It's a BEAR!

After Stake Conference on Sunday, we decided to make a trip down to Firth to see Grandma Monson (Grandpa Monson was at work and then in meetings!) It was great to get out for a while and to send time with my family. The weather was so nice! FINALLY! We had a barbecue and just had fun talking to each other. Dinner was over at the Womacks house (family friends) and Peter and Andrew enjoyed playing with Grandma Shawna and Grandpa DeRay. The biggest entertainment for the boys was the bear! Andrew was actually brave enough to try and pet the "Bear" while Peter sought sanctuary on Grandma's lap.



Okay, so the "Bear" is really a dog, but that is her name and now my boys are totally missed up about whether she was really a bear or a dog. It was great seeing how the boys different personalities stood out with reference to the dog. Andrew was more adventurous and willingly to pet the dog and to even be near it. Peter on the other hand was more cautious and won't even get near the dog to attempt to pet it. We have thought about getting a dog now that we have a yard to keep one in but Anthony doesn't want to clean up after it (pooper scooper) and I worry about being too scary for Peter to handle. I know I need to stop coddling them on this and just do it so that they can learn to love animals. Ne ways... this has been a long discussion in our house lately!

Duck Pond

Now that we live closer to the duck pond, Anthony and I decided one day to take a bike ride down to the nature park to look at the ducks with the boys. It was a lot of fun to ride around the park and the boys had fun looking at the ducks. They weren't very hungry but it was still fun to try and feed them.

Booster Shots!

Andrew had to receive his 12th month shots yesterday. I know what you are thinking, "12 month shots? Isn't he over a year old? In fact, almost two?" Yes, it is true. Because of complications when he was little (he had a nagging cough that won't go away) he got behind on his shots and then whenever I went in to get his shots, he had a ear infection. He has had five ear infections since October! Totally insane! So we finally got the shots yesterday. Anthony, being the most wonderful husband in the world, came with me so that I wouldn't have to hold him down. I hate holding them down. It makes me feel like such a meanie and I can't stand the pain that they go through and the tears and the fearful expressions. My heart just crumbles when they have to go through it. So Anthony, being the awesome support he is to me, he decided to come with me. But because Andrew is so big (26 pounds and almost 35 inches tall) it took both of us to hold him down. I had his arms and Anthony had his legs. After being stuck four times, we were done! I picked up Andrew and kissed and hugged him while he clung to my neck and glared at the nurses, screaming all at the same time. He is completely done now until he is four! Whew! Thankfully, Andrew has little to no reaction to shots. Not even a fever! That is a huge blessing!

Andrew wasn't the only one though that received a boaster shot yesterday. I did also! But my shot was not as painful and didn't come in a needle. Mine was a boaster in testimony. I came to better understand how much my Heavenly Father loves me and how much it pains him to see me in pain! If it tortures me to give my kids the shots that they need in order that they may not have painful diseases later, I can only imagine the agony, our Father in Heaven feels when he must give us trials that will make us stronger for the battles ahead. These trials give us pain now and seem to be horrible and sometimes too painful to take, but they often save us from having to experience life's harshest experiences. I don't know if this makes sense to anyone else but I felt myself renewed with love when this realization came. He loves us so he must give us a little pain now in order to spare us greater pain and consequences later.

Only in Rexburg, Idaho!!

So my first day of freedom, I spent outside with my boys and what did we do....what every normal child does in Rexburg in on the 11th of April. We built SNOWCASTLES! That's right! You didn't read it wrong! We filled up their pails with snow and made snowcastles! The boys were thrilled and thought that I was so smart and clever....which I am being a college graduate now! We had so much fun packing the snow in and then dumping it out and then doing it over again! It was really great to be able to hang with my kids without worrying about homework looming over my head! Kind of weird concept for me after going to school for almost 17 years of my life! (this figure includes grade school up!) Our castles were melted by the afternoon but it was fun while it lasted! The snow was so deep in our backyard that it is taking an eternity to go away. The boys ask every day if they can go out and shovel! I don't know what they are going to shovel when all the snow is gone but I'm sure that they will come up with something!

Family Pics after Graduation

Because of the crowd that were trying to take pictures in the Hart we decided to send our families back to our house for pictures. It was wonderful to have my grandparents there! They have supported me in all of my schooling. They have encouraged me to get as much education as I can! I also am deeply grateful for the support and love that my parents and Anthony's parents have given us. They have listen to us whine about our classes and have encouraged us to continue on.


My family with the GRADS!

Anthony's family with the GRADS!

GRADUTION!!

Well... have recuperating for over a week now... I feel that I am ready to post. Sorry that it has taken me so long! Graduation was a wonderful experience! I recommend to everyone! hahaha!! The day seems unreal to me still and don't think that I will fully understand the feeling of being graduated until fall when I should have been going back to school. It was wonderful to be able to do it with Anthony and for both of us to be able to participate in this experience together. We were blessed to have my grandparents there, as well as three of my siblings and my parents, and Anthony's parents and two of his siblings. The night was so special and I am so thankful that I continued to press on when both Anth and I wanted to drop out to be a "normal" family.

Anthony and I at the Graduation dinner! My parents watched the boys so that we could go. There were so many people there! We got there a half hour early and we had to sit in the overflow location. But it was awesome. I enjoyed the messages that were given to us by President Clark and Elder Ballard! And best of all they served Cheesecake for dessert!
This is us right before we walked. Peter and Andrew just kept looking at us with our hats on and were not quite sure what to think about these funky clothes their parents were wearing.
This is us after we had received our empty diploma holders! Oh, the JOY! It was awesome! I guess when our boys saw us walk across on the big screen, they started to laugh and giggle! I almost felt like doing a cartwheel! Almost!

Fare Thee Well!

Today is my last day at BYU-Idaho! I am so excited to be graduating but sad as well. I have truly enjoyed my time at BYU-Idaho and have loved being able to get my education. I'm one of those freaks that like school and learning new things. I haven't always liked the homework and test part but I love to learn. I love this school because it was were I found my sweetheart, my passion for history, and most important...myself. It was here that I really feel that I developed a testimony of my Savior and the importance of the atonement. It was here that I came to know that Relief Society is an important part of the church as well as my life! It was here that I really learned the importance of family history work. It was here that I came to realize my potential for the eternities and also the present. I will sorely miss the opportunity to interact with others and to learn from them. I do realize that I will be able to do this in other settings and I am excited to teach my kids the things that I have learned but it was here that I learned how to best teach my kids, others, and myself! Fare thee well, old friend! Thanks for everything!