Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a bit unconventional this year. Ty was in WA and the kids and I were stuck in ID. We made the most of it and enjoyed ourselves. We were invited to the Frogley/Earl Family dinner, probably some of the best Thanksgiving food I've had in a while. Thank you for the invite, Zoe and Ronan were MIA the whole time; they love playing with Jared and Myca's kids. Kai and Zoe are buddies!

Ty will be flying home on Friday. Yay. Finally I'll have my husband for a weekend. I've gotten a babysitter for myself tonight for some alone time. I'm definitely in need of some me time! I know that time away from the kids helps me to be a better mother and a bit more patient. :) Thank goodness for people who are willing to help me out.

Changes & a fun weekend

After visiting family last week, we left Ty in Moses Lake,WA for his 5 week rotation dealing with internal medicine. I drove home with the kids all by my lonesome on probably the worst day possible. I just wanted to get home and have some normalcy. I don't always make the best decisions when that is the case. The weather was horrible: raining, snowing, icy roads & wind. After 7 hours of driving, while praying most of the time to just make it home, we made it back to Boise. We have survived our first week without dad. It has been a bit rough, but we are surviving. The kids are still young; Zoe is 2 1/2 and Ronan 20 months, they don't understand where he is or why he is gone. Its hard have them cry for their daddy. :( Hopefully this will pass quickly and we will have our family back together.

This weekend was one to remember.

Saturday I was able to sneak away and go to a movie with a large group from church, we went and watched Breaking Dawn Part II. It was actually really good. I enjoyed laughing and spending time with these awesome ladies!

Sunday, was the rededication for the Boise Temple. Luckily, the primary president in our ward, Melece Williams & her daughter Sara, offered to watch Zoe & Ronan so I could go. It would have been amazing to have Ty there with me. I got there about 45 minutes early so I made sure to have a good seat. The spirit was so strong even while I was just sitting waiting for everything to start. The speakers were so engaging and were full of love. President Monson is so real when he speaks. I love that he made me laugh and surprised me a few times with some things he said. I truly love our Prophet. What an amazing man he is. I have been lucky enough to attend 2 dedications of temples, Tri-cities & now Boise. I know I will be spending as much time as I can in there, serving and feeling the Spirit.

Ty will be home to visit the weekend of his birthday. I am so giddy about it. I still feel butterflies when I talk to him and I miss him so much.

Livin' the Domestic life

I have never been one who enjoys cooking or most of the things that come with being a stay at home mom/homemaker. I love being outside, working with my hands, playing in the dirt, etc. 

I am starting to enjoy the domestic lifestyle. I canned for the first time by myself. The church farm in Caldwell has amazing fruit and it's all .25/lb. I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was. I found a few recipes on Pinterest that I thought our family would enjoy and I just did it. I actually really enjoyed it. There is something about seeing your kids and husband eat what you have made/canned and enjoy it. I was so proud of myself and I am starting to feel like I can pretty much do anything, as long as I have a recipe or instructions. :) 

What I canned:

Apple butter

Applesauce 

Apple pie filling

What I Froze:

Peaches in sauce

Pinterest is so dang amazing. I love the inspiration I get from it. THANK YOU to whomever invented it. My husband thanks you too!

Goodbye Binkey

Ronan has been a binkey boy since he was a few months old. It has truly been my saving grace. When he wants to scream and yell or flip out I stick it in his mouth. He has started to talk more and at times with his binkey in his mouth. I finally decided it was time for him to give it up. He is now 17 months and I think is ready. On Thursday he fell asleep without it and was clinging onto his blankey for dear life. I knew this was the time. I took it away and threw it in the garbage. I kept a few in a basket just in case, but knew that once I took it away, that was it. He has been very frustrated and there have been lots of fits thrown. I don't think he knows what he is frustrated about, but he knows that something is missing. We have snuggled a lot this week and I've tried to keep him busy and to keep his mind off of his frustration. I sure love my little boy and hate to see him confused and angry, but I know it'll be for the best. Goodbye binkey, hello blankey!! Now Zoe and Ronan both have their own blankets to snuggle at night. 

A lot has happened

Its been a while since I've posted. I have missed writing and keeping track of what has happened throughout the summer. First off, Ty has completed his first year of PA school. I'm gonna be honest, it was hard. I have explained it to others as 'HELL.' Talking with some of the other wives who have husbands in the program and how different it was for them made me feel a bit alone in it. I struggled with hormones (after having a baby), anxiety and depression big time and losing weight after having 2 kids so close. I am happy to say I have a handle on it all and have found some things that have helped a lot. I am so excited this last year is over and we have moved on to the second and final year. I do feel it has made me stronger and confident that I can take on almost anything. 

I have to add that I am so proud of my husband and his hard work. He amazes me with the sacrifices he has and is making for our family. I love learning from him, he is so dang smart. He has started his first round of rotations and is going to start seeing his own patients next week. He can't wait. 

I have been all sorts of busy. I just made my first craft table/massive cubby for my craft area out of 2 crates and am working on the second one. They are seriously huge and I love them. The only craft area I have is in my room and I have a massive wall that houses all my craft stuff. Finally I can get organized. It's been a bit of a disaster lately. 

Here is a picture of my beautiful family my friend took for us this summer! Love it.

Recent Projects

I have been quite busy trying new things the past 6 months. These are a few of the projects that have taken up my time. They keep me sane and my creative juices flowing!

Fabric tutu: This was so easy and kids love wearing them.

I have been needing something to hold all my jewelry, my jewelry box just wasn't doing it anymore. I love this! Nothing gets tangled anymore.

Mirror frame w/out mirror $15.00 at Graples in their clearance warehouse & Blessings sign was $15.00 (not on sale) but a great deal. I bought them separately and put them together. I get a lot of compliments on this. It fits perfectly in this corner.

My first every pillow cover. This is one of my favorite fabrics so I figured why not do something with it. It was a super easy sewing project! I think it turned out pretty good for my first time.

Some baby shower gifts. I had all the fabric & the elastic was about $1.50 for a huge roll. Great inexpensive gift & these go with the fabric tutu I made.

I had a vision in my head of how to separate my dining room & living room. It works!! It cost about $45 for the tin container, foam to hold the sticks in & 3 rolls of sticks. (All from Graples) I love that store!!

The living room...

I made this last Fall. It was pretty simple & I can use it for all seasons.

First ever curtain project. I loved this fabric. This is in Ronan's room.

I distressed his changing table I bought on Craigslist for $50.

We can't paint, so I put up a border to add a pop of color.

A fun piece of artwork for Zoe's room. I believe these are originally fabric/sewing circles. I repurpose most things that I buy!

Our little bully

Zoe has turned into quite the little bully lately. I know that most kids that are reaching 2 yrs old go through this. Ronan will stand up on something and Zoe will grab his hands & push him off. She likes to pour water on him in the bath, as you can see. He doesn't mind it so much & laughs most the time, but it drives me crazy.

No you cannot play with my toy! haha. What a little stinker...

more pics

Dancing in the kitchen (one of the girls favorite pasttimes)

Grandma Higley & Ronan

Craig & Ronan (they were such good buddies)

Ronan wrestling once again

Our family at the skating rink in Moses Lake

She wanted on the ice so bad!

Playing at the batting cages on Christmas Eve

Grandma Higley's Christmas party (this is the book from the family that I scrapbooked for her)

Ronan & Ty's cousin Janette

Right before we all got pedicures! So nice to get away for a few. (Me, Mandy, Joette & Stephanie)

Mandy's son Jaron & Ronan

Zoe & Mandy's girls Brielle & Mikenna

Christmastime 2011

Kid's didn't like Santa this year!

Ronan wrestling with Grandpa Herrud

Grandma Winder & Zoe

Ronan & Capriel (Winder cousin)

Zoe & Sissy (she played with her the entire time she was at our in-laws house) I always knew where she was!

Landon, Brecklyn (Winder cousins) & Ronan

Ty & his brother Craig fixing their parents treadmil

The cousins enjoying a movie on the IPad!

Zoe, Brecklyn, Capriel, Landon, Rhyse & Talia (All of Craig & Sabina's kids)

I let Breck & Tali dye my hair, I think they had fun!!