Happy Birthdays

We are alive and well in Pittsburgh, PA.  Things have been a bit crazy over the last month but the calm is coming just in time to be thrown into upheaval again with the holidays. 

Over the past month we have celebrated Hannah and Jonathan's birthdays.  We are so glad to have both of them in our lives. 

Hannah has grown up a lot in the past year.  She is a great older sister and really helps me out a lot.  She is my table setter, baby entertainer, piano playing oldest child.  She loves to hold Spencer for me and thankfully he likes it too.  She loves to play outside with Charlotte and Jonathan.  Hannah loves to read and has become quite good at it especially since a year ago she could hardly read at all.  I started teaching her piano this year and while it can be challenging, she is doing well.  We have rough days but we are learning to learn together.  I am so proud of her and her willingness to try something new and stick with it even though it can be hard. 

Jonathan is ever the same.  He grows up and as he grows he seems to find new reserves of energy and enthusiasm.  He can be so sweet and kind and other times he is the quintessential younger brother, teasing his sisters and tormenting them.  Jonathan still amazes me with his vocabulary and he so wants to go to school. I am hoping we find some good boys for him to play with soon.  He could use some males bonding.  Jonathan has started reading a bit as well and I can usually keep his attention for about 5 minutes before he loses interest and claims something is too hard.  He is growing up.  It's hard to believe he is 4. 

Happy birthday my little ones.  I am so glad to have both Hannah and Jonathan.  It is hard to imagine my life without them.  They each enrich our lives and fill a very special spot in our family. 

Great American (and Canadian) Roadtrip

This summer we're moving to Pittsburgh.  While we could just fly the entire family, road tripping seemed like a decent alternative and more fitting with the Wright Way of doing things.  From Austin to Pittsburgh it is 1,419 miles, which would take 2-3 days at our usual rate.

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But you know, if we're going to go on a road trip, let's go on a road trip.

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We're probably the only family in the country which thinks the most direct route between Austin and Pittsburgh goes through Utah and Canada.  The trip we're planning on taking will last most of a month, and include stops at various friends and family, along with several state and national parks.  Some of the sights include:

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Arches National Park
• Time with family in Provo, Utah and environs
• Yellowstone National Park
• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
• Devils Tower National Monument
• Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Badlands National Park
• Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Ingalls Homestead in De Smet, South Dakota (setting of some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books)
• North Dakota
• Itasca State Park, Minnesota (headwaters of the Mississippi River)
• North shore of Lake Superior
• Eagle Mountain (highest point in Minnesota)
• Grand Portage National Monument
• Isle Royale National Park
• The Trans-Canada Highway through Ontario
• Niagara Falls

The beauty of the trip is that we can be flexible enough that plans can change if we want to make better time, don't feel like doing something, or just want to get to Pittsburgh.  This trip will clock in at just under 5,000 miles.  I think our investment in the America the Beautiful pass for this summer will pay off.  (Although, unfortunately, it only covers entrance fees, not user fees.)

Welcome, Spencer

One of the biggest pieces of news this spring is the birth of our fourth child.  Spencer is almost 6 weeks old and we can't imagine life without him.

He was 10 lbs and birth and 20 inches long (I think they goofed on the length because he was 21 1/2 inches two weeks later).  He has slept pretty good from the beginning--about 4 hours at a time, sometimes I even get up to 7.  He started smiling and that is always sweet.

Hannah, Jonathan and Charlotte think he's great.  They love to hold him and give him hugs and kisses.  Charlotte is particularly sweet with him.  She's adjusted to him pretty well but misses time with me.

Hyrum blessed him at church on May 20th.  We were happy to have both sets of grandparents there.  It was sweet to see Spencer surrounded by the men that will have a great impact in his life as they used the Holy Priesthood to bless him.

Most of all we love him and are blessed with his presence in our lives.  We look forward to watching him grow and see his influence in our lives.

Random Pictures from April

Here are a few of my favorites.

Charlotte loves her dad and is always at the sliding glass door to greet him when he comes home.  She's also the only one who will hug him when he walks in the door sweaty from his ride home : )

Hyrum wanted to dye Easter Eggs with us so we saved a few for him to color.

Hannah had a day off school so we went and had lunch on campus.  Jonathan was having fun instead of eating his lunch.

Here was Charlotte that same day, lounging in the stroller.

Jonathan and his hat.

Charlotte doesn't want to admit that this is no longer her seat.

Hannah and Jonathan just sitting outside our back window talking.

Charlotte chillin' on a diaper box recliner.  She sat there for a while flipping through books.

Super Jonathan, and notice the hat on his head : )

 

This was the last picture we took of the tomatoes.  Before I pulled them out they had reached the door and probably would have stood about 6 inches higher.

Last and certainly not least, Spencer Jens Wright was born.  He is a great baby and we love him.

Easter Egg Hunt

I'm not really into Easter Baskets but I know kids love to Hunt for Easter eggs and color them.  With Hannah being in school it has really limited her time with her church friends since they are being home schooled.  When we looked at the calendar and found out she had Good Friday off we decided to have a party.

Hannah and Jonathan each invited a few of their friends to come over and share the morning with us.  Luckily, there were a couple little kids so Charlotte had some friends too.   We colored eggs while Natasha hid the ones for the hunt.  Then the kids hunted.  They had such a good time.  I think Ben was probably the best at finding eggs, and because of that he was also probably the best at sharing them.

We enjoyed lunch and just hanging out.  Thanks friends, for sharing the morning with us.