Sunday Best

Grandma Stanley gave the boys the boys these cute matching outfits for their birthdays. They  are perfect for church. Thanks grandma!

My handsome boys :)

Family Home Evening Campfire Style

In our church the prophet has counseled us to put aside one night a week, typically Mondays, for Family Home Evening. It's a special time to spend time with each other, teach one another about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and do something fun. I really look forward to them :)

The other night we did a campfire outside and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. We invited over mom, Dal and Sean. Harrison was busy and couldn't make it. I don't know what it is about doing a fire, especially in the backyard, but it was a blast!

Classic Vince, still loves Elmo and sucking on his arm

Mr Pancake

That's not vinegar, it's dry lint inside. Great fire starter.

Muchin

Cute Tidbits

There are cute tidbits everyday, but these are the ones I had caught on camera ;)

Vince loves to line up his favorite toys and this is what I came upon. So cute!!

We play outside everyday if possible and the boys love it

Ryan is such a great dad and the boys love him!

Mr pancake loves his pancakes :)

Look at that smile

Vince wanted to help Jake, It was upside down but Jake didnt care

Haha, I love that Vince is helping Ryan wash the truck, but if you look closely at what he's wearing you will crack up. We were out and his clothes got wet and all I had in the diaper bag was a 9 month old onsie for Jake (thats too small for him) and 12 month old shorts (that actually fit ok)! haha it was so cute and he didnt want to come into change so there you go :)

Buds

Twin Falls two ways

It's been so fun living in Washington and being able to go on lots of hikes and enjoy nature. The great weather from this summer has just continued on into the fall. We decided to go on a hike to Twin Falls. I had done it a few times growing up and it is a pretty easy hike, a couple miles round trip and you get to see some cool waterfalls. 

When we got to the trail 

head there were signs saying that the trail was closed about .75 miles in. We still decided to go and see how far we could get. Luckily where the trail stopped there was a nice viewpoint and benches to eat our dinner we packed. 

We saw the barricade that closed the trail and thought that we could go around it and see for ourselves where the landslide was and maybe go around it. Well, there was some people about 20 feet on the other side of the barricade talking, so we decided to try to walk up a another little trail, which didn't lead anywhere. When we got back the people were on the trail again so we decided to ask them, before venturing on the wrong side. Well THANK GOODNESS that we didn't try to see for ourselves because the people were there mourning over their friend who had DIED the day before because he fell off the trail where the landslide was!!!!

We. Were. Shocked.

We thought about it all night and the horror of us trying to take it on, on our own when there was signs clearing telling us not to go for our safety.

We learned an important lesson that day and were able to relate it to keeping the commandments. Just as there was a sign telling us not to continue on the trail because there was danger on the other side that we were told about, but couldn't see. God has done the same thing with giving us commandments. He sees and understands everything. He gives us commandments not to restrict us, but to protect us, and keep us safe from the bad things of the world. I'm so grateful for the lesson learned, not the hard way, and for a loving Father in Heaven who wants and knows what is best for us.

So since the trail was blocked from the landslide, there was also an alternate trail from the backside that we wanted to check out. Mom and Dal came along this time and it was a lot of fun. I loved the hike and going through the forest. It was absolutely gorgeous!!

There was HUGE trees. Haha and I love Jakes lookback :)

OK, this was crazy. This wasn't the first time I have done this hike. I actually had done it with my uncle Tom and grandpa and Bestemor back in 1996 (which I don't remember) and had carved our names in the bridge!!! (It looks like 91, but the 6 was faint but there)

That was fun to see

Ryan last year in the 20s!

Happy 29th Birthday my dear!

We can't believe this is his last year in the 20s, we are getting so OLD!! haha my family would kill me saying that, but sometimes it feels true :)

Haha, but seriously, 29 is so young, we have so much to do in our lives and fun times to enjoy. I love this man, more than words can describe. He is truly my best friend and such a GOOD PERSON. He is a wonderful husband, father, worthy priesthood holder, loyal, trustworthy, a hard worker, fun, funny, strong and attractive, just to name a few ;)

It was a fun filled weekend celebrating Jake and then Ryans birthday on Sunday. We actually went out Saturday night to celebrate. 

Side note: I have ALWAYS wanted to learn how to blow glass, it's on my bucket list. 

Well Ryan, being the amazing man he is, totally surprised me and took us glass blowing to celebrate both our birthdays and it was seriously one of the coolest dates we've ever done!! 

These two pictures are from before our date. We went to a preparedness fair in the town and they had firetrucks the kids (and adults, of coarse I got up there) could get up in and drive and check it out. Vince and Jake loved it!

Another awesome thing about the glass blowing was where it was at. It was in the old Rainier Beer brewery, which we would always drive by growing up when coming home from Seattle. It's a cool looking building and we actually got to blow glass in it!

Seattle artsy, obviously

So the process was pretty cool. We picked out what projects we wanted to make and the colors and patterns. I picked a pumpkin and Ryan did a turkey. Then we got our glass blowing master to take us step by step through the process and we got to help.

• The glass is in a kiln 2300 degrees (that's hotter than lava) waiting to be used
• It's the consistency of honey while in the melted stage
• It cools down extremely fast and you would have to hold in back in the kiln after about 45 seconds to continue to mold it into the shape you want
• After we finished it took 4 days to cool, with them slowly moving the finish project to cooler and cooler holding areas.

Waiting 

That's the glass when it first comes out of the kiln

Rolling it in the color (which is dyed little pieces of glass)

It was so hot to be standing there rotating the glass to get it pliable again,

This was the actual blowing part. You blew through a little straw type thing to put air in it so it would expand and get bigger. Not as much blowing as I thought there would be

Molding

And Walah!

It was so cool!

Happy 1st Birthday Jakers!

My baby is 1

Wow, I can't believe how fast his first year went. It definitely felt faster than Vince's first year and I've been told it will get faster and faster. I've already had visions of them going to kindergarten, passing the sacrament, going to highschool, leaving on missions!! haha

Mr Jake pancake is such a perfect person. I remember thinking when we just had Vince, how can I love someone as much as Vince? But the moment I first saw him and held him in my arms, I knew. Your love grows in a way that you really can't explain, and I feel fully comprehend. Jake is so precious to me. He's a entertainer and loves to make us laugh. He's a tough guy but loves to cuddle with me when he's tired. I'll pick him up and he'll lay his head on my chest and suck his thumb. It's the absolute cutest thing I've ever seen and literally melts my heart!

We love you Jake!

Being a mother to Vince and Jake is the best thing that ever happened. I thank my Heavenly Father everyday for the wonderful blessing and opportunity that He has given me to be a mother to His precious children.

Jake's stats:

21 lbs 4oz

29 1/2 inches tall

Can walk but tumbles after some steps, he's in the in between stage

Loves to climb anything and everything

8 teeth with the 2 top molars peaking through and the bottom soon to follow

has recently learned the lovely scream/high pitch talk when he wants something

has his own language, it is so cute to hear him babble

he can say mama, dada (but rarely does), amen and Jesus

loves animals, especially to watch birds flying in the air, he'll point and just stare and babble

loves laughing and playing with Vince

We are so blessed to have so much family around and most everyone was able to come celebrate on his big day. It was actually a little overwhelming and there were some tears but those ended quickly when he tasted the cake :)