PhotoStory Friday: A Breath Of Calm

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I recently changed my header picture to this one. 

And, yes... I am posting it again.

Here's why:

I. Am. Stressed.

Not to the max, but I think I will get there soon.  

Most of you know that we are moving to Germany in two months.  This is a HUGE move. And a completely unexpected move.  We have started planning for it, but, well... have you ever had to plan something so big that you don't know where to start? That's where we are at.  Do we deal with the movers first; shipping the car; how long can we survive without our van while it's on a ship on the way to Germany?  

Do we take all of our brand new furniture, or do we store it?

How in the world do I get Noah registered for school?

Am I going to pass the driving test?

Am I going to survive the fact that I won't be able to get ahold of my best friend on a whim?

Get what I mean?

This picture was the one picture I wanted to work when I took it.

I saw it in my head before I took it, and it rarely happens that the picture comes out the way you saw it. 

I love these kids more than anything, and for just a moment, it was calm. 

It was the breath I needed.

I Wanted to Leave It Like This.....

... but I didn't think the grandparents would appreciate it.

Farewell To The Old Header

Notice I finally changed the picture at the top of the blog?  Well, the old one was a year old, and I figured it was time for a new one.  It's been hard for me to think about taking that picture off because I love it so much.  It is my favorite picture of all the kids.  My wonderful friend, 

Jenni Gilbreth, took it last year.

One last look...sigh.

Taking Kid's Pictures Is Such A Pain!

When Noah was little, he was the easiest kid to take pictures of.  He was always smiling, and he liked the camera.  Now that he is almost 6, he thinks his fake smile is his true smile, and it's hard to tell him otherwise.  So, taking pictures of him has proven to be rather difficult.  When I can catch his real smile, it's awesome.

Here was an attempt at some pictures.  I think we'll try again. I do like some of them, but just like the ones I took of Annie, I don't LOVE any of them.  

We also tried to take Cooper's pictures, but he wasn't having anything to do with that.

These first two aren't bad...

Sneaky little boy...

This is the real smile.  I wish you could hear his laugh- it's awesome....

And this is the real Noah, doing the fake smile.

A Quick Cool-Off

It's been pretty warm lately, so the other day we just turned on the sprinkler and played in it.  I loved doing this when I was a kid.  I think we ran through the sprinklers everyday when I was younger.  Something about being able to jump over the water made it irresistible to me. 

Cooper wouldn't get any closer than this:

Don't ask... I have no idea.

Pete took over the camera for a few minutes.

Annie had the most fun this time around.  Well, she got the wettest anyway.

It's A Giveaway!

Everyone likes free stuff, right?  And it's even better if you don't have to do much to get the free stuff, right?  

Well, my good friend, Cec, has come up with a giveaway.  It's easy to enter.  Just visit her blog at My Chaos My Bliss

and read the entry!  How easy is that?!

PhotoStory Friday: Green

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

It's been raining a lot here in Tennessee, which means everything is extra green. We drive through tunnels like this everyday, and I finally decided to stop in the middle of one of the streets that isn't quite as busy as others to take a shot.

And our river is extra high because of all the rain.

For a fun story, read the post below!

Nine Years Ago.....

Nine years ago today I went skydiving, and ended up engaged.

Pete and I worked together for a few months while dating, and we worked for a therapist named Holly.  Holly was an avid skydiver, and even before Pete came into the picture, Holly had been wanting me to go with her.  On Friday, May 19, Pete came to me at work and said "hey, Holly wants us to go diving tomorrow. Let's go."  I quickly answered OK; I was so freakin excited.

The next day, on the 20th, Pete and his best friend Jeremy came to pick me up, and both tried to convince my mom to come watch, but she didn't give. So we headed to the hanger in the Ogden Airport, where Holly and all the gang waited for us.  They were all so excited, but I didn't think anything of it.  As we were getting ready, there were many whispers and giggles behind us, and I just laughed along with them.  Jeremy didn't jump with us, which didn't surprise me, because he is terrified of heights.  Later I learned he was in charge of the RING.

 The group:  Bianca, Pete, Me, Sage, Dave, Matt, Holly and Jeff.

You know the slow scene from "Top Gun?"  Imagine that.  It was on our video.

We traveled about 9,000 feet up in the air in a small plane.  Matt was our videographer/photographer, and he climbed all over the plane to get pictures.  Pete and Bianca jumped first, and just before he jumped, he leaned over and screamed, "Will you marry me?"

Ok, now, we were jumping out of a plane.  Who wouldn't say something stupid?

That's what I figured he was doing.  

So I laughed.

 Hysterically.

After he jumped, I jumped.  Matt stayed with me to take pictures and video:

This is overlooking Ogden Valley.

Pete landed before I did (with a crash, I might add).  As I was taking my gear off, Pete came running, along with everyone else from the hanger, and he got down on one knee.  

He was serious.

And I had laughed at him.

I said yes, by the way.

We added the video from the jump to our wedding video, and someday when I turn it into a DVD, I'll share it with all of you, too.  

Originally, Pete had wanted to get me another ring, and make the engagement ring just that- an engagement ring.  But I was too in love with my ring, so we just added a band at the wedding.

Side note:  Pete bought my ring 4 weeks after we started dating.  He proposed 4 weeks after that.  We were married 3 months later.  WOW, quick.

Tennessee Tuesday: DIVAS for Jesus

This sign is on a building not far from us.  The missionaries are the ones who first showed it to me.  None of us can figure out exactly what kind of business it is.  We have come up with a dance studio, a singing group, a church, or some kind of women's help center.  We just don't know.

So before Sister Smith left the area, she told me that my mission (should I choose to accept it) was to find out what it is.  I haven't been brave enough yet to just walk in and say "hey, what are you guys?"

What A Weekend

We had quite a weekend... always going, but it was so great.

I started off Saturday with a 5 hour Zumbathon at the gym.  I taught the majority of it, but got to take a break for a guest-teacher from another gym, and it was nice to take a class from someone else.

Pete spent the morning in the office working on a project, and then spent a few hours in the afternoon helping a new dentist coming in to the army program.  

Then, it was dinner with the neighbors.  That's always fun, and we really love our neighbors.

We also had the new dentist and his wife come over around 8:30 p.m. and they stayed for about 2 hours asking questions.  It was fun to pass on what little knowledge of the army we have!

Next was something we have been looking forward to for a while.

For a few months, we have been working with the missionaries to teach a woman named Stacy.  She had a few lessons at our home, and we drove with her to a few church activities.  In that time, we realized that Pete and Stacy think very similarly.  Pete was able to explain things in a way that made sense to her, and for that, she appreciated him greatly.  We knew she would be baptized, but we waited for her to realize it.  When she did, we were there to help her... ok, Pete was there.  She asked him for a blessing, then to baptize and confirm her.  It was awesome.  

Pete hasn't baptized anyone since his mission, and it was such an amazing thing for me to see.  Baptisms are always amazing, but for me to see my husband take someone from the beginning of their journey all the way to baptism was such an awesome experience.  I am so proud to be married to someone who holds the priesthood, and holds it honorably.  I have loved listening to him teach Stacy, because his knowledge of the gospel far exceeds mine. 

Today during her confirmation, he promised her blessings from the decision that she made.  

Then every talk during sacrament was about blessings.  

Coincidence?

These are the three missionaries that taught her.

Sister Cordon, Sister Smith and Sister Fear

Tonight the Sisters stopped by for a visit.  Sister Cordon is being transfered, and I am pretty bummed about that.  She has been here for 9 months; I believe she set the record for longest stay in the area.  She arrived here at the same time we did, so we have become great friends. Also, Sister Smith is going home this week.  I am sad to see her go, but I am so excited to be friends with her outside of her mission.  She is only 2 years younger than me, and we clicked right away.  She can read me as well as Pete can.  She knows automatically if I am having a bad day, and she is right there asking what she can do.  She is amazing.  I am excited to meet her parents this week.

The Four Girls.

It took us a while to get a good shot...

PhotoStory Friday: Some Of The Keepers

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Like I said in my last post, I took Annie's pictures this week.  They just turned out ok.  I never really got a picture of her.  I got pictures of the fake-smiling Annie.  I am hoping that once I take Noah out with her, he will make her laugh, so that I can really capture her.  These are some of the pictures that I like, but I'm not sure that I love any of them, although how can you not love this chubby little face?

To see the ones that "didn't make the cut" but are still cute, see the post below.  

The Pictures We Probably Won't Print

I took Annie's pictures this week, and some turned out ok, I guess.  I never really got a true smile, so once I can take Noah with me, I'll do some more.  He can always make her laugh. These are some of the ones that just didn't make the cut, but made me laugh (I'll show you some good ones later this week).