The Leaves are changing colors... and we are in Peru!

Happy Autumn everyone! I love fall time. I love the air getting colder, the leaves changing colors, scarves, jackets, pumpkin treats, and so much more! Wrenn loves fall too! Just look at that smile.

I also like these two photos of him.

Anyways are Fall has been grand! Not sure where to start. I guess I will finally talk about Peru. So we are actually in Peru right now! Crazy right? I am typing on a Spanish keyboard so if I am typing funny its because I haven't been able to find the proper punctuation's. I just found the apostrophe so I'm pretty excited about that.

Anyways I'm sure upon hearing that we are in Peru your first question is why. Why are we in Peru? Well its kind of a long story, lets go back to where I was big and round from being extremely pregnant. Basically sometime in mid-April, Nathan and I went to this amazing Mediterranean restaurant in Boulder.  While we were enjoying fine cuisine I had a realization. Nathan can work remotely from anywhere as long as there is internet. Wait Nathan can work anywhere! 

I turned to Nathan and I was like, "Babe! We could live abroad and you could still work!"

And he replied, "yeah, I know."

So he wasn't as shocked by the realization as I was but it started a fun conversation while we ate of where we would want to go, when we would do it, and if it would be possible with the baby etc. It was fun to talk about and dream about, but I don't think either of us really thought we would end up doing it. 

About a week later Wrenn was born and we just kind of forgot about it for awhile in the midst of taking care of a little baby, moving and visiting family. Then mid-August came around and we were having dinner with my sister and her husband and they were talking about living abroad in England, as Ben's work has a branch in England. Ben was saying he would want to live there a couple years, and Brooke was saying she thinks it would be cool to go a couple months.

Well we joined in the conversation and mentioned we had thought about living abroad for a couple months, and how cool it would be. The conversation was fun, but it had the same ring to it for both Buie's and for us of "oh that would be way cool, but probably not going to happen." Getting that same feeling of it probably wont happen, I just thought why? Why couldn't it happen? So I then turned to Nathan and I was like, "Let's do it. Seriously lets live abroad."

Well over the next week I would keep bringing it up to Nathan trying to convince him, and at first he would be like no we aren't doing it. Then after awhile I saw him starting to give in. He would look up plane ticket prices, and look at rentals in Peru, crunch numbers, and say things like, "well we could afford it." 

Then it started to get real. We started to pray about it, and to think really think about it. We both had our own freak outs, and then we decided to do it. We realized that we would probably never have a time in our lives where we were able to do this again. Never again would we be so mobile and not having anything to tie us down. We also wanted to give me this experience because I had never lived abroad. It just seemed like a once in a lifetime adventure we had to take.

At first we were thinking January and I think it felt less real and that it still might fall through with that time line. Then things changed and January didn't seem like a good idea anymore, so it became us going in October or not at all. It was the start of September and we had to decide quick, so when it changed to October it came fast. We bought plane tickets, got a vacation rental, expedited passports, and got vaccinations, and now we are here!

Crazy? Yes definitely. Now you are probably like okay, I get why you are out of the country, but why Peru? Well that's another story. First I will tell you the practical side. We knew that if we wanted to live abroad we would need to pick a country that at least one of us speaks the language in. So that gave us countries that speak Spanish, or English. We wanted to do Spanish speaking because Nathan could use with brushing up on his Spanish and I really wanted to get an immersion experience to help my Spanish (I studied it in high school and a few semesters in college).

So that left us Central & South America and Spain. Now Anything in Europe would be too expensive so Spain got eliminated, and we wanted to go somewhere Nathan hadn't, so Argentina and Mexico got eliminated as well. So that leads into the less logical and more emotional part of why we picked Peru.

I have always wanted to go to Peru for as long as I can remember. I don't even remember when it became my dream vacation. I think it might have been in middle school in my Spanish class. I vaguely remember seeing pictures in a textbook of Machu Picchu, seeing natives and llamas dressed up in colorful clothes, and seeing pictures of the beautiful country. Over the years the more I heard about Peru the more I fell in love with it.

The first time I met Nathan the first conversation we ever had was actually about Peru. It turns out it was one of the places he really wanted to visit as well. He had served a mission in Argentina, but fell in love with the Peruvians he met there because they were so good-natured and fun. We joked during that first conversation because I was saying I just need to make it happen and go Peru, and he replied lets do it lets go, and we both jokingly got out of our chairs like we were going to Peru right then. Crazy that we ended up married and going to Peru huh? 

Well that's it that is the answer to your question of "why are we in Peru".

Haha yep. Well I will write a little more about our experience in Peru so far in my next post (I hope to do a post about once a week as kind of a travel log). However, I want to tell you a little more about our fall. 

So because we decided to go to Peru in October we knew we were going to miss Thanksgiving with my side of the family, so we decided we better make a trip out to Utah to visit. We also wanted Wrenn to meet the grandma's, aunt's and uncle's he hadn't met yet. It also happened that the Tate's were going to be in Utah for conference weekend, so we decided to make our trip out then.

It was really good to see everyone and makes me feel blessed knowing I have such wonderful family. Here are some of the photos I got from that trip. Mainly Wrenn being held a lot. He got a little spoiled. It took him awhile to realize when he got home that he didn't need to be held all the time.

Wrenn played with his alter ego Wrenndallin in the mirror at Grandma's.

Wrenn got to meet Lee & Val

Wrenn liked Grandpa, and that teaspoon.

Wrenn enjoyed playing with Grandma & Grandpa Tyler in the mornings. Nathan and I enjoyed sleeping in.

 My mom and I worked on costumes for Halloween; baby helped :)

Then it was time to say good bye to Grandma and Grandpa and have Wrenn go meet great-grandmas! 

 

Then we joined the Tate's in Park City to watch conference.

Wrenn's like, "look mommy I'm an alien!"

Wrenn got to meet Uncle Clint & Aunt Adria!

 Nathan & I went to the BYU vs. USU football game with the Tate's. I decided to cheer for USU as BYU never really won over my loyalty, and I was glad I did they won!

Then we headed home.

After all the fun in Utah it was hard to believe we had just one week before we left for Peru. I was stressed trying to get everything pulled together and finish up our costumes for the Buie Halloween party. But it all seemed to work out. I got our costumes finished...

Kuzco & Yzma from Emperor's New Groove. Oh and Pacha :)

We started giving Wrenn solids.

We found time to smile and have fun.

We said good bye to our beds...

and family.

Then in a whirlwind of packing, cleaning, and traveling we said good bye to our home in Colorado for two months, and hello to our home in Peru. We have been here a week and its been a blast, but more of that in my next post. Until then we are safe, happy, and healthy. Love you all!

Our Crazy (but fun) Summer 2014

Well lets just say that our Summer started with a bang and then just kept going like crazy, and was just this big wonderful firework show of fun.

At the end of May was my 22nd birthday. Having an almost one month old baby we knew we couldn't do anything too exciting. I decided however that I wanted to watch the new X-men movie, and have an X-men marathon the week before it. So on my birthday we went and saw X-men in this awesome theater that has reclining sofa type seats. I have been spoiled other theaters just seem sub par now. Then after that Nathan got me an I-pad for my birthday!!! I really needed a new laptop so we decided on an I-pad instead, and it has been great.

Here is a picture I took on my birthday with my I-pad. :)

Then the start of June Nathan, Wrenn, and I flew to southern California to see Jared (Nathan's little brother) get married to an awesome girl named Jen! I was a little nervous for this trip because at the time Wrenn was only 5 weeks old. He did awesome though and flew like a champ. No crying and bothering our neighbors. It was fun flying with a baby because we actually talked with the people sitting next to us. A small adorable baby is a great conversation starter.

Here we all are on the plane getting ready to fly. Sadly this is also the first picture we have of all three of us together.

The weekend was fun. Nathan threw a bachelor party for Jared; which consisted of playing a bunch of nerdy board games. Then for Jen's bachelorette party we went and got some yummy food. The weekend was wonderful Wrenn got to meet the Tate's...

 Grandpa

 cousin's and uncle

 and Aunts!

I didn't get pictures with the rest of the family members unfortunately. But here are a few more photos from that trip (mostly stolen from Facebook).

We went out for sushi as a farewell for Miranda and Natalie since we couldn't come out for their mission farewells.  Miss those two.

Nathan playing Magic the Gathering with Natalie. Although Wrenn looks uncomfortable in this pic he was probably fast asleep.

And then of course the wedding that we made the trip out for.

 The whole Tate gang.

 Brothers :)

Family pic haha

Cool baby

It was a wonderful wedding and we were grateful that we could be part of  Jen & Jared's special day. They both looked happy and Jen looked beautiful.

Then we came home and got ready to move. On June 10th we officially moved into our new home. It was quite the upgrade moving from a small one bedroom apartment into a three bedroom house with a yard. It was stressful moving with a one month old baby and it took a really long time before our house started to feel like a home. It didn't help that there was a fine layer of sawdust on everything from when the landlord had sanded floors, but we still managed to have some fun despite all the chaos...

Mommy and baby hung out in between unpacking and cleaning.

Baby figured out how to suck on his hands

We took some more "family photos"

 We played games.

 Took baths.

 Goofed off :)

 Took naps.

 And cuddled

Wrenn enjoyed our new yard.

And baby helped me pick out some rugs.

Wrenn visited Daddy at work (Nathan works from home now).

 He visited him a few times.

And baby learned the meaning of no pain no gain with tummy time.

Then he quickly learned how to get out of it. Here is a video of Wrenn flipping over the first time on July 4th... hence his patriotic outfit.

Setting up has been stressful, and I'm glad it is over with. I will post some photos of everything put together on my next post, but for now here is a glimpse of the chaos we had to deal with all of June and part of July.

After all the chaos of moving and setting up we had family coming out in mid July for Wrenn's baby blessing. We were so happy and grateful to have everyone come out that did. Thanks for traveling so far to be a part of this special moment. Here are some photos from that weekend.

Baby in his blessing outfit with Grandma Tyler (I am just now realizing I haven't gotten pictures of baby and Grandma Tate, sorry Kristy! I will work on that...)

 Wrenn and Aunt Ashley!

 Grandma giving baby a bath

Hanging out with daddy.

 Getting some much needed sleep.

 Wrenn rocking his outfit.

Jaren, my older brother, holding Wrenn at church. He doesn't look nervous at all ;)

Then finally after 2 and a half months Bethany, Nathan's sister, was kind enough to take some legit family photos for us. Thanks Bethany it means a lot to us to have some nice photos of the three of us!

It was a wonderful weekend with everyone. :) As part of the weekend Brooke, my sister, and I threw a surprise 30th anniversary celebration for my parents. We took them to the Melting Pot and did toasts, and then went and had desert at home and watched a slideshow I had put together of our family photos. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate their 30 years together and their wonderful relationship which was a rock for us growing up, and an example for us now that we are older.

Here are a few photos; I wish we had remembered to take a few more especially at the Melting Pot.

 Cutting the Cake.

Then everyone went home and we had some down time. It was nice being able to take a breather from all the craziness of the past few months. So then we decided to take a mini vacation to decompress and we headed down to Denver for a weekend in the middle of August. We went and saw the Botanical Gardens which had amazing glass sculptures spread throughout it by the artist Dale Chihuly. We also went to the Denver art Museum and the Zoo. It was a really fun weekend and a much needed break.

 These lily pads were giant!

Sadly this is the only picture we took at the zoo.

Well that wraps our summer it was busy, but a lot of fun. We are doing well, enjoying our new home. We like it here in Lafayette/Louisville. Its not quite as busy, or having as strong of culture as Boulder, and we have made some new friends in our ward. Our callings are fun too. Nathan is the Ward Mission Leader, so we see the missionaries a lot. I'm the youth Sunday School teacher so that's fun and a challenge as well. It's nice having Brooke just up the road instead of clear across town, and We're within walking distance of a grocery store and a craft store, so I'm all set!

Life is good in the Tate household, oh and we are going to Peru in six days, but more of that in my next post! Which will hopefully be before we leave. See ya then!