Our Trip to Utah for Grandma LaFeber's Funeral

This was the last time we saw Grandma LaFeber at her Nursing Home. It took her a while to remember who Josh was, but she was the sweetest woman in the world and was just so happy to have visitors (even ones she didn't remember)!

Josh and his brothers were Pall Bearers along with their cousins. The masks were because of the pandemic. This is life now. We wear masks everywhere :(.

 Josh's sweet Grandma LaFeber passed away and we made a trip up North for her funeral. Ironically, it happened on Josh's birthday week so he already had the time off from work! We just had to change our plans a bit to accommodate this sad event. But it ended up being such a blessing to be around family and to get out of Nevada for a little while. We are still in the middle of a Pandemic and life has been rough. So getting out of the house was exactly what we all needed! Millie LaFeber was the sweetest woman and I loved hearing stories about her during her funeral. There is a huge family feud in Art's family and it was a little awkward, but we talked to everyone and did our best to show people that we aren't a part of their drama. After the viewing we went to Aunt Becky's house (Art's sister) and talked for hours with cousins and family members. It was so fun and they all loved Isla. **We left Austin and Evie with my sister, Briana, in Nevada because it was going to be a quick trip and we didn't want to expose them to COVID-19 by bringing them around a whole bunch of strangers at a funeral. Isla has to go wherever I go because she is breastfeeding and I felt that breastfeeding provides her extra protection from viruses.** It was also so nice to only have 1 kid to take care of! It truly felt like a much needed vacation!! Like I said, the circumstances were sad, but they were also positive. Millie had Alzheimers and her mind had been gone for years. She was 98 years old when she died and she lived a full, happy life. So I was actually happy for her to be able to go home to heaven finally and be reunited with her husband and son (Art). With how insane this world is getting, I know for a fact that she is in a better place. What is interesting is she was born during the Spanish Influenza Pandemic and when she was 3 months old, her mother died from that virus. Then she died during the COVID-19 Pandemic! Crazy huh!

Some sweet pictures of Millie's life

From what Josh tells me, she and her husband fought constantly, but remained married their entire lives.

Her childhood. She didn't have an easy life by any means, growing up without a mother. But she was always happy. That was what everyone remembered. Such a beautiful reminder for the rest of us going through such a hard time right now.

Isla loved having all the attention to herself at Grandma and Grandpa's house :)

I am so grateful for such wonderful, supportive inlaws. Even though the death was on Art's side of the family, they came and supported us by watching Isla so we could take part in the funeral.

She tried so hard to push that stroller like a big girl, and was so proud of herself once she did it! :)

Milestones: Isla 10 Months Old!

It is getting so hard to take your picture because you are always happily on the move!

Sweet Isla, you are getting so big and it is happening way too fast! You now have 4 front teeth, you can stand unassisted (but not walking yet), and you are eating solid foods like a champ! You are doing your best to keep up with your siblings and you are becoming more and more attached to your Mama. It has been hard for me to homeschool Austin because you want to be in my arms at all times! You love to sit in my lap and read stories, and you are getting harder to take a picture of because you never sit still! If we turn our backs on you for a second, you are already halfway up the stairs or playing in the toilet! I have to keep reminding people to keep the bathroom doors closed because you LOVE playing in the bathroom.... the toilet brush being a big draw for you (to my utter horror). I am chasing you every second of the day and it is exhausting! But you make me smile every second of the day so it is worth it :). You know what the word "NO" means and you stop whatever you are doing to start shaking your head vehemently when you hear it. It is the cutest thing and it makes me laugh so hard! I can't even explain how smart you are. It is amazing, truly! You try to repeat every word we say as verbal skills have always been your forte! You can now hold your own bottle and you love getting into EVERYTHING, making our house a disaster zone in minutes! I am scared to put up the Christmas tree this year because I can totally see you trying to climb it! No feat is too big in your eyes and I love that about you, but it can also be very scary! Last night, you made us laugh by army crawling behind the couch so you could get into Evie's school desk (we block it off so you can't get to it) and you were so proud of yourself when you made it! The world is going to be your oyster baby girl, that much I am sure of! 

Your favorite activity :)

You always go for Evie's headphones whenever you break into her school desk area ;)

Getting ready for your first football game!

Daylight Savings time was rough this year. You did NOT approve....

Holding your own bottle like a big girl!

I nicknamed you "Munchies" because I LOVE to munch on those squishy cheeks!

Everywhere we go, people tell me they just absolutely LOVE your smile! It is so sweet and so big! You make people smile without even trying, everywhere we go :).

LaFeber Life Lately: Hello Fall!!

 I don't have much time so I'm going to let the pictures do the talking. We have welcomed in fall with Halloween decorations and a trip to the apple orchard with friends! We have been spending the rest of our time homeschooling and trying not to go crazy during a pandemic!

Getting creative with Homeschooling!

Isla and Austin learning about Dinosaurs in science

On a morning walk before school to check out the neighborhood Halloween decor!

We take pleasure in the small things nowadays, and getting out of the house is one of them!

A beautiful day at the park!

AND this is me trying to get some work done for my RN job while I am simultaneously homeschooling the kids AND nursing a cranky infant! Life has not been easy I tell you!

God Bless America! Today was September 11th and we had a lesson on the meaning of this day in homeschool today.

Evie doctoring up her favorite tree. She speaks "tree" and he told her he wasn't feeling very good.

Evie loves to help me with Isla and on this special day she told me to go ahead and eat my dinner because she was going to feed the baby for me :).

Working on their nature notebooks.

I have been getting up early every morning so I can go on a walk alone and watch the sun rise. It is my only time alone when I can talk to God and find answers to my many questions. We are taking each day by day and I am so grateful for this time to align my desires and fears with God's plans for me and my family.

Science: Austin writing out his hypothesis about color mixing

Using Skittles to mix colors and test out our theories!

We have started FUN FRIDAY where we do all things fun! This was cooking class!

Adding the cherry filling to her mini pie!

Evie was so proud of her little pie she made!

brushing their pies with butter to perfect that yummy flaky crust!

On Fun Friday we also do arts and crafts! Here they are painting sunflowers! I love how Austin made his background a beautiful blue sky, and Evie's background is every color of the rainbow. This is so typical of both kids' personalities!

Friday night is also homemade pizza night! Making the pizza dough with my girl was a blast!

Spending my Saturday morning wearing a mask (because we are in a pandemic and we have to wear it everywhere) and getting my CPR renewed :(

I love that we have encorporated family scripture study every morning and Family prayer. This pandemic has been rough, but it has allowed for precious moments like these.

In science we are trying to grow an avocado tree from an avocado pit!

I am also teaching the kids how to play the piano! Even Isla is loving it! haha!

The kids are loving it!

First day of fall means Halloween decor!

It might still be 99 degrees outside, but at least it looks like fall!

We went on a fun field trip with friends to the Gilcrease Orchard!

I can't even tell you how amazing it felt to be outside with friends on this day!! This pandemic has made it so hard to socialize which has caused a depression in all of us.

Austin and Owen!

Picking apples!

Evie and Blakely!

Austin picked this gigantic cucumber and then came home and ate the ENTIRE THING!!! He was so proud of himself!

After the field trip, we went back to Chauntelle's new house and did a fun science experiment with all the kids!

Learning about apples and seeds

Making apple boats and testing their hypothesis if it floats or not!

Isla and Emery playing in the grass while the older kids do their experiments!

Evie and Blakely were the same age as their baby sisters when they first met and became friends. This picture melts my heart!

After apple picking, we came home and made apple pie!

Nothing like a homemade apple pie to put a smile on everybody's faces!

Even Isla got some apples!

The mornings have been so gorgeous lately! So we took our morning scriptures outside!

I had a really rough night and was crying to Briana and Sadie on the phone. My Mom has been losing her mind and then calling and ruining my days and my Dad got hit by another car :(. So the next day Josh sent me this and it made my whole week!

Grateful for the love of my life!

For Fun Friday, we made these fun yarn pumpkins!

Waiting for the yarn to dry so we can pop the balloons.

The final product!

And I finally got my hair cut! It has been over 5 months and was much needed!!