One Crazy Year and a BIG Thank You

One of the many perks of living with an award-winning photographer is that she is willing to take family pictures for you even though she just did it a month before. I love the way these turned out. Thank you, Becky! There are too many favorite pics for one post, so here are just a few:

When they annoy each other as teenagers this is the picture I'm going to pull out.

Our family is once again over a thousand miles apart, with the kids and I in Utah and Ryan in Wisconsin. My mom flew out to Colorado this past Thursday to help me drive back to Utah with the kids (now that's the love of a mother--she never even saw the sun in colorful Colorado. It was such a quick trip just so I wouldn't have to travel alone with three young kids). I must say that I hate the feeling of having my family go in separate directions and knowing that we will be apart for an extended period of time. We headed West on I-80 and Ryan headed East. It will be nice to be back together again, and hopefully this time we spend apart will fly by as quickly as time flew while we were together.

Our goofy-faced picture

This past year our family has been on the receiving end of so much help, it's overwhelming. So many family members and friends have helped us so much. We couldn't have done it without you! Thanks just isn't adequate but we hope to be able to be the kind of people that you have been to us and somehow return the favor one day. 

I joke about being a "single mom" while Ryan is away on his externships, but the reality of my life is that I have never had to do any of this child-rearing stuff alone. Parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and friends have all stepped up to the plate and helped me so much without even being asked. They just see a need and take care of it. Thank you so much for that. I feel like Heavenly Father is watching over our little family and answering our prayers through you during this crazy time in our lives. 

I could get used to this Place

I can't believe we've been in Colorado for 3 weeks. Time has gone by so quickly and we've really enjoyed living with Gavin and Becky and their family. They have kept us busy with many fun adventures. I for one am completely sold on Colorado as great place to raise a family. Maybe someday we'll get to return as permanent residents.

Katie and Maddie playing the piano together.

Ike, Ryan, and Maddie on one of our Saturday adventures. If you are ever in Boulder, you simply must eat pizza at Beaujo's--pretty sure it's one of the best pizzas I've ever eaten.

Picking out pumpkins at a nearby pumpkin patch.

The kids and I outside a museum in Denver. Check out that beautiful skyline in the background. We had to cut things a little short because big D was not as into the museum as the rest of us. 

Pumpkin decorating/carving for Family Night.

Ike painting his pumpkin his favorite color.

Shirts were optional. Maddie took care of the hair on their pumpkin and Ike painted the face.

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Gavin's "pumpkin pi."

Becky's Mrs. Potato Head Witch Pumpkin.

I went a little unconventional and painted my pumpkin blue.

Eleanor went with a beautiful and colorfully painted pumpkin.

Here is Isaac and Maddie's finished product.

My New Favorite Picture

I just can't get enough of that face!

That Actually Might be a Pretty Good Idea...

We made it safe and sound to Colorado and we are really enjoying spending time with Ryan's brother and his family. We appreciate them inviting us to invade their home for an entire month so that we can be together while Ryan does his Greeley rotation.

It would be an understatement to say that Isaac is happy to be so close to his 7 year-old cousin, Eleanor. They are pretty much inseparable whenever she is home. They spent the entire weekend together and he was sorely disappointed when he woke up this morning and she had gone to school.

Isaac even told me the other day that he wanted to marry Ellie. She happened to overhear him and said, in all seriousness, "That actually might be a pretty good idea. Then I wouldn't even have to change my name." Now that's being practical!

Here she is reading them. Bedtime is a dream with her around. I basically just stand around and supervise. I am slowly but surely trying to convince her to come back to Utah with me next month, just until Christmas...