Jake's Dedication and our Boise trip. (Part one.)

This trip was especially special to Grant and I. Not only having family together, but getting our son dedicated. We decided to have the pastor that married us in 2009 dedicate our son. He has prayed for us and continues to pray for us. He is an incredible man. A man that Jake will look up to. When I am in town we go to the church on Sunday's. This is a special church to Grant and I. My parents, my grandma, and Grant's mom where all there as well. It was so special. I cried 8 times during the service. Tears of pure joy! So proud of my little man already! He is such a good baby. He looked right at the pastor and smiled at him. Not scared at all. Smiled on the stage to all the people looking at him. 

This has been a trip to remember! So many wonderful things have been going on. I'm so thankful for everything in my life. I know I say it a lot... but, I feel truly blessed. I'm so happy! :)

Here are some pictures from our trip so far (I'm actually still here):

Great Grandma Hodges.

10 MONTHS OLD!

Little scratch never hurt no one! ;) My little toughie!

Jake's play area at his grandparents house. 

The boys! Getting ready to golf.

LOVES the most random things!

Grandmother Stone and Jake.

Sheriff Jake in town! 

Grant throwing the football to the boys in the front!

My little family of 3. :)

4 generations.

Pop Pop with the boys.

Pastor Tom praying for Jake. 

The guys have been playing golf everyday. The girls have been shopping, cooking, sitting outside, and site seeing. We've even hung out with friends that moved here from college. It's been very relaxing. I love it here. Sitting in my parents backyard, music playing, laughing, and staring at the golf course! It stays light until about 10pm! Seriously, it really does! Jumping on the golf course at any hour to hit some balls. Yes, please! So fun!

Grant went home last night. I was sad to see him leave. I come home this weekend. It will be sad to leave, but I know another trip will be in the making!

More pictures to come! I still need to download the 4th of July and other pictures.

Cheers,

Road trip/Flight #4 (Part two)

Part 2 of our Idaho trip will be a little shorter. After Jake's 2 trips to the urgent care he started to feel better. I ended up in the urgent care after. I started taking medicine, and then I came down with the flu. SERIOUSLY. Anyhow, I wasn't really up to taking pictures feeling as sick as I was. 

Before I got the flu I did have a lot of fun days! Over the weekend my dad, grandma, brother, Jake, and I went on a few drives around Boise. It was pretty cold and rainy so it was fun to pick up coffee's and cruise around the town. We stopped for lunches, and ate at some good restaurants! Ever heard of Diners, Drive In's and Dives from the Food Network? Well, they've been to Boise more than once! We went all over. Boise is such a great city. Have you ever been? If not, I recommend it!

We got back home after over 2 weeks in Boise. I feel like a broken record, but, I hate leaving my family. It's so hard to be far. I HATE IT. My family is so helpful and loving. I'm so lucky. I wish I could just drive over for dinner or for my family to watch Jake while Grant and I have a date night. It's nerve racking finding someone to watch your precious baby! I was happy to come home and see my husband! Grant was a busy little bee while I was gone! He is so darn thoughtful! He bought me a PreCore elliptical machine and a food processor! I have been complaining about not being about to get to the gym and that I wish I had one... and also that I wanted to make sure I was making all of Jake's food while we were home... presto! Now, I have both. :)

It's been a tough transition for Jake in the last 72 hours. Jake got home around 11am on Wednesday evening and didn't really remember our house. He didn't remember his room, and the things he once loved. I know it was late and he was really tired. Imagine waking up in Boise (after over 2 weeks), then getting on a plane, falling asleep, and then waking back up and brought into a new home. He didn't want me to put him down. He didn't even really want to go to Grant. I told Grant not to get upset. Jake fell asleep on me and laid next to me the entire night. Yesterday he woke up and things were much better. Today he was even better. Still doesn't like when I walk out of the room, and only wants me to hold him.  Any advice? I read that it takes a few days when you've been gone as long as us to get back into the swing of things. Poor thing. We're going to Oklahoma in a few weeks... will it start all over again?

Since I've been gone... Jake is crawling, and even grew! I can't leave him anywhere! How do you take a shower? Where do you put them? I have to take the crib mattress down, and put together the high chair Grant just bought yesterday. This little guy is mobile!

Well, enjoy the Boise pics. Jake turned 7 months today... I will post his 7 month pictures later today! 

pop pop with Jake.

On the freeway heading to downtown Boise.

Love the trees in the town area.

The Capital.

Jake with his pop pop. He had so much fun playing with him!

We were feeling better, so we all went to lunch!

Dylan saying good bye to Jake at the airport.

Cheers,

Road trip/Flight #4 (Part one)

IDEEEHO!

Figured this blog should be in 2 parts. I've been here so long that I have a ton of pictures and stories!

Let's start with part one of our Boise trip!

Grant parked and walked us in to LAX. He made sure we were all check in before he left us at the security check point. I didn't find out until later that I could have gotten Grant a pass so that he could have taken us all the way to the gate. It didn't matter this trip, but if we had more children that would have been super helpful! The other pics are of Jake on the plane. He did great. We fed on the way up and down. We played in between. He didn't sleep much on the plane. He flirted with all the women that walked by. No lie. I'm in trouble with this little flirt!

My grandma picked us up at the airport. We went to lunch and then we went home to hang out and wait for the rest of the family to get off work. I was so happy to be home!

My little brother Dylan is getting so big! He's going to be 8 on 4/3. 

My parents couldn't wait to hold him!

Jake was in awe of Dylan. He just lights up when Dyl walks in the room.

Jake's first haircut. Sitting on Grandma Spellman's lap.

I learned how to crochet while I have been here. Yes, people... me! I'm making a blanket for my bedroom now. It's a work in progress. The picture below was at the knitting shop. Knit one/Quilt two! ;) Jake was playing peek a boo with his auntie Kim!

A week into our trip Jake started suffering from allergies. The allergies turned into a secondary infection. We were in urgent care 2 nights in a row. Finally with antibiotics he's doing great! We ended up extending our trip another week because Jake wasn't feeling well. I didn't want him to fly all stuffed up. I was worried that his ears wouldn't pop, and that he would feel more miserable. I ended up getting sick as well. Pretty much the same thing happened to me. Allergies on hiatus... then secondary infection. I'm feeling better after antibiotics as well. We'll be home next Wednesday. I will be sad to leave my family... but, I miss my husband terribly!

It was been such a fun trip. Jake and I have had a lot of firsts together! First plane ride, first sickness, new foods, first haircut (in a salon where I got my hair done), and new appreciation for California weather.

Part two coming soon...
Cheers,

Road trip #3

Over the weekend Grant and I took our third road trip as a family of 3. Seems like we are constantly on the go lately. I so look forward to our weekends away. Grant works so much and travels often so we are doing little weekends away when we can. California is an amazing state, right? We start out at the beach (where we live) and ended in the mountains skiing. Just awesome.

I have never been to Mammoth, so needless to say I was SUPER excited. Growing up we always went to Big Bear or Arrowhead. I was a figure skater growing up. So, I spent most weekends at the training center in Arrowhead. Mammoth is so different though. Both beautiful places.

Grant and I went up on Friday late morning and just relaxed. We unpacked and then went back out to explore the city. We went to eat and checked out the lodge. After that we went to the grocery store to stock up on food and wine. Yep, wine people. That night we didn't want to do anything. We ordered pizza, opened a bottle of wine, put a movie on, and did nothing! It was amazing! Jake fell asleep early, so we put the monitor on him in the bedroom and enjoyed our time together.

The next day Grant's cousin Amanda flew into town. After she arrived we went to the lodge, got ski equipment, and went to lunch! Vacation = food. :) Anyhow, the next day Grant and Amanda skied, while Jake and I played inside. It was really snowing. In fact, I heard the wind the entire night howling. When I woke up, I opened the window and thought we were snowed in. Amanda (who's originally from Pennsylvania) laughed at me. She called it a "snow flurry". Oh, California girls. So, they left, and I turned the heater on and drank a mocha. ha ha.

We all had a blast. What a relaxing weekend!! That night we drove back. I'm so glad we went. I'm excited to go back... and next time snow board!

Here are some pictures from our trip!

Jake woke up, and Grant went in the room to comfort him. Jake knows to look at the monitor when he wakes up. Too smart! This image made me laugh. Had to take a picture! Priceless. 

On the pod heading to the lodge.

Beautiful babes.

It had just stopped snowing for a second. And Jake was asleep for the picture.

My boozy baby