Merry Christmas!!!

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Enjoying the Warmth

Looking back at all these summer pictures makes me miss these warm days of picnics outside and walks to feed the ducks.
After throwing rocks in the water for a while we got in trouble by the grounds workers. Guess they don't like cleaning out all the rocks...woops! Well we had fun while it lasted. And shh, don't tell but we did it again a few weeks later. :)

Then we were off to throw food to the ducks, geese, & birds...
Such fun, warm, summer days...

A Much Needed Getaway

By this point Jarom had been gone working in Holland for about 5 or 6 weeks and he would still be there for another 5 weeks...which meant that I desperately needed a break!!! SO it was perfect timing when my good friend, Katie, called and asked me to come on a business trip with her. I was very excited! We've known each other since junior high and have kept in touch all these years.

It's amazing how nice flying without kids is after you've experienced flying with them! Only problem is you constantly feel like you are forgetting something because it is much too easy and relaxed.

Once we got to Texas, we had a good time setting up Katie's booth (she's the owner of Oh Katy diapers...p.s. I cloth diaper now...surprised?). We got to meet some fun people, go to a few bars (where we felt pretty out of place drinking our Coke's), go to the world's largest honky tonk, participate in armadillo racing (which meant we actually held an armadillo), ride a mechanical bull, and just catch up with each other and have a good time.

Here's the reason why we needed a room with two beds: one for us and one for our junk!

We had such a good time together and yet it was of course good to get back to our kids again!

Seriously?!?

Easter...that was the last time I posted? That's a little pathetic! Well, looks like I have a lot to sort through. Don't even know if I remember how to blog any more. :) Here are a few cute pictures my sister took back in April. They're candid and I just love them. They make me smile. I'll start sorting through my dozens of folders to attempt to get caught up!

Easter

Some of the Higley cousins were down from Idaho so Grandma did an Easter egg hunt for them. It was cute to see them all running around together.


Glade was at the back end of the group. He found all the eggs everyone else didn't see.


Pictures of big groups of kids always make me laugh. There's usually at least one person crying!


The Saturday before Easter we went to the city egg hunt. It's pretty much mass chaos! Really fun mass chaos that is.


The bunny picture


Dumping out their goodies once we got home


I always enjoy dying eggs. Thankfully my kids do too. Too bad I'm the only one who will eat them.

Easter Sunday...Glade is so excited! :)

Ready for the egg hunt.

Jimmy snapped this one. I think Myra looks pretty sweet. I look pretty tired but that's just the reality. Counting down those days until Jarom gets back!

These 3 kiddos sure made Easter enjoyable for me!

Hanging out with the Lovelace's

Soon after Jarom left, the kids and I headed to Springville to hang out with my family for a while. Myra really loves grandpa. She actually lets him hold her....which is saying a lot for Myra! She is a momma's girl BIG time.


I have really missed the big family Sunday gatherings with everyone around the table eating, laughing, and playing games.


The boys had a blast playing with cousin Tyce and his baby brother, Kru. Thankfully the weather cooperated and we were able to spend some time outside.


Tyce brought a few of his bikes over to share. The boys took turns pushing Myra around for a good hour.


My baby girl


All of my kids have become obsessed with drinking fountains. You hardly ever see a drinking fountain in Europe. Every time we find one they all have to stop and have several drinks. Myra thinks they are the coolest things ever!


My mom and I took the kids to the Bean Museum at BYU.


Jimmy the rhino


Then we stopped at McD's to let the kids run around.


Another day the boys went to Trafalga with Glenn, Amber, and their kids. They had a blast!


We also went to the Dinosaur Museum at BYU.


Of course the boys thought it was really cool!

Finally we said goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa. We had such a good time (and went back a few weeks later). :)

Saying Goodbye *Again*

Shortly after getting to the US, Jarom had to leave to go back to Holland to train his replacement. It was a very sad goodbye. He has been gone for 8.5 weeks and has 2 more weeks left. We can't wait to see him again!


The kids miss him so much and ask about him all the time. We've only been able to video chat twice since my internet is so unreliable. Other than that we've just emailed back and forth. It will be nice to have a husband once again!


Pretty much all Glade talks about in his prayers is his daddy. "Help daddy home from airport" repeated over and over.

June 1st can't come soon enough!

Settling In

Braelyn and Jimmy were so funny when they first saw each other. There was this awkwardness where they both just sat on the couch next to each other smiling, but not looking at each other or talking. It was like they were in junior high! They quickly got to playing and laughing and are best buds again. Not a day goes by where my kids don't ask to play with Braelyn and Ryker!


Myra and Tigger became instant friends. She loves to feed him all the food she doesn't want.


Ryker started calling Jarom "dad" while his dad was on a little trip. It was pretty cute.


The boys got new bikes since we sold theirs in Holland. Jimmy already has a flat in his!

And we tried so hard to catch up on sleep and get used to the time change. It took Myra a month or two to get all adjusted. I hate jet lag! It feels good, yet strange to be back again.