Life with three little buddies and much much more

It's hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since I last updated this blog. If that doesn't tell you something about having three kids I don't know what will :). Nate and I both agree however that our transition to three has been the easiest so far. Mason and Stanley love their baby sister and are also so helpful. Something about having older kids that makes such a difference as a parent with a new baby. I had to set some time aside though today and gather some of my favorite pictures for memories sake. Since I last updated the blog, Elizabeth has been on 27 separate flights (5 times to Utah, 2 times to San Francisco and 1 time to Hawaii). Mason turned 7, Stanley turned 5, and Elizabeth is now a year old. We've also visited New Orleans for the Jazz Festival and my birthday, Memphis for the National BBQ competition and the newly rededicated Temple, and St Louis. We've driven from Utah to Arkansas twice. Mason and Stanley were both in soccer last fall, and they both learned some skills this year in fishing, skiing, surfing, golfing, and tennis. Stanley learned to ride a bike, and Elizabeth learned to walk. We celebrated the life of my dear Grandmother Shirley Andersen when she passed away, and the marriage of our wonderful brother Ryan and his new bride Rachel. Elizabeth was blessed. We found a pool that someone was giving away, and planted two separate gardens. Mason was in his first play. Mason continued on his piano and Stanley started learning the piano recently when he turned 5. Nate enjoyed teaching Mason's primary class and is now serving as the Young Men's President. I was the Secretary in the Primary Presidency and am now in charge of Singing Time which I love. We have enjoyed visiting with Grandparents (both here at home in Arkansas and in Utah), cousins, friends new and old, strawberry picking, meeting Santa, playing with neighbors, and visiting the Science Museum. We've enjoyed visits from parents, a sibling, a cousin and some dear friends. We also met the Candy Bomber, Gail Halverson, one of my boy's heroes. We made lots of pizza, ice cream, bread, and popcorn. We visited the Sundance Film Festival, celebrated my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, and most recently took a trip to Hawaii with Nate's family. We also enjoyed meeting Ruby Bridges and Shaquille O'Neal (both fun stories). This year I also taught Mason and Stanley at home. Fun, full, wonderful year. Now enjoy a feast of pictures :).

Presenting Elizabeth Jane Freeman

We are so grateful and humbled to have welcomed Elizabeth Jane Freeman into the world. She was born May 10th at 11:52 am. She weighed 7 lb 14 oz and 20" tall. She is lovely and perfect, and has brought heaven into our home. My Parents were kind enough to fly to Arkansas for her birth, and it was the sweetest to have them here. We love our little Lizzie so much already - and Mason and Stanley can't seem to get enough of her.

Since her birth Nate also became a Captain. I flew to Utah to visit family and get a minivan. Nate had to work unfortunately. Lizzie was born with a congenital cataract, so she had surgery on June 18th. We were so lucky that they found it so early and that we live so close to a children's hospital where she can get the care she needs. My Parents helped me drive the minivan back to Arkansas and were here for her surgery. Once again it was the greatest blessing to have them here. We feel so lucky to have spent so much time with them. They are seriously like angels to me.

Mason got to go to 'Inventors Camp' this week and loved it. That is really his 'cup of tea' so to speak. I don't have a lot of time to go into detail, but just wanted to give a quick update. Love our little family of five.

Alabama Adventures and Nate's Graduation

 It was great being in Alabama - especially in the late winter and early spring. Beautiful weather. We were there for 2 months while Nate was attending JAG (Military Law) School. He finished by graduating, and I was so proud of him. It was a smaller graduation, but it felt to me like perhaps the most significant - since now he gets to do what he has always wanted to do. The following are some adventures we had on the weekends. I had no idea Alabama has so much history. The people were also so kind. Nate's friend from his freshman year at BYU lives there, and his wife and I became good friends. She even threw me a baby shower before I left. I couldn't believe how people will just throw their arms around you, and love you - even if you're there for two months. We loved our ward - a lot of diversity, and fun feeding the missionaries too while we were there. We also made some other good friends while we were there. Our apartment, though small, was beautiful - and I was so thankful for the swimming pool that accompanied it. Thank you Alabama, for being so good to us.

Gulf Shores, Alabama Beach. I never knew Alabama had such beautiful beaches - and of all of them (including Florida's beaches), I think this was my favorite.

Truman Show House in Seaside Florida - a pristine little seaside city

He's always good for a laugh. Here we got to hang out with a wonderful family with 4 kids that we knew in Charlottesville. The Dad is a JAG now like Nate, but a former special forces guy. Cool family. They are stationed here in Florida.

Rosa Parks Museum. We lived about a mile from here.

Where she was kicked off the bus and thrown into jail

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

A walk down Dexter Avenue on a beautiful spring Sabbath

Dexter Avenue Church where Martin Luther King preached for many years before he went full time in the Civil Rights movement. Fun to meet many people who knew him and were taught by him.

Pensacola Lighthouse

These two cuties have my heart. I can't believe I made it to the top :). This big Mama was outa breath.

Monroeville - To Kill a Mockingbird Courhouse

Easter Egg hunt

Stan and Mason even won the baskets

um...this sweet bunny!!!!

fun games afterward

The Martin Luther King Jr Home in Montgomery, Alabama

The Alabama State Capital. Our tour guide marched with Martin Luther King in Selma. Fantastic Tour.

watching Daddy play gatorball - and checking out the dogs

Naval Aviation Museum with Nate's buddy from UVA

This was the Capital Building where Jefferson Davis was made the first and last President of the Confederacy

baseball is a big deal in Alabama - fun to go to a game - The Biscuits.

Nate's graduation dinner. Handsome guy right there!

His graduation

So neat to have the top JAG General there with his wife. They were both so kind and personable to me - professional with Nate :)

Tuskegee Air Fields - WWII African American Pilot Training. I didn't get a picture - but we also visited the Tuskegee School where Booker T Washington founded the amazing school which is a beautiful campus and still in operation today.

Also on our drive back to Arkansas - the Hellen Keller home. Love her and so much fun to visit her home.

Alabama

We've been here in Alabama the last month while Nate has been going to JAG (military law) School. We're very lucky that we were able to come along with him. We kind of purposefully decided to home school Mason this year partly so that we could come along with Nate to Alabama. We live in a nice apartment with a pool and gym just off the base, so we can meet up with him for lunch which we love. We miss our family and friends a lot. Lucky for us, other LDS families and other wonderful people have been so warm and welcoming to us since we got here. I just don't know how we would be able to live this transient life without having the Church community in our lives. It is so comforting to know that wherever we go, we have an automatic support system. The military in some ways provides that as well which is so nice. We've been doing school time in the morning and then exploring and playing in the afternoon. We got a zoo pass, go to the Art Museum a lot which is fun (Mason has been getting free one-on-one art lessons with an amazing and generous artist there), we've gone to Florida a couple of times to visit friends and go to the beach, and we go to other parks or museums. We were lucky enough to be here to March in Selma for the 53rd Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery march. I felt so much more empathy for those people walking for a second on their streets. It really brought it to life for me. Lucky to live in times where things are so much better - still other issues that need to be addressed for sure.

Here are a few videos we've made of our outings. Sorry it is coming to you all at once :). I like to keep them here for my record keeping purposes. Hope you enjoy as well!