4 years.. almost

our anniversary is coming up 

we are going to be out of town on the official day so we celebrated early 

it was so great to take a break and hang out together 

something I haven't mentioned is how hard Sam and has been working to get PA school applications in

what a doozy!

for our wedding we were given a night stay at the grand america 

we saved it and spent the night for our first anniversary 

we fell in love with the brunch buffet and made it a little tradition to go each year 

this year didn't disappointment. 

i love LOVE all the yummy food. 

1st year

2nd year 

 3rd year

I think this will be a tradition our kids will always be invited to, to celebrate that we all get to be together forever... however I don't anticipate they will always be as well behaved as Mack was this time... he slept the entire time.  (so cute in his button up checkered shirt) 

many friends

a close friend and I were talking recently about what a special experience it is to deliver a baby. 

it's an experience and feeling that words truly can't do justice 

it's amazing that I can still close my eyes and imagine that day and it's still crystal clear in my mind 

I know someday it won't be so clear but I love remembering those tender and special feelings 

Part of the experience is how special you feel 

you feel special to have been trusted with one of God's precious children 

you feel special that you have carried this baby with you for hopefully 9 months and are finally getting to share the person you have worked so hard to bring safely to this world 

you feel like you are the only person delivering a baby that day 

I felt so special and have continued to feel so much love and kindness from everyone around me 

Mack is so lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people.  

These pictures are some of those that have stopped to meet little Mack 

and who I know will be good influences on him throughout his life. 

oh how fast they grow

neglect.  this blog has suffered greatly since the arrival of Mack in our lives.  I never want to put him down long enough to do much of anything let alone blog.  but here is a comparison picture of Mack at two weeks and again at six.  he is now almost 8 weeks.  we've had a lot going on the last little bit.  Hopefully i'll find time to post of pictures in the next coming days. 

i can't believe how fast little Mack has grown in four weeks.

that little stinker

Mack is getting older and more alert.  This last week has been one of the most challenging but most rewarding weeks yet.  For those mothers out there I know you know exactly what I'm talking about.  He is so needy, wants to be held, bounced, rocked, pretty much all the time.  He's coming out of newborn stage where he slept most of the time and was pretty easy to put to sleep.  Now he likes to stay awake and play but if I'm not careful and let him play too long then I have an overtired and overstimulated baby who can be very hard to console.

It seems like he will fuss for hours.. even though it's not that long and it always seems to happen when I'm hungry or really trying to get something done.  By the time I have him calmed down I'm be exhausted in every way, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  The worse part is, is typically I'll put him down and look at the clock and realize I have about 15 minutes before he will wake wanting to eat again.. then we get to repeat the cycle.


But without fail this will happen and as he is drifting asleep he give me the biggest grin, or a little chuckle making my heart melt and striping all the frustrations away.  I love him so much.

a week at the lake

everyone had an opinion to share when i was deciding whether or not to join the richards at hebgen
being 5 weeks post baby i was feeling like i was starting to get the hang of things and so we decided to go.

part of me looks back and still wonders what i was thinking
the other part of me is considering going up to the lake again in a few weeks

i thought i had really low expectations.  i knew that traveling with an infant would be challenging and would really effect my activites at the lake but i never anticipated it being so hard.  but thanks to my great mother in law and family for all the help and patience it ended up being a great time, even though i almost packed up several times.  here are some highlights of our first family vacation.

first time in a life jacket

first time on a boat, making dad so happy

skiing on glass

first family picture on the boat

getting feet wet in freezing hebgen water... everyone said it was 'warm' this year

at one point we were the only ones on the beach... hardly ever happens.  I love that feeling though because you almost feel like you are the only ones in the world stranded on your own little island

love my boys!

beautiful beach day, day 1, mack spent almost the entire day asleep in his beach tent, we are lucky to have such a good baby

his face says it all

out on the dock, look at the beautiful sky.

sam grew up going to hebgen at least once a summer.  it's a little bit of paradise just a five hour drive away.  he has the best memories and stories of being at the beach, sleeping at the cabin, going into west yellowstone, and being with his cousins.  every time we are up there it's like walking down memory lane listening to everyone's stories.  I feel so lucky to be part of it now and especially to raise a family who gets to experience such a wonderful legacy.  Mack is so lucky to have this tradition in his life.  

He was lucky to experience his first trip with the entire family there. 16 adults and 11 kids.