2019 Highlights

 1. Snow-magetton 2019. We got to build an igloo and an entire snow family! There was a lot of now and it was perfect!

2. Perfectly average picture but it is a common scene in our house.

3. Peanut turned 7 this year and she had an owl themed party and it was so so fun!! She is getting so so big!

4. I got to have another get away this time to Vegas to see Michael Buble with my cousins and it was THE best trip!! I got to go for five days and we had such an amazing time! 

5. Jakob got to be there for the opening bell. It was a big deal, that I really didn't understand but he was pretty stoked and I have since realized it was in fact a pretty big deal. You ring that bell babe!

6. We're expecting baby number 4!! We couldn't be more excited. Feeling great and can't wait to met this little nugget. 

7. Easter Sunday

8. Sprout turned 2 and had a Puppy Party at the park and it was a gong show but now I remember all the fun things! He loved his Puppy Cake.

9. Mother's Day. (We were out of town for Father's Day so no picture)

10. Jakob got tested for allergies. Over the course of the four years we have lived in KC his allergies have gotten insane. So he decided to get tested. turns out he has no food or pet allergies but nature is out to get him. this year he started doing allergy shots and it has made a world of difference! He's a pretty big fan!

11. It was that time of year again. Jakob needed to focus and study so the crew and I headed to Vegas for three weeks. We had SO much fun one of my highlights was driving up to Utah and going Kayaking! Worst sunburn of my life but it was a blast!!

12. We got to head up the mountain and watch Pa play. I love this picture of Sprout and Pa's band Aspen Ridge.

13. Jakob got to sign up to play Lacrosse this year with Matt Jacobs and he LOVED it! Those boys had a blast and the kids LOVED going to his games to watch him play.

14. Gramma and Pa came to visit a few times and we had some fun!

15. Oma came to visit us for three weeks and we were always on the go!

16. We spent almost every day at the swimming pool this summer. This kids swimming skills really improved. E was a diving board champ and Duke learned to swim without his life jacket! We are counting down the days until the pool opens up again!

17. If we weren't swimming, we were reading. E read 63 books this summer and Duke's reading skills really improved too!

18. Back to school.

19. We celebrated 10 years of marriage! !0 years! Holy Cow!

20. Duke turned 6 and had a Mario themed party. He had a blast!

21. Date nights and baby bumps. Yes Jakob is wearing his wedding suit.

22. After a great deal of squinting E got glasses. She loves them and she looks soooooooo cute in them!

23. I would love to say the project of the year was finishing the basement... but it's not. this year Mom, Dad and I ripped out and built new shelves for my living room and I LOVE it! Looking forward to ship lapping that wall and finishing that project!

24. Pumpkin patch this year. I LOVE the corn!! I can't wait to take another family picture here once the little man is born!

25. It was a Mario themed Halloween this year and it was so much fun!

26. Reddrick Karlson Tobler was born on 11.5.19 - 8lbs 5oz - 21 1/2" - 1:03 p.m.

He is all things perfect and we are all so in love with him. 

27. First family picture.

28. One of his first smiles.

29. I turned 30 this year and I feel I totally earned it. I think 31 will be a bit harder. 

30. Thanksgiving

31. There were so many baby pictures taken but this one make my heart swoon! Sprout is very protective of his brother. 

32. Christmas Jam Jams from Santa

33. Santa and Redd

34. We did a lifestyle photo shoot this year and I am complete obsessed with them!

35. SNOW!!! We love the snow!!

36. Gramma and Pa came for Christmas and it was wonderful!

37. The loudest, fastest Christmas nativity ever! 

38. Redd's first Christmas

39. Reddrick was bless on December 28th and it was beautiful!

40. Pa and his little name sake.

41. Happy New Year! 2019 was wonderful full of big milestones for our little family and we are excited for the Roaring 20's and all of the adventures they will hold.

2019 Resolutions

Things have slowed down and it's time again for some resolutions. I was actually really proud of myself last year. While I didn't accomplish everything I thought I would I did make huge strides to becoming the kind of person I want to be. I feel like 2018 was a great year. A year where we hit a stride of "we got this." (And I'm sure this year will rock our worlds.) Was is easy? No, some days kicked my butt. However, I feel like there is a give and a take and that we are learning to find a balance that works for us in the moment. Sometimes it is more give than take and that is okay too. So with that in mind, here are my resolutions for 2019.

1. Continue to improve my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I feel like I took quite a bit of time to dedicate to my spiritual self. I read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover which was awesome. I have never done that before and I am also in the habit of reading EVERY DAY. Guys, this is a first for me. We started reading scriptures as a family every night as part of the new Church curriculum and I am seeing so many blessing because of it! This year I would like to attend the temple more. It has been three years since I've attended. The last time was a year after Daddy passed away. We keep making excuses and I have decided to make it a priority. 
2. Continue to work on my mental health. This is something I do not talk about often. I always thought that I was immune to depression, that I had my crap together and that if I ignored it, it would be fine, when obviously that is the complete opposite of what I should do. Last year I really worked hard on keeping my mind clear on figuring out my triggers. If I would have an anxiety attack I would stop and immediately figure out what is causing it and fix it. Some days I was be anxious because my house was a mess, or a friendship wasn't what I wanted it to be, or the anxiety would mix with depression and I would feel totally alone. I realized that I am in control and that by doing simple things, I can solve most of my problems. Now, don't get me wrong, sometimes you need medication and help. I get that, but for me I have found a way to balance. If I feel alone... I make a play date, or if I feel cluttered... I clean, I try not to let my emotions swallow me up. While this seems like a basic concept it took me awhile to figure out and now that I have, I have more energy to focus on things I WANT to do vs worrying about all these things I felt were "out of my control." My resolution is to carry on. To figure out what is important and cut the rest out. To not do anything I don't want or HAVE to do. 
3. Magnify my calling. I started a new calling this year as primary chorister. It is my dream calling but it has brought on a string of challenges. I am trying to find the right balance which is an ever developing thing but I also want to teach the 99 but find the 1 as well. In our primary we have several "ones" and I want to try my hardest to let them know how much I love them and help them to have a testimony. It is tricky but I don't only want to "do" my calling I want to "magnify."
4. Make childhood magical. I think I really nailed this one last year, but this year I want to make it magical but simplify. Not everything has to be huge. Going to Vegas was fun this summer, but it wasn't the trip that made it, it was the people. My favorite summer memories are of swimming and the beach and buying ice cream cones and eating them outside while they melted. Somethings are big but other moments were small and I want to focus more on that. 
5. Date my husband more. By the end of the day or the week Jakob and I are usually swimming with so many to-do's or we just want to relax or we feel the kids need extra love and attention. while those are all wonderful things, I also feel like we need to take a minute to focus on each other. We need more dates and they don't have to be black tie gala's but sometimes small things are more fun. I love spending time together.

Christmas Card 2018

2018 - E turned 6 - My Little Pony Birthday - Owl Obsessed - First Trip to Disneyland - Sprout turned 1 - Mountian Birthday - Such a Busy Baby & Growing Up Much Too Fast -  Great - Grandpa Heyden Returned Home to our Heavenly Father - Jakob Passed CFA level 2 - Trip to Vegas - Quick Visit to Canada - California with Cousins - YW High Adventure in Colorado - Duke Turned 5 - Dinosaur Birthda - Dinosaur Obsessed - E in First Grade - Duke in Kindergarten - Taylor Swift Concert - Girls Trip to Vegas - Jakob did lots of Shooting - Steph is Book Obssessed and Always Crafting - "Friends"giving in Kansas - Christmas in Kansas - Eternally Blessed

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! May the season be filled with love, family and joy!

Santa Photos 2018

 The first week of December was crazy!! We had parties and all sorts of events and we were unable to make it down to Crown Center. Thankfully, the following week wasn't too busy. 

 

E asked Santa for Callico Critters, Duke asked for Transformers and Sprout was just happy when he no longer had to sit next to him! 

then we ran around and explored for awhile! I love Crown Center at Christmas time! It's so gosh darn festive!

This boy is so silly!

This big tall tree!

After seeing the Nutcracker E was thrilled to find one!

We then spent a few minutes climbing on all of the cars outside! SO FUN!

It was a fun and festive evening! I love my tribe!