BBQ & bike ride with the Nehrings

5.17.2013

We got together to have one of our last BBQ's with some of our favorite people! Stacie and her kids were going to be heading off to Utah for the whole month once school was out. We love doing anything that involves them so of course we had a blast.

 ^^^Nora stuffing her face with yogurt melts^^^

 ^^Benson being sweet to Nora. We always loved how Benson said her name, "Nooora"!^^

 ^^showing me their tricks^^

 ^^Lilli and Nora. Lilli is such a good helper.^^

    ^^ I just like this one! :) ^^

After dinner we headed out on a bike ride. Ava is getting so good at keeping up. I love the trails here. Seeing bunnies and baby ducks is always a highlight! We were quite the group too, with 7 bikes and two bike trailers. It was so much fun!

 ^^ Nora was getting sleepy. Once we get going she likes it. ^^

The muscle of the group! :)

Mother's Day

5.12.2013

I was sure spoiled this Mother's Day! It's pretty much one of my favorite days of the year. I got to sleep in and Eric made my favorite, blueberry pancakes! The kids always have sweet presents they made from school. Can't ever have too many flower pots! :)

 Eric and the kids totally surprised me with everything. The bike wasn't going to be ready til the next day but I was so excited to have my own. I haven't been on a bike since Jr. high! I also got a bike trailer so we can take Nora and Dresden if he wants to.

 being cheesy all by themselves! 

Testing out my new wheels! Family bike rides have been one of my favorite things ever. 

Nora looking like a big girl!

Colorado Springs

On our way home from Utah we thought it was would a good time to look for a place to rent in Colorado Springs. We stayed in a hotel for a couple nights and looked at a few houses. The mom of the guy that interviewed Eric is a Real Estate agent and she was so sweet to help set up places for us to see. Unfortunately we were just to early. People were renting for May and June and we needed July. So we just played around and headed home. It was fun to see where we were going to be living though. It felt a little weird being in such a big city. Most of the roads were bigger and busier than Lincoln. I kind of got used to a small city and really liked it. 

 The drive there was beautiful!! We will be making a trip to Avon for sure!

 Hotel swimming and Nora's first time ever swimming. You can't tell from this picture but she really liked it!

The drive back pretty much the whole way! I love Lincoln but Colorado views were so pretty!

Richard

There really aren't many words for this post. It's hard to even comprehend it all. 

Looking back I feel so grateful that he and Drake were able to come stay at our house in Lincoln for a while in November. It was so nice getting to spend time with him. When I left from the Christmas vacation in Utah, things weren't great but I had no idea how fast they would change. My mom called the end of January and Nora and I flew out the beginning of March to spend some more time with him. It was crazy hard to leave knowing it was probably the last time I would see him in person. And even though I was able to face time a couple times after that it was killing me I wasn't there to help and see him more. 

 During my visit in March

 Seriously love them!!!

We drove straight through to Utah as soon as we heard the news. The worst news ever. I hate that I wasn't there.

Jake gave a little family home evening the night we got there. It was wonderful and a great reminder of the Plan of Salvation.

 My sister made these amazing boards.

I was able to make a video for him. It was so hard looking at the pictures daily but it was also nice to remember a lot of things about his life.

 He was really loving jelly belly's...and Taco Bell! :)

 The pals. His best friends. There was a girl taking pictures and I wish I had some of hers.

I think about him EVERYDAY! He will be greatly missed by a lot of people! He was the funniest person I've ever met and could always make people laugh. I know the things I say here could never really explain how I feel but I love him so so much!

It was hard going home for our trip to Bear Lake knowing he wouldn't be there. So glad Angi, Brynli and Drake came though. It's crazy how much something like this can change you. I have different outlook on a lot of things.

We had a motto of "pray for pete" and the kids got really good at remembering him in all their prayers. Dresden is the sweetest. He still remembers to pray for him only now he says "and bless Uncle Pete that he can have a fun day in heaven, and have fun on his fun day"! Seriously word for word. It always makes us smile.

Someone gave Angi this quote that I just love.

"Because someone we love is in heaven, there is a little bit of heaven in our home.

And I think it's so true!

Most of April

This is taking forever to get caught up. There was a time where I thought I didn't care, so I just didn't post and then I went to look back at something and realized how much fun it is to have. Even though there are only about 5 people who read this and even blog themselves, it's really for me and I hope my kids will enjoy it. I really need to start on our second blog book.

April was just crazy! A lot happened and at the same time nothing happened. Mostly random stuff. I always think that if I thought to pull my phone out to take a picture I must have thought it was semi important or at least really cute. But I am slightly into capturing EVERYTHING. I'm working on it! :)

During an evening walk. It was still pretty chilly but the kids loved going down a "really big" hill by our house. 

Crazy girl eating her toes. She was pretty much putting any and everything in her mouth.

So fun to face time with my family for my brothers 38th birthday. So so sad we weren't able to be there for it!! But I was so grateful to talk with him, sing happy birthday and watch the video!

Naughty Nora (as we like to call her) was not being a very good sleeper. I got this book from the library. I'm sure it's my fault and I made her feel like she needed to eat to go back to sleep but I was willing to try everything. It did reduce her to only waking up 2 times instead of 3 but what can I say...I'm a sucker!

Ava pulling them around on wrapping paper. I love how nervous Nora looks!

Me and my babe! Sometimes it's nice to actually be in the pictures. :) Sleepy head had just woke up.

More pulling. Nora was loving it!!

Ava wanted to paint my toes during conference. SO sweet!

Ava took these pictures while we were watching conference and I love them!

Conference is just a wonderful time. Even though the kids are crazy and a little bored I like them to see that it's important. Somehow they all managed to be on top of us...but we loved it.

Conference bingo actually was pretty fun for them and they tried to listen. Of course it only lasted a couple speakers in.

Dresden working on his sit-ups! 

A chalk picture of her and daddy riding bikes. Eric was taking the kids on bike rides at least 3 times a week.

Eric called called in for an emergency patient on a Saturday while we were out so we got to go with him. I set Nora down and she looked around and then had the saddest face. There is just something about a dentist chair. :)

Hanging out in the resident room.

I this this girls personality! She is a total binky baby, it calms her right down. She also loves to jabber! She gets crazy bed head too!

This is the one and only picture from Ava's tumbling class. We switch her in January and she loves it! She and Izzy did it together and had so much fun. 

 This was the scene in the mother's room most Sunday's! Love those mama's and their cute kids!

 Dinner at the Albano's! They have a fun backyard!

Just my cute girl telling stories!