Exploring

So it's been a week of Oregonianing and I'm pleased to report I am now recycling like a native, living with one air conditioner in our back room (since we aren't allowed to have one at the front of our apartment due to apartment regulations - did you know they have laws on air conditioners here???), and feeling more at home with our pictures put up on our walls.  Ross is adjusting well too.  He wasn't sleeping so well at first, but now with the air conditioner in he's doing much better.  Would you believe it still hasn't rained here yet or been overcast?  I'm starting to wonder if this is really Oregon!  Neighbors have told us that Portland, Oregon is only number 30 on the most rainy places in the US.  It's just overcast all the time which makes it seem like it's always rainy.  I am looking forward to cooler weather but not frozen ice in the winter!  We'll see how it goes.  

Steve went to his orientation for school and starts tomorrow.  Tomorrow also starts my first day of being an alone stay at home mom!  Time to get organized and get a routine going for Ross and me.  I'm actually looking forward to having a house of order more, but not being alone with just Ross and me.  It has been so nice having Steve home for this last month.  It would be nice to be paid to stay at home and raise your kids together!  

We did some exploring these last couple days and ventured out to the coast to see what the beaches are like.  We stopped at one just outside of Tillamook which was gorgeous and extremely windy.  People had kites around and there was a great sand bar in the ocean that you could walk out in.  We roamed around a bit while Ross would bury his face in my shoulder blocking out the wind.  Then we went to the lighthouse there followed by a visit to the cheese factory where we went through the sampling line twice because the cheese was so good!  We also got some ice cream which was delish.  I love the berry kinds of specialized ice cream.  We got some wild mountain black berry and Oregon strawberry.  Yum!  It was a great day and a very pretty drive.  I want to say it's like a mix of Fort Bragg, CA and Rochester, NY.  Rolling golden hills and tall evergreens.  It's been fun exploring.  We've had two families over for dinner so far from our ward.  We're shopping for friends.  ;)  Everyone is so nice here.  Our ward is huge - twice the size of our old one in Utah - and lots of graduate students.  It's easy to get lost in a ward this size - but we're settling in.  We'll see how it goes this week when real life for the next 3 years begins.  Cheers to progression!

Saying good-bye to Grandpa Stan at the airport! 

Making our first stop to IKEA ever - we saw Arthur from the Biggest Loser there!!

Ross enjoying and inspecting his rice cereal.

More feeding

Steve's first day of school!  All ready to go. :)

The beach at Tillamook.  Lots of people enjoying the sunshine.

Trying to be responsible for the skin in the sun.

We had to bundle Ross up because the wind was so cold and strong!  Cute boy.

The Meares Lighthouse with a gorgeous view!

The cheese factory!  Yum!

Sampling the cheese.  Squeeky Cheese was my favorite.  Steve's was the garlic cheddar.

Super cute PJs!

With a monkey on the bum.  Ross still is sporting his bald spot where he keeps rubbing off his hair!

Oregonians

Well we have officially moved from Utah and become Oregonians.  I suppose we need to start recycling more...and scrub away mold...and vote Democratic...and hug some trees! :)  Actually we love Oregon.  It is so beautiful where we have moved.  I would like to say it is a mix of Rochester/Palmyra New York and Fort Bragg California.  So any of you who come to visit - you will love the scenery for sure!  We feel really good about being here.  The move went quite smoothly thanks to helping hands and family letting us mooch a few nights with them.  I was quite sad to leave my Utah mountains and memories.  Ross and I had gone to Brick Oven for a last family dinner.  I took the old highway route and reminisced all the times I drove that road to BYU while getting my bachelors.  I thought of all the hikes I went on in the mountains and all the memories I've created there.  It feels so right to be here which is reassuring.  I fell in love with our ward the minute we stepped into the building.  I forgot what a big ward feels like!  It's quite busy.  Our bishop looks like a replica of Michael Scott from the Office too!  Hilarious.  I've found the mother's room is a great place to make friends quick.  I met five other mothers in there too!  While Steve is going to be attending Physical Therapy school - just about every other young family there is going to Optometry school.  I'm not sure if there are any other LDS people going to PT school.  The flight taking Ross on an airplane went surprisingly well.  I was quite nervous seeing how he'd never been on one before!  I usually get a little nervous on the take off and landings, but I was so distracted making sure Ross was sucking on his binky, I missed being scared!  Steve's dad and mine both drove up with him and have helped us to get settled.  I have loved having them here.  It's not so scary being new when you have some family along!  Don left two days ago which was sad and my dad is leaving this evening.  Steve starts school on Monday and then I'm by myself with Ross for 3 years!!  AHHHHH.  Let's hope the transition isn't terrible!  I've enjoyed having Steve all to myself with Ross this last month.  But I guess it's back to real life!  Anyway - here are a few pics:

Addison and Ross having a reminiscing chat about all the good memories they had together as neighbors.

Addi rolls around everywhere!  Ross is still working on his swimming motions.  He's rolled over twice, but still seems to be content hanging out his back yelling at the ceiling.

We've found that Ross is about a good 3 lbs heavier than Addison while she's a month older.  I think Ross might have a little extra weight to carry over as he rolls. 

Happy Shark Week!  We were pretty addicted to watching the Discovery channel during the week.  Ross shows his enthusiasm for it!

Grandpa Stan and baby Ross enjoying the arrival to Oregon!

Saying good-bye to the old apartment!  #6 you were good to us!

Taking Grandpa Don to the airport after helping us move.

Enjoying some Voodoo doughnuts - it was a ghetto part of town with some interesting looking doughnuts

We only had to wait in line for 15 minutes.  This place has been on the food network - a very popular place open 24 hours a day!

The new apartment!  We're on the bottom.  Lots more space actually.

And a dishwasher!!

Laughing Ross

So sometimes Ross just finds the most random things funny.  And then when you're trying to get him to laugh he just stares at you.  I caught him finding me funny today though!  :)  Here he is!

He also looked so stinkin' cute with his white shirt and tie for church!

Doesn't he just look like a mischief making deacon in the making?

My handsome boys

My Sweet, Hilarious Husband Steve

So Steve is a one in a million kind of guy.  I couldn't believe how well he fit me like a glove when I first met him.  He was tall, dark, and handsome.  He could play the movie quote game really well, he loved trying new things, he liked BYU football games AND going to a good musical or play (the best of both worlds!) and those big, brown eyes could melt a Popsicle in the Antarctic.  I was pretty set on marrying him within about 2 months of dating him.  I just had to wait around for him to realize he wanted to marry me too.  It worked out quite well I must say.  He squelches out any drama that could possibly be forming with his complete openness about everything, and he is extremely patient whenever I'm impatient, or frustrated, or overwhelmed, or tired, or hot - especially when I'm hot.  If I am overheated in any way - I become a moaning banshee that can't be pleased with anything until I've been cooled down.  Usually he just laughs to himself while he tries to get me some ice water or the fan blowing on me the right way.  He truly is the perfect husband.  He is hard working, sincere, sympathetic, hilarious, thorough, thoughtful, sensitive, masculine (I had to include that too so I don't get in trouble for calling him sensitive), loving, and just about every other kind word you could think of.  He brings out the better in me which has saved me a lot of time trying to become it by myself.  One of my favorite things about Steve is the crazy analogies he comes up with which is a skill he inherited from his dad.  I would love to share a few with you at this moment. :)  

From the mouth of Steve:

"But remember you should take that with a grain of rice."

"That is negative progression!"

"I'm going to crush you like a dog!"

"Stace, you're playing with eggshells!"
"I feel like crap on a stick"
"He got gooched"

Hahahaha - I'm sure you can figure out the correct uses of the phrases, but they are so much better with a little spice like Steve gives them.  He keeps the spark and humor in our marriage so well.  He is the most amazing father I could ever have imagined.  That was the part of him I had no idea was so wonderful until our little Ross was born.  He is so involved and helpful.  

 I love how he enjoys reading to Ross or playing with him on the floor. 

When I'm not looking he likes to watch a soccer or football game with Ross too...there's no hope for Ross - he's going to love soccer whether he likes it or not!

Ross loves him so much.  I'm so glad that Steve takes the time to be a dad and husband.  I know our family is going to be amazing and so strong because we the head of our family knows his job and does it well!  I thank my Heavenly Father every day that I was blessed enough to find and marry Steve.  He is incredible.

I love my sweet, hilarious husband!

White Family Reunion

So we have been family reunion hopping all month long!  We had the Esplin family reunion on Steve's mom's side, the Grenny reunion on my mom's side, and the White family reunion which is just Steve's family.  We had a great time up in Park City!  Unfortunately we didn't see any celebrities other than Michele Obama's car escort driving down the other side of the freeway!  Haha - we had a grand ol' time enjoying the pool, going to the cemetery in Salt Lake where more than 10 Prophets are buried, shopping, going to This is the Place Park, the alpine slide, and enjoying each other.  We loved it!  Ross did really well other than the fact that it had been a whole week since he had pooped!  The doctor have me feed him prune juice...and he was NOT happy about that. When he did finally poop 2 days later - I think Ross lost about 2lbs!  We had a great time playing ultimate spoons in the pool and using the prune juice for whoever lost - they had to drink a cap full of it.  Steve understood why Ross hated it so much!  Oh the joys of parenting. :)

Joseph Smith memorial and Joseph F. Smith's grave.

Hearing stories of the prophets from Don.

My 6th great grandfather - Zera Pulsipher baptized Wilford Woodruff - one of our prophets.

Erastus Snow - an apostle - is Steve's ancestor

President McKay's headstone providing some shade as we listen to more stories.

Happy Boy!

Ross's first swim!  You can see how happy he is about it.  I loved his swimsuit though - I wish you could see the crocodile on the shirt!  His cute belly is poking out though. :)

So I got a coupon to go to a fancy steakhouse on Park City Main St. for our 3rd anniversary - It was for $60...we soon found out how ritzy this place was!  Our bill was $100 - and they had even given our dessert to us for free!  That broccoli better be drenched in gold sauce!

Our food was AMAZING though.  Steve got a $41 steak...first time in his life!  He enjoyed every second of it. 

So since we're going into crazy debt for grad school we though we'd live it up one more time before we jumped in.

At "This is the Place" Park - enjoying the train ride.

Alpine slide time! 

Steve beat me of course!

Matching boys!  Steve got his shirt at the Gap outlet and I didn't realize till we got home that Ross had the same sort of shirt!  CUTE!