Hanging Out at Home

Our life is a little too routine to be posting every week:) But I guess I can comment and dump my weekly Instagram pictures here. We have just been hanging out at home. Literally.

 The tree in our front yard. Owen has become so brave, seemingly over night. Climbing, jumping off of everything and talking to strangers. Yes, strangers, like the waiter, the cashier, and new people at church. I love his budding independence and friendly nature but strangers don't want to hear about his toys or plans for the day, haha. And of course there is stranger danger. Hmm. How to teach, I'm sure I saw a pin on Pinterest...

Owen has been talking about preschool ever since we drove by the little Learner's preschool building and playground. He can't wait to get a backpack for his papers and meet his teacher. I think he is so ready, he drives me and Kent crazy at home. We have to come up with chores like cleaning the bikes, pulling weeds as well as his normal chores of feeding the dog and emptying the utensil holder.

The Peterson's invite us over every month and always feed us but this week we brought pizza making skills! Kent's idea, he's coo like dat.

Owen needs his weekly/bi-weekly nap to catch up in sleep but he always refuses until it does catch up with him and he passes out. In random places ;)

Snapshots of the sweetie bugs together. Owen still adores Joel and wants to hold and kiss him. Joel is TWO months! 

Kent has been picking up shifts at two locations and will take a two week job at a third place next week. He is staying busy with on-call work and applying to full time positions in the mean time. 

The Master Plan

Beccah shared this story with me today and I have been reflecting on it all week.

The story is told of a couple who went to England to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary and shopped at a beautiful antique store. They both liked antiques and pottery,and especially tea-cups,and so spotting an exceptional cup,they asked "May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful."
As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the tea-cup spoke... "You don't understand." It said, "I have not always been a tea-cup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, Don't do that. I don't like it! "Let me alone," but he only smiled, and gently said; "Not yet!!" "Then, WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. "Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!" I screamed.
But the master only nodded and said, quietly; 'Not yet.'
He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit himself and then...he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door.
"Help! Get me out of here!" 'Not yet.' When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool.
Oh, that felt so good! "Ah, this is much better," I thought. But, after I cooled he picked me up and he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible.. "Oh, please, Stop it! Stop it!" I cried. He only shook his head and said. "Not yet..."
Then suddenly he put me back into the oven. Only it was not like the first time. This time it was twice as hot and I just knew I would suffocate. I begged... I pleaded... I screamed...I cried... I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up and just then the door opened and he took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering "What's he going to do to me next?"
An hour later he handed me a mirror and said "Look at yourself."
And I did... I said, "That's not me, that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!"
Quietly he spoke: "I want you to remember, then," he said, "I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.
"I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life.
"And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you."

 

Snapshots of Life Lately

The week started off with one fussy little boy who just wanted to be held. This morning in particular was a rare quiet moment. Owen snuck to the foot of our bed in the middle of the night and the two boys finally ousted Kent from his spot. To a more quite room with more room :)

Feeling a little guilty about my rant last week. I'm lucky to create fun stuff and care for my boys at the same time. Owen tried to pick Joel up to hug and Joel was way to big for him. I helped and then snapped a pic of his sweet smile. What an awesome big brother he is!

These pics are of Joel smiling up at Kent. He is smiling often now and especially for his Dad. This time around he smiled cause he had just pooped on Kent.

These boys melt my heart. Kent is so great to take time with them.

The heat is making it hard to get outside and do anything. Over 100 degrees every evening. And when we do get out for a drive we come back and just want to nap. Went to a fun baby shower for a girl in the ward.

Most exciting news! Kent passed his national board of exams! Wahoo! He was nervous and it turns out forty percent of his class didn't pass; the test was tough!

We spent the evening outside and here Joel is with his chubby belly and look of adoration for his Dad.

Owen has a summer bucket list and it involves all the new movies, haha. 

That's it, life lately.