our crazy climber

Gracie at (almost) 18 months

 When the ottoman is pushed up to the tv, she almost runs to it and climbs up so she can get close to the tv. (P.S. the show she is watching is Disney's Good Luck Charlie - one of our families favorite)

Hogle Zoo

A few weeks ago we met my sister Angie at Hogle Zoo to celebrate my nephew Jaxon's 4th birthday!  Jaxon is the darling boy in blue . . .

Bracken is an avid map reader (during pictures)

The kids were pretty excited to see the bird show (they were grateful no birds pooped on them)

Gracie and Grandma

Carousel

Sea Lions

Polar Bear

That was about all we had time to see because our feet started hurting and I got hangry.  Next time maybe we will make it to the giraffes and gorillas.

New Beginnings

Bracken is a big 2nd grader this year.  Don't mind the pictures of his grumpy face.  He was extremely unhappy because his shoes didn't  "feel right".  That's my Bracken!

Gracie had to get in on some of the action when we were taking pictures.

Ema is in 4th grade now.  And although she misses her friends from Santa Clara she is learning to open up and it's been easier for her to make friends this year.

We are excited to see what this year bring us!

Extra Large Update

I realize that {almost} nobody reads this blog.  I have lost a lot of followers due to my absence.  I have felt a lot of guilt about not blogging because my kids are changing daily.  Gracie Mae will be 2 this September and she keeps us laughing.  Ema is an amazing big sister and so much help with Gracie.  Bracken's life was recently uprooted and he is trying to deal with a lot of new changes.  He continues to awe us with his vivid imagination and sweet disposition.

We are now living in Viking Territory.  Which is strange because I still consider myself a Caveman.  Justin decided that working with troubled youth was not the way he wanted to spend his career.  He received an amazing opportunity to switch {career} gears and in May he packed his bags and moved to Utah County to work for Provo College!  The kids and I followed a few months later and we are living in the hills of Utah County.  I started working a few days a week and so the move has been quite an adjustment for all of us.

I am hoping to start blogging again.  I realized that I was the BEST blogger in college (while I was procrastinating homework) and I even blogged a lot while working in St. George - (again procrastination is a skill I have honed).  It was while I was a SAHM that I quit blogging.  {It's useless to try and understand me.  Just ask my husband}.

Here are some pictures from my hiatus.  Enjoy!

Ema won reflections at the school level!

Carving Pumpkins

I made this ADORABLE tree skirt.  Thank you Pinterest!

I am *still* playing WWF and I still can't have too many games.

Justin and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary.

Christmas Card pictures.  Aren't my kids the cutest???

Pompom garland.  Thank you Pinterest!

Christmas!

Oh!  And I made new stockings for us.

I thought they turned out pretty cute. Each one is different.

Ema's Birthday party with a bunch of silly girls and facials.

We spent Christmas in Alpine

A $30 antique table that I found on KSL.  Circa 1900

Living in a bubble

Here is a post that I never published from earlier this year:

If you haven't noticed by now, I've {pretty much} stopped blogging.  It isn't because I don't want to.  In fact, I think about things to write about all the time.  At one time blogs were a big part of my life, and now I find myself reading less of them and {obviously} writing less posts. My kids are thriving here in Santa Clara and sometimes we feel like we live in a happy, peaceful bubble.  There are some of you that will argue that this is unhealthy.  You obviously don't live in a bubble :)

I am still consumed by family history work.  I mentioned to Justin once that I was "a little obsessed" with it.  He quickly pointed out that it was worse than that.  I am amazed to find out that my maternal great grandmother's family sailed from a port in Europe called Fiume.  Fiume is modern day Rijeka -  a place where Justin spent 10 months of his mission.

My grandfather's sister has been helping me in my quest to find out where I come from.  She has been a great help in requiring names and information of lost relatives.  Last week she sent me this postcard that was written to her uncle in 1914:

Here's the translation:

Dragi brate moj,primi najlepši pozdrav od nas sviju i ujedno ti čestitamo Novu Godinu,da budeš živ i zdrav i da se oženiš i koja ima mnogo novaca.I Nika Krmpotić je ovdje imaju farmu i on oće da se ženi,a Lenka se udala.Sretno dočeko i proveo Novu Godinu.Tvoj brat Stevo Dear Brother.Best regards from all of us, and also we wish you Happy New Year, to long living and health and to marry who has lots of money. Nika Krmpotic is here, has a farm and wants to get married, and Lenka is married already. Happy New Year. Your Brother Stevo

Martin died two years later of consumption.  He never married.

As far as the mosspatch goes, we are doing well.  Justin is working in Provo now.  He can make more money than he can here, but we're not ready to move back to Utah County. So {for now} he will come home when he can on weekends.  When we told Bracken about his new job, this was his initial suggestion.  He is fine with his dad being gone all week - if it means he doesn't have to leave his friends.

Ema and Gracie are becoming fast friends, despite their 8 year age difference.  It is fun to see Gracie's face light up when she sees her coming home after school, or to watch Ema nurture and love her as only big sisters can.  I am SO blessed.

Kids Criterium

February 11, 2012

cri·te·ri·um/krīˈti(ə)rēəm/

Noun:

A one-day bicycle race on a short course often held on a blocked-off city street.  Riders typically race for a given length of time, then complete a specified number of laps.

 I'm SO proud of these kids.  Despite a few obstacles (Brackens brake was rubbing his wheel the entire time & Ema's bike is a wee bit too small for her), these kids did amazing.

Boys 6-8 Starting their first heat.  

Girls 8-10 Starting their second heat.  Each heat was almost a mile!

Gracie got bored until they announce free frozen yogurt for spectators.

Really long update

I don't even know how to begin an update that includes our 10 year anniversary, Gracie turning one, Justin quitting his job, Bracken's Birthday, Halloween full of bumblebees, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Justin's birthday and Valentines Day.  A lot of changes, a lot of fun and a lot of memories.  Here are just a few highlights.

Married TEN YEARS!

Ema won Reflections!

Halloween

 Bracken in his NEW GLASSES!

 Papa Rex and Bracken had a birthday!

Gracie was excited to announce . . .

 We gained a new niece!

 108 point word.  Yep! WWF pretty much rules my phone.

New Stockings (yes, I made them.  How's that for cool?)

Ema turned 9

Christmas

 Gracie learned to walk and shortly thereafter discovered playgrounds . . .

and greek yogurt!

Gracie is getting smarter every day.  She is 17 months old and keeps us entertained with her grunts and giggles.  She manages to say very few words, but communicates perfectly through points, pushes, taps and grunts.  She knows the things she wants and has learned how to tell us.  She does say a few words like:

• mom 
• dad
• nana 
• hi
• ya

Gracie enjoys going for walks in her wagon and being outside.  She likes to eat and responds to the words "hungry", "lunch", "breakfast", or "dinner" with a squeal.  Her favorite places to explore are the pantry and the fridge.  She loves all things vegetable and will eat meat if its dipped in ketchup.

She has a love of Elmo and when she hears the intro music to "Elmo's World" she immediately claps and starts dancing.  She is still a momma's girl, but she loves spending time with her dad too.  

My favorite 3 kids eating breakfast.

This is SO typical - she grabbed the box out of the pantry and stood in the family room eating it.