Jack turns three

Life in Minnesota continues to be great for our family. We just celebrated Jack's third birthday which was exciting because he was really into this one. He has since persuaded me to take off his training wheels so he could ride his bike like his older friend Anthony. To my surprise, he did great and is already riding without any help from me. Now he is obsessed with his bike--he always wants to wash it with Windex and of course ride it.

Jude is talking more and we've decided he's not the best at compromising. From the minute he wakes up, he knows what he wants and tells you what needs to be done to make his life better. To his advantage, he is a cute kid that will melt your heart. He is into kicking balls, swings, and jumping off Jack's mattress into the bean bag chair.

Lindsey and I are busy and happy. Lindsey has a handful of good friends now that she runs around with. She was also just called to be the primary chorister! For those who have heard her sing, you know this callilng is right up her alley. As for me, I'm engulfed with school work and am trying to figure out what direction I want to go in healthcare.

Jude being his cute self.

Here is Jack on day 2 of no training wheels.

Jack and his friend Abe at the museum.

Just Moved

I want to update everyone on our move out to Minneapolis (this is Jordan by the way). We have been in the city for a couple weeks now and are adjusting to the new home. It took a while to get our things from the moving company but they finally delivered them. My parents came out for the first few days and were a tremendous help. All of the LDS members in our complex have also made it easier to adjust to the big move; every time we go outside with the boys to play, we bump into another LDS family that wants to get to know us and help us.

All right. Here are a few pictures from a Lake Powell trip we took before we came out here. We had such a great time. Jack and Jude were surprisingly very content just walking up and down the houseboat. They also loved swimming, fishing, and playing on the beach. Lindsey was able to make it through the trip without any more concussions from wakeboard falls. And I got to take a few runs behind a competition wakeboard boat brought out by the scout master from my Mom and Dad's home ward. Oh yeah, did I mention he also brought the entire scout troop out. Surprisingly, they were really fun kids and we all had a good time. Most importantly, we had a nice, relaxing time with family before we moved to MN.

Memorial Day Weekend

We had family up in Salt Lake for Memorial Day Weekend. Every time I get together with my family, it makes me more nervous for the big move to Minnesota. Jack has finally gotten to the age where he really enjoys his cousins.
Visiting Grandpa Leland's grave with my grandmother, mom, and my sisters (minus one).

Jack and Parker were fast friends and they really played well together. Contrary to the look of what might appear to be pain on Jack's face, this is actually his "cheese" face.

Jude was in heaven because every day would find us at a park somewhere. He is really starting to climb and show signs of walking.

If there is one thing I love (aside from candy corn) it is M&M's. Lucky for Jack, I have passed this love on to him. He knows that I am a sucker for M&M's so he gets them probably more than he should.

Here are all the cousins, plus one random neighborhood boy (sitting to the right of Jude). We spent a lot of time at the park and the kids had so much fun.

Jack and Jude love to play hide and seek in our bathroom cupboards, which are slowly being boxed up and emptied as we try to pack up for the move.

Jack has become quite the little puzzler. He loves to complete puzzles and was really excited because he has moved into do large 25 piece puzzles.

Jude's true love: swinging!

The Fam

We had a friend take some family pictures for us recently and I thought I would upload just a few. I have a ton more that I love, but honestly I am too lazy to sift through all the thumbnails and find the ones I love the most because she did a good job. This is just where the boys are at right now.

The Big Day

Graduation has finally come- or almost for me anyways. Jordan finished up his major this semester and I have one more class to take during Spring semester and then I will be finished. So I was able to walk with Jordan even though I haven't completely finished my coursework.

Both Jordan's parents and my parents came up for the graduation. Jack came to the ceremony but we opted to keep Jude home with a babysitter so he could get a good nap. Everything went well except for the pouring rain outside.
In addition to the excitement of graduation, Jordan has been accepted to University of Minnesota's Masters of Healthcare Administration program. He is really excited because this was his first choice. I am still trying to cope with the prospect of single-digit winters, but two years isn't that long. Jack is excited for the move to Minneapolis because his Dad has been pumping him up. We will finally be leaving Provo, and I thought that I would be so excited when the day finally arrived that we left, but the faster it approaches the more anxious and nervous I become. We are just really proud of Jordan's hard work and can't wait for the next adventure.

PS- I feel like I neglected Jude in this update...so here he is swimming in Vegas!

Easter Plus a Few More

This Easter was our first true induction into the Easter Egg Hunt tradition, since Jack is finally old enough to understand the thrill of the hunt. Although, he does not really see the value in gathering a large quantity of eggs. We had an egg hunt with the other children in our complex in between conference sessions. It was really fun and the weather was nice enough thankfully.
Jude had his own patch of grass designated for little babies and he was the only one that could hunt there, but he didn't even move from that spot. He just watched all of the kids run around and gather eggs.

Jack and his friend Bryson prior to the beginning of the egg hunt.

Jude is 11 months now and can crawl anywhere he wants and create messes right alongside Jack. He is starting to cruise along things but he is still a ways from walking.

Jack got this awesome baker ensemble from his Grandma Alesa for Christmas and his preferred cooking style is in the nude. Every so often he puts on all of the garb and I can't help but laugh.

Anyways- Jordan is in the middle of interviewing for Masters of Healthcare Administration Programs. Hopefully everything goes well and we get into a program for next fall. I am still working on my undergrad and hope to be done at the end of June. 10 years later BYU will finally be rid of me. I am sure they are glad to get my outlier stats out of their system. 10 years to finish an undergrad probably doesn't help their stats.

9 Months

Jude at 9 months

Jack at 9 months

They both have the same huge mouth and love rocking just the white onesie.