::yikes::

Sand doesn't like bathing right now. I mean REALLY doesn't like it. He only starts crying after the first nanosecond his littlest toe hits the water.
Grandma was bathing him today. He was mad. He got even more mad when I came in with the camera and took pictures instead of saving him.


Poor little mad dude.

::basket::

Max came out of school today with a treasure--a basket full of grass.
You just don't see lush green grass around here much. I think the kids planted the seeds about two weeks ago.
His sweet teacher is a pastor's wife. She was pretty excited to sneak some easter basketing in at school under the guise of "spring baskets."

Yay for spring (and Easter) and baskets and treats and eggs.

Now if only that patch of grass was big enough I could squish my feet around in it.....

::comparison::

Nov 2010:

Jan 2011:

March 2011:

::::

Kris's Aunt Becky and Uncle Richard took an impromptu trip out here to Santa Fe to see if it might be someplace they could move too in a couple of years. They're living in Germany right now on the military base.
We tried to show them all our favorite things and make them fall in love with the city. We'll see how it all turns out in the end. But in the meantime we had a blast hanging out with them. They're so much fun.

Here they are in front of our new house--in their lovely matching parkas.

We'd like to have them as neighbors someday. We'll keep wishing!

::while in UT::

When we were in UT for the funeral and the week after I hardly took a single picture. I was just too busy trying to survive--I got a bad cold and the baby woke up about 10 times per night every night we were there. But we had a really nice time, and it was so great to be there with everyone. I wouldn't have traded it for anything.
The last day we were there was conference sunday and it was a nice peaceful day. I pulled out my camera at the very end of the day and snapped a few shots of cousins and grandmas and aunts and uncles.

Max and cousin KC having some fun together.


New cousin Quinn.

It took a little coaxing to get a smile out of Parker.

Cousin Clayton.



We're just all so lucky to have each other.
And if you want to see pictures of MY side of the family go here. It was really nice to get to spend some time with them too, and also get to hug and chat with Laura, Murphy's fiance!!!!

::in celebration::

In celebration of starting to move stuff into our new house tomorrow, here are a few pictures. This isn't an exhaustive tour--more like some highlights. The first ones are from when I first saw the house in November (3 days before the baby was born.)
The front

I can't wait to see the front with leaves on the trees!
Kitchen/dining area


Bookshelves in the kitchen? Yes please!
The bathroom by the kid rooms

The master with it's built in cabinets

View of backyard from the big deck

Those of you that live in places that actually have grass may be unimpressed by this, but let me tell you, out here this is a GREAT yard. And it might just get astroturfed at some point. Just wait and see.
A view of the living room from one angle

Looking from the interior courtyard towards the kitchen/dining room windows


And now a few from the other day. The owner was sort of almost moved out. It was nice to see the place without all her furniture and stuff. We could see better how we'll be able to make it our own!
Living room again, but from a different angle and much less furniture.

Carpet!

Sandy rolled over when we put him down on the carpet. He really liked it. I think it's going to be a wonderful place for him to learn to crawl.
And finally (for now) the front little yard/courtyard/whatever on our way out.

We love the indoor/outdoor living this house is going to enable us to do.
Now who wants to come and visit????

::the funeral::

I'm back--I think at least.

Here are some of my favorite shots from the pictures my mom took at Ken's funeral.

Hopefully more posts coming later if I can catch up with everything and myself.











It was as lovely and spiritual a day as it possibly could've been. The program was great and the talks were absolutely amazing. It's always so nice to be able to be together with family and it takes the sting off of sad times.
Love to all the family and it was so nice to see you.

::brothers::

It's nice to have these two little guys around when things get sad. They're cheery and full of love.

(He's kicking Max in the above picture. It's one of his favorite past times and for some reason Max loves it too. He thinks it's hilarious.)




So sweet.

::::

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." --Timothy 4:7


Kris's dad Ken passed away this afternoon and boy are we going to miss him. But we are so grateful for the amazing life he led and the faithful example he was to all of us. He loved his family so much and would do anything for him. His sons turned out the same way and I'm so grateful for that. He's truly left a legacy and large shoes for us to fill.

"And may I say that this life never was intended to be easy. It is a probationary estate in which we are tested physically, mentally, morally, and spiritually. We are subject to disease and decay. We are attacked by cancer, leprosy, and contagious diseases. We suffer pain and sorrow and afflictions. Disasters strike; floods sweep away our homes; famines destroy our food; plagues and wars fill our graves with dead bodies and our broken homes with sorrow.

When the faithful saints depart from this life they “are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow” (Alma 40:12), and they remain in this state until the day of their resurrection.

If we have lived the gospel we shall come forth with celestial bodies which are prepared to stand the glory of a celestial kingdom. We shall continue to live in the family unit, and as Joseph Smith said, “That same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.”
--Bruce R. McConkie, "The Dead Who Die in the Lord", Ensign, Nov. 1976, 106

And in honor of my dear Father in Law, I leave you with a bit of a song.

"I’ll look for you in old Honolulu
San Francisco, Ashtabula
Yer gonna have to leave me now, I know
But I’ll see you in the sky above
In the tall grass, in the ones I love
Yer gonna make me lonesome when you go"
--Bob Dylan

Ken, we'll really miss you. Thanks for being you.