Instagram: March 2017

So today I start my "March Madness" of reading the entire Book of Mormon in the month of March. That's just 17 pages a day, and is one of my favorite traditions. Join me? It's an awesome way to gear up for General Conference.

Here's an easy schedule so you can keep track of where you need to be. Let me caution that catching up is not easy. Reaching 80+ pages in one day is HARD (ask me how I know).

This is what my basement currently looks like. The aftermath of plugging up a sink to ask some stained clothes and then walking away for about 30 minutes. Flooded laundry room, water in the basement and a waterfall over all of my yardstick. I haven't been that frustrated at myself in a log time.  All is well now, water is mopped up, fans are blowing, and we wait to see how much drywall damage I did.

Dr. Seuss week is lots of fun! Today was wacky hair day for Devynee and dress up like a character day for Kendree. No blue wig meant that she got crazy hair too.

Brynlee is a very good mama to her babies. Today, one baby needed cream with her diaper change.

Miss Hallee is 5 months old! She is such a happy baby. Strangers love her in stores because when they peek their head over to look at her she rewards them with a giant smile. She rolls both front to back and back to front but hasn't really figured out how to get anywhere with it. Hallee has decided that she needs to wake up during the night. She loves the bumbo chair, high chair and swing where she can survey the scene. She likes to chew on anything she can get her hands on, even her own clothes. Perhaps she'll be my easiest teether?

Easton was honored at our last pack meeting for earning his Wolf and various other loops as well. We are proud of our Cub Scout!

Another craft day! Two more options for my "home" sign and several back to school decor!

Brynlee painted her own nails today. She thought she was pretty hot stuff. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing that my most independent child (which is saying a lot if you've met Kendree) came as number four when I am more relaxed (or tired, you choose).

This little thing is such a joy! Love her!

The T-Rex Family by Devynee.

Of course the first meal we eat in Utah is In N Out.

A little sheep crossing to keep us awake on our drive to Star Valley. I think I loved it as much if not more than the kids. Who wants to be a sheep farmer with me?

While in Utah, we got to spend time with my grandparents. We sure do love our Grammy, Grand Dad and Grandma Great!

Hallee is six months today and got her first taste of rice cereal. She is definitely a fan!

It was so great to catch up with friends from our law school das! Thanks for making the time, Carolyn and Johnathan.

Missing one of our 8!!!! kids, but it sure was a party while we were together.

When your friends own an old bowling alley, you get to take home a bowling ball. Easton was thrilled to pick out our new (to us) ball.

Best cousins watch the iPad on the stairs.

Ten new little chicks on their way to our house!

Because no one just wants to see a picture of the box....

I finished my March Madness reading of the Book of Mormon today. This week is Spring Break and while I still read every day, it was hard for me to get my 17 pages in, which led to over 70 pages to read and 2 days to do it. I powered through and loved it (as usual). I am so grateful for this book. The truths it teaches. The comfort it gives. The peace I feel. The changing of my heart. The lessons I learn. In these verses, I loved this reminder that the Book of Mormon was written for US. This time right now. The Lord loves us and is guiding us if we turn to him. Please, if you haven't read this book before, do it. Contact me and I'll send one to you.

An Actual Announcement

but perhaps not the one that my last post had your brain leading towards.

RONNIE

PASSED

THE

BAR!!!

It's like a gigantic weight has been lifted (and I'm not even the one that took the test!).

And we're* done

As I post this now, Ronnie is finishing up the Wyoming bar.

Hooray!

Let the summer actually begin.

*I use the term we pretty loosely considering I'm not actually the one who took the test.
[We won't hear results until mid-October.  They love to torture you with the EN.TIIIIIRE process.]

This Week

Alternate title: I love me some parentheses

My summertime babysitter is at EFY

I took the week off of work

I realized (again) how much work it is to be a mom

I remembered how hard it is to fit in time to blog while trying to get everything done around the house

My kids both caught colds (welcome home, mom!)

Ronnie learned he'll be taking a fishing trip to Alaska in August (lucky duck)

We found a place to rent in Cheyenne (hooray!)

I've loved spending extra time with my kiddos (while Ronnie is busy studying for the dreaded bar)

Kendree's Blessing

Later in the evening after graduation, we blessed little Kendree Rae.

I'll warn you that there are about one million (or over 100) pictures of the event.  I narrowed them down, I really did, but there are still a lot.  You've been warned.

I had plans to bless Kendree in the dress I was blessed in, but when you wait to bless your daughter until she is thisclose to three months old, she goes and gets bigger than a newborn.  Imagine!  Luckily, Grandma Cali and Aunt Kari found this gorgeous dress in California and brought it out (Laramie doesn't have so many shops that specialize in this kind of thing).

The circle: Uncle Gordon, Grand Dad, Grandpa Cali, Uncle Adam, Uncle Dan, Ronnie, Grandpa Wyo, Steve, Tucker and the Bishop.

Ronnie did a fantastic job on the blessing.  Easton even allowed me to listen to the entire thing while he happily doodled on a piece of paper.  My dad was holding Kendree's head during the blessing and as they got started, she was getting a little fussy.  My dad said that he opened his eyes (because her head was slipping and he needed to make sure it wasn't going to flop) and as Ronnie started talking, she calmed right down, her eyes got really big and she just started looking from one face to the next around the circle.  It was as if she knew something special was happening.

Kendree laying on the gorgeous blanket that Grammy made for her.

Law school friends: Tucker, Laura, Ronnie, Kendree, Me, Lindsey and Steve

4 generations! Me, Grandma Great, Kendree and Grandma Wyo.

Family photo (Buzz and Woody included, of course)

Grandma and Grandpa Wyo, Ronnie, Kendree and Me.

The Wyo family: Erica, Grandm and Grandpa, Ad-man, Jord-man, Easton, Ronnie, Me, Kendree and Sassy.

The Cali Family: Grandma, Grandpa, Alex, Alisa, Kari, Easton, Ronnie, Kendree and Me.

Grandma and Grandpa Cali, Ronnie, Kendree and Me.

Grandma-Great, Kendree and Grand Dad

Uncle Dan and Little Alayna.  They didn't make it into any of the group shots 'cuz Alayna was having a rough day.  We kept her up past her normal nap time, and then woke her up early for the blessing.  Poor thing!

And lest you think all of our pictures come out so wonderful, just know that more than one of our family pictures had this quality to it!

Gotta love 2 year olds!

Some people require pictures as proof

and just in case you are one of those people, here are pictures to prove that Ronnie has, in fact, graduated (never mind that he is still waiting on grades, etc).