November

Yes, that's right I'm updating by month!

So in November, this pretty lady got married!!

She is my sister Christi, she married this guy, Anthon.  They're just too cute, happy, loveydovey, it's almost too much!  Were we EVER like that???

Also, there was Thanksgiving in Wyoming with the WHOLE Howard family!  It was fun to hang out with everyone.

YUM right?

 Mason with Grandpa, one of them needs a haircut!

Also in October

Halloween!

We got to celebrate this free-candy holiday in California AND in Idaho!  Damen had his school party and carnival a few days before we left and then got to go Trick or Treating around his cousins neighborhood on Halloween.  

Damen and our friends after the school carnival, he was a fireman zombie?

 Damen the Spiderman and Mason the soccerball

Dustin(in the afro), Damen and Mason with Dustins bro. Blake and his son, Lincoln the power ranger!

So, back in October. . .

Mason turned 1!  

We've been busy, packing, moving, unpacking, holidays, etc. . . 

So let me update now on this glorious event that was Masons first birthday.

We invited some close friends over and had a little party.

He's stinking adorable this kid, but he's a bit of a monster.

  He loved all of the attention, it's his favorite thing.  The cake, he wasn't so sure about, licking off the frosting was as far as he got. 

He got lots of fun things, a ride on toy, a ball blower thing, a new winter coat, books, and a singing/talking dog, he loves music!  

At a year old, this kid is already an avid explorer, he's curious about everything, usually gross and off limits things, like the toilet scrubber and the trash.  He's learning how to climb.  He loves music, dancing is the best!  

He loves his brother and always wants to be with him.

He gives great snuggles.

We're so blessed to have him in our family, he fits perfect.

Aunt Flow

I am WOMAN, 

hear me

ROA-----

No, wait, this part sucks.

Don't you just hate it when. . .

You're doing the dishes at 11pm, by HAND, because the "new" dishwasher your landlord ordered won't be in until Thursday and you just know that tomorrow morning someone's going to want breakfast, and you'd like it if your son waited until he was in college to figure out how to eat cold cereal with out any spoons,
when suddenly
 you feel like
 maybe
 you need to pee.  

But it's not that urgent, and it's probably just because of all the warm drippy water, and besides, you don't want to get sidetracked by that pressing article in the bathroom about how to handmake everything you've ever previously purchased at the store, 
so you press on.

Grrr, there's a lot of spoons in here!  

Then it happens, it sneaks up unexpected and because of your wet soapy dishwashing gloves you don't stop it in time. 

 ACHOOOOOO!!! 

Awwww crap, now I'm washing the dishes at 11pm and afterward I have to shower. . . .

No more Bleh

Well the feeling of "Bleh" has been overtaken by the feeling of sheer panic!  

My husband and I decided it was time to be closer to the things we love, our families.  This decisions end result is us moving far far away from Southern California to this place:

Idaho

So in two of the shortest weeks known to man, we're packing up and moving 1000 miles away!  No we don't have a cushy job waiting, we don't even have a place to live yet.  

But the blessings have been pouring out since we made this decision.  Our house being approved for short sale and sold this week were on top of the pile of blessings.  

It will all work out, and if it doesn't at least we'll be close to our families to come bail us out!!

I'm going to miss so much about California, where to begin. 

 The BEACH!  Really my favorite body of water, ever.  

Disneyland

Legoland

Sea world

San Diego zoo

all so close

The sun, we see a lot of it down here!

Our first home, where we first became parents.

My Doctors, they are seriously the best at what they do! 

 (getting me pregnant)

And then there are the friends. 

Some have been grafted into my heart as sisters forever.  They are the hardest thing to leave behind.  The every day companionship will be missed, but it's not a forever separation.

Things I won't miss are the $4.50/gallon at the pump

haze

lots of freeways with lots of people driving on them

the 1000 mile drive to visit family

termites, black widows, bees, rats, mice, gophers, and all other pests I'm going to assume don't live in Idaho.

So, there you have it, I'm not "bleh" anymore, yay me?

  

Uninspired. . .

I'm feeling "Bleh" lately, and my blog has suffered because of it! 

 I'm not creating, not even cooking much, so I don't feel like documenting.  I take pictures still, my kids have done great, cute things, I just feel "Bleh".

But this isn't for ME, it's for my family and friends, so here's some cuteness from my boys over the last two months:

Mason loves books!

 Dustin got older, this is his last year in his 30's!!

We picked blackberries, I guess Damen really liked the syrup I made from it.

We also made apple cider, it was GOOD!

Damen started first grade!

Dustin's brother and his three boys came to visit, this is Damen's "almost" twin cousin Ryan.

Here are all of the cousins together! 

I helped Damen clean out his room and found (scored) all of this candy!  He is strange, this never would have lasted in my room!

 Mason learned how to pull himself up and consequently, to walk.  He's quick and he's into EVERYTHING.  He thinks "No!" is an invitation to run away, throw something, or laugh at me.

A few nights ago at dinner Damen said, "MOM, I just took a drink of water, and my chicken was FLOATING!!  IN MY MOUTH!!"

He was so excited that he'd made his chicken float in his mouth, we laughed out loud!

Looking at these pictures and recalling the past few months is great therapy.  I love my boys so much!