It's A....

Any guesses? I had my ultrasound on Friday and was able to find out whether we are having a girl or a boy. I have been thinking of the baby as a girl and we have several girl's names that we like. We can't agree on ANY boy's names. So, of course, in true Farar fashion we are having a boy! Everyone says, "Oh don't worry about it, you will come up with a name", but seriously I am always perusing baby names and after several years we haven't been able to come up with a name so now I really feel pressured to do so in just a couple of months! (Great, one more thing to worry about right now :)) I absolutely love the name Teegan (sp. optional) but Dallin says it is too girly. I also kind of like names like Blake, Camden, and Davin (the only one of which Dallin doesn't totally reject is Blake but he already has a cousin named that). Dallin likes names like Clyde, Jackson and Parker. I object. Soooo, PLEASE send us any and all of your great ideas for boys names! I tend to like variations of traditional names (ie made up names), names from last names/ church names (but not Kimball, Brigham, Tanner, etc.), or names from places (like Boston). Dallin likes plane, old, regular boy's names but seems to be open to the types of names I like as long as they are not too girly, don't make him think of any bad nicknames, or aren't already taken by one of his 500 cousins or friends (like that leaves me a lot of options!) I really don't know how we are going to be able to agree on TWO boy's names (first and middle) so Heeeellllllllp!

3:10 to Yuma

Dallin has accepted a job to work in an urgent care facility (PrimeCare) in Yuma, Az. Yeahhhhh! So we will be skipping the looooong winters in PA and heading out to sunny AZ. Although I personally would have preferred the Phoenix area, there are plenty of plusses to living in Yuma- Grandma and Grandpa, lots of other relatives, close to San Diego, etc. Dallin really enjoyed his interview with PrimeCare and is really excited to be working in urgent care. Although he will generally be working four 12-hour shifts (including some nights and weekends) that means he will have three days off every week.

We will drive out to Phoenix for Thanksgiving and to look around for housing. I will fly back to PA with the kids to finish packing up the house and drive once again to AZ sometime before Christmas. It might sound a little crazy, but I think it will be the least stressfull method.

I'm excited for all of the new possibilities. I'm very grateful that Dallin found a job and now we can stop begging and borrowing for money and start paying everything back. On to the new adventure!

Halloween Fun

The kids had a fun time for Halloween. Although Halloween isn't really one of my favorite holidays and despite spending two full days doing nothing but work on their costumes, I think in the end these two adorable little faces made it all worth it. They both did a great job playing their parts and Talmage wasn't shy with his ggrrrrr-aarrrghs.

Of course we carved pumpkins. The kids helped pull out the innards and Kaia drew the pattern for the Jack-O-Lantern.

(These were the best shots I could get since I don't have a tripod.)

Since it rained here on Halloween, we didn't take the kids out trick-or-treating. They didn't mind though because they have just as much fun waiting for the kids to come to our door and then handing out the candy. Besides, they had already gotten plenty of loot and had lots of fun the night before at the trunk-or-treat at the church.

Waiting

Have you all been wondering what has been going on at the Farar household these last few months? Well, we have been ..... waiting. I'm not one who likes not knowing what's happening in the next five years let alone in the next five weeks, but that is exactly what I have had to do. I seriously had my life planned up until the end of September and then after that was a deep dark abyss of the unknown. So here we are in the abyss still .... waiting. Waiting for Dallin to find a job, waiting to know where we will end up, waiting to know how everything is going to work out (living arrangements, financial situation, the next five years after that- I won't bore you with the entire list), and waiting for our new little one to arrive (just checking to see if anyone still checks on my blog).

Okay, okay. So things aren't all as bad as I may worry that they are, but I seriously really, really, really, really dislike (I'm trying to not use the word "hate") not knowing where to put my feet next. Thankfully, there is quite a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Dallin is currently interviewing for jobs out in Arizona (hence I am able to take the time to blog). He has already been offered a position at each of his first two interviews (both in Yuma) and he still has two more to go (Casa Grande and Avondale)! Way to go Dear! The offers far exceed anything I was expecting, so it looks VERY likely we will end up somewhere in AZ very soon. My cogs are already turning with "what if's" and "maybe we could's", but we'll wait 'til Dallin gets back before we make a final decision.

And, yes, I was teasing you to pique your interest, so, if you have read this far you now know that we are expecting. I am due April 23 and of course we are very excited. Kaia says I am having two babies because she wants a girl and Talmage wants a boy. One of them is going to have to wait a while longer than the other to get what they want!

I'll try to keep you a little more up to date because obviously there will be a lot going on in the next little while.

Dallin's Done!

...well, almost. Dallin has finished all of his classes and tests for school and will officially graduate on Saturday (the 1st). He still has some review lectures this week and then will study on his own to take his national board certification exam (probably at the beginning of Sept.). Then he will be loosed on the world! Unfortunately we still don't know exactly where in the world that will be. We are very excited, but are also nervous about all of the unknowns. Hopefully we can find a great job in a place we love and live happily ever after. Either way, I am proud of Dallin and all that he has accomplished. Waaaahoooooo!

Doing the Wave

Dallin started a game with the kids where they sit on the front steps and wave to all the cars that pass and see how many will wave back. Believe it or not, not too many people wave back. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt since our steps are about 5 feet above street level and there is a good hill in the road just past our house. However, the kids get very excited when someone does wave or honk. Especially Talmage. I have to constantly keep checking for him when I send them out in the backyard to play. He'll run down the side of the house and usually gets in one wave and a "Hiii" before I can catch him. The thought of him being out there by himself sets off all of my motherly insticts and makes my hair stand on end, muscles tighten up, and a few other feelings that only come to a mother when her child's life is in any way threatened. Yeah, I'm not so thrilled that they have been taught to play on top of a big stone wall next to a busy street but as long as they are supervised I guess I will survive.

Lets Go Fly A Kite

Dallin got these kites a while back, so for one FHE we attempted to go fly them at the park. Although we didn't really get them up too well (the wind kept dying just as we would get it going), the kids still enjoyed it. Kaia ran her little heart out several times (my camera wasn't fast enough to catch her), would get tuckered out and catch her breath for 30 seconds, then be ready to try it again. Talmage wouldn't let go of his kite's tail so Dallin had to just hold up the kite and let Talmage trot along behind him. After a few minutes of that, the kids were both ready to go play on the jungle gym. Simple pleasures.

Sunday Walk

Although the weather can't seem to make up its mind (it's constantly changing), we were able to take advantage of a wonderful spring Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago to take a walk. Beautiful! If I didn't have to live through such a long winter to get to this fleeting beauty I wouldn't mind living in PA longer.

(The dress Kaia is wearing is a dress that I got in Germany from my Oma (grandma). I have a few more of my dresses that Kaia is now big enough to wear, so I'll keep pointing them out.)

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has finally sprung here in Scranton, PA. Well, actually, it snowed at the beginning of April, then the next week was as hot as it ever gets in the summer (high 80's) and now it seems to have stabilized to the cool (50's), cloudy, sprinkly spring. It really threw my bulbs and the blossoms for a loop so my favorite part didn't last for very long, but I am truly grateful to see green aplenty. I planted a lot of bulbs (daffodils and tulips) in the fall hoping for a blast of color when they bloomed, but because of the weather and different areas of shade in my yard they are just blooming one at a time. Bummer! Although Mr. Groundhog had to wait a lot longer than 6 weeks, I think he is happy to be out of his den (however, even though he is cute, I wish he would go back in because he keeps eating my lettuce!) (This picture had to be taken from in the house because he is very skittish.)The kid's have loved being able to play outside.

Talmage Turns Two

I can't believe I'm actually posting about something the same week it happened (Dallin is studying for his test so I get a little time to myself). Talmage turned two on Friday (the 1st). Even though he is almost as old as Kaia was when we moved to PA, Talmage is still my baby boy. I still love to cuddle him to sleep at nap time (and catch 5 minutes myself) and I find myself carrying him way more than I should. Not that I care when my kids hit certain milestones, but it is interesting to note the differences between Kaia and Talmage at the same ages. Kaia is my quick-learning, independent, leader. Talmage is happy to follow and is quickly showing me what a boy he is (today was the first time I had to scrub "artwork" off the walls). We have had more than one person tell us that Talmage always seems to have a little mischievious sparkle in his eye and grin on his face. This ought to be an interesting year.

Since our Stake Conference was scheduled on Friday night, we prolonged Talmage's B-day and celebrated by going to Chuck E. Cheese's on Saturday and having cake and presents on Sunday. While we were out on Saturday I got some helium balloons and hid them in the trunk. Talmage was very excited to see them on Sunday morning. Finally, we were able to enjoy some truck cake despite the gravitational challenges (the bumpers and lights didn't want to stay put). Also note the "flat" right rear tire- Talmage had already found and helped himself to his unassembled cake. Silly boy. (Kaia took the picture above- not bad!)

We love our happy, sweet Talmage!

Easter

Easter is absolutely my favorite holiday- the colors, fresh flowers, bunnies, pretty dresses, chocolate, new life, hope, breath of fresh air, warmth, ......... and Peeps- what's not to like? We didn't do a lot for Easter, but after church we did have an egg hunt and the kids had a good time. Growing up, my mom would always hide our baskets at the same time as the eggs and we had to find our own basket before we were able to pick up ANY eggs. I think it was her way of leveling the playing field for the big kids vs. the little kids, but I like the tradition and have stuck with it.

This year I also included a large, empty plastic egg in the baskets to help us remember the empty tomb. Since it was the first egg they were able to get their hands on (and it was the biggest) Kaia immediately opened it up, but was a little disappointed to find it empty. This was exactly what I wanted and I took the opportunity to ask her, "Why do you think the egg is empty?" Since I hadn't talked to her about it I didn't expect her to know, but she answered something like, "It's empty like the tomb." Wow. It's nice to know that she has such a great sunbeam teacher (thanks Christina!) AND that she is starting to listen. (Kaia is wearing a dress that my mom made for me.)

After that, the eggs were a free for all and they have been enjoying one a day since then.

Kaia's B-day!

Although it was forever ago, Kaia had a great time on her birthday (Jan 25th). She is a very grown up 4 year old and I am so proud of her. Now that she is four, Kaia has taken on more responsibility for herself, but she still can't wait until she is big and can do this or that when she gets all the way down to 14 (as she tells everyone). Apparantly that is the magical age when she will be able to do everything and be like Mom and Dad. If only she knew....

Kaia had a huge friend birthday party, but since it was the dead of winter we had to pack everyone into our house. It was a madhouse, but I think Kaia enjoyed finally having her day after Christmas and all the other January birthdays of friends and family. The only real request Kaia had was a pink flower cake which she had talked about for weeks before her birthday. I was happy to oblige and she even helped me make it.

We love you Kaia!

Own Little World

What is it with kids and having to squeeze into the smallest place they can find? Whether it be in a fort, a playhouse, a cabinet, under bedcovers, in a box, behind the couch or any other nook or cranny they can find, my kids manage to play in the smallest spaces possible. Here's proof.

And my personal favorite: