At This Moment 03

Making: our home more organized.
Cooking: tonight's dinner and feeling all sorts of productive.
Reading: The One World Schoolhouse written by Salman Kahn.
Wanting: to simplify.
Looking: at my girls building a fort and giggling together.
Playing: home. "Mom do you want to play home? (Insert big brown puppy-dog eyes.)  I'm the daddy and you are the sweetie!"
Wishing: summer would slow down.
Enjoying: fresh summer fruit. Currently addicted to juicy watermelon.
Waiting: for the day the girls can learn to work out their own disagreements. Referee over here!
Marveling: that we have already lived here 7 months!
Needing: groceries on the double! Our milk is looking a little lonely this morning.
Smelling: thick summer air.
Wearing: a baby on my lap.
Following: the spilled oat trail left by two little girls. They love raw oats. So weird!
Noticing: how quickly new babies change.
Thinking: we should really get dressed for the day. Its practically noon.
Bookmarking: wallpaper inspo.
Feeling: hopeful.

At This Moment 1 // 2

Surprise! It's a GIRL!

Laying in the OR as Tyson held my hand we both made our final guesses... 

This pregnancy had been so different for me and as much as I tried to remain neutral, I couldn't keep from thinking my overgrown belly was home to a little baby boy. And yet when Tyson announced "It's a girl!" we instantly knew this sweet little girl was meant for us. 

Now that she's here and we are learning to enjoy life with three, I hope to get back to documenting our simple little life here in New England and sharing our favorite recipes! XO 

Six Months Later...

I am a planner by nature. Sometimes I love it, sometimes it frustrates me to my core. But the older I get, the more I realize that life just isn't conducive to a plan. And over the past six months, life seemed to just effortlessly evolve into something I had never planned for. 

It all started with a positive pregnancy test that came sooner than expected, and a deeply personal trial and then ended with Tyson graduating and a new job that led us all the way across the country.

The past six months have held a lot of questioning, a lot of tears (dang hormones), and -- when I least expected it -- so much joy.

So here's to midday pregnancy cravings, new beginnings, abandoned plans, and finding joy in the journey.

July Bittersweets

//BITTER

Missing Utah friends and family. Not having Tyson work from home. The terrible-twos making an early appearance. Sissy getting into every bottle of lotion, nail polish, and toothpaste possible. One word - humidity!

//SWEET

4th of July BBQ. Getting lots of time with the cousins, Sissy's first movie theater experience to see Inside Out. The girls singing "I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home" nonstop. Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. Our trip to Palmyra to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Boating with the family. Big Sister "catching" her first fish! Splash pad fun with Nana. Banana Chocolate Chunk "Ice Cream." Lots of sunshine!

June Bittersweets

//BITTER
Packing and cleaning and cleaning and packing for our annual summer trip. Early morning flights.

//SWEET
Getting Nonprofit Prints up and running. Swim lessons for my big girl. Everyday spent playing with Penny, Ralphie, and their Mama outside. Trip to Gigi's house complete with lots of swimming. Gooey s'mores tortes. Tyson finishing another race in preparation for his 50 miler come September. An uneventful plane ride across the country with two little ones - seriously they did awesome! Reuniting with the cousins.

May Bittersweets

 //BITTER
Saying goodbye to my girls for the first time ever, Expensive roadside coconuts, More than one recipe fail, Missing Tyson cross the finish line...again!

//SWEET
Maui! Endless airplane Downton Abby, Mama's Fish House, Reuniting with my babies, Recreating treats from our vacation. Joyschool graduation, Mother's day, Timp Trail 1/2 Marathon, And finally... Red Robin... I can never say no to Red Robin.

The Gum Incident

Because these kinds of childhood events must be documented.
The End.

P.S. The peanut butter worked like a charm.

At This Moment 02

Making: family memories. Family movie night - check.
Drinking: in the smell of the rain.
Reading: Children of the Promise.
Wanting: to go snuggle with my babies.
Looking: through family photos.
Wasting: time daydreaming about a future home.
Wishing: that sweet baby will sleep through the night.
Enjoying: this stage in life.
Waiting: for answers.
Wondering: what will graduation bring; where will it take us?
Loving: XO via John Mayer ♥
Hoping: I am enough.
Marveling: at how much my baby has grown.
Needing: to finish the laundry.
Wearing: cozy sweats, no makeup, and messy hair.
Following: the chocolate chip trail left behind by my favorite three year old. Bribery at its finest.
Noticing: that my girls have been playing and giggling all day. Sisters are the best.
Knowing: I need to be more patient.
Thinking: about mothering.
Bookmarking: recipes. Always.
Feeling: ready for sleep.

Maui

Last week Ty and I went on a little getaway to Maui. It was our first time leaving the girls and boy was I a mess, but luckily I was the only one...the girls had the time of their lives with their Gigi.

Tyson was dead set on watching the sunrise from the Haleakala Crater, a dormant volcano 10,000 feet above sea level. I was a little more skeptical since that meant waking up at 3am. But I have to say it was amazing--one of my favorite things we did from the entire trip.

After the sunrise we headed to the Kula Lodge for breakfast. It was delicious, but the best part was definitely the view. Once we finished breakfast we headed off to Hana. The road to Hana is a main attraction for a lot of tourists and it made for a very long day in the car, but we also got to see some amazing things. A black sand beach, tons of waterfalls, the seven sacred pools, and a hike through the bamboo forest.

The next morning we headed out on a catamaran for a snorkel trip out to Molokini Crater. I talked Tyson into trying snuba (a hybrid between snorkeling and scuba diving) and we got to see tons of fish, coral and sea turtles. That night we drove over to Paia for dinner at Mama's Fish House and let me tell you, it definitely lived up to its reputation, but my favorite that night was watching the sunset behind the ocean.

The remainder of our trip we spent eating amazing food, exploring, and relaxing on the beach.

Thanks Maui for an amazing week in Paradise.

April Bittersweets

//BITTER
baby allergies, perpetual ear infections, late night study sessions, finals week, that wild customer service in park city, tummy aches.. again... will the sickness ever end!?

//SWEET
general conference, cinnamon rolls, homecomings and family gatherings, a visit from Nana, Papa, Studda, and Fry, new bedding... again, easter traditions, the cutest swimsuit I ever did see, park city outlets, mini cupcake guest posting, 3 year old prayers, middle of the night toddler snuggles, aeriel yoga, 3 year blogiversary, endlessly analyzing the Kassi love triangle, take out for dayzzz, new found canning obsession.

The Motherhood Paradox

Motherhood is everything I ever hoped for and not at all what I expected.



It brings out the absolute best in me and my very worst -- my greatest fears and my deepest insecurities. It is losing my temper when I desperately don't want to and laughter when I least expect it. In its highs and in its lows, it teaches me to rely completely on my Heavenly Father.

Motherhood is the hardest and most rewarding calling I will ever hold... all wrapped up in two precious girls who call me "Mama."


Inspired by: Anne with an "e"

That Week She Learned to Pray

This week we had a little talk about prayers and what we can say in our prayers. Well let me just tell you... three year old prayers, so far? They are my fave.

She was getting in a memorized prayer mode of blessing the food... always, in all circumstances, whether there was food to be eaten or not. So we talked about what prayer really is and now her prayers have changed to something a little like this....

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please bless the..... wait! We not eating food!! Ummmmm.... Help me clean my toys and my books and I grow my hair to my bum and my legs and my feet! Thank you for Anna and Sven and Olaf and Kristoff and I love Anna and Elsa and Flynn. And thank you for Georgie. And Daddy he come home safe in his car and.... Mommy now what?!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Oh how I wish I could keep her like this forever!

March Bittersweets

//BITTER
my never ending cough. raw garlic home remedies. spring cleaning. the never ending drive to Moab. wishing we had won tickets to Alt Summit. sissy getting sick in the back of Jessie's van. more sickness. never ending sickies.

//SWEET
girl's night in. spontaneous toddler "I love you." booking our flight to Maui. spring break. the best little restaurant in the middle of nowhere. hiking Arches National Park. 12l993 jumping pictures. toddler friendships. P&T photo shoot. General Women's Session.

That One Time We Drove to Moab.

Who loves spring break?! (Pick me! Pick me!)

Last week we headed to Moab with our neighbors and Ty's sister Kassi for some hiking and to enjoy some glorious sunshine.



It was our first long-ish trip with our girls in the car. Somehow Jessie and I arranged things so that the dads would take the three girls in the van and Jessie, Kassi and I would drive over with baby Ralph. Guys. Driving with kids. Holy smokes. What we thought would be a quick little 5-6 hour car ride took us NINE HOURS and included, In-N-Out, a baby rash, a run into Target for medicine for said baby rash (which then resulted in new five dollar shirts, and shoes, and fox socks, along with the medicine,) attempted toddler potty stops along the side of a deserted road, a major sinus headache, and dinner in the most random restaurant you can imagine. It was eventful to say the least.

Our first day we headed over to Arches National Park.

Where we did a lot of this.

And this.

It also happened to be Kassi's 22nd birthday. So we celebrated with some "chocolate dessert" and chocolate cake. 

The next day we had big plans to get out early and hike to Delicate Arch... with two toddlers, two babies, two strollers, and two determined dads.

We pretty much felt like rockstars at the end of that hike.

The next afternoon we headed home grateful for a few days of fun in the sun. Thanks Moab.. we miss you already!

January // February Bittersweets

//BITTER
stuck in Chicago for nearly two days. 3 missed flights. back to school. putting away Christmas. sick for dayzzz. v-day tantrums. sick AGAIN.

//SWEET
joy school. finally making it home. new goals. finally feeling like we are starting to figure it out with two babies. balloons. birthdays. heart shaped pizza. raspberry sweet rolls. new bedding. target. bottomless fries. killler sales. late nights with friends.

And Then There Were Blueberries

First is was scrambled eggs, then raisins, now upward and onward to frozen blueberries. Sissy is a picky little eater and what she loves one day she refuses the next. The current flavor of the week? Blueberries.

Sure makes for a lot of laundry if you ask me...but at least it's cute, baby-sized, happy-feet laundry right??