Fall in the Air

I woke up this morning yearning for fall.  I am starting to feel it in the air and savor the smells that are bustling all around me.  Experiencing the fall on the East Coast has been fun for me, thus far.  First, it is later than it is out West.  By now I would be in FULL force of doing EVERYTHING fall- canning apple pie filling, pumpkin bread eating, corn mazes, etc- but I am BARELY getting into that rhythm here.  I am now getting why are ancestors celebrated Fall Fest closer to October, because it didn't start to change from summer to fall until then.

Oh the history of it all.... sigh.

The leaves are finally changing color and I am becoming so much more excited to everything fall in the next weeks- especially since my parents are coming and I can do more with them around.  FUN.  EXCITING.  SO FALL!!!

I can't wait to take every last picture that I can of living the life here in Rhode Island during the fall- no worries, I will post every last one of them for you to see!  So get excited!!!!

The Life Line of a Quiet Phone Call

One thing, that might seem strange, but for the longest time I have been holding on to this life line.  And I still do.  It is a phone call to my mom.  Not an actual one, just one that plays in my mind in those moments when I just want to give up, or I feel like I don't have strength to just do whatever it is I am doing.  It normally starts with me calling her and telling that I just can't do it anymore, I am tired and feel like I am not up for the task at hand. Her reply is always calm, "Why do you feel that way?"  I then tell her the reasons that I feel at that moment. For example, like right now, I am tired and I don't feel like I can't be up with Ethan for the 3rd night in a row.  That I don't know if I should let him cry or if I should rock him back to sleep.  Sometimes I cry with the conversations, while other times, I try to be brave.  My mom just takes a deep breath and says, " Emily, you can do this.  You are fantastic and this too will pass." And so she is right.

Now, I am pretty sure that she has no idea that I have this phone conversation with her.  Actually I am pretty sure no one knows.  But being awake right now, fearful of going back to bed because I am sure that Ethan will cry again, I find myself talking to her, and seeking out that comfort that I so need right now.

It has saved more in so many situations.  College, my mission, marriage, moving to Rhode Island, anything where I get to the end of my rope, and realize that I need more to hold on to.

I am grateful that my Father in Heaven has given me this small, but most precious, tender mercy of a life line.  I know that in many ways it is the still small voice of the Holy Ghost impressing on my mind and spirit that comfort that comes from a mom who knows.

I am hoping that I can now, quietly go back to bed, KNOWING that Ethan will arise in a few short hours with crying, but taking a deep breath and knowing that I can do just one more night, and another, if needs be, for this too shall pass.

Sleep well-

Books Books and More Books

Since Adam is a very good student, then you can most often than not, find him studying in our bedroom. Well, since the kids are home and they think their dad is amazing, they like to go in and say hi every once in a while.  Ok the real intruder is Gabby.  I like when she is able to be with her daddy.  So, I have set it up that if she is in there, then she can sit on our bed and look at books like daddy.  She LOVES it.  And I think that it is so cute.  Even Ethan decided to join in.

 

Silly Boy

I just had to post how sweet Ethan is when he is sleeping.  So cute. He was throwing a huge fit and then it went quite and he was out.  Love it.

Big Boy Growing Up... Start of Solid Foods

Ethan had his first taste of solid foods... yum. Yep, he didn't like it too much.  But I wouldn't either.  This boy needs more food.  He is still wanting to eat every 3 hours, if I am lucky.  So, we are need of some other goodness going on.... What a big growing boy.

 I know, he is eating on the couch, but he can't sit up and we really don't have a highchair.  So this is going to have to work for right now.

Lovin' the Waves

I guess that when there is a hurricane down south it has great affect on our waves. Oh my.  They are AMAZING.  We had so much fun boogie boarding. One wave after another.  Even though we were EXHAUSTED in the end because of the effort it took to get out to the nice ones.  Wow. I look forward to next year of riding those waves some more.  Way too much fun.

Super Spiderman, they LIVE

Ok, since moving out here to Rhode Island, I have come to accept in some ways their HUGE bug infestation.  I get why many of the immigrants moved out west.  In hopes of getting away from the humidity and the bugs.  So gross.  Well, everyday has brought many surprises of new bugs that just gross me out.  This one happened when we went to our car to go to the beach.  There it was... its MASSIVE web between our back window and antennae and there he was sitting on top of the antennae waiting for its prey.  It thought that I would take pictures and then let Adam drive in hopes that he would fall off.  NO. I totally get why Spiderman in so cool, he really sticks.  The web power is GENIUS! So strong.  He NEVER fell off.  And when we would stop, he would try to run from the antennae the window.  I would scream to tell Adam to move and the spider would go back to his safe spot.  Well, here are the pictures of the nasty one.  But I give much respect to him for his super power of having strong webness.  I know, not a word, but it sounds cool....

 I refused to get close to the gross one and my zoom is not the greatest. But the leaves look good, right?

 Can you see that web? It was hard to capture on camera...

 Oh my gross Spiderman...

First Day of Year One, minus the summer!!!

I can't believe that we are at it again.  I think that we are more ready for it though this time than we were when we first got here.  It was nice to have 6 weeks of play and NO WORK... and to be honest, we were not missing that work after the 6 weeks.  That would have made it easier to get going again.  But, we had to do it anyway.  Adam is solid in classes and already studying tons.  Oh the fun... Doesn't he look so smart?  I am proud of my boy... he really is doing it.

Ok so maybe we should take another picture... but I think that this pretty much sums up how he is feeling about going back to school.... ha

Bowling Fun

We decided to do one last thing before Adam headed back to school so we went bowling.  It is so much fun with kids because you don't have to be too serious with winning because you have a kid bowling for you throughout the game.  Although, Gabby helped Adam out with giving him a strike... what?  I was not that lucky when she bowled with me... taking sides already. Ha.

Beach Days Coming to an End... Sigh

Last week we realized that our beloved beach days are coming to an end.  Sad,  really.  It has been nice to escape for a few hours in the evenings to go and just be by the ocean side with no other expectation. We look forward to next year to catch some more waves and for Ethan to be walking around. That way we might be able to more in the water as a family... yeah, we might regret that desire, but until then we look forward to it.

On this beach day we were able to use a private beach of one of the ward members.  Sweet.  Gabby and Adam caught some Jellyfish that were lining the shore.  Gross.  But Gabby seemed to love it. Other than that, we were finally able to enjoy the waves with the sun out- sigh.  I love beach time.

 If you look closely in the pink bucket you will see a jellyfish floating in the water.... Really, look closely! I can't see it either, but it is in there.

 I love these two pictures.  He is calm in one and then he realized what he is wearing on his head and everything is over.... And I love Gabby playing in the background. Love beach day.

 Playing with Jellyfish

 Sleeping on the beach

Finally a trip to the Boston Temple

Since being here, we have not had the opportunity to attend the temple as often as we would like.  It is harder to find someone to watch your kids and it is a distance of an hour and forty minutes to get to.  So- it takes planning and preparation on our part.

Adam was able to go with the Young Men on Saturday and since it was so early in the morning, I decided that I would just meet him up there with the kids later.  I was not in the mood, considering that we had just went to Plimouth the day prior and that was a distance to get to and I really didn't want to take the kids in the car for another long trip.  But when I woke up, I knew that I needed to go.  So, I got the kids all dressed and ready, loaded up some food, and headed up.  They did great in the car and we arrived just when the Young Men were getting out.  Perfect.  Adam took the kids while I went inside.  It is a very Beautiful Temple.  Loved it.

My favorite was when I got out and Gabby saw me.  She is so cute. She yelled, "Mommy!!" then ran up to me.  I love the spirit that is on those sacred grounds.  It made that moment much more precious to me.  I love the temple.  I am grateful that we have a place to go that allows us to worship God and Jesus Christ.  A place where we can understand God's plan for us and where we can come to know Him better.

Enjoy the pics.  Gabby also fell hard while I was inside.  Sad.  Her knee got all banged up and she had a fat lip.  Poor thing.  But she still enjoyed running around and seeing the beautiful grounds with us.

Playing with an ant- cute and then with leaves below...

I love how she ran up to me when I came out.

Sweet Ethan

We had a gift card, so we went out to the Olive Garden afterwards.  Gabby loved it. Can't you tell?