What They are up to Now

I recently reconnected with someone I had lost track if, someone that is very important to me. He asked me what my kids are like. Well, this is what they are into now. Brinnley loves school! She is doing so well. She has made so many friends and she loves going. She comes home from school and write letters and colors pictures. Her favorite thing to play is school. I am thinking a ream of paper and an easel for Christmas. :) Brinnley is very outgoing and always happy and helpful. She is obsessed with horses and dogs and she wants a puppy so bad that last night she cried herself to sleep wishing she had a dog. I don't have as many pictures of her since she isn't home as much. I will work on fixing that!

Ainsley girl (picture above) is loving to play outside. Every day she takes a shovel and digs in the dirt next to our house. Since the leaves have started falling, she likes to rake them up and then jump into them. She loves to read books and is learning how to read. She can count to 50. She knows her ABCs and she can count objects at least to 25, we haven't tried to go higher. She is like me, a little afraid of new things, but once she is comfortable she comes out of her shell.
Porter Boy. He is a bundle of personality. He too is obsessed with horses. He has adopted all of Brinnley's plastic horses. He does the best neighing sound you have ever heard. It is so loud! He wants to watch the movie "Spirit" everyday (it's about horses). He also loves to play with his cars. And he is kind of partial to Brinnley's doll that Grandpa gave her for her first birthday. Here he is sharing his yogurt with her. For all you who haven't seen Porter for a while, he is talking well. And he talks a lot. He's learned the art of taddling and arguing with the girls. He is a firecracker! Funny story. Last night we were having dinner at my sister's house and Porter kept saying "potty." He wouldn't stop so Chant took him into the bathroom and of course nothing happened. A while later he did it again and wouldn't stop again. This time I took him. I took off his diaper and put him on the toilet. I thought I would leave him up there for a minute and then take him off and put his diaper back on. I wasn't really paying attention. All the sudden Porter squealed and I looked down and he was peeing all over his pants and legs. His eyes were as big as saucers! Maybe potty training will be easier and sooner than I thought.

I love these kiddos!

With Love...

About 5 years ago Chant and I were deciding where we would move and he would attend chiropractic school. Oregon was at the top of the list. We even made a trip there to see the school and look at housing. We thought that was the place. And then it just didn't feel right. We quit being excited about it and suddenly Missouri was it. I didn't even see it until we moved out here. We just knew this is where we had to be.

We have about 8 weeks left before we will pack up our moving truck and go back west. I feel at peace with this decision just as I did about moving here. Today at church, as I looked around at the amazing people in our ward, my heart was filled with gratitude for the blessing of being in this place for the past 4 years. I have met the most amazing people here! We have been so blessed with friends as close as family. We have been given the opportunities to serve in the church and grow from those callings. I love the young women in our ward and I am so thankful for the examples they are to me and for all they taught me. They are so happy, positive, and loving. It brightened my day talking to a group of them in the hall. I am thankful for the amazing sisters in our ward. I have felt love from each one of them. They have taught me so much, through their examples and their prepared lessons. I have grown so much as a mother and an individual and I know that is largely due to the help and examples of these wonderful women. My children have been blessed with the best friends and teachers and leaders. Thank you for teaching my children and for loving them! Chant has been so blessed to work with the leadership in the church, from the Elders Quorum to the Bishopric. He tells me often how grateful he is for the privilege of working with these men and learning from them. You have touched him deeply.

I know the Lord hears our prayers and he guides us. I know this is where my family needed to be. We have grown and been prepared for the next phase in our lives. So I guess I just wanted to tell our Missouri family that I love you all and thank you for everything you have done for my family and myself, even though thank you will never be enough!

Say Cheese!

October 9th we had our pictures taken by our friends Ben and Becca Munson. I have to say that I am incredibly jealous of their talent. I have always wanted to be able to take good pictures of my children. After looking at their, mine feel flat. They have a way of adding depth. These are just a few of my favorites. Now I have the impossible task of deciding which ones I want to frame. Thank you so much Ben and Becca! And thank you Marlie for helping to wrangle the kids in! You were amazing!

Confidence and Change

The other day Chant and I went to Old Navy. After losing weight, my coat from last year was drowning me, and my yellow gem from high school would make a person lose weight due to sweating because it is so heavy. It is for like 20 degree, nose hairs freezing cold weather. I needed something not that heavy, but heavier than a hoodie. I took an armful to the dressing room and came out beaming in this beauty shown above. Chant was surprised by this pick. I think the ruffle threw him. I would never have chosen something like this before. He said he felt it was too fancy for everyday. I chose to leave the coat at the store on its hanger, not because it wasn't Chant's fav but because it needed a few more buttons.

This shopping experience did spur a conversation and some thinking. I have chosen a few things lately that have been a surprise to Chant. He said he likes them, it's just that he has prided himself on being able to peg things I would like. But my likes are shifting and so that is becoming harder for him. I thought back to my newly-wed days. (Sorry, no pics because this was way back before we had a digital camera.) Lets just say my style was simple. Polo shirts, jeans, hair pulled halfway back with a barret. Nothing fancy. The past year or so I have been drawn to things with color, texture, patterns. I have become fond of accessories. I think I always liked these things, I just didn't have the confidence to wear them. I am at a place where I am feeling good about myself and I am not afraid to wear what I like even if others might not like it. (Although it's always a plus if my husband doesn't think I look awful :) )

Well, that shift in style has not just been within the clothing area. In thinking about moving, I have one wish that will probably take a while, but here it is. I want to redecorate my living room. I want to have a space that is pulled together and looks cohesive instead of a hodge-podge of styles. This weekend we hit a few garage sales and I found these beauties. I can't tell you how excited I am. I have wanted to have a few vintage looking suitcase stacked in a corner in my future living room. Well, these are vintage, complete with original travel stickers. I love that they have a few scratches and look older. (Chant is shocked that I am saying that!) I am just so excited! Now all I need is a metal locker! Yes, locker as in the place you dropped your books in high school. Follow me, I have a vision! I am so excited to decorate my home the way I want to truly express who I am. Here's to confidence to do what I want and embracing change!

7 years and 1 week

7 years and one week ago I was married to my Sweetheart in the Idaho Falls Temple. I couldn't have asked for a better man. He is hard working, kind, considerate, thoughtful, loving. He would do anything for me and our children. I love Chant with all my heart and I am so thankful to be his wife.

He's still making me laugh 7 years later. Happy Anniversary Honey. I can't wait to see what the next 7 years will bring!

One week is a milemark for another exciting event. We have been a binky-free home since last Sunday. I have to be honest, I cried when we decided it was time. I cried not because I am baby hungry. Oh no, I'm good :) I cried because my baby is no longer a baby. Diapers are the only thing left. Porter had been biting through them and it had become a safety issue. So last Sunday night we gathered them all up and threw them away. Porter cried but then Chant turned on a tape of him reading some stories and he was quiet. It was a miracle because the girls cried every night for at least an hour for the first week. Porter has done wonderful! He hasn't cried at nighttime at all, well, not longer than about 3 minutes. Naptime has been the hard one. He only napped two days last week. But we are on a three-day napping streak now, so I think we are good. Here's hoping! We love you Porter Boy!

Our Little Dancer

Ainsley started dance last Wednesday. She was so excited about it! She and I had a special Mommy/daughter date to go buy her leotard and tights. When we got home she wore them for two hours. She had been looking forward to it for a week. When the big day finally came she got a little nervous, but I reminded her she knows the teacher and a few of the other girls in her class. Once we got to Miss Tracey's and she saw Emmaline and Aubrey, she felt a lot better. We got the tour of the basement where she will be having dance class and then the mommies went back upstairs. She stayed right on her red piece of tape and she did great. She was all sorts of excited about her gummy bears at the end of class. I am so proud of her and so excited for her. She has never really had her own thing that's just been for her. I think this will build her confidence and maybe she might even find an activity she loves.
Before heading off to dance for her first class.

Ainsley and Aubrey
Grace and Molly

Cape Girardeau

Last weekend we had a Saturday that was completely empty. No patients for Chant. Nothing. So we took advantage. We decided to visit Cape Girardeau. It was such a fun day! We visited the Nature Conservation Museum where the kids got to touch and explore and then we took a walk following the paths through the woods behind the museum. It was nice. I only wish we could have gone further because it was a beautiful area, with the birds chirping and bridges over bubbling streams. We dipped our toes in the Mississippi River. And we wandered down Main Street through all the little shops, where I scored a few like-new church pants for Porter at Kids Wear Again for cheap cheap!

The first stop of the day was at a petting zoo. The goats stole the show. We bought two big bags of food for the kids to give them and it was worth the $2! Porter got right in there. And of course Brinnley was her her brave self.

They especially loved this tiny baby goat. SO cute!
Ainsley loved looking at the animals, but she didn't want to touch them or feed them. But this smile tells me she still had a good time.
By the time we got to the deer, the bag of food was almost empty. Porter just held the whole bag up for him to eat out of. That deer made every effort to get his tongue in there. Finally we ended up dumping the rest out for the chickens. Funny story. The chicken coop was right behind Brinnley and there were a few chickens and a rooster walking around. One came up behind Porter and did his cock-a-doodle-doo thing. Porter jumped so high and he had this look on his face like "What in the world was that!" It was a wonderful day and we are so glad we were able to spend all of it together!

Oh, Matthew!

Tonight was Brinnley's Kindergarten Open House. It was just for the parents. And oh am I glad Chant was able to go with me! Brinnley has been in school for two weeks and two days. The first day of school I started what I hope will be a tradition for a very long time. As soon as we get home from the bus stop, Brinnley and I go sit on my bed and she tells me all about her day. It has been so wonderful to have that one-on-one time with her and really be able to listen to her. Every day she tells me what she learned, what special classes she had (art, P.E., computers), and all about lunch and recess. The first week of school she mentioned a girl named Autumn everyday. They ate lunch together and played at recess together. The second week of school she stopped talking about Autumn so much and Olivia and Matthew entered the picture. The first time she mentioned Matthew was a week ago today. And he has been in every recess and lunch story since then. I asked what they do and she says they play on the monkey bars, the spider's web, or the swings. Last Thursday Brinn lost her hair bow and Matthew spent the whole recess helping her look for it. He even asked his sister if she would look for it the next day during her recess. Sounds like a good kid to me. And Brinn and I had a talk a few days before school started about not kissing boys on the playground. So I asked if she has kissed Matthew and she told me no.

I was excited about tonight because I was hoping I would be able to meet Matthew's parents. When the meeting ended Chant asked if I was ready to go or if I needed to talk to Mrs. Alton (Brinn's teacher) about anything. Just then Olivia's mom came up to me. I had met her during Kindergarten orientation. We were talking about how the girls are liking school and who else they are playing with and I mentioned that Brinnley talks a lot about Olivia and Matthew and that I was hoping to meet his parents. A mom standing in line to talk to Mrs. Alton said, "Are you Brinnley's mom?" Aha! Matthew's parents! She said on the first day of school Matthew came home and told her he had met a really cute girl at school but didn't know her name. She said from the second day of school on he has talked about her and he's got a crush. We talked for a while and shared some stories the kids have told us. I have to admit that I feel much better knowing who his parents are and that they seem like normal, nice people.

When we picked Brinnley up from our friends' home, we told her we met Matthew's mom and dad. In the car, Chant asked if she thought he was handsome. She got a big smile and said "yes." I asked her again if they have been kissing. She said, "No, but I hug him." Oh boy! I guess I deserved that because during our shortened version of the talk I told her that we can show people we like them by being kind and sometimes giving hugs. So, first crush? I think so.

In other news: we are signing Ainsley up for dance and she cannot wait! We bought her leotard and tights today and she wore them for an hour. Her first day is next Wednesday. And tonight we talked about signing Brinn up for Girl Scouts. And the fun begins! My girls are growing up!

Sorry for the longest post ever, if you are still even reading it :)