So long, Summer!

This has been the fastest summer ever. Hands down. I spent June moving cross country. I spent July in Arkansas with my family. And I've spent August unpacking, painting, hanging drapes, and organizing.   Oh, and also chasing two children. Yes, the count is up to two.  Little Henry is mobile!!! {cue Mexican samba music!}   Oh, the adventures! Where is Henry? Can you find Henry? Has anyone seen Henry?   Good thing little kids find empty boxes fascinating. Our house has been full of them as we try to make a new house a home, once again.   I love it, to be honest. I love moving. There! I said it! : )   I love all parts of moving- apart from leaving behind good friends. Scratch that. Great friends! We miss our Michigan church, but thank the Lord, we think we have {finally!} found a new church home. And it has Mops!   When we're not painting stripes or chevron or hanging drapes, you can find us in the mountains. {Swoon! Faint! Hand over heart!}   The Rockies are so glorious!   We have hiked many trails, but really enjoyed the hike in Monarch a few weekends ago. We climbed a portion of the Continental Divide Trail. It was really difficult. Had we known, we would have chosen an easier trek, especially with the littles, but we made it. There were a few harrowing moments. {steep cliffs, drop offs, sliding gravel} And they made Mommy almost hyperventilate {which isn't hard to do at 10,000 ft.} but the view from the top was just stunning.   I made the decision to hike with my full sized tripod, and big camera, of course. You know, for the coveted mandatory group shots. In addition to those items, I was in charge of huffing the food pack up. For an aspen alpine mountain picnic. It was Martha Stewart picture perfect. {minus the smashed bread loaf} I'll let the pictures do the talking. : )    

 

 

Little Henry is getting so big. Maybe I should refer to him as "Big" Henry instead.

He is just a sweet butter-ball.

Having one child ahead of him, I am really treasuring these baby days.

We all know how fast they pass, right?

Pass the Kleenex, whydon'tcha!

{Sniff!}

At seven months old, we are still nursing full time, but are eating cereal and baby foods, also.

So far, sweet potatoes are his favorite.

Green beans get the thumbs down. Green beans make Big Henry cry.

I'm staying busy meal planning. Cooking is a job, when I taught, I dreaded, to be honest.

It almost felt like another job on top of an already worn-out mama/teacher/wife/mama.

Did I already say, "mama"?

: )

 

{Recipe for pepperoni pasta here}

 

Blessed to be home full time for going on three years now, I can say the Lord has given me a new heart. Cooking is such a simple way to serve your family. Dinner at the table is the best part of my day. Whether you work at home or work out, take heart! Be inspired! Be intentional with your time.

Let your at-home meals be the best of your day, too.

 

Dessert at the end of the day helps.

I find it cures many ailments.

: )

 

{Recipe for homemade cobbler here}

 

I chopped apples and whipped up an easy apple cobbler.

 

This was taken last Sunday before church.

Harbor used to wear this little jon-jon.

There is nothing sweeter to me than seeing your favorite clothing on your second child.

I'm a bit obsessed, actually, with attempting to replicate pictures of the boys in

the same outfits.

What will I do with a picture of each child in the same outfit?

Who knows.

But you can bet I'll be taking them.

: )

 



And in case you forgot who wrote this blog, here I am.

 

With my big Henry.

Wishing my first born would scoot into the picture.

 



 

But, he won't. He is too busy being four years old.

: )

 

But, I'm a smart mama.

 I know I can take pictures of him in exchange for permission to use the "Big" dangerous and sharp mama sized scissors.

Doing sight word flashcards is exciting and dangerous at our house.

: )

 

Hope everyone reading is well! How is your summer wrapping up? : )  

New Beginnings

There is nothing like having a new baby, packing an entire house mostly alone, and moving cross-country all in six months' time to make an ol' blog feel neglected. But! Things are falling into routine here in Colorado- boxes unpacked, walls painted, paintings hung, soccer practice starting, and the first signs of snow on the mountain summits.   All of those things make me breathe a sigh of relief and find the time to update my blog, whom I've missed. Hello, blog! That and a nursing baby who is sleeping a bit longer every night.   Husband left ahead of the two littles and me to start his new job, house hunt, and get established here in Colorado. We always seem to do things in that order: it just works better for us. He can focus on the bread and butter and I can focus on the relocation.   We were apart for two weeks while I packed and nursed. And nursed. And ate Little Debbies. : )   Just kidding. Although packing does work up a good appetite! The house was. A. Giant. Mess.  

 

I had two very productive little people by my side, offering help and encouragement.

{in the form of slobbery kisses and fist fulls of my hair}

I snapped this picture as the moving truck pulled into the driveway.

Showtime!

 

We feel very blessed to have had the full relocation paid for and provided by the new company.

The truck, the movers, the men, the gas, the airline tickets, the rental cars, the fast food.

A complete blessing. We are still singing the company's praises-  very, very thankful!

 

We miss our beautiful cape cod 1924 dream boat of a home.

Oh, it was our sweet little yellow house!

 

The company flew David home to Michigan from Colorado to assist.

We were so grateful to see him.

With a four month old and a four year old, this mama needed backup.

And a nap.

: )

 

We watched as they labeled, wrapped, and packed our things.

 

And rolled them into the semi truck that blocked our sweet neighbor's house all day long.

Sorry about that!

: )

 

 The silver lining to leaving our beautiful home on the banks of the Detroit River? It was bought by some of our favorite Michigan friends from church. And I get to see pictures of it on their Facebook. Fun!  

As a little surprise, I made a burlap bunting for the fireplace as a surprise for the new home owners.

 

I mopped. I washed windows. I made sure it was as clean as I could get it on little supplies.

 

We all gave the chevron wall a pat for good luck.

 

And we left.

 

New home! New adventure! New career!

 

So thankful to the Lord of Lords for this life. He is good and His name is forever on my lips!

 

Next stop: Arkansas for a quick visit before seeing my new home once again for the first time.

There is quite a pattern to that, isn't there?

David picks them and I arrive to see them as a total surprise.

Thank goodness he has good taste.

: )

Except in drapes.

I am better at dressing the windows.

Teasing.