more fun in the va

since we had to get tickets so quickly, it was cheaper for us to stay longer.  and because i was traveling solo with my sidekicks, i wanted to make it worth my while.  so we had two whole weeks home which was wonderful.

we were able to spend some time with grandma and grandpa baldwin and grandma neely.  it's always so special when kids get to be with their grandparents.  mae used to be so shy around grandpa especially, and now she adores him.

the best part about going to grandma and grandpa's house is the bounce house in the living room!!

we also were able to spend time with more cousins.  jordan and mae are just about 2 months apart, and they were very sweet together. 

we went to my old office to see some special people while we were there.  my dad used to work there as well, so we dragged him along with us!  it's hard to believe that just a little over three years ago, my world revolved around my job there.  and now my world revolves around those sweet little people in that picture.  so crazy where three years has brought me!

gram and gramps have some hilarious hats that they have collected over the years (thanks to bom and pops annual christmas gift to the guys).  so we had fun trying all of them on.  my favorite on izzy.  i should have dressed her up as an acorn for halloween!

the viking lady hat was mae's favorite.  i'm pretty sure it was because of the braids...

we went to the mall one rainy day to take a ride on the 'carasot', as mae would call it.  she was in hog heaven on it.  she's always loved them.  

 aaannnddd she's down for the count.  she can go and go and go.  and then drop like a fly the minute the car starts.

mae's favorite tradition whenever we see gram is making sugar cookies.  my mom's sugar cookies are da boommbbb.  glad my daughter loves them just as much as i do.  she is fabulous at decorating them, and even more fabulous at sampling the cookie dough.

shopping and lunching with gram is hard work!  this was a regular occurrence while we were home.

 

we seriously crammed a lot into two weeks.  we also met up with some friends at frying pan park.  i didnt even know this place was still around, i used to go there when i was a kid!  it was a lot of fun. 

probably the one good picture that we got of mae and gram.  i think by the end mae was sick of having pictures taken. but, we got a good one!  so grateful for my wonderful parents and all that they do for my sweet girls and for me.  i am truly blessed.

halloween

this year mae was really excited about halloween. people in our neighborhood go all out, so every day we would go on a walk and look at the halloween decorations. (my personal favorite were the scary crows)
she got to pick out her costume, and izzy's.  she found a minnie mouse costume that she really loved, and she decided that she wanted izzy to be daisy duck. 

holidays are so much more fun with kids.  when i found out we were going to be in virginia for halloween i was excited.  my parents have some great neighborhoods near them for trick or treating. 

my little girlies in their matching halloween shirts.  

 i absolutely love this picture.  i love the way they are looking at each other.  izzy adores mae and lights up when she sees her, and mae is such a sweet big sister.

 

with how fast everything happened with the funeral and coming home, we didn't even have a chance to go to a pumpkin patch this year.  i was pretty bummed.  but, lucky for us my mom is one festive lady and already had some pumpkins.  so we were able to carve one this year!

 aaaannd the knife broke...

 

mae loved ever minute of it.

 

it was so much fun when we put the candle inside and lit it, she was thrilled.  i love moments like these.  to see the world through the eyes of a three year old, and enjoy the simple things.

mae was so excited to put on her dress, and for me to put some makeup on.  

 i forgot to get feathers for izzy's headband, but i think these two turned out to be pretty darn cute daisy and minnie.

 we had a great time trick or treating.  izzy sat in the stroller and people watched the whole time.  and mae did not want to stop.  we went three blocks of town houses.  after each house "i get more candy mom".  she was very polite, saying trick or treat and thank you.  there were a couple of houses that she did not even want to go near.  a family in my parents ward goes all out each year.  they did a haunted house in their garage, and screens with crazy images outside, and they were dressed like clowns.  the dad came out and mae went running.  then the wife came (she wasn't dressed as scary) and mae took candy from her. we scored some great candy...that's the real reason parents do this right?

trip to va

the girls and i were lucky to be able to have a trip to virginia this fall.  it was so great to see friends and family.  i definitely needed it.  and i think my mom needed us there as well.

to say i was anxious about flying by myself with two kids is an understatement.  i was terrified.  because we bought the tickets on such short notice, i had to make a stop on the way there.  it wasn't too bad.  the girls did pretty good.  the worst part was in the chicago airport.  mae needed to go to the bathroom, but the toilet seats there have a plastic covering that moves and replenishes.  and she was so scared of it.  she would not sit on it.  she was hitting and kicking the walls, and me.  throwing herself on the floor, screaming.  oh my gosh it was a nightmare! i even tried to hold her over the toilet...no dice. finally i walked out of the bathroom, and went to a different one, where i proceeded to pull the toilet seat up, so she sat on the nasty pee covered underside.  whatever...at least she went.

she looks like a seasoned traveler...

she was psyched to get some apple juice and watch a show on the plane.

 and izzy pretty much spent the entire time strapped to my chest.  she slept a little.  but she did well.

one of the best parts of the trip was seeing my cousins. i don't get to see them very often, and i love when i do.  they are all so wonderful.  and sweet little penny came too!  she and izzy are about 2 months apart.  so stinkin cute.

 they had fun together.  izzy loves babies and other little people like herself.  she squawks like a bird when she sees them.

 bom was staying with my parents when we got there, so we got some extra quality time with her.  it was so great for my girls.  and i think it was really great for bom as well.  as i'm posting this mae said "hey, it's bom.  she did my books with me."  so glad she can have a relationship with her great grandma.

 erich also came into town, and mae was loving him this trip.  he was great at playing with her.  he's going to be a great dad!! i'm glad we have these trips so my kids can have relationships with my brothers and their wives.  i have such good relationships with my aunts and uncles, i want that for my girls too!

 all tuckered out.  this girl was a champ as we went all over tar nation.  despite massive meltdowns in airports, she's a pretty good kid.

Pop's Funeral

i'm so glad that the girls and i were able to go back to virignia to attend pop's funeral.  it was a very small service, with only family.  he served in the air force, so he was buried in Quantico National Cemetery.  it was a lovely, peaceful service.

it was such an honor to be present for this ceremony.  beautiful things were said about a truly amazing man. 

 it was humbling to witness the flag being placed on pop's casket.  and was a reminder to me of the millions of men and women who have served and are serving to protect the freedoms that my family and i have.

the most moving part of the ceremony was when the flag was presented to my grandmother.  it was such a beautiful, honorable experience for me.

 we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful fall day.  pop's grave site is in a quiet spot, very close to the trees.  the colors while we were there were amazing, it was the kind of day that pop loved.

one of the songs pop requested be played was 'rock of ages'.  reid was able to record himself singing and email the recording to my mom, so we were able to listen to it as we placed roses on his grave.  tears blur my eyes as i write this.  i will never forget the spirit and peace that i felt in those moments.  the veil felt so thin to me as i held my baby girl, and listened to the beautiful music. 

 

i've seen death pull families apart, but i felt like the opposite was true in this case.  seeing the relationship between my mom and her siblings grow, the love and respect they have for their mother, and the time and effort taken by grandchildren and great grandchildren to attend is a testament to me that families are forever. 

we love you pop. 

Pop

my grandfather passed away on friday as 12:20pm.  his health had declined much in the past year and a half, and we all knew it was coming.  it was harder for me to deal with than i thought it would be.  i am so grateful for my knowledge of the plan of salvation and eternal families.

i've thought a lot about what i wanted to say about pop. and as i've grown up, i've learned through stories and witnessed myself a lot about his character.  he was a quiet example to me of hard work, charity, and honesty.  growing up he never voiced affection, but his actions spoke more to me than i think his words could have.  if i had a piano recital or band concert, he and my grandmother were there.  they went to at least one game of all of my sporting events growing up.  he was at my graduation, and so many birthdays i can't even count.  although he was not a member of my faith, he attended every baby blessing, baptism, mission farewell, and wedding that is health allowed.

i'm grateful for the example that he was to me.  and while i have struggled with his health decline and his death, i am grateful to know that i will see him again.

day to day

i've had a hard time the last week or so.  i've been pretty homesick, especially because there has been a lot going on at home that i haven't been able to be a part of.  pop has been really sick for a year and a half, and was finally put into a place with end of life care.  meanwhile bom found out she had cancer, and had to have surgery.  cody's grandma has also been in and out of the hospital as well the past few months.  i have felt so useless here. i've really gained a testimony of prayer.  not just praying for others, but in really communicating with Heavenly Father.

with two kiddos that need my care, everyday life has to continue.

mae asked me to straighten her hair one day while i was doing mine.  after i did it she said, "oh mom i look just like rapunzel"  it didn't stay straight for long.  this girl sweats like a beast, and that hair was back to it's fro in no time.

still doing our letter of the week craft.  and she still loves every bit of it.  we've also started doing halloween crafts each week.  this girl is quite the little crafter.

every friday and saturday mama gets a 'special drink', a girl needs her diet coke.  sometimes mae gets lucky enough to get a drink or slurpee.  this happened the other week while i was putting izzy in her carseat.  i went over and found mae trying to pick it up and put it back in her cup...nasty.  there was still some left in the bottom, so she was fine.  and i was happy...less sugar for her.

oh teething, how i loathe thee.  it's in full force around here.  and this girl is a grump with a capital G.  she's all smiles if i'm holding her, or right next to her.  but if i walk away it's like the world is ending.  there's been major finger chewing and tons of snot.  poor thing.

we play up on our balcony sometimes if we need to get some fresh air.  mae's old walker is up there, and the other day she was using it as a stroller for her baby.

this girl is eating so much.  forget about pureed foods, she wants the real stuff. we tried meatballs the other day, and she loved it.  

another letter of the week.  right after she finishes she walks over to the stairs and says 'take my picture mom'.

mae's new thing is to have 'parties'.  she sets the table and gets snacks for 'all the girls', whoever they are.  it's pretty cute.  what's not cute is when she takes a chair into the pantry to get snacks for the 'girls' and knocks stuff over, or climbs the shelves and gets stuck.  life with a three year old.

when mama is around i get some pretty wonderful smiles from this girlie.  there's no such thing as a small smile with this one.  always a open mouthed, crinkled eyed smile.

very proud of her puzzle skills.