SUNDANCE, UTAH.

Being around these guys has made all the difference as we keep adjusting to our new home.  Three of my siblings live within an hour of us.  And what lifesavers they have all been when we have needed help over the last month.  I'm so grateful for them!  Gran and Pop were in town this week from Boise, too.


Love, us.

BEAR LAKE, UTAH.

The water was so blue, it could not have been more beautiful.  This week we took a quick, much needed trip to meet Chad's parents up at Bear Lake.  Fall was the prefect time to drive through Logan and see the colors through the canyon.  Something about the cool mountain air makes me feel like I can breathe easy.  It was still warm out, but the lake was freezing.  My kids immediately thought they were at the beach and started stripping down once we got near the water.  I didn't have the heart to tell them no.

Utah is absolutely beautiful and if we had to leave Charleston, I'm glad it was to a view like this one.  The short answer is, we are doing fine.  It's still an adjustment.  My insides are a bit unsettled and we are all restless.  I think it's the trying to say goodbye to our old home that we loved so much and hello to this new one- all at the same time.  And it hasn't been such an easy thing.  The kids keep asking me to go to the beach, or back to our "real" house.  It hurts to try to explain it to them.

We moved a lot when I was a kid, my family was separated by several states and there were many changes.  I've never really known where home was even in my adult life.  After this past month of gut wrenching changes with my own kids, I've finally come to this conclusion.  Home isn't where your heart is or where it longs to be.  Home isn't necessarily where you were born or where you went to high school.  Home is wherever you are together.

This baby turned 3.

Oh, Griffey.  I can't believe this day has come, you're three years old.

I just sit watching you sometimes and I think, how is it possible that this is my baby boy?  How did we ever get so lucky to have you here with us?  And, where the heck did you come from?  You have really been an extremely mellow kid, always pretty easy going, very independent, super smart and way too adorable.  People stop us in stores and admire your long blonde curls.  It's like a petting zoo.

You've potty trained yourself, with little direction from us.  No more diapers, not even through the night.  You now wake yourself up if you've got to use the potty.  I think it's some kind of miracle really.

You can work any type of apple device.  iPhone, iPad, Macbook- you name it.  I don't know how you do it, but somehow I always find new apps or music that I myself did not download.  How on earth do you get past my passcode?

You're obsessed with Toy Story's 1, 2 & 3.  Why we had to have 3 versions of Toy Story, I'll never understand.  Frozen comes in at a close second.

We finally took down one side of your crib and now call it your "big boy crib".  Who would have thought you'd love it as much as you have, for as long as you have.  Georgie, froggy and blanks still must sleep with you.  And you still take a 2 hour nap everyday.

Your favorite books are: dad's vintage copy of the Little Engine That Could, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and any of the Maisy books by Lucy Cousins.  Danny and the Dinosaur and Sammy the Seal are big favorites too.

You're extremely independent and must do everything all by yourself.  Even if you end up needing help.  I try to be as patient as possible with this.

You mimic everything your parents do, and everything your brother does too.  I think we have to start being more careful about what we say and do around here.  The other day while going to the bathroom you announced to everyone, "don't come with me, I need some space".  Right on.

You're extremely intuitive with people.  You've always loved watching people, even as a baby.  Even if you don't fully understand a certain concept, I can tell you understand the emotion behind it when your dad or I explain something to you.  If someone is upset, you're the first to console them and offer solutions to help.  I often hear you telling your brother, " it's okay bud, it's okay".

The other day at the park, you climbed the big oak tree all by yourself.  The same oak tree you had been working on climbing for the last 6 months, every time we went to the park.  You usually would get stuck and cry to me for help to boost you up to the top.  This time, I watched you do it all by yourself- 8 or 9 times in a row.  Each time I could see the pride written all over your face.  I was so proud of you too.

I love you Griffey.  I can't believe you're 3, I really don't know how that happened.  I'm so proud of who you are now and who you are becoming.


* update: since writing this post ...you no longer nap at all, unless you fall asleep in the car.  It's torture really, the protests to nap time.