Running in Circles

:: hazel ::

1. loves looking for special rocks on "Rock Island"

2. obsessed with finding quartz

3. has outgrown almost all of her clothes and is down to one pair of shoes

4. is signed up for soccer again

5. has picked out all the books at the library about spring

6. asks everyday when we're moving back to Dallas.

7. always tucks my hair behind my ears and says i look cuter that way

:: henry ::

1. i love the way he falls asleep with his hands behind his head.

2. loves having his jacket hood on all the time.

3. races his dump truck down the hallway everyday.

4. we signed him up for soccer too- no games, just practices though.

5. loves our new library. 

6. loves sneaking food and putting it behind his back and then walks backwards away from me.

:: hazel ::

1. is giving me a run for my money in the listening department.

2. We made a behavior chart and what did she want for her reward for earning stars...McDonalds.

3. feeling pretty good about the fact that that was her third time ever going there

4.  keeps asking me why one of the YMCA childcare workers is always grumpy.

5. loves to announce when she needs to poop.

6. can count to 100 but uses "thousand" and "hundreds" to really make her point. For example- it feels like i haven't eaten in one hundred twenty thousand days.

:: henry ::

1. is saying new words every day!

2. has zero interest in going on the potty...

3. also has zero interest in playing alone, quietly

4. likes putting his clothes on by himself but always wants help with his shoes.

5. every night he asks for the song "in the cottage in the woods" that I learned from Grandma Johnson

thursday tidbits February 2018

We've been ready for a change for awhile so Brice started applying to jobs last summer. We've looked at a lot of different cities, but turns out we're taking a job that we never applied for- it was offered to Brice over lunch one day. 

We're excited to move as a family to Eagle Idaho. We are planning on renting an apartment close to Brice's new office and hopefully buy a house next summer in Eagle or Meridian. 

The last two weeks have been filled with endless to do lists, lots of playdates with friends, and decluttering. We move out on Monday the 26th and move in on March 1st. We debated flying, shipping our stuff in a pod, driving all together and decided last night to split it up. The kids and I are flying to Salt Lake while Brice drives our car and tows a small trailer. He will meet us in Salt Lake and we an drive the last 5 hours and move in together. So Monday the 26th is packing, cleaning, and catching a late afternoon flight. It should be a productive day!

Hazel is registered for Kindergarten and will be at Eagle Hills Elementary School. I'm trying to decide whether to keep doing speech therapy, try preschool, or just keep Henry home with me. I'm excited for outdoor activities on Sunday, a larger apartment, and more affordable living. Brice is excited for his new roles and to not be on the same client. That project has been 14 months and counting...

In all of this we got a steal of a deal on a laptop so now I can blog again! 

I've missed it and life is too good to not document. I'm so excited for this new adventure- i hope we have warm enough clothes!

- Henry had his adneoids removed and ear tubes put on on November 1st. A hearing test showed that his hearing was diminished because of fluid not draining in his ears. I think he's finally recovered and everyone is sleeping through the night again.

- Henry is showing his stubborn side when it comes to potty training. He knows how to do everything in the bathroom, he knows the feeling of #1 and #2 and he uses the potty when he feels like it....BUT... if he doesn't want to then its wet undies. He just doesn't care to go and it is getting super frustrating. 

- Hazel learned her first trophy! Her last soccer game is tomorrow. Things clicked for her after she scored her first goal a few weeks ago. Now she is eager to play and have action with the ball.

-Brice and I are finishing up a short training cycle for a half marathon on Thanksgiving. 

- We joined the YMCA on a trial period and let me tell you- sending my kids to child-watch for an hour has been wonderful for all of us. We have all done a lot better with a little separation. 

- It's been cold most days so I needed to get everyone prepared with warmer clothes. That's been fun! The kids clothes are so fun to buy- cute sweaters and skinny jeans. Brice asked for new shorts.

- Hazel has been reading through the big book from Grandma and Grandpa Johnson for all of Brice's childhood stories. She loves hearing about Brice as a kid and all the naughty things he was upto. 

 

:: hazel ::

1. Asked me if " we're the little toys that God plays with?"'

2.  loves building a zoo with the duplos.
3. I cannot get her to pay attention at soccer practice. She is always sitting in the dirt or daydreaming.
4. Can't get her to stop picking her nose either.
5. loves asking Brice to tell her how things are made.
6. She has been throwing some emotional tantrums the last few weeks. #helpme

:: henry ::

1. is talking more and more! Hes got those 'p" and 'm' and 'b" sounds down!

2. his favorite thing to say is "poo-poo head."
3. he's spending more time in time out because of it.
4. This week he said bell peppers and tomatoes were yummy.
5. still picks up any stick he finds. They're usually fire hoses or guns now.
6. instead of saying dog he says "arf-arf"

:: brice ::

1. has lost 10 pounds since July.
2. is pretty disappointed in BYU football, but is still watching every game.
3. loves steam rolling and playing rough with the kids when he gets home from work.
4. only driving to Ft. Worth once a week now.
5. is always looking at running shoes online.
6. He's always been a night owl but a couple times a week he's in bed by 10:00 now and says he feels so much better!

:: breann ::

1. saving my money for some furniture upgrades.
2. not currently teaching pilates.
3. wanting to take more pictures again... and be in some with my kids.
4. still using my iphone5. its so old at this point but I'm using it until it crashes. Why are iphones so darn expensive now?
5. daydreaming of a new apartment or house. So ready for a new space.
6. released from my calling #yay

Hazel turned five last week. She has been asking to go camping and fishing so we spent two nights at Beaver Bend State Park in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. It was fun and just what we needed.

The kids were great hikers and explorers. Each night after getting clean and ready for bed we would drive around the campground looking for deer. Hazel thought that was the best.

We went fishing, swimming in the lake, hiking, played on the playgrounds, rode an old train, roasted smore's and generally just enjoyed getting a little dirty. 

It's hard to believe Hazel is already five. She is so bright and curious. Every night she asks Brice to tell her how "something" is made. She knows all about the food chain, photosynthesis, how materials are made, and how honeybees make honey. She can add numbers and  is learning sight words. 

She is loving ballet and tolerating soccer. She is a collector of treasures also know as trash, a weekly visitor to the library, and a really good climber. She still loves animals and wants to pet every dog we see. She can do flips on the straight bars and climb on top of the monkey bars at the park. She is really good at bossing Henry around so that he plays out what she wants.

Hazel at five years old is emotional and demanding. She prays sincere prayers and loves being told stories. Her favorite things to watch right now our animal documentaries or PJ Masks. She loves reserving books at the library and greets our librarian with a hug every time. 

Hazel makes our family laugh and is full of energy. She and I are not getting along sometimes but man when I look at her potential I just feel so blessed for a healthy child with so many interests.

We love you Hazel!