Time Marches On

So this will probably be a bit more wordy than I'm used to. I guess I don't write too many monologues because I figure people won't read them - no time.

I am constantly amazed at Idaho weather. It's August, 8:30AM, and 44 degrees outside!! The kids are wearing hats and gloves to play outside this morning. Cosette wanted her snow hat that her Uncle Ian sent her from Canada. She doesn't call him Ian anymore, he is now officially "the Tall Man". Cosette says, "I want my hat with the ear flaps that the Tall Man gave me for the snow."

When Ian walked in the door, he was greated by Cosette. She immediately latched herself onto him and wouldn't detach the entire time he was here. He quickly became her "favorite" uncle. When Ian left, Isaac was just 3 months old. Isaac is now the age Cosette was and Ethan is almost walking.

Ian hopes to come back up to Idaho for the potato harvest...he just needs someone to hire him.

Yesterday was a sad day for me. I sat on my doorstep and watched my whole family drive away. As you know, when we made the move to Idaho in December/January, I was leaving my entire immediate family. My brothers, sister, and parents were all in Southern California while I was 12 hours away in Pocatello.

Tuesday, August 19th was the first time since October 2003 that all five of us kids were back together again. Mom and Dad drove to Calgary, Canada to pick up Ian from his proselyting mission there. On the way home, they stopped for a couple of days in Poky. It was great to see everyone. The biggest difference the 5 year gap gave us was the number of family members to love.

I can't say enough about families and the joy my family brings into my life. Even though being a mom is challenging, it has been wonderful for me. Having a husband like Robert is the greatest blessing I could ask for. He gives me so much strength to face the world everyday. I can't express enough the love I have for him.

Here is a picture of the whole family, as it now stands, together in my basement...

This is a replay of a photo we did probably 10-12 years ago. I'm just glad Nicole and I still get the top...I don't know if we'd last with the boys on the top!!
Ian just walked in the door and met Ethan...

7 Years...Bad Luck?

Yesterday was our anniversary (8-18-08). It's hard to believe it's been 7 years already. The first 5 years were spent in school, the last 2 were on getting started in the "grown up" world. We are still very much in love and grateful to be the parents of 3 wonderful children.

Island Park

Cosette took this picture while the boys and I were playing around a week ago.
This killer sunset was August 9th. We had a summer storm that really lit up the sky. Paden and Ethan bonding...
The kids in the pidgeon coop we picked up. It will eventually be a bunkhouse.
Swimming in our very own "secret swim hole". I would tell you where it is, but then I'd have to kill you...

All the same day WOW

These pictures were taken yesterday in this order. I am just in aww every single time.

Before the Move and Now

This is Ethan when he was born in California and 9 months later in Idaho.

Before and After

This is before the new windows


This is with new windows


This is after the siding. It looks like a whole new house.