Summer...

My updating skills have been very behind, I apologize :)  This summer has been so much fun and it's been great being back in California!  Our road trip out was fun and we stopped at Mount Rushmore on the way.  Kevin finished taking the bar at the end of July (who hoo!)  and doesn't start work until the end of September, so we have been enjoying having him around.  We did some fun trips this summer.  Lots of beach days, and got to head out to Palm Springs with my parents and had a relaxing long weekend at the pool and hiking around Mount San Jacinto.  We headed up to San Luis Obispo with some great college friends and then went up to visit family in Loomis and Butte Meadows.  Jonathan celebrated his first birthday on August 15th.  He's getting so big!  He's crawling around everywhere and getting into trouble:)  Not walking yet, but we're okay with that, he likes taking his time with everything :)  My cousins Brooke, Dawn and Robin all came to visit this past weekend which was so much fun.  We have not all been together since Dawn got married, so it was a special weekend for us.  The kids had so much fun playing!

Both Elijah and Jacob started school this week.  Elijah started kindergarten and Jacob started preschool.  Mommy had some happy/sad feelings, but they did great and are enjoying their schools. 

 

We are excited for what this fall will bring and are so grateful for this past summer!

 

Digging for dinosaurs in Wyoming

 

 

 



 

 

Catching cicadas...

 

Visit to Chico to see Kristi my long time friend and the kiddos

 

Elijah's fishing success at Butte Meadows!

 

 

The March Madness Stick...it's mine for the year!

 

Pismo Beach with the Wards and McIlnays

 

 

Jonathan turns 1!

 

 

Uncle Andy hard at work:)

 

Grammy had so many fun things for the boys to do!

 

Jonathan and Grandma hanging out :)

 

Cousins!

 

Daniel 3.5, Elijah 5, Jason 3 months, Jonathan 1, Jeremy 6
Jacob 3.5, Kiki 7

 

Jacob starts Preschool!
 

 

Elijah starts Kindergarten!

 

Spring

 

 

This is a much over due update, but better late than never :)  Spring has finally come and we are enjoying our last few weeks here in Michigan.  I can't believe that 3 years have gone by since we moved out here.  We came to Ann Arbor as a family of 4 and are leaving as a family of 5 :)  It still doesn't feel real that we are leaving in a couple of weeks...maybe because we haven't begun to start packing :) 

We've had some amazing memories and are going to miss a lot of great people here.  I feel blessed to have this be just another step on our crazy life adventure and am looking forward to the next.   I remember so many worries moving here, but reflecting back on these past few years,  I see so many answered prayers, and God's provision in all of it.  It wasn't always easy, that's for sure, but God is good and He has graciously given us the ability to handle what's placed before us.  Thank you to all who could come out and visit us, I know it's not easy (especially in winter;)) but we appreciate your effort and LOVED having you see our town.  CA here we come!

 

Here's some pictures from the past couple months, it's been awhile, so I'm probably forgetting some...:)

Uncle John came to visit, which was so fun and special, although we missed
Auntie Shani and the boys :)

 

Kevin and Elijah did the Big House 5K and Mile Fun Run

 

Got to finish at the 50 yard line which was really cool!

 

Josh came to visit straight from India! He and the boys were trying to get
some birds to call back :)

 

Spring Practice at the Big House

 

Supporting our Alum Cal Poly SLO in the
March Madness Tourney

 

Detroit Day with friends. Went to Eastern Market, a huge
outdoor farmers market, then had SLO's BBQ down at the River Walk

 

Jonathan 8 months old!

Kristi my college roommate, and partner in crime :) came out
to visit.  Super fun showing her Ann Arbor.

 

Celebrating Elijah's 5th birthday with family.  Luckily his birthday
fell on the same weekend as graduation.

 

Kevin's graduation ceremony. 

 

 

We did it!

He's officially done with Law School!  Now
he just has to take one little test...the 3 day California Bar :))) yikes!

 

 

 

 

Winter

 

It has been quite the winter wonderland here.  Looking back over the past 3 winters when we first arrived in Michigan, we had one of the mildest winters in years (according to our neighbors), hardly any snow, and a record early spring.  We thought, "hey this isn't bad, we got this!". The next year, we had way more snow and spring didn't come until the end of April!  And this year with the Polar Vortex (-30 wind chill!), it has been a record breaking winter in Michigan for snow, and cold. We are grateful for the chance to experience winter in this capacity, but are definitely looking forward to sunny days! 

 

Kevin made a little snow ramp in the front yard which the boys have enjoyed. Kevin is busy with school, but is much more relaxed with this being his last semester.  We are looking forward to moving back to California in May.  Elijah is keeping busy at school, Jacob turned 3 in December, and Jonathan will be 6 months on Saturday.  The time goes by so fast!  We are keeping busy, staying warm and looking forward to Spring!

 

December/January Pictures...

 

 

 

our first attempt at a gingerbread house :)

 

proud of their snowman

 

 

 

Thankfully we were able to escape the cold over Christmas. We ended up spending almost 3 weeks in sunny California.  Due to some unfavorable weather conditions we extended our trip to avoid some of the harsh storms hitting the Michigan area.  It was great to be able to celebrate Jacob's 3rd birthday with family and for everyone to meet Jonathan.  Here's some pictures over Christmas break...

Our big 3 year old!

 

Santa Ana Zoo for Jacob's birthday

 

 

Christmas with the family

 

Jonathan meets Great Grandma Mar for the first time!

 

 

                                                                     

 

Tide Pools at sunset in Laguna Beach...

 

Viking Cousins courtesy of Grandpa :)

 

At the end of January we decided to take a trip out to Chicago with some friends.  Little did we know that we would be driving through several snow storms on the way.  I don't think I've ever been so afraid of driving in my life!  I think we saw over 15 vehicles stranded on the side of the road, including 2 big rigs at different points along the way.  There was a point when all traffic stopped because you literally could not see the car in front of you.  To make it even more memorable, poor Elijah got car sick and threw up half way through and we couldn't even stop to clean, we just had to keep going because you couldn't see any exits or off ramps.  We finally made it to Chicago safely (thank the Lord!)and had a great visit.  We went to the Planetarium and Aquarium the first day and the Fields Museum the next.  It was a quick trip, but fun memories. 

 

 

Fields Museum with the Conways

 

 

Picking corn :)

 

Elijah was really excited about the mummy exhibit.

 

 

 

 

Woke up after nap and wanted to sit next to Jonathan.

 

Enjoying another snowy day

 

 

This icicle has been growing over the weeks,

it's now almost touching the ground!