A Spring Break Getaway

 This year, for spring break, I decided we needed to have a little get away.  We have been talking about going to White Sands National Park for a few years now and I made it happen!  We packed up on Thursday, after my parents finished up working at the temple we hit the road.  It is only a three hour drive to Ruidoso, New Mexico.  We rented a cabin in the forest that had a hot tub.  As we pulled up, there were some men working on the hot tub.  I was so glad they got it fixed because that was the only reason I rented the house.  

Friday, we drove to White Sands to play in the sand.  It was an incredible sight.  The sand was soft and cold.  I was expecting it to be hot to the touch, but it was so cold and soft that you could walk barefoot on the sand. The boys went down the sand hills a few times then we packed up and headed back to the cabin.  We mostly ate food and sat in the hot tub.  Pearl even jumped into the hot tub at one point.  Hilarious.  

On the way home we stopped at Pistachio world.  I had the BEST pistachio ice cream.  I am so glad we took a little trip to get out of town, if only for a few days.  We needed a break. 

March Happens and time moves on

 Home school this year has been so much better than in years passed.  The boys are using Teaching Textbooks to do their math online.  It has helped a TON!  We are no longer fighting.  The boys are learning and loving it.  So much so, that Edward feels ready to go back to school.  He got accepted to attend SAMS academy.  He is extremely excited.  It is a mostly online school. 

Nolen made some bread for his language arts course this week.  It was simple and easy.  

Edward's friend Kyle invited him to his birthday party at main event. Kyle must have had so much fun at Edward's birthday party, that he wanted to do the same thing.  It worked out great.  Nolen went as well and had a blast.  

We also worked on our garden just a little bit.  We are planting tomatoes and strawberries this year.  I hope we can keep the rabbits and squirrels out of our yard this year.  

We also invited Connor and Endrick Holley to come over and play Risk with us.  It was so fun.  The boys played for hours and can not wait to have them over again for a game playing day.  

We also had the most incredible snow storm!!  The snow was so beautiful and wet!  It looked like a winter wonderland. Of course, New Mexican's do not know how to drive or behave in snowy weather but it is fun none the less.  

For the last nearly two years, I have been biking with my friend Mary Rogers.  We meet up every Tuesday and Thursday to ride 20 miles.  It is one of my favorite times of the week.  We always have something fun to talk about and Mary is truly one of the sweetest people on this planet.  I am so blessed to call her a friend. 

I am so glad Spring is finally here! 

Happy Sixteenth Anniversary

 Sixteen years!

How has sixteen years gone by so quickly?  I feel like it was fast and slow all at the same time.  I am more in love today than I was on our wedding day.  I did not think that was possible sixteen years ago.  Stephen is my everything.  We have taken the time to get to know one another, understand one another, and love the way the other person needs/wants to be loved.  

It has taken me a long time to understand myself and how to be an adult in a relationship. It isn't easy admitting I was completely immature many times in the beginning of our relationship.  Stephen has been incredibly patient with me.  I am truly blessed to have him in my life.  He loves to have his space and I now know that by giving him the space he needs, he is better adept to love me the way I need to be loved.  I love him.

We spent the day together.  Nothing big.  We had brunch at Los Poblanos Farm and then gave each other massages.  It was a simple day. Just what we needed. 

 

Life with Pearl

 It has been a huge adjustment to have a puppy in our home.  The boys are absolutely loving her.  She is attached to Nolen.  She sleeps with him and he loves it.  Nolen has been taking her out every single morning and night making sure she is getting potty trained.  So far we have had a lot of accidents but that is to be expected.  She is so smart!  She already knows how to sit, wait, and fetch.  

We love her.