Here we come 2013!

Well it has been a LONG time since I have updated the blog!! Life has been so crazy that I can't keep up! So let's see...what has happened since the last post? Here are some pictures from throughout 2012 of our family.

From left to right/top to bottom: Me and Jonas when he was about 6 months or so, Jonas riding Mike's shoulders in the park (he loves being up there!), Jonas lookin sharp for church, Jonas showing off his pumpkin on Halloween, me and Mike on the beach in Alabama, daddy holding Jonas after a tiring walk around the park, and us looking at the Christmas lights in Alabama.

 

Let's see this summer Mike lost his job at Chase bank. Long story short he didn't smile enough...whatever. So he then got a job working in the lumber department at Home Depot and is still there and enjoying it tons! He now works in multiple departments and loves the work and enjoys the people there too (which is more than he can say about any of his other jobs here in IL). Mike also is reconsidering his education. Not whether or not to pursue it, but where and what kind of degree to pursue. Being here at the U of I has been a real eye opener for the both of us. We didn't realize how good our lives were at BYU-I until we left. The schools themselves are complete polar opposites of each other. I guess I could say that we miss the safety of "The Bubble" that we lived in. Though we enjoy being out in the world and not completely surrounded by members, it's still nice to be in a place where you know your standards won't be questioned or anything. Along with that, finishing his undergrad here makes other things like putting food on the table and a roof over our heads a little difficult. Mike is a non-traditional student. A university like this one is not meant for non-traditional undergrads, not to mention the cost!! Mike has also taken some of the classes required for food science degrees and he has realized that there are a lot of things that go into food science that he isn't quite interested in doing (like all the chemistry...he has recently discovered is dislike for the subject...) So we've been doing a lot of thinking and praying to decide what we should do. Mike has re-applied to BYU-I and BYU. We are in the final stages of the application process and hope to hear back soon as to where he gets in (I'm feeling pretty confident he'll get into both :) ). So it is a pretty likely possibility that we will be moving back out west again, though we don't know exactly where just yet. There are a lot of things to take into consideration once we get the news. So suffice it to say Mike has dropped out of the U of I and will be continuing his degree at either BYU-I or BYU.

So on to myself I guess. I am hoping to finish up my Bachelor's. I am going to wait until Mike gets settled into a school (whichever it may be) and then figure out online or actual classes (depending on where we end up). I am also currently seeking employment right now so that we can save up enough money to make the move out west. I have a few leads so we'll see how they play out in the next week or so. The extra source of income will help a lot, even though I do not want to spend any time away from my baby. But it is something that is quite necessary at this point so I;m gonna have to buck up and do it. I spend most of my time playing with Jonas and feeding Jonas. And when I say feed I mean FEED! He eats like crazy!! But we'll get to him in a moment. I'm hoping to start some new sewing projects soon and make some fun toys and gifts for all my friends that are expecting. :) But basically I am a stay at home mommy and I love every minute of it! :)

So the moment you all have been waiting for....(drum roll please)....the Jonas update.

 I mean let's be honest, he is way more interesting than we are. Jonas turned a year old on October 21st. Mike's parents came for his birthday from Virginia. We had a fun weekend! We went to Springfield to go to the zoo, but they were having a Halloween carnival thingy and all the animals were put away...and there was no way of knowing that until we got there...so that was a bummer. So we found a cool pumpkin patch that was on the way home that we stopped at and picked out a few pumpkins. Jonas loved riding around in the little wagon along side the pumpkins. The next day after church we packed up a picnic lunch and went to the park for a birthday picnic. After we ate lunch, we went for a walk around the park and Jonas played in the grass and had a grand old time. Once it started getting dark we headed home and opened presents and ate cake. All in all Jonas had a pretty fun first birthday!

So moving on, Jonas is a walking fool. He walks all over the place and has this sense of independence these days. He has to do everything by himself. He doesn't want any help, but if he somehow gets in a pickle and needs help he isn't afraid to let you know! (If you know what I mean...) He still only has his two bottom front teeth so eating can be a challenge, but he acts like he has all his teeth and can eat anything he wants. Jonas has started dancing recently too. Whenever music comes on the radio or the tv he bounces a little and sways from side to side. It is actually quite humorous, but every time I try to take a video of him dancing he stops and looks at the camera with a look on his face like, "What are you doing mom?"

I cannot believe how much has changed in our life since last year. How much each of us has changed and grown and developed. Obviously the physical growth of Jonas and the way he becomes more and more aware everyday. His growth and development amazes me! Mike and I have learned a lot this last year too. There were some things we had to learn by moving 1,500 miles away! But if we were given the opportunity we would do it all over again...probably :P We have had such an amazing year and we can't wait to see the adventures that lie ahead in 2013!!

Above: Christmas 2011 Right: Christmas 2012
The change and growth is just amazing!