Speaking of my fickle ferapist...

Well, the last month has been a whirlwind, but the most exciting part was for sure that Justin graduated with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy!! It takes me back to the spring day in early 2003. Sitting on the grass at Scera park in Orem Utah with the boy that made my heart skip a beat, talking about future career plans.

I was so impressed to watch as he went though the process of picking an area in which to dedicate his life. I remember he was pretty intent on studying it out and doing his soul searching at the beginning so he wasn't changing his mind or his major in a few years. He looked to his examples and heros and those whose lives he wanted to emulate. He thought of his future family (i'm so grateful!) and what could make him truly happy. And, that was the beginning of our journey.

When you do something that takes 7 years it's easy to get lost somewhere in the middle. Somedays to feel like it might never end. That our lives would always be defined by semesters. Justin did wonderfully at BYU, with a needy wife and 2 jobs. It was a good part of our lives. Easy in retrospect. Then he started gradate school in a top rated program without so much as a weeks break. He did great, once again with a needy wife and 2 kids. I'd say it was the hardest and most rewarding season of our lives thus far. Why do those two always seem to go together? We know that this isn't our last hurdle, and that working and real life won't be without it's challenges, but I think we've started out on the right foot.

Thank you BYU, thank you Physical Therapy department at the University of Utah, Thank you everyone who gave us a chance or a helping hand or a word of encouragement, thank you family for the never ending support, thank you economy for being in a good place for us right now, thank you God for being in control of all of the above.

Thank you Justin for being my SK.

At the department hooding ceremony. As they were hooding him I realized that I never once doubted that this day would come and just how thankful I am to have been a part of it from the very beginning. I'm so proud of you!

Asher and Caleb are also very proud of Dr. Carrier! Way to go, dad!

Thanks for giving them such a wonderful example.

Oh, how I love you.

Fickle Ferapist...

Asher says Justin is a "Fickle Ferapist" (physical therapist), and I think it's funny. The end.

ps. check out caleb's bed hair. i love it.

Goodbye Zoo, we'll miss you!

When Justin finished his internship and we were all finally together again we took a family trip to the zoo. We sure have fun there. It had been a rough few months of traveling and being separated (I don't know who it was harder on, Asher or me... or maybe the people who had to listen to Asher or me) but I think the boys could sense that it was over, we were together again and it was going to stay that way.

We even went into the weird rodent/reptile house thing that I usually try to avoid. It was for sure the boys favorite part.

Riding the train.

Happy to be together.

Such good little buddies.

When did my babies get so big? and when did Caleb get so blonde?

Thanks Andy (and Lisa)...

So, yesterday I pulled out some of Asher's old shoes that I thought might fit Caleb now. Caleb was very pleased with them and let out some super excited "Ooooo's" while Justin was tying the laces. He hopped down and started slowly walking around the living room to try them out. I noticed he was quietly saying "Andy's shoes. Andy's shoes. Andy's shoes." I told him they used to be Asher's shoes and now they were Caleb's. He didn't want to hear it. "No! Andy's!" I decided not to pop his hand-me-down's from a super cool older cousin bubble.

Asher also loves getting hand me downs from Andy. These superman jammies might be his favorite... or the orange big boy jacket... or the rocket shirt.

I think they actually gave him super jumping powers!

Yosemite National Park with Grandma and Grandpa...

Justin did get to come on our weekend trip to Yosemite with me, the boys, and his parents. It was wonderful. It reminded me how little time I am spending in nature these days (life gets so busy)... and how much I miss it and want that to change.

These red suckers might have been the dumbest idea I've had in a long time. Oh, they got so sticky! Painfully sticky...

...but they were pretty cute getting there.

We took a short hike to a beautiful waterfall area. Asher was so funny to hike with! We started pointing out shapes that we found in nature and he saw some we totally would have missed.

This is what Caleb did during the hike. Sweet baby.

Asher showing us some tricks.

Justin and Asher playing Pooh Sticks on a bridge.

Thank You, Thank You Grandma and Grandpa for all the fun we had! The whole week was wonderful. It was great to have you there!!

Throwing rocks at Folsom Lake...

Seriously, there is not much that my kids like better than throwing rocks and sticks into water. And to do it with Grandpa who doesn't get tired of it as quick and is way more fun than mom was like heaven for them.

Hugging... fighting... I'm not quite sure.

This kid would have just kept walking if I wasn't watching. He doesn't mind being muddy and wet.

Showing me his drift wood before he throws it into the lake.

Awesome day.

"Adventures" with Grandma and Grandpa...

Justin's parents came to visit while we were in California for Justin's last internship. Of course, Justin had to work so he didn't get to do very much with us, but me and the boys sure had fun with them! Asher called all of our outings "adventures", and we had an "adventure" every day, which he loved. One of our stops was the Jelly belly factory. Are you kidding me, free samples... the boys loved it.

Another thing we did was go to the zoo/animal sanctuary. There were peacocks all over that place. The boys can now do a mean peacock impression. While we were there we also saw some bears and watched as they picked up nuts, cracked them with their teeth and spit out the shells. Asher really liked seeing that and then he said something like "Hey, the bears are just like Daddy and Grandpa!" referring to their favorite road trip snack of sunflower seeds.

My Shiree fix...

My friend Shiree moved away. Far away, and it hasn't been my favorite thing in the whole world. But, I guess the silver lining is that they moved to the same town as my Aunt Nancy. So, guess whose door I was knocking on while I was in town. It was so good to see Cory, Shiree, Josie and Alex. Of course, there wasn't nearly enough time to talk about everything we could've talked about, but even though it was way too short it was really what I needed! Thanks again, Shiree. I can't wait until next time!

A little Josie/Caleb love.

Smile for the picture.

Action shot.

It was a good day.

"Mommy's Nancy"

We went to Oregon to visit my Aunt Nancy. I was so happy that she and the boys were instant friends. It had been about a year and a half since we had seen her.

This time we were living with Justin's Uncle John and Aunt Nancy in California, and I wondered if going to see another Aunt Nancy would confuse them, but Asher caught on really quickly, distinguishing them by "John's Nancy" and "Mommy's Nancy". Too funny.

Getting ready to race.

Sidewalk chalk on the back patio.

Playing at the park with Flat Stanley.

Checking out the river.

On the walk home from feeding the ducks.

We didn't get any pictures with Mommy's Nancy :( How could I have forgotten to do that?! I still don't know. We sure love you and miss you. Thanks for everything you did to make us all feel so comfortable and loved. P.S. I'll be calling you soon. I'm dying for an update.

We're going back...

Way back to April 9th when the boys and I took a train ride to Oregon. It was... an adventure. A horrible, no good, dirty rotten, 13 hour adventure that I never want to do again. Okay, maybe that was a wee bit dramatic, but it was pretty crazy. I'm sure you don't want to read all the hairy details. But, I guess whatever doesn't kill us, right? It all turned out great in the end and we had a wonderful long weekend!

All I will say is thank goodness for the nice conductor that took pitty on me and let the boys wear his hat and ask him two thousand questions. I love you conductor, wherever you are!

Asher named our train Coco, and he still talks about her.

We're a mess...

but we're alive and well! A lot of changes: new city, new job, new place to live, new cell phone number... the list goes on and on. We're not even close to being settled in yet, but we are happy. So many friends I want to call and chat with. I truly hope all is well with you!

We just hooked up our internet so maybe tomorrow I'll put up some of the pictures of all our adventures from the last few months.

But, until then... have a simple lovely evening!