Exactly one very busy year later!

Okay, so in an attempt to avoid overwhelming anyone, I will do this post in 4 parts. There

is just so much to be said in one year that I need to compartmentalize it all. So the parts will be: Family, Brynlee, Boyd and pictures in the 4th part. There is a lot to this post, so keep up. Come on. Look alive! :)

THE FAMILY:

After the kids 1st birthday in August, life just went on. The kids got more cute every day and were never less than entertaining at all times! Eric was doing rotations to finish up his last year in Pharmacy school. In the end of October was Halloween. Boyd and Brynlee both had Hand, Foot and Mouth. Poor kids. We still dressed them up and went to our friends houses to just say hi and show off the kids of course. Boyd went through a phase where all he'd do was stir with a spoon in a bowl or anything that resembled a bowl. So we thought it fitting to dress him as a chef. We put a cowgirl hat and some boots and a bandana on Brynlee, along with a Cheeseburger costume and made her a Jr Western Cheeseburger. In November he had a career fair where people from pharmacies all around the country come to recruit new staff members. This year (2010) jobs are scarce and so there wasn't much recruiting going on. It was more like the students walk around to booths to hear the people say, "keep in touch." or "we have no jobs right now" or there is a small hole in the earth and 100 people live there, want a job?" In all seriousness, there were jobs available and many sounded promising. Far fewer than in years past, but jobs none the less. We had heard from the company Eric already worked for that we'd hear from them the first part of December. I'll spare you all of the BORING details, but by the middle of January, Eric had an offer for RiteAid pharmacy in Yreka California and one for Sav-on (albertsons) pharmacy in Roseburg Oregon. AFter much prayer and consideration and some serious coaxing on my part, we decided on Roseburg. Before I get ahead of myself, I'll make mention of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We had Thanksgiving at our dear friends, the Jacobs house and a few other of our friends. We thoroughly enjoyed the late fall, and winter festivities. We had already had our first snow and so we enjoyed a white Thanksgiving. We've never been big "black Friday" shoppers, but this year, Eric stayed home with the kids and I went out around 7 to score some minor good deals. Now we're in December. Christmas was enjoyable. The kids at this point still don't get the whole Santy Claus thing and we don't expect them to. Remember, they are one! But that doesn't mean we aren't excited to host Santa at our house that night and enjoy a cookie or two while we're at it. Okay, this is getting out of hand. Big events only. We, or more Eric, signs contracts with Sav-on in Roseburg Oregon in January. Eric celebrated a birthday in February. I don't remember the date exactly. He's a leap day kind of guy and so we just picked a day close to it. :) It was a small get together with just a few friends. 31 isn't that big of a deal, right? :) anywho.....Winter is long. and so March and April are filled with cold, wet, rainy, and icy days and a few sunny, mildly warm days in between just to mock me. In March or April, Eric received an email asking him if he would please be the manager of the pharmacy here after some on the job training when he becomes licensed. After shortly considering it, he agrees to the position. In April we take a trip to Roseburg to find a home. The kids do very well the whole trip. We tried to do something fun while in town, plus we had some time to kill, so we went to the Wildlife Safari. A drive thru zoo. So fun for the little kids especially, but more fun for me, i think! Now May is upon us, which means graduation. May 14th rolls around and this is the day Eric has dreamed about since longer than i've known him. I am filled with emotion. I am so (and i'll get lectured for using this word) proud of him. He has worked so hard for our little family. He tackled school, while having twins in the NICU, and then becoming a very involved father once the twins came home. Anyway, he is just amazing. So hard working. Loving to his family and very dedicated. three days later, we load our already packed house into a Budget truck and hit the road. The kids live off of M&M's and Cheetos for 2 days straight. (sorry dr. laine)My dad drove the moving truck and it was fun to spend some extra time with him! We really love him and appreciate ALL of his help! So with a stay over night at my Uncle Raynels house in Camas, Washington, we made it to our new place in Roseburg with no problems! Within a few weeks Eric has passed both the law exam and the Pharmacy Competency exam. and we are set. He is now the guy in charge at our local Albertson's and loves it! We live in a big, beautiful town house and are surrounded by green hills and beautiful fields. The coast is an hour and some minutes from our home and we've enjoyed a few trips there. Eric's mom has been to visit and the kids loved having her here! and so did I!! She is great company and we loved having her. We welcome almost all friends and family to visit! ;)

BRYNLEE:

What to say about this beautiful little girl? She melts my heart. When she is naughty, and at 2 let me tell you, it's hardly ever, ;) It is hard to discipline her. She is so smiley! She likes to open her eyes really wide at me with a really serious look on her face and then burst into laughter. I can't help but laugh myself. When she was a few months older than one, she learned that it was super cute to say hi really loud and to everyone we met. Shortly after, she learned bye and that was fun too. She'd say bye until she couldn't see any more people to say bye to. She loves to run really fast and she has a bouncy little step as she goes along. Beautiful big blue eyes are going to be her saving grace with her parents and who can resist those deep cheek dimples?! She loves Boyd. She doesn't call him that thought. She calls him "Bo". When she can't see him, she'll walk around saying, "Bo? Bo?" until she can see him. She loves to take toys away from him and then run away laughing a deep belly laugh as he chases her, crying. She is talking so much. It is hard to think of the first things she started to say because when she started talking, all of the words came at once. We have some little neighbor boys the kids just love to play with. Anytime we are outside they say, "Ty-ee" (tyler) and "Ben". They love playing outside. They love chocolate milk. They love baby cereal and baby squash. Brynlee went through a phase where all she wanted to watch was Despicable me. She would wake up in the morning and from naps and say, "Gru." (the main character) She is spunky, she is very sassy and knows how to defend herself. When she wakes up in the mornings and from naps, she is so happy. She'll just start talking to Boyd in their own little language, of course and they just laugh and jump on their beds until we come to get them. At bedtime she loves me to read her Miss Mary Mack and The Big Red Barn. Then we sing and say prayers and she likes to say amen about 2 minutes after every one else. :) We love her so much and are so glad that she is in our family. I'm pretty sure Boyd would be one bored little boy without that girl and I just love her. I love you my bestest Bryn.

BOYD:

This guy is my little buddy. He is truly a sensitive little guy when it comes to his momma and he will always be a momma's boy. I hope, anyway. Don't get me wrong though. This little guy is tougher than the rest. Shortly after his first birthday, boyd decided to go outside to help daddy grill. While daddy went inside and friends and mom were outside, Boyd tried to help dad grill. Needless to say, after a trip to the ER to make sure he didn't have third degree burns, he had a silver dollar sized deep burn on his forehead and his palm on his hand was a big blister. He was so tough about the whole thing. From the time we brought him home from the hospital he has been a smiley guy and that has never changed. He loves his sister so much and calls her Bwim-wee. That always makes me smile. When he wakes up before Bryn and I sneak in to take him out of the room, he starts to cry and calls out, "Bwim-wee!" until I tell him that we need to let her sleep. He loves to run fast. He loves to climb and slide and he LOVES to swing at the park. He has just become slightly attached to his blanket. He brings it downstairs with him in the mornings and at nap time but forgets it quickly when he realizes all of the opportunity waiting for him in our living room and kitchen area. :) He loves to sing, "Subeams!" (jesus wants me for a sunbeam) When Eric and I take the kids to bed, I read them a few books and then Eric comes in for the rest of the bed festivities. It is a sure thing that I will read Big Red Barn and boyd will help me by saying the last word on each page and by making the noise of each of the animals pictured on the pages. Then daddy comes in and we say a prayer. Boyd is so good to fold his arms during the whole thing and then say a loud, "amen!" when prayer is over. right away he'll say, "song!" and we say, "okay, what song do you want to sing?" and he'll say, "uuummmm......song!" This little boy!! We love him so much. I am so glad that he is in this family. It seems as though Brynlee and Boyd complement each other very well and for that, i am grateful. Boyd is just such a blessing. Such a happy boy. So funny and has quite the little need to entertain others. ....Or at least mom and dad when we aren't asking him to perform for someone else! :) I love you my bestest little Boyd!!

As I type all of the things my littles are up to, I can hardly believe what I'm writing. It seems as though life has been put in to fast forward mode and my children are growing and learning and developing just as fast! I am so grateful for how well they really are doing and I make sure to thank Heavenly Father for how much he blesses my little family daily, but sometimes I wish for time to slow. We are having so much fun with them and love life so much right now. With that said, I'd like 4 one way tickets to Never Never Land! :)

And now for picture overload!

SEPTEMBER 2010

Grandma Gwen!!

Our little burn victim. ;(

OCTOBER

chef boyd-ardee and junior wester cheeseburger


Chef Boyd-ardee and junior western cheeseburger

rodeo cowboy
after the cheeseburger came off! :)

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY/FEBRUARY

1st offer letter for Eric

MARCH/APRIL/MAY (in reverse order)

Their little buddy Olivia. they were already in bed, but this was me on the last night in missoula after all day packing and right before the flood gates burst. I love that little girl and miss Missoula!
Last night in Missoula. (best buddies, bryn, clark jacobs, and boyd) I love their little buddy, clark too!! such cute friends!
Sara, my dad (steve), Eric, and Mom (jeannine)a
Shauna, Sueann, Eric and Jeannine
Eric and his mom, Jeannine
officially graduated
Shaking the Dean's hand
Eric walking in Graduation
most adorable goats!
super cute kidd ;)
feeding the goats. they are 1 week old.
Eric's future (now present) job location
Mt. Hood on our way to Portland
Chillaxin for our trip to Roseburg
so excited for chocolate! just like her momma.
Easter Baskets
Boyd running to dad, bryn looking as beautiful as ever!
Easter weekend, nice weather and dirt!
Boyd got to chase around the baby lambs/goats
Olivia, Boyd and Bryn with a goat!
easter loot! annual easter egg hunt!
Yay, for one good pic!
Bryn didn't like him so much, but....
He was a hit with Boyd
ready for the easter bunny!
mom and bryn ready for take off
in airport. B&B first flight to St. George