difference. 

Here's one more tidbit of information for you.  Take one of these:

Have it pop out somewhere unknown on something like this:

Can you find it?

And what do you get?  One very stressed out mommy! For a while I thought we were going to average one lost contact a week. Not okay.  At Evan's last appointment a couple of weeks ago they checked the fit of his contacts and slightly altered the one for his right eye (the one we were always loosing).  We haven't lost one since!  Yay!  It is still the right contact that he seems to rub up on top of his eye or down in a corner (makes it hard to get out!), but it is so much better than it was.  Hopefully it will stay like this and we won't be spending as much time on our hands and knees searching (in a state of panic) for what gives our little guy vision.

Surgery? Check.  Contacts?  Check.  Patches? Check.  At Evan's last couple appointments the Dr. noticed that Evan wasn't using his right eye at all.  It had started to turn in pretty bad and needs to be strengthened.  We patch his left eye to force him to use his right eye (so he doesn't loose vision in that eye all together).   The biggest challenge with the patches is finding one that will stick well enough that it stays on (and Evan can't pull it off), but not so well that his poor little skin gets pulled off with it (so sad!).  We're still working on that one.

Check this out

Here is a link that shows you what the vision of a farsighted individual might look like at varying degrees.  This tool only goes up to +9.  When they measured Evan's refraction today in his left eye (after his surgery) they had him at around a +22.  I can't even imagine what that would be like. 

Schools OUT for SUMMER!

I'm glad that summer has finally arrived. We are loving the sunshine and warm weather and we are managing to keep very busy.

We've been going to a lot of baseball games.



It's so fun to watch Ethan play this year.  It's his first year where they use a pitching machine instead of a T.  He's really getting the hang of it and having fun. 



Allison has fun too, but her T-ball attention span is pretty short (as it is with most of the team, these are 5 year old girls after all).  It's fun to see her learn the game and she is so proud of herself when she runs around the bases.  She was thrilled that she got to be on the "Pink" team. 

 

We've been working in the garden.



We have potatoes, onions, lettuce, carrots and sweet peas coming up already. I'm really excited about it. We have green beans and cucumbers planted, and I need to get some tomato plants.  Not too bad, right?  

 Having a fun cousin sleep over.


I love that we live close enough to family that these two buddies can get together once in a while.  They had been playing outside for hours and you can just see the dirt on their faces.

Just enjoying the outdoors.

And of course, we've been spending lots of time cuddling and taking care of this little guy.

  

 Evan had his first cataract surgery (on his right eye) just two days ago.  From the way Evan had been acting I KNEW that the cataract in his left eye had gotten much worse.  When the Dr. examined him he confirmed what I knew, and we go back to the hospital tomorrow to do everything again for the left eye.   

Overall, Evan is doing really well.  The surgery went great and I'm thankful he came out of the anesthesia well and didn't react badly to it.  Let me just say, that little guy is amazing.  I am so thankful for him and his sweet temperament. 

I guess I've always taken my good vision for granted.  I don't think I'll do that anymore. It's been so hard watching Evan's eyes get worse and worse.  Many times I've looked into his eyes trying to get him to SEE me, to look at his mama, and he couldn't.  I am so thankful to live in a time where through the miracles of modern technology, skilled doctors are able to do something to help my baby see again.  If he had been born at a different time he would have lived his life blind.

I am so thankful for the prayers of friends and family in behalf of Evan and our family.  Despite Evan being so hungry and being picked on every few minutes by many different nurses he remained so sweet and calm before his surgery.  I was amazed and thankful, and I know it's because of prayers and the blessing he recieved before his surgery. 



Right before they came to get him and take him back.  See what I mean about him remaining calm? He was so, so hungry and still practically fell asleep in my arms. 







Just over a couple hours later.

This is what he'll look like for the next week. After tomorrow we'll add a second shield on the left side. I'm not even sure how we are going to fit them both on his poor little face. 

The challenge for now is to keep the shield over his eye so that it can heal.  I cringe whenever I think about how my baby actually has stitches in his eye! They should dissolve sometime in the next 6 weeks.  We put drops in his eye pretty much every two hours throughout the day.  The worst part of that is untaping the plastic shield so we can get the drops in.  He gets so upset when taking the tape off that getting the drops in his eye can be quite the challenge.  I have a hard enough time getting drops in, I have no clue how I'm going to get contacts in his eyes in a little over a week. I'm sure we'll figure it out and get a system down. 

After Evan's surgery the doctor let me look through a lens that showed me about how Evan's vision would be now that he doesn't have a lens in his eye.  Wow.  To me it just looked like big blurry masses of color.  They said he should be able to see that a person is standing there, but wouldn't be able to see what the person looks like. See a chair, but not see any type of detail on it.  What amazes me it that this is SO much BETTER then what he has been seeing (nothing but black/grey, darkness).

It's all a little overwhelming, but we are hanging in there.  I'm so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father who I know has been watching over us and helping us through the ups and downs. I'm thankful for Bryan's parents who have been busy watching the older kids and feeding us all many meals as we stayed at their house before and after Evan's surgery. I'm thankful for their love and support.  I'm thankful for my fabulous husband who keeps me calm and is understanding and patient when I do melt down! I sure am a lucky girl.

The Garden

Hi, I'm Angela and I kill plants.  Not intentionally of course,  but I do just the same. Sometimes I feel like all I have to do is come close to a plant and it will immediately begin to wilt.  I even once managed to kill an aloe vera plant my Mom gave me (that was supposed to survive anything-Sorry Mom!). You get the picture? Plants and I don't mix, so naturally I thought it would be a good idea for me to plant and garden this summer......

Despite the dreary history I have with anything growing in dirt, I'm actually pretty excited about my garden.  If at first you don't succeed, try again, right? That is currently my garden motto along with the motivational saying "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....".      

I've already put quite a bit of time and energy into our garden and I actually have a few things growing! Yay! That's a good sign!

I was going to post a picture, but for some reason my computer won't let me. For now,  I'll just have to keep you in suspense as to what the garden of a plant killer actually looks like.  Pictures coming soon!

Worries

Evan's already bad vision seems to be getting worse.  He's mobile now, so he is constantly crawling straight into things (table/piano legs, chairs, the wall) and hitting his head, especially on the right side.  It's so sad.  He also seems to be losing his depth perception.  When I hold a toy out in front of him he will generally reach too far with his hand when trying to grab it and can't seem to be able to tell exactly where it is.  I totally cried the first time I noticed this.  Allison came up to me and said "don't worry, Mom. Soon Evan's eyes won't be sick anymore."  I sure hope she's right.

We are anxiously awaiting his first surgery.  Its so hard to be told your baby can't see and then have to wait to do anything about it.  I don't think the end of May could come fast enough.   Two more weeks...two more weeks.....

My sweet baby and I.  If you look at his right eye you can actually see the cloudiness of the cataract in it.

8 years

Happy Anniversary to us! 

During the past 8 years we have:

Packed up our belongings and moved 7 times!  Looking back, I wonder how that is even possible!  After Bryan and I were married we lived in Houston for the summer and then moved out to Idaho to go back to school. When we moved we loaded EVERYTHING we owned into the back seat and trunk of Bryan's old Chevy Lumina and off we went!  We have accumulated a lot more stuff since then!

Have celebrated 3 graduations. I know a lot of people will say it's hard to get married before you finish College, but I'm so glad we did!  I have nothing but happy memories of our "student days" together! We were far way from family, broke, living in a one bedroom apartment with a baby on the way!  We learned a lot and grew closer together.  I wouldn't trade those days for anything.

Speaking of babies...we've had 4!  I always have known I wanted to be a mother, and I have also always known that I wanted to be a stay at home mom. I feel so blessed that I've gotten to do both.  I am so thankful I married a man who is 100% supportive of those desires. Our children have definitely provided the most challenges for us (and I'm sure there will be MANY more in the years to come!), but I know they absolutely bring the most happiness as well.

The night of our anniversary (the 10th) Bryan had a school board meeting to attend, Ethan had baseball practice and I had a church meeting.  Just proof of how busy our life has gotten, especially as the kids get older.  I celebrated by bringing Bryan home a DQ Blizzard after my meeting.  Romantic, huh?  We are hoping to get a "real" anniversary date in soon!

I am so thankful that 8 years ago I was able to be married for time and all eternity to my best friend. I am thankful we are able to walk side by side through the ups and downs (and craziness!) of life. 

Babies Don't Keep

I have always loved this poem.  It's a great reminder of what's really important.  I need it framed on my wall somewhere!

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Sick

What have we been up to lately?  Trying to get this little guy healthy.  This has been no little challenge, and we're still not quite there. 

Over the past month and a half Evan has been on 3 rounds of different antibiotics (ear infections)  and two rounds of a steroid for his lungs (after being hospitalized for RSV).  We are on our second BOX of the medicine for his nebulizer treatments (for his lungs/wheezing), and today was our last of three consecutive daily visits to the clinic for antibiotic shots to see if we can finally get his ears to clear up.  I've been to the health food store and started giving him a probiotic and infant multivitamin to try and boost his immune system.  After all this, he is still. not. well.  What am I going to do with this kid?

I WANT him to be healthy and happy, but I also NEED him to get healthy, fast, so he can have his cataract surgery that is scheduled for the end of the month. 

Thanks to a great family optometrist who insisted that it is important to get your childs eye's checked when they are still a baby (I have NEVER done this when any of my other kids!), we found out that Evan has cataracts in both his eyes and later found out he has a subluxed (misplaced) lens in his left eye.  He can't see out of his right eye at all. His left eye can see what we think is a somewhat blurry (non-detailed) image.  Surgery was scheduled for May 2nd, but because of his recent RSV it had to be pushed back.

It's hard to sit and wait for his surgery when we've been told the longer we wait the more chance of complications and vision loss.  We've been told it's possible that his eyes may begin to tremor/shake (a risk associated with his right eye getting no stimulation), and if they start, they generally shake for life.  Our prayer as we wait is that this won't happen, and that his eyes won't worsen any other way.

So, for now we continue to focus on getting and keeping this baby boy healthy!  Maybe some warmer weather will help?  I'll take any help I can get!

Feeling Crafty

I'm never considered myself super crafty, so I'm not sure what came over me the Friday before Easter when I was reading a few blogs (I like to look at other peoples craftiness) and I came across this tutorial for a super cute skirt and this one for a fun appliqued tie onesie.  I remembered a week or so before when I had seen this little man tie tutorial and I suddenly had the urge to make all of them for my kids to wear on Easter Sunday, one and a half days away. 

I will admit that half way through the skirt for Nicole (which was the first thing I decided to make) I was ready to call it quits.  Maybe I should have started with a tie? I'm glad I hung in there.  I learned a lot and ended up feeling pretty happy about the way everything turned out.

Here are the kids on Easter morning:

Sweet Sisters:

Ethan looks so grown up to me in this picture.  Too grown up.

Evan was feeling pretty sick that morning.  He hung in there for some group shots, but I didn't try and take a bunch of him by himself.  Poor little guy. 

It was fun to make the kids matching clothes and fill their Easter baskets with treats, but what I am really thankful for is the moments during the week leading up to Easter Sunday when we were able to sit with our children and talk with them about the real meaning of Easter.  To share again with them the events leading up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  To help them remember that Christ truly did overcome death, and what that means for us today and always.  Those are the moments and things I hope they will remember at Easter and always.

Here I go again!

Recently I have come to realize two things about myself. 

First, no matter how many times I tell myself that one day I am all of a sudden going to print the thousands of pictures I have on my computer and turn them into cute scrapbook keepsakes for my kids, its just not going to happen.  There, I finally said it- I'm not a scrapbooker.

Second, I really struggle with journal writing.  This is something I feel is really important and still wish to become better at one day.  Hopefully that "one day" will come sooner rather than later,  but in the mean time I am bringing this blog back to life in the hope that some part of my life will be recorded.

So, after over 2 years of no blog posts....here I go again!

A lesson in hygiene

I have found that bed time often provides an opportunity for a learning moment with one of my kids. A couple of nights ago I was putting Ethan to bed when he asked me to tell him 4 stories. "How about 2?" I said, "Mommy needs to go to the store to get some things before it gets too late." (don't worry, Bryan was home!)

Ethan: "What are you getting?"
Me: "Just some things we need, like diapers for Nicole and deodorant for Mom and Dad."
Ethan: "What's deodorant?"
Me: "Well, when you get older, sometimes you can get sweaty and a little stinky under your arms. So we put on deodorant in our armpits so we don't get all smelly."
Ethan: "Wow! That's better than a bath!!"

Oh dear. We are going to have to keep an eye on him when he gets older!! Seriously though, it cracked me up. He seemed so excited about this new "discovery" that would keep him from having to take a bath! I then of course had to explain that deodorant definitely does NOT replace the need for a bath!

Photo Shoot Troubles

Last week we had a perfect overcast day so I decided to haul the kids outside to get some pictures for our Christmas card this year. So here we are, 10 days before Christmas and still no Christmas card photo. Why? Because I could do flips in the backyard and my kids seriously would not all look and smile at the same time. Actually, forget the smiles (that may be expecting too much) but I would be happy if they would just look! Out of the 50 or more photos that I took, here are some of the best:

So tell me, what are all of your tricks to getting your kids to take a decent picture together? After this photo shoot I haven't had the courage to get them all ready and try again. So I think maybe for Christmas this year we may just have to go with this one:

Let it Snow!

This morning the phone rang around 6:45. I ran to the phone thinking if someone was calling that early something must be wrong (I know, I shouldn't think the worst!) It turns out it was one of Bryan's employees letting him know that she would be late into work today because of the snow. The snow??!

The last time it snowed in this area was 10 years ago. I actually remember it! We were living in Houston. I was outside on a trampoline at a Young Woman leaders house and little snow flurries started to come down. I remember being SO excited! I don't think anything even stuck on the ground, it just felt amazing that it was "snowing". I couldn't help but smile when I heard the neighbor kids outside this morning before school playing and yelling. The thought came to me that those kids who have lived here their entire life have probably never seen snow before. When Ethan woke up I took him to the back door to show him that it had snowed and he was glad, but not very impressed. He just pretty much told me that we need more snow and a big hill. I guess living in Idaho, Ohio, and Iowa makes snow a little less of a novelty.


So, here it is! A picture of our exciting Texas snow!

Yes, someone truly did call in late to work because of this.

Not what we expected, but better.

When Bryan graduated in August 2007 things were looking great! He had finished his Masters degree, was ready to join the work force! We were excited to find out what our future had in store for us. We just never imagined that our future would include a year of unemployment.

In September 2007 we decided to place all our belongings in a storage unit, load up the car and drive to Iowa where we would stay with Bryan's parents for a month or two (max!), while Bryan looked for work. So with our 2 little kids and one on the way, off we went! We never imagined that a month (or maybe two) would slowly creep on until it turned into 11.

We never imagined that the year following would be full of stress, worry, doubt, fear, and questions of what we were doing wrong or what could we have done better in the past. That we would be tested emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even physically as my pregnancy required me to spend over a month on strict bed rest. I could not before imagined wanting something so much, being willing to go anywhere and do anything but feeling so completly helpless as to making it happen.

In August 2008 Bryan got a phone call for another interview. The only difference between this one and the MANY before it is that this one would be located in Texas, about an hour or so from where my parents live. My parents had never seen Nicole who had been born that March, and they were willing to help us make a family trip out of the opportunity. So we all drove down to Texas to wait out the interview process. What we never imagined when we left Iowa is that we would be staying in Texas, that this interview would FINALLY be the one.

What a long, hard year this has been. Just thinking about it brings so many emotions to my head and heart, that it is hard to sort them all out. What I do know, it that everything we go through is meant to be a growing experience for us. With that in mind, I will share some of the things I have learned this past year.

• I have learned that even though we don't understand, it doesn't mean there isn't a good reason for something.
• I have been reminded that we truly are never left alone.
• Heavenly Father knows us. He listens to our prayers.
• I have learned that Sisters have the best shoulders to cry on, even when it is done over the phone.
• I have been reminded that miracles do happen, and many times they come in ways we never could have imagined.
• That we have loving generous family members who are willing to help.
• I have learned that working evenings at Target could be worse than it actually is.
• I have learned that service truly does help you turn outward and not dwell so much on your own problems. That it can help you be happier.
• That kids need their parents to be happy even when they are having a hard time.
• That no matter how much you love your extended family (and I love mine very much!) living with them should be avoided.
• I have learned that you can have a new baby and not have any "baby stuff" (stroller, boppie, snugglie, bouncer, crib, etc.) and still survive.
• Bedrest really isn't "rest" at all.
• I have learned that going through a trial can either pull people closer together, or push them apart. I have learned that the first of these options takes much more work. I have also learned that the work is completely worth it.
• I have learned that sometimes you need to not talk about your problems, even if you feel like there is nothing else to say.
• People are willing to make sacrifices to help others.
• I have been reminded that a prayerful fast truly does help you draw closer to the Lord.
• I have learned that if you try your best and do what you can, somehow things tend to work out.
• Paying tithing truly brings blessings.
• I have learned that going without something increases your gratitude for that thing.
• It is important to endure to the end.
• I have learned over and over that the Lord's timing is not our timing. That he has a plan for us that is better than the plan we have for ourselves. That sometimes, we just have to wait.

So, here we are. October 2008. We are in Texas. Bryan is woking for UTMB (Universiry of Texas Medical Branch) and we couldn't have hoped for a better opportunity than this is for him, as well as for our family. We move into a fabulous little house this weekend! Back on our own! I thought the day would never come! We are feeling extreamly blessed as we look and see our life fall into place. We are realizing that while this may not be what we had imagined for our family, because of the Lord's plan for us, and His timing it has turned out to be better than anything we expected.

I am so grateful for the many thoughts and prayers of our friends and family that were said in our behalf. I know they were answered.

Ethan

Last Sunday Ethan said the prayer in the opening of Primary. This may not seem like a big thing to some, but for us it was HUGE!!! Although we can't quite figure out why (or what to do about it for that matter) it is always a huge struggle to get Ethan to go into primary. I'm talking, possibly an hour of sweat and tears just to get him to go in. He likes what he calls his "little class", but as far as going into opening, singing and sharing time he is easily overwhelmed by all the kids and all the noise. So when he came home one day with a little piece of paper saying that he had been asked to say the opening prayer the next week, I was a little nervous for him to say the least. Now one thing about Ethan is that he is GREAT at saying prayers. He used to say them super fast and quiet with a big loud "AMEN" at the end, but after a short while of focusing on why we say prayers, and how we need to be reverent when we say a prayer he has been great ever since. He speaks slow, loud, and clear and even is great at using the "language of prayer" such as "thee" and "thy". So when he got this assignment we made a BIG deal about it! All week we talked about how he gets to say the prayer in primary. We talked about how big he is and how great he is at saying prayers. And, I must admit, that on the way to church we did mention the fact that after he says his prayer he may just get a special treat later that night (a little healthy motivation never hurts, right?). Anyway, to make this long story a little bit shorter, as we walked into the primary room I said a silent prayer that this would be able to be a positive experience for Ethan. I really want him to be able to love primary. Well, he walked up to the front and sat there. Just like that. He looked SO proud. I saw his ears perk up when the primary president mentioned his name, and when she asked him if he needed help he told her "no." He walked up to the microphone, folded his arms, bowed his head and said what I think just might have been the best prayer I've ever heard. It was short, but oh so sweet and I must admit I shed a tear or two. He was beaming, and I loved every second of the experience. Isn't that great? So did this solve all of Ethan's primary fears? No. Today we were back to struggles and tears. But I am so thankful to a Heavenly Father who answered a mothers prayer and calmed a little boys fears and allowed him to have a positive experience saying his first "public" prayer.


Something else fun about Ethan is that he has the greatest imagination and is super creative. One day he was sitting in my lap and I was showing him all the different kinds of "kisses". A fish kiss (when you suck your cheeks in and make "fish lips", he and Allison think it is just HILARIOUS), a Eskimo kiss (nose to nose), and a butterfly kiss (eyelashes flutter on your cheek). He then looks at me and said, "Mom! What about the telephone kiss!?" "A telephone kiss?" I ask, and he proceeds to show me his newly invented "telephone kiss", which you do by taking your ear and placing in on the other persons cheek. Since then he has also invented the "Scooby doo kiss" ( taking your chin and putting it on the other persons nose) and the "hair kiss", which is taking your fingers and pinching the top of the other persons nose (don't ask me why he calls it a "hair kiss"). He really is a fun kid. He is sensitive, kind, and loving. He is EXTREMELY observant. He notices the little things like if I have a new bottle of lotion on the table by my bed or if there is a different mat down on the floor in the garage. He loves to explore, and he loves to wrestle and have fun. He teaches me so much and I am SO grateful to be his mom.

A few pictures from that last month

Happy Anniversary!

Saturday (May 10th) was our 5 year wedding anniversary! Time really does fly! The highlights of the past 5 years include:

-5 moves (1 in town move, and 4 out of state moves)
-3 graduations (1 for me, 2 for Bryan)
-and of course the birth of our 3 wonderful children! ('04, '06 and '08)

It's been a great 5 years. We have loved all the places we have been and the friends we have made. We have loved the challenge of parenthood. The Best part has been and will continue to be learning and growing together. We look forward to our future!

Bryan and I outside of the Houston Temple. We were able to go back this past July to be there for Laura and Matthew's sealing. What a great day!