Life goes on

So today we passed our final inspection for our house on base (huge stress lifted off my shoulders!). So I guess we are officially moving. We were so blessed to have awesome friend right next door who let us stay in their house this past week (they were out of town) while the movers were here and while we were cleaning. I can't even imagine how we would have gotten it all done otherwise and it was so much easier on the kids. They could take naps, eat lunch and and play with toys over here while we oversaw the moving and cleaned. We were also very blessed to have Trav's parents here helping with the kids and some of the cleaning. It couldn't have gone better for us. And now we get to head off on a big trip, 4 kids and 2 cars clear across the country. Too bad we are already a little exhausted. . . Anyway, we will have to go and take a family picture by our old house. Noah's the only one who understands what is going on and he is doing really well with it so far. Anyway, that was a quick update, but now I have to go organize and clean and pack. We have some really wonderful and awesome friends, and I am feeling really sad to be leaving them. Once we are on the road, I plan on feeling very excited about this move, though. . .

Helping hands

Angela was a big big help with Micah. She is excited to finally be babysitting age. I wish we lived closer!

3 Legged Race Champs

I had to really talk Noah into doing this, but then he had a lot of fun with Lizzy, especially when they fell in the middle but were brave and kept going and end up pulling aheah and winning the race. What a great lesson!

Here the 3 troublemakers from the Pitcher Reunion. I was so happy to see Noah and Kaden bond together for once. They hardly fought at all, and I found them always with each other or looking for one another and finding the golden rocks or playing on the playground. They usually fight so much, it was truly a golden parent moment. Of course, when Noah was in Logan for the week and Kaden kept saying he missed him and wanted him home, and they after less than a minute of being together again, they were sure fighting in the car. . .

This was the best picture I had of the awesome Travis gunny sack race. Shauna had a much better one of him diving for the finish line.

Water balloon launch--Drew, Travis, and John

Ang holding Micah at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I wonder how long it will be before we get to make another trip to Canada.

My Grandpa was so so cute with Micah. It warms my heart to watch him, and Micah was in love with him. We drove a total of 30 hours in less than 2 weeks time and Micah was a surprisingly great traveler. He slept 90% of the time and ate the other 10%, and still slept at night time. It made me feel better about driving both cars to Florida when the time comes. It won't be fun still, but definitely more doable without a miserable baby to keep happy. We'll pray that he'll keep this up.

The Big Trip

Micah and I stayed with Trav's mom in the trailor and even had a hard time staying warm in there. Rumor has it that everyone in tents froze to death. Ammon stayed in the trailor, too. It was nice having a place for Micah to nap and Trav's mom watched him a lot so we could play. Thank you, Mom!


Trav took the 3 older boys out for a canoe ride, and then he and I got to go. It is so peaceful and so much fun--I really want to start doing stuff like this more.



While Trav and I were out on the canoe, Noah was throwing rocks into the lake and accidently threw himself in, too. I believe he made quite a scene, but had changed clothes and collected himself by the time we got back--having only the soggy shoes to show for it.



We spent lots of time at Nathan and Suzy's house, and everyone had so much fun playing with cousins and the little kittens outside. This is Noah with Taylor and D.J. They would sure love to get a pet. . .

I'm so glad Micah was really and truly smiling before we left on this trip, because it make it so fun for everyone to see him. I guess I should explain where we even went and what we did. We went up to Cheney, WA first, for a week and a half. Trav's parents and 3 of his brothers live there so we always have lots to do there when we visit. I am waiting to get pictures from all the people who had cameras when I couldn't find mine. . . Anyway, Trav was also able to do some training for work there so that we wouldn't have to rush on our drive to Florida and have him do it there. Then we drove across and up to Cardston, Alberta, where we had a big Pitcher Family Reunion. It was so fun to see everyone and their families. We stayed at a Bed and Breakfast there, and spent the days at the Reunion center and park. Then we headed down to Rexburg and spent a couple of days there and went to the temple. I am so excited that there is a temple there now--and it is so beautiful! We brought my niece Angela home with us, and sent Noah with Shauna for a week. Apparently Noah wasn't feeling well for a couple of days and took it out on them a bit, but Ang was an angel and a huge help for us! It was so fun to spend more time with her.

Horse Play

I really do wonder some days why we have never had any broken bones in this household (knock on wood). Really, Kaden has had stitches a couple of times, and Noah I guess did once, too. But that's it. I see much more trauma ahead of us, though. I just need to keep feeding them well to help their bones be strong and help them mend quickly. I would love for Micah to stay a little baby forever, but I have to admit I am anxious to see Trav juggle all 4 of them. He doesn't think they will ever beat him, but I foresee the day. . .

And last but most important, here is the love of my life. I am so lucky and blessed to have Travis. Why he chose me, I may never know, but I sure am glad. He is a wonderful husband and father and is my best friend in the world. He doesn't always get me (what is there not to get?), but that's mostly when I don't even understand myself. And he wishes that I had let him cut his hair before having family pictures. I think he looks great, fro or no fro (I don't know how to spell that). Anyway, he is good and righteous and talented and fun, I could go on forever, but I won't because it's starting to sound a little cheesy. . .

Oh, this tree in my parents' front yard holds such memories for me! How fun to see my own family standing in front of it connecting past, present, and future.

Family Pictures

Shauna did family pictures for us while we were all together in Sugar City. It is so great to have a sister be an awesome photographer. I had hoped to have lost all baby weight whenever we did pictures and yet still have it be when Micah was semi-newborn, but oh well. You have to grab the moments when they come. This is by the fence in my parents back yard.

Ammon is figuring out that the world doesn't revolve around him and he doesn't approve of his new discovery. He is showing quite the attitude, and is a complete tease. He is still adorable and knows it, though. And he is still our cuddly little guy, and I am very grateful for that. This face totally shows his personality.

Noah is getting so old! How is it possible that time goes that fast? He was already missing his two top front teeth, and during this last trip lost 2 more and has another loose one. Is it normal to start losing them that fast? We keep telling him soon we'll have to put his dinner in the blender.

Kaden was the easiest to get to smile and the most cooperative. I would not have expected that. He has grown a lot in the last year and is probably just an inch shorter than Noah, and bigger around the waist. He really likes food. . . but he did mention to me today that his favorite cereal is Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but that he only wants to eat it "sometimes" because he knows it is not healthy. I was impressed that he would act like he cares.

Here Micah is almost 10 weeks old. He has been so smiley but we caught him at naptime and he didn't like the bright sun either. He just really laughed for the first time yesterday (for daddy of course). He is so good and so fun for all of us. At his 2 month appt he weighed 12 pounds 10 ounces--that was a week and a half past the real 2 month mark.