I hope they call me on a mission...

...and our nephew Tyler, has grown a foot or two, literally :) We were there when he opened his call and he is going to...

the Colombia, Cali Mission speaking Spanish.

I have to say that my first thought was where in California is Colombia, I thought that was a country, and isn't that where all the drug lords are?


My sister Ann was freaking out, but still so happy at the same time. I don't think there were many dry eyes there that night.

Tyler is such an amazing young man, and a wonderful example to James. He has made all the right decisions in his life to be able to now serve the Lord for two years on a mission. We are all excited for him! Love you Ty!

Tyler, Nathan, Kendra, and Jamers

Going to Colorado

Over my mama's birthday we went to Colorado to visit. No matter how long I've been away, it still feels like home. We went on great walks, saw our horse Cinnamon, watched movies, visited old friends the Colman's, and had a good birthday with my Mom.

Grams and James with his new puppy


James looking happy

We also saw the space station and the space shuttle pass by each night thanks to Dad who loves looking up when those sort of things will pass by and we'll be able to see them. The light line in the sky is the space shuttle on a long exposure setting

Nathan, Kendra, Grams, Mom, James and Dad out by at the barn where Cinnamon is boarded


Dad and James seeing Cinnamon

Taking a walk

James likes playing outside

Getting ready for the bath

Old friends and "grandparents" Russell and Mina Colman

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Sunday before church James threw up all of his food, but we didn't think much of it and though he was sick. By Sunday night Grams, Nathan, and Mom were all throwing up, and Dad and I were very nauseous. It seems anyone who touched James got it (sorry guys!) and so as we left that day we stopped in Grand Junction for the night.

The boys not feeling good :(

Stopping though did allow us to stop that next day in Rabbit Valley, a little place right near the border where there are dinosaur bones that you can hike to. We took a small hike as we were all feeling much better to see these neat things!

Daddy and James at the beginning of the trail

Mommy and James looking at a bone in Rabbit Valley

Playing at the Park

On most Friday's we meet Calvin and Dannie Wright at the park down the street.

The boys like to swing, and us girls get to talk.

James watching what Calvin is doing...

...Calvin's having a ball...

...I'm just watching the ground go by while I swing.

It's fun having little friends to go to the park with:)

May Showers...

...hopefully bring babies! I got to help out Kristie's friend Leah Jesperson throw a baby shower for Kristie and baby Lilah! It was so beautiful, Leah did an awesome job. Kristie got some great gifts, and any day now Lilah will make her appearance.

The expectant mommy Kristie with James and Kendra :)

yummy food!

James can't wait for a new friend, we can't wait to meet Lilah!

My FIRST Mother's Day!

Yesterday was Mother's Day. Thank you to all of the wonderful moms in our lives. We've got:

Aunts that are Awesome

Grandmothers who are Great

Cousins who are Cool

Friends who are Fantastic
Sisters who are Special

and

Moms who are Marvelous.

We love you all, there are too many to name, and thank you for your support, friendships, and love that you bring to our lives.

And it was my FiRsT Mother's Day as an honest to goodness, real-life mommy. Motherhood is harder than anything, but wonderful and so fulfilling. I love being a mommy to my Jamers. I never knew how much I could love. Now I understand how our mothers love us. I also am beginning to see how our Heavenly Father loves all of us. It really blows my mind, and I am so grateful for all that I have now.

Mommy and James in the front yard after church

me with my Mother's Day plant :)

We went up and checked out how the house is coming. A post on that will be coming. Tom and Krisite and Houston were in Ogden with some of their grandparents, so they swung by too. After that we went on a walk on the land across the street from our house.
Not going to lie, I'm getting really excited to live there, but at the same time Provo has become home and I'll miss it a lot too.

Tom, Kristie (Lilah!), Nathan, James, and Kendra on the stairs in our house!

Daddy and James ready for the walk

Kendra checking out the view

We also visited the Kutterer's that evening, and caught this awesome shot of James while Mike was holding him
James' impression of a deer in the headlights

Happy Mother's Day everyone!!

4 year Anniversary!

When we were married 4 months Nathan made up a little song.

I LOVE that song, it was a hit with me.

With a little modification, it works for our four year anniversary too.

May 6th, 2006

1 year later, 2007


2 years later, 2008


3 years later, 2009


4 years later, 2010

"Happy four year anniversary, happy four year anniversary, happy four year anniversary, it's been four years since we were we :)"

We had a nice dinner at home just the two of us, and played with the new camera! It is a Christmas/Anniversary gift. I love it, and the pictures are gonna be awesome. I still like our other camera, which is what most of the above pictures was taken with, and that will be the one we take when we go camping and such. Or just a small one for our pockets.
I love you my cutie petutie!
Anyway, it was a very fun anniversary.


Until.....



WhAt ThE!!??!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

....this showed up on our bed at 2:30am!
We were sleeping soundly when Nathan sat up and said "Kendra, I was just bit by a bug, and I want to identify it, go turn on the light". I jumped out of bed, and there on the comforter was this thing! It was as big as Nathan's thumb. He had felt something on his FACE, went to brush it off, and it bit him on his eyelid!! That is when he woke me up! It was identified as a Woodlouse Hunter, and it was red, but not too poisonous, just known for their very large fangs and it hurts when they bite.
AAAHHHH!!
Trying to go back to sleep was horrible, we were all itchy and paranoid.
I am horrible because I told Nathan I was grateful it was him and not me. He said he was grateful for that too.

What a way to end the anniversary.

Blessed Life

In this blogging world there is a legend.

Her name is Stephanie Nielson, or "NieNie" for short. Her blog is beautiful, she takes the most down-to-life pictures, and it was because of her pictures that I wanted a new camera to capture my own life in the same light that she has captured hers. She is so...so... crafty isn't the word for it, but maybe put together would be right. And I love her take on motherhood. Wow.

But it's not those things that make her a legend, although they help. See, Stephanie was in a private plane crash two years ago with her husband, both survived, but not without changing their lives forever. I was just introduced to her story before Christmas through our cousin Michelle's blog. I started reading, and it wasn't a few days later that I MET her at Costco! I looked across the long isle of books and there she was with her Mr. Nielson. Now I had no idea who she was or her story until a few days before. I wanted to meet her, so I just went up and told her how inspiring her story was. She told me I had a beautiful baby (James was in his carrier in the cart). And that was it. Just a quick hello, and I am sure she won't remember me, but how her story has touched me. Her story is one of resilience, strength, survival, courage, but mostly about LoVe and how she is recovering and going back to what she loves most:

Being a mommy.

I think that moms everywhere can take a lesson from her. I have.

And I see how blessed I am.

Now there is a Mormon Messages video about her story. Take a second to watch it.

My New Life