Devin and Kim: October 2014

October 27, 2014

Viva Portugal!!

Opa!! I am just throwing out all the Portuguese I know. That's it. OPA!

I think it's supposed to have a negative connotation, but I mean it to have a positive connotation, because.....

WE HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK!!! YIPPPPPEE!!!

I don't know how kosher it is to post a picture of a background check, but here is some photographic evidence:

Nice! Now on to the next waiting game, the I-800a. As soon as we get our completed home study. I called our worker and told him I need it tomorrow. :)

Wish us more luck! One step closer...

October 24, 2014

My dear friend Christy (Hi Christy!) is one of my few faithful blog followers and asked for an update on the adoption, so here it is:

There's no news. We are still waiting on Devin's background check from Portugal. It's been the month they said it would be now, and still no sign of it. To say I am frustrated would be an understatement. Everything else can do hinges on this, so we must have it to do anything else.

In the meantime, we're waiting and praying.

Devin's Birthday: The Big 29 (For Real 29)

LONG POST AHEAD!!

Devin is now 29. In honor of the big day, we celebrated all day long and it was amazing. Rarely do we get to spend that kind of time together. It was also conference, so we planned the day around that. We drove up to Evanston, WY first while we listened to the first session and then drove through Park City to Snowbird Resort during the second session. It was a really great day. I also love exploring new places and enjoying the world around us. And you can tell I am getting old now since I have a million pictures of scenery. When did I turn into my mother?

And now, the pictures will tell the story.

He's so handsome. I'm lucky.

Jace's face as we passed a train. The kid is obsessed.

Beautiful Utah.

In Evanston, we rode along the Bear River Trail and had a great time. The weather was perfect. Could not have been better. This part of Wyoming was not the most pretty thing I have ever seen, but it was still fun to see.

Just cute

Sorry you get both. Not sure what the blur is on the picture? Probably dirty camera. Do forgive,

Same deal here. We've got problems. But Hals looks cute on her bike, yes?

What's wrong with this picture? Can anyone see it?

After our bike ride/walk, we had a picnic lunch, cake, and Devin opened his presents. I think he liked Hallie's card, don't worry, it just appears that he is trying to figure out what she drew here. :)

Hallie's face....

WYOMING!

Oh, back to the picnic lunch apparently...

And a cake straight from Smith's, Seems to be my new norm, huh? Wife-and-mom-of-the-year-award.

Pretty views on the way to Snowbird.

On the tram on the way up the hill. Jace called it the "trammer" for reasons unknown to us. But whatever works.

On top of the world. What's with our lack of photogenic pictures?

Yes, we still have problems looking at the camera all at the same time. Be sure to check out Hallie's face. :)

Happy Birthday Devin! We love you so very much. You're the best ever and we are so incredibly blessed to have you.

From the Archives: The Photo Archives That Is

Forgot all about these pictures. Back sometime in September, we thought it would be fun to go for a drive to Antelope Island for Family Home Evening. We had a great time, except for the fact that Hallie (Yes, Hallie- not even Jace!) peed her pants. It was bad news. We then made her switch outfits with Flor, who was wearing a dress, and Flor wore Hallie's shirt as a dress. Creative parenting, right there.

It was really cool to see our lovely little area from across the Great Salt Lake. We really do live in such a pretty place.

Well then. That's a great photo, right?

Even better, the family selfie.

Salt Lake City across the way

The Bountiful Temple

And these are specifically for my mom. Mom, you can even copy them and then print them for the box you have at home. Some buffs to add to your lovely collection.

You can take this one too. What a cutie.

Fun place. Pretty drive if you're up for one!

October 4, 2014

September photo dump

Ahh, here we go again, my lovely once a month photo drop. Here's a bit of what happened in September:

Randomness:

Oh, just the kids being sweet to each other. Such a random occurrence that it must be documented.

I think she enjoyed having daddy lay on her lap?

But helping daddy cook dinner makes her much happier. :)

BBQ and then making smores on the lovely grill.

Just the kids being cute one day at dinner. They're (sometimes) sweeties.

Flor started therapies at Shriner's hospital! Her first day of PT, she got right on this adaptive trike and pedaled it around without help. CRAZY! I was so impressed. She's such a smarty.

Riding the Frontrunner train while we waited for the car to get fixed in Provo that one day. The kids loved it. Jace is OBSESSED with trains. OBSESSED. Devin and I were just saying today how sad it is that he never got to have a relationship with my Uncle Charlie. They would have been buddies (Uncle Charlie worked for Union Pacific. He died in 2007 since I don't expect any of you to remember that. Right after Devin and I got married.)

One day we got ambitious and let Flor stay in undies for the morning. She kept them dry! Not going to potty train anytime soon, though.

After dropping off some documents in SLC one day, we took a spontaneous trax ride to Temple Square. Hallie refused to be in the pictures, but Jace hammed it up quite well himself. He's a handsome dude.

Later that day, we went ut to lunch with Che & Carlie. Jace and his bestie Hudson. They are pretty cute.

Sweet baby Emma! We got to go to Idaho to meet Emma a few days after she was born. This is my sister Jennifer and her husband Steve's baby. She is girl #3 for them and we're so excited she has joined the family!

blurry, but oh well.

Birthday Celebrations:
Also while in Idaho, we celebrated mine and Jen's birthdays at my Grandma's house. She made her famous German Chocolate cake with homemade frosting. We felt very honored as it is not very often that she cooks anything anymore. It was delicious as usual.

Thanks Jen, for letting me steal this picture, It's always been fun to share my birthday with my sister.

Missing a few ladies- namely my mother who was in Italy (I know, I feel so bad for her), Che, Carlie, and Hailie Birch. Love this family of mine. And don't be hating on my pants. I love them.

My grandma was so cute-- she got all these balloons and had them all over the house for the party. So sweet. And, hi Uncle Charlie. :)

While in town, we went to visit Linda too. Always good to go spend some time at the cemetery. Miss her so much.

On my actual birthday-- here's the spoils. The best part was going out with Devin ALONE! We went to dinner and then to a movie together, kidless. Amazing, I tell ya.

He's a keeper. Love him. 29 won't be so bad with him by my side.

Still laughing about this...This is part of the picture Hallie drew me for my b-day. Of course those are sleeves...

Every year I celebrate with my long-time friend Jill too. Her birthday is the week after mine, so we always do something together! This year we went to Cheesecake Factory and gorged ourselves until sick. She's a great friend and I am so glad to have her in my life. We've been friends for 20 years now!

Friends:
Hallie has become really good friends with a little girl in our neighborhood named Nora. Nora's mom is the one who watches the kids when I work and it is working out so well. Nora is one of 5 girls in her family and those girls are all just so sweet and kind. They have a daughter Flor's age who is in her primary class and the first week at church, she just took Flor under her wing. It is so sweet to see and makes my heart so happy. Whenever I drop the kids off at their house, Hallie and Jace both run right in and hug all the kids. They love each other. It's so great to have such wonderful and supportive people in our neighborhood! I also am so glad that Hallie has such a good friend. They are the only two their age in our ward that go to the same school (there is one other little boy who is a kindergartner too, but he is zoned for another school).