October...and into November

A little about us: Ty is so happy to be back on the farm running tractors for a our friend Owen. We have different ideas about how to spend the extra money he earns (new table and rug vs. paying off a student loan. Blah. Boring. Lame. But obviously more important. I'm glad we balance eachother out between fun and reality). We celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary this past month and I'm glad to report we are still in love! Happy and nothing to complain about, although we both do plenty of our share. Some nights we just want to relax and chill and try to remember what it was like before kids...but it's pointless. This is our life now and we're grateful for it. We are! He is still teaching the 13 year-olds sunday school class and I am a spiritually struggling Relief Society teacher. I have issues with consistency in every area of my life and unfortunately scripture study is still in that list that I don't get done everyday. I am trying to change. Ty and I alternate our nights so he can go to basketball and I can go to zumba (to replace running since the wind, cold and ice make running impossible). This is the new me with darker hair and bangs for the winter. It's fun to be able to change it up. So that's about it on the updates of boring old us.

Now, to the real reason you are here...

First time sitting up in the bathtub. Needless to say he loved splashing :)

Logan is so close to crawling! Any day now. He scoots everywhere and loves to go backwards on the hardwood floor. Almost 8 months old next week, he has two teeth, eats everything and is so strong!

Love the tail.

He is such a happy boy!

I like London's style. It's always fun to see how she puts things together.

Because of this late nap on Halloween...

We got this. We had a very mad minnie on our hands who did not want to go outside in the cold.

I give up. I will not force her to go trunk-or-treating.

This just makes me laugh for some reason. Probably just because I'm his mom.

One of my favorite memories of motherhood is the clean smell of a baby after a bath and how they snuggle into their soft towels. I just don't want to forget the details of small moments.

We get a lot of this look at the Preslar house. Ty says she gets it from me but that pout stopped working for me years ago. It doesn't get her much either. Only sometimes. Logan makes me laugh! "What are you going to do now mom?"

London and I have been fighting a lot lately because she is missing an obedience chip and I am missing a patient chip. We both need to be reprogrammed. We both throw tantrums, take timeouts and say sorry. I'm not a good example of how to deal with your anger when I find poop hidden in the closet. A friend reminded me to remember she is only 3 and that we're so much harder on our first child. Amongst all my screaming rage from expecting perfection, this picture reminds me how much I love her and I don't want to damage her spirit or our relationship. I must do better at being her mother. I refuse to fail her.

On one of our last warm fall days we enjoyed a familly bike ride. Check out that smile on Logan's face :) Priceless! Or is he crying? Now I'm not sure! Ha ha!

Tyson adores his boy. Logan always has a smile and laugh for his daddy. I just had to catch him giving him a squeeze!

I swear this boy knows how to work it for the camera! He is so charming and such a show-stopper with this grin! I bet you can't resist smiling when you look at this face either huh?

My kids are interacting and playing together, which is so fun for me to see. Not that she doesn't push him down if he tries to sit up on her, or shakes him and tackles him, etc. I have to keep reminding her he is still a baby. He is going to be able to take her soon enough. He will outweigh her soon I bet! London loves to build things and this is one example.

London is a funny girl. I find her doing silly things all day. She reminds me of an old lady here enjoying one of the last good days of weather.

Blue is so his color.

I know I spend too much time on the computer when London says, "Mom look! I'm just like you now!" Children teach us such important lessons right?!

I thought this was funny :) Ty propped him up when I walked in and said, "Hi Mom! Whatcha doing?!"

Isn't the British flag perfect for a little girl named London?! I thought so. Plus it says I heart my mum, which I'm still trying to instill in her despite our daily battles. Does her face make you think it's working? Lol! She acts like such a teenager sometimes.

Racoon head.

We spent the day at Grandma Preslar's decorating sugar cookies. We love living close to cousins. Wish the Wright side was just as close :(

I love my roaring little lion! He really does grunt and growl at me and laughs when we do it back.

I read a quote from Elder Neal L. Anderson that says, "Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something you do if you can squeeze in the time. It is what God gave you time for."

I have to remind myself daily that these two children of mine are not getting in the way of what I really need or want to do (dishes, floors, laundry, dinner, grocery shopping, visiting teaching, pinterest, facebook, netflix, blogging, girls nights, phone calls, dates, exercise, etc.) To be Logan and London's mother is what Heavenly Father is giving me time for. And tomorrow is not guaranteed to me so I have to do my best with them everyday and do the essential things first!

The last month or so...

First snow day October 6, 2011. There is something so exciting and beautiful about the first snow. In Idaho, the magic wears off quickly as 9 months of it does not pass quickly by.

Where have I been the last month you (the blogging world) ask? Well, nobody is asking but I will tell you in pictures what we've been up to lately.

I started running at nights with friends. I use to hate running and was quite surprised that I like it and can go longer than I originally thought I could. So much so that it motivated me to make a 'someday' goal into a 'today' goal. I am running my first 5K for the Make A Wish Foundation next weekend. I know it's small but it's a first step right? When I'm running I wish somebody was paying me to do it so it seems sillly to pay to run, but it is a good cause! I can see how addicting it can get to try and beat your best time and so forth because it feels so good when you're done!

Canning is the other major thing we (mostly Ty with a little of my help when the kids leave me available) have been up to in the last month. Peaches, pears, apple sauce, marinara sauce, salsa, pickles, relish, green beans, strawberry jam, plum jam, and this weekend fruit leather, apple butter and apple pie filling. We froze corn, peas, onions, and carrots and will be harvesting our potatoes soon. We even canned some extra milk! It's one of those things that feels good once you're done with it, but while you're in the middle of it you question if it's worth it!

Allergies. Sneezing. Congestion and runny nose (how can you have both at the same time?!). Itchy eyes. That's what I've been dealing with for the last month. After trying everything (sudaphed, claritin, zertec, generics, humidifier, nasal sprays, peppermint oil, netti pot), Allegra seems to be helping. That, and the snow. We don't have AC so the windows were always open so I didn't really stand a chance.

I do need a date night...

First day of preschool! Sarah said she looks like Madeline! Londy's favorite book lately is 'The Kissing Hand' so my mom sewed us some little hearts to hold onto for the day to remember we have each other's hearts/love when we missed the other one. She was cautious and shy but after the first few minutes did great and loved it!

Love my little family! We had sticky buns for conference breakfast and just sat down to enjoy the show so to speak.

Ty calls him chubs. Such a cute chubby baby :)

Jace slept over while Meg and Jerry celebrated their wedding anniversary. They had so much fun having a pizza/movie party.

London kate loves to get the mail everyday. And do anything with her dad since he is so much fun!

Logan has the best smiles. They light up my days and make me feel so much love.

Logan eats EVERYTHING. He tries to grab anything in his radius and eat it. So different from London in that we had to trick her to eat and now we have to bribe her!

Fall outfit

Sweet dreams

Conference weekend. I love my cute kids.

Summer days!

This was jet skiing in July. Dont know if I posted that already...

Lond really is such a good big sister :)

Last few days of warm weather. Cousins Jace and Ella chillin in the sandbox.

Saying goodbye to summer with a boating trip. Thanks Kristin and friends for the fun afternoon!

My newest obsession is a new dining table. I want a round table (so kids don't keep hitting their heads on sharp corners) that seats 6 and has a leaf that extends it to seat 8 so we can have more friends over.

My BFF Aspen is having her first baby boy so we threw her a sports themed baby shower in Septetmber.

I liked this idea of thinking about what you are teaching your kids daily...

Check out that grin!

My little farmer

Basket full of smiles

Dressing up Franky

Taking the pets for a ride

Video of Logan laughing. I was holding Logan and the camera so I didn't know it only showed half his face. The other video is just of London for Sarah and Nana.