Sarah's Prayer

"Please bless Claire and Camden. I like to play with Claire and Camden and Ella. Please bless Ella and please bless my big pumpkin."

So Cal Speak

Mom: Sarah, we're just going to run into the grocery store real quick.

Sarah: Mom, it's not the grocery store it's the market!!!

Thanks for the reminder Sarah. We do say market (I think it's a So Cal thing) and I love how simple and charming it sounds. No more grocery stores for the Atchleys.

Temples

For FHE on Monday night we built temples out of Megablocks. Both kids likes it. Sarah loved building and Luke is great at knocking down and cleaning up. Tuesday morning while I finished getting ready Sarah built more temples. "Holy cow! Holy cow! Holy cow mom," she shouted! I found her with a temple taller than herself and it was still standing.

ONE?! Already?

It's true, my baby is one. We had a fun birthday celebration with family and friends. 

We are one lucky family to have this fun character in our lives. He is the happiest, smiliest little guy and he does make everyday a ball.

We gave him a little pool full of balls to play in and he loves it. I recreated his toy as his cake. It turned out super cute and was really fun to make. Oreo truffles inside a white chocolate pool. YUM! Luke sure thought so.

Bubba,

We love you! You bring us such joy. You are Sarah's best friend. You are mommy's best friend. You make friends everywhere we go because you are so happy and enjoy people's company. you have 8 teeth; 4 on top and 4 on the bottom. At your year checkup you weighed in at 27 pounds 9 ounces and are 31 inches tall. You are a big guy and I love smooching on all your chub. :) You play by yourself quite well. Books are one of your favorite things. Grandma has a table with a bottom on it in her hallway. We have put your books on the bottom and you climb inside and spend lots of time there with your books. You love small spaces. I have found you in the laundry room hiding in the cubby space next to the washer, under the kitchen sink where the recycling is. You nicely moved that out of the cupboard and climbed right in. You say a few words like mama, uh-oh, and daddy. There's a sound you make for Sarah. Sign language is not your thing. you throw things when you're done instead of signing all done. It's messy but cute. You love singing into Sarah's microphone and dance whenever music comes on. You stand all by yourself and cruise around all over the furniture. I bet you'll be walking soon. I have grandma's video camera on the counter so we can catch the action. You love to be outside. Your open mouth kisses make mommy's day and I can't get enough of them. Luke, you are so loved! What a blessing you are in our lives.

We love you-
Mama, Dada, and Sarah Jane

The theme of the party was, Life is a ball because Luke is around and nothing could be more true!!

The Boise River

Not only is it fun to be near(er) to my sisters, but I can always count on Cindy to have her camera with her wherever we go.

On Wednesdays Richard is at school from 7a.m.-9p.m. We miss him and so we make it a point to go have lunch or dinner with him on his long day. 2 weeks ago we met him, my sister, and my dad at Julia Davis Park for a picnic. Sarah had been wanting to feed ducks for days and days, so we headed down to the river after lunch. It was a perfect day for a picnic in the park.

Thanks for capturing these memories Cin. My family really is cute!

Everyone Does It

It you live in the Boise area you go to the Western Idaho Fair in August. It's just what you do! I grew up doing it and this year was able to take my family there too. We ate my favorite churros, chicken pita, mini donuts, fed the animals, and Sarah made a spin art picture. It was a fun way to start our journey here.

P.S.--Yes, she is sporting a new hairdo. Short and so, so sweet. I will get a better picture of it soon.

We Made It

It's true, we've moved here...
Isn't it interesting that Richard was raised on 26th and Idaho in Santa Monica and he married me and we eventually ended up here?

The beginning of August after the job search for Richard became tiresome, we both felt really good about moving to Boise so that Richard could go back to school. He's studying electrical engineering and we are hoping that when he's finished in 3 years, it will pay off more than his zoology degree did.

It was a dirty job packing up all our belongings and moving nearly 1000 miles in 2 weeks time. We're crazy like that. It hasn't gotten much cleaner; for my parents that is. We have been staying with them since we arrived 2 months ago. They've been very accommodating to a lot of stuff (mostly kid stuff) and 4 extra bodies. I think the 2 tiny bodies who give lots of hugs and kisses make it worth their while.

Sarah thinks this truck belongs to us. Still today when we see a yellow Penske truck she gets excited to see our truck and asks why someone else is driving it. Funny girl!

It was a huge truck. When we were packing we thought our stuff would never fit. Then Richard picked it up and we thought we would have oodles of extra room. Our things BARELY fit and it was packed tight. Thank goodness for a great elders quorum and dear friends who gave up a Friday evening to pack us. I've decided we have entirely too much stuff. Again, it's the kid's fault! :)

California we sure do miss you; you provided us with a lot of great times and fun memories!

However, Idaho hasn't been half bad! :)

Camera, Where Are You?!?!

We can't find our camera anywhere. Before we moved we searched for it, but couldn't find it. I know we are missing some pictures of some terrific adventures from this summer. BUUUMER, as Sarah would say. My only hope is that we packed so quickly that we missed seeing it somewhere and that when we get settled, claim our things from storage, and get unpacked, magically it will appear! A girl can hope, right?! Until then, I will fill in where we have left off. There have been many changes in the Atchley household.