Smiles All Around

Who knew that smiles could be so much fun? I sure didn't! It has become our new game to see who can get the biggest smile, and let me tell you, I think I win. They bring out the best in me! Benji and Miles smile at pretty much anyone or anything that gives them attention, and it makes me so happy! I love seeing their adorable little smiles, and I feel so blessed to have such happy, perfect, little boys. So here you go, let's see if their little smiles put a smile on your face as big as mine.

Our New Home

Benji Loves Lord of the Rings

Reading is our favorite thing to do!

Aside from the 110 degree weather, Arizona has treated us fairly well! We had a couple of weeks to adjust to life and get settled before Josh started school on the 14th. We were able to get all of our boxes unpacked and everything organized before classes started, and we feel so blessed because of it! Life has been an adjustment since then though, with Josh at school all day and me home alone with the boys. We both get up around the same time every day, me to feed the boys and Josh to get ready for school. It makes for some crazy days! We all love when Dad gets home, it gives the boys a much needed break from mom, and it gives mom some adult interaction, which is much needed as well! We love our apartment and feel so blessed to be at this stage in our lives. Josh is loving school and it has only been a couple of weeks! I feel so blessed to be able to stay at home with the boys, and we both love being parents.

Dad's first day of school! 

This is how we get the mail every day. 

Josh helping me with some painting. I had
to document it. :)

Miles, playing dress up with Dad. 

Dad gets a kick out of Benji's cute lil' bum.

Miles really can't stand when it is light while he
is trying to nap. Life is rough. 

Benji found his thumb.

He is a really good sport. 

All dressed up and ready for church!

3 months old

Our boys are getting so big! Really, I don't know where the days go, but I need them to slow down a little bit! Here are some of the things they are doing now that they are 3 months old:

-They smile all of the time.

-Both boys only cry when they are tired or hungry, and we feel so blessed because of it!

-They are getting so strong and can almost hold their heads up without looking like little bobble heads.

-They recognize Mom and Dad's voices.

-When Josh gets home from a long day of school, both boys just can't get enough of Dad. I think they just get really bored with me singing dumb songs over and over again.

-Benji likes to suck on his fist whenever he gets the chance.

-Miles will lift up his right arm and suck on his bicep but wants nothing to do with his fists or hands.

-We still call Milo "Mellow Miles" because it takes a lot of effort for him to smile and even more effort to get him upset.

-Benjamin loves watching the fan.

-Splashing during bath time has become the "norm".

-Miles can handle about five minutes of tummy time before he has melt down. 

-They are still on the same schedule and are wonderful sleepers. 

-Both boys are developing a dimple on their right cheeks and it's adorable. 
We say this at the end of every month, but we aren't sure where the time goes! And even though it is going quicker than we would like it to, we are happier than we have ever been! Their little thigh rolls keep us smiling.

Arizona, here we come.

On Wednesday, the 25th of June, Josh left Idaho with his brothers to go pack up our moving truck. With their help, Josh was able to load up the truck and clean the apartment in just under 3 1/2 hours. Thank goodness they were there! After a long night of video games, their last hoo-rah, Josh woke up bright and early on Thursday and drove down to mesa in our car. Mom and I loaded up the boys onto an airplane and flew out of Idaho Falls to meet him. The boys were wonderful passengers! Aside from throwing up, they were as happy as could be, they didn't cry once!

When we got to Mesa, we drove to Peoria, ate some In N' Out, got settled in at Jay Marsden's home, and got to bed early. After an early rise Friday morning with the boys, Josh and I got ready for the day and headed out to apartment shop. Our first stop of the day was at a complex called Sun Valley Ranch, and every stop after that didn't live up to the first. We loved it! We tried five more places before we headed back to sign the contract and get ready to move. Dad met us at Jay's after a long day of driving the moving truck from Provo, we ate some Cafe Rio, and got ready for a long day of moving. The office didn't open until 11:00 on Saturday morning, and we were there shortly after to sign the lease and get our keys. WOOHOO!!We started moving in around 12:30 and with the help of a nice couple and some Elders, we got done unloading by 2:30! The move would have been an unbearable task if we hadn't had mom and dad around to help. Mom babysat the boys while the rest of us (mostly dad and Josh) did all of the heavy lifting...her job was probably a little harder! We feel so blessed to have found a place so quickly and even more blessed that it is already starting to feel like home.

Looks like Mom got the easy job :)

We wouldn't have been able to move in so quickly if it hadn't
been for Mom and Dad. Thanks for all of your help!

Saying goodbye

On June 20th, we loaded up the car for the last time leaving from Utah and headed up to Idaho for a long week and a half of visiting before the move. Jake got to see the boys one last time for two years and grandparents got a lot of baby time. We had so much fun roasting marshmallows with Tyler, hearing Jake give his farewell talk, and visiting with family. Hopefully that long of a visit will hold us over until Christmas!

 

The boys didn't know what to think
in a place that wasn't home. 

Miles, Luke and Benji

 A Sunday nap with the boys.

 A brother's hike up to Taylor's Mountain.

Picture Perfect

Our boys have started smiling and it is one of our favorite things. We love trying to get smiles on camera! It takes some effort though and most of the time we end up getting some other faces instead. Here are some of our favorite photos as of late.

Dad and Benji

Looking more and more alike every day.

Neither of us really like being thrown
up on...

Messy, messy, messy. 

Miles likes to pose for the camera.

Well, hello there, Benji.