Thankful.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving WEEK! The weekend before Thanksgiving, Mylie and Blake stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Breach. They had such a blast and got to be farm kids for the weekend. They rode in the pickup, did chores, and had a fabulous time. Jeff and I also had a nice weekend, including two dates in two days. Unprecedented! Sunday afternoon the whole Breach family spent the afternoon together having lunch and just hanging out. It was a great day.

Mylie and I were both out of school all week. Monday, the kids went to daycare while I did a little work and a little Christmas shopping. Tuesday it was cold and icky - so we all stayed home and enjoyed our nice warm house all day long. Wednesday morning we left to go to Idaho Falls. The roads had been nasty and some of them closed on Tuesday so we were a little hesitant about going. The drive which normally takes 4.5 hours, took 7 hours. Ugh. To say it was a long day was an understatement. Thankfully Jeff drove like a rock star, the kids were quite good in the car, and I had a great book. We were definitely happy to arrive in Idaho Falls.

Thanksgiving was fabulous. Mom cooks Thanksgiving like no one else and it was a fun day. The guest list included, Grandpa Hammond and Grandpa Jack, Ben's family, Bailey, Jalyn and her kids and Uncle Doug and Aunt Marilyn. Of course we missed Courtney, Jason and Lila.

The kids all had so much fun playing all day Thursday and Friday. On Friday, I got to have lunch with TeriAnn and her husband Dylan. It was so strange to be having lunch with her and telling Mylie how TeriAnn and I met when we were HER AGE! Yikes. Does that make us old? We hadn't seen each other in three years, so it was so great to catch up. They are expecting their first baby, so we had lots to talk about.

Later Friday afternoon, Jeff and I shopped and shopped. Goodness, I really love shopping. I think we are about done with our Christmas shopping, which is great, except I still like to shop!! LOL. We decided we had better head back early in the day on Saturday since there was supposed to be a storm coming through. Before we left, Papa had to take the kids on the 4-wheeler again. For some reason Blake did not want to ride in the sleigh this time, he wanted to help Papa drive.

It was super cold, but the kiddos loved it! I think we were just ahead of the weather because we made it back safely in good time. The news that night told a different story about the roads, so we were glad to make it back safe. Sunday we did not even get out of our pajamas. I have been battling a bad cold/cough for over 2 weeks, and the kids woke up sniffling and coughing yesterday. We called it a day and just relaxed and napped and tried to get ready to get back in the swing of things.

There are so many things I am grateful for this year. I am grateful for this little family I have. For a wonderful husband that I love with all of my heart. For two little kids who have my heart. I am grateful for our big family. We are both so lucky to have wonderful parents and families, and our kids are so lucky to have the best grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I am grateful for our home and our jobs. I am grateful we have cars that run well and health insurance. I am grateful that we believe in God and that we live in America. I am grateful that we can provide for our children spiritually, temporally, and emotionally.

I am grateful. And I love this time of year where we take time to slow down and remember all the reasons why.

Time Marches On ....

This morning was Jeff and I's first time ever going to parent teacher conferences. It was great to hear from someone else how neat my kid is. For some reason it seemed kind of fitting that today was our first parent teacher conference and that nine years ago today, Jeff proposed to me. Nine years ago is a long time! I look at us then, and I look at us now. So much has changed in our lives, but I would not change it for anything.

But time does go fast. It is hard to believe my baby girl will turn six next week. And Blake is growing into such a boy, there isn't much toddler left in him. Though there was a moment earlier this week, he had just gotten up and I was changing his diaper. He was still kind of sleepy and he stretched and yawned ... his whole face scrunched up and for just a moment, he looked exactly like he did as an infant. I wish I could have put that in a bottle. Or when they both want to climb up on my lap and snuggle with me, I'd like to bottle that too.

It makes me think about what the next nine years will bring. When Mylie is 15 and Blake is almost 12, will they still argue over who gets to sit with Mom? Will they still talk my ear off all day long telling me every single little thing that happened in their day? Will they still be best friends?

But time marches on, there is no way of knowing what the future holds, only the knowledge that you need to enjoy each and every day!

Boo!

WHAT? Its the last week of October?

This month has gone by in a rush! I feel like I have much to share, but little time to do so. It has been a busy month of teaching, of soccer, of volunteering in Mylie's class, and of learning. Here are a few short updates with more to come.

Blake has his final speech therapy appointment today!! He has a final evaluation and he did so well on it. I am in awe of him and so grateful to the therapist who worked with him. When he started this process in March I had to make a list of his words and he had 10. I made a new list last week and it was over 170 and I have heard him say so many words in the last week that I didn't have on there. He is a different kid, he is more confident and a little chatter bug. He is so funny and always has a story to tell us. He is using sentences and communicating so well. I had no idea what to expect when we started the process, but I did not expect this!! I am so happy and proud of him, and proud of Mylie too, for working so hard to help her brother.

It hit me the other day that it is the last week of October and we still hadn't done pumpkins!! Yikes. Off we went this afternoon to pick out pumpkins and then Jeff helped the kids carve them. Great work guys!

It doesn't feel like it has been fall for very long, but it also feels like it might be winter at any moment. In fact the high for tomorrow is 45, I was digging the kid's winter coats out tonight.

I had to capture pictures of my favorite trees. Both these trees were probably only 5-6 feet tall when we planted them. They are huge now and I love the beautiful colors.

My summer reading spot transformed.

This week promises to be a busy one as well. It is the 10th week of the semester, yikes, I cannot believe it. I have decided the only time I will ever be caught up on grading is at the end of the semester, after grades are posted! :)

A beautiful day in McCall

Nine years ago on a beautiful October day, Jeff and I took a day road trip to McCall. We hadn't been dating for long, but we both had the day off of work and went on a drive to admire the beautiful fall scenery. Although we had not been dating long, it was that day that I knew I would marry him, that I would have babies with him, that we would live happily every after!

Every October we take the same drive. Then it was just us:

But of course, now there is them too.

The leaves were beautiful and the sky was so blue.

The kids had a great time hanging out at the lake.

And looking at boats with the binoculars.

Or smiling at Mommy.

Posing with Daddy.

And running from {fake} turtles - that he later shot with a {fake} gun. Don't ask, he is weird. :)

It was simply a quite lovely day. We told Mylie stories about when we were dating and first married. She asked all about when she was a baby. It was so fun to just laugh and tell stories. While at the lake, Jeff and I sat and held hands and watched our babies play. Nine years ....

Looking forward to a day off!

I am so excited about tomorrow. I am off of work and there is no school and I CANNOT wait to spend the whole day with my babies. It has been a busy month at our house. Kindergarten starting for Mylie, new daycare/preschool for the kids,soccer three times a week, a busy semester teaching 12 credits for me, and a busy last few weeks of training youth court volunteers.

But tomorrow there is nothing. I'm hopeful the kiddos will climb in bed with me in the morning and we will watch cartoons and cuddle. There will be no hurrying or rushing to get anywhere. No packing lunches or backpacks. I look forward to playing, to going to Toy Story 3 at the dollar theater, and maybe go to the park.

I know that life doesn't slow down, so there is no use waiting for it to happen. I have to make it happen. Our lives are busy, and that is OK, we are OK with that. But it is important to carve time out. Time where I am not multi-tasking. Time where we can just be.

"I'll always be here for you Bubba."

Today I had one of the most touching moments I have had as a parent. Blake fell asleep on the couch late in the afternoon watching football. When he woke up he was not a happy boy. I tried to calm him, but he wanted nothing to do with me. Jeff tried, same result. First he laid on the floor and sobbed. Then he got up and went and found Mylie. He was sobbing, saying, "Sissy, sissy." She came in and said, "Do you need me Bubba?" She sat on the couch got his blanket, and lifted him up on her lap. He laid his head down and held her hand. She rubbed his head and whispered, "I''ll always be here for you Bubba."

I get tears in my eyes again just thinking about it now. He calmed right down and laid there with her for awhile. She talked quietly to him and when he felt better, she went and got him a drink and off they went to play. Oh how I love these kiddos of mine!