home sweet home

It’s been awhile since I wrote so just for an “in a nutshell” description, we headed down to home for the summer. Nathan was able to find work doing renovating and building jobs for my family. He remodeled my parent’s bathroom and built some shelves for my mom and then he put dry wall and bead board in my Uncle Doug’s bathroom and waxed my grandma’s floors. He amazes me with his skills. He’s learned so much about how to do home remodel stuff that I’m excited for when we have a house. He’s my dream fix-it man. I’m really glad he took some construction classes even though he switched majors because he still learned a lot from them. I, on the other hand, was excited to go home because oddly enough home has an amazing effect on me when I’m pregnant. It cures my nausea and odor sensitivities. Every time. I was super sick with Benny in Chicago till we moved back to Kennewick and I was instantly cured the day we got in the car and drove toward home. I was pregnant with Ephraim while we were in Kennewick and I don’t remember smells bothering me or being really nauseous. With Asher I felt better when we left Rexburg to go to Arizona and eventually to Kennewick. And now it worked again with Levi (that’s his name). I felt better the day we left to head down to Kennewick for the summer. So from past experience I was anxious to go home and start feeling better again. We stayed for about 6 weeks and it was the perfect amount of time. I didn’t feel like going back home till the last couple of days so the timing was just right. While we were there, we went on a week long trip with Julie, Corey, and Ben to the San Juan Islands and to Bellingham. We didn’t take the kids on this one because we needed the break and I don’t think they were old enough for it yet. Our tent spots were walk-in sites and with Asher still crawling, he would have been in constant danger of choking and used up all his clean clothes the first day. We did however go on a more kid friendly camping trip just for a night with the whole family (on my side) which was perfect for the boys. I love camping with the family. We all nerded it up big time with a nice star trek trivia game. With our combined knowledge we were hot. Then we lazily swam and hung about by the river. Good times. Oh, by the way, my parents watched the boys for us while Nathan and I escaped on the San Juan trip. What troopers my parents are. They did an amazing job. How lucky I am to have parents who are willing to do that for me just so I can go and have a little fun.

Now after all that, we are back in Rexburg. It was so nice returning back to our little home. I love our little space here. I was complaining about it before we left but I think that was because I was just feeling sick all the time. We’ve stayed here the longest of any apartment (except at my parents which I don’t count) and now we will have had two of our children here by the time we leave. Just a little note on that. I’m pretty sure everyone that reads this blog knows we are pregnant and that it’s a boy but I just wanted to mention that we were so thrilled when we found out it was a boy. The ultrasound technician thought we were hoping for a girl when she found out we had 3 boys, but quite the contrary.  I love little boys and wouldn’t mind having all boys. I just love the name Levi too (as does Nathan) and wanted to call the new baby Levi right away. I love saying “Levi kicked” or “when Levi comes”. It sounds good. Anyways, we are back in the grove of things here in Rexburg. Nathan is back in school. Benny and Ephraim started pre-school. Ephraim started speech therapy. We have our weekly play date set up with Issac (Benny’s best friend from church) again. And me, I’m just at home sweet home.  

 Asher's first birthday!!!

 Here comes the cake

 I've captured the step by step destruction of the birthday cake. He was timid at first but dad helped him get his hands dirty.

 missed the mouth, but honest effort

 Cake annihilated and now bored and ready to get out

 The most popular attraction with the kids was daddy pulling them along on a tarp dragged behind by the lawn mower.

Oma and Asher bonded during the summer. With the week while we were gone and all the times Oma baby sat so I could take a nap added up. He would reach out for Oma when ever we would come to the house.

 

 Wrestling!

 Ephraim sleeping with Rex

 

slipped into the tub with clothes and everything