you little devil you!

our house...

three {or so} years ago we started the fun project of building our first home! we were so excited about being able to pick out our own designs and dreamed of all the fun memories that would be made in our new little home. it didn't take long before boxing up our first house started.

{i've never really liked packing...still don't}

for close to a year we would drive to our little lot every sunday and witness it's growth!

before we knew it {ok, not really we weren't planning on the YEAR of building time} we were ready to move in.

{it looked better than this when we moved in of course!}

that home became the place we brought home our first baby! a home were we made many lifelong friends. and place of parties and fun! it was the home bowen took his first steps and learned his first words. it was were i became a stay-at-home mommy. where i learned to love cooking. where game nights lasted till the wee hours of the morning, and gno's even longer! where we hosted our first christmas breakfast. where we celebrated bowen's first two birthdays. where every season (and then some) brought in new decor!

at the time we planned on it being our place of residence for a long time. somewhere where our kids would grow up playing in the creek in the backyard and learning to ride their bikes along the sidewalk. we loved it there. we loved the view of the mountains and the calming water running through the yard.

however, as we've learned in our short marriage. things don't always go as planned. and when james decided to change his carreer plans we knew we would be moving a lot sooner than we thought. the timing couldn't have been more perfect when mom and dad decided to serve a mission and they needed someone to house sit. we knew it was the best choice for us. but since there were so many years of happiness in that home i felt if appropriate to give the little pad it's own post!

so here's to you house! may you make the next family just as happy as you made us!!

we are lovin' the halloween goodness....

.....and the night is still young!

i love you a bushel and a peck!

there are so many qualities that make up a good grandma. i was lucky enough that every one of them were wrapped up in mine! during my life i have made many many fun and unforgetable memories with my grandma. to this day i love waking up to the smell of bacon, a smell that always filled grandma's house in the morning. she never missed a fourth of july parade while i danced my way down the street. and whether she was right or not, i still loved that she thought i was the best dancer out there! i also think my love for shopping stems back to my grandma. i remember shopping at the crossroads mall many times with grandma. we'd get in her green ford escort and she would turn up the 1950's tunes and say "we're off like a dirty shirt!" and that we were. grandma was known for her lead foot, another trait she passed right on down to me! my grandma taught me a love for hymns. she would play at the piano for hours while my childish voice tried to be as beautiful as hers. i remember watching conference with her as a little girl and she would write down all the songs that were sung. open to the page in the hymn book and sing along. the hymns are still my favorite part! they have a way of bringing in the spirit, at least that's what my grandma would say. and she was right! my grandma had a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and she took every opportunity to make sure i knew it. grandma, i do.

my grandma passed away on friday. it's been a verry hard week. we all miss her so much. i know that she is better now, healthy and happy now. i know that she knows what mom (her daughter) is doing now and is so proud of her. that makes me feel at peace. my grandma loved God with all her heart and she loved her neighbor as herself. she was full of love, for everyone. she used to sing a song to me that i now sing to bowen, pretty much every day. "i love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.....". i love that song! she never got angry and could find humor in everything around her! she was a perfect example of 'finding joy in the journey!' i will miss her so much.

the funeral was beautiful on tuesday. just how grandma would have wanted it. (minus my mommy.)

james has been such a wonderful support. making sure i cry when i need to and listening to all my memories! grandma loved james so much. as she did everyone (don't tell james, he thinks he's special) and he was honored to be asked to be a pallbearer with all her other grandsons.

funerals are so good at bringing family together. something grandma would love to see, and probably did. all my brothers made it and we were all grateful to be able to lean on each other during this hard time without our mom and dad.

all the pallbearers keeping warm and bowen too!

grandpa is doing ok. i'm sure his feelings are like only those someone who has lost a spouse could understand. grandma and grandpa had been married over 60 years, i can only imagine love that had that much time to grow. we pray for him daily.

we love you grandma, until we meet again....

you'd never know it...

{but} this happy boy has the swine flu.

{but} a two year old can jam out to "my lovely lady lumps!"

{but} it is possible to smile big enough to start crying. (i guess his cheeks hurt cause seconds later we were dealing with tears.)

{but} your baby can grow up right before your eyes and you don't even realize it.

comments for a cause

on saturday we did a race for an amazing little girl with our old neighbors! (thanks maureen for the idea!) we had so much fun getting involved for a good cause.

want to know more, visit here

want to help with raising money for this family, visit here.

pumpkins!

if any of you are looking for a third wheel on family adventures think of me and bo! (we make excellent company!) just ask our neighbors that let us tag along with them to get pumpkins. i mean really, we even fed them homemade soup afterwards. talk about a great third wheel! thanks jason and tami! we always have fun with your family!