Remember that storm I was telling you about...

This may look like an ordinary box, but I assure you it is not.

This box, my friends, is the first box that I have packed. As in the first box I have had to pack because we are moving.

MOVING!!!

YES.It is true.

After almost ten years, we are leaving the only home my children have ever known.

We aren't making a nice and easy jump from one job to the next. Oh no, no, NO! That would be just too easy.

We are changing careers entirely. And because of this, Aric has to  do some training. Six months to be exact.

Thankfully it is not in some tragic place like Missouri. God knew that if he was going to rip us out of our lovely life here in L.L. he would have to send us some place fantastic. Some place that I already know and love. Some place that I have dreamed to take my children. Some place where I will wear my Red Sox gear with great pride.

We are heading to Boston!

Aric leaves in May. I will go with him to get him settled, then I will stay here until the middle of June when the girls get out of school. 

(Speaking of girls in school...Maya got straight A's again and Miss Edee got all A's and one B. So we celebrated with some frozen yogurt)

This fall we will announce where we will land but for now we are going to try not to kill each other while we finish our master bathroom...speaking of that lovely project, here is a sneak peak...

...and finish everything else that needs to be done to get our house on the market and sold. Aric and I have spent almost nine years making this house everything we ever wanted it to be. Our master bathroom was our last project...it's killing me!

Although this opportunity came rather quickly, the decision to go was easy to make. We knew that God's hand was in it and he has prepared us for the past year to make it. It is still very difficult to wrap our heads around what this means. Leaving behind a life that Aric and I spent ten years creating is heart breaking. We have family near by and friends that have become family all around us. Aric is leaving a twelve year career that he as worked hard in and made a name for himself, it does seem a little nuts. 

Which is why I am so grateful for my faith. It has been tried and tested many times. Because of all those trials and tests I have gotten really good at communicating with God. I have been able to tune my ear and my heart so that I can hear the Holy Ghost speak to me. Once again miracles have been performed on our behalf, just another witness that we are on the path that we are supposed to be on. I have peace. Aric has peace. Even my children have had their own special experiences with the spirit that have witnessed to them that this is part of Heavenly Father's plan for our family.

So although there are moments, lots and lots of moments, where I feel like we are struggling to keep afloat as this crazy storm tosses us to and fro, somehow, some way I find a calm and strength that is beyond me. When I start to freak out I pray to remember the feelings I have felt and then the peace washes over me. The comfort comes and I am reminded of who is steering this ship and then, just like that, all is well.

Take a Peek

I have come to the conclusion that every season of life is busy. Things never seem to slow down. I keep waiting for the magical month that things will calm down but I have finally accepted that it will never happen so here is a peek into our crazy busy life...

Traveling

I went to Utah by myself to meet with BYU again about my book and go to the General Woman's Broadcast. (I will do a post on it) Then I surprised Aric with a trip to Utah by himself the very next
weekend! (I will post that one too)

Grandma Kathy Visit

We were so excited to have her come for a visit last month. It was so great because she didn't have to get chemo so she wasn't sick! We loved every minute we had with her.

Camden Starting Play Group

As soon as Camden was born, I knew I would be starting a play group co-op for him the fall he turned three. How we got here so freaking fast is a mystery...but here is my little play group guy. He absolutely loves his Wednesday mornings. There are five of us in the group. We have a theme and a schedule and we take turns doing it at our homes. It's so weird to have 2 1/2 hours alone every week. It makes errand running so much more enjoyable!

Chicken Cutting

This is so gross but I want it documented. I get a great deal on chicken breast but we have to buy it in bulk...40lbs worth. I split it with my friend Cami, it's only $1.49 and comes fresh from local farms. So we suck it up and spend an hour-ish cutting up nasty chicken. It's so worth it when I get to put all of this in my freezer.

Home Improving

Yes we are at it again. This time we are tackling our master bathroom and the kids bathroom. I spent Friday demo-ing, and Saturday installing four sink faucets. Only four trips to Home Depot and Lowe's...I hate plumbing! Especially when I've spent hours under these four sinks and on the last one, I drop a stinking wrench on my ear!

Mom Celebrating

We celebrated my Mom's birthday while she was here for a visit. She likes carrot cake but no one else does so I got her, her own special mini cake.

Middle School Adjusting

It didn't take Maya long to become an independent middle schooler. I walked her to the bus stop twice. The third day she had me walk with her until the bus stop was in sight and then she stopped and told me that was good enough. Then the next day she had found a walking buddy and she didn't want me at all. I cried...both tears of joy and sadness. Ahhhh...growing pains. We just got Maya's grades...one B+ and the rest A's! She even got an A in math, she has never gotten an A in math! We are so proud of her...

Soccer Saturdays

Both girls are playing this year.  It's been so busy! They each have two practices a week plus games on Saturday. The past three weekends we have had 3-4 games each Saturday! Maya decided that after a two year break that she wanted to play again. She has become quite the player. It is so fun to watch her, she is aggressive and she really understands the game.

Eden has also grown so much. This year she has discovered that she loves playing goalie and defender. This is her fourth season with her coach, the team has changed some over the years but this year has been the best so far because she has three of her buddies on her team. I absolutely love watching them play. It does make for a busy eight weeks but as long as the weather cooperates I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.

Trying New Things...Roll Making

So tonight I decided to tap into my inner Domestic Goddess and make rolls for the first time ever in my whole life. They turned out pretty good. Aric was so proud of me, this is so not my thing. I would love to say that I felt all euphoric as I served up my homemade rolls with my homemade chicken noodle soup but it wasn't really like that. I felt satisfied for sure, but I am so not Betty Crocker. I did pull out Aric's grandma's Kitchenaid, I'm sure Grandma Audrey would have been proud of me too.

There is so much more I still need to document and I will try to do better about it getting up on here. For now this little peek will have to do.

Catching Up

Honestly how is it the end of July? Especially when it's only felt like summer for maybe seven days! My days have been ridiculously full. Mainly full of preparing for house projects, doing house projects and cleaning up after house projects all while keeping up with regular life tasks. It's been exhausting but worth it.

So here is some stuff that we have done in between all the house projecting...

Father's Day

Aric is a fabulous dad and he certainly deserved to be celebrated.

He got lots of homemade cards and lots of love.

We had our friends, the Hall's, over for a yummy dinner. Garrett and Aric are toasting with their favorite beverage Mello Yello...Rachel found a special edition version "Mello Yello Dark"

Trip to Pendleton, Oregon...My Hometown

My mom and Joe took our kids for a few days so that Aric and I could tile the laundry room. One of our many, many projects.

This is the chapel that I grew up going to church every single Sunday with my family.

It was built by the LDS members there a long time ago. Isn't it the coolest chapel ever! It reminds me of the Harvard chapel.

 My girls are growing up so stinkin' fast I couldn't help myself and took a couple of close ups of them.

 We celebrated a belated Father's Day with my step-dad Joe.

We celebrated an early birthday for my baby brother Ben.

We love you Tio Benny!

We also got to spend some quality time with my Abuelita H.

Fourth Of July

I love celebrating the Fourth in my little town...

We rode our bikes down to the local 20 minute parade.

Here are the cutey boys...

Here are the cutey girls + C...

And here are the cutey momma's...

Camden and Faith still haven't quite figured out the whole candy gathering part of the parade. Camden cried whenever someone sprayed him with a water gun and Faith would run out and get piece of candy then run it back to Jessica and eat it. Yeah, those two kiddos need to be schooled in the ways of parade etiquette.

I love this picture of the kids waiting and watching.

This was the most elaborate float we had. I'm telling you this is small town America where we live.

They let anyone into the parade...even these yahoo's. 

I love seeing our friends in the parade.

Emma bit Aric while fighting over a piece of candy. Aric pretty much brings out the best and the worst of people.

Later that day we had our poor friend Garrett over since he was homeless and family-less.

The kids enjoyed their five minutes of pop its...it took them longer to clean them up than it took for them to throw them.

 That night we went to our most gracious friends, the Shenneman's, lake house for the fireworks show.

It was a long day, but it was a lovely day. The weather was perfect which was all I could ask for.

Swimming

So far we have only been able to go twice...stupid, stupid weather. But I did manage to take pictures one day...

I love watching my kids in the water. This particular day it was just us at the pool. Maya and Eden played so good together.

Camden preferred to watch for the first hour. The last 30 minutes he finally decided to get in.

 Okay this post is way longer than I wanted it to be so this will have to do for now. I will have to do another catch up post another day. Eden's birthday is in two days and her baptism in six days. I'm a little busy these days but how can I even complain? It's all good stuff.

GOOD STUFF!