An Update

Here's a quick update on life since last I wrote, so much has happened to us in the last five months that it seems overwhelming to blog about it. But I will do a quick synopsis and then start blogging fresh from here on out.

-We found out we were pregnant, a total surprise baby. We are super excited but had to make some changes in plans we had made (changing my registration for the Ogden Marathon from a full to a half.)

-Had a miscarriage scare when I was about two months along. Much to our relief it was pain caused most likely by a cyst. And baby was fine!!!

-We made a trip to St. George to see G.G. and Papa Don and our Auntie Brady. We had a great time hiking, swimming, and catching up.

-Sheppard turned 4 years old in March. I can't believe how old he is getting. We went to Chuck E. Cheeses for his birthday with our little family. And, in true Sheppard fashion he freaked out about the animatronics and all the noise (kids), but once he realized there were video games there he snapped out of his fit.

-In April Aram started to look for a new job. There were a number of factors involved with this decision, some of which were he really wanted to get back into the food industry (it's much more regulated than the vitamin industry which is a big bonus when you are interested in Quality), his company continued to take things from employees despite record profits, health insurance was a big one and no raises company wide for two years. Aram loved who he worked with and made some great friends there, but he felt it was time to move on. As we began looking for new jobs we worked through food industry recruiters. Many of the jobs he was applying/interviewing for were East/West coast. So, we were really excited when he got an interview with Basic American Foods in Idaho. He landed the job, Quality Assurance Manager, and here we are 6 weeks later living in a hotel (short term) in Rexburg, Idaho. So far he is really impressed with the company and is excited about their commitment to producing a quality product, and really likes his job so far.

-We worked hard getting our house ready to put up for sale...it's officially on the market for a screaming deal. So we are crossing our fingers that we can get our house sold so we can move on with a house in Idaho.

-We have been house hunting in Idaho Falls...which is super fun trying to find a place that is a good fit for our family/lifestyle.

-All four of the girls in my family were pregnant. The day before mother's day we had a girl's day at my parent's house. My sister Lindsee was on bedrest at 29 weeks because she had toxemia, and my sister Kelsie was about 37 weeks along and seemed to be a bit miserable. We let them relax and we were just hanging out, we decided to take our blood pressure just for fun (what we pregnant girls do for fun). Lindsee's blood pressure was through the roof, and I am sure all her crazy sisters made it go 20 points higher. She ended up having to deliver her baby that night. Baby Elli is our miracle baby, she was about 2 1/2 pounds. She still is in the NICU a month later but she is progressing really well. The day after Elli was born Kelsie went into labor and had cute little Cormac. It was a crazy mother's day weekend. We went from four prego sisters to two in two days.

-Sheppard finished his first year of preschool. We sure had a great time doing our co-op with Ephraim, Walter and Neal and their fabulous Mommies (teachers). We will miss you next year.

-Papa Dude and Gramma Judy came to help us on our house browsing trip. We did a road trip up through Yellowstone, down to the Tetons and through Jackson and back; it was a long, memorable day. I will never forget our picnic in the snow, or Marshall's reaction when he first saw a hot pot (he just giggled and thought it was hilarious.) The boys had a great time with their grandma and grandpa.

-We are currently staying in a hotel in Rexburg. We will rent an apartment for the remainder of the summer once our temp housing is done and hopefully by then we will be able to buy/move into a house in Idaho Falls. But, for now we are enjoying our food allowance, the pool, not having to make our beds. To be honest I feel a little bit guilty, it's like we are on a perpetual vacation. But, I am trying to put the guilt aside and really enjoy this time I have with the boys, without all the distractions of home life. I really have the sweetest boys in the world, as of late Marshall has been calling me "Mama" and it just about melts my heart along with his constant hugs and loves.

I know I missed a million little moments that really make up the fibers of our life during the last five months. But, those are the high/low lights, and I will try and do better about recording the small moments.

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Role Reversal Bedtime

We have changed to 1:00 o'clock church (oh joyous). Due to this, Marshall's schedule is thrown totally out of whack. Today he didn't get a nap, so we put him down early for bed. About a half hour later Shep accidentally woke him up. So Marshall's mind and body were acting like he had taken a nap. After several attempts at trying to put him back in his bed we then asked him if he wanted to sleep with Shep. He snuggled up to him, and kept saying "Shep's a baby" and rubbed his back and head, and gave him lots of kisses. He then went on to cover his older brother in pillows. I thought he might eventually fall asleep but soon I heard the noises of a lively farm. Marshall was up and about "mooing" his little heart out playing with the Little People's Farm.

Plan B failed, onto plan C. Aram laid down with Marsh in our bed. After about five minutes of cooperating Marshall thought of a new plan. He thought to turn this into bedtime for Daddy. He tucked him in, gave him kisses and went on to follow our routine with him. He said "SHHH, stay here..." then went to the door and said "I going to shut da door", he opened and shut the door about four times and repeated this several times. On his last time he said, "Stay there, love you, shut da door." That was the end of it, Aram was officially tucked in by his two year old son.

So, here I am at 9:50 p.m. writing on my much neglected blog with the small sounds of two year old gabbing to himself as he lie in his bed. I must note he originally went to bed at 6:00. If he is true to his nap schedule he should fall asleep at about 11:30 tonight (bedtime is about 5 hours after naptime).

Nursury Rhymes

We have been learning nursury rhymes in preschool for the last couple of weeks. Shep loves to retell them to me. He has his own versions of the old classics.

Shep:"This Little Piggy went to the market, this little stayed home, this little piggy had roast pee, this little piggy had none..."-I don't know about you, but roast pee sound pretty nasty to me.

These next ones come from a nursury rhyme book we were reading, I would read part of each rhyme and he would finish them. He was looking at the pictures to find the right words, this is what he came up with.

Me: "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is..."

Shep: "Laying in his bed."

Me: "Rub-a-dub-dub, Three men in a..."

Shep: "Bucket"

Me: "Little Miss..."

Shep: "Muffin"

Me: "Sat on a..."

Shep: "Tuffer"

I don't think he quite gets the rhyming thing yet.

Hay Jumping

On Saturday we went up to American Heritage West Museum in Wellesville (near Logan).  They were having their Fall Celebration, we had a great time with the kids.  They really got into the hay jumping.  Marshall is a total crazy man, he just went right up to the tallest bail and tried to jump off, luckily Aram had his hand.  You gotta watch that kid like a hawk!

Fabulous Friends-Fabulous Fridays

We have been having so much fun lately with Bode, Raini and Patrice.  We decided that every friday we would have a new adventure.  We started out with a bang at Pineview Reservoir.  We had the beach all the ourselves and you couldn't have asked for a better day.  Marshall was so Marshall, when he wasn't wondering off chasing the birds he just plopped down in sand and laid there for long periods of time.  Bode and Shep had good times playing duck, duck goose, having races down the beach, playing horses on their noodles and playing football with their mommies.  

Next, we went on a hike to Wheeler Creek and ended the day at the Dinosaur Park.  Hiking with kids is all about the journey, not the destination.  

And, just last week we went up to Patrice's cabin with Grandma Knudsen and Grandma Lu Lu.   It's so neat that we now have three generations of friends: Robin and Linda, Patrice and Karri, Shep and Bode and Raini and Marshall.  We had a great time hiking around, throwing big rocks in the river, jumping on the tramp, monkeying around on the playground, and eating lots of yummy food.  

More adventures to come!

Chef Shep

Reading the instructions.

   Making the cake, with Daddy's help.
 The best things in life are all the sweeter 

if you have someone to share them with!

This is the whole reason to make a cake...

licking the bowl.

There aren't many things Shep likes to do more than make a cake.  He suggests that we do it nearly every day.  He actually has become a very proficient cook, I just have to get the ingredients out and supervise and he'll do the rest.  Delicious!

New Family Tradition

In the neighborhood I grew up in there was a man named Martin Peterson (some of you may know him, great guy).  I remember driving past his house every Saturday and no fail he was out in his driveway with his two youngest sons washing his car; rain, shine, snow, or sleet.  When I was a teenager I recall passing them and thinking to myself, "What a drag."  How time and perspective changes things!  Now, here I am ten years later starting the same family tradition.  I can see the value in it for the boys and for the car.  Right now, I'm not so sure they are learning much except that water and dish soap make lots of bubbles and as you can see Marshall has an affinity for bubbles.