April-May

These last few months have been filled with some crazy, crazy happenings. April kind of flew by in a whirlwind.  We had a lot of wind and a few more days of snow (if memory serves correctly) so outdoor fun was hard to come by.  May brought with it green leaves on trees and an actual chance for the blooming flowers to survive.  We've been having some pretty good thunderstorms lately, putting down up to an inch of rain in one day.  It makes me homesick for Arizona - reminding me so much of the monsoons we experienced there.

 On May 11, Brennen got the surprise of his life at work when a car crashed into the building, through the room where Brennen was with a patient.  Luckily no one was seriously injured.  He and the patient only experiences minor bumps and bruises and the driver of the car was taken to the hospital, but only produced a broken ankle from the accident.  The day after the accident, Brennen went into full-blown mid-life crisis mode and purchased a pop-up camper. Insert eye-rolling, unamused face here.  We have yet to take it on it's maiden voyage - we will probably be doing that tomorrow if it doesn't rain - but took it for a little test run in his parent's back yard. 

Tanner is back at preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning.  I almost forget to take him somedays because I'm not used to this early schedule.  His favorite color is red and he has to have red EVERYTHING.  We've had multiple meltdowns over red straws and red goldfish crackers.  We are trying to get him potty-trained and found that he prefers to pee standing up. 👌 He has only two stickers left on his chart before he gets his red soccer ball.  He played soccer for the first time this month, and preferred to not play - if you know what I mean.  We thought it would be good to get him out and participating in a team sport with other kids, but all he wanted to do was sit on the sidelines and watch with us.

Benson is becoming a little maniac and is driving me more and more crazy every day.  He likes to climb on everything, run out into the road, pull everything off the shelves, and scream until your ears bleed.  We were hoping he would be less difficult that Tanner, but we are coming to realize that that might not happen.  He is learning new words and phrases, "I want down" (which also means "I want up"), and "What's that?"  He responds to basic commands like throwing something in the garbage or finding his shoes.  He LOVES his shoes.  I don't know why, but his favorite thing to do is put his shoes on.  He's 16 months old, so in a couple of months he'll start going to nursery 🙌  Last week I didn't even attempt to go to Relief Society and ended up in the hall with him during Sunday School as well (our meetings are flip-flopped).  He usually naps around the time we have church, so he is really squirmy and grumpy the last two hours. 

I'm officially a new member of the VIPKID team, and will probably begin working next week sometime.  So right now I'm just trying to finish up a few things with my interview and training and then I'll start teaching classes.  I've been working hard at setting new goals for myself and taking life one day at a time.  This last month my goal was to do at least 30 minutes of exercise for thirty days.  I made myself a sticker chart, just like Tanner's, so we could do it together.  I ended up finishing before him, but not by much.  My reward was a new swimming suit since I could really use a new one.  I was really proud of myself for accomplishing my goal, and while I didn't see many physical results, I definitely can see how working toward that goal has helped me mentally and emotionally, as well and helped me develop a habit of taking care of my body by exercising every day.  This month my goal is to go 30 days without sugar (extra sugar like soda, cookies, etc.).  I've realized lately that I'm addicted to sugar, and that's not helping me achieve the health and mental goals I'm setting for myself.  I feel like I'm blessed to be able to quit doing things cold-turkey - if I really want to, I'm able to exercise self control and not do whatever it is I'm trying not to do.  I'm on day three, and I'm doing alright so far.  The first day was pretty easy.  I was able to decline and avoid sugary treats.  Yesterday was harder.  I was craving sugar hard-core, and while I didn't eat anything that would technically be considered a "sugary treat" I did eat some graham cracker snacks that I probably should not have.  Today has been better since I realized that yesterday I tried to rationalize the things I ate yesterday and I feel a small sense of shame and motivation to do better.  One thing that helps curb my sugar cravings and also helps me not overeat (I'm an emotional eater) is drinking my green smoothie every day.  I know, I sound like one of those people, and I get it.  I always thought they were crazy too.  But I have really seen a difference in my mood and body when I'm putting good things in it.  I'm not super hard-core about what goes in my smoothie - lately it's just some non-fat vanilla greek yogurt, milk, strawberries, pineapple, banana, and a handful of spinach.  I also mix in my fiber supplement.  My kids love the smoothies too, and it's a good way for them to get in their veggies.  I've also been working on my spiritual growth as well.  One day I just sat down and wrote down all the things I wanted to be and what I needed to do to get there.  I've been trying to really study the conference talks from April and I can see how the Lord is blessing my life for doing that.  Another thing I'm doing is replacing my TV shows and radio music with the Mormon Channel.  I like to listen to the podcasts and programs they have, and I hear something I need to hear EVERY DAY.  My next goal is to go to the temple since I haven't been for a while and I've been feeling like I need to go.  Hopefully this week or next I'll be able to go.

So, there it is.  I wish I could write more of what's happening in everyone else's life, but I can only see through my own eyes and write about the things I'm experiencing.  So, sorry for that 😂

January-March

So much for New Year's resolutions, am I right? Ha.  Well, I've finally finished my classes so I feel like I can get my feet back underneath me and do some of the things that I've been putting on the back burner for the last few months.  (My teaching license expires this fall, so I had to take some college classes this last semester to renew.)  January through March were a whirlwind of snow, homework, and sickness.  This season was really bad for the flu and other yuckies in our area.  Luckily, none of us got the actual Influenza, but we were sick with other things.  Since I work at the gym daycare one day a week, we were bringing home a new virus every Wednesday.  By nothing short of a miracle, Brennen had every Wednesday off for the entire month of February so the boys could stay home and get better.  Benson had some mucus drainage and a really bad cough for about 4 months straight, and if he got to coughing too hard, he'd vomit :(.  Tanner just always had this or that, mostly runny nose and cough, but has been better for a while.  Even though Brennen is still treating the flu daily at work, we are finally at a point where we are all healthy again!

In February, Tanner started his first semester of preschool up at the university! It was really good for him to get out of his element and interact with other kids and adults.  He always had a lot of fun, and would come home with home-made play-doh at least once a week.  At the end of the semester, the teachers put on a little slide show with pictures and videos from throughout the semester and I got a little teary eyed!  Not only because I could see how much Tanner was growing up, but also because I didn't know what I was going to do with him for two hours on MWF when he would no longer be in preschool!

Benson turned one on Jan 27.  This last year has been the shortest of my life.  I honestly can't think of another year that has flown by quicker than 2017.  Benson is our little family comedian.  He is always so happy and in a good mood.  He loves his brother, even when Tanner is mean to him and always want to play with him.  He loves to play peek-a-boo and will often go hide behind things and come out and "scare" you.  He thinks it's great that he can make people laugh.  He also loves to read books.  This makes my teacher heart happy :).  It's so funny to see the difference between Tanner and Benson when they wake up in the morning or from a nap.  Benson is smiling and happy a few seconds after waking up and it takes Tanner like 30 minutes! Benson has more teeth than I care to count, and knows a few words and phrases: "I want that" (this is the most common), "Stop," "Bath," "Ball," "Dog," "Cat," and "Dad." He will also fold his arms for prayers!

Brennen and I are just living one day at a time, haha! Our boys keep us on our toes and there surely is no rest for the weary.  We just bought new bikes and a bike trailer to haul the boys in, so hopefully we will be doing a lot of that this summer!  We had like two decent days this week that we were able to go out, but today the 30mph winds were back, wreaking havoc on the neighborhood's trash cans.  To give you an idea, while I was buckling Tanner into his carseat, the wind blew the truck's door shut on my leg.  Ouch.  The next couple of days I have plans to meet up with some old friends, Jessica and Alan, that I haven't seen for a few years.  I'm excited to see them and meet their cute twin boys.  Brennen has been working really hard at re-painting our house from its dark brown walls to a brighter, creamier, off-white color.  We have the whole upstairs done, plus the stairway and the intimidating 17 ft high entryway.  All that's left is the living room, dining room/kitchen, and half bath downstairs.  We are getting close!  Hopefully since I no longer have homework we can get it done quick! I'm going to try to start teaching for VIPKID.  Wish me luck because I'm not a fan of 3 a.m! I started my application back in December/January and Brennen convinced me that I couldn't do it with my classes, and he was right.  Now that Benson's FINALLY starting to sleep through the night more than once or twice a year, I might be able to do it. 

New year, new resolutions

Hey there. I'm not really sure how to start this post, so I'll just get right into it. Anyone have any New Years resolutions? Sometimes I feel like New Years resolutions are kind of dumb, especially if you have no intention of keeping them! I think a lot of the time our intentions are good- we want to be healthier, better, more organized, etc. I just get so overwhelmed! I want to do so many things that I just can't do them all, and then I get discouraged and never follow through with any of them! Well, this year I hope will be different. And if you're reading this, I think you'll be able to figure out what one of my resolutions is...

Last week in sacrament meeting (which also happened to be New Year's Eve) I was giving a talk on "renewing our commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ" and I gave 5 ways that we could do that in the coming new year:

1. Commit to have more meaningful personal/family prayer

2. Commit to hold Family Home Evening each week

3. Commit to do your home teaching/visiting teaching every month

4. Commit to honor your covenants

5. Commit to accept and serve faithfully in callings extended to us

These are just the five things I felt needed to talk about on Sunday. So what are your New Years resolutions? Mine are some of the above, plus eating healthier/exercising more (duh) and also updating the blog more than once a year. Along with that, taking and posting more pictures of us and our day-to-day activities. I feel like we are really boring, but sometimes we do fun things! I was just thinking about how I have no pictures or anything from about my middle-school years to now and it's sad how I can't look back and remember all the things I did and I don't want it to be that way for my kids. 

So here's to the new year! Here's to being healthier and making memories! 

Benson's Birth Story

In May 2016, we found out that we were pregnant with our second child, another boy! Due date was set for February 3, 2017 and we anxiously awaited his arrival. On January 26, I had my weekly doctor's appointment and found out that I was 80% effaced and 4 cm dilated. I went home expecting him to come in the next few days. At 2 am that next morning, January 27, I felt a sharp pang in my abdomen which woke me up, and a little fluid leaking from...down there. Thinking I had just peed myself a little (because, you know, pregnancy) I ran to the bathroom to empty my bladder for the hundredth time that night. It was when I couldn't stop peeing I realized that my was broken and I was actually leaking amniotic fluid, not urine. Brennen and I headed to the hospital around 2:45 am, where they confirmed that my water had, in fact, broken and I wasn't leaving the hospital without our little guy in tow. About 3am, the contractions started coming, and soon I got my epidural. When the nurse checked me, I was at 8 cm dilation. Two hours later, when she checked me again, I was practically crowning and the doctor came in. After only three pushes, little Benson Crew was placed in my arms and the whole world stopped for a minute. He was born January 27, 3017 at 5:43 am weighing 6 lbs, 3 oz, and 19 inches long. He had a little blood blister on his had that the nurses said was there from sucking on his hand in utero. He didn't cry for very long, just enough to let us know his lungs were perfect. He was perfect.

Hello Everyone

It's that time of the year again..

The time when I randomly decide to write a blog post

to let you all know we are all still alive and well.

If you follow me on Instagram, 

you pretty much know what we've been up to lately.

Nothing.

We've been preparing for a summer full of travel, 

that's all.

In March I turned 26 (welcome to your late twenties!)

In April, Brennen and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary by 

doing a session in the Phoenix, AZ Temple

and then dinner afterwards while my mom

(who was in town visiting) watched Tanner.

I also got to throw my sister-in-law a baby shower!

I had only been planning it since December, haha.

It was a lot of fun.

The theme was, "You Are My Sunshine"

and we had a yogurt bar.

and look at that clean carpet under the table :)

On May 4th, Cole Marshall Blunck finally came!

I have been so excited to meet this little guy.

And Meaghan looks freaking amazing for having just given birth!

We were also lucky to have all of the Larsen grandkids together 

for a picture with Grandma and Grandpa

Unfortunately this blurry picture was the best one because

wouldn't you know it, my kid was the only one that freaked out

as soon as we sat them down.

Next week I get to go to Dallas, TX to visit one of my besties from high school.

I haven't seen her since right after Tanner was born.

and we are going to see

WICKED!!!

This will be my 4th time.  I'm pretty lucky.

Oh, did I mention I've been trying to learn my camera more?

We got a DSLR for Brennen's graduation and I've been trying to 

learn how to use it and edit photos.

As you can see I mostly take pictures of buildings....and flowers...and animals at the zoo.

BUT! I did take some family pictures for a friend of mine before she left to visit her parents in China!

You can follow my IG account @g.l.photo

and if you want some free family pictures,

I'll be in Idaho the last week in July! :)

Also, I got a Fitbit for Mother's Day! 

So, if you wanna be my friend, leave your email 

in the comments (comments are moderated and email wont be published)

A Day at the Park

Tanner LOVES going outside.

And since it's that time of the year where the weather is just right,

we like to go to the park a lot.

There's a nature preserve near our home you can find us at frequently.

There's a place for the kids to play,

a lake with fish and ducks, and short, easy, walking trails.

Also, this guy actually stood still long enough to let me snap a few pictures of him last night!