Fall Family Pictures

Every year we try to go and take family pictures in the same spot during the fall.  I have been soooo sick with this pregnancy, and I wasn't sure if it was going to happen this year.  But luckily Matt was determined and he got us out there.  Now I'm so so glad we went and did it!

We love taking pictures in this spot, but this year we ventured down a little farther and found another cool spot. 

this picture makes me so sad, because it's perfect, but out of focus!

Life Lately August 2018

Mason gets cold so easy.  In the morning he wants chocolate milk and then after he drinks it he will say "I'm freezing!"

Nothing makes me feel more put together then when they I remember to have to boys brush their teeth

This was a sweet moment reading books on the floor

I was changing carseats from the van to ruby and while I was getting the other carseat Micah buckled himself into this one one the sidewalk 

Getting Mason out of the car took a while and I came around the corner to Micah patiently waiting

Pump trackin!

They were being so funny sliding down this slide together and giggling 

I gave Mason a green smoothie and thought that I should probably put him at the table, but then I was like nah he's got this.  Then I was thinking wow this is crazy to have him be old enough not to make a mess! And right as I was thinking that He drops is so hard that it splatters all the way to ceiling. 

I'm trying to only give him his paci in his bed, in the car, and while we watch movies.  This day he layed on his bed so he could have his paci and he fell asleep. 

We went to the puppy barn and had our hearts melted over over. 

Mason always wanted to see the puppies eyes. 

Our after church tradition is to play in the pit

Right after I put the flowers on the table I look over to see this. haha

This morning the boys came out and helped me work on the yard 

They were watching tv like this. 

he's so cute and silly. 

The Perfect Summer night

I feel like we have been traveling so much and doing other adventures this summer that we haven't done a lot of around town stuff.  But last night we went and got frozen yogurt which is one of my very favorite summer things to do and that was the first time we had done it this summer.

It was delicious, obviously. 

So tonight we went to the chalk the block thing at the riverwoods.  I've always wanted to go, but never have.  It turns out that if you go on a Thursday you will only get to see the chalk art half way done.. But it was still cool.  And the boys ran all over in splash pad and got soaking wet and then we went and ate ice cream and chocolate.  Micah got the wettest and he was freezing, but so happy. 

The weather was overcast and not as hot as it has been and it was just so nice! It was perfect to be out there walking around and laughing at our silly boys.  And Janell is here so it was fun to have her with us.  

It's crazy that its August.  I feel like we waited for summer for FOREVER. And now it's flying by insanely fast.  I'm really grateful that fall comes next, or else I would be super bummed that summer is going so fast.. But no matter how much fun summer is, I will always be excited for fall. 

Adventures in trying to get the boys to sleep

So we have had a lot trouble getting the boys to sleep.  We haven't had a great routine basically for Mason's whole life.  Its been super hard and the boys always ended up in bed with us.  Both of them.  It was not great sleep, but it was better then no sleep..

We left the boys with my mom and dad for about four days while we went to Oregon and the boys slept so good while we were gone! Mom put them in her room on their little pillow beds and they would go to sleep sweet and sleep all night.  WHAT!? So I figured that I would try and keep that ball rolling.

When we got home I put those little pillow beds in Mason's room and it worked! Kinda.. They came out a couple times, but eventually Micah slept in there really good.  Mason took a little longer. He would always start out in his room and then end up in our bed.  But we got one kid out of our bed so I considered it a success!

So I took Mason's crib down cause he hasn't used it in forever and I needed a place to put the pillow beds. I put them in that corner for a while and it worked great.  But there was a plug there and they would unplug the internet.  So I moved the desk and put them in the closet.  Two little toddler beds fit in there perfect! Having them sleep together has been amazing! Micah sleeps all night and Mason has been doing sooo much better. He sleeps most nights in there. 

A Life Update July 2018

It's been a good year and a half since I have done a post on here.. I have been documenting in other ways, like my other blog and instagram, but yesterday Matt and I decided to quite social media.  It has just been too much of a drain on our family and marriage.  It's so addictive and before we know it we are spending all our time on there and then complaining that we never have enough time.  Matt would get sucked into his facebook biking group and stay up till all hours of the night.  It just hasn't been good, so yesterday we deleted all of our social media apps and made a goal to get up early and go to ged early and get all the stuff done that is stressing us out instead of avoiding life on social media.  Today is day one and so far so good!! We both woke up early and I went on a ride and Matt fixed our fence.  So that's the reason why i'm blogging again.. I still want a way to share and to write down memories, but without the temptation to get sucked into social media.. So here we are!

So we have been getting more and more into mountain biking.  In June Matt and I did an 18 mile 3,000 foot elevation gain mountain bike race.  It was crazy! I got third place in the women's catagory which shocked me.  There was only like five girls that did the race.. but still! Matt got somewhere around 14 which is super impressive.  He had some problems with cramps in his legs or else he would have done even better. 

so that's one thing we do quite a bit.  In other big news we bought a van! We have been wanting a van we can sleep in for over a year and we finally took the plunge! I'm so proud of us.  Matt made an awesome adjustable bed for it and we have been loving it!! It's sooooo nice not to have to set up camp! We can just pull off the road and go to sleep.  It makes adventuring less work and its just the best.  The kids love the van too.  We went camping in it the other day and the next morning when mason woke up in the house the first thing he said was "I need my camping!!" 

We have been vanning it up ever since we got the van and it's our favorite! Each trip really deserves a post of it's own.. We will see if I get around to that. 

Let's see what else... Matt works for family search still.  The past little while has been crazy at work.  He got on this new team that is amazing, but it also has been a ton of work and stress on Matt.  It's been super super hard.  To the point where he has considered asking for a new team or maybe even quitting.  But when he talked to his managers they could see that this was too much and that it was effecting all parts of his life and really dragging him down.  They have let up on him and the work has slowed down and things are much better then they were.  He is ahead now and feeling good about things.  Thank goodness! 

Micah and Mason are just as crazy as ever! They love each other and they also fight like nobody's business haha I suppose thats what it is to be brothers! They are both just such awesome little people.  I love them with all my heart and I love being their mom.  

Micah is way into legos these days.  He know most of his letters and he knows the sounds to some of those haha he is so so smart and creative. We are always so surprised at the things he comes up with.  His major obsession right now is transformers.  It doesn't really matter what it is, Micah will turn it into a transformer.  

Mason love motorcycles, side sides, and grampa.  He got to spend a few days on the farm last week and he was in HEAVEN.  In fact I was talking on the phone with my mom last night and mason heard her voice and said, I need to go to grampas house!! then he tried to drag me out the door and when we didn't leave his little heart just broke! It was sad, but also cute how much he loves his grampa and grandma. 

Micah and Mason always play this game where they come up to each other with whatever toys they have and say "hi, whats your name?" then the other person says "my name is such and such whats your name" It's so freaking cute and they do it all day long.

Almost a year and a half ago we went and got Micah tested and found out the he was super delayed in speech and social. He has been going to the special needs preschool ever since and has loved it!! It has been SO good for him.  He has one more year of that and then he heads to kindergarten! 

So there's a little update! I'm hoping to blog more and do some more in depth posts and Micah and Mason especially.  They just grow up so fast! I want to have every little thing documented, but that's not very practical so I will just do my best I guess :)