Goodbye, Curls

I do have a good excuse as to why I've been so bad at blogging lately: It takes a little bit of explanation. Our laptop broke... which is where I do my usual blogging because it's mobile, so I was able to do blogging anywhere the kids were. And I mostly blogged during nap time. We do have a big wonderful imac that I LOVE, but Shad moved it into a very inconvenient spot, with no chair and in a place where one of the kids naps. So blogging just became scarce because I didn't have easy access. But I will have to do a catch up blog post about our awesome Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving. (Hopefully that will get done sometime before Christmas...Sheesh!)

Anyway... 

Our little Nathan boy is growing up too fast. Right before my very eyes he is just becoming a little boy and less and less of my little baby. He has become so interactive and playful lately. He is at the perfect baby growing into toddler stage and we all just eat him up. Just over the last two (ish) weeks our little Nathan has learned to crawl like a pro, pull him self up on everything, cruise along the couch, wave goodbye, clap, dance (SO CUTE!), give high-fives, and is very responsive to words and people. He has learned how to play with big-boy toys like cars and trains. Its amazing to watch him grow and learn! 

Day 1 of Crawling... already into mischief! 

If there's food... he's happy! Stuck to his face and all...!! 

He absolutely ADORES his big brother, Owen. Nathan tries so hard to be just like him. He wants to play with his big-boy toys, follow him around, and play like him...Which Owen does NOT always appreciate! He loves to be chased when he crawls around. And when Shad and Owen are wrestling around on the floor Nathan is always DYING to be apart of the action and joins right in! 

On Sunday I gave Nathan a LOOOONG overdue haircut. His hair was out of control, more-so than normal, and it was getting long and a little ridiculous. So off went his adorable baby curls. *SNIFF* I was so sad to see them go! His little curls are his trademark. Absolutely everyone comments on them, and he has always had a lush, full head of baby curls. Now, with his ever growing motor skills and new haircut he seems more grown up then ever! He looks so much older, and is even more the spittin' image of big brother Owen! 

Look at that handsome big-boy haircut! 

Brothers, both with new haircuts... so much alike!

Climbing on things like a champ!

Nathan is so much like Shad. He not only looks exactly like Shad, but their personalities are so similar. Nathan is so chill. He is so quiet and east-going. (Complete opposite of Owen!) Owen will punch, kick, push over, poke, pull, scratch, etc at Nathan.... and he just takes it with a happy smile. 

There's that easy-going happy smile, that makes us all melt!

So with this I say... Goodbye, Baby Curls... and Goodbye, my little baby. 

Hello, Handsome Little Boy!

*Nathan will be 10 months on THURSDAY! Too Fast...*

{Thankful} Photo Friday

This week I am Thankful for the gospel and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

I could not let a whole month pass without giving thanks for the gospel. I am so grateful for my faith. It guides me in every aspect of my life. It's not just something I believe, it's something I live everyday. I have a true testimony of the church. I am not sure how I became so lucky to be born into a family who has converted and accepted the gospel and taught me to live it and strive to be a better person. To live in a home that has taught me to values and teachings of the church. i have been greatly blessed by the gospel and by the standards i choose to live. The church helps me become a better me... A better mom, wife, and daughter of my Heavenly Father. The gospel allows me to have a forever family, which is what I am most grateful for. 

{Thankful} Photo Friday

This week I am very Thankful for my health, and more importantly my two very healthy, happy little boys. 

Let me preface this by saying, it has been a ROUGH week. Physically, emotionally, mentally just rough and exhausting. The boys really tried my patience over and over again. (Especially the 2 year old!) He even went so far as to lock me and Nathan out of the house this week... Ahhh!! (One angry momma!) They even dragged me down to tears, and I resorted to locking myself away in the bathroom! It was just one of those weeks. Which I'm sure every mother knows all too well. 

However, many, many things happened within our family this week... my brother in law returned safely from a 9 month deployment in Qatar to his wife and 2 beautiful kids. My other brother in law's girlfriend gave birth to my newest healthy, sweet nephew! And then on the other hand we had a bit of tragedy strike our family. One of Shad's sweet sisters who has desperately been wanting a baby lost her precious son at just 20 weeks. Giving birth to her 2nd stillborn in 14 months. We were (are) completely heartbroken. As a family we all mourned the loss of our sweet nephew. But it certainly gave me some much need perspective. My children may make me crazy some days... most days! But they are the sweetest, most innocent, gifts from my Heavenly Father. He has entrusted me with them. I have been given the privilege to be their mother. And to top it off, they are perfectly healthy, rambunctious, and loving little boys. I am so blessed! I am so beyond grateful to my father in heaven for my precious, HEALTHY little men. They are my world. 

In addition, I am also very grateful for my health. I am been very blessed with good health. I have been able to bear children without complications, and continue to be healthy and happy. I mean it is something I take for granted DAILY... and I can certainly be better about treating my body like a temple. How often do we really thank God for our arms and legs, and our healthy minds and bodies?! Not often enough! 

I have so much to be grateful for! I love giving gratitude to others and mostly to my Heavenly Father for all he has blessed me with. Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope yours is full of love and gratitude as well! 

{Thankful} Photo Friday

This week I am Thankful for my Parents. They. Are. Awesome. 

My parents are SAINTS. Saints, I tell ya! I am so grateful to them for the constant love and example they set for me. They are such great examples of love, kindness, and service. They are very willing to give of themselves and that is something I can certainly learn from them. They have been so gracious to allow us to live here for the last 18+ months, which is NOT easy to let your daughter and her THREE messy boys take over the house! We have been so lucky to have their support and kindness over the last year. I'm not sure how we would have made it those first many months out of law school. They are wonderful examples of the Savior, and they strive very hard to live the gospel. They are a great example of love and marriage. They are complete opposites and yet they are soon going to celebrate 30 years of marriage!

And, of course, they are amazing grandparents. They love my two boys unconditionally and so fully. Those two boys have them wrapped around their fingers! They are so willing to help out with the kids whenever I need it... naps, feeding times, bedtimes, bath times, etc. They are on-call babysitters if we need to run out for an quick errands, or have a date night. And the boys completely adore them. 

I am very blessed to have such giving and gracious parents. And I am grateful to them for all they have sacrificed for me and the example that they are. 

{Thankful} Photo Friday

So instead of doing a post everyday of something I am Thankful for in November, I've decided to do a Thankful Photo Friday...er...Saturday. I'm going to post something I am thankful for every Friday in November for my Photo Friday. 

This week I am thankful for Marriage. 

I have been thinking a lot about marriage and what a marriage means lately, especially with the upcoming elections and voting... and living in Washington State meaning Ref. 74. And I am beyond grateful for my beautiful marriage to Shad. I am thankful that we were married in the temple, and I am so grateful for the covenants and promises we made to each other there. I am grateful for him and the husband and father he is. I am thankful that I belong completely to him and he belongs completely to me. I am grateful that we waited for each other, and waited until marriage. I am grateful that we chose the appropriate time and place to get married. I am thankful that I am married for eternity and not just in this life. I am thankful for the family our marriage has led to, not just our BEAUTIFUL perfect little boys. But the family I've gained through marriage. I started out as an only child, and now I have 7 brothers and sisters... and 19 amazing nieces and nephews! What a blessing. I am very thankful for these past 6 years of marriage, and many, many, many more to come.