Long Time, No See

Has it been two years??  How?  I am sad that I haven't kept up well with my blog, it is something I really enjoyed doing, and it was a great documentation of what was going on in my life.  I am so glad that I recorded everything I did, but it makes me sad to think of all of the little stories and experiences that weren't typed up and may be lost.  Can I blame it on my crazy life?  Maybe my sluggish laptop and Windows 10, which I cannot seem to get the hang of (as far as the photo storage goes)?  How about a general life update?  It has been a while, but that is no excuse to not record what is going on right now. 

Travis is still working hard with his business, he played on a softball team this fall and really enjoyed it.  He got some great hits in, and his whole team really improved throughout the season.  He is currently serving as the Executive Secretary in our ward.  He has mastered making Ham and Cheese sliders, which we all enjoy.  His mission every day is to make me happy, and he more than accomplishes it.  Countless times I have come home to a completely spotless kitchen, he has been the one to get up with FJ at night probably since she was about 6 months old (now that is love!), there is nothing he loves more than to see me smile. 

Rachel - Every year for the last 3 years has been "the busiest year of my life".  I am trying to par things down, make life easier, and live more in the moment.  Balancing a toddler who requires near constant attention (as most 2 year olds do), and homeschooling Audrey and Phoenix has proven to be a struggle, but I am still working on it!  Sometimes it feels like the never ending items on my To-Do List get checked off, but when I look back, I can see how much I have actually done.  I need to celebrate that more, and more importantly, let go of my To Do List, in the sense that the check boxes dictate whether I have had a "good day" or not. 

Audrey - She just finished her second season of softball, and she absolutely loves it!  She will practice any opportunity that she gets, and she really improved with all of her skills.  She was the fastest runner on her team and stole bases like no other.  She has continued to foster her artistic abilities, and constantly amazes me with her skill.  She is the best big sister to Phoenix and FJ, and is very responsible.  Her best friend lives right next door, and Audrey is often the mastermind of neighborhood games and activites.  She put together the cutest Mother's Day celebration for me and a few of the neighborhood moms and right now she is leading the neighborhood kids in Christmas Carol songs for caroling for Christmas.  She has a very generous heart, and she is exremely thoughtful. Though she is 11, she has no desire to grow up faster than neccessary, and is fully enjoying her childhood. 

Phoenix - This boy was made to live outdoors.  His favorite thing in the world is to go around the yard and in the field behind us and catch bugs, lizards, toads, turtles...basically anything that moves.  He knows way more about cars than I do, and plans on testing out fast cars on TV when he gets older.  He is super motivated to finish school efficiently because that means he can get to play sooner.  He loves the Frog and Toad books.  He would have 25 pets in his room if I allowed it.  He has no desire to play sports, which is fine with me.  Legos and cars are still his go-to toys.  He still "aggresively loves" FJ, and it a little too much for her sometimes, but they have also had more and more successful play times.  Though it breaks my heart to say this, I have noticed an obvious independence, as in, he no longer needs his mommy like he used to. 

Felicity Jane, aka Fussity Jane, aka FJ  - This little ladybug was the sweetest, best behaved little missy.  Until she learned to walk.  Suddenly her sweet disposition was replaced with a fierce desire to be included in everything.  She does not want anything watered down just because she is little.  She was fine with cut up string cheese, until she saw me eating it whole.  Then she demanded that.  She was fine with little chunks of cucumber, until she saw my round slices.  Then she demanded those.  She doesn't want to be treated any different than Audrey or Phoenix.  She loves to be "ickled" (tickled) and will let you know where and when she wants to be ickled.  She loves pretending to be a doggy, a kitty, a monkey, or a bunny.  She started school in September, and she LOVES it!  When I come to pick her up she is happy to see me, but she usually keeps playing with her toys.  She has also started to love Nursery, and the childcare at the gym (it only took a year!).  We always joke that she thinks she is the boss of everyone, but she kinda does. 

I will try to do posts on some of our favorite trips from the last year, but I really hate accessing pictures from my desktop, so I can't make any promises.  In the winter we went skiing for the first time since having kids, and we LOVED it!  Trav hit the slopes like a natural, I was a tad stiff in my form, Audrey picked up on skiing like it was second nature, and Phoenix really improved a lot with snowboarding (but for anyone interested, we really wish we had started him on skiis).  We went skiing twice, and in the summer we went back to Snowshoe and enjoyed it arguably just as much.  The cool mountain air, the perfect wildflowers, the peace and quite.  Travis's parents came to visit in the spring and we made a trip to Biltmore, it was fabulous, and they had costumes from period era movies (like Pride and Predjudice!!).  We had another epic week at the beach with my siblings at the end of August, the weather was great (I wouldn't have complained if it had been warmer), our condo was spacious, and we just had a great time.  We played this game that Jo introduced us to, Masterpiece, and it was a ton of fun.  Then we went to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamgsburg with Leah and FJ's face when we walked in was priceless, she was SO excited!!!  Over the summer we started to go the Durham Bulls games (minor league baseball) and we (excluding FJ) really enjoyed it!  The kids even did a baseball camp that was lead by the players and the coach!