Look Who's Five!

After being here for six weeks, we are finally in our home.  We were in a few weeks ago, but had to leave again because the odor from the hardwood floors was too strong to be around.  Even after it was probably ok to sleep inside, I was just nervous about breathing in anything harmful through the night, so we decided to sleep under the stars in our backyard.  It was one of the best nights sleep I've had, even with a little sprinkle of rain!

We stayed with both of our gracious parents who gladly open their homes to us.  Thank you for all of your help you guys, we are so so lucky to have you!!

It has been exhausting, and my mood was starting to turn a bit sour with moving all over and having to kind of move our things out again after they were put in place.  Also, I must be screaming EASY TARGET because someone also got into our stuff and stole some things from my drawer.  Remember when we lived in New York last summer and my phone was taken?  Well, I need to toughen up my look or something because I hate feeling so violated.

Anyway, the girls and I have all been on edge, but I think we are through the roughest transition.  Olive was so wiped out working on the house every day that she couldn't even move the book before falling asleep.  Olive has been off the binky for about 3 weeks and it was a pretty seamless weaning!  We cut to snips in the end of the binky and gave it to her one night as usual.  She put it in her mouth and started sucking on it.  I thought the trick had failed, but after our bedtime book, she took it out and gave the binky the most disgusted look.  She told us it was broken and she needed another one.  We gladly handed her another one, snipped as well, and she went to bed sans binky!!

The Thomas cousins and the girls enjoyed all of the boxes lying around.  We are so glad to only have a few left that are a little playhouse for the girls now :)

Luckily, we were settled permanently in the house just in time to celebrate our big C's 5th birthday!  It was seriously one of the best. parties. ever.  Not because I did anything extra special, she made it that way!  She was dying to help decorate, set up the food, and planned her cake.  It was easy peasy which I totally needed.  She and Olive hung up the balloons all over the yard and set up plates and cups and even the birthday banner.  Her excitement was completely contagious.

She was so thrilled about every gift she opened,  and she made everyone feel so good about their choice in gift.  

 The unicorn pillow pet has been a request since she was 3, and she said that receiving it was "more than she ever could have dreamed!"  She seriously kills me with her one liners.

Ahhh...to be with family was just perfect.  She has eaten up every minute and has picked up right where she left off with cousins.

 The girls have had a lot of practice getting ready for our sweet little babe (coming in less than two weeks) by holding Nora every chance they get.  I have loved snuggling Nora too and hope that some easy going vibes transfer to our baby just like sweet Nora.

Olive was pumped to be at the party as you can see.  Actually she was because Adam and I just let her wear her p.j.'s and princess dress that she had been in going on day 3.  

The punch balloons were totally the thrill of the party!  Luckily I had them because it was too cold to do the water balloon pinata.

A lot of them were blown up a bit too big and so we had some pop.  Luckily the cousins could get a smile back on the tearful birthday girls face!

Adam and his sweet dad that has stayed countless late nights to do whatever tasks have needed to be done on the house.

Caroline's bday baby as we call it (someone with the same birthday) is our dear friends little girl Ava.  We attended her party later in the week and had a fabulous celebration!

It was a bumble bee party and Caroline insisted on dressing the colors of the theme.

The little ones were actually a pretty good aim at the pinata.  They just hit it over and over and luckily some of the bigger kids had the umph to break it open for some candy!

Olive was so pleased with her Laffy Taffy find.  She couldn't believe she got to keep it and munch on it.

Happy Birthday to our little girl who's happiness is contagious and brightens anybodies day!

She makes friends with anyone she meets and protects her little sister fiercely.  

She loves to read and do math and really is enjoying discovering bugs!  

She is always singing and dancing around the house is super easy to tickle.

She makes the best banners, even if we are just coming home from the dentist.

She helps us all to be better people because she is a shining example to us.

We adore you Caroline Ella!

A Father to Celebrate!

We couldn't be more excited than to celebrate our babe dad Adam today!  He is someone that the girls and I learn from every day, little small lessons on ways to be simply magnificent.  Truly, we couldn't have someone better to be beside us every day.  I am overwhelmed with gratitude that our girls have him to look up to and to have in their life.  Even though it seems that the past whirlwind of three years has been nonstop busy, he has taken the little extra time he has had to be silly with them, explore new places, cuddle up and read countless books to them, teach them from example about loving the gospel, and calm any sadness when emotions are high.

We are so proud that he graduated a month ago after three years of pure intensity!

He has worked so hard and it has been so fun to watch him just dive in to all opportunities that have come along.  We love you babe!

Happy Father's Day AND Graduation!!!!

Two of my favorite things

I have been dying lately to blog about two of my favorite things, our charismatic, hilarious, tender hearted, sharp little Caroline and Olive.  Oh I just die over them and can't believe how well they have made transition after transition. We are still in a bit of transitioning preparing our home from a rental to a place for us to settle again.  They just go with the flow and go from Grandparents homes, to friends homes and they are always

excited for what is next.

 They turned a corner several months ago where they just bloomed into the best of friends.

They love to just hide in a little spot and whisper and play, little do they know that mom is just outside of their little hiding spot listening to their cute voices.  Olive likes to ask you what something is, like an animal in a magazine or book.  If you say it right she energetically says, "Good job!"  Also when we tuck her in at night (now in her big girl bed!) she yells as we shut the door, "Don't let the bed bugs bite!"  

  She was less than thrilled when we pulled up to our home in Salt Lake.  I excitedly said, "Girls, this is our new home, what do you think!?"  Olive took one look at the overgrown jungle lawn and flower beds and bluntly said, "It's not good."

She is a total hoot.

Here is one of their cozy little nooks.  They have their little camping lanterns that they got for Easter and they were reading under the comforter.  Adam and I found them because it was too quiet so we had to go on a search.  

Olive basically watches Caroline's every move and does accordingly.  If Caroline pushes her own hair out of her face, Olive follows suit.  If Caroline crawls into a small little closet to hide, Olive is right behind.

Caroline is the ultimate caretaker.  She is always there to help me, daddy, or Olive.  I just melted over the sign she made and taped to their bedroom door to help keep things calm for sleeping Olive.  She is so ready for another little sister!

When Olive wakes up for the morning, or from her nap, Caroline often reads her stories and Olive happily listens.  Caroline also makes sure to pile her crib with plenty of toys so Olive doesn't get bored.

This darling baby is not ours, it is our first niece! (We have 9 fantastic nephews.)  Caroline begs to hold her and just sits their so still and calmly and makes sure baby Nora is happy.  We are so lucky to have such a helper.

Olive says she will feed our sweet baby her bottles.  The other day when I had a jacket on, my sister asked Olive where her baby sister was.  Olive smiled and rubbed my belly and said, "She is in this cozy jacket."

Our little one is still cooking and this pic is from several weeks ago at 31 weeks.

I am now almost 35 weeks feeling really good.  I know that the second trimester is supposed to be the time when you are full of energy, but my energy was sucked dry.  I had to nap almost every day to survive.  Lately, I have gone all day and into the night working away moving in, organizing, planting our tomatoes and cucumbers, painting bunk beds...it has been great.  The nesting bug really hit and I am so grateful that I have been full of energy.  The only strange new thing that I have been experiencing is my rib pain on the left side.  It's mostly when I lay down and the nerves just ache, but truly I can't complain!!

If this baby comes when Caroline did, I have a week and a half left of pregnancy.  If she comes on Olive time she will be a week early.  We are excited to see when her arrival will be.  I am still hoping for her due date, July 4th, my favorite holiday!

Sails away to Utah!

We have made one last move for a while and we are now working to get settled back again in Utah.

It has been bittersweet leaving a place that we have fallen in love with.  Yet, to see our little ones faces light up when we get to go see grandparents or cousins in Utah has been tender.

I was sad to leave such dear friends, friends that have taken such incredible care of us during hard times and who have celebrated the exciting times as well.

Before we left, two of these amazing friends threw a farewell to us, as well as a welcome to our baby girl who is coming in July.  It was a nautical theme baby shower which was absolutely perfect for my stripes and anchors obsession.  Every detail was fitting.  I would have posted a picture of the darling invitation, but I don't want to spoil something it may be used for later.

I died over the rope center pieces, the handmade boat card and that the truly divine soft pretzels were in the shape of a sailors knot (which you can learn to make here.)

There were a variety of delicious dips like cookies and cream, brown mustard, queso poblano, and sweet cream.  I really couldn't get enough, I am a sucker for soft pretzels.

Everyone shared a little of their crafty talents and we made bows for our new little baby girl.  It was the perfect gift and activity for the shower.  You'd think we had countless bows with having two girls already, but although we have had a lot, there have been a lot lost!  I loved how they turned out and how there is such a variety of color too.

Here are the two beautiful hostesses that put this beautiful shower on.  I felt so lucky to be able to celebrate this little one coming!  Only 8 more weeks!  I used to think that having a shower for someone having a baby of the same sex was unnecessary, but after helping throw this shower, my friends helped me realize it 's something to make a big deal about!  Anticipating a new baby coming for 9 months is thrilling to think about and be excited about alone, but so much more fun to celebrate with friends!

Thank you so much, we miss you already!

Life in the slow lane

How do you slow life waaay down and make it seem like the days have a lot more time?

I have your answer: get rid of your car.

We are not crazy, we did not choose to be carless for 5 weeks, it has just worked out that way (but we only have 3 weeks left!)

Our car had problems and we thought it would make it through until we moved to Utah, then we were going to sell it for cheap.  Well, we were close, but it died right here in our parking lot.  Now we have been so grateful to our dear friends that have let us borrow their cars to grocery shop, get to many doctor appointments, make it to church, etc.  We would be sinking without you all!

We are still functioning, but at a much slower pace and in a significantly more awkward way.

It takes me back to highschool when I would ask to borrow a car, yea, pretty sweet to be back in that phase again, right?

The girls and I are not stir crazy yet and we have had so much fun walking to every park that is close by.  Often we don't even make it to the park because they are so excited about every dandelion that is growing along our way.  They pick each and every one and end up with darling yellow tinted noses from smelling them all.  

This has all been an interesting answer to prayer.  I was feeling like I was only focusing on us and what we needed to be doing, what things we needed to see, get done, etc.  Well, turns out there is lots to be done just within out little apartment complex and by being "stuck", we have had our eyes opened and are more aware.

I wanted to change, but didn't know how to notice the challenges other people were having.

It has been a blessing and a challenge, one challenge that I am glad will be ending shortly.

So what have we been up to with all of this new found time?

We were able to go to Caroline's preschool ice cream social.  She was raving about it for weeks and she and her classmate Liam had convinced each other that the kids were going to get 5 scoops of ice cream!

They would go on and on about it in the most adorable way.

Here are Caroline's vivacious teachers that make her just glow.

Daisy and BoBo the clowns were there and they called Caroline on stage.  The kids could not get enough of their silliness and parents couldn't get enough of watching their kids explode with laughter.

We are still growing a healthy, active little peanut.  My friend, Miranda, did an incredible project with these shirts she designed and it has been fun to mark off the weeks as they pass by!

Here is our sweet little baby at 25 weeks and 28 weeks.

We are now entering the 3rd trimester (see how the color of the numbers changes) which makes me giddy.

Overall I am feeling really good.  I am tired A LOT which scares me a bit because in the second trimester you have the most energy!

I don't really feel like cooking, which has been sad, but Adam is so fabulous in the kitchen.

We all enjoy feeling her push and prod at my stomach, and Caroline loves to guess what she is using to push..."I think that was her toes..."

We are so grateful that our family can be blessed with another little one.

Easter weekend was absolutely perfect.  We enjoyed a family home evening lesson by Caroline, who used  our eggs filled with symbolic things and scriptures to tell the story of the resurrection.  Olive even enjoyed it and sat for almost all 12 eggs.

The girls spent lots of time imitating these silly faces, they loved the cracked ones expressions the most.

I just can't wait until there are three of these little dears.

And a holiday, well any day really, wouldn't be complete without an animated reaction from sweet Caroline.  I know the picture is a little blurry, but it was truly the most adorable expression!  She had just opened her ballerina music box the the Easter bunny brought.  She then proceeded to prance around the room, twirling again and again, just like the miniature dancer.

Easter dinner was one that will definitely be repeated.  We ate with our dear friends and it was nice because with no car, we only had to walk two steps on the landing of our building to their door :)

Our neighbor from downstairs also joined which was fun.  

We had lamb kebab meat which was divine, pitas, a Greek salad, and garlic roasted potatoes.  

The adults all devoured several helpings of the main meal.  Olive did not, but she did lick the table clean after the most incredible brownie dessert!

{Outer Banks, North Carolina}

For Adam's final Spring Break, we decided to take advantage of the entire week off and we headed down to the Outer Banks.  We stayed at a beach house with two other families and we were about 50 yards from the water.  The little beach towns down in the area are packed with things to do and there are 4 lighthouses within the area that so charming to visit.

On one of the rainy days we headed to Jeanette's Pier that was recently rebuilt after Hurricane Irene.  We went to a craft class for the kids and being the offseason, we were the only ones there which was fantastic!

Olive was totally saying with those eyes, "Look mom, I am really trying to use my 'colors' so back off ok?  I am busy right now."  She is obsessed with purple and always says she has her 'colors'.  

The pier was really fun to explore with a couple of beautiful fish tanks to check out with bright tropical fish and also fish that are locally caught.  The girls loved watching people fish off of the pier and would have stayed all afternoon.

The Bodie Island lighthouse is one of my favorite that I have ever seen.

The beach was just amazing.  At night I kept thinking that I was hearing airplanes come in and land, but it was really just the waves crashing onto the sand.  It was a lot more soothing after I realized that :)

The Currituck Lighthouse was more impressive in person than on the picture that I saw.  It is the only unpainted lighthouse in the area and is surrounded by beautiful walkways that run along the water.  We spent a really long time here enjoying the warm day.

The girls loved hanging out with Orville Wright at the Wright Brothers Museum.  It was so fun to see where they took off from on their first glider and plane.  The spots are also marked where they landed the first few times.  I thought it was hilarious that the person that they got to take a picture of the first flight was a lifeguard that happened to be nearby.  

One of the darling families that we spent the week with was the Prince family.  They had a little girl and a little boy.  The Hamilton family also had two girls so the little ones had non stop entertainment!

Here are all the little loves enjoying the bonfire getting heated up.  I was so worried that they would all want to get super close to the fire, but they all just sat so mature like in their beach chairs and enjoyed the evening.  Adam is the cutest dad and bought glow stick wands that were a hit from the dollar store.  They were all in heaven.

I just don't think one can look more sugared up than this!

Brian and Adam went fishing on the pier one day and caught lots of Skate and also a Puffer fish.  The Skate are in the sting ray family and absolutely have the most disgusting mouths.  I will spare you a shot of it.

Caroline was completely shocked to see those skate come out of the water.  Her reaction was priceless!

Have you flown a kite lately? 

I think that the kite flying topped everything we did that week, even seeing the lighthouses which says a lot coming from me.

We bought a real nylon kite and they just soared up in the air and were so fun to control from down on the beach.  We were out there for hours just enjoying them flap around in the wind, it was so relaxing.

Digging in the sand was another favorite activity for Caroline and Olive.  They would just sit and dig and plow in the sand all day.  The beach is the best playmate for any kid.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has the well known barber shop swirl for it's decor.  It's a toss up between this one being my fave or the Bodie Island one.  

Ocracoke Lighthouse is on an island that you take a car ferry to.  We almost got stuck on the island due to wind and a boat getting stuck.  While we waited to hear if we would be able to leave, we were able to do some shelling on the beach.  Adam was able to find a huge conch shell which is so cool.

Since we waited such a long time to get back onto the ferry, we were the beneficiaries of a beautiful sunset on the way home from the island.  Each side of the road was lined with beautiful bodies of water and the colors continued to become more vibrant.

The Bodie Island Lighthouse looked so picturesque in this light.  

I will go back to Nags Head anyday.