the last few months

Things have been busy around here, and I apologize for slacking.

I got my own route back in January and have been busy getting into the swing of being the boss, teaching my kids what I expect from them, cleaning my bus ( I have my own bus...), assigning new bus monitors, and learning to deal with parents. It's been crazy, but it has also been a lot of fun. I have really great kids on both my secondary and elementary routes. It certainly helps me enjoy my job more than I thought I would. Now we are ironing out some minor kinks with proper ridership... ( is that even a word?). I think that the kids are used to me being around and are now testing their limitations with me. It's kind of like parenting...

Jared is busy with school. Studying hard, and trying to find a job to start when the semester is finished. He recently got his CNA license so he is looking to work in one of the hospitals or perhaps a doctor's office. Slowly but surely. He is also going to transfer to UVU to finish school.

 We are also looking to move back to Utah county. Ick. I'm not too thrilled about it, bit if it means I can sleep in my own bed next to my husband every night... Than I'm game for anything. The last few months have been hard on us with me working in Springville and Jared in Ephraim going to school. Hopefully we will be able to find an apartment and move in when Jared is finished with the semester. So right now things are pretty crazy for us.

Alden is doing great! He does miss his dad during the week, and usually wants nothing to do with me when we are home. He just keeps on growing, getting more mobile and smarter by the day. He's now nearly 8 months old. I can't believe how fast the time is going.

Just a week after we got back from our Christmas trip he started to figure out how to roll. It took him a couple weeks to really master it, but as soon as he could roll all the way around he was gone. Now he never sits still. Just a week later he figured out how to crawl and had that mastered in a week. He is now able to pull himself to stand, and just recently learned what the stairs are all about. He is also always climbing on things. Anything that he can get on. Thanks to Grandpa Wilson he is getting ready to stand and walk on his own.

He is a funny kid and always keeps us laughing. He also always has something to say. He's always blabbering about something... I just wish we could know what he is telling us. It's probably secrets about heaven. ;) just this week he has started to wave, and now loves to wave hello and goodbye to everyone and everything he sees. He is also able to pick up pieces of food and put them in his mouth. He doesn't have any teeth yet, but he is starting to chew (gum) his food. He loves vegetables, much the the delight of his father ( and me too...). He will eat anything you put on front of him. He especially loves peaches, bananas, squash, green beans and peas. He also really loves to snack on graham crackers like his mom. He is generally just always happy. Which makes his mom a happy camper. 

I'm sure things will keep being busy, but I'm looking forward to the next two months. My sister and her littles are coming for a weekend Zion's trip. Yay! Jared is done with school at the end of the month. Double yay! Then only 15 days of work in May, and as soon as I'm off on the 24th we are heading to Boulder! Triple yay! I'm excited to have some fun and relaxing things coming up. And looking forward to the changes we have coming soon too. With any luck... And a lot of hope..... I will be able to stay home and not work this summer. We shall see.

Sorry, no pictures today. We cut our cable and internet... ( I'm writing this on my phone).

Much love,
Rachel Lynn

What year is it??

It's so hard to realize that it is a new year! It seems like yesterday I was in the hospital waiting for my little boy to join the world. Since that day time has just flown by. Things over here are going really well. Since the last post we've had quite a bit going on. I've been working, Jared finished another semester, playing with Alden, who is now almost 5 months old... visit with family, Christmas, and New Years.

I finally finished all the required training and started working. It's nice to be back driving, and I've been having a TON of fun with all the kids. I like driving the kids more than the old tourists. I'm in a substitute position right now until I can get on a permanent route. Sometimes it's hard to get the call in the morning and have no idea where the stops are or the area that the route is in.... but from my experience in Alaska, I feel like I'm used to it. As much as I would love to stay home with my little man and just play with him all day and keep the house organized... I need to work in order for us to survive while Jared is in school. And I think it's good for me, it's keeping me from being too lazy. I'm also liking the schedule of driving with the district. I go in the morning and pick up kids, drop them off at school. Then I get to go home and play with Alden and feed him... and TAKE A NAP!!! Then I go back and take kids from school, back home. So that part of it is nice. And since my mom is watching Alden, it gives her a little break in the day. She loves watching him, but she is a busy lady.

first piece of artwork from a student. on my second day on the job. :)

loving my new job.

Jared finished off his fall semester and was really happy to have a break. He did good on his finals, but he had a hard time in a couple of his classes. With all the changes we've had... adding a new baby, learning to be a dad, and trying to get enough sleep and get all his homework done... it was a pretty hard semester. But such is life. He worked really hard and did the best he could and that is all anyone can ask for. He had a 4 week break and got to spend time with Alden while I worked. Jared was really happy because we went and spent Christmas with his family in Carson City. First time he's had Christmas with his family in 17 years. We had a blast. He is gearing up for a new semester starting today! He will be taking 15 credits... and possibly working. He's still looking for a job as a CNA. He has to take his state test too so he will be busy.

got our tree up!! 

getting some Daddy time.

Alden has officially been moved to a full size crib!!! He is getting so big... WAY TOO FAST!

We painted the crib over the Thanksgiving break.

He is just so fun. 

and makes the cutest faces!

and is so fun to watch while he sleeps... he gets the most RANDOM twitches...

His snow suit is WAY to big for him this year... hopefully it will still fit next year!

He's just so cute!

Sleeping in until 9AM!! Love that.

post bath time snuggles. He is always holding his hands together in from of him and it's like he's posing. 

SO CUTE! And getting chunky.

Just look at the crazy double chin!

trying on dads hat. 

falling asleep in funny poses.

really good at hanging onto his toys at all times.

again with the hands.

playing Phase 10 with the family.

Cute, chunky kid.

Before our trip we had a few days to spend with my family while my sister and her littles were here. They are always so much fun to play with and they are so cute. :) They also had a blast with that huge snow storm that came through and dumped over a foot of snow at my mom's house! My mom went out and bought them cute snow suits and gloves. They got to go sledding and ice skating too!!! They loved it. It's always wonderful to spend time with family. We also got tickets to a pre-release screening of Les Miserables. It's always been one of the ONLY musicals I've ever been able to stand sitting through. I feel like the movie was well done, and loved all the actors. So glad we got to see it. :)

Hannah and Russell loving the snow... Throwing snowballs at each other. 

Hannah is queen of the snow pile!

She is so freaking cute.

My dad throwing snowballs at the kids with NO mercy. 

These two are best buds. My dad had so much fun with Russell... but he got really worn out from all the fun they had.

The kid wouldn't even look at me!! Punk... 

Russell loved having my dad shake the snow out of the trees onto his head... :)

At the Le Mis showing.

Like I said we went out to Carson City for Christmas. It was really fun, and different for me... First year not being with my family on Christmas day. But it was really good for us. Alden got to meet the Snyder clan and they loved meeting him!! They are all smitten, of course who wouldn't be! We stayed at the OG's (code for Grandma and Grandpa Snyder), who have a bulldog... Alden loved watching Candy! She would get so excited, and every time Alden would get upset and cry she would run right over to make things better. So funny. Alden got spoiled by all his cousins and Aunts and Uncles. Like I said... smitten. :) We got to enjoy the snow also, and enjoyed seeing a movie together as a family. It was just nice to relax and to recharge and get ready for the new year.

Hanging out at the Snyders.

New outfit from Grandma Snyder

Falling asleep in the car... 

In his Christmas pj's from Aunt Lynette and Uncle Scott.

Having a snuggle day in bed with mom! :) love those.

playing with new toys.

being cute!

at the Wilson family Christmas party.

tired.

snuggles with dad before bed.

sleeping in a funny pose.

I got to spend a day snowboarding with Uncle Brian, Calvin and Logan(Jared's cousins and Uncle) up at Diamond Peak, it's on the north side Lake Tahoe. It was so gorgeous!!! Really cold, a little icy, and it's been at least 3 years since I've been on the slopes... But it was such a fun day!

Finally home and loving it!!

Silly kid.

on my way home from work on the 2nd.

figured out the he can suck on his toes too!

Jared's birthday present!

Cute kid.

new hat. 

Jared found this hanging from the back of our house. Yep it's taller than me... :)

always falling asleep in weird ways.

first spoon feeding!!! YAY for solids!

Heart breaker.

loving his new toys.

We also had Alden's 4 month doctor appointment. He just keeps growing strong and healthy! We couldn't be happier and more smitten! He is now 15 lbs. 9 oz. and is 24.5 inches! Now that we are nearing the 5 month mark I'm sure those numbers have gone up slightly, seeing as how he has gained over 3 lbs in the last 2 months!!! :) Life just continues to go on and we are trying our best to just love each minute to the fullest. We have been so blessed and are excited to begin another year together. We just love being together and having our little bruiser to cuddle with. 

Our only goal for the new year is to keep trying to be more like our Savior so that we can hopefully share His love with those we are around. Neither of us are really into the whole New Years Resolutions... I'm bad at them... like really bad. So we'll just stick with the small things. In the end that's what really makes the biggest difference. :) 

Much love,

Rachel Lynn