Independence Day!

My parents were in California for the 4th this year, so we didn't do something with my family. Andrew and I were on our own and we wanted to make the day memorable. We decided to go hiking. After our last hike as a family to the G (see prior post) we were a bit hesitant. It was so steep and hard!

This time I researched (even more) than last time to ensure that the hike wouldn't be too challenging. The trail was in the same parking lot as the G and is within 5 minutes of our house. I love where we live!

This hike to Battle Creek Falls was much more family friendly and so enjoyable. The heat has been excruciating lately, but thanks to James, we were up at 6:30 and headed right to the trail. I'm so glad we went early because it was still cool, and by the time we were leaving, the trail was packed with families. We basically had the whole canyon to ourselves.

James is much more awake and alert recently and the whole way there he was bright eyed and couldn't stop looking around. It was adorable. When we headed back down the mountain, he was exhausted and slept all the way to the car.

Andrew recently got a new phone that has an amazing camera and he took some pictures.

Andrew told me my pose was boring, so I had to spice it up.

James is a BIG boy. We need to invest in a better carrier.

Love this view!

Ditto pose

When we got home, I made watermelon/strawberry smoothies which were healthy and delicious.

Andrew spent the majority of the afternoon doing homework. (HIS CLASS ENDS THIS WEEK AND WE WILL BE CELEBRATING.) We invited some friends from the ward over for a BBQ and games. We haven't had people over as much since having James, and it was a lot of fun.

Dinner was divine! We had hamburgers, deviled eggs, pizza dip, my favorite salad, and watermelon. For dessert, our friends brought a homemade apple pie. What is more American than that? I meant to take pictures of all the food (I even put it on pretty platters, but only managed to get a picture of the salad.)

Andrew is not a big salad fan. This salad changed his mind.

After dinner, we played games. Our friends brought the game Jamaica which we had never heard of, and it was extremely fun. We must be getting old because after putting James to bed, Andrew and I headed outside to the porch swing to watch fireworks. We lasted about 5 minutes before deserting the fireworks for bed.

I'm so glad for the freedoms that come with living in America and the sacrifices so many people have made for this country. Also, I love it when Andrew has work off on a weekday. Let the countdown for Labor Day begin!

Father's Day

This year I was extra excited about Father's Day. Why? I wanted to spoil Andrew rotten since it was his first time actually being a dad on this holiday. I found it a little odd that Father's Day wasn't mentioned during sacrament meeting at all. The talks were on faith. The primary kids did sing about fathers and I accompanied them, but that was all. I was disappointed after the meeting when the dads got nothing. No chocolate or anything. I wish I had been put in charge of making sure this would happen. (Maybe next year?)

When I married Andrew I was young and thought I was hitting the jackpot which was true. It wasn't until later that I realized he was even better than I imagined. Something extremely important to me was how Andrew would take on his role as a dad. I knew Andrew had lots of experience with kids (being the youngest of 7 in his family) thanks to his many nieces and nephews.

I could not have married a better person to help me raise our kids. I get emotional thinking about Andrew and what an amazing father he is. I grew up with a very hands-on father (see pic below) and Andrew has already proven to be everything and more that I wanted in my children's dad.

We celebrated my dad the day before Father's Day this year. At dinner, we each shared something we love about him. I love that my Dad is a reader. It has been fun for me to discuss books with him that we have both read. This picture was recently taken in Hawaii after he completed a Half Ironman. My dad has taught me so much and I'm grateful that he set the bar high, so I knew what to look for in my spouse who would someday help raise my kids.

Late into my pregnancy, it was fast Sunday and I asked Andrew over dinner what he had been fasting for. He told me that he fasted to be a good father. This was one of the sweetest things I had ever heard.

Andrew has told me before that his title should never be "babysitter." He is a dad and watching our kids while I go somewhere should be a normal thing and it has been. Andrew has noticed when I need a night out and makes sure it happens. Andrew has a natural fatherly instinct that just kicks in. He changes James' diaper all the time without being asked. Andrew bathes James every night. The voices Andrew uses while reading stories to James are hilarious and make me want to step up my story-reading skills. Andrew can get James to laugh the loudest and smile the biggest. In the past, Andrew told me that he couldn't wait to have a little one who was SO thrilled when daddy came home from work and now that dream has come true.

Here are some pictures of Andrew in his element:

James' fav sleeping position

Andrew is extremely busy and I am so proud of all that he does for our little family. He is currently working full time as well as taking an online class. On top of that, he has set some fitness goals and wakes up before work to head to the gym several times a week. He still is able to find time for what is most important to him-- his family.

At the gym. James slept soundly next to daddy while I was behind sweating up a storm and thinking I was in better shape than I actually am.

Due to our callings, I have James during Sunday School while Andrew teaches. Andrew takes James during the 3rd hour, so I can play the piano in primary. I have never been worried about leaving James with Andrew. I'm grateful to have a husband who doesn't think twice about taking on the responsibilities that come with fatherhood. (Like standing during the entire Elder's Quorum lesson to keep a fussy baby quiet.)  Andrew is so loving and patient. I have learned so much from watching him interact with James.

I decided to surprise Andrew on Father's Day and make him homemade cinnamon rolls. I don't do this often because it's an exhausting process and I wouldn't let him help with the dishes or cleanup. Andrew got some new shoes to celebrate the occasion which look pretty sharp. For dinner we had Grandma's Potatoes and Steak. I was hesitant about the steak because it meant Andrew would have to grill, but he was all for it and the taste was definitely worth it. I didn't let him touch the dishes after dinner though.

Recently I was in the grocery store and someone in our ward stopped me. She told me that she has never seen a more proud father than Andrew. (You should have seen the smile on Andrew's face as he held up James to show the congregation after James' baby blessing.) James (and our future kids) will never know how lucky they are to have such an incredible man raising them. Here's to hoping that next Father's Day Andrew (and other fathers) will be recognized in church for their influential role.

Getting Involved Where We Live

We have now lived in Pleasant Grove for just over a year now. Crazy! There is the letter "G" on the mountains behind us and I can see it out our windows daily. We have been wanting to hike up to the letter "G" and we decided to over Memorial Day Weekend. I read some blog posts about the hike and based on what I read, I thought we would be just fine. (Even with James on Andrew's chest in a carrier.)

Wow! The hike was very intense and hard. It was extremely steep! I am very clumsy and struggled at times to keep my balance. It wasn't a super long hike, but the way up took WAY longer than the way down and I can see why. Poor Andrew had a cold and a 13 (plus) pound child strapped onto him the whole way. I offered to carry James on the way back down, but Andrew wisely said no. (He was afraid I would fall and I can't blame him.)

There were some really pretty views along the way and we went pretty early, so it wasn't too warm. In fact, it was a bit chilly for poor little James. (We should have put socks on his little toes.) Luckily his jacket had a hood. When we got back to the car and unstrapped James, you could see an "imprint" of his body on Andrew's shirt. We were sweaty after that climb! Andrew had a sore back for a few days after this excursion and I was sore all over. We both decided that we wouldn't do this hike again until James can walk himself or we have a babysitter.The trail head that leads to the G also has another hike leading to some waterfalls that is much easier. We will do that next time!

James was a champ and slept the entire time.

Can you see James' little head?

It was hard to get a good picture, but the view was gorgeous.  

Strawberry days is a big thing in Pleasant Grove and happens annually. Growing up, my family went to Strawberry Days a few times and ran the 5k or the kid fun run (half mile). I wish Andrew and I had signed up to do this last year, but we didn't. This year, I made sure to sign us up for the race. My training was going fairly smoothly until I got a nasty cold that made it hard to train for nearly 2 weeks. I didn't bother setting a goal for myself time-wise for this race because I did just have a baby.  

It was supposed to be a fun, relaxing run. I was excited because my parents offered to come watch James and support us, so I didn't have to push the stroller. I honestly don't think that I would have made it if I had been pushing James. Apparently the course has changed since the last time I did it, and it was very uphill for a good mile at the beginning. I was happy when I finished and proud of myself for not walking (even though I REALLY wanted to).  I'm just getting over my soreness and had trouble walking for a couple days after.

I was so pleased with James. The race started at 7:00am and I was worried about how his sleeping/eating schedule would workout. James slept all the way through the night and didn't wake up until 5:45 which was perfect because I fed him right then and we still got to the race plenty early. (This was not his first time sleeping all the way through the night.)

We both wore compression socks. They seem to help with my shin problems.

Why do a 5k if there isn't a t-shirt?

Although the race was more challenging than we both expected, I'm glad we did it. I'm bummed that my time hadn't been just 1 second faster! 

Until next year Strawberry Days! Maybe you won't catch me off guard quite as much now that I know how hilly you are.

Books Worth Reading

I recently have had more time on my hands than I ever have my entire life. This is something I was worried about and knew was coming after having James. To my surprise, I have not been bored, but rather busy.

I now actually have time to read books that aren't school related or for the purpose of planning a lesson. I tend to be a bit picky about what I like to read. (Surprisingly, I like a lot of non-fiction books.) Recently, I have read 5 books that I thoroughly enjoyed. Check out a description of each of them:

1) Ms. Bixby's Last Day 

By: John David Anderson

My sister is a librarian and reads all the time. I look forward to getting a book from her each Christmas because I know that I'll like it. She has also started sending a book for your birthday as well. In February, Jill sent me Ms. Bixby's Last Day. To be completely honest, this book remained on my shelf for a while. I was focused on reading a book about breastfeeding and frantically getting sub plans together for my maternity leave. This is a charming book about a teacher who is so inspiring to her students and goes above and beyond her job description to reach each student on an individual level. I highly recommend this book. (If I was teaching, I would definitely read it to my class.)

2) The Orphan Keeper

By: Camron Wright

A couple summers ago, I read the book, The Rent Collector. When I heard that Camron Wright wrote a new book, I immediately wanted to read it. In fact, I told my Dad to buy the book for my Mom for Christmas and he did. (selfish of me?) I borrowed their copy and got reading. This book took me a while to finish reading, but once I got into it I couldn't put it down. It's over 400 pages, so it is a time investment, but I think it is well worth it. It's based on a true story about a boy who is kidnapped in India and taken to an orphanage. He then is adopted by an American family. Later, he discovers his Indian roots.

3) A Man Called Ove

By: Fredrik Backman

This book seems to be pretty popular right now, so I jumped on the bandwagon and read it. Now I understand all the hype. I see some of Ove's personality traits in a couple of family members and maybe even myself. In the book Ove talks about never having to set an alarm and waking up early each morning. Before having James, I was the definition of a morning person. Ove is also very into following rules and guidelines and gets frustrated when others don't do the same. I can relate to this as well. Sometimes I tell Andrew,  "Man, I wish I was a cop right now, so I could pull that person over." This is a powerful story about love and what it really means. The story includes thoughts of suicide and opened my eyes to how many people truly struggle with it.

4) An Unseen Angel

By: Alissa Parker

I follow Stephanie Nielson's blog regularly and several months ago, she mentioned that her friend wrote a book and it was coming soon. This book is about the school shooting that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary. I knew it would be a sad read. I'm not much of a crier (especially when reading), but this book got to me. I think being a Mom made it hit home even more than it would have before. I can't imagine what Alissa Parker went through after losing her first-grade daughter. The story is actually really positive though and there are some really neat personal experiences that Alissa shares which helped her get through her darkest moments. What an inspiring book. I'm glad I used my precious Barnes and Noble gift card to purchase it.

5) All Rise For the Honorable Perry T. Cook

By: Leslie Connor

This book is possibly the best book I have ever read. Inside the cover, it says it is a good book for children ages 8-12. I so wish I had someone that age I could read it to. Only about a decade more and I'll get reading it with James. The story is so intriguing and something I never would have considered writing a story about. (Probably why I'm not an author.) It's about a boy who grows up being raised in a prison with his Mom who is incarcerated. The story unravels beautifully and keeps you on the edge of your seat. What did Perry's Mom do to be imprisoned for so many years? The characters add so much to this story. This book is a good reminder to stop judging. (Something I will always be working on.) You never know the full story or what someone is actually dealing with.

Tonight I'm feeling lonely without a book to wind down with. I think I'll hit the library tomorrow.

May 7, 2017

May 7th was a special day for our little family. James was blessed at church by Andrew. I'm so grateful I'm married to a man who is worthy to hold the priesthood and was able to do the blessing. It was such a neat day and we were thrilled to be surrounded by those we love.

Andrew's Mom was able to come and stayed with us for the weekend. She was a big help with food preparation. We had a big meal after sacrament meeting and fed about 30 people. I was overwhelmed, and it was great to have an extra set of hands.

Andrew's sister, Blayre, and her family happened to be in town for a wedding and we were glad they were able to attend the blessing as well. We got to spend some time with Owen and Carter on Friday night. It was fun to go to the park around the corner from our house with excited kids!

Andrew's other sister, Tavia, and her family also made the trip to Utah. It was so nice of them to come with their 6 kids! They weren't here for long, but we sure did appreciate them coming all the way from Boise for less than a 24 hour period.

It also happened to be women's conference at BYU, and we found out that our sister-n-law, Annie, came for that as well. She was able to stop by on Saturday to meet James, but had to leave early Sunday morning to make it back home.

Andrew's Mom and our sister-n- law, Annie

We live by lots of Ditto's and we were happy to see lots of them this past weekend. Ben, Becca, and Olivia came. Dan, Laura, Mary, Sam, and his fiancé, Natalie, all attended as well. The bishop talked to Andrew before about not having too many people in the circle, so he didn't ask his cousins/uncle to join. There were still 9 in the circle I believe. (I don't know if wanting smaller circles is a church-wide thing or just our ward.)

All of my siblings attended the blessing and it was a fun treat to have Jill in town from Malibu. All 4 of my grandparents were able to be there too. Sam Spice, my cousin, also joined the celebration.

Grandma & Grandpa Denning. Grandpa hadn't met James before this because he was sick.

Grandma & Grandpa Langlois (+ my Mom) 

Grandpa bore his testimony

I should have taken more pictures of this special day, but to be honest I was worried about the food and several other things. My sister-n-law, Lindsey, was so kind to take some amazing photos of James in his adorable baby outfit. He sure was a trooper and didn't really make a peep all day. He was wide awake during the blessing which nobody ever would have guessed.

Watch out ladies

His outfit had the cutest little white bow-tie

He gets plenty of food

We now need to talk about the food... A big thanks to my mom who helped me figure out what would be best. She made the meat for roast beef sandwiches and brought a huge potato salad. I made a spinach salad, 48 funfetti cupcakes (way too many), and I purchased 36 Costco mini cinnamon rolls. I also bought rolls from Costco for the sandwiches and Andrew did a wonderful job cutting them. Lindsey brought a tray of cookies from Costco (a big hit), and 2 pasta salads. Grandma Lynda made her famous brownies and brought a huge bowl of fruit. I should have taken a picture of all of the food because there was a ton! My parents brought 2 tables and lots of folding chairs which worked out well. Lots of people were able to eat outside and I'm glad the weather cooperated. I could not have done this without help. James is loved by lots of people and that is one thing I will remember from his blessing. Andrew said something like, "You have lots of aunts and uncles who love you."

This day was so special and EXHAUSTING! After everyone left, I took a two hour nap and the next day I slept in until 10:00am (with baby feeding interruptions of course.) We love you baby James! You have brought so much joy into our house.