one for the books

It was an undeniably perfect weekend. Simple as that, really. Now, we have plenty of perfect moments around here, perfect afternoons, even a whole perfect day every now and then... But a weekend?! Maybe it's because Stephen hasn't had many weekends off for us to fully enjoy all together, but this one was just, well, perfect! And when I say "perfect" I mean we dealt with plenty of fussy cries and messes and frustrations... Our life is by no means actually perfect. But it's perfect for us. We're not extravagant people and we don't do extravagant things. We don't have much of a social life - we're not exactly social butterflies. Our baby isn't fuss free and our marriage isn't without its stupid fights. But it works for us. This simple, easy, quiet, somewhat weird and messed up, beautiful, wonderful life of ours is well, perfect!

When Stephen got home from work on Friday at 3 (!!!) we enjoyed some family time and play time with Nana before getting ready and taking family pictures. I know, I know, we just took family pictures! (You sound like my husband!) But Uriah is changing so fast and I want so badly to document every stage in his life and ours as a family. Plus, our last pictures were summery and I'm in need of a Christmas card picture, something more fall and wintery. And well, have you ever known me to pass up an opportunity for a photo shoot?!

^^ Actual family pictures to come later, but this is a sneak peak from my phone ^^

On Saturday Stephen and I were itching to get outside in the beautiful fall weather. It was a cloudless sunny sky with the warmest temperatures we've seen in a while. It was gorgeous and well, perfect! ;) We loaded up the stroller and drove out to Cherry Springs for a walk amongst the changing leaves. Uriah snoozed for a bit and Stephen and I walked hand in hand talking and joking and enjoying every minute of it! We got Uriah out to play in the leaves before heading home and he loved it! He's been known to sneak a leaf or two into his mouth when we're not looking, but no choking today, (maybe he learned his lesson last time) just all smiles and laughs. Our sweet babe loves being outside! He may look like me, but he definitely got that love from his daddy!

 ^^ I put on a dance performance for Stephen on the amphitheater stage. Stephen recited a poem ;) ^^

^^ Really?! I mean, really?! ^^

After we put Uriah to bed that night, Stephen and I got dressed up for date night! We went to the Portneuf Valley Brewery downtown and arrived just after a proposal had happened - happiness and love were in the air :) We shared a pretzel and sipped on beers over conversation and laughs. And I'm proud to say, Uriah was not the topic of the night! We love him and yes, I missed him, as I miss him right now (he's just napping in the other room! "mommy emotions" *sigh*) but it was nice to talk to my husband as my husband and not as "daddy". Gosh, I sure do love that man.

On Sunday we left Uriah to play with Papa while Stephen and I went to church. We haven't been able to go since moving here and were looking forward to trying it out! Well we were wrong to be looking forward to it. Is that horrible to say about church?! It was awful. Now that I know is horrible to say about church! It made us tired and bored and depressed. So, we snuck out. And maybe this is a usual occurrence they were trying to prevent because the door was roped off!! We found a back door and made a bee line. It took us half the service to conjure up the courage and we were terrified the pastor was going to call us out and say something! Clearly, we're not people who usually sneak out of church. But it was just. that. awful! And I don't think church should be interesting and intriguing and exciting and "young" in order to go, but when we have no connection to the church community, it makes it harder to relate and take anything away from the sermon. So we bailed. And headed straight for Perkins, the breakfast restaurant down the street from my house that Stephen's been wanting to go to since first visiting my parents' in 2010! All guilt of a church service missed went down with the warm and delicious pumpkin pancakes...

Each morning of our weekend started with playtime by the fireplace, Saturday held the happiest hour for Uriah that I've even known, and Sunday afternoon consisted of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I told you, perfect.

a visit to the pumpkin patch

Pumpkin patch? Check! We are crossing things off our Family Fall To-Do List, over here people! We've been drinking an excess of pumpkin spice lattes, we've made cookies and, most recently, pumpkin spice chocolate chip muffins (!!!!), I've made one new and super yummy soup recipe, and ^^ our visit to the pumpkin patch! I've never been to a pumpkin patch and I've always been jealous of other people's Saturday afternoon pictures that pop up all over Facebook come October. Well this time they'll be mine! We set out on the hunt for a perfect pumpkin, mine to paint and Stephen's to carve. Uriah couldn't have cared less that we were there, but he loved being outside and pulling on all the tall grasses, and I loved having him there to show him all the new sights and textures. He even found the perfect Uriah sized pumpkin for himself! We have plans to decorate, paint and carve them this weekend, another 'check' of my list! Thanks for taking us, mom and dad!

hump day

 ^^ Long hair, don't care! ...Except I totally do care, because I've been growing it out since, like, 8th grade! ^^

 ^^ Pardon the chipmunk cheeks! This was 2 days post wisdom teeth extraction! ^^

 ^^ I warned him not to do this! I got sick just watching him! ^^

 ^^ How much does my baby look like a little boy?! ^^

This blog post has no other purpose than to share photos of our gorgeous Friday afternoon at the park, and ramble about my indescribable happiness. It doesn't always hit me while experiencing days like these, but gosh, my appreciation and satisfaction with this beautiful life and family of mine just hits me like a wave as I look back over these pictures. I am so grateful, so grateful! How did I get so lucky? So blessed? Why does God see me as deserving of all of this?! I don't stop to question Him too long, but lift up my praises and thanks again and again... Hoping you are filled with this indescribable happiness, as well, and that you are able to find it in the simplest things, like an afternoon at the park... Happy hump day!

a road trip and a wedding

Crossing the border into Oregon isn't all that exciting because the landscape looks just like what we left behind: flat, bare and dry. Eastern Oregon, I am not a fan of you. But, all of a sudden, at the base of a hill you start to see scattered green trees. It's like a line was drawn on the land and the green only grows on one side. The further up the hill you go, the more trees there are. And, at the top, you're in Western Oregon. An hour later as we were driving into Bend and the greenery and the mountainous, gorgeous views, Stephen and I both found ourselves wondering why we don't live in Oregon... We'll take a weekend in it any chance we get, though! 

Stephen's good college/fraternity friend, Joe, was getting married in Bend this last weekend to his college sweetheart, Renee. Stephen's known them both since he started school at Oregon State, and I got to spend lots of time with them come Stephen's senior year when we started dating. 7 years and some odd months later, they were finally tying the knot! Joe, the most genuine and sincere person, and Renee, the sweetest and most tender hearted (with a large amount of spunk!)... They are perfect for each other and Stephen and I were both so happy to be witness to their special day!

^^ The camera is his favorite toy and served as an excellent distraction while I stood with him 

in the back during the ceremony. Misbehaving at all the wrong times. Thanks, Uriah. 

I didn't get to see much, but got to hear Joe and Renee's beautiful vows and John's excellent...commentary? 

It was a perfect, short and sweet ceremony! ^^

^^ He used a beer bottle as a cold teething ring for the majority of the evening. 

We're good parents, I swear. ^^

^^ Renee dancing with her sweetest grandpa who offered twice to take Uriah home with him. 

"He's probably awful and rotten and you're looking for a way to get rid of him aren't 'ya? 

Well, I tell 'ya, I'm your man!" Grandpas are the best. ^^

The weather was perfect, and I mean perfect. At the most beautiful location with the mountains and the changing trees as a backdrop, they couldn't have picked a better place or day. Due to some last minute changes, their good friend (and our good friend) John was performing the ceremony. Certified online (straight out of a Friends episode, I tell 'ya!), he got to marry two of his best friends! How awesome is that?! It was good to see so many familiar faces, ones we don't get to see often enough. I know Stephen enjoyed catching up and reminiscing with his friends, and we both loved showing off Uriah, who was just 1 month old the last time anyone saw him! (He was also the only babe at the wedding and drew in all sorts of attention!) Renee looked gorgeous and both her and Joe so happy. Their night was full of dancing and laughter and love and I hope it was just perfect for them! We love you two so much and are so excited for the journey you are embarking upon! Marriage is such an incredible adventure and we are looking forward to all that God has in store for you! Congratulations, Joe and Renee!

Ps, to Stephen: I loved our 16 hours in the car talking, singing, pacifier searching, laughing and listening to some good 'ol HP. I'll take a road trip with you, any day!

life in pocatello

A little Instagram look into our life in Pocatello...

We've been here for a week now - one down, five to go! (Not that I'm counting down, excited and ready to leave, on the contrary, actually!) We're living in my parent's basement (and are so grateful they're letting us do so!); it's set up like an apartment and is perfect for our little six week stay. Stephen made an easy adjustment to the hospital here and into his Psych rotation. His schedule is a little lighter and much more predictable, which has been appreciated by us all! We've had lots more Stephen time and he's had lots more study time. I've been spending my days playing with Uriah, babysitting Harper, visiting Ashley at her daycare, and running errands with my momma. Not too bed, eh?! I'm getting my wisdom teeth taken out tomorrow (something I've been putting off until I've had a live in nanny to take care of my babe and me while the hubs is at work - thanks mom!) and am dreading the procedure oh so very, very much. I'm going to be fitting in a full schedule today, trying to get necessary things and fun things done before my week is ruined! Wish me luck!

eight.

I've been avoiding my child turning eight months old. Though of course it was inevitable, ignoring it, not talking about it, and posting this blog a few days late helped delay the realization that my baby is slowly on his way to not being my baby anymore. (I also might have delayed this post because someone has been teething around the clock and hasn't been happy enough to take pictures!)

So, it happened. Uriah turned eight months old. It's official. sigh I don't wish I could turn back time and have him younger, nor do I wish he would stay this age forever, because it just, keeps, getting, better! But if time could just slow down a little, maybe pause every once in awhile... Well, that would be nice.

At eight months, Uriah is on the verge of crawling! He can get anywhere he wants by rolling and "army crawling", but he can't quite get his knees and arms up at the same time. We are days away, though, people!

He's got his two teeth, with four more right at the surface, one just breaking skin! He has been extra fussy, tired, and clingy these last few days, but that also might be due to his new bed and new home. Lots of changes in this little man's world right now!

Uriah is in size 4 diapers, wearing 6-9 month pants and 6-12/9-12 month tops and pjs. Somehow he ended up with a long torso and short stubby legs...?!

He is still eating about every 2 hours, mostly nursing, eating solids just once or twice a day. (Still such a good eater!)

Uriah is napping 3-4 times a day, still, usually about an hour each. And maybe the most exciting milestone, Uriah is sleeping through the night!! Bedtime at seven, after dinner, time outside, a bath, reading, snuggling, nursing and rocking, and he sleeps until six in the morning. He occasionally still wakes up once during the night, usually around 3 or 4 (and has continually been doing this since coming to Pocatello - a combination of teething and a change of bed) but is able to put himself back to sleep after 20 minutes or so.

Still incredibly active and alert! Minus the teething, he is always happy, happy, happy! He is so content to sit and play by himself for an hour, but loves watching other kids play and interacting! Outside is his favorite  place to be - it is a cure all! He is such a joy in our lives and Stephen and I are loving every moment with him, watching him grow, learn and experience. Happy 8 months, Uriah Michael. We love you!

October love

^^ Pictures from our first fall together, 2009. Happy 4 years of knowing each other! ^^

Stephen and I met on October 1st, 2009, we shared our first kiss on October 11th, fell in love on October 31st, and got engaged on October 15th the following year. Not only do I enjoy all the pumpkin spice lattes, orange leaves, crisp mornings, and the excuse to bake multiple times a week that comes along with the month of October and the change of the season, but I love so very much that this month represents so much love for Stephen and I. My very favorite time of year... And how lucky am I to spend it with such an incredible man?! ...Men! I have been blessed with two boys! Stephen and I are both excited to share this fall with Uriah, his first. Though he won't understand the beauty of October for quite some time, we are looking forward to experiencing it all together, nonetheless. Hanging on our fridge (in my parent's basement because we're living in Pocatello for 6 weeks!) is our "Family Fall To-Do List":

1. Drink lots of pumpkin spice lattes (duh!)
2. Go to a pumpkin patch in plaid
3. Go through a corn maze
4. Carve pumpkins with friends and family
5. Go to Jackson Hole, Wyoming with my parents to enjoy all the changing trees and animal sightings
6. Bake an excess of cookies and pumpkin spice brownie bites
7. Take family pictures (thanks, mom!)
8. Build a fort to watch Halloween movies in
9. Actually dress up for Halloween!
10. Discover new yummy, warm crock-pot recipes

Happy October 1st to all of you!