KRISTY IS… OLD

I celebrated my 29th birthday on August 24th. My last year in my 20’s. Sigh. I’m feeling pretty good about this birthday though. A lot has happened, I’m in a good place. I’m seeing my children grow and thrive. I am seeing my husband do something that he is loving. I am happy. I have a lot to be grateful for. Life isn’t all easy. It’s a lot of work balancing a household of 6. Making sure each child hears “I love you” every single day along with a big hug. Making sure that even though they were scolded or sent to time out, that they know that we love them unconditionally. It is all a balancing act. One that I am working on each and every day. I have a husband who adores me and who I adore right back. He has held my hand every bumpy step, every rough patch, every single unknown. He is my friend, he is my eternal companion, he is my biggest supporter. We are each other’s cheerleaders through it all.

This year he surprised me. A GENUINE surprise. What you may not know about me is that I am very hard to surprise. Once I get a whiff of it in the wind I will snoop. I will check mail, emails, and try and be as sneaky as possible to wiggle it out of you. I am relentless. He knows this. He hid it from me well. Deleted emails, acted like he was going to just give me cash for my birthday. His usual disregard. However, he had it all planned out. Aunt Camillia came and picked up all four kids and we left after class. He had me drive so he could study but didn’t tell me where we were going. He set the GPS up and I knew we were heading west. So we weren’t going to the beach. Then I started bombing him with questions about WHERE. My first guess was to Greensboro to see Jason Mraz. He blew that off because we were going past Greensboro. So then I though Charlotte for a show of some kind. Or Asheville. Really, I had no clue. So we just drove and once we got close to Charlotte we were taking and exit and it said “Charlotte Speedway”. Nascar?! And I quote myself, “If we are going to a Nascar race, I will turn this car around and head home.” We kept heading in that direction. I noticed a car full of teenage boys. I repeat, “If we are going to a Nascar race, I will turn this car around and head home.” He laughs. We end up at the Verizon Amphitheatre. We park. Still no clue. Once I get out of the car I hear other cars playing Jason Mraz music. He tricked me! It was so funny and so worth it. I had a great time. Poor Christian knew maybe, MAYBE 2 songs the whole night. But he took me because he loves me and wanted to do something that he knew I would love. He is amazing. Not to mention we didn’t get back until almost 2 am and he had class around 8am that morning. Truly a sacrifice.

{We stopped off for dinner before the big SURPRISE}

{WE HAD 12TH ROW SEATS!!!}

LANDEN IS FOUR!

Our special little man had a birthday on August 18th! It just so happened we had Aunt Candice’s wedding and reception that same day. We celebrated his birthday a little late but it turned out to be a magical one. Why so magical? Because it was full of MAAARRRIOOOO!!

Landen was obviously in heaven. Christian bought every character under the sun. It was so funny to watch Landen pull out each out of the bag. He named them all without skipping a beat. I’m not sure if we’re feeding this unhealthy obsession or just letting a little boy be a boy. I guess time will tell.

Landen is an amazing part of our family. Not only because he is our only boy but he can make you laugh, smile, and crack up laughing. He also has a very tender heart to anyone who is sad or is having a bad day. He will quickly wipe away his mother’s tears when he sees she is sad and gives the biggest hugs. He loves to make his little sister laugh and he loves to terrorize his older sisters. He can play Mario Brothers better than me and has surpassed his sisters also. He has a big imagination, but it usually revolves around Mario of some kind. Even in his drawings of his family… we are all wearing a Mario hat. I adore this little boy (Landen, not Mario). He can be a handful, his tantrums are excruciating and his temper can be fierce. But he is mine. He is my little man who I adore over any other little man out there. He has a special place in my heart that can never be replace.

Happy 4th Birthday Landen

{WE HAD TO GIVE HIM ONE PRESENT THAT WASN’T MARIO.}

SERENITY IN THE FORM OF WAVES AND SAND

Amen to that! Last year we weren’t able to go to the beach. Why you ask? Well, it had a little to do with selling and moving our of our house, a wedding, a newborn, and a big move to Chapel Hill with Medical School involved. It was a huge bummer because our family LIVES for the beach. We have salt water in our veins. This year we were able to go! We were able to go with Christian’s parents, his 2 youngest brothers, and a visit from Aunt Candice and Aunt Crystal with her two boys. It was a super fun trip and we were all able to get our fix. The older kids loved the waves. Kalea hardly left the water until it was time to leave. She like to see how far out she could go… which terrified me (I’m not a fan of deep, murky ocean water.) Christian liked to see how far he could make me go out too. Alana is a TOTAL beach baby. She loved the sand, the water, the waves. She was in her element. It was so nice that everyone had the time of their lives. I don’t think we could handle living far away from the beach. Guess we’re stuck.

PALMYRA

Christian was able to take “The Girls” (Kalea and Mia) to Palmyra for the Pageant they have up there each Summer. (Actors come together and reenact stories from the Bible and the Book of Mormon.) Christian, Kalea and Mia rode up to New York (a 12 hour car ride) with Grandpa and Grandmother Simpson, Uncle Collin, and Uncle Cayler in the mini-van. I opted out of this one. Call me crazy but Landen was enough to handle in the car on our way to Disney. Landen AND Alana? Not happening. So we stayed back. Christian refused to blog about the trip so here are some of the pictures from their trip. They ended up camping and had a great time. The weather is much cooler in Upstate New York. So it was pleasant for them all. They did end up coming home early (which was a GREAT surprise to me) because they accomplished everything they wanted to do. They watched the Pageant twice and Mia was up for a third time, but I guess the rest of the gang was ready to head back home.

I missed my big girls a ton but I am so thankful for the experiences they had while up there and for them to see the Book of Mormon come to life. I was able to experience the same experiences as a teenager, so I hope to take them up again one day. I am thankful for Christian’s parents who were able to take them at such a tender age. They will have these memories to keep forever and will just add to their ever-growing testimonies. I am thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so blessed to be a member of His church.

{CAMPING TIME!}

{THE HILL CUMORAH}

{THE SACRED GROVE – Where Joseph Smith had the First Vision}

{PETER WHITMER’S HOME, JOSEPH SMITH’S HOME (I think)}

{ONE OF THE HIDING PLACES FOR THE SCRIPTURES – to keep them safe from harm}

{NIAGRA FALLS}

{MIA IS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE FOR MY LIKING. SHE WOULDN’T BE THAT CLOSE IF I WERE THERE}

{THE GIRLS WERE ABLE TO SUCKER THEIR UNCLES INTO CARRYING THEM EVERYWHERE}

{CHRISTIAN BEING CHRISTIAN. GRANDPA BEING GRANDPA}

{MEETING SOME OF THE ACTORS/CHARACTERS}