Simple As It Should Be: February 2014

We are back.....in so many different ways:

Back into a normal routine
Back into our house
Back to Utah
Back to good sleeping routines
Back to a new normal...I guess.

These past couple of months have been a whirlwind for us. Nick graduated law school---what the?? Amazing! He is amazing. And I guess I should say "WE graduated law school". Seriously. I am taking some credit. That was hard work for me too! We moved across the country again. It's pretty crazy that when we left Utah we had no kids and 2 and a half years later we came back with 2 kids and I feel like we are totally different people. And we are here starting this new chapter in our lives.

A huge piece of my heart still feels like it is in North Carolina. I think part of me still believes we are just out here on vacation in Utah. I miss my friends...aka family... out there. They have shaped me into the person I am today and am so grateful for their influence in my life. I became a mom with these ladies and learned from my mom friends with older kids too. I wish we could have stayed. But I am starting to find myself liking it here in Utah each day a little more. I really am finding the good in it and wanted to shout out a piece of advice. Don't ever move to Utah in the middle of winter---Summer would be a much easier transition.

Here is the brief update of everybody in our family:

Nick: Studying for the Bar and working for the Davis County Attorney's office. That's pretty much all he does. Seriously. 6-9 a.m. Study, 9-5 Work, 5:00-5:45 Dinner with family, 5:45-10:00 p.m. Study. He has been able to play raquetball at his parents with his brothers too occasionally and has been getting together with friends. But for the most part all social life is on hold until this exam is over! Have I mentioned I can't wait for him to take the Bar?

Erica: I started working from home doing this awesome job reviewing menus for the Elementary School lunch program. I am happy to be using my Dietitian degree and am happy to be doing it in the comfort of my own home. It is only about 5-10 hours a week and super flexible but gives us some extra spending cash. I feel grateful for this and it came at a perfect time. I am having fun seeing friends from Utah and playing with the Georgia and Lucy. They are hilarious and provide me with lots of girl time. :)

Georgia: Her Go-To song is "Oh My Darlin, Oh My Darlin Georgiatine" She knows over 50 songs by heart and can open a book we have only read twice and read it back to me pretty much because she memorized it. It's probably safe to say she has a photographic memory. It is funny because when she is awake I don't think she stops talking. I don't even notice it anymore because I am so used to it but she's always talking about something and making stories up about things that have never even happened. She says prayers thanking Heavenly Father for Curious George and Wonder Pets. She loves nursery and jumping around the house and chasing other kids even though she doesn't know them. She loves her Lucy Lou ("Lulu") and kisses her 50 times a day. When Lucy cries she says, "Don't cry Lulu, be happy, it's okay" and when she wakes up in the morning, "Lulu, we're here for you, you're awake." The newest thing is that when I don't talk to her for a couple minutes she comes up to me and says, "momma...say something to me...talk to me."

Lucy: She is starting to crawl forward and loves to suck on toys and blow raspberries. Nobody makes her laugh harder than her sister and nobody scares her more than her sister. She hears Georgia's voice and her eyes get wide because she is scared for her life. She has good reason too. She loves playing in her jumperoo and loves attention and I love giving her attention. She is very ticklish and has the cutest laugh. She will be six months in a couple of days and I don't know where the time went. I love that girl and am so glad she is in our family! She adds a special dynamic to it that wasn't there before!

She went through a phase where she had to wear this tie to church for a couple of weeks

We went to Kiawah Island for Thanksgiving. I have to say it was by far my favorite Thanksgiving in all my 29 years!

We had to part ways with our TV that has been with us for not only our 5 years of marriage but since I was 12 years old! I

45 minutes getting ready to go sledding for 5 minutes

This picture doesn't do his car justice--it was packed to the max and that bag weighed SOO much! I am just glad Nick made it home safely!

This doesn't need a caption

Somebody likes baking sugar cookies for Santa

This picture was taking 2 weeks before Great Grandma Alaire Hart passed away at 98 years old. We will miss her spunky personality and wisdom. I hope to be just like her one day! Life is Good Grandma just like you said!

At the most GHETTO circus in the world. And right before I almost got attacked by a tiger--for REAL! It was crazy--that could be a blog post in and of itself.

We are and are still SO SO sad to say goodbye to Margaret and Cheryl! Margaret was her auditory verbal therapist in NC and we were so blessed to have her! She wouldn't be where she is now without her help!