I like going outside, whatever the weather. Snow, rain, cold, wind can just make things more interesting. Just make sure you are wearing the right jacket. But in Utah when it is below freezing, and it fills like you are breathing in car exhaust due to the inversions, staying inside is just fine.

In the middle of freezing temperatures we had a clear, warm(ish) day. These pictures are from that day.

This is how we started the day. Color mixing is fun, but even better when you take it out in the snow.

Walking over to the sledding hill. If you are from here, notice you can see all the mountains perfectly clear…no smog!

The next two are from an earlier day…they seem to still belong with the set.

I have been lackadaisical when it comes to picture taking. The only pictures on my camera are a series of shots of dyed play rice:

Although the rice has been pretty fun, we’ve done more that I should have pictures of, but lately the camera has been left behind. It sits lonely on the computer desk while the family has fun.

It has been cold and smoggy. I love going outside, but when it is less than 20 degrees outside and the air is thick with a blanket of smog, the outside loses it’s appeal. At least there is snow and icicles to make up the difference. We actually went hiking here, in spite of icky weather. Don’t get too amazed, it was for less than an hour and involved a lot of sledding.

Our lives have been busy. They will continue to be busy for a while. But they are blessed too.

We had a busy Christmas filled with people and presents. It was the most drawn out Christmas I’ve had, starting Sunday evening and continuing until Christmas evening, three days full of present opening, visiting, and celebration. I thought it was a bit much…hard on the kids, and no quite time to sit back and think. But it was good to be with family, and the kids enjoyed themselves.

With all the snow, I love to bundle the kids up and go sledding. We have a great hilly-park that we can walk to. But I think mom and dad enjoy it more than the kids. PB is usually a little apprehensive approaching new and potentially scary activities like sledding, but I think he’ll warm up to it more as winter goes on.

The biggest news is that Joe got a job. He’ll be working in Utah in a couple of nursing homes. We will be moving there soon. I’m very excited:  it was my choice of where I wanted to live, and I think Joe will do well at the job.

This little kid will stuff his current interest in his mouth and go ahead and crawl where he needs to, thereby not leaving his interesting thing behind. 

When I met Joe, he knew where he was going: he was going to be a physical therapist. After we were married I worried because entrance into school was competitive. He applied to many, and didn’t get in our first choices.

But one day, while waiting to hear back from other schools, he found out about a new program down in Provo. It was a bit risky, as the school would not gain full accreditation until he graduated, and funding tuition would not be as easy. But it ended up that the school was a blessing for us. He started in May 2010.

Joe has worked hard. He maintained a part time job through half of grad school. We added another baby, and Joe was always good at putting his family first.

We have had plenty of help along the way. My grandparents stepped in and provided financing when other options weren’t working out. They took away a lot of worry from us and enabled us to have another child and I was able to stay home with my kids. We are in much better shape due to their generosity.

Part of school was moving out to Atlanta for an internship. My mom let us borrow her beloved mini van for a year to move out here. She also came and visited twice. We had visits from many wonderful family members, making the time more meaningful.

We owe a lot of people more than I think we can ever repay.

I am grateful that graduation has come. My husband found a career he can enjoy, and that will provide for our family. He has worked hard to get here. The Lord has blessed us, our families and friends have helped us. Thanks to everyone who helped us get here, especially to Joe for working so hard:

And for even more good news, Joe ended up with an award for clinical excellence, one of only four to get an award. Still no job yet, Christmas is interrupting the job search but hopefully we’ll have news soon. 

Peter saw the Rockies for the first time and called them volcanoes. He also had to ask what the white stuff was. He knows all about snow now. We have had fun playing in the first snowfall in a long time (for us at least).

We have been busy…moving in, visiting family, traveling for job interviews, finishing up school. I am very excited for my husband to graduate with a doctorate degree. It has been a lot of work for him, and sacrifice for all of us and it is good to finally be done!

In the coming week or so we should find out where we will end up. I am excited to finally settle down somewhere. And having an income will be terrific.

For now, I am enjoying these smiling faces:

Joe crammed all of this (almost) into the mini van. Glad I wasn’t there. 

Peter’s first snowstorm. 

Peter was worried his snowman would melt…but it is still out there after making it yesterday morning. Most of it’s facial features have fallen off and it is getting shorter. 

I love this chunky kid. And the drool/runny nose is just normal for him. 

He can’t move very well in his snowsuit…but here he is enjoying watching his brother.

Waiting for mommy to get him out of his snowsuit.

We cleaned all day and the house seemed messier than when we started. Our furniture is slowly dwindling…we are almost at camping in our apartment now. The mattress is on the floor, we are using camp chairs instead of a couch.

All that is coming back with us is a mini van full of stuff. We did the same coming out. It is a bit liberating going through everything, but I also know that I have to basically start from scratch wherever we will settle.

And I don’t know exactly where that will be. Over the next few weeks and with lots of traveling we should figure it out.

Being a mom can be hard because there are no regular breaks and no concrete way to know how I am doing. Even though I love my kids a whole heap sometimes I wish they would disappear momentarily. (Sleeping at the same time fulfills this desire, and luckily they both went down today without too much trouble.)

But it is also pretty awesome. I get to play a lot.

We have:

• Fashioned a kitchen out of excess kitchen supplies including a toaster over. (It  is set up so it can’t be plugged in and heat up.)
• Gathered and sorted fall leaves.
• Started using food coloring a lot in our baths. Foam shapes have also been a hit. (Go here for more thoughts.)
• Made homemade play dough that doubled as a science experiment (the actual making of the play dough) and art project.
• Created scarecrows for fall. PB has also called his a clown and a monster.
• Responded to the advances of a small crawling love bird who is enraptured with mamma.

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Five little monkeys jumping on the bed,
One fell off and bumped his head.
Mama called the Doctor and the Doctor said,
“No more monkeys jumping on the bed!”

This is on of my nieces favorite song. At only 1.5 years, she’ll do the actions. It is a great song to do while testing IKEA mattresses. Especially if little niece tumbles off the bed and bumps her head right in the middle of singing it. I couldn’t stop laughing. (My niece was fine by the way.)