Six Month Sabbatical

So, I took a bit of a blogging break. Life just became a bit overwhelming and instead of being a stress reliever; blogging felt like one more thing I was behind on! So, I just didn't do it. Life hasn't really gotten any calmer but today I felt like blogging! Lots of things have been going on at the Hope house over the last 6 months so here is a quick peek!
Craig was baptized!! Congratulations my sweet, kind, soft hearted, little boy. I love you so.

My baby turned 1!!!! This deserves one entire post all to itself - Cooper, you have made the last 18 months bearable/wonderful, you make us laugh everyday, you are so sweet, smart, silly, and you have saved our family in ways you will never understand. Thank you for coming to our home!

He LOVED the little mower - can't say I always appreciate it when he chooses to play with it however. (Very loud)

Andi turned 6!!!!!! (I promise I fix her hair - she just pulls it out the moment she walks in the door)

Andi wanted a bike sooooooooo badly!!! Here she is taking off for the first time. A couple of days later she announced to her dad she was ready to ride without training wheels. Andi attacked this adventure the way she does everything - she had dad take them off, got on the bike and started riding, kicked the bike when she fell down (she was so mad when she couldn't just ride away), and within about 15 minutes she was riding around with no training wheels and an alarming sense of confidence. She had a major wreck a few days later that left her cut, bruised, and with a HUGE lip but she climbed right back on! I fear for anyone who tries to get in the way of Andi's determination!

Easter arrived - Cooper had his first egg hunt. I thought I would need to help him but I was so wrong. He took off as fast as his little legs could carry him and started grabbing eggs. He ended with more than in his basket than Craig or Andi did!!! Cute boy!

Someone decided to hang Cooper from a kitchen cupboard. I didn't ask, I just took a picture :)

Andi graduated from Kindergarten!!!!!! Andi LOVED school, made lots and lots of friends, was a very cheerful, helpful student (according to Mrs. Holland), and was my only child that was sad the school year ended. She can't wait to start 1st grade!

Andi also lost her first tooth!! This was a big day - she has been anxiously waiting since Craig started losing teeth!!!! She actually lost her second tooth just last night. She was biting a wrapper off of something, turns to me and says, "That made my gums bleed." Upon further inspection, I found her tooth was gone. It was gone and lost. It took us a half hour and inevitably help from her dad, to find the tooth - only to have Scott throw it away on accident later. The Tooth Fairy still visited!

Just because he is cute!!!!!

Meighan and I took our kids on a hike up Tablerock a couple of weeks ago. It is a pretty tough hike (especially for little people and a mom who is in terrible shape with a HUGE baby in a front pack), we lost the three boys for two hours (moms were getting pretty alarmed), and poor Ellie lost large amounts of foot skin but the view was spectacular and I can't wait to go again!

This pic is a bit fuzzy but Scott and the kids were re-building our play set in the backyard. A wooden beam in the hands of Craig met poor baby's face and left a nice bruise. Picture does not give the bruise enough credit. Poor baby was sad looking for awhile!

Andi was watching a movie sitting in her bean bag. Cooper really wanted to join her. Completely on his own (I am not kidding) - Cooper created his own "bean bag." I only folded up the blanket under his bead because he looked so uncomfortable. Scott and I create problem solvers :)

A few other things that happened:

- The Hopes were forced to move AGAIN (another landlord lost a house in foreclosure - stinks to rent)

- The Hopes found an amazing, huge house (7 bedrooms, 4 full baths, formal dining, huge rec room in the basement - wonderful house) through miraculous means - Father in Heaven loves and watches over us.

- In Jan. grandma started having seizures. The seizures are under control now but grandma's health has really really declined. She requires a significantly higher amount of care now. Life just gets more complicated all the time.

- Scott started working for AT&T, spent two months in school (two long months), works from home, LOVES it, decided to start his own VSC and now has 9 employees!!!

- Riley took driver's ed, now has a permit, and will get her official license in Nov. Yes, this milestone almost killed her dad :)

- Riley left on June 11th to spend the summer with Dusty & Heather in Virginia. She flies home on Aug. 11th (4 more days). She has had an amazing summer - went to Kirtland, OH, Washington DC, has a season pass to Busch Gardens, girl's camp, etc etc - she has made lots and lots of friends that she is sad to leave but the last week she has become very very homesick. Lots of crying - I can't wait to see her and she is never allowed to leave again until she goes to college!

- Cooper had his first day of nursery today!!!!!!!! Hurray!! He didn't even notice me leave, looked happy both times I looked in on him, and I enjoyed Sunday School and Relief Society in there entirety, was able to feel the spirit, and even held hands with my husband :)

LIFE IS GOOD!

-