Awesome Weekend

Last Weekend:
It started on Friday with a day at the Zoo.  The weather was gorgeous.  We talked Grandma Kathy into coming with us.  It was fun to have her along and a lot easier for me with an extra set of eyes and hands.  The kids had a good time and it was fun but I miss the Zoo in Omaha. 

Saturday we went recreating with my Family.  My sister and her family came down from Wyoming, and we all went ATVing out on the West Desert.  It was fun to ride the ATVs and we did some Geo-caching.  This is where people hide stuff and other people look up where they hide it and using a GPS and a compass go and find it.  Some of them have little trinkets in them.  If you leave something then you can take something.  Well the 4 yr olds LOVED this idea.  Real life treasure hunting.  They had a blast.  And the babies were pretty good too.  Afterward before the storm hit, we did some target practice.  We all had a great time. 

After we got home and had some dinner my sister invited us over to the hotel they were staying at to go swimming.  It was crowded but we had a good time anyway.  And I let Melissa stay up way too late.  A mistake we paid for on Sunday afternoon.  But she was so cute in the pool. 

Sunday we played in the snow, and as everyone else in Utah marveled at the weather whip-lash from Friday when it was 70.  (You would think we would get use to it).  Then we tried not to fall asleep during conference (which I failed at) and then it was the day of the Dominion Championship tournament.  In other words we played Dominion all day. 

Monday I my sister and I went sking.  I really wanted to go one last time this season.  And since Big Cottonwood was closed we headed to Alta.  I haven't skied there in well over a decade.  It was a perfect day sking.  We loved it.  I even got a little sunburned. 

And then I went to work for 10 hours.  Okay well I attempted to go to work for 10 hours, but I was really tired.  I managed to stay for 8 but not sure I accomplished that much.  Yes I think I did go to work to recover from the weekend. 

A Post

Its late or early depending on your perspective, (1am ish) and I'm really tired and should go to bed, but for some very unknown reason I felt like making a post, so here it is.  Please remember that I am tired and it is early and well content maybe be well rather incoherent.  But what the heck.  Okay so now what should I post? 

• I find it amusing that I just finished reading a vampire book, am currently reading a sappy love story, while listening a book on my ipod which is a memoir by Condalise Rice, oh yes and the next book will be a historical book, followed by a murder mystry and than more vampires.  
• If you don't know my shift changed which is why I'm still awake
• sometime I wonder if its worth it, when I wonder this I usually take the kids to the park and then I remember why I WANTed to do this crazy shift

Well that's about all I can think about to write.  I'll leave you with this thought provoking question.  If you were getting a very large chuck of cash from the federal government, and had so many things you could do with it what would you do with it? 
A. pay down some dept (its a very large dept and would make a very some difference in the long run).
B. buy a new car or two (both of our cars are very old and really need replacing)
C. save it for a house (I really want to buy a house one day)
D. save it for raining day (we've used up all of our once impressive savings), or for another adoption/kid (no I'm thinking about that right now but maybe someday)
E. save it for a nice vacation (ie disneyworld in a few years when the kids are older, or a nice cruise for mom and dad)

Happy Adoption Day Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Four years ago today I held you in my arms for the first time.  I will never forget that day, the anxiety, the adrenaline, the joy, and the tears.  Words can not accurately describe the emotions of that day.  I am still amazed by the fact that it has been 4 years.  You continue to amaze me everyday. Here are a few things I want to remember about you the year you turned 4.  You definitely have your fathers sense of humor, and you make me laugh all the time, even though sometime you get embarrassed when I think your funny.  You are growing up everyday.  I year a go you were a new big sister and I loved to watch to make your baby laugh and smile.  It surprises me how much you have grown up and changed in the last year.  You speak so clearly now.  Gone are all the cute baby words you use to say.  This year you started pre-school and while it was my idea to begin with I was surprised by how hesitate I was.  I know you love to learn and you are so good at it.  But I wanted to keep you close.  I no longer have total control over what happens in your day and the thought is thrilling and frightening at the same time.  You also had your first dance recital this year.  You were so CUTE!  I was so excited to see your first time dancing on stage.   I loved every minute of it.  I look forward to many more.  I look forward to helping you figuring out what you are really interested in, and what your talents are.    The way you play is growing and changing too.  You love to color, and read books, and play with your new doll house.  I can't begin to imagine all the things you will learn to do next year.  I love you sweetie.

Mom

Things I've been meaning to write about...

In my head I have written beautiful posts about:

• The Annual Christmas Tree Hunt
• Melissa first Dance Recital
• The Dolls I made for Christmas
• The Kids visiting Santa Claus
• Christmas in General: including the much missed Christmas Breakfast, and Festival of Trees
• My super awesome cute kids
• Family Pictures
• Skiing for the first time in many years, With ALL of my siblings and siblings spouses

Instead here are some random pictures.  Can you guess which topic they go to?  It shouldn't be that hard. 

 

Happy New Year: An End to the Blogging Silence

A Story Remembered:

Years ago Kent and I spent a summer in Alaska.  For our anniversary we went to Glacier Bay someplace I have always wanted to see.  We got out on the first flight and so got there long before we could check in to our hotel.  So we stowed our bags, and walked down the street and went for a 'hike'.  We didn't have any water or food, but it was a short walk, through a beautiful shade forest, that ended along the banks of a river.  We sat for a few minutes and then I asked if Kent was hungry, do you want to go back now?  He replied no.  So we sat for a few more minutes and then I asked again.  He's answer remained the same.  After the third time I finally listened.  I stopped.  I stopped fretting about when we need to eat, go back, get water, etc. and simply enjoyed myself.  Its one of my favorite memories of that summer.  Nothing all that exciting happened but it was the simply joy of the moments that I remember.  We watched birds together and listen to Bald Eagles call to each other and land in trees directly over our heads.  Sometimes when I hike (my husband would say always), I often get obsessed with getting to 'the end'.  But I learned that day that sometimes the journey doesn't end when the trail does, sometime that is when the journey begins. 

A Story Untold:

Last year I wrote a kind of New Year's resolution/story.  A story of 2010.  I thought that if I wrote a New Years post I would have to review what 2010 was and was not.  As with all years of our lives 2010 was filled with many up and downs.  Some wonderful things and some not so wonderful things.  But I don't want to look back I want to look forward.  And while I WANT to loose weight (as everyone does this time of year), and read more, and watch less TV, and move out of my parents basement, my goal this year is to remember the story of the river.  To stop always worrying about what we are going to do next or what we need to do next, what to do for dinner, and when to put the kids to bed.  To enjoy the small moments as they happen.  I heard someone explain it as being present, with your whole self.

Funny as I write this I think I wrote something similar last year.  I guess some lessons take more time to master than others. Here's to a new year, with all the ups and downs and changes that it will inevitably bring.  I hope that it is a Happy one, one to remember not just for me but for all of you as well. 

Today I'm Thankful For...

A great man recently told me that "to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven".  So here is a list of things I'm grateful for.  (and its not even November)

• Baby steps

• That I can live with my parents for 5 months, completely overrun their house, have a toy in every corner of their house, turn dinnertime into a war zone, and they still love it

• Sunbeams, primary program, and the leasson on Elijah (whodathunk)

• ARUP

• Fall Colors

• Fuzzy socks to sleep in 

Happy Birthday Mia

I've decided to start a new tradition (its was inspired by a very cute blog my friend posted on her son).  Every year on my kids birthday I'm going to write a letter/post/whatever to describe what they are doing, their personality etc.  Mia just turned one a few weeks ago so I its a good time to start.
   

Mia,

You are a delight to my life.  I like to call you my little tropical volcano.  You are sunshine and smiles all the time, but if you erupt watch out.  You once screamed for 20 min because you were playing with a shampoo bottle and I took it away from you.  Despite a temper, you have a very pleasant personality.  You are a sweet ray of sunshine every where you go.  In church the other day when you were out in the hall you cooed at every passing person insistently; until they acknowledge you and talked to you.  You love to climb on things and I have to constantly pull you off the fireplace.  You love to play with you big sister, who gets annoyed at you taking all of her toys.  You are fascinated with water.  If we tell you its time for a bath you perk up and say your own version of bath, "Baa" and make a b-line for the tub.  You also like to play in the bathroom, you can almost open the toilet seat so you can play in the toilet water.  Another challenge you present is keeping the bathroom doors closed. 

My favorite part about you at this stage is watching you learn to walk.  You are so broad and when you walk you waddle a little and its the cutest thing ever. Before I know it you will have given up crawling altogether.  You love to be chased, and you love 'pony rides' on sisters back.  You are going to be talkative just like your sister.  You can say versions of bath, bye-bye, grandpa, mommommom, dadada, bear, and bird.  I would like to teach you some animal sound.  You are a very accomplished growler.  You are almost to the fun baby tricks stage.  I'm so excited for the next year, and to continue to watch you grow and develop.  It will be fun to watch you and your sister play together.

I think when you grow up, you are going to be very sweet, and always thinking about others.  Someone who can make friends easy and make everyone feel at ease.  You will be the calming influence in our home, as you already are most times.  

I wish that I could put to words your personality, your cuteness, and all the things that I love about you.  But this is as close as I can get.  I love you and I'm so blessed to have such a sweet little girl in my life.  I thank God everyday for sending you to us.  For whatever reason you were meant to be our little girl.  I pray that one day I might know that reason and be able to live up to  it. 

Love,

Mom