Not Dead Yet...

 I figure one post every 4-5 years should be good. So let's dive right in. We wanted a little library in front of our home forever, and were about to order one online when a neighbor of ours put us in touch with a boy scout looking for an eagle project. They did a great job cutting, assembling, and painting it. It's now loaded up with books and we regularly see neighbors on family walks with their kids exchanging books.

We adopted a second tiny dog just before Christmas. Her name is pepper. She's about the same age as our other dog, but was very matted and had to be shaved. They also had to pull all but two of her teeth because of neglect. She's adapted well and is putting on weight and growing a thicker coat.

Within the next month every adult in our home will be fully vaccinated. Thanks to everyone who's helping protect the herd!

We had a surprise flood from our 4 year old water heater just before Christmas. Gratefully it was still fully covered under warranty and our carpet cleaning neighbor helped us get it all dried out and cleaned up.

Christmas was fun for everyone!

We'll see you again in 2025...😉

New Stuff v1.0

Buying a house is like having your first kid. Nobody really tells you everything. I think if they did, you'd probably be too scared to make the leap. We really love our new place. We have been working frantically to fix up and repair all the quirks with the house. Who knows...we may never finish either. At this point, we're just happy to have AC and a comfortable place to sleep. Here are some other updates (in no particular order).

We rode the Heber Creeper on back to school night. It was a party on the old timey train.

J canned lots of amazing peaches.

C always has some kind of mess on his face or his clothes, and he's always a ham.

He discovered that pens are for writing on faces too,

E always sucks on her two fingers.

Little boys and giant cookies...there's a good reason for the intensity in his eyes.

J and O were selected from a lottery to be extras on Studio C. Not sure when/if it will even broadcast, but it was fun for them.

J found a Burley and a bike online, so now we can take the kids on bike rides.

May Smash Blog

Yes, we don't post enough. No, we probably aren't going to change. Here are some updates. 

O and C love to drive each other (crazy)!

C is a great big brother

We completed the epic trek to wheeler farm on foot from our house. Thank goodness for the bus system to get home.

O and C are playing on the same T-ball team. It's crazy, but a lot of fun.

E is growing and growing.

Christmas

The christmas season began for our family when we all went sledding with the cousins. We learned that O loves sledding so much that we stayed for hours after mommy took C back to grandma's.

O got to put the star atop the tree.

Seven peaks in Provo set up a christmas village complete with Santa, sledding hill and lots of activities for the kiddos including these fun boats to ride to drive.

Dad took off a few extra days of work to take the kids to "Discovery Day-qway" (as the kids call it).

They know right where to go to do all their favorite things.

On christmas eve we did a nativity where O and C got to play Mary and Joseph. 

Many of Jessica's siblings played the other roles.

O and C on Christmas morning. 

Santa left us a bounty. We're very blessed!

Random Photos on my Phone

We haven't posted in a while so here are some new tidbits.

O helped haul away remodeling debris at her grandparents home. 

I sent Jessica flowers from Ecoflower, but the first bouquet arrived damaged, so they sent a replacement, so now we have two of them. They are made of wood fabric and other knickknacks.

For O's 4th birthday party with family we all shared the cake...literally. 

Conference weekend baking pies with grandma...well, eating pie crust while grandma makes pies.

We finally made it up to snowbird for octoberfest's last weekend this year. We arrived early so the kids played on the furniture. Kind of expensive food, but good.

We went to a friend's wedding and in the backyard was a huge slide. Needless to say, many children left much dirtier than they arrived.

Cinnamon & sugar bagels taste better all over your face.

And in case you hadn't heard it's a girl!

January Smash Blog (minus FL adventures)

 On the 24th I woke up and thought...Chocolate Cake, that's what we will have for breakfast. HA HA! Well it totally worked! Disguised as waffles and topped with nutella, powdered sugar, frosting, chocolate syrup+powdered sugar+marshmellows, and peanut butter and banana. It was fun. So let it be known that dietitians serve straight sugar for breakfast on occasion.

 Ok, he looks a little out of it, but I had just cut Connor's hair. He did so good! Held so still.

 I've been working out each morning, and Connor joins in for some downward dog and plank exercise.

Our sweet landlady passed away in January. Grandma Flo has been a big part of our lives. We will miss her dearly.

 This is a painting that hung over Olivia's bed that Florence did. We gave it back to the family when she passed away-but I will miss it.

 We spent time with friends at restaurants. Most of the people that came were single (aka NO kids) so the two of us with kids probably looked like a circus to them.

 Olivia is officially a sunbeam. She is also the only girl in her class. Connor is in Nursery one of 24 kids!

 I thought going to Florida was my present, but I was suprised to get a few more things.

 The paddle for my kitchen-aid that scrapes the sides as it spins. WIN!

 ATK recommended mixing bowls. To be honest I wasn't so sure about these, but I LOVE THEM!

 Connor, my "Oh I'm full, I just had a huge gust of wind for breakfast" Child is suddenly eating a ton! Hallelujah!

 Adam's lab did an experiment with the local news station and got to spend the day with Bill Gepheart- the investigation news celeb. They were trying to determine if flushing to toilet actually spread germs on bathroom surfaces. Results to be announced at it's airing. :)