Baby steps

Baby steps happened this week!

A few for Camden, as he learns how to walk.

A few for the big kids, as they got used to going back to school.

A few for me towards our book -- our advance copies are HERE and Kindal has held our paperback and hardcover versions! We can hardly wait to get these books into little kiddos' hands.

And Michael cut down lots of apple tree branches, are those baby steps? Maybe we can only carry that theme so far.

This week felt a little weird to send the big kids back to school, but they loved it. We have a little busier morning, but we're ironically better at getting scripture study in when we have something pushing us out the door. Camden and I come home and do chores together and lift weights and eat snacks. Then it's time to get Bennett, and we eat lunch before Camden takes a nap. Then Westin comes home and we have fun getting some play time in before dinner, books, and bed. Westin REALLY loves being back at school, though of course both of them were much more tired this week and they used a lot of their good at school and had a lot of tired energy at home. But we'll all adjust. 

We finally invested in a new computer which was months and months overdue, which will make so many things so much more efficient. Watching Camden take his first few tentative steps is just so fun. He's made so much progress in the last little while.

Seeing my book in *almost* real life was the best part of my week -- this has taken so much to bring together over the last three years and Kindal and I are excited about this final to do list before all the Kickstarter and publicizing and store outreach happens. It also feels more vulnerable everyday but definitely no turning back now :)

Winter isn't so so bad here, but we're itching to get back on the bike trails and have some warmer hands on our walk to school. Camden is anti-gloves and blankets so we do what we can before he pulls everything off. I always think how frustrated Heavenly Father and Mother must feel when they give me all the "mittens" I need to stay a little more cozy in life and sometimes I just don't put them on. And then I scream on the way home and my neighbors assume They're bad parents. Or maybe it doesn't go quite that far BUT you get the point. These boys are loud and crazy and growing and fun and hard and wonderful and sweet and above all, just so so precious. I'm grateful for them.

Oh this messy stage... but he's feeding himself more, which is the start to a much better mealtime!

If you see these at Costco, bring them home.
They were so good in roasted cauliflower soup...
and let's be honest, by the handful out of the bag.

Best account to follow on Instagram.

The boys loved this little six-month old puppy that came to visit.

She was a little nervous around the other two dogs we had over,
but the boys loved being her protectors.

She was as snuggly as Kitty.
Though Kitty stayed upstairs because she doesn't share laps.

MLK Day neighborhood walk

Putting out "only light can do that" quotes along our sidewalks in luminary bags.
We have the best neighbors.

"Mom, look what I invented -- it's a catapult."

Sweet, sweet Naylor family.
They've been in our hearts and prayers so much the last few months,
and they welcomed their sweet Esther this week for just a few hours before saying goodbye to her.

Drone time before bedtime.
Camden actually does really like it.

Getting ready for home church and someone is impatient for a piece of bread.

I know there's so much to miss and so much we want to get back to "normal,"
but sacrament meeting with popcorn on the couch while the baby naps upstairs....
no complaints there. No complaints there at all.