Lollipop Wars

 We got some classic faces of our two kids enjoying a LARGE lollipop!  We had a fun time taking pictures at the C&O canal in Williamsport, MD, a place where we frequently go running and have fallen in love with.

 Mae takes the prize. . .

 Jonah takes it back. . .

Kid's emotions are more fickle than a pregnant/postpartum woman!

 Yes, I finally got a tripod and was excited to try it out on our family pictures!  Of course I forgot the quick-release attachment so we had to manage with balancing the camera on our stroller.

 . . . more balancing the camera on various objects, with just enough time to capture a shot before the camera was overtaken by Mae.

Here's some things we've been up to lately:

 Dress-up

 Bath time usually ends in both kids screaming- trying to keep Mae from constantly standing up in the bathtub and Jonah from drowning Mae with endless cups of water.

 We got rid of Jonah's binky this week!  We cut the end off so there would be no going back.  He still asks for it but realizes it's all broken.

 Jonah loves his Paddington Bear board books we got at Chick-fil-A!

This man was walking down the busy street on our way home tonight.  Yes this is how bad the roads are with no sidewalks in West Virginia!

We went to get our free pumpkins from Orr's farm market this year.  I loved the hay ride and the warm apple cider donuts they make, oh and the pick-your-own blackberries that we made into shakes!  I honestly think the best job in the world would be to work at a farm market.  I know it doesn't sound very ambitious but I am just so giddy being around all the fresh produce and the beautiful orchards with the smell of fall in the air.

 I got a tripod!  Here's my first shot I got with it.  I'm excited to start practicing taking better landscape & motion implying photos.

Summer Adventures

We sure had some fun adventures this summer!  I can't believe it's already over and we're home again in West Virginia.  Here's how crazy we've been lately:

1.  My sweet sister Martha helped me drive my 2 kids to Utah so I could run the Utah Valley Marathon and so we'd have our car for the summer- while John studied and took Step 2

2.  We spent a month in St. George with my family- Jonah loved to "see the goats" with Grandpa.  We had lots of babysitters and it felt like a real break for me.  Jonah and Mae were glad to spend so much time with Grandma & Grandpa and all his cousins and aunts!

3.  We went to Island Park, ID with lots of John's family for a weekend where we got to go rafting, go to the lake, and go hiking!

4.  We spent a month in Salt Lake City while John did a busy ophthalmology rotation at the U.  The kids and I tried to get used to living in tiny hotel rooms and were grateful to stay with my bro. Ephraim and John's sis. Laura for part of the time!  We loved spending time with their families!

5.  We drove down to San Antonio, TX for John to do another rotation for a month.  John did a month's rotation there while we got used to the area.  

6.  We drove home to West Virginia and stopped in Pensacola, FL on our way!  We stayed over in a hotel on the beach.  The kids loved the sand, seashells, awesome shallow swimming pools.

 Mae grew up these past 3 months!  She changed from being a happy, smiley, bundle of joy to a curious little girl on the go, and recently a little mamma's girl. 

 Here's us at the Grand Canyon.  Robbie convinced us to meet him down there for the afternoon since John had never been!

 On our way to Idaho.

We stopped by Victor Idaho where John went to the Teton Bennion Boy's Ranch when he was a teenager.  We found the cabin he lived in and even found his picture on the wall!  He's the one in the grey striped shirt in the center and his twin Christian is the one in white holding his arm.  Did I mention John wants to own a similar boy's ranch someday?  The combination of work and service with spiritual growth really inspired him at that age.

Good summer!  Wish I took more pictures this summer.  I want my pictures to be perfect whenever I get my camera out- so I just don't get it out. . .too much work.
I'm so glad to be back in our home.  We feel like we're living like kings after living in our car all summer!!!

Family Pictures. . . finally

So, in December we decided not to do Christmas cards because we wanted to have baby Mae in our pictures.  So, 5 months later we've finally gotten around to taking family pictures.  Yay!  Thanks to our friend Kelli for taking these of us in just 15 minutes!

 Either Jonah's frowning or giving a there's a monster inside me smile.  Check out Mae's belly!  We grow them big in our family.

 Our sweet baby is growing up.  She's rolling around like crazy, eating solid foods, and is learning to sit up.

Hope you enjoyed that.

Race for the Birds!

We got to run a couple of races this weekend at the National Conservation Training Center on their beautiful trails!  How fun!  Jonah ran a 1 mile kids race (with John) and I did a 7.7 mile trail run.

 Mae even ran!  J/K.  Jonah didn't want to wear his race bib so we put it on Mae:)

 Jonah stretching his arms. . . by folding them and clapping. . . both proven methods of stretching.

 Ready to start.

 And they're off!  Jonah loves his friend Naomi!  She's super fast and he wants to be like her when he grows up.

 Here's how he looked at the finish.  Free ride by John!

 Finishing with Daddy!

 His prize was chocolate milk!

 "Almost Heaven, West Virginia Chocolate Milk" 

 My support team.  John was awesome to let me do this race, he even missed a Scout campout to watch the kids.

 It was soooo pretty and the hills really gave me a workout!  

Mae Standing Up

Blue Eyed Gal

I finally pulled out my camera when we were all trying to watch conference.

 What good kids we have!  Jonah folded his arms during the long prayers and kept saying "Prophet" and was really paying attention for a few minutes.  He really likes TV so I'm sure that's what helped!

 Jonah loves Mae lately!  I love when I walk in the room and he's giving her a big hug, and I'm glad she's chubby now so I don't have to protect her so much. . . well Jonah is getting really gentle with her, too.

We are loving shorts season!