Asher Walks!

This deserves a blog post all on its own but I've decided to combine a few updates to the Childs' (more Aher's) life in Arkansas this last week of August.

ASHER IS WALKING!! Thursday August 22nd he officially walked more than he crawled, Friday he walked more than crawled without any help or balancing off of anything and now he is walking, jabbering, picking things up, opening the baby gate, and helping unload the dishwasher, and all the cupboards.

He also had his first chocolate pudding, figured out how to open the gold fish, enjoys drawing with chalk outside, cuddling on the couch with music on, and his absolute favorite is meeting Dad for lunch at the park where Dad pushes him in the swings and plays with him on the playground. He especially enjoys it when we stop at Sonic and he gets a corndog which he eats, all by himself, clear down to the stick.

We also went to the temple last weekend and visited Liz and Johnny and little Sam. The new temple video is incredible, the drive was beautiful, and it was so fun to see family. 

We are loving it here, the weather, the trees, our new friends, all the parks and swimming places and the library give us lots to do. Asher is growing up so fast! We have a Dr apt next week for baby Rue where we'll find out how much she has grown and hopefully get to see her. 

From Old to New: part 2

I did it!
Babies, budget and all!

I am looking into a sewing class with a friend to brush up on my skills, but the machine works wonderfully, the bench is comfortable and sturdy again, the table is no longer dusty and gouged and the legs on both are tightened! I can't wait to make something for our sweet little girl and to be able to fix all the things that have torn in the past few years when I have been with out a place to set up a sewing station. 

 I modge modged fabric onto the upside of the desk to add color and keep pins and fabric and patterns from sliding off.

It made me want another project, and I'm thinking using it and making things will satisfy the urge quite nicely. I am so grateful for Nathan and how supportive he was and how willing he was to keep Asher away from all the mess that I scattered through the house, and to keep him happy while I was working on it.

From Old to New: part 1

I was really blessed and inherited this amazing sewing machine from my Grandma. The machine works well and it incredibly heavy duty but the table is wobbly, and the seat is about to come apart. So, with a baby handicapping my ankles, and another one shortening my arms and not allowing me to bend I decided I wanted to take on a DIY with things I already had around the house (which isn't much).
So here is what I am staring with :

The set.

The sewing desk when closed

 The bench side view

The bench top view

The sewing machine when out

From the top with the side desk up

 Basically, wish me luck! 

The Flood

We have been in Arkansas, well I have, since the Fourth of July so just over a month and we have had a lot of adventures. The most recent, and troubling is that our apartment flooded! And, since they think it may be a foundation issue could possibly happen again. If it does happen again we'll be moved to a different apartment so cross fingers its a drainage problem they can easily fix so we don't have to move again so soon. And so we can have our home back to normal!

Our entry way and kitchen were a puddle when we woke up Thursday morning.

 It got into the bathroom as well and soaked all the rugs, plus the towels we used to keep it from spreading and further.

They ended up using six fans, (all still blowing loudly and smelling like old dirty water.)

Our room. closet, and hallway all had to have the carpet pulled up and the pad removed. Fans for two days and open nail tack along all the walls makes for....

...furniture smashed into the back rooms and having to find ingenious ways to entertain Asher and keep him away from the intriguing front half of the house. He is a champ though and is willing to pretend being entertained for his mom. I can see in his little face he is going crazy not being able to roam where ever. 

Though he has found some interesting places to stay busy that he's never been interested in before, like under the bathroom sink-luckily its all his stuff and towels anyway and I was in there with him the whole time. I didn't help him find it, empty it, or get in though!

Childs Family Reunion in the Smokies

The Childs decided to have a family reunion in Tennessee, Gatlinburg of the Smoky Mountains to be specific. It was incredible!

First stop was at Jennifer and Tom's in Franklin where we spent the night and played. Asher really liked having Jonathan show him all the cool toys and help him open doors.

5 Months pregnant with our little girl Rue! Seeing all the girl cousins she is going to have made me more excited for her to get here, she will be the luckiest! 

We all got family pictures with the mountains in the back, it was beautiful even with the bugs and itchy grass and crying babies :)

With fifteen adults and fourteen (plus one on the way) grandkids its amazing we all made it. Its also cool the see the physical evidence of such great parents.

We were able to walk the streets of downtown Gatlinburg.

It was fun to see all the little boy cousins playing, they got a long so well and are all close in size and age! It was busy busy but worth it. 

Boating!! Dad was super nice and patient and let Asher pretend to steer which was awesome till we had to take the wheel, then he was one distraught little boy.  

Asher was probably naked 80% of the time, good thing baby bellies are so cute! He loved the back porch, the rain, mountains, having Tucker there and all the newness.

Grandpa and Grammie took us downtown to look at the shops, our favorite was this candy shop! We got a caramel apple and some delicious taffy (that I am currently snacking on). Asher loved being pushed around by Grandpa.

We were able to go on a couple hikes as the whole family, both of which were stunning and led to waterfalls. On the first one some of the group saw a bear!

The second hike we all wore our awesome family shirts that Phil and Maren designed. 

The cabin we stayed in was huge! But it had to be to fit everyone comfortably. It was beautiful and nice and in a really great location, two hot tubs, and a gorgeous view off the wrap around porch made for a great time even when we didn't go anywhere.

They are called the Smokies due to all the mist that curls through the trees looking like fire smoke, which I didn't know. It was an amazing family trip and I'm really grateful to have married into such an awesome strong and fun family. 

We Moved!

From Oregon to Arkansas in one weekend, we moved again!

Nathan is with the same company just a different office much closer to family and in the more familiar South. Asher is thriving in the sun and enjoys all the swimming pools, water parks, rivers, and splash pads we have found. Our skin is enjoying the humidity even if our hair is not, and the open country is an emboldening change from the thick, ever present forests of the north west.

Our branch is great, really on top of things and friendly and full of nice people and young kids. We feel blessed to have landed right where we are. Our apartment is also really nice, out in the middle of no where, three bedrooms with lots of storage! All our stuff fits :) and I am excited to have a little nursery to decorate for Rue in a few months. We have already been able to experience good food, old friends, family, fireworks, beautiful flowers, and lots of rolling hills. As well as some creepy crawly wild life a little too close to home.