Road Trip!

We decided to go for a short road trip to a local state park that I kept hearing was so beautiful, and it was!

So here are our pictures, or a few, from Port St. Joe! (We should have gone earlier in the day so we would have had more day light, but after Jake's football game we were heat tired!)

 Port St. Joe Park is out on a peninsula, and there is a great big rock wave break wall, we enjoyed climbing and playing on the rocks for a few minutes!

 Bekah & Dustin on the rocks

 Me a week shy of 7 months!

 All along the beach, ocean side, there were marked turtle nests, the area is known for them, and not to far from one was this little, dead turtle, who didn't make it out to the water. Sad, but neat to see.

 Grace & Bekah taking a break from shell hunting!

 Sunset!

 Me, once again, just shy of 7 months

 Our cute family with the sunset behind us!

 Dustin & I, taken by Gracie

 Gracie with the sunset

Driving along the road there are spots of trees, and there were two deer right on the side of the road. All out on the peninsula of Port St Joe! 

It really was a beautiful place. We ran out of day light and didn't get to go a little further to see a few light houses, but we had a great time together! Glad we got to do it before move!

Football Season!!!

Yes, it is Football Season, an official season here in the south. (They take their football seriously here in Northern Florida at least!) So we spend 5 nights a week at practice with games on Saturday. Grace has Cheer practice 2 times a week and cheers at Jake's games. Today we had clear skies, beautiful outside really, if it weren't for the 97 degrees that is! We survived though! (Jake was soaked through and so was Grace!)

 Jacob, #36, Blocking

 Shutting down the other side!

 Go Eagles!

 Our personal sidelines Cheerleader! Bekah is just to cute!

 Having fun!

  Doing stunts.

 Jake did awesome out there! The guy he was shutting down on the other team was NOT happy with him!

(In the 4th quarter he through Jake down he was so mad! No one was hurt, it was a little funny.)

 

So it was a fun day for Football!

Here are a few pictures I took of Grace after they did the team pictures the other day.

Gracie & her beat friend for the past 2 years, Mallory!

And I found a small ball pan I wanted to test for a better Micky Mouse head/hat type cake. 

I know, I need to smooth it out better, but this was just a test for us to enjoy. Cute huh!

And there you go!

Dates, Days, and so much more!!!

Moving Day is fast approaching! We had a guy from the moving company come do a walk through to see how much we had, how many boxes they needed to bring and all that jazz. We now have dates when they will be coming to pack our stuff!!! 

In 13 days they start packing! 

 In 17 days they load it all up!

In 22 days we leave! 

In 20 days we will be looking at houses in person!

In 26 days we will be visiting Idaho!

In 35 days we will hopefully be moving into a new place!

In 37 days the kids will have another first day of school!

And in, hopefully a little less than, 89 days we will have a new baby girl! 

The next month is going to be crazy busy and exciting and fun, hopefully fun anyway! 

So in the next 17 days I will be super busy! I have forgotten how much pre-moving stuff I need to do before  they come pack us up! And then the cleaning! I am so glad we aren't doing it ALL this time! I think I would lose my mind! Dustin says I am more of a worrier now than I use to be, I think, and am hoping anyway, that it is just my pregnancy hormones that keep sending me into a panic every few days when I think about all there is to do! Once I look at my plan, where it is all broken down, it isn't so bad. Just lots to do!!!

We can't wait for our mini vacation in Idaho! To get to see everyone and spend time with everyone! It will be SO nice!!! 

First day of School!!!

To say Bekah was excited for this day to come would be a HUGE UNDERSTATEMENT!!! It has been all she could talk about for a few days now. And then after dinner I was getting the lunch boxes out to make sure I had everything ready, and she keep asking, 'So in the morning, after I go to sleep, its school for me?!' And other similar questions! She was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement!!! Then it was time to get clothes ready and find shoes ect. so we wouldn't have to this morning, more excitement! 

Then my wonderful husband gave each of the kids a Father's blessing and we had a nice talk about everything that would be happening, first day of school, move, new school and house, new baby, ect... and how it is okay for them to feel nervous, and how they can pray for the Holy Ghost to help them feel better at any time. And that they can talk to us about any of it. It was a nice night. We also told them each how proud we are of them, and pointed out some good things/traits they each have and how that will help them through all this. (I will post that with below the pictures for each one!)

SO, Bekah being so excited, couldn't go to sleep last night! I was up getting lunches ready and making them a surprise treat for lunch, cookies, and she came out at least 4 times cause she just couldn't stay in bed! I got up early to make a big breakfast for them to help them get going on the first day of school, and Bekah was up right after me! (She didn't get much sleep she was so excited!!!) Pancakes, eggs, and bacon, and of course, they hardly ate any! (I use to make breakfast every morning, and all they wanted was cereal, so I stopped. Then the few times I do make it, they hardly eat any! And they wonder why I don't make it more often!!!)

I couldn't do anything fast enough for Bekah! Lunch made, hair done, nothing! She wanted to leave!!! After we got all ready, read scriptures and did prayer, we still had time to kill! 

 My cute kids!!!

 My 5th grader! A natural born leader, a good example to everyone, a hard worker and a big helper! He is a fantastic football player. Does well in school, and is always so fun.

 My 3rd grader! Grace is a smart, sweet, kind girl. Talented in many different areas. She excels in school, she is in the Gifted Program! She is athletic, and so fun!

 And our sweet Pre-Schooler, Bekah! She is so fun! She is smart and likes to try everything! She is so much fun to do things with and watch as she has new experiences and learns new things!

We are SO proud of our great kids!!!

The big kids got on the bus just fine, and then poor Bekah had to WAIT till we could leave! I thought she would just die of anticipation!

(Not the best picture, I took it with my phone, trying to be sneaky!) 

Bekah waiting to LEAVE! I turned on the TV to a cartoon while I got ready to go, hoping it would calm her down a little! She sat, ready to go, while watching! 

We FINALLY got to go to her Pre-school! She couldn't wait! I was turning off the lights in the kitchen and she was waiting by the door, giving me the 'COME ON!' look! It was funny!

Bekah at school! Look at that grin! Makes my heart sing! 

And now that the moment is past, I miss her! (A whole 45 minutes later!)

I don't know what I am going to do with my self! I have almost a month of quite time until we move. Then I will have a month and half of quite time until this baby comes! I think I will be doing some cleaning and packing to get ready for the move! (I just can't do any down on the floor scrubbing, since I can't get 'down', or back up!) 

What are you doing with your 'free time'?

Its that time again! FOOTBALL!!! (& diaper guitars!)

Jacob had his pre-season scrimmage today! He was looking good! I think it will be a great season, we are sad to be moving half way into it! 

 Gracie watching the game!

(She doesn't start cheering till next weekend at the regular season games.)

 Jake playing defense

 Going for a block. He is #36

 Bekah watching the game

 Jacob playing offense. He is the fullback. Here he is doing a fake-out.

 Bekah taking a picture of Daddy & Grace, being silly.

 Grace taking a picture of Daddy & Bekah

Jacob after the game! He is a Niceville Eagle! GO EAGLES!!!

(He is soaking wet and tired!)

He did great! Can't wait to see him play again next week!

OKAY! Diaper Guitar??? Yes you read right! I thought I would try something new, instead of the normal diaper cake I make for baby shower gifts. And since my friend plays the guitar and loves music, I thought I would try a diaper guitar! Here it is!

 K- so I started by cutting out a cardboard piece the size and shape I wanted, then I put down a hooded bath towel I made and wrapped it around the cardboard. Then took receiving blankets to make my sides. Then I added individually rolled diapers to fill in.

 I then tied around the outside with yarn to help hold its shape. Added some clothes and bibs to the middle to make the inside, or hole, of the guitar. Added the 'arm' which is cardboard with a blanket wrapped around it and socks on the end for shape and look.

Finished by adding ribbon around the sided for look and durability. And tied two 'guitar pick' binkies to it.

Not just like I wanted, but not bad. I will change a few things next time I do one, but it was fun to make and funner to give than just a pack of diapers and some clothes! It includes: 1 hooded towel, 5 onesies, 2 pants, 3 bibs, 2 pairs of socks, 4 receiving blankets, 2 binkies, one bag size 2 diapers and half a bag size 1 diapers.

What do you think?

Thoughts and feelings...

Last night as I was laying in bed thinking how we only have about 31 days left here in Florida these thoughts and feelings came to me...

We love to travel! To visit and live in amazing places, meet amazing people and have all new experiences. We love to go to new places and find all the fun, adventurous things there are to do there. To explore and find favorite little hidden treasures. We love to meet new people, make new friends, some of whom we know Heavenly Father guided into our lives for a reason, friends we will forever be close to. We love to learn the history of places and the past and present cultures of the area. Try new traditions. The Army lets us do this and so much more. 

EVERY place we have been has been perfect for our family. We have always meet amazing people and loved each location. And we have been very lucky in our assignments! I mean, who would have thought that two Idaho kids, who rarely traveled out of state would be seeing the world. I was a cowgirl who only wanted to stay in the country, the mountains. I never even thought of leaving Idaho. Two Idahoans who now have two Hawaiians, one Alaskan and soon one Coloradoan for children!

This past assignment has been wonderful for our family. We have been spoiled and got to have Dustin home EVERY night and EVERY weekend for the past 2 years! (I like to think we earned it after a 6 month and a 15 month deployment, not to mention the 12 years of normal travelings of an EOD tech.) I don't know what I am going to do without him always home! He helps with everything around the house. He is an amazing husband and father! I am so thankful for all the time we have had together these past years, even if we didn't always get along! ~ This may sound weird to a lot of you. Let me explain a normal month for an EOD tech: out of 4 weeks he is home about 2 weeks, not all at once, spread between trips. Out of 4 weekends we get 2 whole, if we are lucky, together. He has not been able to have a church calling at church for about 7 years before we moved here, nor was I able to sign up to feed the missionaries, ever, because I could never count on him being home since he was either on call or gone. And I won't even get started on holidays! So having him home for everything these past 2 years is a major blessing. ~ NOW having said this, we really do enjoy the military life. It has been a blessing in many ways. We do love all sides of it, even if it isn't always fun. It isn't the life for everyone! BUT we are going to miss this life here in Florida. The 'normal' life! I know that I have often taken Dustin for granted these past 2 years. It is easy to forget things aren't always this way when you are living in the moment. So I will take this moment to say how much I am thankful for him and all he does for us. He is the BEST husband, takes such good care of us, even when I am a grouchy turd. He is such a great father! I love watching him with the kids. They adore him. I am so glad we had this time for them to really get to spend time with him and build those bonds. 

While we are looking forward to our next adventure, and all that it brings, we are sad to leave this 'normal' life we have had for 2 years. We are once again sad to leave our wonderful friends. But we know the Lord has so much in store for us in this coming adventure. (New places to explore, new baby, new friends, and some not so great stuff like an upcoming deployment.) ALL an adventure! 

And thus are my thoughts and feelings. Maybe if I feel a little sad now, it won't hit me so hard when we are actually leaving. Hey, I can hope!

Goals!

After a friend posted some of her goals, in all areas- personal, family, finances, ect... on her face book I decided I wanted to do something similar, were others could see and hopefully it would make me follow through a little better. So I have a section on the right hand side titled Current Goals. Here are the ones I am working on right now:

Daily

(Could be doing WAY better!) Most of these are things I got out of the habit of doing when I was so sick, I need to get back in the habit of it!

~ Read scriptures

~morning prayer

~Straighten main house areas - getting done

~Make bed- half & half (meaning half the time)

Weekly

~Read one Ensign talk

~Clean out/Straighten one area of the house (Deep clean)

~Write & Mail one note or letter to someone- DONE

~FB message one person a positive note

~Post on blog- Done

August

~ Clean out my room & closet (Deep clean)

~ make 2 Goodwill runs- Made 1!

~Do my visit teaching

~Explore 2 new places in FL before we leave (I know the ones, just got to go! I have been waiting for a time with Dustin, might have to just go with the kids.)

~Do at least one act of service

~Stick to Budget!- (I have a STRICT budget set up to help save lots for the move and pay things off...) Trying!

~Pre-clean house for move (Wash walls, floor boards, clean couches/chair, deep clean table & chairs in all groves, ...)

~cook out of pantry- Doing

 

So, that along with the happenings of life, (getting ready for school which starts next Monday, Football, Cheer, Cub scouts...) is what we are up to!

Sorry forgot!

So my last post was titled 'Whats in a name?' Well, I forgot that part! We are still having trouble deciding on a name for this baby girl! When I say decide, I mean agree! So she is still unnamed! Hopefully we will figure it out soon! (Or, Dustin will just give in, cause I won't!) We shall see who is the most stubborn I think!

What's in a name?! And the busy life that is us...

For once, I don't have any pictures to show! We haven't really done anything this week. Just relaxed at home.

Well, that and it is FOOTBALL/CHEER season again! Which means, for those who don't remember or haven't yet gone through this, that Jacob has football practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, & most Friday evenings for 2 hours with games on Saturdays. (Football is not taken lightly here, it is very serious business!) And Grace has Cheer leading practice every Tuesday & Thursday evenings for 1 1/2 hours with games on Saturday. (She gets to cheer for Jake's football team.) And we can't forget that we still have Cub Scouts every Wednesday, which Dustin & I are in charge of. SO this means that we are very busy! And life normally stays this way till November, around Thanksgiving. For us however, it will only be this busy till we move mid- Sept. Good thing the kids REALLY like these sports! (I will try to get pictures tonight at practice to load tomorrow.)

Jake and Football: Jake has played the past two years and done really well. (So well in fact that when we where registering him this year we over heard a new coach asking his past 2 coaches, who were both right there, about him. Both of whom said he was really good and always put forth tons of effort and on and on...) So this year as it was getting time to sign up, Jake was a little hesitant about it, it is very demanding. However both Dustin & I felt that if he didn't play he would regret it next year when he wanted to play in CO. But we left it up to him. In the end he decided he wanted to play. (It didn't hurt any to overhear the coaches bragging about him before anything really got started either!)
The first week they have a mini-camp where they just to warm up drills and play light plays to see how the boys can do, all the coaches watch and access and decide who they want. Well Jake had 2 coaches who REALLY wanted him this year. With several of the ass. coaches trying to get him as well. On Monday of this week they were broken into teams and started practicing with there team. As we were leaving one of his new ass. coaches came up to him and said how good he was looking and they were sure glad they got him and he was going to be a great team leader! Made Dustin and I very proud. And it doesn't hurt his wanting to play or not. Even though we will only be here for part of the season, I think it will be a good one for him!

Grace & Cheer: Grace has cheered the past two years as well. And LOVED it! She is really good and enjoys every moment of it. So she was very excited about it starting again. (We were hoping Bekah could cheer too, but because of her age, they said she would have to be on a different team, cheering for a different football team, and we decided she could just cheer on the side for Jake's team and learn this year.) As we were registering her she said she wanted her coach from last year again, Coach Morgan, well, we didn't know if she would be coaching again. (She is only a high school student, but a very responsible, good girl, whom we really liked!) Well at her first practice we were getting out of the car and there walks Coach Morgan. Grace gives her a hug and says she hopes she gets her. As we are waiting to find out I needed to talk to the lady over the program, and since she knows me from the past two years and I helped a lot last year, she told me that who Grace's coach is for this year, and it is Coach Morgan! Grace is VERY excited and looking forward to another fun year of Cheer!

Bekah: She enjoys watching everyone and playing with friends at practices and games. She is such a good easy going girl! She also loves watching and trying the cheers the girls are doing! She is so much fun! 

So, as we haven't done much the past week, we have been busy and will be for the next month until we move. This Saturday, our last before games start, one of the 'Fab Four', one of my best friends, is giving me a small baby shower. So that will be very fun! (Here in the south they do a baby shower for every baby. It is a fun way to welcome and support the baby and family! Not really about gifts.) And then i get to go do the 'catering' for a dear friends son's wedding. ('Catering'= I really only decide how to have everything set up and keep it all going smooth during the reception, so she doesn't have to. I did it for her older son's reception and it was fun.) Pictures coming soon!

Last floating trip! (And cake!)

Here is a first attempt at a Micky Mouse 'head/hat' cake I want to do for my nephew's 1st birthday. I thought that instead of using the HUGE amount of black food coloring it would take to make it really black, I would just do chocolate. Not so sure it will work, what do you think? Also, I tried a pan I have thinking it may be round enough, it isn't. But I do have a half ball one I will use next time, so his head will be really round like it is suppose to look, it is just a little bigger. I used chocolate cookies for the ears thinking it would taste better and be funner than just flat, hard, gum paste or fondant, what do you think? I know, they need to be rounder, and maybe covered in frosting to match the cake. But like I said, this is a first try! My family is enjoying my test cakes! 

 The idea is to have one of these cakes for his personal 'smash' cake, which I will be taking picture of! And to put one on top of the sheet cake for everyone else, to decorate it. I will also write Happy & Birthday on each ear, and his name across the head in red. What do you think?!

 I didn't remember to take a picture ON my 6 month day, so this is plus 2 days, I know 2 days doesn't make a difference, but there you go! Jake told me today as we were lounging on the shore that it looked like I had a basketball under my swimsuit!

 Here are the kids enjoying the cool river on our HOT, 125 heat index, day! This was our last trip to float the river since we are moving and selling the kayaks :( Between work and football/cheering, we won't have another day to go before we move. And it was a perfect day for a last trip!

 Cooling off with dad!

 Bekah our little fish, floating!

Me in the kayak. I always say I never get one of me on the water cause I am always behind the camera, so Dustin took this for me ;) Can you see my 6 month belly? I am sure I look funny paddling the boat!

And thus is our excitement for the week. Oh, and going to the doctor for my 'major' sinus infection, or so they say! I did realize how good my kids really are as they had to wait for 1 1/2 hours at the hospital while I waited to be seen and then got my meds. They were very quite, polite, nice kids. It made me proud! And then there were all the 'looks', like 'you really have three kids with another on the way?! Are you crazy?!' It seems people here don't have many kids, and when they do, they are all running wild! Nice to know that while my kids may drive me crazy at home, they really are good when it matters. And they really aren't bad at home, just kids being kids! I really do love them and am glad I have each one of them!

Deep thoughts... and update on our future.

As our lives are getting ready for some big changes, in more ways than one and so are several of our friends and families. And after reading a few different things about the trials of life and of difficult children, children with different needs, and children in general. I hope that we all remember that non of our trials come close to that of Christs. He went through it all for us, to make it easier on us. We are given trials to learn and grow from. We need these trials, more than they need us. A borrowed quote from my wonderful sister in law:

"A sweet and obedient child will enroll a father or mother only in Parenting 101. If you are blessed with a child who tests your patience to the nth degree, you will be enrolled in Parenting 505. Rather than wonder what you might have done wrong in the premortal life to be so deserving, you might consider the more challenging child a blessing and opportunity to become more godlike yourself. With which child will your patience, long-suffering, and other Christlike virtues most likely be tested, developed, and refined? Could it be possible that you need this child as much as this child needs you?"      -Elder Lynn G. Robbins
I think that all our trials in life can be looked at like this. We may not know at the time why, but we are learning and growing with every new challenge that comes our way. Not only do others need us to do these things, face these challenges so they know how to do it themselves, we need to face them to grow and learn and be worthy of Heavenly Father.

I hope that I can remember this when I am facing our upcoming challenges! (I prefer the word challenge to trial) So here it is- our plan for our near future!
We will be leaving the sunny state of Florida this mid-Sept. and head to Colorado. We are both sad and happy about this. We will miss our wonderful friends and the area, but look forward to our new location and being closer to family. Our plan is to drive there, look for a house for a day or two and then head up to Idaho to be there for Dustin's baby brothers Mission Welcome home! We will be in Idaho for about a week and a half before we head back to Co and get settled the first of Oct. Then the kids will get into a new school and we will unpack and get ready for this new baby girls arrival! Which will be in November. I am due the 24th, Thanksgiving Day, but hope she arrives 10 days early like her sisters both did. (Not so sure it would be fun to share a birthday with a holiday!) But only time will tell! We are then hoping to go home to Idaho for Christmas and to Bless Baby Girl. (She will have a name soon I hope! I will not go to the hospital to have her without one!!! No Baby Girl Rolfe on her birth certificate!!!) Well- there it is, our plan for the rest of the year! Crazy! It doesn't sound so bad when stated like that! Course that doesn't include all the details of what has to be done either... like I said, our challenges await to make us stronger! Speaking of- come next April, I will be more than welcome to any visitors for the following year, since it looks like Dustin will be deployed, so mark you calendars!!!