Catching up... Fall and Holidays

Well its been since the first day of school since I have updated this so I have to cram in a few words to cover the months. We have had some great times the past few months. We had Grandpa and Nana up this Fall and spent a Saturday at Apple Hill in Placerville. Very fun! Thanksgiving on the Central Coast was great as well... a few different visits with Winans cousins, a few days at Grandpa and Nana's and a family reunion at Aunt Teresa's. Hope Erin sends me pictures from that. What a packed and fulfilling few days! Most of my pictures are from that trip. Then..... we actually had a bunch of Winans family visit for New Years to celebrate Christmas. It was a few days of great fun!! We can't express how thankful we are that everyone drove all the way up here. Thank you everyone! We absolutely loved it! Unfortunately I totally spaced out with my camera and only took one picture of cousins Claire and Emily with my boys at our house. I'm hoping to get copies from the Winans of those group shots we took on New Years... Aimme? Madison? send me picture pleease :)

School started back up today and Tayven and Dax were ready to go... coming home with stories. I get a lump in my throat watching them go... not only because I miss them, but also because I wonder what steps their independent minds are taking. I think of how there's no one there that loves them like we do... and how I want to hold them close, freeze time, and hide them safely at home. However, I know God has much more for them... and some how I am still very excited for how God is growing them in the midst of my emotions. Watching them learn and grow is such an amazing privilege.

I have to add, that Josh and I have been pretty amazed at a series of questions that our son Harper has been asking lately. His little 3 1/2 year old mind is pretty curious about God... and not only are his questions pretty cute, but they are also pretty amazing. For example,

"mom, is God everywhere? does that mean He's on my elbow? and in that building? and in the sky?"
"mom, is God a man?"
"mom, how did God make the wind?"
"mom- God is sooo strong, I cannot WAIT to see his muscles"
"how old is God?"
"Does God hold the world so that it doesn't fall and that we don't fall?"
"Does God live in the sky?"

Not only do these questions make me pause and think before I speak, but often times I am left with, "Harper, I am not sure, its just that God is amazing"



Grandpa, Nana and Danielle at Apple Hill with boys


Thanksgiving with cousins Cal and Rye


2nd Thanksgiving with family- Grandpa, Nana, Danielle, Aunt Erin & Uncle David, Chris & Hien


Hanging with cousins Cheyenne, James, Kailynn, and Chelsea


More fun with cousins AJ, Brian, Christian and Ana


I stole this picture of the Winans women from Madison's facebook :) Happy New Year to us!


Evidence that cousins were at our house... here are Emily and Claire- so fun!

Daddy to the rescue!

Well... I'm a few weeks behind, but here is the first day of school. Dax was so excited to start Kindergarten. We talked about it all day, every day the last week of summer... and he loved his orientation! Then the first day came... and in typical Dax style, he became very nervous about venturing out into a new experience. I'm a sappy mom to begin with, so to have a sad child when I'm already fighting a huge lump in my throat was hard! If it wasn't for Josh we would have all sat there bawling all day and Dax would never have made it in. Fortunately Josh gave him a pep talk and reminded him to "trust in the Lord with all his heart..." Then off Dax went, tears disappearing, into one of the happiest places of his little life. As they grow, I get emotional about their new stages... but am trying to see my role and be the mom I am supposed to be! I sure love our boys and thank God that Dax loves Kindergarten so much! The pictures below summarize our day...


Tayven and Dax and their friends on the first day. Notice Dax's nervous face?


Look how happy he is! He loves his new backpack and new cubbie :-D



The reality set in as he stood at the back of the line... the tears started
(if you click on this picture you can see his sad face up close)


Josh gives Dax the pep talk he needs...


...and off he goes. What a cutie!!

Summer 09!

Our summer flew by soooo fast that I forgot I even had a blog! We had a great time with lots of adventure. We started off the summer heading home down to the coast (pictures in my previous entry). For most of the summer, staying in Auburn allowed me to teach my private swim lessons... and even bring the boys along a few times. They were so proud of that responsibility and loved getting "lessons" from me as well. Harper finally became fully confident in the water! We enjoyed our church family camp to Donner Lake, some time in Tahoe, and quick trips to see family. We are looking forward to seeing the rest of the family in the next few months. Many of our days at home were spent at the river... we are so thankful to live minutes away from a beautiful adventurous area. I enjoy summer way too much and have a hard time adjusting back to the school year. I am learning to take each day at a time and be thankful for what God has given to me :)



Day trip to visit Great Grandma Millie


Josh takes the boys fishing at the end of our church family camp


Tayven and me at Moons Dunes Beach in Tahoe


Harper practicing his new swimming skills at the Truckee River


Our boys posing with the DeNeui kids... I told them to make a funny face :)


We got to see Uncle David and Aunt Erin in Santa Cruz


On the trail to our favorite river spot 5 minutes from home. We went there throughout the summer... and I took them there every single day the last week before school started :-o

A Spring Glimpse

Welp... figure if I update this every season then I'm right on track with 4 posts a year :-D. This is a glimpse of our spring... but only a glimpse. I took the boys down to the coast for part of spring break. We saw a lot of our extended family, some friends, and went to the beach. The highlight for the boys was "surfing" down a windy slide on the sand of Pismo. This first picture is of them in the midst of their hours of beach fun. Last weekend we went to watch Danielle graduate from Junior High. She is sooo special to us and we are so glad we were able to help her celebrate. I don't think my boys could possibly love her any more!


This picture was 100% Tayven's idea. I didn't have to beg them to sit and smile ;)


We even had one day with one of my dearest friends ever, Cindy, and her girls. See our cuties behind us?



A picture with cousins and Grandma!



Token family picture on Easter Sunday ;)


My sister graduated from Junior High! Isn't she so pretty? Dad and Angi are proud!


Sisters picture!

In Honor of Harper...

It's crazy how it happens, but our little Harper turned 3. It's been so long since I've acknowledge the existence of this blog, that I thought it'd be fun to give a glimpse of our lives these past few months through Harper's eyes...


At our epiphany party with Aunt Erin and Uncle David back in January, Harper is sportin his home made crown



It snowed in Auburn in Februrary! They closed school and the boys were sure to be outside in all the necessary hardcore snow gear by 7:15 a.m. woo!


One of my favorite things... Harper curls up into a little ball like a rollie pollie when he get's out of the shower. Something I'll miss when he stops...


Hot chocolate with Hadley!


Harper is 3! We love you little man and we pray that you grow up to love God with all your heart!

Happy Birthday Jesus

Christmas was relaxing and enjoyable. We never felt the busy chaos this season... and there seemed to be more time to reflect on the birth of Jesus- who came to bring peace between us and God. What an amazing truth to begin to teach our children. We also had an amazing time with Josh's extended family enjoying our "Christmas" on New Year's. The season continues as my sister and David come next weekend and my Dad, Angi and Danielle a few weeks from now. We are looking forward to more time to embrace those we love.


JOY! Dax and his preschool buddies


Harper and Dax in the angel choir as part of the Christmas program. I wonder when they'll start fighting over that cutie in between them?


Christmas Day!



Happy Birthday dear Jesus....

Birthdays and such...

There are so many things that have filled our lives lately... Tayven turned 6 and Dax turned 4! At this stage of life, it seems more fulfilling to celebrate their birthdays then our own. I had a nice talk with each of them about how much I love them... and what I felt the day they were born. They were both very engaged in the conversation and enjoyed hearing about themselves. I know, I'll be a total goober mom if I do that every year, but for now, it was pretty cute to hear their questions. We are loving Tayven's life questions and creative energy as he makes up new games, trys out sarcasm on us, makes signs for our front door, writes books etc. Lately with Dax I've had some awesome conversations where he drills me with questions. Most recently, he dissected the praise song "Jesus Thank You" and wanted to know what each word meant. As I explained to Dax what the words "wrath, satisfied & enemy" meant... and what it meant to "sit at His table", I found myself sharing the gospel with him in a way that captivated him more than ever. I can get a little weepy now thinking of the glimpse of hope and interest in our Savior that Dax may have. Harper keeps busy following his brothers around being suuuper crazy cute one minute and a total punk the next... you know that stage? I can't imagine life without these boys.

We also had our friends, the Jensens, from Ecuador come visit us. We really miss them! We spent 11 New Years with them up in Lake Almanor, including our engagement... and now they're our missionary friends home from Ecuador. Crazy how life brings changes.


Tayven getting his birthday hat at Chevy's


Dax loving his cheddar cheese bagel from Flour Garden on his birthday


Harper next to Macoy, and Dax next to Hadley. They came to celebrate- such awesome friends!


Dax, Nick Jensen, Tayven and Harper