Welcome to our new place....

We are finally all settled in. I really dislike moving because it's such a big project. But this time around really was easier because of all of the help. This is our 4th place we've lived in since we've been married. Last night I think it really hit me that we moved. We have had a great start here but I have always had a hard time with change. I get really excited about it and I love meeting new people but then sometimes it hits me like a ton of bricks and I get sad. That's what happened last night at dinner. Poor Tyson and his way too sensitive wife. I know I will feel better once I get more involved and start a routine of some sort. See that's the thing, I am a routine person and I like to be busy I guess. I love being home with Owen but Tyson had to remind me that I am also used to being a full time first grade teacher. I have many talents he said that I need to nurture and so right now I am only nurturing one and need to nurture more (although the one I am nurturing now is by far the most important). He is always right and always helps me feel better and stay positive.

So if you are interested.....I have taken some pictures of our new place. Nothing too special but it's OUR home.

Our front room. I LOVE all of the windows. We keep them closed all day long to keep the temperature cool but when that sun is gone I open them! I can't stand not seeing outside.

These apartments come with a flat screen TV (nice perk huh?) so now we have ours in the front room and theirs in our room. Yipee.....

Our awesome balcony! I love having outdoor living spaces. As you can see Tyson is growing 6 or 7 tomato plants. They're his babies. ;)

Owen in his new high chair!!! And trying out a sippy cup.

Our first brand new dining table. The first one we actually bought in our marriage!

The dining room

The messy kitchen...this room still needs some TLC

The hall bathroom. Yes we have 2 bathrooms!! Yay!

The laundry closet

Owen's room

Our room

We also have access to the balcony from our room. Another feature I love.

This place has HUGE closets in our room and in Owen's room. We also have an outdoor storage closet. It really is helpful for all of the stuff we have; including all of my teaching stuff.

Our bathroom

Well, this is our home for now. We are really happy with it. I love how everything flows and I love having a dishwasher!! Tyson and I have never had a dishwasher in all the four years we've been married. It's definitely a luxury to us. I am excited for the new adventures to come here in our new abode. ;)

Hello Arizona!

We arrived in Arizona almost 2 weeks ago. We are all settled in now and are meeting new friends as we battle the heat. Yes it's ridiculously hot. Well I actually don't mind it that much, but Tyson is sure adjusting to it big time. The thing that I don't like about it is that it's already 95 degrees by 7 am and doesn't get lower than 90 degrees EVER. I'm serious. It'll be 3 am and still 90 degrees. I mean if it could just cool down for a second I'd be a little bit happier. ;) So it's like Utah in the winter...you just don't go outside too much. We go swimming almost every EVENING. We like to go out to the pool (which is like a 1 minute walk from our apartment!) around 6 pm, after dinner, and go for a little swim. At this time the sun isn't blaring and we don't have to worry about sunscreen for Owen. And Owen LOVES it! So no going to the park for now (unless we go to the indoor ones at the mall) and no jogging or going rollerblading outside with the jogging stroller. But good thing our apartment complex offers a little gym, and boy am I trying to utilize that!

So Tyson, my father-in-law Roger, my brother-in-law Judd, and my brother Greg all moved us down last Sunday. Here is a picture of our "life in a box" as Tyson likes to refer to it as.
(And please know that I am NOT pregnant! It's just the style of my shirt in the picture above! haha just had to clarify)

Greg and Tyson taking an unpacking break. Aren't they just so cute?? haha

The next day my mother-in-law, Owen and I flew down (yes much better). And arrived that evening (much later due to a VERY delayed flight, which is not very fun when you're stuck in an airport for 3 hours with a 6 month old....thank goodness for my mother-in-law!)

Owen LOVES his grandma and grandpa Tidwell. He is sure going to miss playing with them and cuddling with them.

We are going to miss Tyson's family so much. It was really hard saying good-bye to them (all of them back in Utah too!) We are so grateful for all they did to help us move to Arizona. It made the transition a whole lot easier to have Tyson's family there as well as my brother Greg there too. I will miss hanging out at my in-laws house A LOT. I loved taking Owen there and talking with my sisters-in-law and having all of Owen's cousins there to hold him and play with him. It made being away from my family SO SO SO much easier. They are so special to us. We are already looking forward to visiting in November. We love you Tidwell family.

Saying Good-Bye to Utah...

The week before we moved to Arizona we were able to say good-bye to many of our dear friends. I wish we were able to see EVERYONE we know but unfortunately time was a big factor. But we did manage to squeeze in some good times before we moved. Owen and I headed up to Farmington and got to meet our good friend's baby. Kate is such a doll but she was sleeping so we couldn't snap a picture. I completely forgot I had my camera to get a recent one of big brother Cole and Owen. But here is one of the two of them when Owen was just 2.5 months old. I love this family and we will miss them so much!Of course we had to spend some time with our dear friends Brit and Spence. They are the best friends anyone could ask for. We are going to miss laughing and hanging out. When we get together it's funny because Tyson and Spencer will just go off and talk and talk and Brit and I will do the same. I love it and I love them!

Beautiful Brittany.....many people have mistaken us for sisters. I take it as a total compliment!!

Owen sure loves them too!

My dear friend Kate. She is pregnant with triplets!!! She will be the best mom to those lucky boys. Doesn't she look great!? She is now 30 weeks along and measuring 45 weeks!! She carries these babies like a pro. I can't wait to meet her beautiful babies. Love you Kate!

This is one of my sweet first graders, Eadie. Isn't she the cutest!? She and her wonderful mom (and family) wanted to get together before we move. I am so happy we did. I almost started crying when she ran up and gave me a hug. I am going to miss her and all of my first graders.

Our other best friends, The Jacksons, had us up to their condo with some other dear friends for a going away over nighter. We are so grateful they did this. It meant the world to us to be with everyone before we made the big move. Before everyone got to Park City we went swimming with Pete and Jess and their 3 cute boys. This was Owen's very first time in the water! He did great and LOVED it. Look at his face in this picture. It cracks me up!

Trying to get his ducky.....cute little thing.

The boys playing with "uncle Tyson"

Cute Daniel

Jess and Joseph. Joseph was a pro at going underwater. I'm going to need to try that with Owen soon. I am going to miss my mommy time with Jess.

Here we are...happy in the water!
(side note: This was my first time wearing a one piece since I was 12! But I am putting the bikinis in the box (except for vacations with just my Tyson). I feel it's important for me to make this switch to just tankinis and one pieces. And you know what? I like it because I feel like I'm treating my body more like the SACRED temple it is). Now if only I did this more when I was a teenager, I think my mom would've been happier! ;)

Mike and Catherine

Jess and Pete

Wendy and Will. These guys have been in Utah for a long visit from the East. It was SO good to see them and their cute kids!

Just the two of us

I love this. Joe and Owen were totally enthralled in each other...just sitting up like big boys and looking at each other. Then John came along and decided they were too interesting not to stare at. I thought it was so cute!

Little buddies. Don't you just want to squeeze them!

I am going to miss mommy time with Catherine too. She always listens to my ramblings about Owen and gives me advice. Thank goodness for cell phones!

We are so grateful for wonderful friends. We are blessed to have so many surrounding us. I know these friendships will last forever. We love you guys so much and will miss you more then you know.

6 Months

On June 29th, our sweet little baby turned 6 months old. I cannot believe that 6 months ago I was giving birth to this beautiful angel. This time has flown by and I REALLY want it to slow down. I have enjoyed these 6 months tremendously as we have made many fun memories, learned many new things, and have had some pretty great and trying times. I continue to feel so blessed to be Owen's mommy.

So to celebrate Owen.....

Here's whats going on in his little life:

*At his 6th month appointment he weighed 17 pounds (40%) and was 27 and 3/4 inches long (98%!)
*He is now eating all sorts of solid food. His favorites include: sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, squash, bananas, strawberry banana apple, pears, applesauce, blueberry apple, and peaches. His "dislikes" the kind that makes him gag and sometimes barf or cry are: green beans, avocado and broccoli. Maybe in the future these will become favorites!
*He is sitting up straight all by himself now. Every now and then he topples over and I can't help but laugh but he doesn't seem to mind!
*He is sure a talker and screamer and yeller and growler. He enjoys telling us how he feels....even if he needs to yell to get his point across :)
*He continues to be a cuddler and I sure hope this phase NEVER goes away! We love taking long naps with him and cuddling.
*He loves to put his arms behind him and wiggle his hands. Tyson likes to say that he is practicing to be one of those skiers that do the long jump. It's pretty funny to watch.
*He also loves to curl his toes at the same time he curls his hands and fingers. It's his way of showing excitement.
*Owen loves to be played with and tickled! His laugh is the cutest thing ever.
*He continues to be so social with everyone. Anyone can get this baby to smile and be happy. He really is such a happy and content little boy. We consider ourselves extra lucky. ;)
*He is giving us kisses and hugs!! I love his slobbery kisses.
*He is rolling over like crazy and waits a few more minutes now before he fusses.
*He is curious about EVERYTHING which makes nursing quite the event. I can't wait until this phase ends....or does it? I love watching him be so curious but man he is sure distracted as he nurses!
*He is teething!!! He has 2 bottom teeth and they are sure sharp! (I know from personal experience....a few times when nursing and boy does it hurt!!)
*His hair is coming in so even now and I love it. We enjoy doing the "Tidwell Curl" (as Tyson refers to it) to make him look even cuter.

*Owen continues to be so social and happy. He is always smiling!
*Here is an example of what his day looks like (when everything goes well and we are actually home for naps)
Wake up time: 7:30ish - change diaper and clothes and play together
8:00 - Eat breakfast - Cereal mixed with fruit
8:30 - Play time and sometimes a morning walk
9:30 - 11:00 - Morning nap
11:00 - Nurses
11:30 - Play time
12:00 - Eats lunch - half a jar of veggies or fruit
12:30 or 1:00 - Nap time
2:00 or 2:30 - nurses
3:00 - 4:30 - Play time: jumper or evening walk
4:30 - 5:30 - Nap time
5:30 - nurse on one side
6:00 - Dinner time - Cereal and a veggie
7:00 - Time to get ready for bed: sing church songs, take a bath, nurse, read a book
7:30ish - bed time
**Owen still wakes up once during the night to nurse and I am hoping once we are settled in Arizona that we can start weaning him. But I really don't mind nursing him once or twice. I look at it as another time to cuddle. ;) Hey they're only babies for so long right??

I am so happy that I am able to be with Owen all the time now. It really makes a big difference in his day and night schedules. We have worked hard to keep my milk supply up after a huge depletion happened at the end of the school year. But the many weeks of crying and nursing A LOT has definitely paid off. I have a strong love of nursing and it killed me that I almost had to quit. It is so precious when I am able to cuddle my little one and provide some great nutrition for him at the same time. I sure hope our nursing experience will last. But I'm sure we'll come across a few more hiccups before it ends.

We are so blessed to have our sweet baby Owen with us. We love you baby boy!

**And thank you to my wonderful sister-in-law for taking some great pictures of Owen up at our cabin!! I love how they turned out and of course think he is just the cutest little guy ever!