Love month!

I'm obsessed with Valentine's Day!! I always have been - even when I didn't have a special Valentine for many years. I love showering the people I love with love!

Pink, red, hearts, glitter, cookies, flowers, dipped strawberries, candy... What's not to love!! 

Our celebration of Valentine's Day started at the beginning of February and is lasting all month.

We loved checking the mail and receiving several Valentine's from family and friends living in other states. Thanks, everyone! 

Aaron and I committed to each that we'd find creative ways to express our love for each other without spending money. (I caved and did buy some candy for my boys and a balloon, but they didn't mind!) 

I sent Aaron a picture text a day leading up to Valentine's Day and he left 20 little notes around the house for me to find. I have one left and I'll be sad when this little game is over! Yesterday I went to put a load of laundry in and there was a note waiting for me by the washer. It made my day! 

Eli built this at Home Depot for his dad (okay, I really built it and he watched!) and then painted it. Have you gone to the free kids' work shop the first Saturday of the month at Home Depot? It's our new favorite family tradition since living in CO. 

Another new tradition that Eli loves is getting to lick the bowl after baking.

We hosted our first official party last week in our new home! We invited friends over for a Valentine's Day party and it was a blast. The kids exchanged Valentines and everyone brought lots of delicious snacks to share. We decorated cookies and the kids loved playing outside on the swing set, even though it had snowed the night before. They didn't care! Do you like my Pinterest craft I made with the three hearts? So super simple. 

The day after the party we rushed up to Denver to spend time with the Volks at the airport. They had a 3.5 hour layover and we loved spending time with them! It was like a mini vacation and we didn't have to travel far to see them!! 

Afterward, we of course stopped by Alex's house and spent the afternoon with cousins. 

Future artists painting pics for their Valentine's... aka mom and dad! 

Our favorite thing about Valentine's Day was spending the three day weekend with Aaron!! I loved that President's Day fell on Monday and Aaron had the day off. There is something special about a father/son relationship. Eli's overall a happy kid, but look at his enthusiastic smile with his dad around... 

We spent Valentine's Day moving in some new living room furniture we were given from a family at church. It's so nice! I'll post a pic soon. We then picked up a double stroller from Craigslist and then we made time for a family date - glow in the dark miniature golf, dinner at Crave Burger followed by ice cream at Cold Stone. 

I love attending church together as a family! 

It really has been a month full of love! 

xoxo

On being pregnant

Last January, Aaron and I were asked to participate in a stake youth pioneer trek for three days during July. When the invitation was extended to us, I cried. Aaron was serving in the bishopric, working full time, working on his Master's Degree and taking Thai lessons two nights a week through the Air Force. I was serving in the Relief Society presidency and being a mom full-time. With the commitment to attend a monthly training for trek, I didn't know if we could manage everything on our plates. And, the biggest reason I was in tears was because attending trek meant leaving Eli for 3 days. My mom offered to fly to Maryland and watch Eli and several friends from church were willing to help out. I wished Eli was a little older and we could explain to him that we weren't abandoning him for three days, just participating in a service project.

Another big reason for my hesitation to attend trek was Aaron and I felt excited about the possibility of adding another child to our family. For health and safety reasons, pregnant woman aren't allowed to participate. 

When I expressed my concerns to Aaron, we decided that we would tell the stake leaders that we wouldn't be able to participate in the activity with the youth that summer.

After Aaron hung up the phone, he immediately regretted saying no and felt that we should sincerely pray about what was best. Truth is, we hadn't specifically prayer about it yet. The stake leaders complimented us by saying they thought long and hard about couples in the stake that would work well with the youth and be a good example of a faithful marriage. After a couple of days of thought and prayer, we agreed that we would move forward with attending all the trainings for trek and trust in Heavenly Father's plan for us (aka: if I got pregnant, we would kindly decline. I know pregnancy is a tough thing to really plan - some women get pregnant the second they think about it, and other times it can take years.) 

Aaron participated in trek as a youth and assured me we'd have a great time. I hated to say no at this opportunity if in fact I didn't get pregnant for a while. 

So we participated in the training each month from January - May. 

In June we began organizing lists of items we needed to borrow or purchase to take with us. 

My mom bought a plane ticket to fly out and be with Eli.

As everything started to fall into place for trek, I started having the same hesitations and doubts I was feeling as we started this journey. 

And then, the next morning, I woke up and threw up and realized I was nauseous. 

And pregnant!!

About three weeks before the trek, we informed the stake leaders that we wouldn't be attending. I always like to wait a while to announce a pregnancy so we didn't spread the news to everyone - we kindly expressed that for family reasons, we wouldn't be attending.

I personally learned a lot about moving forward in faith. I know Heavenly Father will lead us and direct us in all we do. Aaron and I enjoyed getting to know other couples in the stake as we attended the trek trainings each month and maybe some other time in our life we'll attend trek. For now, we're thrilled to welcome a new baby into our home in a few short weeks!! 

Creating life is such a miracle. There are days and nights that it feels like I'll be pregnant forever and then it seems like 9 months has flown by. 

Here are some memorable pics to share over the past 9 months:

Introducing Eli to his brother...

18 weeks

25 weeks

33 weeks

37 weeks

I've scheduled a c-section for Thursday, March 5 so unless my body decides to go into labor naturally, we'll meet our little baby on that day! I feel at peace with another c-section. I'm so grateful to live in a day where modern medicine makes it possible for me to have babies. 

It's the final count down! See you soon, baby boy! 

Denver Zoo

Last Friday was the perfect day to visit the Denver Zoo!

Warm, summer-like-weather AND admission that day was FREE.

It was packed and we had to park miles away, but once we entered the zoo, we hardly noticed all the other families taking advantage of the perfect-zoo-visiting-day.

Hungry, hungry hippo.

These little penguins! I want one!! 

After lunch, Lincoln was in charge of leading the way. He's a good little map reader!

With three boys ages four and younger and Alex and I both 8 months pregnant, we felt like we looked like a zoo! :)

After the zoo day, Alex, Bryan and the boys came and stayed the night at our house and helped with projects around our home as we prepare for our new arrival! Thanks guys!!

Colorado! We love living here!!

Kansas

A trip to Kansas is always a fun time! Before I technically shouldn't be traveling, Eli and I decided to pack up our car and DRIVE to Kansas. Yes, DRIVE! I love living close enough to drive - 7 hrs with stops. We left at 5:30 a.m. and Eli slept the first few hours. I loved watching the sunrise and being on the open road with time to think about life. It was refreshing.

We were greeted by Oreo and donuts! (My mom arrived soon after from teaching school!)

There wasn't a Sonic close to us in Maryland, so whenever I see one, I have to stop!

Eli helping with the chores. Cleaning the toilets is honestly his favorite chore.

Dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.

My dad babysat while my mom and I caught a movie. I know it's ridiculous to pay so much for popcorn and a drink, but we splurged because it was a mother/daughter date! 

Sunday = church day. Hello, 35 weeks.

Eli slept peacefully each night in Steele's old room. Look at him in this big boy bed. He didn't even fall off the bed once. He loved it!

I relived my high school band days by attending a lasagna dinner fundraiser with my parents. I decided Eli will probably be a trumpet player. He was dancing around like crazy. 

The second my dad got home from work, Eli would say "Papa" and follow him around the house. They love each other! 

And taking time for piano duets is always a must when I'm home.

"Kitty" and "Oreo" are his new best friends.

Best travel buddy. This was the first time I faced his seat forward and he loved it. I love how talkative he is becoming. He constantly asked to "dance" so I turned on the radio and we'd dance our hearts out. 

As we drove home, I thought about the legacy my grandparents left for me, especially of dedicating their lives to the gospel. I now see Eli's grandparents doing the same for him. I cherish these sweet times of watching Eli create memories with his grandparents.  

The day we arrived home, Eli said family prayer that evening and said he was grateful for "Papa, Grandma, Oreo and Kitty." Me too, Eli. Me too.

We'll be back soon, Kansas! 

XO