REWIND....

So, I had to post the walking because I am dying. I can't help but do the mom thing every time he is brave enough to venture out on just two feet where I smile from ear to ear and say something like... "Yeah! You are the cutest!" or "Look at you go!" or even "Get the puppy... get the puppy!"

But I feel like I owe it to the world... ok, realistically just Jared and I (maybe not even Jared!)cause I am pretty sure we are the only ones that find this interesting... to catch up the last few months!

Sometimes it feels like I can sum it up in one word... life. That is what happened. Seminary started, and seems to be going well. Work is plowing along, and we are staying above water. The house is sold, and we are officially renters, which stinks, but the yard has been started. They are back there this very moment laying what I think will be sprinkler lines. They don't really tell me. A few men just randomly show up and start working back there. Needless to say I keep the doors locked and don't shower till they are gone. Paranoid? Of course.. this is me we are talking about! Jared signed up to take the CFP classes, with hopes to take the exam in July. Good? I guess... another 15+ hours a week for him, as if he doesn't have enough! Baby is growing up, and mom still is not ready.

As for me? Fighting off the depression of having to drop out of the marathon, I have had to turn to other hobbies. Probably none of which will help me get into shape in replacement for the crushed dream, but if you can't beat them, join them I guess! The only real decision left is whether or not it is worth it to spend the weekend in St. George so that I can pick up my $80 "the heat beat me" marathon shirt. Nothing like walking around wearing a shirt for a race you didn't run!! Then again, you did pay for it... what to do, what to do?! Anyways, now that we are steadily staying around 99 degrees, I feel like I can turn the oven on again to cook occasionally, so I have started my dream of baking on a regular basis, and even attempted to make some yummy dinners. I must say, I am proud that everything I have made thus far has turned out REALLY good, but the ideas still feel very difficult to come up with and for some reason when you start cooking, you realize that you have ZERO ingredients in your pantry. There is always, always something that I just don't have! I try to substitute as much as possible, but these "quick trips" to the grocery store are starting to add up! So much for budgeting.

So far we have made homemade pretzel bites, granola, 5 cheese ziti (better than the Olive Garden version!), maple glazed ham (just for the Knudsen side!), oatmeal-wheat pancakes, Halloween popcorn delight (a little early, but I was just dreaming of when I used to feel cold on Halloween, and leaves of many colors), and I am looking to make homemade cinnamon rolls tonight for Jared's seminary class tomorrow. I will probably make whole wheat bread today, because I also did round two of wheat grinding, which I shared with a good friend who is not LDS, and found out people outside of the church can only think of one reason to grind wheat... you must be trying to relate to your ancestors in the olden days!

I also did a poppyseed temple portrait class down here, which ended up being kinda a lot of work, but they asked me if I wanted to become a teacher for them, so I am actually considering doing it. Could be a fun way to meet people, and I love love love my pictures, so it would be really fun to give other women the chance to make their own. We shall see... do I need something else on my plate? Not sure yet.

So here are the pictures, which are fortunately mostly of Carter, and then I am all caught up!

Attempt #1 at family pictures... just a thought... not to be done right before bedtime! Lesson learned!

Today, I am grateful for a healthy little boy and nap time. Very, very grateful. (:

Big Steps for Little Feet!

I am sure there is a ton to say, but suffice it to make you all watch this! Happy September!

Today he is 11 months. I could not possibly love him more!

Sometimes time goes sooo slow...

... and sometimes it goes by way speedy! This little boy of mine is my sunshine, and I love him so much! He is growing up faster than I want! Even being trapped inside, we have had some wonderful times. I have many friends that put their pictures together in some sort of montage, but I am not that smart, so here they are one by one!

Carter had just started crawling a little in the above picture, and he loved chasing those balls everywhere!! And with that came getting into some tight places!

Also with the beginnings of crawing came the zebra. I am not going to lie, I was DYING to buy him this toy, and videos that will hopefully make their way to the blog soon will show you why. This picture captures some of it... and those are fun daddy's legs behind him. They love playing together!

And then there was Utah! What an amazing trip. Lack of sleep aside, we had a blast. Darin being home was a HUGE highlight, and slacker that I am I didn't get a picture of him, but we were so so excited to see him and hang out.

These are just a few of the wonderful moments we had... hanging with grandmas, playin around the houses, and swinging HIGH HIGH HIGH above the ground!

Let's not forget our morning runs! Let's just say for us desert people, it felt a little chilly! Lame, I know! Poor kid...

And one of my favorite moments, the most beautiful sight I have seen in a while right before we left. It was amazing! Some might say it was a screen-saver moment! :)

Then we came home. And lets repeat one more time.. is he daddy's little boy or what??

And our favorite time of day is....

Look careful at the upper right lip and yes, that is our first fat lip! Great story there... mom was trying for the second time to finish a ten mile run (yes Britt, this is my first, and sadly longest run yet!) when at mile seven daddy pulled up and hollered to mom to get in the car to go get stitches. Long story short, no doctor, no stitches, but a good fat lip and no ten mile run! Thankfully, just this last saturday I finally hit that landmark. Fifteen miles, here I come!

Daddy's big helper. Sort of... if only those shorts would stay on!

Vain? I don't think so. Just curious!

My two boys, just dreaming of better days to come... grass, really anything green and living, and temperatures where outside is no longer nuclear!

And lastly our day at the pool... or one of many I should say. Our awesome friends Scott and Stephanie had their new camera and wanted to practice. I wanted to say no, but... oh wait... YEAH for awesome pictures! Don't you just want to eat him? First was lunch..

Then swimming...

And then the drying off! He is amazing!

And this was the drive home. I am so happy!

All in all, an awesome summer. Training for the marathon has been really hard, not so much the getting out the door, although that is tough, but the part where we went at 5:30 am yesterday and it was 95 degrees! It makes it really tough to stay motivated, and when baby sleeps in, we tend to call it a "cross training" day which really means rest day. So hopefully my body continues to hold up for the long run days. Jared has been a trooper and is actually, although he won't admit it, been bit by the running bug. He secretly really likes it I think, and has built up to 6 miles with no pain! Other than that, it is sewing projects, building and knocking down towers, and figuring out what foods my little man will eat! He is way over baby food!! He also walks around like he owns the joint with his little zebra. It won't be long now!

Today I am grateful for shade!! Miss you guys!

Adventures!

Well, little baby Carter (as his cousins call him) and Mommy and Daddy have had quite the string of adventures lately. A lot of firsts, and a lot of growing up. With the help of his cousin Champ many years ago, he wore through the strap on the doorway jumper to the point of concern of a broken tailbone (or so the online information warns). So off mom and dad went to find a used/cheap jumper, and we stumbled on this...



You may be thinking, my this picture is blurry. That is due to two things: an average camera as opposed to the high speed fancy cameras, and the fact that once he is in this thing, he will NOT stop jumping!!

Next we have the high chair. His chubby little legs finally outgrew the bumbo, and so we bought a high chair! I must say, he LOVES LOVES LOVES sitting at the table, but the tray works too. He looks like such a big boy!!




PS - Yes, we have reached the stage where he must help with EVERYTHING!

Then we had the best quick Saturday lunch at the park! It was so fun! Daddy took the pictures, so he is not in them, but it was a highlight for him as well... a soccer game was going played by 5 year olds, and Jared couldn't take his eyes off of it! He is so excited to have his own allstar to coach!


Then we had our first piano lesson... unofficially. As his teacher my main job was to make sure he didn't fall off the bench, but he loved that too!


And last for today, our latest trip to Utah also made a memory as his first plane flight.. and he did great. Mom was relieved the flight was only an hour and dad was thrilled to get through security without any major mishaps, and baby just wanted to play I spy with the man sitting behind us! We were so grateful to have the third seat in our row empty, and even managed to change a diaper under the radar! I know, who does stuff like that!


Well, the adventures never end with a little one, and the next post will document his newest few feats, like crawling and standing up on his own (with the help of the crib posts!)... let's just say he is busy... as are we!

Happy Friday!

I'm In Love, I'm In Love and I Don't Care Who Knows It!!

(the title is a quote from one of my favorite movies... anyone know which? he he...)

So I mentioned on our anniversary we took some family pictures, and I love them. I officially need like three more picture walls!! Take a look!

Notice the poof of hair... yes, I said poof... on the above picture!