Graduation!

What a crazy, exciting week for our family! Bryan graduated Dental school! It was a fun, but very busy, week. Tues. night Bryan and I got to attend a banquet where Bryan got inducted into the Honor Society. Thurs. night was a nice awards banquet at the downtown Marriott where Bryan received the Removable Prosthodontics Award. Bryan's parents and Cole were able to attend so that was extra special. And then Friday was the big day where he got his diploma. Bryan was a hard working student and still always made time for our family. I am just so happy for him on his big accomplishment. It was a lot of good and also hard times for our family, with lots of blessings and also lots of sacrificing.
Somehow in the middle of all of the celebration & saying good-byes we had to find the time to pack up our apartment to move the next day. We ended up sending the moving trailer home with all of our belongings except for a couple airbeds and a suitcase. (Thanks Dad for all your help!!) Which we lived out of for the next 10 days until we came. It is so wonderful to be done, but so hard to believe our time in California is over. We were blessed with amazing friends while we were there that were such a great support network for us. It made it hard to leave.

Dancing with the Stars

Alyssa, Kim and I had tickets to go to Dancing with the Stars! Woo-hoo! We were so excited! So we get our husbands to commit to staying with the kids and head down to Hollywood. Then waited in line (in 100 degree weather) for 3 and a half hours only to make it right up to the entrance and be told that they had just filled the last seats!! I couldn't believe it! It was so disappointing! They did tell us that we could have guaranteed tickets to another taping later. But being able to have a whole day open and line up someone for the kids doe'st happen to often! So I wasn't holding my breath that I'd make it back down again. The picture above is us in the car heading home feeling totally let down...

Fast forward to the following week...On my way to Dancing with the Stars with Dori! I've got my GUARENTEED ticket in hand. So I am feeling pretty good. We wait in line again for another 3 hours, BUT, we get in so it was all worth it. And then once we got inside the studio, they move us to the front row right behind the judges! It was awesome. We had so much fun.

With our move just right around the corner I think my feelings about it would be best summed up with one word. Bittersweet. I am so sad to leave our wonderful little "bubble" that we live in here in So. Cal. It is going to be so hard to say goodbye to amazing friends, warm sunshine all year, the sandy beach, Disneyland trips, Sunday "Fremont Football field" walks, the list goes on and on! So I decided I better focus on the "sweet" things ahead so I don't have to think of the "bitterness" of good-byes! And here is my top 3...
1. I am ECSTATIC to be the proud owner (in the near future) of a WASHER and DRYER!! With 3 kids I am doing my share of laundry these days. And I have had my days of carrying my laundry hamper on one hip, a baby on the other, and 2 fighting boys in tow only to get to the coin machine and realize it is already being used! ARGG!
2. A little patch of grass. I'm not asking much, I'll even settle for just a little. The idea of having a backyard seems HEAVENLY! It will be so nice to have some space for these kids of mine to play! Our apartment can seem pretty small sometimes with no backdoor to send them out...
(However, I do have to admit we have had some awesome memories down there on our little patch of pavement! Sidewalk chalk, splashing in the inflatable mini pool/turtle sprinkler, scooter riding around and around in the same little circle, and us moms sitting in the back of the mini van.)
3. And last, but not least, I get to quit my job!! Scrubbing flights of steps by hand with a little scrub brush is fun and all, but....

So off to new adventures we go. But taking with us some wonderful memories. And you know, I think probably no matter what stage of life you are in, the grass can always seem greener on the other side. I just might get that washer and dryer and still not be thrilled about the pile of dirty laundry callling my name!

People I love!

I feel so blessed to have been born into such a wonderful family. I learn so much from each one of them and their awesome examples to me. I never cease to be amazed at the gifts each one of them has been blessed with. Each one of them is an inspiration to me in their own way. They show me by the way that they live what it means to rely and trust in our Savior as we learn and grow throughout lifes experiances.

My sister Heather

Grandma & Grandpa (aren't they so cute!)

My sister Heidi (in one of her modeling shoots. Hottie Hottie!)

My sis Katy & her hubby Jeff

My 3 favorite, awesome, amazing Bro's-Steve, Shane & Kellen.

Shane and cute nephew Wyatt

Our cute Grandma "Nor"

The two most unselfish people I know...my Mom & Dad!

Our Baby is One!!

Wow. Time sure does fly. I think that has been the fastest year of my life! Ellie turned one year old. She was born on Easter last year so we made her a bunny cake. She absolutley LOVED it. It was so fun to watch her. She has been such a blessing in our family. I can't imagine our life without her. We love you Ellie!

Little peice of heaven

I had one of those moments in time yesterday where I was just overcome with gratitude for the blessings in my life. Bryan and I had taken the kids to the park. The temperature was PERFECT. The trees are in bloom here and covered in beautiful pink flowers. There was a little breeze and it was blowing some of the blossoms off of the tree. It made the air smell so sweet with perfume. I had Ellie on my shoulders and the boys were running around laughing. I had to take a step back and just soak it all in. I just wanted to pause that moment. It just hit me how blessed I am. Riding home we had the windows down feeling the warm air on our skin, and looking at a gorgeous sun setting behind the palm trees. And I just felt so grateful to be alive! To be here with my family that I love so much. Sometimes I get so busy living life with all the hustle and stress of trying to get everything done, that I forget how wonderful it is just to be here! And how important it is to have those great moments together as a family as much as possible. Needless to say...today I made sure to find the time to just lay on the grass with my boys and watch the clouds go by.

Pocatello, here we come!

We are so excited that Bryan has been accepted into the AEGD program at Idaho State!

From the big city...
to wide open spaces!