Tate's 1st Birthday

Big brother trying to help with the presents

Since Rich wouldn't be here for Tate's birthday we celebrated early.  He was so excited to open presents but not that excited to eat his cake.  That night was a horrible night though I think the cake gave him a belly ache because we were up most the night. 

Tate's cake covered in skittles!

Yumm Yumm!!!

Nathan, Joni, Maggie and Landon

Family Picture

Merry Christmas to everyone!!!!

HOLY COW

So it has been forever since I have updated so it will take a little time to get everyone up to date.  As everyone knows we moved the end of July from Washington back down to Idaho.  Oh what a bittersweet decision it was, but we know it was the right decision for us.  We love and miss Connell so much during Christmas I would get cards from my friends and I about cried every time I see them.  I would have to say that Connell is an amazing place to live and I would go back in heart beat 

This is our living quarters for the last couple of days, all of us jammed into one room.

We went half way the first night to Missoula. I love this picture of the boys. Out like a light.

Lets just say ahhhhh......

Crazy  messy kitchen,

We moved 2 days after Rich's birthday so this was his cake.  Yummy zingers and chocolate cupcake (Thank you Hostess) and 31 birthday candles!  It rocked and Nathan thought it was, "So Cool"

Tate finding anything that he could play with and helping me sweep.

We bought an inclosed trailer to haul everything and store everything.  There is no way to pack a house, move and unload and return a U haul in 4 days.  Crazy people and this is mouse proof, WOOT WOOT!

Poor Nathan was sick the last two days of packing.The couch and TV were packed so we put him on Tate's mattress and set up the computer with Netflix so he could just rest poor little boy, but he did so good.

Goal Today

My goal today is to update this blog so eveyone can see but more for Rich to see the boys.  Wish me luck!!

Idaho

So we are here and have been for 2 weeks, still working on getting the Internet on my computer so I don't have any pictures right now.  We love it here but it is hard being without Rich.  The other day we Skyped and as soon as Tate saw Rich he started to cry, wanting him so bad.  Every night Nathan asks me "Where is my daddy?"  The past couple of days we have had cousins over and when they left to go home Nathan looked at me and said, "Did all my friends go because their daddy got a new job?"  He is so sweet and cute.  Tate is cracking me up, he said "Hi" which is so cute and almost walking.  Also he is so ticklish under his finger nails, any time I try to clean them he just started to giggle.  Well we love you all and miss everyone in Connell.

Moving

Yes we are moving to Idaho.  In 5 days!!!

Horse Ride + A Staple

 While Nathan was getting a horse ride from Rich yesterday he fell and hit the corner of the wall.  As you can see we ended up going to the doctors and getting a staple put in him head.

He was such a tough little boy, they didn't numb him just bammm... he cried for a min and then was fine.  All he cared about was getting am ice cream cone.

Nathan also wanted me to show you his hurt knee from falling outside the other day.

As well as his scrap on his nose from falling over his "BIG" fire engine.  He's doing fine now and you wouldn't know he even got hurt yesterday.

Easter

 So the day before Easter we decided to go camping.  So we hurried and loaded everything up and headed to Sulfur Lake.  It is only about 15 minutes from our house so not to far away.

I love this picture Nathan was trying to help Rich with the tent so he grabbed a rock and started pounding on the stakes.

 We had so much fun and Nathan enjoyed pushing his truck around and Tate just chilled!

 Nathan pulling faces for us he was hilarious that night, such a comedian.

 Nathan and Daddy hiking up a hill.  Rich said when it got to the top it was a little steep but Nathan climbed right up it.  They walked around a bit and Nathan loved seeing the big ant hills.  He actually climbed right up one, luckily he didn't get any bits.

 This is looking down at our camp.  Nathan loved yelling down to me and saying, "I LOVE YOU MOM!" He was in heaven being able to just run around.

Like I said Tate just chilling!

 Nathan eating his hot dogs and chips.  Actually he was eating his chips dipped in ketchup.  That just makes me want to be sick.

  Tate thinking he gets to have the good stuff!

 Just relaxing by the fire.

Now the funny story behind our camping trip.  We all went to bed sleeping so soundly until 1:30 in the morning when the heater in our tent ran out of propane and we were freezing.  Tate was screaming and I was wanting to scream.  So we got up put the kids in the pickup gathered everything up and just threw it in the pickup.  Then we went home to nice warm beds.  We were a little tired after church and all took long naps.  What a perfect Easter!!  Oh yes the Easter Bunny did find us.

Boys!!!

 Tate cracks me up, he started having this adorable smile but every time we get the camera out he just looks at us, no expression.  So this morning I finally caught it.

 Oh I love his smile so much he brings so much joy to our home. He rolls all over the place and spins in circles. Just waiting for the day he crawls .

 Boy does he love to eat.  Nathan was never really very interested in eating baby food, but Tate sure is.  I can't seem to give him enough he is always wanting more food.  He is growing so much and is so fun.

 Now Nathan he is our comedian in the family, right along with his dad.  He is into posing for the camera lately pulling a variety of faces for us.   This one is the finger on the lip.

 This one is his serious face, oh he cracks me up.

Now the two handsome boys that love each other so much.  Nathan is such a good brother to Tate, he loves to play with him and make him smile.  Meal times are the best Nathan loves to make weird sounds and laughs so hard when Tate smiles at him.  We are so blessed to have these two handsome boys in our lives.

Spring Break

 For Spring Break my parents came up for the week and spent it with us.  It was so much fun and we loved them being here.  One day we went to Pendleton Oregon to the Underground Tours.  It was so amazing and we had so much fun you all need to check out there website.  Children are not allowed but we were the only ones on the tour so they let us take Nathan and Tate.

Rich, Tate and Josey

Nathan and me.

Grandma Jill, Nathan, Tate, Rich, Grandpa, Connor and Josey.

Nathan in the saloon.

Heading up the stairs to the Working Girls Hotel.

In the jail in the tunnel.

Beds the Chinese slept on.

Bath tub! Doesn't look to enjoyable to  me.

Meat Market.

Palouse Falls

Say cheese!

The Falls!

Girls Trip and Nathan's 3rd Birthday

 So the end of February we took our annual girls trip.  This year we went to Missoula, Montana so it was half way for everyone.  Tate did get to join us on the trip and was loved on and kissed on so much.  Him sleeping during dinner I think we shopped to much for him.

 Us eating at Applebee's oh we laughed so hard we had a blast.  Seven of us in one hotel room, lets just say it was a little difficult getting to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

 Nathan turned 3 on March 4th, I can't believe he is three years old I cut his cake into a 3 with a train track on top. I was busy feeding Tate so I didn't get a good picture of it.

He was a little spoiled and got a Thomas bed spread and Thomas toys.  We love him so much and are so happy he is in our lives.

Things I have been up too!!

 So for Christmas I got a Cricut and I love it so much.  I have been wanting to have a coat rack in the boys room.  Everyone I have found at any store was more than I wanted to pay.  So one of our dressers broke I took the face off one door and kept all the knobs.  Spray painted it white didn't turn out how I wanted it, so I used cream craft paint, put some glaze over it.  Then added the vinyl with words that describe any boy, screwed on the drawer knobs for my hanging hooks and Viola!!!  A cute coat hanger for FREE!!!!

Now we were in need of a coat hanger by our back door.  This picture doesn't do it justice it is so much cuter in person.  Old window pain sitting in garage bought 2 years ago, berry wreath taken from bathroom wall, hooks bought from the Grange and spray painted black.  There you go another coat rack.

Now this is a chest I found in Missoula, Montana with on our girls trip.  I have been wanting a trunk for the kids toys forever but again I couldn't just spend $50 plus dollars on one. It made sick to think of even doing that, so I bought this for $8.99 at Goodwill.  Took it home and Nathan and I drilled the lock out, someone thought it would be funny to lock it and have no key with it.  Then I taped off all the brass and black edging and first spray painted it black.  The coverage wasn't the best and I was to cheap to go and buy more so I took some black house paint and gave it two coats.  Then Rich and I spent a good 30 minutes ripping all the paint off and now I have a toy box that can hold all our toys.  Nathan thinks it is awesome to get a toy out, play with it for 1 minute then open it back up put the toy away, and then get another one out.  Lets just say cleaning up toys is FUN now.
 

Now I have had a, Earring holder for a while but I was in need of a necklace holder as well.  So I cute a board we had out in the shed 12x12, glued the paper down, stapled the netting on after I spray painted it black.  Then cute the vinyl out on my Cricut, bella (mean beautiful in Spanish).  Put all the earrings and necklaces on it and there you go.  I am planning on making another one sometime in the near future I think I want one a little bit bigger.  Oh yeah the hooks for the necklaces drawer knobs from broken dresser spray painted black.