The Horizon

I don't know how it became February, but here is our life at a glance right now:

Andrew begins his FINAL round of rotations tomorrow, which meeeaans....three months til graduation, baby!! Adulthood has come after all. Even bigger news - last month he signed a contract with a practice in Louisville, so we will be heading back home in May. We could not have designed a better opportunity, but big decisions await. Namely, when and exactly where to buy a house. Andrew spends a good portion of his free time on Zillow finding prospects, and I gotta say - looking at houses together may as well be Netflix in these parts. So much fun! Crossing our fingers we can complete the purchase process in the next few months...moving is equal parts exciting and stressful.

In my corner, things have been stupid busy. Last fall I started working from home for my friend's upstart to help handle customer relations, wholesale accounts, and collaborations. It eats up more and more time, but I love the work and am so grateful for the extra income. Between the boys, work, grad school, babysitting, and serving with the young women, there's a lot of laundry that doesn't get done around here. Andrew picks up my slack, eats whatever I try to pass off as dinner, and even lets me sneak away for basketball a couple times a week. Although life is busier than I'd like, I am still extremely grateful for everything demanding my attention right now. I admit to having retirement age fantasies lately...but truly love this chapter of life, with or without time to leisure read or mall walk.

Asher Joseph just turned 5, and is amazing us in so many ways lately. Honestly, we are usually the parents that err to the side of bemoaning our children's behavior more than bragging about their every accomplishment, but I've got to give the boy credit - he has really taken an interest in reading, writing, adding and subtracting. He sounds out words all day and read his first book all the way through last week. He writes what words sound like (as in tonight's episode - Asher and the Steele Famelee). It is really cute and encouraging to see him enjoy scholastic learning, because he didn't show a huge interest a year ago...we have tried to make worksheets a fun thing to do, and paid close attention to his cues. When he seems checked out, it's off he goes to play.

...play that often looks a lot like fighting with his little brother. These boys are rough. Adorable, but charged with testosterone to the point they could be donors. Not that that's a thing. But they truly want to box, roar and wrestle all day. 

Preston is the most interesting blend of sweetness and aggression. He never shrinks from a fight, but really is so affectionate and seems more and more obedient and kind. Any time he shares a toy with Asher, he says "Mommy, I nisth (nice)!" and holds up his hand for a high five. He began really singing a few weeks ago, and it melts us to puddles. He is getting to be such a truly good, sweet boy, and while several months ago we thought he was juvy-bound for sure, think more and more he might make it after all.

So grateful for this life of ours and the exciting things looming on the horizon.

Hitting the Highlights: 1 Post, 5 Months

I'm an abominable blogger. Instead of taking four posts to document two and a half weeks, let's do a swift catch up and document 5 months in a single post!

We left off at the end of Italy - I landed in Columbus on a Thursday night and my Grandfather's funeral was to be held Saturday morning in Oklahoma. Andrew was in Philadelphia for a conference, so early Saturday morning I started the 15-hour drive and had a happy reunion with our boys in Louisville. My little sister Amy was sweet enough to make the drive with us, and we were so grateful!

Oh airport Panda Express, you are so wise.

So good to get home!!

We had one wonderful day together with family in Oklahoma before having to turn around Sunday and get Amy back for work Monday. All my siblings and their spouses attended my Grandad's funeral, and the opportunity to see my grandmother, aunts, uncles and cousins was so very precious to me.

A little pit stop in Indiana on our way home to let the boys get some energy out

The morning of July 4th found us at the Hilliard Parade, and that evening we enjoyed a cookout with friends and a great fireworks show.

I tried taking the boys to story time at the library, but Preston ran all over the place...somehow my threatening death-faces didn't entice him to sit on my lap. Here he is in his little lime green shirt at the very front of the room, trying to get the best view of the puppet show. 

Meanwhile, Asher acted super clingy and kept parking his pre-teen size self on my lap, which made apprehending Preston difficult. We haven't been back.

Asher was assigned a scripture in primary and recited Helaman 5:12 from memory. He has a history of being shy in front of big crowds, so we bribed him with a "Mike the Knight" costume, which totally did the trick. He did a great job and we were so proud! 

Andrew had a rotation with a doc who flies a jet to remote offices, and LOVED getting to fly to and from work. Lucky guy. I caught him looking up used planes online a ton in the weeks that followed...it was sweet to see him dream. :)

Andrew and Asher petting a snake during one of our zoo trips

Andrew's sisters had baby girls 4 days apart this summer, so at the beginning of August, we took a trip to Kentucky for Isla Kate and Scarlet's Elizabeth's baby blessings.  

We made a trip to our beloved Uncle Lee's, which will be closing its doors end of the year!

Took Preston to Uncle Gerald's barber shop for a little haircut, where he screamed and thrashed around like an animal being tortured. Even with both Andrew and I restraining him, the result was a giant chunk of hair missing from the side, and Lloyd Christmas bangs cut strait across.

But then he got a sucker and turned happy and human again.

"Listen here, you little pumpkin pie-haircutted freak..."

Name that movie.

Asher held still the whole time like the champion big boy he is. Nice to have one. 

Here's a picture of all the good looking kiddos. They really are the sweetest bunch.

I typed that last sentence then scrolled down to this picture. So maybe Preston isn't the sweetest...

...But maybe he is.

This boy is the greatest. So affectionate, so expressive, so funny and full of sweetness and rage. He keeps us guessing. We love him so fiercely.

And this kid. Asher is just so happy. 

And handsome. Here he's sporting wounds from a golf cart accident at Nina and Poppy's.

We're going to miss Bicentennial Park when we leave Ohio.

Franklin Park Conservatory had long been on my Ohio bucket list, so we took a trip there while all the butterflies were still on exhibit.

Andrew the butterfly whisperer trying to get one to land.

When did they get so big?

"Smile, Asher! No, no - a normal smile! Say 'cheese'!! ...Okay, just forget it."

The place really is so beautiful, and the kids had a great time exploring a new place.

Neat little train exhibit

It always puts be at ease to see delicate glass sculptures with toddlers around. 

See? The boy is just always happy.

They had a neat courtyard set up with a butterfly themed maze. Preston thought it was the ideal place to hide from us and poop his pants. 

On August 17th, our sweet rapscallion turned 2! 

We met a few friends in the park for pizza and cupcakes.

Nina and Poppy came up to celebrate with us.

We love our Master P!!

We were able to spend the week of Labor Day with our friends in Emerald Isle, NC. Andrew had to take clinical boards in Charlotte, NC anyway, so we made it into a little vacation. 

The whole trip (minus boards) was so very idyllic. The beach, seeing friends, going on dates, playing games, outings with the kids, midnight golf cart rides...I wanted to bottle the whole experience. The memories made together as a family there are ones we'll always hold on to.

We returned to Columbus, where Mr. Asher had his first day of preschool.

We celebrated his friend Olivia's 5th birthday with rides at the zoo.

Not sure about the log ride...

Late September found us at Circle S farms with our Opt. friends.

Sunflower maze

This sweet kid LOVED feeding the petting zoo animals.

Oh how I love this child.

Hay ride with friends

We tried to take a family picture, and sadly, this was the good one.

Halloween came and the boys exploited every candy opportunity that came their way. This year we had a shark:

And a hot dog.

Somehow their costumes really suited their personalities.

 Waiting to be unleashed on the neighborhood. It was really cute to see Preston get the whole concept. He still says "tick-oh-teat!" when he wants candy.

And that pretty well catches us up! Andrew and I have both been busy with school, and we are all excited to head to Kentucky to spend Thanksgiving with family this week. We put our Christmas tree up with the boys tonight, and listening to the Mo Tab sing carols as we hung ([/swept up shattered]) ornaments together felt so special. We love this time of year!