Kissing Lips

The Snows sent us a care package the other day, full of fun little toys, coloring books, and knick knacks... including two tubes of chapstick. Bethany knew just what to do with hers!

Silly Faces by Emmett

It's impossible to get Emmett to smile like a normal child. He is all about making silly faces, and who can blame him? He's very good at it. :)

Getting Comfortable

We're trying to adjust to the new house and get a few last details in place. Emmett and Bethany are great helpers. Yesterday, they worked really hard getting the new bookshelves put together with me. They were crushed when I sent them downstairs to watch Winnie the Pooh, but with the help of Rabbit, Piglet, and Tigger, they got through the disappointment.

Daddy joined us twice for dinner this week. It's nice that he can come over and play with the kids on weeknights sometimes. They love to see him and it reassures them that even though things are different, we're all still going to be okay.

Haircut

It took me a while to get around to it, but at 2 1/2 years old, Bethany finally got her first haircut! She was so good and loved being pampered and watching herself in the mirror. She looks adorable. :)

Welcome to the Special House

This is our life. This is my family. None of it perfect, but I love it anyway. One thing I feel the Lord is teaching me is that happy families can be found in many different shapes. Even mine. 

On February 8th, the kids and I moved into what we call "The Special House". It's a beautiful new duplex located in west Layton. We live off of a busy road, but we still get a taste of the country. In the early morning when the kids climb into bed with me, we can hear an owl somewhere nearby. I'm not sure where his home is, but it sounds as if he's just outside my bedroom window. It's a comfortable home-- perfect for cuddling, healing, and thinking happy thoughts. I owe so much of what we have here to the kindness of family and friends. We are so grateful for all of you!

I love our new living room. It feels so nice and cozy. While you can't see it, in the far corner there is a cheap little beanbag chair by the kid's books for a reading nook. So far, no one sits on it as much as jump on it, but I'm just glad they're having fun.

The dining room is very large and is connected to an even larger kitchen. I don't have a picture because the kitchen has never been clean enough yet for me to take one, but there's more counter space and pantries than I know what to do with!

I'm so excited to have a chest freezer! Every time I open it and see my stock of food inside, I have to smile. Once again, everything my house is furnished with, from the couches, to the table, to the freezer and all the food in it, is because of the kindness of family and friends. What in the world would we do without you? (Actually, I know the answer to that: We'd eat a LOT of mac and cheese and have picnics on the living room floor!)

The backyard is huge. At least for a duplex. They installed sprinklers last week. I'm not in a hurry for them to lay down sod. The kids are having too much fun throwing dirt clods at the fence.

The driveway and the view from the master bedroom. One morning Emmett woke up and pulled open the blinds above my bed only to exclaim, "WOW! We just really live on a farm!" Add our friendly owl to the scenery, and we are nestled into quite a cozy little spot... if you can get used to the busy road right out front. I think we can. :)

Our half of the duplex. You can't see here, but there's a small one car garage to the side. I'm so happy to have a garage!

We did a quick toy shopping run to Kid to Kid the other day and got some new toys for the Special House. Emmett and Bethany both love the new art easel we got, and I love that there are two sides so they don't have to fight over who gets to use it!

Emmett's new bed. He loves to take his Mario doll, throw him down the stairs, and watch him tumble head over heels. We're talking endless fun here.

Bethany's first "big girl" bed. She rotates between sleeping in it and the pack and play. The two kids still share a room, but the pack and play is set up in the third bedroom/office. Usually she starts in her big girl bed and if she doesn't fall right asleep, she sneaks down the hallway and whispers, "Mommy, I just need to sleep in my pack and play." I think the walls of the pack and play are more suitable for "Ah-ing". Not only that, but she's fallen out of her big bed at least a dozen times already! I'm sure it feels safer to be walled in. :)

We want you to know that we're okay. Emmett asks questions and gets worried, but he seems to understand on vague terms that there was a "big big problem" and that problems this big need "big big changes" to get better.

Last week Casey had the flu. The kids and I baked him a loaf of bread and took it over to surprise him and help him feel better. On our way back to the special house, Emmett said, "Mom, even though there's big big changes, we're still a family and we'll always love each other and help each other no matter what."

That's right, sweet boy. No matter what.

Dear Family and Friends,

This is no surprise for many of you, but there have been some big changes in our family over the last year. These changes have led to some very difficult and sad choices, mainly, Casey and I are getting a divorce.

We know there will be a lot of tough emotions as we work through the proceedings of the next few months. It is very frightening and overwhelming at times. We ask for your patience and understanding and to please accept that we are doing the best we can to handle an extremely difficult situation. We hope to remain friends and to stay on good terms, teaching our children that even though our family may look different, we still love and support each other.

Thank you for all the support and kindness you've given us as we make this transition. We love you.

Lisa & Casey

Family Photos

Here are the photos we took back in October. Jane was only 9 weeks old. She's grown so much and I'm glad we got these done when she was tiny. And aren't my babies beautiful? They amaze me. I'm so proud of them!