Summer fun

We went to the lake with my best friend and her kids the other day. It has been so hot here and we're trying to take in all the summer we can as it flies past. I realized there is only 6 weeks left and made the mistake of telling the kids. Tyler's whole body slumped and I thought he was going to need to lay down!

The lake was great and we didn't even get sunburned (yay mom!)

Perspective and gratitude

I know my blog is generally kid updates or travel reports. However since I don't keep much of a journal anymore I am going to use this as a bit of an emotional outlet today - so be warned.

I have had one of those months. One where I feel unbalanced in my personal life to the point of I am not happy with the house (too small and why does it ALWAYS seem so dirty?!) not happy with the kids (seriously, there are four other babies in the ward, why is mine the ONLY one who screams all through church?!), myself (when did all my clothes get so tight? When did the bottom get so big and the top get so small?!), health (diabetes sucks rocks - it affects EVERYTHING!), furniture (screw being out of debt, let's go get matching bedroom sets then maybe my clothes that don't fit me will fit somewhere!), etc. etc. etc.

During this time I went to get my hair colored. I did my normal color then put purple streaks in it because I'm 33 and have never had purple hair. I tried to get pictures but they didn't turn out well. Can't really see the purple.

For the next part of the story, I met up with my roommates from college on Facebook. We haven't really talked for years and haven't seen each other for at least 15 years (feeling old...). So we reconnected on Facebook and decided to meet in Vegas in June. Suddenly it was June! I was a little nervous - and really I don't know why. Stupid girl thing, I'm sure. Probably because I felt super inadequate in those days and although I've changed at least 4 lifetime size changes since then I tend to revert to whom I once was. To continue on, we had a great time. It was fantastic to see them and see what the years and children, sadness and happiness and just life in general has turned them into. We laughed about old times, talked about new times and stayed up too late and still got up too early. It was so fun and I hope we can do it again next year.

Having said that, it didn't help the "nothing is good enough" fix I was in. I saw all their big beautiful houses and my house became even smaller. Not only that but it seemed to matter SO MUCH!

Then I got an email from my very first friend in Kindergarten. Back before objects mattered or image mattered or what I looked like mattered. She is going through a hard time. No, that is not the right word. She has gone through hell and back and her story is tragic and unfair, but it pulled me back from my selfish spinning. How grateful I am suddenly. How grateful I am to have what I do have. To have my four healthy kids and a husband whom I adore and who adores me. For health, the gospel, for the beautiful place we live. For family far and wide who understand and love us. For the past - for whom I've become. For the future - for the potential I have to see who my kids become. To have a healthy body. To have friends, even friends as far back as Kindergarten!

I cried and laughed as I read her email. Cried with her in her pain and laughed because she is still the friend I remember. She still is full of hope and love.

Thank you for the perspective you've put back into my life, Steph. You are still there for me after all these years changing my life for good.

I am grateful. I am thankful. I am content. I am happy. It is enough.

Burney Falls

We went to Burney Falls last weekend for fun. It is an amazing place with a mild hike the kids can do. Or maybe I should say parents because Ellie RAN the entire way. I'm not exaggerating either, she ran until we couldn't see her then she'd stop and wait. Then she'd run again. I wish I had just a piece of that kid's energy!!! The weather was beautiful (low 70's) and we had a great time!






My favorite photo...

New Camera and internet connection...

Okay, I am a complete techno woman again. I got a new camera and my internet is connected (hopefully!) for good now. What a fiasco! Lots has happened, school is officially out. Baseball is officially over. We've been to Turtle Bay twice, Burney Falls, and I've heard "Mom can I play video games NOW?" 500 times already. Loving it so far, though! Here are some pictures just because I have a new camera.

Movie Clips

These are some movie clips I wanted to post a while ago. Enjoy!

Baptism and Trek

Okay, hopefully after this one I'll be all caught up. Also hopefully Carter will continue to nap through this post so I can finish it!

After all the birthday parties we moved on to our next big adventure which was Tyler's baptism. I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'S 8! Anyway, both sides of the family came out/up which is always exciting and a bit stressful for me. I love when they're all here but I get a little neurotic a few days before hand. I'm a closet worrier what can I say?!

Wednesday my parents arrived (they had been at Suzanne and Waf's for a few days before - see her blog) and were able to catch one of Tyler's baseball games. Now they're not baseball fans so this was a true grandparent moment of sacrifice and love. Ellie also loved it because Grandpa frequented the snack bar as many times as she wanted to go!

That night Andy, Dennis, Lee, Bert and Revis came up to spend the night before they headed out. Our house is slightly small (no basements here) so they were lucky enough to sleep on the couches and trampoline before they headed out camping. This would have been okay except Carter had done something painful to his leg and wasn't able to sleep more than 3 hours (and mind-you with a houseful of people I felt terrible we were keeping them awake so I ended up in the van a lot of the night. Sorry guys!)

Thursday the guys headed up camping and the gals were gathering in Sacramento. McKenna had a performance Thursday night so we stayed until Thursday to head down.

We got to Sacramento and were able to enjoy great company and good food. Kristi, Pat, Heather, Amber, Tressie, Jordyn, mom and my girls (and Carter). We took it easy and laughed a lot. It is always so much fun to be around extended family and I am so thankful to have the family we do. It was also fun to be able to hang out with my soon-to-be niece Amber and get to know her a little better. McKenna wanted nothing more than to hang out with the teenagers. I CAN'T BELIEVE SHE'S 10!

Saturday we all headed back up and my two sisters and family came up. The guys came off the mountain (which I won't go into much you'll have to ask them. They weren't able to backpack this year and except the poison oak and cooooolllldddd water it sounds like they had a great time.) Then we prepared for the baptism.

Tyler has been working up to this. He is also a closet worrier and generally doesn't like attention put on him. We talked quite a bit about what it means to be baptized and it was him who decided to do it. I am so proud of him and loved watching Dee walk him into the water and baptize our boy. It was one of the most tender moments for me. Dee being worthy to do that is such a blessing for all of us. What a wonderful man/husband/father I married! Tyler has grown into such an amazing kid. His sense of humor has really come out as well as his ability to understand others. He has grown so much both physically and mentally this year it blows me away. I am so proud of him!

Unfortunately the time flew and everyone but Marybeth had to leave (she was able to stay until Tuesday). I am looking forward to next year when it won't be at my house and I'll get to hang out a lot more. It felt way too fast this time and not enough visiting time. Some had a 12 hour drive ahead of them and I am so grateful for everyone who came up to support Tyler. Quite a few people mentioned to Tyler how lucky he was to have such a supportive family and look them as examples. How blessed we are!

I wish I had some pictures and hopefully some of you reading this will send me copies or disks of yours!

Birthdays galore but few pictures

McKenna's first. April was her 10th birthday and she got a "big friend" party this year. She chose the bounce house which was a ton of fun (and a little exhausting for those of us older than 10).




Ellie's May birthday was next. Her's is an "odd" year (she turned 5) which means she got a family party. She wanted to go to the zoo but the closest one is 2 hours away and we talked her into Turtle Bay and a picnic lunch at the river.

Tyler's May birthday rounded it off. He also got a big friend party at a gymnastics place. He had a great time and we were all so tuckered out in the end! The bad news is my camera is lost and I hadn't downloaded the pictures yet. Just use your imagination.

I'm having a hard time with my kids getting older this year. McKenna not only acts 10 but she looks it too. Ellie starts Kindergarten in a few months and Tyler has grown so tall he caught up with McKenna!

That's all the ranting for now, I catch you up on the final stuff on the next blog!