Florida Christmas

Levi's birthday

Levi turns one this week! He is such a great baby. I don't know what I did to deserve such a him, but I feel so spoiled. I've had so much fun with him this past year.  He is so content and patient...even when the big kids pounce on him. 

Patience. Contentment. Two qualities I would do well to learn. Is it any wonder we're told to become as a child? 

Jeff and Polly came up for the day to celebrate! So fun!

Currently Levi's favorite activities are dumping out the garbage, playing with the plunger, and climbing out of his high chair. 😁  

Levi- mommy and daddy love you so much. Thanks for adding so much to our family!

Is this heaven?

First vacation week of residency- 

             😂HALLELUJAH!😂

Ward party at manatee springs. So much fun in spite of the small turnout! It was so beautiful. And we saw at least 8 water moccasins swimming in the foliage around us. Luckily they left us alone!

Next we went to Sanibel Island. It felt like heaven to me. 

The beach was right outside our 5 star hotel...it was actually more like a 2 star if that-a Holiday Inn that felt like a motel rather than a hotel, but we loved it!

    Levi was especially impressed. 

We saw dolphins playing at Bowmans Beach, found some sand dollars, and also found plenty of sea shells. Apparently it's rated the # 1 beach for shelling. 

Unfortunately both James and Benson were stung by jellyfish though. It got Benson pretty badly, around both ankles and up to his knee on one leg. 

After that we were a little more leary of the water. 

We of course spent some time at Disney World. 

After a full day of Disney. 

Vicki and John wined and dined us when they joined up with us at the end of the week. 

And they watched the kids while we went to the temple. Doesn't get much better than that!

Great minds think alike

Matching shirts with out even planning it!

Letter to my family September 2015

Thanks so much for sharing this! We listened to it for fhe last night and loved it! 

At first I thought the first person speaking on the recording was dad though, and I got really stressed out bc I didn't even recognize it his voice and thought I forgot what dad sounded like! Then I realized that was the guy conducting and dad was next. Phew!

We are doing well. James is working a lot but its not sucking the life out of us like the last couple of months. He gets to sleep in until 5:30 on weekdays and 6:30 on weekends so that's an improvement. He also has the last week of this month off which we're looking forward to. 

We got free tickets to the UF football game Saturday night. It was fun! UF is the school Tim Tebow played for a few years back, so they're a fairly good team,and this town is completely obsessed with them. There were 90,000+ people in the stadium. If there were less drunk people, and less f words, I'd consider getting season tickets. 

James also was able to come to church yesterday for the first time in a month so it was nice. Sure makes you appreciate the sacrament more! We were 5 minutes early for church (one of the few times it's happened since having kids) and it felt so great!

Benson started preschool a couple of weeks ago in the morning. It has some draw backs, but in some ways it's been so great! I was on a high last week when he started bc I was able to catch up on life a little bit!!! It was an amazing feeling to be out of survival mode and to get a little bit ahead. Only two kids felt like a cake walk and I got so much done. Plus I was nice to them all day, with out even trying!

First day of preschool 

Happy Labor Day and happy birthday Ann. Love you and miss y'all! (I'm turning into a true southerner already)

Stacey 

Family Pics May 2015

My favorite things

I've loved the experience we had in medical school. I became much more attached to this place than I thought I would. Here are the things I'll miss the most. (Not in any particular order)

Weekly volleyball and frisbee 

  Last night of playing and James played like an Olympian. 

   A few of the regulars

My sister

   Could I be any more spoiled than to have my sister about two doors down from me?! Almost too good to be true. 

This is the only pic could find with just me and Ali. But I have plenty with the kids. 

  And my motto in parenting (and life) is to copy whatever Ali does...if I do that I know I'll end up where I want to be. 

BFFs

Thanks to Anson, Benson is an excellent swimmer (Benny followed him around the pool every summer trying desperately to keep up with him...practice makes perfect and now he's a pro), He is starting swim team here in Florida tomorrow. 

We can also thank Anson for Benson's ability to ride a bike. 

Needless to say it was a tearful goodbye. I was bawling my eyes out. It was a tender mercy that we've been able to live so close to each other for the past three years. I don't know how I got so lucky.  

My friends 

We've had the very best friends anyone could ever ask for. I love these girls and have SO many fun experiences with them. Thanks for the many hot tub nights, girls nights, date nights, game nights, play dates, entertaining my kids at the park/pool, listening to my problems, debating politics, feeling overwhelmed about our kids together, etc. LOVE these girls forever! 

At least 4 of us were pregnant when this was taken. And after a few months all of us were (or had just delivered the baby)

Needless to say, this was also a tearful goodbye!

The temple- only three miles away. Can't get much better than that!

Our beach entry pool (with sand!,and right outside my door!)

Also the hot tub!

Perfect for babies to play in; perfect for when the water is a little too cool

These last ones don't make the top 5, but I will miss them nonetheless. 

Foothills library 

WinCo- best place for cheap bulk food items!

Cafe Rio 

Maintenance People at San Lagos- one easy call away!