Halloween

We took our little monkey trick or treating for the first time this Halloween.  Let's just say she wasn't quite ready yet.  Her cousin Samuel was Darth Vader and she was FREAKED out.  It pretty much set the tone for the rest of the night.  We went out early but there were still lots of scary people/houses.  We had to keep redirecting her eyes.  Once she figured out she was getting candy, she enjoyed it a little more.

Goodbyes and Hellos

We had lots of people to see and say goodbye to before we left Colorado.  We hardly had time to pack!  My college roomies and their families came over a few nights before we left.  It was so, so sad to say goodbye to these gals.  From left to right below: Beth (who has since had beautiful Evelyn) I met my freshman year I think in a class, Erika (who is still warming unnamed baby) I met in Campus Crusade soon after the start of our freshman year, and Josie (who has since had sweet little Smith) who I met in bible study my freshman year and who I take credit for introducing to her husband Zack, one of my other favorite people ever.  We all lived together just about from our sophomore years until we graduated.  These women were the sisters I never had and will always remain some of my dearest friends.  

The whole gang: Us, Erika and Brandon, Beth, Stephen and Avery, and Jos, Zack, Zane and Emerson

We also reluctantly had our last Friday night small group up in Evergreen.  We have "done life" with these fine people for the last 6 or 7 years.  We've shared weddings, babies, highs, lows, and everywhere in between with these special friends.  They have truly been our surrogate family during the last several years.

Matt and the fellas, Brendan, Ty, Jake, and Dawson

Stephanie, Brooke, Ashley, and baby Carter

Whitney (Carter's mom) and Nikki

The three amigos, Wyatt, Boden, and Ella.  

These two boys have totally prepared Ella for all that is to come in life.  They have certainly taught her how to hold her own.  They have so much fun together.

Wyatt and Ella's last night together.  Wyatt is so good at sharing his bath toys!

Aunt Brooke reading a bedtime story to Wyatt and Ella.  I don't quite have the words to express how much I will miss this woman and her family.  She has been the epitome of my nearest and dearest.  She gets my sense of humor and is just as funny and sassy as I am.  She is an amazing mom and has taught me so much.  She understands my struggles and lets me whine and gives just the right dose of encouragement and truth.  She and Brendan have loved us through our toughest times and rejoiced with us in our finest.  While we are so, so bummed not to see them on a weekly basis, we are excited to share fun vacations with them as often as possible.  And, once Wyatt and Ella get married, we'll surely see them all the time!

Ella and I stayed at my mom's for a few days while Matt was driving in and getting things settled in Bloomington.  I woke up the first day to Ella in this crazy contraption: 

Who needs a high chair!

We went to Huber's Orchard with Tonya and Rachel.  It was a perfect fall day!

With Grammy in Nashville, Indiana

Dustin, Tonya, and the kids came up for the weekend a couple of weeks ago.  They helped me make pumpkin cookies.

Cutie cousins

We went to one of Bloomintgon's sweet parks

Lots of pics from this summer

Father's Day 2011

Crazy swimmer in Iowa for cousin Alison's wedding

At the hot air balloon festival in Steamboat Springs with the Huffs

Our dear friends, Brooke, Brendan, and Wyatt Huff (oh yeah, and Kota but she doesn't count)

Steamboat Springs, CO

Yes, they are getting married someday.

Oh my sweetness!

This will be on their wedding invitation.

Wyatt and Ella chillin at the zoo

Ella and her cousins, Samuel and Rachel in Indiana

Playin in a puddle

July 2011

Shake it!

Ella and her BFFs, Wyatt and Boden in Keystone, CO for the annual Bluegrass and Beer Festival

The gang:

Brendan, Brooke, and Wyatt, us, and Ty, Steph and Boden

Matt and Ella playing in a fun waterpark

Josie, Beth, and Erika, my sweet college roomies, all pregnant!

On the train at the zoo for Wyatt's 2nd birthday.  September 2011

Happy Birthday Wyatt!

That's all for now.  More to come once we get them off the cameras.

Our New Adventure!

Hello again.  It's been a while.  I thought it would be good to update this thing and jump back on the blog train.  Seeing as I haven't blogged since Ella's 1st bday in May, I'll have lots of pics and stories to post from the summer.  First things first though, here's a little update on our life.

A little over two weeks ago, we sadly said goodbye to Colorado and moved to Bloomington, Indiana.  I had been a Colorado resident a little over 12 years, ever since college.  Matt had 7 years under his belt.  We LOVED it there.  We thought we would never leave.  And then we had Ella.  Suddenly it felt more important to raise our baby girl near family than being in a state we LOVED.  It was really, really sad saying goodbye to our amazing friends and family in Colorado.  They have been our surrogate family since we've been there.  We're so excited to be able to Skype and visit though.  

Matt ended up finding and being offered a Cartographic Supervisor position at Indiana University for the Indiana Geological Survey.  While we initially thought we would move to the same city or very close to my mom and brother, Bloomington seemed close enough with a good job offer.  We're about 2 hours away from Southern Indiana/Louisville and about 45 min. from Indianapolis.  

Our house has been for sale since mid-June.  While it's been tough being patient about it, it's also been really neat seeing God work in His timing.  We decided to walk in faith and go ahead with the move.  We got an offer on the house less than a week after getting here and it's now under contract.  It's set to close in mid-November.  Praise God!

We are renting a place in Bloomington.  It's nice and big, but clearly a rental.  We'll be excited to find a home in the upcoming winter months, though not really looking forward to moving again.  Matt is really enjoying his job, and Ella and I are getting settled and finding new fun places to go.  So far we've seen my family about twice as much as we normally do in a year, which is awesome.  Grammy was here last weekend and Dustin and his family will be here this weekend then Matt's parents next weekend.

It's a big change, especially living in a college town.  But we're adapting and are excited to make some new friends and find a new church.