Grandma's are coming!

Grandma Visser is coming to visit TONIGHT! She'll be here for a few days, then Grandma Mathias is coming the day after Grandma Visser leaves. I have a feeling my boys are going to be spoiled with attention this week!

Our trip in Pictures

Stayed at Grandma V's for a few days. E and Millie are the best of friends!

A Great start to our trip!

Fun at Uncle John's house

Played with all the Mathias Cousins!

Look at all those Mathias kids!

We ate "The best cake ever!"

Loving the best cake ever!

Being "strong" at Village Inn

Staying entertained in the car

Dance party!

It looked like a car from the Disney/Pixar movies!

Fun at the hotel

Not so fun at the hotel. We all got sick, but as usual, he got the worst of it. Stinking asthma!

So happy to be out of the car. Yay rest stop!

Welcome to Iowa

Travelling is exhausting.

Staying entertained in our empty apartment

Helping mama clean the empty apartment

Still sickies, but very cuddly!

AC went out, so we went to play at the mall!

Waiting at the doctor's office. Wes' new hobby is taking pictures, so we made funny faces.

Fantastic playground right by our house!

Worn out from so much fun at the park

We are so happy to be here in Iowa. My favorite thing is that since being here, Weston's asthma has pretty much disappeared. He is completely off his meds, and not one problem. This weekend it was put to the real test when he came down with a cold. He is doing great, and hasn't needed to be nebulized once! (That hasn't happened when he's been sick since he was 18 months old. Truly a miracle!)

Hi!

Is there anything cuter than a 1-year-old who has just learned to say "Hi"? I think not. He says it every time we walk into the room, he says it every time he looks into any doorway. He says it when he opens the toy microwave. He says it to random people at Walmart. (But not to people on the phone, yet.) In case I haven't reminded you lately, I think he's the cutest.

He won't wear a hat, but tupperware? Absolutely!

As for that other boy? He started preschool this week. He LOVES it, and I confess I do too. He comes home in a great mood, and is already learning new things. He got a treat for being a big boy going to school. A new backpack! He picked this one over any of the character ones I thought he might want:

First day of school

These boys sure know how to make a mama proud!

I finally figured out the whole "adding pictures from my phone" thing, so pictures are soon to come from our trip here!

We made it!

We made it to Iowa! Actually, we've been here about 2 1/2 weeks already! Between sickness (all of us got sick on the drive out here), lack of AC in scorching hot weather, and trying to get school schedules figured out, things have been a little crazy. But we are finally starting to settle in and feel like we belong here.

Bryan survived his first week of grad school this week. He has really enjoyed being with classmates who are really dedicated to the work and don't leave him hanging to do all the group work. He calls it his "grown up school". I'm so happy for him to be able to not only enjoy his schooling, but also because he's not working yet, we've been able to enjoy a lot of family time. He will start interviewing for his GA placement next week, but whether or not he gets placed yet he will get paid. No complaints here! (GA = Graduate Assistant: A sweet gig for anyone considering grad school!)

Weston will be starting preschool this Tuesday! He has been on the waiting list for months for this preschool that is very popular in town. It came at the recommendation of one of the other guys in Bryan's program, who's daughter will also be attending. We just found out after we got here that Wes had gotten in and we're so glad. It is a Lutheran preschool, so there will be Bible stories included with the teachings. We went this week and met his new teachers, saw his very own cubby, and even got to play with the neat toys they have there. I am a huge fan of the school already. The teachers told me that they believe that kids should learn through play, and 3-4 years old is not the time for having to sit down and do homework. They will work with the kids on having some structured time, but if they don't finish all the worksheets and stuff it's not a big deal. They seem like great people who will give Wes the love he needs. It will be hard for me to be away from him (2 days a week for 3 hours) but I think this will absolutely be a blessing for all of us.

Our new apartment is great. It is old and needs some TLC, but it's great for me to have a project! The owner of the place has given us permission to do cosmetic things like paint, put hardware on cabinets, update brass doorknobs, etc and even says if we will do the work she'll reimburse us for materials. It has needed work on a lot of things we couldn't do (a broken stair, broken AC twice, dishwasher, etc etc) so I'm grateful that even after all that she is willing to pay for things that are not at all a necessity. We have met a couple of our neighbors, and they have been really nice. The lady next door is very friendly. She is also going to UI, but for her PhD. She has an 18 year old son who is a senior in high school. He plays a couple of musical instruments, so we made a deal that I wouldn't complain about his music practice if they wouldn't complain about mine. :)

Our new ward has welcomed us with open arms. Before we even got here people were in contact with us and several guys from the Elders quorum helped us move in. We got here 3 days before our stuff did (long story short, I don't like ABF), and a ward member, who is also in Bryan's program, lent us some blankets so we didn't have to spend the 3rd night in a hotel. AND they made us cookies. We were sick the first Sunday here (still), but last Sunday we made it to church and it was great. It is very different from our last ward, in that there are a TON of young families in our ward now. I don't have to fret as much if my kids are a little noisy, because so are everyone else's kids. One thing that didn't change though, the need for a primary pianist. Neither Bryan or I have callings yet, but our very first Sunday in the ward I was asked to play the piano in primary. THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT. I was in Sunday School all of 5 minutes before I realized it would be hard to not be in primary any more. Let's face it, primary is more fun. And I've been in primary or nursery since we were married, so adult classes, unless they're going to sing "Book of Mormon Stories" with the actions, might just bore me.

The primary is GINORMOUS. 3 classes of sunbeams alone! Wes is lucky to be in the same class as his new friend, John. John's dad is also in Bryan's program, and our kids have really hit it off. John also has a younger brother, who is just a few months younger than Ethan. Talk about perfect!

It was REALLY hard to say goodbye to our family and friends in Idaho. But we feel like we are absolutely where we are supposed to be, and we are loving it here. I can't get over how much I love having my husband home every single night, instead of worrying he's been mugged or worse in the cow-spotted truck somewhere. The boys love having their daddy here too. It's true what they say, when one door closes another opens. And MAN. We got a great door.

Big news!

We have 2 big pieces of news at our house these days. I guess 3, since I haven't posted for a while. The oldest news being that we sold our house, and in the busiest month of our lives, moved into an apartment for the next few months.
Why only a few months, you ask? That leads me to the next piece of news. We are moving to Iowa! I can't believe this time has finally come. Bryan has worked so hard for so long to not only get his bachelors, but to get a great internship, and get top grades. His hard work has definitely paid off. Between all the schools where Bryan interviewed, Iowa impressed him most. The feeling seems to have been mutual, because Bryan got almost a full ride! Between his in-state tuition waiver, his scholarship, and his graduate assistantship, the only thing we'll need loans for is living expenses. Did I mention the assistantship comes with amazing health and dental benefits for our whole family? We are so excited to start this next chapter in our lives (and live a few short hours from my family!) I am so proud of my hard-working husband.

Our last bit of news is that our tiny Ethan is walking! He gets all over the place, and is getting faster and faster. Any day now he'll be running! (I tried to post a video and blogger wouldn't let me. Curses!) We sure love that little guy. He is still tiny, but with lots and lots of eating he moved up to the 4.5 percentile instead of the 1 percentile in weight. Slowly but surely! I can't believe his birthday is in less than 2 weeks!

Weston has been in a preschool group with other kids in our ward, and loves it. He is staying very busy between that, playdates, and saving the world on a daily basis. Lately he has been telling me that when he grows up, he wants to be a super hero. Can you believe he's 4?! He had his first themed party with friends this year, and had a great time. He asked for a Lightning McQueen cake, and I made it happen. Only had to borrow the cake pan, make about 5 trips to the store, and stay up until 1 the night before his party. Next year, we'll buy a cake.

We all got an amazing chance to go to Minnesota to visit with my family when Bryan interviewed at the U of M. Bryan didn't get to stay long, but I got quality time with my family, and Ethan got to meet some of my relatives for the first time.

Amazingly, flying home alone with 2 small kids wasn't bad. I spent the whole week praying the boys wouldn't cry the while way home, but I never could have imagined how my prayers would be answered. Ethan slept both flights. Weston slept the second flight, and sat quietly playing games the first flight. (The kids weren't that good the first time, this was amazing!) The next day, driving home from salt lake, Ethan slept almost the entire way. Wes slept part of the way, and had some funny conversations with me the rest of the way. Neither of my kids have ever been good travelers. Prayers are answered!

Mean Mom

This is the face of a very sad boy. Not because he fell off the piano. But because his mean mom wouldn't let him climb back up there. Life is rough...

Ch-Ch-CHANGES

Finally, Bryan is almost done with school. Naturally, that means a lot of changes are in order for our little family. Our house is under contract (read: hopefully sold!), and we have an apartment to live in for the next few months. Bryan will graduate with his Bachelor's degree in July. After that, it's on to grad school. Where, you ask? We don't know yet. Bryan starts interviewing this week, and has had the honor to receive interviews at some of the top MHA programs in the country. (Including, but not limited to, Minnesota!) Thanks to some help from loved ones, the boys and I get to go with Bryan when he interviews in Minnesota, and stay to visit my family for almost a week. Hopefully by the middle or end of March, we should know where we are headed this fall.

Speaking of the middle of March, Weston will turn FOUR on March 15th. Am I the only one wondering where the time went? He is my little (big, he reminds me daily) helper. He helps me with housework, and especially with his brother. He loves to play with him, and even keep him entertained in his room so I can clean the house for the occasional showing. His asthma has been much better controlled since the doctor upped his dose of medication this year. The dose he takes now is made for 6 - 12 year olds. It's sad that he needs it, but I'm so grateful I don't have to be so scared for him every time he goes outside now. We played outside for quite a while yesterday and made this masterpiece:

 Wes can't wait until his birthday, and reminds me every day about the Cars party he wants to have with his friends. Assuming everything works out with timing on closing on the house, he will probably get his party, just in a different home.

We joined a preschool group in the ward this fall. There are 4 kids, and all of us moms take turns teaching. (also, take turns getting a break!) Wes has a great time and has made some good friends.

Mr. Ethan is my little monkey. (Some have called him a mountain goat, but as far as I know, mountain goats wouldn't play with poop if given the chance.) He climbs on everything. I have found him everywhere from the kitchen table to on top of the piano. Here are a couple of his recent feats:

That baby sure keeps me on my toes. He started crawling at only 5 months old. Before he turned 6 months, he was also climbing stairs and pulling himself to a standing position against anything within reach. He is such a happy, cuddly boy and I love him to death. I confess, I love having a mama's boy. Weston has always been a daddy's boy, so I'm glad I get my turn.

Bryan is busy, to put it simply. He is not only still working nights delivering milk, he is also taking 15 credits this semester. On top of that, he will be flying all over the country this semester to interview with graduate programs. He works so hard to provide for us, and me and the boys all appreciate all he does. 

I have started a new lifestyle, if you will... I hate calling it a diet. When I hear the word diet, I think of Atkins, or South Beach or something drastic. Instead, I count calories with a free app on my phone. The more I exercise, the more I get to eat. I feel better, and most of the time I don't' even want to eat junk food. I started the changes one month ago today, and I have lost 13.3 pounds. From what I've heard, the first pounds are always the easiest to lose, so it will probably slow down now. But hey, as long as it comes off, and I keep feeling this good, gradual change is fine with me. 

In the next few weeks, we will be moving into our new apartment, missing Bryan while he's gone, and trying to keep things as normal as possible. Wish us luck, because we might need it.