So Blessed

The other night I came home late from some meeting and found Lucas still awake. I went in and cuddled with him while we talked about his night, how he likes to sleep with the blanket up over his head and how the dog gets jealous when I lay with Lucas. I asked him where Dad was because the house was dark when I walked in. "Oh, Jonah had some trouble falling asleep..."

So I went into our bedroom and found this. Doesn't Jonah just look huge?

I crawled into bed with them and cuddled to my heart's content. I just curled that sweet boy right up next to me, put his hand on my face and reveled for 20 minutes.

It was one of those peaceful, soulful moments that I will always have with me. It made me think of when Jonah was first born and how I holed up in my home for that first month and just held our baby, literally for hours a day, doing nothing but loving that feeling of him nestled against my neck. I feel so blessed. And so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who has helped me learn patience, the joy of motherhood, what faith really is, and the indescribable joy that can come from our families.

I think back to the timing of us having Lucas 10 years ago. We had just gotten married and had decided to wait at least a year before we even started trying to have kids. But a month after our wedding, I kept getting this strong impression we needed to start trying right now. Infertility runs in our family and thought it would probably take us a year to get pregnant anyway. Well, 3 weeks later we were expecting. We took Lucas to our first wedding anniversary and what an absolute joy he has been. My older sister had just had her first son 10 months earlier and unbeknownst to us, their births would be the start of many sad years for both of us unable to have more children. I see Lucas as such a tender mercy of the Lord. We were so blessed the two boys have had each other. He knew Lucas needed to come when he did. Lucas led me to a special, deeper relationship with my dear sister as we struggled with infertility and raising an only child. Lucas and her son Jackson now also have a tight bond as the oldest cousins on our side and will always be close.

After 7 years of hoping and praying and too many shots to count, we were blessed with this amazing, wonderful spirit. I cannot express in words my emotion and love for this child. He fills a place in me that had ached for so many years. I love that Lucas finally has a brother and I love that Jonah will have such a fabulous big brother to guide him and play with him and mentor him. I love all the little things I had forgotten from Lucas' time as a baby and everything that comes flooding back, like the thrill of each new milestone, our awe of each new word and his amazement as he discovers the world, renewing a love for picture books read a thousand times to Lucas, the ever-needed vigilance and the panic when things get a little too quiet.
It's not always been easy to "start over" with a baby after so many years (forgotten were the long, weary nights of teething, trying to get him to eat regular food, and the never ending mess) but it literally fills my soul. Fills me with deep purpose and a joy in my role as mother.

What every marriage needs

My wonderful mother came out from Spokane last week to watch the boys while Aaron and I took off to post-celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary and pre-celebrate my birthday. Couldn't have asked for a better get away.


Starting our trip on the Victoria Clipper....3 glorious hours of quiet sleeping and reading.


Aaah, beautiful Victoria, BC. The weather was perfect, the food was delicious and the company even better.


My parents are real "do-ers" when it comes to vacations. We always had exciting, adventure packed vacations growing up where we got to see everything and do everything. Loved it! Yet it's taken me a while to realize that as an adult on vacation with no kids it's okay to not see everything and do everything. My life right now calls for trips of sleeping late, lots of reading and slowly enjoying each meal. Within a few city blocks of Victoria there are a hundred different tours you can take (whale watching, sea plane, zip line) and a hundred different museums (Bug Museum, Underwater Museum, Miniature Museum, Wax Museum) but our choice was just to sit by the water and read, listen to the street musicians and just unwind. We took naps, went to a late movie and had fish and chips while we watched the sunset. We watched a pro life protest down Main Street, ate breakfast at 11 in the morning and bought chocolates to eat on the afternoon.


We did make it to Craigdarroch Castle. Basically a mansion built in the late 1800's. We made the 40 minute walk out there, stopping by antique shops and getting cold drinks. I'd say worth the trek. We walked a ton those 3 days since we took the ferry and had no car but with the weather as perfect as it was, we loved it.


The entire place (all 25, 5200 sq ft of it) was paneled with beautiful wood but was much too dark for my liking. It would make me go nuts. (yet in this picture I sure look happy about something.)


Contemplating who knows what in the library.

Devouring gelato was perfect on the way back to town.



We rode out to Buchart Gardens one afternoon. Beautiful and peaceful.


This ginormous tree made we want to take the kids down to the Giant Redwood Forests in California. Put that on our to-do list before Lucas leaves home.


Sweet man.


Wonderful weekend with my honey.

Thanks, Mom!!

Canadian finds

My Canadian dollar stores finds. Pretty simple but I think pretty cute.


Couldn't decide which was worse...flash or no flash.



First off is the frame. I had been looking for something exactly like this for my keys, the keys that came home with me from Argentina. The larger one is from a chapel in where they changed the locks because too many people had made copies. (Sound familiar? A deacon in our ward always let me into the library because I couldn't get the code, yet everyone knew it.) The smaller one is one of my apartment keys that I forgot to turn in. They were on my key chain for years but then just in a jewelry box and now on my wall. In a dollar store frame mounted on sample fabric I got while looking for curtains.






I haven't put it anywhere because I am still waiting for my dining room to come together. But it will most likely go in there. Owls are under renovation. More to come.

Aaron and I are off to Victoria for a few days while my saintly mother is here to play with the boys. Good times!

My mothers

Do you have wonderful women in you life? These two are some of my favorites and I feel blessed to know them, learn from them and call them my friends.

My mother gives 110% in everything she does. Whether it be in her calling or family history, her marriage or friendships, or her role as a mother and grandmother. She is always dedicated to doing her very best. She is a scriptorian and devoted in her studies. I always loved looking through her scriptures at all the notes and notations she made that offered insights and inspiration. My mother is a gifted teacher and speaker. She can clearly convey her thoughts and ideas, teaching by the Spirit in a powerful way. She is a do-er, spontaneous and adventurous. She never shies away from a challenge, from sky diving to designing and sewing my prom dress 2 weeks before prom because we could not find a cute, modest one in Chicago. She is a beautiful example of Christ-like charity and how to show love for others. She is always inviting friends over, sending care packages, and going above and beyond anything someone would expect to show her love for them. She has taught me how to be a mother, loving, firm, steadfast and fun, and a supportive and devoted wife. She is my dear friend and I love her!

I was blessed to have my other mom by marraige. I have to say I truly lucked out to have this beautiful, tender woman as my mother in law. First she raised a tender, crazy, hard working son that I love dearly and then she became a sweet friend and incredible support to me. She has helped me understand raising boys and encourages me to seek the Lord in teaching these two dear children. She is an example of pure love and selfless service. Her humility and Christ like love is felt by all who know her. She quietly goes about her work, serving faithfully in the Lord's vineyard and tirelessy caring for others. She doesn't see herself a leader, yet the Lord calls her again and again to tend to those in need. She is a gifted friend, always interested in what you are doing, always asking more about how you are doing and probing for stories of her grandchildren. Though we live far apart she makes sure her grandkids know she loves them and they can't help but to love her sweetness. I love being with her and feeling her unconditional love and support. I love her and feel blessed to be called family!

(I think Dad looks adorable in this picture.)

Happy Mother's Day!

Canada: The Triliogy

Last installment on our little trip to Vancouver, I promise.



We wanted to make the most of our trip to a different country, so Saturday after breakfast we made a quick excursion to the exotic and foreign Canadian Dollar Store right outside our hotel. Mainly we went because the kids loved it and had some money burning holes in their pockets. Okay, me too. I couldn't wait to go! This actually was quite the impressive dollar store and I found some cute, cute finds that now reside in my dining room. More on that later.

Saturday turned out rainy and cold, so when we got lost on our way to ferry and came across the science museum we decided to take advantage of our situation and stayed. It had been our back up plan if it was too wet to go to Grouse Mountain. It was a perfect choice.

Mr. B... all energy, all the time.


Oh too be young and flexible.


Almost, honey. Almost.


Jonah LOVED the kiddie section and could have stayed all day running around in circles.


"My dad is the greatest! And don't look at my hair. My mom butchered it while trying to give a me quick trim."


We took the ferry across the water just to take the ferry. And to take pictures.



Those are three wonderful men. I am so grateful they are in our lives.




Lucas being Lucas and not able to smile normally in pictures. Actually, Lucas hates heights so he wasn't very happy.



We ended the day with a donut from Tim Horton's, a quick trip to the outlet mall on our way home with a girl-time shopping extravaganza at Claire's (love those nieces!) and made it home by sundown. Thanks for coming everyone!

I'll leave you all with a little taste of Friday afternoon. I think we had all been in the car for JUST a bit too long. It's funny because no one was really upset, they just needed to make their voices heard. The 3rd little screech in the background is Pax and imagine this going on for 15 minutes....


Oh Canada, thanks for the good times.

Vancouver, BC: The Sequel

Brant and his girls came the night before so the cousins had a sleepover and then we took off early Friday morning. The trip was only about 2 and half hours but I sacked out before too long. Okay, yes, apparently I frown when I sleep. But I had no idea it was quite that terrifying. I'm so sorry, dear. I noticed from my parents last visit that I get this particular quirk from my mother but she is definitely not so scary looking. Wow. Agian, honey, thank you for loving me anyway and thank you for documenting me in all my loveliness. Love you!

Jonah and his beloved tube of toothpaste. Yes, this is the same one that saved us on our temple tour.

After our wonderful trip to the temple we checked into our hotel and headed to get some grub. Here the kids gather around an iPhone to keep entertained. I guess whatever works when were in public, enclosed spaces.

Jonah kept himself entertained by spitting out french fries, climbing on the table, poking his mother with a fork, dumping drinks, and screeching until he got let down to run amok. And he looks so innocent.

After we filled our stomachs, we went out to the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge. Lucas decided he is scared of heights but it sure was beautiful. LUCAS ROCKS! (Lucas hijacked the blog and wrote a note while I was chasing JB trying to get a diaper changed. But I happen to agree completely so I'll let it ride.) Here he is doing a pull up on the suspension cable.

There was a beautiful trail to hike so we went for a stroll.

All the cousins, except for Pax who was napping in his carrier.

There he is.


Taking a little break from the rat race.

Love this picture of the two of them.

Cute, cute girl. And a girl after my own heart for her sweet tooth rivals even mine.

The night was topped off with a cold swim in the hotel pool (NOT by me, that's what dad's are for) and delivered pizza.

We all slept well for the most part, JB in a crib in the bathroom. And we were ready for day 2.