Happy Day!

Devin was such a sport...while on his mission all three of his siblings got married so he came home to a whole new family! He's always been 'baby hungry' but of course, a wife needs to come first so he tried his darndest to date-to-get-married! Year after year he watched all his friends get married and just came to visit his nieces and nephews plenty of times (no complaints here, my kids ADORE Uncle Devin--okay, they all do). Nearly six years later he found the gal of his dreams and we're so excited she's joined the family!! Congrats Devin and Sherilyn!

the ring dev picked out all by himself!

 And Devin isn't the only one that is smitten! 

 Beautiful sisters!

 With Cousin Noelle (Sarin's little girl) who loves Rhett something fierce!

 Wouldn't be a wedding without a goood stick!

This wall didn't have the greatest background/light, but we're all here!!

1st: parents & kids

...with spouses...

EVERYONE!!

Life's funny that way...

 

So, a few days after Rhett's b-day, around the 2 month mark of Tony starting his new job, we received the most shocking and unexpected news that they were letting him go. They shall remain nameless, but I tell you what, there were many things that were just not right and it really is such a shame because they are nice people (and they did give him a fabulous letter of recommendation, go figure). After leaving his amazing Indiana job (who would hire him back in a second--they just LOVED him) in such a miraculous way we were left reeling from this brand-new 'adventure' now suddenly before us. We know Heavenly Father helped us get here and we feel like we need to be in the west, but wow, what the?! We figure maybe this job was the one to get us out here, and another one is waiting around the proverbial corner...The up side? Lots of daddy-kiddo time and it was so bitter-sweet to hear the two littles cheer exuberantly as they asked every morning, "Is Daddy going to work today?" when we responded, "no..."

A few weeks later Tony got hired by a small sales company that pays [most of] the bills :) To be continued... 

Rhett's 4th B-day!

Piano sidewalk sale at Tony's new job 

Complete with bounce house for kiddies--on Rhett's birthday!

His big request was that we go to Menchie's!

A little 'husband to wife' art :)

 

The party gang the next day...

Legos!!

 And a super heroes book were his favorites

Let's read it 20 times Uncle Spencer!

 

This was my first experience with a young child asking for a non-themed cake...he wanted Strawberry cupcakes so I obliged, but I had some almond flour someone gave me (thanks Brooke's family!) and I was soo impressed with how light and fluffy they were! Seriously, I thought they were way better than the white flour version!

Rhett has always been our smiley happy guy...he loves to marvel about the littlest things in life, says 'thanks!!' for everything with his adorable munchkin voice and is one tough dude--the boys now say he's probably tougher than they are (in regards to wrestling :) He has an impish sense of humor (he laughs all the time & teases the boys mercilessly),  yet is also tender (validating his feelings is a big deal to him), and also very independent--he loves to have time to play by himself during quiet time (much to the chagrin of Ari). He loves to imagine and build things, but drawing is usually his go-to activity of choice. I'll never forget when he handed me a drawing at a young age 2 and told me it was a rocket and I could totally tell! An octopus came soon after, and recently during General Conference he would look up at the dresser the tv was on, look down and draw, then look up, then down, etc...he was copying what he saw! He also does a great job of singing on key and it just makes my heart swell to hear him singing songs around the house from whatever he was listening to most recently (from CD's, movies, songs from preschool or whatever!). 

What a kid, we sure love you buddy!

Library Love

First time at the 'new' library story time and he was a little nervous until sis helped him feel riiight at home 

 ok, I'm cool now.

Craft time...with cousin Sienna (Spencer's daughter) & Grandma Laretta (Tony's mom who came for a visit)

Payson Temple Open House

It's sure fun to live near family so we can attend such neat events together! (Bro Spencer, wifey Meagan & two little girls, Sienna & Maya)

 Don't walk too fast boys, don't want to ruin this moment...

I guess this counts as my 5 month baby bump pic :)

3 cheers for family!

The previous renters couldn't be out of our 'new' house for nearly 3 weeks so Spencie & Meagan to the rescuuuueeee!! All 10 of us stayed in their 3 bedroom apartment and got reeel cozy. We are so grateful to them and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!

With plenty of time on our hands we just found fun places to hang out together...

 yeah for Aunt Meagan...she's from around here originally and took us on a few lovely hikes

The wait was certainly worth it...our new ward moved us in wonderfully well and we settled right in to our bright, light & big (to us!!) house. And look at that view! It was a miracle all of its own...I couldn't find anything within a reasonable price range (we were soo spoiled in Indiana, our rent was $750 for a 3 bed, 2 bath on 1/2 acre). As the time to move crept ever closer and nothing was working out, I started panicking a bit. About a week before we were to move I saw this house posted on KSL and it was cheaper than anything else I'd found for even a 3 bed (this one is 4bed 3 bath!). I called immediately and Meagan dropped everything and ran over that night to take a video of it for us. I had a nice chat with the current renter on the phone and we bonded over the midwest (she used to live in Iowa). I found out 30 people came to look at it that first day it was posted and 7 were ready to rent it on the spot. I kept calling the landlord and finally got through. Within 5 minutes of him asking me questions he said we could have it! The day we moved in I told him I was absolutely stunned that he gave it to us, someone he never met, from Indiana...he told us after doing this for so long (he has 20 houses in the area) the Spirit tells him pretty quick and he felt we would be good. What a humongous blessing, and a wonderful way to end the housing saga. It's clean, we can drink the water, we have wonderful neighbors and it's only 5 minutes from Spencer & Meagan!!!

 Discovering the new yard's treasures

Hmmm...should we get the screen fixed? It's a pretty cute nose hole...

 Love from my littles

 A little cousin time

And this is just to document an 'Ari'...after learning to do her own hair in a ponytail, she now puts hair elastics on EVERYTHING...even garbage...

Jyson's choir concert...that's a lot of boys!

Eating lunch on the deck