Summer Coming to an End... and Lots of Change

This summer was a blink, I have no idea where it went, but it was a great one. August, of all the months, seemed to fly the quickest, I think because our lives were literally a whorl wind of craziness.

We enjoyed our Zoo pass a few more times and met up with our friends, the Hales, they all seem like Coop's older siblings, it's so sweet to see them play together.

 

We had some very hot days and all Cooper wanted to do is play outside, so his water table got LOTS and lots of use.

Coop "driving" with Daddy; he loves to stand at the steering wheel and pretend to drive, he is definitely 100% boy when it come to that; he's totally a planes, trains and automobiles kind of kid. He's become obsessed with a few of his books that have all of the aforementioned and anytime we see or hear a plane or helicopter he makes a surprised "O" face and points up, it's so sweet.

Ryan and I had some big decisions come up in August; Ry has been applying for lots of different jobs, he's been wanting a change of pace and just felt like it was time for a new job. He got a job offer from one of his big customers, Commander Industrial, a heavy industrial company based out of Utah to be their Field Operations Manager slash safety guy and financial guy. We were at the gym together when he got the offer and he pulled me out of my pilates class early to talk with me about it and get things figured out, we both felt really good and at peace about the decision and were excited for the new chapter in our lives. Two days later Ryan got an offer for a job he'd interviewed for earlier and really wanted, as an area manager for a furniture chain up here, when I heard this I felt sick and confused, Ry was super stressed and then we were both wondering if committing to Commander was the right decision. After a few grueling days of pros and cons list making, praying, discussing and weighing everything out for the thousandth time we finally decided Commander was the right decision and this was going to be a great change! Ry continued working at Gem State while they tried to find a new manager, all the while also trying to "dangle more carrots" for Ry to stay, but we both knew that those carrots were just empty promises, he's seen quite a few the past three years. Ryan has absolutely loved his new job; it's challenging, which he loves, he works with some fabulous people and loves what he's doing.

The only down side has been that he is in Utah three to four days a week, but I do feel like I get to see him more when he's home which totally makes up for the few days he is gone. We got his office on the other side of our house finished so he can work from home when he's in town. There's a chance that we may have to move to Utah next year sometime, but ideally we want to stay in Pocatello as long as we possibly can, so i'm keeping my fingers crossed for lots of jobs up here.

Ry played in a few more golf tournaments, he had one up in Rexburg so we decided to go along and while Ry golfed we went to the zoo and the mall. Coop loved the penguins and the tiger was growling a ton, I think he was hot, but Coop got a kick out of that and has since makes a deep growling sound when we ask what a lion or tiger says. His vocabulary is increasing quickly and his animal sounds even faster, I think it's because he loves animals so much. Every dog is "Nana" not quite sure how to fix this one, maybe he will eventually grow out of it but I think it's cute, is that bad?

 

Another morning with the water table, i'm a little concerned with what our activities are going to consist of when winter rolls around because all Cooper wants to do is play outside all day long.

I've said it before, why do I buy this little nugget toys when all he needs is Nana's toys or kennel? He loves going in and out of this thing, I have since moved it to the backhall.

Look Momma, I'm locked in, and I love it!

Fall is just around the corner which means football season, Tyler's senior season!! Coop does great when we go to the games, it could be all the Sundays that Ry snuggles up with him and watches football, but he watches the ball, points and yells.

This time of year also means volleyball season, and LONG days of sitting in gyms cheering Mareesa on. We have decided to try and make all of their home games and have done a pretty good job, sleeping nugget and all.

My little Beethoven...He loves playing the piano at Gammie and Grampy's, when he gets a little older i'm definitely putting him in piano lessons. This kid has got rhythm and loves music, maybe dance too? No, Ry would kill me;-)

 

Silly boys...Cooper has started to make the same face we see us making in the reverse camera on our phones. He is such a ham and loves the camera, LOVE my boys.