Its a GIRL!

Getting this off my chest

What if I move to Price? I've been obsessing over this idea for over a month now. Joe and I NEVER considered moving back to Utah once we'd left. We were surprised by how much we love Iowa. I mean, come on-who dreams living it up by moving to Nowheresville middle America? But once we got here we realized that it was home. I fell in love with the idea of experiencing new places and almost immediately decided never to go back to Utah. I'd lived there my entire life and really never realized how much of the world is outside of it. The mountains in Utah are beautiful, but I also think the plains and the rolling hills of cornfields in the Midwest are breathtaking. So why stop here? Why not experience even more? Utah already has almost as many Dentists as they do LDS churches. I was going to move to Tahoe or Northern CA, or Texas, or Georgia, or wherever adventure called. That was the plan. It still might be the plan. But my plan isn't quite as solid as it used to be.
While we were visiting Utah a couple weeks ago Joe was made aware of a job possibility in Price. I won't get into all the details, but we'll just say it was enough to shake up our plan a bit. And now this idea has been blistering in my mind, and I have to get it out. Neither Joe or I are that keen on the idea of living in Price for the rest of our lives, but we'd be completely stupid not to give it some serious consideration. Unfortunately I'm terrible at making decisions. I obsess over all the options and basically think myself in circles (if that makes sense). Joe isn't much help either. The man can't stop talking about dentistry or sports, but when i ask his thoughts on this dilemma he says, "i think the same as you". Thanks Joe that's super insightful.
What if I'm wrong about Price just like I was wrong about Iowa? What if this Independence and adventure that I've loved so much over the last 3 yrs is what is best for me now, but not really what will make us happy in this next stage of life? The stage of having kids in school and in Tee Ball and so forth? When I was growing up I wished I had cousins my age, and that is something my boys have in spades, but what good is it if we only see them a couple of times a year? I know my kids could be happy in Price, and I know Joe could adjust fairly easily moving back, and our families would be ecstatic. but is making everyone else happy enough to keep me happy? I can't make these kinds of decisions. Some days I get a little excited thinking about trips to Lake Powell with our family, and some days I just cry thinking that I might be giving up my dreams of the life I wanted. Maybe I'm just being dramatic or prideful or wishy-washy. I can't tell. All I know is that the plan is shaken, or it might not be fool proof.

Trip to Utah

Joe finished his last day of his 3rd yr of Dental School on July 1st. On Saturday July 2nd Joe and I sat and cuddled on the couch and I thought about how my parents were about to head up to our family cabin. I hadn't been there for about 2 yrs and I was feeling pretty homesick. That's when i realized that I was homesick for the first time in the 3 yrs we've lived in Iowa, and it just so happened that Joe had about 2 weeks off of school. Why not? So at about noon on Saturday we decided to drive to UT and we left 3 hours later. Its was crazy and sporadic, but this was our last chance to go before Joe graduates next summer. We arrived after a L O N G drive and met up with my parents, brother, nephew, and aunt and uncle at the cabin. Most of my family still didn't know we were in UT. This is our family cabin. She's old, small, and falling to pieces, but I have so many memories here. There is just something peaceful and exciting at the same time about being up here. We had a great time for the day and a half we spent there.

We left so that we could take the boys to see fireworks for the 4th of July. Sorry, no pics, but the boys loved it! Next we headed to Price and spent a few days with Grandma and Grandpa Whitehead and a few of the cousins. My boys fell in love with their cousin Kitani and they still ask where "Pitani" is. We then drove up to Logan for the weekend where the rest of the Whitehead clan was. It never ceases to amaze me how Joe's family goes above and beyond to make us at home when we visit. It was so fun to talk, eat, play games, and we even took the opportunity to get some family pics taken in our reunion shirts (even though the reunion wasn't til the end of the month). We loved spending time with everyone, but i wish we could have had a little more time together. On Monday we were back in Salt Lake for a Petersen FHE with my siblings, 3 aunts, one uncle, one cousin, and grandparents. Here is a pic of The Six Pack. Mason & Jaden are the oldest twins wearing black. Austin & Carter are the middle set in white, and then mine in the grey. Between the oldest and youngest there is only one year that separates them. The FHE was a hit. My parents set up a giant water slide that the kids (and kids at heart) all enjoyed. There was also a kiddie pool that was eventually filled with warm water and ALL the cousins got in together! We had volleyball for the adults and lots of food and great company.

The whole trip was so great for us. It was the first time that my kids were really old enough to run off and play with all their cousins-and there were a LOT of cousins between the Whiteheads and Petersens. I was really able to sit back, put my feet up, and watch my boys have the time of their lives getting reacquainted with family. I loved it. I really wish that we'd have had more time to spend with them all. Looking back at these pictures makes it almost ok that we missed BOTH family reunions. Joe's side had a Harry Potter themed reunion-complete with costumes! I mean, come on! that's right up my alley and we missed it. My side of the family had a Petersen Family Reunion at the cabin with tons of my extended family. there was a zip line, 50 ft slip and slide, softball game, skeet shooting competition, line dancing, zumba class, horseshoes, charades with my dad which i haven't done since i was about 12, tons of food, cousins i haven't seen in years-the list goes on and on. sigh. at least i got to see them all beforehand. and it really was great seeing everyone. We only have one year left in Iowa and we can move back west. We've really loved our time here, but i'm getting really ready to be close enough that we never have to miss any reunions again. One year goes by in a blink. Most days I'm really afraid to leave here, but today I'm ready.

Mayhem

There are 2 things my kids love. One of them is to cause trouble. What happened here that caused such a mess? well lets ask the culprits.

What happened boys? How did you get so dirty? "oh, uh well...you see what happened was..uh (cough cough) I'm not really, um...." Classic 'it wasn't me' excuse.

Turns out it really was them. and mud. and baseball. As I mentioned before, there are 2 things my kids love: mayhem and baseball.

updated slideshow

It seems like I've been on a blogging fast. Sorry Auntie M. Everytime I checked my blog I remembered you telling me that you needed more pics of the boys. I really meant to update more often, I just never got around to it. I'd get pics or videos and think "ooh, i'll post those on the blog", but then I never actually did it.
Last night was a much needed girls night. When I came home (late) Joe was just finishing this slideshow. I hope it will satisfy your, and everyone else who's been begging for more pics, craving.
We could have posted straight to blogger, but we decided to post on youtube so you can watch it in high def. Mom, that means you can watch it full screen without the pictures loosing quality. Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/X7hbD9pHotY?hd=1

We found puddles

As many of you know, Thursday was a blissfully warm day-especially considering that its February. I decided to postpone nap time for a hour or so and let the boys play in the back yard while I did the dishes. Obviously once I saw what was going on I decided to postpone the dishes too!

Spring is on its way and we couldn't be happier about it!

Any blog readers in UT?

There is a friend of mine in UT that's having a giveaway for a free photoshoot!
here's her photography blog if you want to enter:

lareephotography.blogspot.com

ok, i don't know why my blogger account won't let me leave link. sorry.

i hope things are going well w all of you-maybe you'll win a free photoshoot!