WELCOME TO TOPEKA

We are feeling right home here in our Topeka town home!  We live close to everything we need... school, church, grocery stores and all.  The humidity here does make the temperature a bit more extreme, but all is good in the neighborhood.  It is beautiful here.  Topeka is full of rolling hills and lots of big trees!  The grass isn't the nice soft grass we are used to, but we just always wear our shoes out to play.  I haven't figured out many of the differences in culture yet, but I am sure it will come!  There are little moments each day that remind us that we are where we are supposed to be at this point in our lives.

We attended our ward for the first time today and meet many wonderful people.  I know i am not in Utah anymore, because I was told today that we have a lot of kids!  

Jaime started school on Monday and is quickly making friends and seems eager to learn and be part of things.  I am grateful for the rock he has been for me and the girls, as we have dealt with unexpected feelings as we adjust to change!  

I (Sarah) have been able to work from home in the mornings and then be with my kiddos the rest of the day.  I plan to really work on my music while I am here, so you can expect to hear more of that from me!  Just need to get situated and back into the swing.

Taylor started 1st grade on Tuesday at Shaner Elementary, and has loved meeting new friends and taking part in new classes such as music and gym.  Taylor has had a bit of a harder time than anyone here because she truly misses all of you.  She has been practicing the piano a lot and has learned "Mary had a little lamb."

Macie...well....she still thinks that any one of you will come knocking at our door at any moment, so doesn't quite understand the distance between us!  She has been a real strength to Taylor by comforting her when she is sad, "Don't worry Sissy, we will see them in like 3 hours at Christmas!"   She practices writing lots of peoples names every day (on paper actually!!!) and is getting very good at writing neatly and coloring in the lines.

Hazen has been growing like a weed as to be expected and continues to be a joy to all of us.  I am sure he will be quite chubby before we know it!  

Well, just wanted to give you a little peek into our lives here.  I know that it has only been 1.5 weeks, but it feels like we have already been here for 1 month.  We are excited to be here and would love to have any visitors at any time.  We truly appreciate all the help and support we have received not only through this transition, but through the many transitions we have had in our lives.

May you feel of our love from afar!

--
Much love,

Sarah Jayne

Benson and Clair Online Auction

Please click below to check out the online auction.  This is to raise money for my friends 2 young children who have that were both born with a rare genetic disease that will require each of them to have a kidney/liver transplant.  Please spread the word!  There are so many cute things to choose from!  Thank you

MY BIG FAMILY

I realize it has been quite a long time but we are soon to get the internet at our home so it should get better! I sure miss being able to check all of your blogs regularly!

This is my big family! We have not had a complete family picture taken (besides weddings) since I was like 6! My how we have grown since then!

Below is immediate family. My mom and all and my brothers and sisters! By the way lindsay Had her baby on Wednesday and he is so dang cute!

And now for mine and jaime's family! Aren't we cute!
AND NOW FOR MY GIRLS!

My beautiful girls!

You know how you always spend so much thought in preparation for special days and how your kids are going to look in their cute outfits you planned out for them, and how you are going to do their hair. All for the pictures right! For some reason, we always believe that they are going to enjoy it just as much as we do and for some reason, they never do. Well that is how easter went for us! Taylor did enjoy it and looked so pretty, but macie would not stop crying long enough for me to take a cute picture of her! Oh Well!

YES!! I KNOW.......

EARLY EASTER EGG HUNT!


We had an easter egg hunt with all the cousins at my bro's house last week and I though you would all love to see how cute and big they are getting! Macie is the one on the top right so she is a little bigger than the last time you saw her! She is now 18 months which means NURSERY!

Things out here in Syracuse have been great! We love it. We have amazing neighbors and so many kids out there to play with my kids!

Life is still busy, but good! I miss being home with my girls every day, but I am thankful to my family and Jaime's Family for being so willing to help us out! It feels a lot better than daycare!

Taylor is going to be 4 in June. (The thought of Kindergarden next year is crazy!) She is getting to be so mature now. She is a very loving big sister. She and Macie sure play together a lot now!

Well, I will try to be better at this blogging thing! I miss it, that is for sure!

LOVE YOU ALL!


John and Chandi's boys (Keaton and Brannock)


















MACIE!
Em and Vinnies boy, McCoy

















Lindsay's little one, Brynlee and my Macie

The line up!

Steve and Shelley's girl Lexi

My Taylor Jayne! (so big!) MACIE! Enjoying candy after the hunt!

Holiday Post

This post will not include any pictures but I feel impressed to write! I have always absolutely loved the holiday season. Yes, as we all know, I love shopping! But even bigger than that is the feeling of this time of year. This year more than ever I have been able to reflect on the true meaning of these holidays (possibly because I cannot go shopping!) But I am thankful for it. I feel closer to my little family, and I feel a love from my savior more than every before. I feel a warmth in my heart that I have not allowed myself to feel for quite sometime.

I am not sure if any of you have felt this way before, but for probably the last six months I have felt a little bit shut down. Not that I haven't been happy, but I don't feel emotions that I am used to feeling. You know that I am quite an emotional gal, but that has been gone. I never thought that I would miss that feeling but I realized that I was blessed with that tenderness for a reason. I believe it is a blessing that allows me to truly care for others and there happiness. Just 1.5 weeks ago I was able to sing with Brittany at her Relief Society Christmas program and we watched a slide show called "Reflections of Jesus Christ." In that moment I was able to feel the spirit more strongly than I have felt for a long time, and since then I have been overwhelmed with emotion and I am glad to have it back.

I feel as though I can "feel" again! I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful holiday and that you are able to spend time reflecting on the true meaning.

Merry Christmas,

Sarah

LATE HALLOWEEN!

I am finally putting my girls halloween pictures up! Taylor wanted to be a rock star so then we all decided to be rock stars! Here we are Rockin out on Halloween!

As you can see in this picture, piglet has a costume on too! That was Taylor's doing!!!
And yes....Macie walks now! like crazy! She is still a generally happy baby as long as we are home! I think she is going to be a home body cause the minute we go anywhere else, she is not quite the same! But CUTE as ever!!!

Taylor and I had fake eyelashes and she looked awesome with them! People kept asking if she was supposed to be Hannah Montana and I guess she is on her shirt but she just went along with it! So now she always asks about Hannah Montana as if they are best friends!! Awesome!

Taylor and her cousin Lexi ended up combining costumes by the end of the night and playing with eachothers stuff and this is what we ended up with! A RockStar tinkerbell and A Violent tinkerbell!

My Sister Allison was a Barrel or Monkeys! I loved it and the kids loved it! And Lindsay and mark and brinley were the Flinstones. Yes, I do get to take credit for there costumes! I made them! I thought they turned out very cute!