Heitmann Family

{First Day of School 2014}

2014-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

The first day of School has finally come. We had a great, busy summer and now it is back to the grindstone!! The kids are obviously starting at new schools this year. We have heard nothing but wonderful things about the Jr High and Elementary schools, so we were looking forward to a great year.

This guys is a big 8th grader this year. He amazed me at how calm he was on the first day. He didn't have his schedule, had never stepped foot inside the school building and yet he was a cool as a cucumber. Not worried a bit. He said, "Mom it's fine, I'll be fine!!" And he was of course. He had a great first day and loves his classes. He wouldn't hold still long enough for me to get more than one shot and he didn't want me following him around all 6 periods to get pictures with his teachers. Don't know why!! So this one is all I got!!

Meysa is in 5th grade this year. This girl loves school! She is was really excited to go and meet her teacher the day before school started. Ms. Olson is her teacher and Meysa loved her from the first minute. Meysa is a good student and she too has adjusted to a new school really, really well. Hoping that continues!

Lauryn is in 3rd Grade this year. Her teacher is Mrs. Raymond. She loves her and is doing well in school too. She has made friends already and is transitioning to a new school just fine. Something that I am very thankful for!

Wyatt is starting 1st Grade this year. His teacher is Mrs. Suther and he loves her. He too has adjusted well to the change in schools and the move!! He was really excited to go to school and meet new friends. He was happy to find out that two girls from his Primary class are in his class at school as well. Instant friends!

With school starting that means the Heitmann's are finally, fully settled into our new place. We are really enjoying being back closer to family!

{Bird Aviation Museum & Invention Center}

2014-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

The one day that we didn't spend either fishing or playing in the sand, we spent up North near Sandpoint checking out a really cool museum. It is called the Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center. My Dad had told us about it and we thought it would be really interesting.

First the museum is named after a man by the name of Dr. Forrest Bird. He was in the military, he was (and still is) a pilot and he is an inventor. He invented the respirator, specifically an infant respirator, called the Baby Bird Respirator. His respirators are still sold all over the world. He has an amazing collection of vintage cars and airplanes and he has a portion of his museum dedicated to inventors and to inspire others to be inventors. A whole wing showcases his respirator inventions and the history of that. The kids loved the place. They were able to do a scavenger hunt around the museum to find out things and then we got to meet the man himself. For being in his 90's he is still pretty with it and it was interesting talking with him.

He owns 400 acres and his production of the respirator takes place on his own property. He raises cows and grows and extensive garden that they then can food from and then sell at the cafe located near the museum. He offers training seminars on how to work and use the respirators and houses those people on his property as well. Really an interesting guy!

If you are ever up near Sandpoint, ID (the museum is located in Sagle, ID) check it out. It was a really fun day!! Oh by the way it is free too.

{At the Lake}

2014-10-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

We have to spend our time at the Lake with Papa Don when we go to Idaho. A trip wouldn't be complete without it!! The kids love to go fishing and to play at the beach. Which is basically what we did for 4 days. We did take a day trip up north to Sandpoint but other than that one day we spent fishing and playing in the sand. It is always relaxing and just plain heavenly! Thanks Don and Faith!

Papa Don and Dad took all the kids fishing out on the lake and not just by the dock! Ayden was the only one that caught something worth keeping. He still doesn't like the feeling of fish, especially if it is still alive and moving. This face is telling me, "hurry up and take the picture so I can put the fish back in the bucket"!! At least he likes eating them!!

When they weren't out on the boat fishing, they were on the dock fishing. Papa helped bait their lines and they caught fish after fish. It was a fun thing to do after dinner and when the sun had gone down! The kids loved it!

Ayden got creative one afternoon and made some sand sculptures using his siblings! Wyatt was a merman, and Lauryn was a turtle. As you can imagine, they both had sand in their nether regions and beyond!! Aside from that they had a blast!

Papa Don has a friend that lives up at the Lake. He has a little scooter that is electric and he made the mistake of telling the kids that they could ride it whenever they wanted. Meysa took full advantage of that opportunity!! It was fun for them to zip around the little neighborhood!! Just another fun thing to do at Papa's Lake place!!

{Four Musketeers}

2014-10-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

These kiddos are sure growing up! The last time we took pictures of them they were 8 and getting baptized. Now they are 13 and a force to be reckoned with with!! They get along so well and genuinely enjoying being with each other. Love that!! We'll take pictures again when they are 18 and see how much they have grown!!

Love them!!

{Say Cheese}

2014-10-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

While we were in Idaho we had a potluck one evening to visit with some of the family that was in town. The kids loved playing on the playground at the park. Boy howdy do these guys love the camera. I took out my camera and they all were wanting me to get a picture of them doing something cool. I love being an Auntie, and I love these kiddos!!

{Happy Birthday Baby Boy}

2014-10-02T16:42:00.000-04:00

This little Man is growing up, even without parental permission to do so. It really is hard to comprehend that he is SIX years old already. It feels like just yesterday I was holding him in my arms smelling his fresh-from-heaven smell. These days he smells more often than not, like he has been playing outside in the rain with the dogs. You know that smell?! I call it outside-wet-dog!! Not sure that it is a very marketable fragrance, but I digress!!

This kid is one of a kind I tell ya! He full of energy and personality! He has never met a stranger and is a really good friend! He loves to be outside, in the dirt building, playing. Oh how we love our Wyman!!

Just in time for Wyatt's birthday, all the boy cousins on my side were going on an overnight fishing trip. The boys really wanted to go and they were leaving from Papa Chip's house on Wyatt's birthday so we headed over earlier than we had originally planned. We celebrated his birthday at home with Dad early and then headed over just in time for the boys to go along.

Wyatt was really excited to go fishing and camping. He even bought his own fishing pole. He was serious about fishing!!

These two were partners in crime while we were visiting at Papa's house. I just learned from my brother, that Wyatt kept calling Conner "cute" while we were there and Conner didn't take to kindly to being called cute! Them are fighting words!! I'll have to chat with Wyatt about calling him cool, or fun or something more manly!!

The boys had such a great time. They found a beautiful spot up on the North Fork of the Clearwater to camp. It was so nice in fact, we have planned a camping trip there as an entire family next summer!! So thankful for these guys! What wonderful examples my kids have to watch and learn from. I am oh so thankful for my family and that we are closer and my kids can associate with them!!

{Salt Lake}

2014-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

After two VERY long days driving from Nauvoo, we finally made it to the Salt Lake Valley. I can only imagine how hard that trek was for the Saints! Ryan and I hadn't been to Salt Lake for probably 12 years. We checked into our hotel which was just a block from Temple Square and then made our way over to eat dinner at the City Creek Mall. The next day we met up with my younger brother who is living in Provo. We spent time on Temple Square and enjoyed touring the Conference Center, a first for all of us. The kids really enjoyed seeing the Salt Lake Temple for the first time in person. It was again a much needed break from driving!!

{Nauvoo, IL}

2014-08-07T18:00:00.000-04:00

After a long day driving we made it to Nauvoo, IL. Ryan, I and the older two kids had visited Nauvoo when we lived in Iowa during medical school. They were little and could only remember things because they had seen pictures of our visit. So we decided that we should stop again. It was a nice day and a much needed break from driving. We visited many of the homes and hands on activities and then we made our way over to Carthage to see the jail where Joseph and Hyrum Smith were killed.

The cutest little bird was just sitting on the fence checking us out. I couldn't help but take a picture!

It was so special to go and visit the Visitors Center at Carthage. It was one place we hadn't made it to the time we visited before. I am so glad we made the stop this time.

{Kirtland, OH}

2014-08-07T15:19:00.000-04:00

Our next stop was Kirtland, Ohio. The Saints built their first temple here. It is now owned by the Community of Christ, and it is still in use today for meetings and concerts. We loved getting to tour that magnificent building.

After touring the Kirtland Temple we came over to the Visitors Center which is built close to where the Newel K Whitney store and home are. It was again really neat to see how the saints lived and worked in that community. We also got to see the lumber mill and the ashery. Those both were used to make money for the Saints and to help build the temple that was not far off.

{Operation Move-to-Washington has begun}

2014-08-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

Our time in Maryland has finally come to end. We loved every minute we spent living on the East coast and everything we were able to see and do. It was an adventure and we loved it! It was sad to leave the many dear friends we made, but we were looking forward to being much closer to family.

The packing and loading of our household goods went somewhat smoothly. The packers showed up late and didn't get it all done so they had to come back the morning that they were loading the truck. It was a bit stressful, hoping they got it all done. I had planned to do the walk thru with our landlord loading day in the evening so as far as I was concerned it all had to done by 7:00 pm. Thankfully it was. We got a hotel for the night and we basically crawled into bed that night and crashed. Bright and early the next morning we took off to start the trek back to the West!

For the drive back to the West coast we planned a little sight seeing to make the trip interesting. One of the things on our bucket list that we hadn't gotten to do while living in Maryland was seeing the church history sites up in New York and Ohio. So that is how we planned our trip. We hit Palmyra, New York first and then basically followed the trek the Latter-Day Saints took all the way to the Salt Lake Valley.

We got to Palmyra just after 1pm and stopped at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center. They told us that we would want to go see the Smith Farm and the Sacred Grove first and then the Printing office where the first Book of Mormon was printed and then come back to the Hill Cumorah. So that is what we did.

We got over to the Smith Farm and toured first the little cabin that they Smith family lived in before and while they built their larger home. It was in that cabin that Joseph prayed in the grove and had the first vision. It was also where the Angel Moroni visited Joseph and taught him about the work the Lord had for him. After walking through the homes and the barn we were able to walk to the Sacred Grove. It wasn't that far of a walk and if you didn't know what had happened there you might suspect it was just your average run of the mill forest. But it wasn't average and we did know what happened there. Our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ appeared to a young boy who prayed sincerely. I am so glad that we were able to see it for ourselves. The feelings I had there only strengthened my testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet of God.

After seeing the Sacred Grove we made our way into town and saw the printing press where the first edition of the Book of Mormon was printed. It was quite the job to print 5000 copies of any book at that time but especially for a small printer. We learned how they did all the printing and the people involved. I loved seeing that!!

After the printing house we headed back to the Hill Cumorah and we hiked up to the top. They were setting up for the Hill Curmorah Pagent so there was a lot of equipment there that isn't normally there but it was still neat to see the hill and know that that was where Joseph Smith received the plates from the Angel Moroni.

How thankful I am for the sacrifices of the early Saints and for their testimonies!!

Up Next Kirtland, Ohio

{Independence Day}

2014-08-04T21:00:00.002-04:00

We had really wanted to stay through the 4th of July before we moved back to Washington State. It worked out perfectly and we enjoyed our last 4th in DC.
The first thing for that day was our ward's annual pancake breakfast. It was even more special because Ayden played colors for the flag ceremony! He worked really hard to learn that and he did an amazing job!! The pancakes were pretty good too!!

We had been wanting to take the kids to a Nationals baseball game and figured what better time to do that then on the 4th of July!! It was a good game even though the Nationals lost and Lauryn wasn't feeling too great because it was a little warm!! We rode the metro down for the last time and enjoyed a day at the ball park!

We enjoyed going with some of our dear friends, the Denison family! We miss you guys!!

After we got home from the game and rested in the A/C for a little while, we made our way downtown again for the National fireworks show. We met up with some friends and enjoyed our last night on the Mall! The fireworks were wonderful and we loved spending time with friends!!

The Washington Monument

2014-08-04T20:49:00.000-04:00

One of the last things that we wanted to check off our bucket list was visiting the Washington Monument. Right after we moved to Maryland three years ago there was an earthquake and a hurricane and with that the monument had damage and was closed for renovations. We hoped it would open before we moved from the area and thankfully it did. We got online and reserved our tickets for a day in early July. We were so glad we did because the day we chose happened to be very hot and we about melted. We didn't have to wait in line for tickets and then wait in line to get in. We just got in the line to go up to the top. It was an amazing view at the very top. It reminded me of when we went up to the top of the Arch in St. Louis!

Looking up the Mall toward the Capitol.

Looking out toward the Tidal Basin and Reagan National Airport.

Looking the other way down the Mall toward the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery in the distance.

Looking over the White House!

Had to take this shot. Out just at the Horizon you can see a White building. That is the Washington DC Temple! Love that place!

The kids at the top!!

The kids at the bottom!!
So glad we were able to fit that in before we left the area!!

The End of an Era

2014-08-04T20:40:00.002-04:00

The end of June brought with it the end of an Era! Ryan graduated from his fellowship program! Seriously we have waited for this day for what seems like forever!! We are going to celebrate our 15 year anniversary here in a few days and in all those years we have been in school or a training program of some sort. I think we both took a big sigh of relief as he walked across the stage to accept his certificate. Afterward we went out for lunch at PF Changs, which was where we went to dinner the night he graduated from Med school. These crazy kids!! How thankful we are for them and what they add to our lives!!

I am so proud of Ryan and everything he has accomplished throughout this wild ride! He is an amazing doctor and is respected by everyone he works with. Love, love, love him!!

June iPhone photos

2014-08-04T20:29:00.001-04:00

Just as school was getting out for my kids I got the chance to fly to Boise to help with my nieces wedding. I hadn't been to Boise in a decade! It was fun to visit once again. I had to do a drive-by of my old apartment from college!1 It doesn't look much different from when I lived there 15 years ago. That is kinda scary!! It reminded me of some pretty great times there at BSU!!

Ayden completed his first 50 miler for scouts in June. He had a great experience with his troop and learned that he can do hard things!! They boys hustled and made the 50 miles in 4.5 days. Boy howdy they were stinky pete's when they got home. They were all healthy and no injuries, thankfully!!

At the end of June Ryan had his REI specialty boards! We both were so happy once they were over. I am sure he more than me but still. We celebrated by going on a date to Target and Ikea! Plus we left the kids on their own for the first time! We have entered a new phase of parenting, no need really for babysitters!! It was fun!!

Lauryn is always keeping us laughing! Not sure why she had to have a face guard but duct tape is always a handy thing to have in one's arsenal!!

As we got closer to our moving out date, the fridge got a lower and lower on food. One morning we just "had" to get donuts for breakfast!! It's a rough life I tell you what!!

I snapped this pic after a really heartbreaking weekend. A close friend lost their sweet little boy in a tragic accident and it made me even more grateful for my children! I am thankful for each of their unique personalities and what they add to our family! Love, love them!!

End of the School Year 2014

2014-08-04T20:09:00.002-04:00

The end of the school year is always a hectic time. With all the awards assemblies and end of the year parties. I had the opportunity to chaperone again this time with Meysa's class as they went downtown to the Museum of Natural History! We had a great time and loved getting to see all the things Heavenly Father created! It is pretty amazing!

Meysa had an end of the season awards party for softball. She was awarded the Triple Crown award for being the top scorer. She was also voted by her team and selected as one of three girls to go the leagues All-Star game. She had a great season!

End of the year Field days are always a fun time! I help out with all the kids this year! We had a blast!

I had to take the end of the school year pics a few days early because I was actually going to be out of town on the last day of school.

The kids had such a great year and we will miss the school and teachers that we came to love while in Maryland!! The kids were really looking forward to summer!!

April and May iPhone pictures

2014-08-04T19:21:00.000-04:00

Meysa stole this picture of me while I was taking Senior Pictures for a girl in our ward. I got the privilege of taking lots of family pictures for friends before we left Maryland. It was a lot of fun!!

The fact had to be documented that Ayden is officially taller than I am. He is quite pleased with himself.

One day during Spring Break we headed down to the Tidal Basin to look at the Cherry Blossoms. We also went into the Jefferson Memorial (see below). It was an overcast and windy day and the Cherry Blossoms were at the end of their bloom but it was still fun to go and see them.

Shocker!! I got a picture of the kids on Easter! I don't know why but it seems that is the hardest holiday for me to document!!

Ayden had an experience at school where a kid brought mercury and spilled it. It was fun navigating the lockdown and in a rain storm no less. Always something to keep things interesting I tell ya!!

I got to chaperone Wyatt's field trip to the Zoo. It was so much fun hanging with him and his little buddies!! I loved getting the chance to be with my kids at school this year!!

My parents and my Aunt and Uncle came to visit around Mother's day and we showed them around town one day. Wyatt had the day off from school because the school was getting the new kindergarteners registered for next year. He was their tour guide, telling them how to navigate the metro and which museums were worth their time!! It was so much fun having family come out to visit!!

While Margaret was here we visited the Temple grounds and Temple Visitor's Center. It was a wonderful time just the two of us. I loved sharing with her things that are near and dear to my heart.

Ayden is such a great student. I was able to attend an awards ceremony where he was given certificates for his academic achievement. Such a good kid!!

We got to attend Lauryn and Wyatt's spring concert and art festival. They sang songs and then we got to so check out their artwork!! They did a great job!

We celebrated Ryan's birthday in Ocean City this year!! So thankful for this man!!

We found a go-cart racing place in Ocean City and we had a blast racing each other! Wyatt and I were great partners!!

End of the Season and a Birthday

2014-08-04T18:43:00.002-04:00

Wyatt's last game happened to land on Ayden's birthday. Ayden had a double header that day as well. It was our typical Saturday during the Spring time. The kids had great seasons and all learned something.

Apparently Wyatt was contemplating that last play!!

There is no possible way that this young man can be a teenager!! He can not be that old. Even though he is two inches taller than me, he cannot be 13!! There are days when he takes this teenager thing to the max but for the most part he is a great kid! He is talented, smart and funny! We love him beyond words!!

His team had a double header and during the last game they started playing like they couldn't remember how to throw a ball. I gave the boys the incentive that if they won they could all give Ayden his birthday spankings!! That was all it took to rally the troops. They won both games and Ayden got his birthday spankings!! I think they had a little too much fun !!

Memorial Day Weekend

2014-08-04T18:24:00.000-04:00

For Memorial Day weekend we got together with some dear friends that Ryan went through Residency with. The Tobler Family and the Estradas. The Tobler's lived in Baltimore where Kyle was completing his own REI fellowship and the Estrada's live in North Carolina. We met in Ocean City, Maryland to spend the weekend catching up and catching some rays on the beach. The kids had a blast!! Lots of sand castles were built, crabs were dug up out of the sand and the waves were ridden. We tired to see the ponies on Assateague Island but they weren't out so we just enjoyed the ocean and flew a kite. The weather was perfect!! So thankful for good friends!!

Mother's Day, a Birthday and a Baptism

2014-08-04T18:14:00.000-04:00

May 11th was one busy Sunday, I tell ya!! We had the rare privilege of celebrating Mother's Day, Lauryn's 8th birthday and her baptism on the same day. What made it even more special was the fact that we got to spend it with family. My parents, Ryan's Mom, my aunt and Uncle and a cousin were here to help us celebrate the day.

Aunt Tammie made Lauryn's wreath from the bushes in our front yard. She loved it!!

Lauryn has such a good Daddy and she was so excited to be baptized!! She was so happy that she only had to be dunked once!!

It was such a blessing to have our Moms here for this special day. I know Lauryn felt special because they were there for her!

There is that giant personality showing again!!

We love our Grandma Margaret!!

Grandma Kristie and Papa Chip are so loved!!

Love this little family of mine!!

Apparently Ryan is the only cool person in the bunch!!

I am so thankful for my own Mother. She is an amazing example to me of Christ-like love and she is so much fun!! I am glad I got her as my Mom and friend!!

Lauryn

2014-08-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

This little chicka turns 8 on Mother's Day this year. She is so excited to be baptized. We spent an afternoon on the Washington DC Temple grounds taking her birthday pics.
Lauryn has taken up such a tender spot in my heart. She has a personality that doesn't match the size of her petite body. She is spunky, creative, ready to help and share with others. She has a tender heart and she is learning to stand up for herself and others. I see myself in her. I love this little one like none other. And besides isn't she so adorable!!

Spring Ball x 3

2014-08-04T17:35:00.001-04:00

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, really I haven't! I have however been really busy! This Spring came and went I don't think I knew what happened. Then came a move across the country and a broken computer. I am now back in the saddle and I have a new computer that I hope won't be giving me fits for a real long time. So lets start where I left off...

Three out of four kids decided they wanted to play baseball/softball/t-ball this Spring. It was to say the least a very busy Spring. It was also very fun! Meysa played softball for the first time and she was a natural. She had so much fun playing this season. She had a great coach and some really fun girls on her team. I think she is hooked and wants to play again here in Washington.

Wyatt was finally old enough to sign up for T-ball. He was so fun to watch. As always kids this age are a little spastic but have a great time playing the game. He had great coaches and learned a lot about how to play. Funny thing about Wyatt, he is a righty when it comes to playing baseball, even though he writes/eats left handed.

Ayden played again this season, forget how many seasons it is now that he has been playing. Probably since he was four! He had a great coach and team. Their team went undefeated and came first in the league. Each year Ayden plays he learns and grows in his skills. It is fun watching him get better each year. Not too long from now he will be playing for the High School and that will be fun!!

{Florence, Italy}

2014-04-08T13:18:00.000-04:00

At the end of March, Ryan and I went to Florence, Italy for a few days. Ryan had a international research conference that he was attending and I got to tag along. So thankful for my mother in law who came and wrangled my kiddos so I could be able to go with my hubby!! Thanks Margaret!!

We flew out of D.C. on Tuesday night on a red eye flight. It was a long flight, with little sleep but I was going to Italy so I couldn't complain that much!! Our layover was in Frankfurt and I got to catch up on some sleep during our 4 hour wait. We got into Florence around 6pm. By the time we landed, got our luggage, and hailed a taxi to our hotel we were starving!! So we headed out to find some dinner. We walked around the block and found a little place that looked decent and sat down for our first meal in Italy. We ordered pizza. We asked our waiter how big the pizzas were, so that Ryan and I could share if need be and he assured us that one pizza fed one person!! So we ordered one pizza a piece. Yeah, so I couldn't eat all mine!! It was so, so good, I really wanted to try!! Another lesson we learned was that you don't tip really anyone in Italy! Only we found that out after we left our waiter a 4 euro tip!! Probably made his night!!

We mad it back to our hotel and fell into a heap and slept like rocks. The next morning we headed up to the rooftop restaurant for breakfast. This was the amazing view that greeted us. That dome in the background is the Duomo and you'll see later that we hiked to the top of it! Amazing way to start the day!!

We stayed at the Grand Hotel Baglioni. It was a lovely hotel, with lots of history and charm!! My only complaint was the pillows could have used some extra fluff!!

We couldn't beat the view out of our window though. There was a courtyard out our window and it was heaven laying on the bed, listening to the noise of the city and letting the sun shine on your face.

This is where Ryan's conference was held. It was just up the street from the hotel. Which was convenient because we could meet for lunch and walk around the city and then Ryan would head back to the conference!

A neat little sculpture in the courtyard of the conference center!

There are very few normal sized cars that we saw in Florence. All the cars are compact or even smaller. Driving from the airport to the hotel our first night, I felt like we were in a James Bond movie. Our taxi driver was amazing but it was a free for all out on the road. If you could fit in a space, whether there was a lane there or not you just went for it. Plus the streets, especially right in the city, are very small, so having a car the size of a golf cart is helpful!!

On one of our lunch dates we found a large open air market. It was amazing, so many things to look at and so many vendors to fend off!! This market took up the entire road for at least two blocks. It was also located right next to a food market. The food market was in large warehouse-like building. It was filled to the brim with food stands of all kinds. It was like a supermarket except that you bought specific things from certain vendors. Like meat from the meat counter, fish from the fish counter, and so on! It was a lot of fun to walk around and look at all the different foods and people. I loved doing that!!

This was shot of the cathedral and the duomo that I took while eating lunch in the piazza one afternoon. If you like people watching, this is a fantastic place. I loved just watching the city move and all the people come and go. The morning that we actually hiked the duomo we got there early so that we could get in line towards the front. The city was just waking up and the piazza was empty. We watched store owners open for business and sweep their front steps. The street sweepers come through and cleaned up for the new day. One of my favorite mornings just watching people and the city wake up!

This is a pano that Ryan got of the front of the cathedral. It was an amazing building. With as ornate as it was on the outside you would assume it was just as decorated on the inside but actually it was the opposite. It was quiet simple on the inside. Other than the ceiling of the dome and some stained glass windows there wasn't much going on inside!

This is shot a nice woman took of Ryan and I once we made it up the 463 steps to the top of duomo. The view was amazing and I am glad that I had been doing P90X3 for almost 6 weeks to make it up there without dying! It really wasn't too bad but boy did my calves thank me the next day!! I could have stayed up there forever just to look around the city!! It was breathtaking!!

(our view on the hike down)

I watched a PBS special before I went on how the duomo was built. The show was really interesting (yes I am a nerd and I watch PBS Nova Specials!) and even cooler to see the evidence of how they were able to build it on our walk down.

Right next to the cathedral is the baptistry. The outside was getting a face lift but we were able to go inside and take a peek!! The ceiling was amazing. I am in awe of the talent and artistic vision that these people had to do these amazing works of art. Makes my stick figures look like, well stick figures!!

On the doors of the baptistry there are these relief scultures. Again amazing!! Yes, I was the nerd that took like 40 pictures from 3 different angles!!

We were able to see a reproduction of Michelangelo's David (below) in the Palazzo della Signoria. The palazzo is in front of the old palace (Piazza di Vecchio) or what is basically city hall. There are sculptures all around the palazzo.

We had some amazing pasta one night. Again I couldn't eat all mine but Ryan helped me out! :) We also met up with some great friends that happened to be at the same conference. It was fun to catch up with them!!

Gelato is seriously on every corner in Florence. We indulged and very much enjoyed some Gelato after lunch and dinner!! Heaven in a cone!!

We walked down to the Pointe Vecchio, or Old Bridge, on one of our walks. This bridge isn't a normal, drive-your-car-over-it bridge. It has shops on either side of it and it is for foot traffic only. It had a great view of the Arno river while standing in the middle of it. It was a neat place to spend some time.

On our last night in Florence, colleagues of Ryan's planned a dinner out on the town. It was in an amazing restaurant called Il Latini. When we showed up there was already a large crowd waiting to get in. The staff of the restaurant were eating dinner so the place didn't open until 7:30. Which was when we had reservations. I am sure that without those reservations we would have had to wait a fair amount of time before getting a table. We got a table in the basement/wine cellar. Which was just so cool!! The food would have been worth the wait though. It was so darn good. We had a three course meal plus dessert. I was waddling when we walked out the door 3 hours later. It was a perfect way to end our trip.
Our flight left the next morning at 6:15, so this was our last hurrah in Florence. Add in another Daylight Saving time change and we got very little sleep that night. It was so worth it though!!

I am so glad Ryan and I got the chance to sneak away with each other for a few days. Even more thankful that it was to Italy!! I'd go back in a heartbeat!!

{Life according to my iPhone}

2014-04-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

We have definitely had our fair share of the white fluffy stuff this winter. It has been fun though to get outside with the kiddos and play!! We had an epic snowball fight with this snow fall. Parents against kids! I wasn't much help to Ryan, unless we are talking about making all the ammunition! I was a killer snowball maker, just not so great a thrower!! It was a fun day! Nice drool Wyman!!

We got to go ice skating again this winter. The kids had a blast. It was during the Olympics so of course we were all trying to do our triple axles and such. Personally I think we may be ready for the 2030 Winter Olympics!! ;)

One Sunday afternoon I drove down and met up with my "little" brother Alan and Ty in Fredricksburg, VA. Ty was interviewing for Dental school in Richmond. It was so nice to chat and hug on both of them!!

One afternoon while the kids were working their homework, we heard what sounded like a snowball hitting the window in the living room. When we looked outside though we saw bird feathers floating in the air. So we hurried outside and found this poor cardinal lying on the ground. It had hit the window hard enough to break it's neck and it died not long after we found it. So we buried in the front yard and the girls sang "God be with you til we meet again". It made them feel better!!

On a rare nice day the kids wanted to eat outside for lunch. We don't have a table out on the deck so they improvised and made their own. So glad they are up to date on their tetanus vaccinations.

The girls and I went one evening and found Lauryn's baptism dress. I can't believe that her baptism is just a month away. She is super excited for her big day!! I am super excited that she was able to make a decision on a dress. It only took us two hours for her to decide between all the white dresses we found. They were all so pretty she said! Life is full of hard choices I guess!

Spring means baseball and we are up to our eyeballs in it this year. Ayden is playing of course, but Meysa wanted to try softball and Wyatt is old enough to start T-ball so they are both playing as well this year. Lauryn didn't want to play, but she may choose to next year after watching everyone doing it his year.

This picture was two days after the previous picture of a beautiful Spring day at the baseball field. Old Man Winter got the last laugh this winter I guess.

Lauryn brought home a potted beet seed that she is trying to grow in the back yard. We will see if she can resist giving it so much water.

This was Wyatt's first t-ball practice. Interestingly enough he throws and bats Right handed even though he writes and eats left handed. He is so cute out there throwing the ball, running around. He is having the best time, which makes me happy!!

Up next, our trip to Italy!!

{Catch-up...Instagram Style}

2014-02-10T12:35:00.002-05:00

I like doing these catch-ups!! Sometimes I forget the pictures that I capture with my phone and it is always fun to see the small glimpses of real life. Some of these are from last year but I love them. So they make the cut!!
I have really enjoyed getting the chance to more regularly help in the kids' classrooms. On this particular day I got to help Lauryn's class build gingerbread houses. It was a messy but fun job!!

We made the annual trek to the temple to see the Christmas lights. We got lucky this year and the weather was amazing, as you can tell in the picture of us. We were in short sleeves and we enjoyed it immensely. I love coming here each year. It helps remind me of the real reason for the season. Our Savior Jesus Christ, he is the reason we celebrate each and every year!!

My kids are notorious for snagging my phone and taking photos and videos of themselves. If I can figure out how to add video, I will. Some are priceless. Boy do we have some dramatic kids!!

Well slap us across the face why don't ya Winter!! Not long after Christmas we got hit with freezing temps. No short sleeves in sight!! We look like we are headed to the North Pole instead of the bus stop!

We had the opportunity to tour the US Capitol building early in January. We also toured the Pentagon the same day but you aren't allowed to take pictures of the building at all. Inside or Out. It was a really rainy day so we didn't get the chance to see the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial (which you can get pictures of) so we are going to have to go back on a nicer day to see that.
The Capitol tour was really fun, the kids got to participate and they thought was cool. The picture below is Wyatt and Lauryn standing on the center point of Washington DC.

Each state gets to put inside the Capitol building two statues of people that represent their state. This is Brigham Young, for the state of Utah.

By this point the tour was almost over and the kids were hungry. Don't let their faces fool you though, they loved it!!

Looking up into to the dome of the Capitol building.

Lauryn got a much needed haircut. She looks so darling with her short bob!!

Our kids rarely get to play their DS's. It was the weekend (when they can have screen time) and they had gotten all their chores done, their pj's on and teeth brushed so I busted them out of their locked hiding place. They got one hour and they felt like all was right in the world again!

This kid shoveled our sidewalks after one of our snow falls. He is getting old enough to be a real help to me. Love that!

Went on a field trip with my girl!!

Attended an awards ceremony for Meysa the other day. She is a wonderful student and makes us proud.

Enjoying one of our snow days playing games. Ayden is pretty cool, no?!!

Until the next catch-up......

{More Snow and Wishing for Warmth....maybe}

2014-02-10T11:22:00.000-05:00

We have had more snow this winter than the last two combined. The kids have enjoyed each and every snowfall. They have gotten pretty conditioned though, to think that with every bit of snow or icy rain, they should get a snow day or at the very least a two hour delay. We are hoping to not have to make up any days at the end of the year.

We will enjoy it while it lasts. I try to remind myself that in the heat of the summer I will wish for a little cooler weather. So instead of wishing for something else I am trying to enjoy each season for what they offer.

I think that is the key to happiness in life anyways. Don't wish for a distant time in the future when everything is supposed to be perfect. The perfect house, or perfect job, or perfect place to live or even perfect weather. Instead enjoy each day as it comes for what it is. There is happiness to be enjoyed today, not tomorrow or next week. Happiness isn't some distant goal to be had when and if some milestone is reached. If you live like that you aren't going to find that elusive happiness. The moments of real joy will have already been missed.

Ryan and I are coming up on our 15th wedding anniversary and in all those years there has been ONE year where our life was somewhat normal. It was in between undergrad and medical school. We were both working and had one child. It felt like we had spent more time with each other in that one year than in all of our relationship up to that point. We joked with each other that our marriage worked because we didn't spend a lot of time with each other. Kinda sad when you think about it. Before that year of normalcy, Ryan was playing baseball 9 months of the year, with constant practice, games and travel. The years after that normal year have been spent away from family, and a lot of time away from each other. It has been one wild ride I tell ya. Do I wish that is was different? No. We have gone into this adventure with the attitude that each and every step along this journey has something good to offer, something that we won't get to experience ever again. We have lived longer away from family than we have lived next to them. But we have lived in some great places and next to some amazing people. Our kids have seen and experienced amazing things that they wouldn't have, if we were so bound and determined to not to recognize the opportunities before us.

I am not perfect at living with this attitude. Sometimes I find myself wishing for things or changes that I think will make life that much better. Forgetting that life right now, today, is pretty great without anything added to it. It is always good to be reminded to enjoy each season of life (figuratively or otherwise). So roll in the snow and make a snow angel, dance in the rain, build a sand castle in the blazing hot sun and jump in the leaves once they're piled high. You'll be glad you did!!