Thoughts

Well we survived another week with someone being gone! I'm totally used to being a "single" parent during that week with the kiddos and we find our groove...which can be a bad thing, but good at the same time. By the end of the week though my patience is almost gone. Luckily dad sweeps in to save us (them) at the right time. We are lucky to have a husband/father who puts us first and does everything for us. The reason he works so hard is so that we can have a comfortable life. There are days where I despise his job and our situation, and come on! It could always be worse. I literally have nothing to complain about. Sure, moving every year is hard, and leaving our amazing ward/neighborhood is even harder...but we have it good. Somedays easy. Our plan B of a career didn't work out like we hoped it would, but that's ok. We are so so so lucky to have another plan B. Some people do not always have another job they can fall back on, so I'm grateful that we do. (but now it's his new career and not another plan B job. It's the real deal, and I'm slowly accepting that) I'm always surprised by how much Al loves sales and the intense summers. He stays motivated and this year he seems really motivated...so all the moving around will be worth it. I am excited to see new states this summer and find fun things to do with the kids. Huntsville, Alabama is known for it's rocket and space museums. Crew is going to love that. For a portion of the summer we will be near Nashville, Tennessee so I'm excited to go see where my favorite genre of music was born! I'm grateful that we finally have a 'home base.' It means we will be renting for a long time, but we love it here and we can't wait to get back. 

Last week I caught Crew eating his lunch on the counter. He climbed up there and stated that he was eating "right there." Sometimes you just have to pick your battles with toddlers. 

-Family trip to the park

-Crew made bunny ears in nursery. I was dying watching all the toddlers run around with ears on. 

-I caught Laney yelling at us. She is quite the talker!

-Crew now loves to run around inside the car while I put Laney in her seat. It's so incredibly hard getting him to sit in his carseat. Oh and we are this close to him learning how to buckle himself in. 

One last pony tail picture!

Happenings

Laney wore her first pony tail today and it was a hit. Crew thought it was pretty cool too.

Al is out of town again. In Utah---again. Remind me why we have a house there that we don't live in? And he goes there for work? (I know..we love Arizona. That's why) Life is funny sometimes and you just have to roll with the punches.

I taught my first class last night. Ever. I'm terrified of public speaking and shy away from it if I can. Last night I had to teach for a grade....so I couldn't run away! It was a whole hour. I think it went ok, and I'm glad that's over with.

Crew is such a handful you guys. Like major handful. Today was my first really embarrassing moment as a mom. There were so many kids at the park and of course Crew thought every toy was his. He threw sand at kids, pushed them, hit them, and then the straw that broke the camels back was him hitting a mom! Straight up running over out of anger and smacking her on her leg. What? Did my child really just do that? I get that he is two, but behavior like that will not be tolerated. So we packed up and went home. All while he was screaming his head off. We get home and get gets a drink of water. He then gives me a separate cup and hits them together as if we are saying "cheers!'" Who is this kid!

Today I asked him to come here-he said, "No thank you"

The other day I emptied the vacuum crap in the garbage while I was mopping. He took out all of the dirt, hair and dust...dumped it on the clean tile, then took my rolling pin and rolled it flat. What? Who even does that? How would he think of that?

I love watching her sleep. She slept from 10pm to 8:15am last night. That's what I'm talkin' about Laney girl. 

I barely remember the days when it was just Crew and I. How sad is that! It was less messy and more quiet:) 

Life Lately

Some iphone photos over the last few days. I love these cute people.
The weather is incredible in these spring months of Arizona. So we try to spend a lot of time outside before it gets too hot.
We are starting to love our neighborhood more. (not the homes) but just the feel of it. Hard to explain.

Reading time is more fun when dad is around. (how fatherly does he look in that picture though? church clothes and all. love him.)
That double stroller will be the death of me. I love that it is so light and easy to turn, and run with..but man can it be complicated. I think my kiddos look so darn cute in it though.

To The Park We Go

We met up with cousin Hazel at the park today.

The weather was amazing and the company was good. 

Glad we live so close to family.

Laney sat in the swing for the first time and loved it. 

Crew reminded me of a puppy dog with his tongue sticking out most of the time while running around like crazy. I'll let the pictures do the talking. 

Sorry I took a million.

Teething Clapper

She learned a new trick:

one that her brother learned at the same exact age!

Teething is also kicking our bums over here

She isn't the best napper these past few days. I can feel her tooth and see it now! So it's all worth it baby girl. 

Memory Lane

Every so often I whip out my hard drive and scroll through the thousands of pictures I have on there. I cannot believe how far we have come since Alex and I met each other. In 3.5 short years, we have accomplished many great things and it's been wonderful. Stay a while if you want to read on...it's long. 

 My endowment in the Bountiful Temple-what a wonderful day with a lot of family around us. 

 Our first trip as a married couple to San Francisco! It really was a blast and we loved it...except for the fact that I was a super stubborn, impatient and rude little wifey. 

 We both didn't know why I was so snappy haha we laugh about it now--but man did it almost ruin our trip. Please tell me I'm not the only moody..sometimes rude wife? I apologized! 

 Guess what we learned when we got back? That I was pregnant with Crew...like 7 weeks along that whole trip. Sooooo yea my mood totally made sense after we discovered that little babe inside of me. (at least I like to blame it on pregnancy...pull that card whenever ya can I guess)

Such children we were. Heck we still are! 

 First summer sales experience in Greensboro, NC. I totally miss that place. Certain smells remind me of our apartment there, my pregnancy with Crew, or the grocery store that I shopped at...weird?

 Pictures are out of order...but this was out in Springfield, MO. I was so ready to give birth to Laney. We went to the pool a lot, but Crew hardly got in. Luckily towards the end of the summer he finally got used to it.

 My almost 1 year old!

 Our summer out in Louisville, KY! It was a super low key summer and I loved it. Crew and I went on walks to Walgreens a lot, the mall or the Zoo. We would have breakfast at the little breakfast room above the hotel lobby. (we lived in an extended stay for 4 months...it wasn't too bad, but thinking back, I would never do that again) It was so so green and so beautiful. I had a few little breakdowns thinking we were really going to get sucked up by a tornado though...

 I do miss our cleaning ladies who would come daily. I never knew when they were coming so there were a few times they walked in on Crew and I taking naps. I gave a Book of Mormon to one maid at the end of summer after assuring her that mormons don't have horns or a million spouses. That was a funny conversation. I had to tell her that we do believe in Jesus Christ! She thought it was so neat that I would just randomly give her a book! So funny. 

 I miss the simplicity of having only Crew and I in this little hotel. It's where he learned to crawl and stand up on furniture...along with a few bumps and bruises on those harsh coffee tables! I miss his baby legs more than you know.

 Uncle Zach comes home in June. Crew looked like this when he left...so so so weird. We are so excited for him to meet Crew again! 

 I squished those cankles so much. 

 Our first 4th of July. 

 He was and still is such a climber. Look how CHUBBY he was! 

 Oh I loved his hippo teeth. I love love love baby square teeth. 

 Our home in Eagle Mountain which I miss so very much. I really would live there again. So many good memories and I loved how small it was. I could keep an eye on Crew and have a hold on the messes. It wasn't so overwhelming. I love small spaces. 

 Oh Laney Kate. I feel like she was born yesterday but it was 7 months ago..as you already know. Her birth went by so fast that I don't even remember most of it. Too fast for me my dear. It was all a blur...literally. And I still think it's weird you were born in Springfield Missouri. I miss your squishy face. Newborn smells and little quiet peeps. Now your quite the loud girl! 

This will be forever a favorite in my book. Crew had a hard time adjusting to a new body around so naturally he thought everything belonged to him...even if she was using it. Clearly. 

Well that's all for now..until I decide to do this again. I'm grateful for these photos and memories.