Radio Silence

So, we've been out of the blogosphere for 3.5 months. It is easy to mark that time because our/ my last post (since Brandon is still tasked with writing the birth story) was about Grace's birth. Crazy that in just 4 month's time we can't picture our family without her...I literally think Alyse doesn't remember life PG (pre-Grace). When we look at past pictures Alyse always asks "Where's Gracie?" and she looks pretty confused as we try to explain that she was either "in mommy's belly" or not there yet. I've been putting off blogging because we've been a bit busy with new baby, graduation, moving across the country, and just settling into our new lives...AND I'm overwhelmed with all I want to make sure to document. But, right now, as I type, both girls are sleeping, I'm done eating lunch and exercising and although I could take a nap, should take a shower, and have some other to-do's on my list, I feel like writing about our life...and sharing it with all of you :) To get me back into the blogging mode, I'm going to just share our recent happenings and then go back little by little to make sure we fill in the gaps during our 3.5 months of radio silence. This little munchkin

Now looks like this

And these two sisters

Are getting better at being sisters :)

Brandon is loving his job and learning the ins and outs of different industries and being involved on a macrolevel looking strategically at their finances and operations. We're sharing a car so he rides his bike to work about twice a week. He's getting used to having a different schedule that allows him to be home in the evenings and weekends without homework hanging over his head...no complaints here about that!

He and Alyse go on little explorations and runs outside after dinner every night and now have their own "hiding spot" where they collect leaves and flowers to bring home. We've gone to explore some of Livermore's summer activities, namely the awesome Farmer's Market, community pool, and splash pad fountains downtown.

I've fallen into a little routine of walking/jogging with a new friend twice a week who lives around the corner and feel so grateful to again be blessed to be around amazing women (most of them I don't know well yet, but I'm working on it!). We go to a playground after our walk and Alyse is becoming little buddies with her 4 year old boy...he's helping her get into the dirt and sand and grass and climb on the playground, etc. Our new ward has park day every Wednesday so we meet other moms and young kids once a week at a different park. On our car days we go grocery shopping or run other errands. The other week we drove to the post office and then got smoothies at my fav place that just happens to be in Livermore (Robeks!) and sat by the splash pad fountains in the middle of the day...just me and the girls.

I'm running a lot more (the weather is simply amazing!) and am (hopefully!) getting a used double BOB this weekend (so excited!) to help in running with the girls more comfortably. My hope is to post more about our last weeks in Chicago and our in between visit the family weeks too...but just in case it's another 4 months before I sit down to blog, here are a few snapshots of some of the grandparents with the kiddies. LOVED all of our family time this summer!

All in all, just adapting to living in a new home (it's a little bigger so it takes longer to tidy up!), a new town, around new people, an almost three year old who throws new tricks at us every day (sometimes literally), and oh yeah with a somewhat new baby :)