The beginning of Echo

So we started our week at Echo this past Saturday evening. We went a couple days earlier than everyone else so we enjoyed a some quiet peaceful time with our little family. Once everyone gets here it will be busy, loud, and crowded. Don't get me wrong we will LOVE spending time with lots of family and playing cards but it really was nice spending time with Jason and the kids without other distractions.

The water is SO high this year so it's a NO WAKE summer season. Even though we can't do stuff on the boat it'll be fun to be in the sun and swim especially when some of the cousins and siblings get here.

As for our couple days as a family we got nice weather. Sunday was 28 C and today was 36 C. SO NICE! Today we swam and spent a lot of time outside and just hung out together.

Echo Lake Sunday night

 Love my zoom lens. This is from WAY far away which is nice because they didn't move while taking the photo. It's amazing how still the lake is in the morning especially with a no wake summer.

Talia was really good about going in the water the first time but now it takes some convincing. She loves touching it and splashing but she's not so sure about jumping in or getting in all the way. Lucky for her all we can do is swim so she'll get used to it.

Love this photo. Daddy daughter moment.

Cute.

Man I just love this face.

 Always has his hands in his mouth.

Well family is starting to show up. Let the fun and chaos begin :)

My kids growing up

I really could take pictures of my kids all day, just LOVE them.

 My baby boy Jace loves the jolly jumper. I should have thought of it earlier. My mother in law mentioned it and I just always thought he was to young but he's growing up.  Such a great invention! Hard to get a clear photo with him jumping and the light in the room but gives you an idea of how much he LOVES it.

Also note the hair growth. I had to cut off the top because she had one strip of long hair down the middle of his head but now it's all coming back blonde with a ting of read- cute!

Such blue eyes. I just LOVE them. No touch ups even. I never thought I would have a kid with such blue eyes. His eyes are the same color as  my moms. So nice!

Talia being silly. She's so funny lately, just talking up a storm and trying to be so silly. Her eyes are SO brown and I just LOVE them as well. She's my baby girl!

So silly.



Southern Alberta so far

Well I don't have much to say but I do have pictures. So enjoy!

Talia developed a fear of water for a couple of days (don't worry she got over it) so instead she ate cantaloupe and watched her friend play in the water. I wish she had gone in the water so I had had an excuse to sit in kid blow up pool. Maybe next time!

This is Jason's best friend from high school, Buddy's kid. His name is Chase. He's SO cute. He's 13 months and pretty adventurous. They're both petite, it was fun to see them together.  His mom Becky came over and we spent the afternoon together. It was fun to catch up.

My favorite part of the evening. Jace takes a 15-20 minute nap and I usually let him fall asleep on Jason or I. Talia wouldn't do this after 3 months and I just love that he does.

Uncle Robbie with Jace. He's a fun Uncle. I think he scared Talia a bit too much the first day so she wasn't going to him. But ever since he played outside with her and play "peek a boo" with her num nums he won her over.

Talia LOVES the cats. The Lows have two cats, Oreo and Muffy. Talia just loves petting them, talking with them (saying meow), and chasing them. It's actually pretty cute. She commonly says, "Hi CAT" "Hi Muffy" "Meowww".  I'm mildly allergic to them so I'm not a huge fan but I love watching Talia chase them. She loves animals.

I HATE this photo of me, very unflattering but it's the only family shot we've got so far and it's the typical Waterton photo... sadly it had to go in.



So Waterton has this new park and spray deck . We didn't bring a bathing suit for Talia so luckily I had a 3 month outfit of Jace's that fit her better (especially width) that Jace. So funny! I kept it on during our walk and everyone kept saying how cute my boys are so I ended up taking it off. She looked so cute. The outfit reminded me of the outfit Jug Head would wear in the Archie comics.

Jug Head? Archie?

Last year Jason actually got 'juked' by one. The deer went after a dog and Jason pretended to go after the deer and that's when it started after Jason. Kind of scary and unreal. Love the sign!

Cute Daddy daughter moment. She loved throwing the rocks in!

Talia and 'Mama' walking and holding hands. Talia now calls me Mommy ( I LOVE it!) and calls Jason's mom, Mama because she can't pronounce Grandma. cute.

Pretty Waterton. I usually don't love going to Waterton (I know- call me crazy!) but it was actually fun because it wasn't super windy and it was fun watching Talia enjoy it. She could live outside.

Wild life in Waterton- a skunk! First time I've ever seen other in real life.

On the drive home- isn't he so cute? It's so funny he's almost 5 months and I remember thinking at this age with Talia how old she was. She was already on solids and I was really being tough some nights with sleep training. With him he's still my baby. No solids yet and I still think of him as a 1 month old. Although I am going to start getting tough on some sleep habits!

My little big girl. I just love this photo. She loves to laugh and I find her and myself having laugh attacks over nothing. Reminds me of my mom and I.

Loving the cats. Not sure if the cats are loving her. She's pretty gently though and muffy does enjoy the attention. I don't think the other cat appreciates it as much.

My boys just relaxing.

Talia as per usual was afraid of the tramp the first day but she's warming up to it and had a lot of fun jumping with her Daddy. Love her smile in this photo.

Hiding under the pillows at Jason's grandma and grandpa Low's house. She was being silly.

I love this photo. Can't totally tell you why... I just do.

Jason with the kids and his Grandpa.

Jason's Grandpa Low's a funny guy. He always keeps the kids entertained with his songs.

Grandma Low is so sweet. She loves all the kids and Jace loved meeting her.

Talia and her Daddy. I think she was being silly here.

Well it's been fun visiting with family and friends. Jason's loving the scope of practice here and he's getting good experience. I'm finding it OK here. The parks aren't great and I don't know many people here so we're really house bound a lot. Also I can't really go to the park on my own. Jace is too young to leave unattended and Talia is too young to play on the equipment on her own. Also there's only so much playing I can do outside with Talia while watching Jace and keeping my sanity. Talia and I did go on a date to the Cardston outdoor pool and she did love it. That's been a high light the past week. Jason's sister Joanie comes on Wednesday and they have a boy 3 months younger than Talia so that should be fun as well.

Hope you're enjoying your summer wherever you are!

Oh dear!

When you get too excited about helping mom with laundry and start running over top of the piles this is what happens...

... you fall and hit your face on the hardwood. Someone was NOT a happy camper.

Cardston We Will Go... For a Month!

Jason is DONE! And when I say done, I mean done 4 years university, 4 year medical school, and 2 years of residency! He's worked so hard and now he gets to go to work ha!

Anyways for the first year or so Jason's going to do cover doctors vacations, help out in medicenters, do some inpatient hospital stuff, and some rural locums. For the majority of it he's going to try and work in Leduc so he can be close to home. I will not be travelling lots with him so Leduc would be nice. Maybe he'll work a weekend or so farther away but that's just a couple of days.

He starts Monday in Cardston. I am going with him because we get to go and see family. Should be fun!!!! Can't wait for more summer activities and Echo!!!!

I think we'll have to find a bigger pool than this when we're down there. Can't wait to play in Grandma and Grandpas big back yard!

Not to sure if he'll be swimming tons but at least he can go outside. I put him in the small pool with Talia and hoped she would hold him for a photo. Well she didn't really want to hold him and let go, then he went face first in the pool. He wasn't to impressed. That was probably one of my poorer decisions. Anyways he looks cute in his suit. We can't wait for time in the sun in southern Alberta.

Happy Canada Day! I'll keep you posted on our adventures!

4 months- where does time go?

Jace is 4 months old. Seems like the with the second kid time has flown by WAY faster.

weight: 14 lbs 6 Oz's (40th percentile)
height: 26 inches (85th percentile)
head: 41 cm (30th percentile)

A few things about Jace:

• He's SUPER smiley. Doesn't take much to get him to smile or laugh, just have to look at him and talk.
• SUPER ticklish.
• He likes to eat and when he's hungry he sure lets you know.
• He sleeps normal. Not the greatest ever reported but by far not the worst. I do like that he goes to bed at 8 30 pm so I can have my time. My morning generally starts between 6 30 am and 7 am with him. In-between those times he's usually up twice and on a good night once... that's a rare but good night.
• He naps pretty good. Two good naps with one short one in the evening.
• He has a fussy time in the evening. He likes to be by someone then he's fine.
• He's now formula fed. It's been nice having my body back and Jason has been able to help out more with Jace.
• He hates any type of medicine.
• Loves his feet.
• Has to have something in his mouth either be a blanky, soother, or his hands
• Doesn't roll yet
• Loves when Talia gives him attention.
• He has a very loud cry. Especially when he wakes up from his nap startled.
• Is NOT flexible in the least bit. He can barely get his toes to his mouth with my help. There's no doing it on his own, he can only grab them. He's more like Jason and I, where as Talia can still put her legs over and past her head.

Glad we have Jace in our family. He's a cutey!

No Other Way

I've struggled with what to title this post. There seemed to be many that fit:

• Gifts from God
• Our Saviors Love
• Things That Matter Most
• Too Perfect
• In the Arms of our Loving Heavenly Father
• Eternal Families
• No Other Way

This past Saturday Jason and I attended the memorial service of our friends beautiful baby. He was a full term baby born still due to an unforeseen complication. It was a very emotional service. So many different emotions. How is this fair? Why does stuff like this happen? Was he too perfect for this world?  Where is he?  How do parents get through this? I don't know if we can ever answer all these questions but some were answered and provided comfort through the letters/ testimonies his parents wrote to him, their perfect little boy. Through their letters they bore their testimony of where their precious little boy is and how they are an eternal family.

I loved when this Dad read his letter to his little boy telling him he will make it to the celestial kingdom. He will be a better person because of him. There is no other way. He will see him again.

This made me think of my kids and how I would do anything for them. Then my thoughts were turned immediately to my Savior and My Loving Heavenly Father. I don't think I can even grasp how much my Heavenly Father loves me. I've been taught that He loves us more than we love our own kids. Is that even possible? If it is...I know it is, then there really should be no other way than to live righteously (thanks to the atonement that is possible) so we are able to return and live with our Heavenly Father and families for all eternity.

Children are miracles sent from God. Maybe they're given to us to remind of us of His love. I love my children. Yes we have our moments/ days but after a service like the one on Saturday I am reminded not to take them for granted. They are perfect in their own way and remind me why I need to continually strive to be better.

Was it fair they lost their baby? No. When trials come we can either pull away or draw close to our Heavenly Father. I don't think we will always know why or be able to explain why some things happens but if we lean on our Heavenly Father through our trials we will feel his warm embrace.

My heart truly aches for my friend. I don't know what it's like to lose a baby, I can only imagine.  I do know the love of a Mother and the want and need to hold your own baby. I pray for her and her family every night. I hope she can find peace in the fact that she will see her baby again, hold him, and raise him. I am also aware that you can find a certain amount of comfort in what you believe and know but doesn't take away all the pain.

I know my Heavenly Father lives. He shows us love in mysterious ways. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have of this life.