This past weekend has been wonderful and we've had lots of family time together. We've finally unpacked all the boxes and put everything in it's place. Ammon & I saw a movie together on Thanksgiving while Maddie Sue and Daddy napped. He was also a huge help setting up and decorating the Christmas tree.

Maddie refused to keep the bow in her hair..I was shocked that Ammon was excited to wear his new tie!

Our precious little ones...

We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas. Always remember the true reason for this season!

Trip to San Francisco

We’re now living pretty close to San Francisco and took a trip there last weekend. One of the positives of living in a tiny hotel room is that we’re all eager be out and about. We’ve enjoyed visiting children’s museums, the beach, Pumpkin Festivals, and downtown San Francisco during the past month. Thankfully we’ll be moving into base housing on November 19th and we’re counting down the days.

Halloween

My mom has asked for pictures of the kids from Halloween a few times now. Life has been pretty crazy lately so I'm just getting around to it. Sorry Grandma Mort.

Little Red Riding Hood and Spiderman

Look! It's the Big Bad Wolf!

Ammon is ready to get some candy at our ward Trunk or Treat

In front of the decorations at the ward party. It was a great event with cool decorations, pizza, and a haunted hallway.


Spiderman and Little Red Ridinghood really enjoyed Halloween. We hope you all did as well.

Maddie's 2nd Birthday

It's hard to believe that it's been two years since Miss Maddie Sue came into our family. She brings us so much joy. I can't imagine our lives without her in it. She and Ammon are so funny together. We celebrated her birthday early with family in Arizona before we left for California. The weather was beautiful and we really enjoyed having everyone there with us. Thank you so much to everyone who made this day so special!

Maddie w/ Grandma KingMaddie w/ Grandpa & Grandma King

My Grandma Sue drove all the way from Tonto Basin to attend her party! This meant so much to have her there with us.

Birthday Girl with Mommy & Daddy

Thank you so much for all your help with the food and cupcakes Grandma King! Uncle Harold & Aunt Benselee

Uncle John, Aunt Karen, Maddie Sue, and Papa Patterson

Grandma & Grandpa PattersonPapa Mort, Maddie, & Grandma

A Day with Grandmas...

My mom took Ammon, Maddie Sue, and their cousins Kaili & Kennedy to visit my grandma in Tonto Basin while I worked on the job cost verification audit for Dean Douglas. They really enjoyed the special time together. They've also had the opportunity to spend a lot of quality time with my dad and stepmom too. They've been a HUGE help with the kids while I've been in Arizona. It's been difficult to be apart from Nathan, but we've enjoyed being able to attend special events (like Kennedy's birthday party and Daylen's baptism). We're sad to leave all of our great friends in Connecticut, but are excited to be closer to family. I've been horrible about taking pictures, but here are a few photos that my mom sent me.

Exciting (Yet sad) News to Share...

Life has been a little hectic lately. In early July, Nathan was offered a position with the California Air National Guard. We will be moving to the Mountain View area in a few months. I recently completed 2 HUD job cost verification audits for Dean Douglas, so the kids and spent time in Arizona. They enjoyed spending time with cousins, and it's been wonderful to spend some quality time with family.

Since September is a busy month for Nathan (usually works every day within the month to prepare for the fiscal yearend on September 30th), we've decided that it would be best for me to stay in Arizona with the kids to make this transition easier on them. We're sad to say goodbye to all of our wonderful friends in New England. We'll miss you all dearly. Thank you for all your love & support! At the same time, we're excited to be closer to our families and looking forward to a new chapter in our lives.

This posting is a little personal, but I wanted to share some news with close friends and family without having to speak individually with each of you.

Ammon's preschool recommended a team of psychologists (Gershon Psychological Associates) that conducted various testing over the past few months. Nathan and I met with the doctor today to discuss their finding. We now have a specific diagnosis, which she referred to as "Pervasive developmental disorder - NOS" a.k.a. "PDD-NOS". Some people diagnosed with PDD-NOS are close to having Asperger syndrome but do not quite fit, which is how we've always felt about Ammon & his situation. As time progresses, Ammon's diagnosis could change slightly depending on whether or not the social / emotion gap between him and other children widens or closes... Time will tell I guess. A diagnosis doesn't really change anything, but it will help him receive services and extra help in school which would be instrumental in helping him overcome some of issues that he faces.

Meeting with the doctor has given me great peace of mind. This has truly been an answer to our prayers. She provided us with a lot of recommendations, which I think will help Ammon overcome some of the social and emotional issues that he experiences. I'm so incredibly grateful for the wonderful preschool that he's been able to attend and the support that they've offered to him and our family. It's amazing how prayers are answered. The past 18 months have been a difficult time for me and our family. We're so grateful for all the love and support that we've received from our ward, friends, and family.

Ammon is blessed to have so many people who love and care for him.

4th of July in Boston

Nathan's 32nd Birthday

We celebrated Nathan’s 32nd birthday with Andy McFarland (one of his friends from high school) and a few close friends. The weather was great and finally cooled down a bit after a long heat wave.

Ammon's 5th "CowBoy" Birthday

We celebrated Ammon's 5th Birthday this weekend with close friends. He attended a birthday party in April for Bryson Ottley and his mother had planned various activities with the "Curious George" theme. For weeks that followed, Ammon talked about what he wanted for his birthday and requested for a "cowboy party." I thought this would be pleasing to my grandparents who are true cowboys.

We're blessed to have such great friends to share these special memories with... Thank you to everyone who helped make this event so wonderful!

Happy Father's Day...

Top 10 Reasons why we’re glad to have you as our dad:
1. You always take the time to play with us, no matter how busy your schedule is…
2. Bedtime stories are a real treat… especially the ones you create!
3. You’re funny & witty. You always know what will bring a smile to our faces.
4. Thankfully, patience is one of the virtues that you possess. You need lots of it some days.
5. You’re an incredible artist, especially when it comes to making my personalized creations (from Ammon)
6. We love when you sing to us!
7. Dancing with me in your arms makes me feel like a little princess… (from Maddie)
8. Your talents carry over into the kitchen too!
9. Lawn mower rides are something that we look forward to each week.
10. You find ways to show your loves each day.

We love you dad. Happy Father's Day!

Love, Ammon & Maddie Sue