So, I'm really bad a blogging!! I guess living out in rural eastern Idaho and not having internet but on rare occasions when Mike leaves the computer at home and when we go to the library (with kids in tow so blogging there is near impossible!) is a pretty good excuse. Not to mention my crazy busy boys I have to keep up with! So let's get caught up on the Morans shall we?

We moved to Ashton, Idaho in July of 2014 from Champaign, Illinois (We miss you Illinois! More than we both thought we would!). Mike is set to graduate from BYU-Idaho in December '15 with a bachelors in Communication/Advertising!! Finally! I know right? I feel like we've been dragging out the education process forever! We don't have any leads on jobs after graduation yet, but that's a problem for future Mike and Aubrey (like my HIMYM reference? We actually use that phrase quite a lot! Hahaha). Anyways, Mike recently got a part time job working at Subway. we were really stressed about him not having a job and trying so hard to make ends meet with student loans and the gracious gifts of family members to keep our babies warm and clothed (Shout out to all who sent checks and helped us get through! Thank you so much! You will never know how much we appreciate you!). So, now with Mike working and student loans, we are much less stressed about our family's financial well being.

I am still adjusting to life with two babies. When I say babies, I guess I mean one baby and one kid...Jonas is three now and likes to always point out that he not a baby! "I'm a big boy!" he always clarifies when I call him my baby. :'( Jonas is active as ever and it takes quite a bit of energy to keep up with his shenanigans! Eli is 9 months old and becoming more and more active everyday! He loves to eat and try new foods. His favorites are sweet potatoes, carrots, diced apples, bread, oh heck basically anything you put in front of him! He recently learned to crawl, or his version of crawling, and it is the cutest thing! He is working on his third and forth teeth, and makes all kinds of noises trying to talk. Jonas is such a good big brother! He is always making sure Eli isn't eating things he shouldn't and of course like all big brothers, making sure he stays away from his toys (which is really hard to do since Eli is just in LOVE with Jonas and all he does! He just wants to be wherever Jonas is, doing whatever Jonas is doing!). Jonas loves going to the library and reading books. He loves playing with his wooden train set and helping me in the kitchen. His favorite thing to do is put the noodles in the pot when I'm cooking spaghetti. He is the cutest three year old I have ever met! Super cute story: we were driving home from the grocery store and we hear this sweet tender voice from the backseat saying, "Thank you for letting me go to the store with you." (we contemplated just one of us going without the children, but decided we all would go). He is constantly thanking us for little simple things and it sometimes makes me wonder who is teaching him this stuff?

Mike is the second Sunday Elder's Quorum teacher at church and I am one of two Activity Days leaders. (Elder's Quorum= men's class at church, Activity Days=8-11 year old girls twice a month class where we teach practical and spiritual lessons outside of regular church classes). I am really starting to get to know all the girls and really enjoy going! Not to mention my co-leader is really helpful and awesome! Mike has always loved teaching callings and he really enjoys teaching Elder's Quorum! Jonas just graduated from Nursery (class for 18 mo-the year of their 3rd b-day) in January and now goes to Primary with the bigger kids. He absolutely loves it! I'm not so sure that I like this growing up thing, but it is pretty amazing to see your child grow and become a little person.

I wanted to take a minute to talk about something that is really dear to my heart! Mike had to give a speech a couple weeks ago and he chose the topic of Jonas' birth and the power of the Priesthood. I have been thinking a lot about event and what a blessing it is to have Jonas in our family and that my husband is a worthy priesthood holder and honors it. For those who may not know, Jonas was born 6 weeks early due to a condition he had called congenital cylothorax. Which is basically just some fluid surrounding the lungs preventing them to develop fully in the womb. He was born 6 weeks before his due date via cesarean and lived in the NICU for a month after his birth. He was on a ventilator and oxygen for the first week or so. When my dad arrived a few days after his birth (we were living in Utah at the time), he and Mike gave our sweet boy a priesthood blessing that he would grow and develop properly and that we could take him home to be a part of our family soon. When we arrived in the morning to visit him, the ventilator was gone and the oxygen was gone the following day. I have such a strong testimony of the power of the priesthood. Our sweet boy may not be with us if my sweet husband had not been honoring the Priesthood he holds. I am so grateful for the many blessings The Lord has blessed me and my family with! Life really is awesome and there are so many more things I need to be grateful of and happy about instead of being sad and wallowing in my own pity. My family means so much to me, both near and far and I love you all! I pray The Lord will be with each of you and bless you like I have been blessed!

Aubrey <3