We're Alive!!!

After a FIVE month hiatus from blogging here we are again. (I'm sure you are all sick of opening our blog page only to find that it's still the same old post about the cat). The winter semester was crazy for all of us so blogging, unfortunately, was way at the bottom of the priority list and then I guess it's taken us since May to just recover and get back on track. So here's the big update . . .

We survived another semester. Sometime late in April we had some pictures taken by a friend in our ward. (Check out Keala's photography site here). She did a great job and here they are for your viewing pleasure - better late than never.

The kids are glad to be out of school for the summer. The week after school got out we headed up to Idaho to spend time with family - the first time all of Ashley's family has been together in a few years. (Pictures to come). That trip included a baby shower for Sara and Jonathan who are expecting their first in September.

Brent is loving his new job the last few months. He has been managing the renovation of several neat homes mostly close by here in the Yalecrest neighborhood.

I am just trying to keep up with laundry - that's it - and when I do I feel pretty good about my day.

We had a fun 4th of July party with friends and family here at our church pavilion, which included HUGE hot dogs, root beer floats, and fireworks. And there you have it. Five months in a nutshell. I will try to post more pictures from this summer soon.

Missing Hattie

We are definitely animal people and every once in a while you just need to snuggle something fuzzy. On those days we really miss our cat, Hattie. She is the best cat and for a little while, until we are done living in our student apartment, she has been living with Grandma and Grandpa Tolman and Aunt Andrea and Alex. She is having a great time there bonding with Jem and Mandy (the dogs) and having the full run of the yard and house, but we still miss her a lot. Tonight we even went to the pet store pretending we were interested in buying something just so we could pet the dogs and cats. The kids are eagerly counting down the days until we can move back into a house and have Hattie back and maybe get a dog . . . until then I guess we'll go snuggle a guinea pig . . . which is pretty good too.

Sweet Valentines Day Gift

This is not what I am giving Brent for Valentines so it is safe to post. I just saw this on Esty. It is from Bear Graphics. You send them the coordinates of your special place. . . where you met, got engaged or married, or where you were born, etc. and they make it into a custom art letterpress print for you. Here is the link if you are looking for something for your hubby.

Sleigh Ride

Before we came up to Idaho for Christmas, Grandma and Grandpa Tolman had met an older gentleman who lives just South of Rexburg who owns several draft horses, and he was nice enough to offer to take us all on a sleigh ride the day before Christmas Eve. He has a lovely farm on a fork of the Henry's River and he drove us all out along the river. We even saw some swans and a bald eagle. The two horses that drove us were ones he had brought home from Nauvoo after he and his wife served a mission there. We had a really great time and were so grateful to Mr. Olafson and his grandsons for taking us.

Christmas '10

I know Christmas was like two weeks ago, but we thought we'd share a few pics anyway. This year we went to Grandma and Grandpa Tolman's in Idaho Falls. We ended up staying a few days longer than planned because of the weather, but we all had a great time. The kids were lucky enough to get a quick visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus on Christmas Eve. Aunt Andrea made an awesome seafood stew for dinner. The kids read the nativity story with Grandma and opened their traditional Christmas Eve PJ's, then loaded up with toys and candy on Christmas morning. We all had a great Christmas.