one year ago

I cannot believe it has been one year since I got to meet sweet baby Jake. I cannot believe one year ago we all had to say goodbye.

He is so missed. He is so loved. Thank you to his parents for loving him in such an amazing way. Thank you to his parents for continuing to remind us of God's great love in the midst of tragedy.

I wish I had adequate words to describe what I feel. His mother honestly said it best here. I don't think there was a day that went by this year that I didn't think of him and miss him. So many things that we all didn't get to experience this year with him. So many milestones that should have been. But know this, his life has touched more people than I ever could have imagined. With each milestone that was missed there was a new gift that God has granted through his life.

Jake we all miss you. We wish we could have spent more time with you on this Earth. Your parents are the most amazing people I have ever met. They have honored and cherished you in such a beautiful way. They have shown everyone how great and loving Jesus is. They attribute it all to you. You have changed us all for the better. I cannot wait to spoil you in heaven!

Vacation Wrap-Up

We stayed almost a week in Utah. It was such a blast!!! It was hard to leave everyone...I hate saying goodbye. Saffryn really enjoyed being out in the country and getting to run all day long! Dan and I are now wondering if country living could be for us after all :)

Here are a few more pictures of our country adventures!



My favorite thing when I was little...catching horny toads!




The girls pushing the babies in the stroller to go see some horses!




Horses up close!!!




My Great-Aunt Mary now has llamas and we went over and got to feed them some apples!




Saffryn throwing apples for the llamas



The boys checking out the llamas



Pierce and Daddy playing! Saffryn looks a little crazy in the background. HAHAH!



Dad and son!

Well we had a wonderful vacation! So much to see and do! I am SO thankful we got to spend such great time with our families!!! After we left Utah we met Dan's brother and sister-in-law in Breckenridge, CO. We had a BLAST! Saffryn loved watching football with her Daddy and Uncle! It was a really fun weekend. I didn't get many pictures of that weekend...dang. Don't ask me why!

The plan was for Dan to fly home on Sunday and I would drive down to Colorado Springs and spend a week with my Mom. Well the kids were starting to have a hard time. Pierce was not sleeping well and I could tell Saffryn needed to be in her own element. So after a bad night I asked Dan to just take all of us home on Sunday. He agreed to drive us back home and we left at 4 am because Pierce was awake. Dan was my hero driving us back!!! Thanks Dan :)

I was sad not to get to spend the extra week with my mom, but when we got home the kids just looked so relaxed and slept so great that night. I know I made the right call. I hate being so far away from my family but I already have a trip planned in November!!!!

We had a GREAT vacation!!!!!

My Favs

Here are some of my favorite pics from our vacation!!!!!! OOOPS...after I downloaded them I realized there are quite a few. Sorry. ;)

Such a happy boy!

Yaya and Papa Steve with the kiddos!

Hehe

With my love.

This is my mom's Dad...Grandpa Gregersen. I think Pierce looks most like him :)

Getting attention from his Great Grandparents...and loving every minute of it!

So pooped!

My Dad's Mom...Grandma McFarlane :)

So doting!

Peyton was such a trooper and played ring-around-the-rosies...about 100 times...maybe more!

Papa Steve, Mom and my Aunt Nome

Naptime for my boys

Sweet Peyton and Baby Pierce

Bryce my baby whisperer and Pierce

Love this picture..even P's huge belly hanging out..haha!

CUTE!

My Aunt Molly holding little Pierce

Grandma playing with Saffy

On our way back to Colorado

Love the scenery!

Melts My Heart

I have to interrupt my vacation blogging to share this story!

Last night we dropped the kids off at our church nursery so we could go to our church small group. When we came to pick up the kids one of the workers said, "Saffryn makes me smile." So naturally Dan and I wanted to know what she did.

From the worker: "Well I walked by Saffryn to take another little girl to her mommy during pick-up. Saffryn started to get a little upset. Then I heard her say, 'mommy pick me up soon.' Then she stopped crying and went back to go play."

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! That seriously melts my heart. I am so glad she feels confident that we will come for her. I am also amazed that she is self soothing by self talking.

I love that the workers there tell me these stories about her. It is fun for me to hear what she does when I am not around. I am so proud of her. She is the sweetest!!!!!

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Dan's Highlight

Are you just DYING to know what the highlight of the trip was for Dan???? Welp...here ya go!

I am just going to go ahead and say what you all are thinking...I am awesome!!! LOL. Dan was so excited about his new gun. He brought it along to shoot prairie dogs. He really wanted me to try it out (don't worry I couldn't bring myself to shoot those cute little friends). So instead I shot:

And if I am being honest I have to say it was a blast!!! Dan, Papa Steve and myself had a little friendly competition. A desert bottle shoot out if you will. Papa Steve won. Dan and I tied...that's right I TIED! I bet you are thinking about how awesome I am again...haha. :)

Now before you judge Dan and Papa Steve too harshly for killing prairie dogs know that all the farmers out there despise them. They desperately want people to come out and kill them because they ruin everything! The crops, the cattle and horses. My uncle kindly put it this way: They are pests...rats that dig. Well when you say it like that...

Dan and Papa Steve checking out Dan's kill



Looking around to see if there are more. The color on the pictures here are a little off because I was in the car...no I didn't care to get out and see it (though Dan made me later...sigh).




The guys and their guns!




This picture makes me smile!




The view from my Gregersen (my mom's parents) grandparent's house! I love it!!!




Told you they live out in the desert :)




My grandpa McFarlane (my Dad's parents) taking Dan out for some more prairie dog hunting!

 A Special Thanks to:

My mom for watching the kids for a bit so I could go shooting and make my husband happy (and have fun, too..hehe)

My uncle for taking us out and showing us where to shoot :)

Both sets of grandparents for letting Dan (and Papa Steve) shoot on their land.

Love you Dan-O!!!

Grandma Love

Here are a few videos of Mr. Pierce getting some love from his Great Grandmothers. You can tell that he loved loved loved playing with them! How spoiled we are to have them in our lives :)

Little House on the Desert

I can easily say what the highlight on the trip was for Saffryn. This little house:

This is a little play house in my grandparents back yard! Saffryn spent COUNTLESS hours in there. She had tea parties, did dishes, swept the floor, washed the appliances, opened and closed the door, locked the door and managed to talk everyone in to playing in there with her!



Peeking through the window :)




Just the right size for a little girl!



Close that door!

Here are some pictures of my grandparents playing in the house with her. I think they won "The Best Sport" award for the week! They were great sports all week! So relaxed and easy going and just let my kids be that..KIDS! We can't forget all the love they showed Crash. He also had a great time! Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!




There was really only room for one adult in there with her. But don't be fooled my grandpa drank just as much tea as my grandma :)




Such a fun memory for us!




Grandma and Saffryn

Now my  sweet sweet cousins also get an award for the week. They win "Most Devoted" award. They completely showered my kids with love and attention! Both kids totally soaked it up. Saffryn adored them and did not want to leave their sight for even a second. She still talks about "The Girls" or "Byce and Peypa". I cannot even begin to tell you how fun it was for her and what that meant to me. They showed her how to do so much and spent the most time in that house with her I am guessing!



Starting the organizing and cleaning process :)




So busy!




Bryce helping Saffryn




It was hard to get a picture of them because they were so busy!



Sweet Bryce :)

 

And don't worry...Dan and I spent our fair share of time in there, too. I think Dan spent even more time than I did...LOL. What a good daddy :)



Saffryn look at the camera!



Thank you!

Now just in case you haven't gotten your fill of pictures here are a few more of Saffryn busily playing in her favorite spot. Man oh man did she LOVE this play house!



Pouring tea




Serious work..




She set that all up!




Love her!

SO MUCH FUN!