A Beautiful day

I am sitting here with my beautiful nephew Matthew, my beautiful son is asleep in bed, and I am struck with just how beautiful day it has been. I love the beautiful people who are apart of my life and all that they do for me. I am grateful for a beautiful home in which to love and raise my family. I love the beauty and majesty of the mountains, how they calm my soul and keep me safe. Most of all I appreciate the chance to worship my Beautiful Savior in church and to remember that He lives. I didn't get a chance in church today but I want to bear my testimony that He lives! He lives and He is aware of us. He cares for us and knows us better than we know ourselves. His church has been restored and His word is on the earth. I love you all, have a beautiful week!

And we're back!

And here we are, long months later after running through the desert we are up and running! Life seems to be speeding by at breakneck speed. I can hardly believe that my little boy will be 2 in just a couple months! He just gets cuter every day. He follows me everywhere and wants to help with anything I am doing. He likes to push a kitchen chair up to the counter and stir whatever I am cooing. His favorite job is to add the salt...all the salt. My favorite is when he gets salt on his hand and he licks his fingers. Best face ever!
A few weeks ago we planted a garden at Grandma's house. Grandma got Kyle a hat to wear while we were out in the sun. Actually Kyle insisted on having a hat because Grandma had one and he was not going to miss out! So worth it just for the picture though! Our little garden is finally starting to sprout and it has been so fun.
We have been on an incredible health journey these last few months. We got a book called the 12 Steps to Whole Foods by Robyn Openshaw, otherwise known as the green smoothie girl. Her stuff is amazing, it breaks down a whole foods diet into 12 easy to implement steps. My favorite step has been adding green smoothies to our diets. Super easy to do, you just put two cups of water in a blender add greens and blend until you get to four cups and then add your choice of fruit until it tastes like a smoothie. We use spinach as a base and usually add kale and or collard greens to ours. You can add lettuce, parsley, or any green thing you like the flavor of. Even kyle drinks them and loves them. He always asks for more with a little green mustache on his upper lip. It has been a huge adjustment and parts of it have been really hard. It's tricky to give up comfort foods that you have eaten since you were a child but with a little persistence we are making the changes and feeling great!
In a few short months school will be out for the summer and I can hardly wait. This year of teaching has been so different from last year. It hasn't been perfect but it's been much smoother. I feel like I have made more progress with these kids and I have felt way less scattered. Terribly busy but not so scattered. However, I can hardly wait to spend the summer camping, hiking, and grilling with my family.
I hope all is well with you and yours. May the road rise to meet you!

Yea!

Hi everyone! Life is so wonderful and I couldn't wait another day to share it with you. I have been doing my student teaching and life has been insane! I started in a third grade classroom and then moved to a first grade classroom to finish. I never thought I would like the first grade but I love it. The kids are adorable and so eager to learn and to do well. They are still six and for the most part they are very kind towards each other. I will be done in two weeks and while I have loved it I can't say that I will be sorry to be done. I will graduate in December with my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and I am so excited! Yea!! Also, I have tentatively been offered a part time job at the school I am student teaching at so that helps with not being sad about leaving. I will be job sharing with another first grade teacher and I am very excited about the opportunity. It will be a great way to get my foot in the door and still be with my son.
Kyle is doing great! He gets bigger every day and I feel like the luckiest mom in the world. He giggles now and laughs when we look at him. He is learning to sit up on his own and, well, we still have to work on that a little bit. He looks more like his dad every day which I love and I think that dad secretly enjoys it to even though he says he wished that Kyle looked more like me.
I hope that all is well! Love you all!

Baby update

Hi everyone! The last few weeks have been so wonderful, there are hardly words to explain. It has been such a joy and a privilege to watch my son grow. He is bigger than he was before but still smaller than 10 pounds. It is so crazy to think that we all started out this small. My mom once pointed out to me that this is the only time in our whole exsistance that we are this small and it is only for a short time. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father let me share these few moments of heaven with him.
On a different note we had out first family road trip a few weeks ago. We took Kyle up to Travis's Grandma's house for the 4th of July. He liked it for the most part and it was so good to get out of the house! There was a great home town parade, family walks, and of course, fire works! I love fire works! Like I said, Kyle enjoyed the trip and was introduced to his favorite new toy. It's a vibrating bouncer that lights up and plays music. He loves to sit in it and he is so cute to watch. He smiles and kicks his arms and legs while the music plays.
Travis and I are getting used to sleepless nights and busy days. We are still hoping for a new job soon. Travis applied for a job at the LDS Church News but we haven't heard anything yet. It sounds like it would be a great job for him so we are praying and hoping for the best. I hope all is well with you all, know that you are in our prayers.

The Newest Ball Baby

Well everyone, we did it. On May 28 our son Kyle was born at 3:10 p.m. My water broke at about 3:00 in the morning and I was in labor for a total of 12 hours. I spent the last 3 and 1/2 hours pushing-without medication! I choose to give birth all naturally but there were moments when I wondered if I would make it. It was probably the most rewarding experience of my life. To hold my son in my arms and see how alert and happy he was made it all worth it. He is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! We have truly been blessed. God has given us this little miracle and I feel as if I am holding a piece of heaven when I hold him.

Memorial Day

I am writing this sitting on the back deck of my parents house while the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the kids are working in the back yard. As I sit here I can't help but think about how blessed I am. Everything I am seeing seems so serene and happy. I am grateful to live where I live, to have my family, and for beautiful days like this.
We still have no baby but my brother-in-law thinks that he will come today. I guess he has a 50/50 chance :) I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday. Love ya!

Don't hate me!

Ok everyone, I know I feel off the face of the earth but don't hate me! This last school semester was absolutely crazy! Travis traveled back and forth a lot from Rexburg to Utah and so I spent a lot of time by myself or at the school. The end of the semester finally came though and I graduated! Not officially because I still have to do my student teaching in the fall but I got to walk and attend commencment and I got a pretty blue diploma cover for the expensive piece of paper that will come in my mail some time in January.
Travis and I have moved back to Utah and we are living in a three bedroom apartment in Pleasant Grove. This may not seem like a big deal but I have never had so much space and I love it! I finally feel like all of my stuff has a place of it's own and no two things have the same space. It's wonderful! We have spent most of out time preparing for the birth of our baby boy. He is officially due on May 26 but I have a feeling that he will come early. That could be wishful thinking on my part but a girl can hope, right? I am so excited to hold my little son in my arms and you guys should see Travis! He is already bursting at the seams with pride about his son. One thing I love about my husband is that he would be just as proud if the baby came out purple and has four eyes! He is so excited to have a little baby to love and play with. I can hardly wait to see his face when he holds our son for the first time. I finally have pictures of my pregnant belly so I will download and post those soon.
I am going to do this birth naturally, with no medication. I have been practicing the hypnobabies method of birthing which has been very calming for me. I've been learning a mild form of self hypnosis. The program is great but I got it a little late in my pregnancy and so I haven't had time to learn as much as I should. My mom will attend the birth and between her, Travis, and the midwife I am hoping that I will be able to do this. I would ask you all to keep me in your prayers at this time. I love you all and will keep you updated often.