Dutch Oven Cookout

A couple weeks ago Abram took us up into the mountains for a dutch oven cookout. He built us a fire and cooked potatoes, onions and carrots while the rest of us relaxed and explored.





We're so blessed to live in such a beautiful country and to enjoy the many freedoms that we do. And I'm blessed to have such a wonderful, healthy little family.

Pumpkins!

For family home evening this week we surprised the boys and took them to our friends' pumpkin patch. Elijah has been so excited about Halloween decorations this year.

McKay just loves to do anything with the family. Especially when he gets to wear his new cowboy shirt from Mol.



And Heidi is just happy to be snuggled wherever we are.

A beautiful day

Last Saturday my midwife and friend Tami invited me to come ride horses with her. She has so many gorgeous horses, and she lives in the most beautiful spot in all of the Uintah Basin. Abram and I wish we could build a house on her property. Love it. While I rode with Tami and her adopted 10-year-old son Patrick, Abram went exploring with Elijah, McKay and Heidi. At one point I looked across a valley and saw my little family hiking down a mountain side. I galloped my horse over to see them, and Elijah started running to me at full speed. Abram said it was just like a scene from a storybook. Fortunately, he had a camera on his phone and snapped a few pictures. You'll have to look really closely to see us.




He's such a cutie. I also got to take McKay for a ride, but for some reason we didn't get any pictures of that. They both loved being cowboys. I hopped off for a little while to let Abram ride and take his boys for a ride, and I fed Heidi out in that beautiful scenery. It was magical.

And THEN... Oh man. Tami let me ride her big beautiful Friesian mare. I got to lope her around the pasture for a while. That mare felt incredibly powerful, but she was so gentle and wonderful to ride. What a fantastic day!

6 weeks! (and, isn't it supposed to be Fall?)

Little Heidi Alice is 6 weeks old today. She's such a smiley little bundle, even when she sleeps. Ah! So squeezable!!

She went to church for the first time last Sunday. It was fun for Mamma to dress her up, of course. A little girl! Sometimes I still can't believe it!

And... I thought September 21st was always the first day of Fall. Huh? I looked at the calendar this morning, and Fall doesn't officially start until Friday, the 23rd. Oh. Well the boys already helped me make these teeny cute mini apple pies... and eat them. So cozy and yummy. We baked four of them up and put 4 more in the freezer for one of those days... you know what days I mean.

One month photos

Here's our newest little sunshine, one month old. What a sweet little smiley girl she is. Her big brothers can't get enough of her.

Okay, so neither can I.

Miss Heidi

Has it really been 3 weeks? Wow. Our little Heidi Alice was born at our home on Wednesday, August 10 at 3:10 am. It was such a beautiful, peaceful birth. No, it wasn't easy, but it was so amazing and so worth it. Abram, Mum, and Molly were with me, along with Tami, my midwife, and Donnette, Tami's assistant. And Whitney was in the living room with the boys, who stayed up most of the night, excited to have a fun cousin to play with! I had such a wonderful support team, and I couldn't have asked for or imagined a more perfect birth experience.

Heidi was 6 lbs 12 oz (my smallest baby so far), but has already gained close to 2 pounds. Her cheeks are filling out and she's starting to outgrow some of her newborn clothes. She has hair as red as Elijah's, and I think her eyes will be just as blue.

Abram helping me during contractions. (That's Tami, my awesome midwife, next to us.)

Enjoying the water and my family between contractions. (Thanks, Molly, for taking all the pictures!!)

The perfect water birth.

Proud Pappa.


Weighing in with a clean bill of health!


Elijah and McKay loving on little sister! (And after three weeks they still won't leave her alone.)

Our beautiful babysitter. (Thanks, Whitney, for being so awesome with the kiddos!)

And our beautiful daughter.

(Heidi: Don't swaddle me, I've had my share of being squished into a ball!)


But I do love snuggling...


We did it! She's here! And she's beautiful, healthy, and very, very loved.

Beautiful Garden

Abram should be really proud of this gorgeous garden. What a blessing to have it. And TODAY I ate my very first cherry tomato out of the garden! YUM! All warm from the sun... I am looking forward to more! Left to right we have corn and pumpkins, green beans, watermelon, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, beets, cilantro, dill and salad greens.

(You can click on the picture to see it bigger)