Lack of Blogging..

I realize my blogging has lacked significantly these past few months, and for numerous reasons.. 

For starters, selling a home, and purchasing a home, is a TON of work..physically and emotionally.  My stress is at an all time high and I have decided that if all goes as planned, we will be living in our new home until my dear husband or children ship me off to a nursing home!  Ok, so maybe that isn't 100% true, but I do know our next home will be our home for many years.  It is bittersweet packing up to move, but we are also very excited for the next chapter in life!  Our garage is full of boxes, and there is still a lot to pack up.  Hoping to take our first truck load of boxes and 'stuff' to the new house on Wednesday this week!     

Secondly, my heart has been heavy this past week after reading hateful, and hurtful things on Facebook about the Rescue Church in Colman, a church that I have a strong passion for, and where I have met GREAT Christian people.  I have wanted to say so much, but have said very little.  Never in my life have I had to 'stand my ground' about what I believe when it comes to my faith, until now.  The words I have read and the numerous 'shared' feeds on Facebook from family and friends will not alter my own personal feeings about the church, or it's mission in the Colman and Flandreau communities.  I am confident they are preaching His truth's and it is my prayer that 'this too shall pass' and that in time, the community will welcome the church and it's people with open arms. 

Aside from babysitting a few days a week, packing up boxes, getting window blinds and a new washer and dryer picked out and ordered, I have also taken on a new role with the MS (Multiple Scerosis) Society!  I have felt it on my heart for many months to get involved with a volunteer opportunity through a local organization.  I was leaning towards a role with the MOPS program at our church, but just wasn't sure it was a good fit for me.  I had actually put the idea of volunteering on the 'back burner' until a message popped up on Facebook one day that the MS Society was looking to fill a few volunteer roles for the SD MS Bike Ride!  I just feel it's such a perfect way for me to help out with an organization that hits so close to home.  My grandma LaVonne and Derek's aunt Mary both suffer from MS, along with many others that we know.  I rode in the 150 mile bike ride a few summers ago and it was brutal.  Exercise just isn't my thing unless it's going on walks with the kids, or running around in the backyard playing with the boys.  So, since I am a complete wimp, I am pretty certain I won't attempt another MS Bike 150 so what better way to still help out such a great organization than to volunteer my time to help get the ride together!   We have our first volunteer meeting on Monday evening.  My official title is 'Start & Finish Line Coordinator'.  I am really looking forward to it! 

Enjoy your weekend friends!  I've got more packing to do!  Here are some pictures from our week!

Boston in the Hurricane Booth at the mall.  

 Wednesday morning Boston woke up like any other morning.  Derek and I just looked at each other and laughed.  I said 'Boston did you get a bloody nose during the night?'  Boston replied 'Nope!'  There was blood smeared ALL over this face! 

 One thing we will really miss about the west side of town, is being close to Auntie Shana's Burger King! We stop in to see her at least once a week.  This particular day Boston decided to share his ice cream with his brother while we were driving home. 

 Yesterday afternoon my friend Tara Stadheim watched Brigs for a few hours so that I could take Boston to the Chimpanzee movie.  It was a super cute movie, but I am pretty confident to say that the hilite for Boston was the Avenger poster in the lobby!  He is counting down the days for this movie!  He claims he is going with his Uncle Jason, and that Derek has to rent it.  I enjoyed being able to do something fun with just B as it doesn't happen that often anymore and I miss our 'Mommy and Boston' dates.    

We finally had a sunny day this week so we could enjoy some time outside!

Could Boston be any more photogenic?! 

     





  

Brigs-1 Year Photo's!

My friend Tracy took Brigham's 1 year pictures.  We did pictures a few weeks before his birthday for his invites, and then took some more a few weeks after his birthday...and after the hair cut!  He is absolutely the cutest little boy ever!  Here are some of my favorite pics!

 Brigham is sitting in the same rocking chair I had as a little girl.

Hoppy Easter!

Easter Sunday we attended church at The Rescue Church of Colman.  It was a great service!  My whole family, my sister and her kids, my mom, brother & sister in-law and some extended family were all there!  I loved looking down the pews and seeing my family.  Pastor Jon is doing his next sermon series on SEX, and what it says in the Bible about it, so they played a short video (click to watch it!) intro to that.  If I could have laughed out loud I would have.. but I was so worried that my mom was going to freak out and think we were in some crazy church that she didn't want to be a part of!  The video had the song 'Let's Talk About Sex' on it.. It was too funny, and I am sure it will be an incredible series, but it was just so unexpected!  After church we went to my sister's house for lunch and the kids had an Easter Egg Hunt!  My aunt Karla and her family and my Uncle Kelly & Kim also joined us.  It was nice to have some extended family celebrate with us too!

The Easter Bunny left the boys each a basket on the front step!

Boston anxious to dig into his basket!

 Brigham was already down for a morning nap when Boston woke up, so Brigs opened his basket a little late. 

I think Brigham would have been ok with an just an empty Elmo basket!

Brennan & Boston are off to fill up their bags!

 My handsome nephew Holdyn!  He normally isn't into having his picture taken so it was so cute that he actually wanted to smile for me!

 My cousin Taya's daughter Quinn

 My beautiful neice Paisley!

 My cousin Taya's son Preston

 Brigs & Derek 
(In the background you can see the playhouse that my dad built Paisley.  It's so cute!)

 Brigs didn't get any eggs, so he went hunting for sticks! 

I hope you all had a Blessed Easter, and that you took time to celebrate His Risen Son! 

P.S.  Boston & Paisley went to Rescue Kidz during the church service and both came up with prizes!  The Rescue Church put on an amazing Egg Drop for the kids in the community the day before Easter.  Each kid that attended got to put their name in a drawing, and the kids that attended Rescue Kidz also got to add their name.  Boston & Paisley BOTH won!!  Boston brought home a remote control helicopter, and Paisley won a super cute LARGE stuffed bunny! 

Here is a picture of Derek testing out the helicopter.  There were a few times I said 'Oh shit, Oh shit...look out for the neighbors house!'  This will be fun entertainment!

 

Brigham's 1st Hair Cut!

Poor Brigs has gotten called a girl more times than I can count on both hands, so I decided it was time for a trim.  I just couldn't cut off all the curls yet, so we only took off an inch.  Yes, an entire inch and he still has a head full of hair!

The past few days we have had 90 degree weather and his hair was Out. Of. Control. 

 Look at all of those curls!

 Sitting like a big boy as we wait for his turn. 

 Before picture of both boys.

 There were tears at first..

 And then he started to flirt!

 Not only was this his 1st hair cut, but he also got his 1st sucker!  That made him smile even more!

 Had to get picture of this handsome dude so he didn't feel left out!

 After the hair cut!  Still plenty of curl!

I am so incredibly Blessed by these boys.  There daddy is the icing on the cake! 

And just for fun, I dressed Brigham in the exact same outfit Boston wore for his1st hair cut.  I love to compare pictures of the two.  This was Boston before his 1st hair cut. 

He never cried.

 We went for a shorter haircut with Boston.  Handsome!