Peter's 5th Birthday!

I just had to do a pirate party for Peter.  He is positively obsessed.  Thanks to pinterest and hobby lobby, it was pretty easy to put together!

 I just HAD to make baby Austin a shirt! 

 Super hero presents?!  Good call friends.

 The Pirate Crew

 Happy 5th Birthday Peter!  We love you so much!

Peter at age 5:
Likes: Pirates.  Legos.  Superheros. TV,
Dislikes: Having to watch 'girl' shows.  Riding his bike faster than a snails pace.
Quirks:  Only eats salad 'plain'.  He won't even try dressing.  He pretty much eats all of his food 'sauce free'.
Peter brings so much joy to our family.  He is the most easy going kid.  He is a big help around the house.  He sets the table, helps clean up Brookie's messes, and makes his bed EVERY day without me reminding him.  He usually goes to bed at 8:00 and sleeps until 7:00 am.  He takes a nap about 3x a week with a little prompting from me.
Accomplishments this year:  Learned how to read, how to work netflix without a grown-up (scary!), memorized 7 scripture mastery scriptures from the Book of Mormon and New Testament, memorized the first 5 Articles of Faith, and can add and subtract with numbers from 1-20.

We...uh, I mean, He did it!

I am so proud of Bryan!  After four years of studying, studying, a ton of hours spent in the clinic, some more studying, and maybe a little more studying, he is done!  It was a tough road.  The first year of dental school was so intense.  He was gone 6 days a week from 6 am to 7 pm.  Followed by a full summer load of the same thing.  Second year was not much better.  Third year was about the same.  The fourth year I saw a bit more of him on the weekends, but sheesh, that dental school owned him.
  He graduated with a great GPA and got 2 awards.  The Endodontic award and Prosthedontic award.  I was sort of hoping this was the end of student life...but it looks like we have a couple more years ahead of us.  Bryan is planning on specializing in Endodontics (that would be Root Canals for you non-teeth people out there. :) )   First we are off to pay back our time to the US Army.  I couldn't have asked for a better deal.  I love not having the stress of loans or of trying to find a practice that is right for our family right out of school.  I love traveling and am excited to see more places and live around the country more before we settle down.  (which at our rate could be about 8 more years!)
Good job Bryan! I love you!

Need Parenting advice?

Don't ask us.

 This is what happens when you have a very curious baby in a not-so-baby-proof room.  Thank goodness he likes his binky more than anything else on earth.  When I walked in he was grinning from ear to ear with a handful of potentially lethal items in his hand.  Glue, spray paint, push pins, coins, ink pens...ect. 
Gotta love traveling.

Preparing for a move, Army style

So this last month has been nuts.  I have never had so much to do, without knowing what exactly I was supposed to be doing it.  Even though we have technically been in the military for 4 years, we haven't really been exposed to it (other than my sister being Air Force and visiting her on base ect).
We got our unofficial orders to Korea last month.  Since then I have been trying to figure out the logistics and get our official orders for more detailed information to get us moving. (no pun intended...)
Finally, our orders came.  And they were more vague than I was hoping.  Still no Post was listed, no duration of our assignment, and TONS of acronyms and army mumble jumble.  And it was listed that Bryan was single with no defendants.  I have some great friends that have helped me and got me the information to get all the mountains of paperwork complete...
Bryan and I have been trying to get things organized and fixed ever since.  We are trying to get our overseas move scheduled.  For those of you that did not know, your stuff gets shipped in 3 different groups, and you have a weight limit depending on how many are in your family.  So being listed as single is a major set back to trying to pack because they would only move 3000lbs (vs the 7,000 we were anticipating).  
These sort of major problems kept popping up, and it has been so stressful for me.  Every 26 hours or so it seemed like any sense of control I had over the situation was ripped from my grasp and we would get new information that changed our plans of us and/or our stuff getting to Korea.  I finally just excepted that this was just not something that I have any control over and to just roll with it.

I have to remember the God is in control.  Not me.

Last Thursday Bryan spoke with the person in charge of assigning dentists and was trying to sort some of these many problems out.  Somehow the conversation ended with Bryan being offered another position state-side, if he was interested.  In Colorado Springs, CO.  This wasn't even an option we could pick from a month ago.  It had just opened up the day before and the Officer told Bryan it was a popular place, but he would check and see if it would work.
I have learned patience from this process.  We had to wait until Monday to find out, and I am happy to say I was finally calm and not going crazy with anticipation.

We are moving to Colorado!!!!  I couldn't be more excited!  A tiny part of me is sad we aren't going to Korea.  It would have been an awesome adventure.  Life is so much simpler now.  My kids are going to have a backyard.  I am close to the greatest state in the Union- Arizona, AND my northern neighbors aren't wanting to nuke me!  It is pretty great.

We got official orders yesterday.  We are moving tomorrow.  My house is all boxed up.  I can't believe my time in Pittsburgh is ending.  I have truly loved my life here.  It isn't real yet that I am leaving.  I will miss my friends so much.  I will miss the rivers, bridges, trails, parks and greenery.

Adios Pittsburgh.  Until we meet again! 

NYC

I had a blast in New York.    This was my 3rd trip to the city, but it never gets old!

   *Warning! Picture overload*
I drove in NYC! It was much less intimidating than I thought.  There were a couple tense moments, especially merging from 10 lanes into 2 in 30 feet going into the Lincoln Tunnel.
 I lucked out this trip!  Randee has friends that live in the city.  Thank you Allison and Noah.  I am lucky to have met such a great family.  They were great hosts and I am forever grateful for their hospitality.

Our trip Highlights:  
-The Shake Shake. (really, really good burgers)
-High Line
-Chelsea Market
-5th Avenue
-Black and White cookies
-Flat Iron
-Times Square
-Newsies!
-9/11 Memorial
-Brooklyn Bridge
-Grimaldi's Pizza under the Brooklyn Bridge
-the Subway
-Cake Boss Cafe
-Levain Bakery
-Central Park

Easter Weekened 2013

Happy Easter from our family to yours! 

 Sunday: At the branch.  I am so thankful for Jesus Christ and the hope and joy that the act of the atonement brings to all mankind.  I know he is my Savior.  He lives!  I know this to be true.  I can feel the comfort and joy in my heart when I say this.  He took upon himself the sins of the world.  He took upon himself my sins in the garden of Gethsemane.  Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He lived for me, and died so that I may live again and become clean and pure.   

 Saturday:  Egg hunt at the church.  It was freezing.  (As usual around here.  Spring just doesn't want to show!)

 Heath wanted to find eggs. He really did.  But every time he started to, he got side-tracked and forgot what he was supposed to be doing.

 We are the parents that forgot to bring an Easter basket for the kids.  Naturally, we used trash bags from the janitor closet.

 Friday Night: Painting Eggs

 Scuba- 'Dye'-vers.  (I love pinterest.)