Temple Square Visit

Yesterday morning Savannah and I started talking about Temples. She loves them and the fact that there are to many around here lets us stop and look at different ones. Savannah loves the Angel Moroni statues and always has to point them out. Well yesterday I had her sit in my lap and we were looking at some pictures on Google. We came across the Salt Lake Temple and Savannah asked to go see it. After running a couple errands I decided we should go. After all the tears and fights between us the last week, we both needed it. Both the kids fell asleep on the drive up there and woke up not knowing exactly where we were. I parked under the Joseph Smith Memorial Building and stopped in the Distribution Center first. I wanted one of the nursery manuals for family home evening and then we wandered around and I showed Savannah the pictures of all the temples. She loved it! She asked for a small picture of the Orlando Temple after I told her that's where her dad and I were married. She loved the chandeliers in the foyer and then walking outside I could tell she was getting excited. She loved the reflecting pond and had to throw in some pennies and take some pictures.

(Savannah kissing Jaxon)

We then walked the to northern visitors center and Savannah was so good! She loved the model of Jerusalem, and she asked to look at the large portrait wall of Christ's life. I felt a little peace for the first time in a while. She was so excited to go up the ramp to see the Christus statue or "Jesus in Space" as Savannah calls it. We then had snacks out front and fed some birds before some Sister Missionaries sat and talked with us. Savannah loved it. She showed one of the Sisters the birds, the pictures she had taken and then took out the Nursery manual and started looking through it. It took us about 30 minutes to walk to the very close south visitor's center because Savannah took more pictures and had to take some "reading breaks." I think the highlight was the 6 ft replica of the Salt Lake Temple and being able to see what it looks like inside. Savannah was so excited and I had to tell her what every room was. I think how she says Celestial is my new favorite word of hers. Jaxon was so good too! I love my little boy. He really is an amazing little baby and was so happy wandering around and smiling at people.

Not sure why, but I love this picture

I really love my kids and I REALLY needed this little trip to remind me of that. Life has been hard the past few days and between little sleep and Savannah fighting me on everything, I had shed far too many tears this past weekend. This was my little reality check as to what is most important and I so grateful for my kids. I really love my family and I love that we will be together forever.

Some of Savannah's pictures. I think the first one is very good

Savannah's bird friends are in there somewhere

Goodbye car

So about 30 minutes ago I sold my car. I really did not think I would be this sad. It really is a great car, just not the prettiest. It got me where I needed (and wanted) to go for the past 5 years. I got it to make it through the crazy winters of Rexburg and to not have to walk a mile in a couple feet of snow to Walmart. It was my escape from the craziness of life. I would drive my friends to look out points to embarrass couples, diary queen for blizzards, drive in movie theaters, trips to Sam's club in Idaho Falls, random tanning sessions at Rigby Lake, etc. As ugly as my spotted car was, with it's missing paint and plush red interior... it was my first car that I paid for all on my own and this was the first car title I signed over.

Some of my favorite memories with my car:

• Trips to Denver (2x), San Diego, Utah (oh so many times).
• Being pulled over 5 times and getting only one ticket!
• Happy meals...
• Pulling into an exit of a bank in Rexburg with Noah and Dean... both of them screaming at me
• Many dates with Noah
• Driving without a rear view mirror for almost 3 years
• My windshield before I replaced it.
• Pretending to smoothly roll down my windows so people would think they were electric
• Spray painting the missing paint spots
• Paint flying off in giant pieces when I would drive on the highway
• Random drives with Amy and Lauren
• Going to Yellowstone
• Running out of gas... over and over and over

Here are a few pictures

Surviving

So I know it has been a while since I posted. Savannah has become more demanding, and life has been very tiring. Well, we have been up to a lot. We spend some time with family when my sister Kara was in town, have gone to the Dinosaur museum with my sister Erin and her kids, church was an adventure, and we took a very short trip up to Rexburg to get a paper filled out so I can get a new title for my car we want to sell. Less than 2 weeks until Noah gets here and 2 weeks from tomorrow we leave. Luckily I found a guy selling a dual screen dvd player on ksl that saved us on our trip to Rexburg and I am sure will do the same when we go to Boise.

On a happier note, my kids are doing some great things. Jaxon is walking more and more. He is 11 months old today!! He is being a little more independent and is also figuring out just how to press his sister's buttons. He laughs all the time and loves to come up to you and blow raspberries where ever he can. Jaxon is drinking whole milk now too! I really love him and am so happy he is in our family!

Savannah has been having some trouble adjusting to Noah being gone. When we leave most places she tells me we forgot her dad. She loves temples, so I drove her past the Idaho Falls temple when it was all lit up. She told me we had to stay in the parking lot to wait for her daddy. She has been great some days and other days she wont listen at all. Her diet has also been pretty fickle, but she is starting to get the potty training thing down! She is great at peeing in the potty and actually stayed dry the entire way up to Idaho even though she had a pull up on. The pooping thing has gotten better the past couple days too.

Dinosaur Museum

Savannah and Eli (I think he was eyeing her bink)

Jaxon passe out with Perry the Platypus

Kaden and Savannah

Kaden, Eli and Savannah playing

Outside Time

Our way home from Rexburg

Jaxon and Savannah after we left my friend Stefanie's house and started heading home (yes I know he should not have his car seat flipped yet, but it was just needed for this long of a day of driving)

Single Motherhood

So it has been 5 days and a couple hours since Noah left for Boise. Luckily he only had 2 weeks of unemployment! He is now working for Hastings and is in the MIT program. After 6-9 months of training he will be running his own store and we will be possibly moving again. Until then, I am still here in Utah for August. I am working on picking up and packing up life. Noah will be here on the 26th to load things up and finish the deep cleaning before we are off back to Idaho. I am very excited!! I am super sad to leave some of the amazing friends I have, but I am not loving this single mom setup. Jaxon getting sick, feeling drained this weekend and then wondering how still going to work would go... pretty much did me in, but things are fine now. Jaxon is better, I am finally feeling like I have some things checked off my to do list, and my amazing sister in law Megan watched my kids while I went to work last night and it went fine. My kids love her!!

Noah and I talk everyday for a little while on the phone (I vent, he listens). Savannah asks about him and today began to scream "I want Daddy!" I know its hard on her, but it's only for a little while. My house is a mess and the laundry has been clean and unfolded for days, but we are surviving. I am trying to pack at least a couple boxes a day. Life is interesting. I am trying to get out of the house often so I dont go nuts. So far its working.