our 7.4.2011

It was a good day for us. We started the day with red and blue pancakes and then jumped in the car to go to Shady Acres. We have made it a tradition to count the flags when we are in the car on the fourth. Our goal was to get to 100 flags before making it to Shady. We saw our 100th flag just before we headed into the canyons! I think I was most excited. Yes, Brigham is a very patiotic city.

Afterwards we went and road some of our favorite horses.

I really like this one. Scrunched up nose and everything.

When Taylor was two years old. He LOVED horses. They were his favorite thing. He hasn't loved them quite as much, but I figured he would be the most excited to ride. 5 minutes after getting there, his eyes puffed up and his nose started pouring. I felt so sad. Justin has major dust allergies, so we are hoping it was from the dust around the stables and in the hay and not the horses.

I hope these boys realize how incredibly lucky they are to have a grandma that loves horses and loves that she gets to pass on that love to them. Mom gave them Corbin a lesson and towards the end he was riding on his own. (Of course my mom had been riding on her own for years at this point)

And this is officially my most favorite picture. (that smile on Justin is the first thing I noticed about him and fell in love with)

I love this country. I think more than ever. It's amazing to realize the freedoms we have. The right to work where we want, to have as many children as we want (as long as you can take care of them financially and emotionally), to have education, to choose our religion, and to own our own homes. After 3 months of waiting for our own home again, this one means a lot to us. After such a long time we just found out today that we got the official approval on the home, it's going to be ours. I can't tell you the amount of gratitude and relief I feel right now! I am thrilled to have so many new memories and wonderful years in this new place soon. (and it has a front porch!!) Perfect to wave one American flag in the land I love.

june 2011

We love the lazy days of June.

The boys love the most simple parks and could go to them everyday. So when we pulled up to this Wild Wild West Park, the boys mouths dropped. It was a blast.

Who knew a simple waterbottle from the dollar store could make a kid so happy?

Or that a cereal necklace could entertain for a whole afternoon?

Lazy, yes, but quiet no.

We attempted to make the Eiffel Tower with waffers. Fun, but not totally successful.

Although this super cute team did a great job!

Oh boy I love these 4 boys of mine.

Our May in pictures

Moab. A place we love.
Pictures hold a thousand words.


Lego Day at the Library. The boys were looking forward to this for two weeks. For some reason legos were even cooler (if that is possible) at the library.


Jumping. Again, hours and hours of fun.




Memorial Day. Delicious barbecue, corn on the cob, family and friends, and a day to remember those who have sacrificed so much. Thank you.

what have we been up to

Life has been very different for us these past two months, but we have felt so blessed. Justin's sister and her family have been amazing! You might think that having four adults and 7 (now 8!) kids under one roof can be a little bit crazy, but looking back, the time here has been incredibly memorable and enjoyable.
Lots of late night talks.
Lots of movie nights...Brian Regan, need I say more.
Lots of kick the can nights.
Lots of yummy meals and treats.
Great hiking right out the back door.
And plenty of this

The kids have been out there for a total of at least several hours. (We will be getting a trampoline for sure... and having it in the ground is key. Our kids are obsessed.)

We moved when Corbin had five weeks of school left. We moved 40 minutes away. I didn't mind commuting him everyday so that he could finish off school with his friends and teacher. Those first couple days did end up being very hard on the kids, too much time in the car. After talking to the principal and his teacher, we decided it would be best to transfer him to the school where his cousin was. I at first had a hard time with this decision (although Justin was all for it). I was so worried he wouldn't be able to adjust, that he would feel left out of his new class, and not have a friend. I was so wrong in every way. That kid amazes me, by the end of the first day he had already made friends, he got to play with his cousin at recess, and loved his new school. Looking back I am so glad that we made that choice.

Life has been very different for us in many ways. Leaving our ward, our neighborhood, our home, our routine was so hard. But it also helped us realize what we do have, each other. We cherish all the moments that we do have together. I have come to a deeper realization of how important my family is to me. I love Justin so much. He wants me to be happy in every way, he wants the boys to have a good childhood and to feel secure. Not only did things change with our living arrangements, but he has also gone through some big changes with work. It's a good thing, but the past couple of months has been incredibly busy and stressful for him. He had to spend a ton of time studying, and he was still so selfless. He found other times to study so that he could still play with our boys when he got home. I don't think they ever realized how much he had to get done. (and same for me) The good news, he passed his test. I love that man!

We are now in the process of waiting for a home. In some ways we can't believe that in about a month we could be in our own home again. Whenever I think of the home I get so excited, not because it's huge and fancy, but because it will be ours, a place where we will get to create new and wonderful memories!!

changes

One month ago I decided I needed something to cheer me up during this crazy time for us. I have learned that getting out in the yard and gardening is very theruputic for me and is a great way to spend my spare time, and besides, I can reap the rewards of lettuce, spinach and peas. I did this one month ago. Here are my peas today. Little did I know how things would change after I put those seeds in the grown.

This little home of ours will no longer be ours by the end of the week.

It seems unreal. So many incredible, happy, sad, meaningful memories have happened in this little space. I know we needed to do this and that we will find a wonderful place that will become our new home, but for now I'm sad to leave this place, our ward, our friends, our sunsets, the things that have happened here for the past 4 years.

Change is in the air for us.

Even the weather has changed a lot this month. Snow Days

Sunny Days

Changes with my childhood friends. We now have a ton of kids combined. I can't believe how much has changed in 20+ years. We don't just "play" house anymore, we are living our dreams.

Corbin's cousin, his cousin's aunt (which is my sister in laws little sister and, I'm pretty certain, Corbin's new crush), and Corbin. Confused?

Changes in sleeping location.

We took down the boys bunkbed this past weekend, the boys thought it was the funnest thing ever. Tools, fun. Jumping on mattresses, fun. Helping daddy, fun. Running circles in their bedroom, fun.

Now they are sleeping on mattress on the floor.

Even my age has changed this past month. It was the perfect day with my boys. They made me feel like a queen. (I just wish I had more pictures of them with me)

I love this boys kisses.

My sweet Corbin gave me an envelope full of most of his change that he has worked so hard to earn. I love these boys!

And my amazing, favorite sister left me a wonderful birthday message.

So, yes, a lot has changed this month. But isn't that the only thing that stays the same.

giving in can be good

All week I have been so tired, exhausted, and just done by the time we put the kids to bed. I just want to sit down, stare into space, and then build up the strength to get up and clean the home from the damage that was done throughout the day. (it's amazing how fast the home can go from a perfectly clean, not one thing out of its place, home that is for sale to something that looked like a tornado hit it, with legos and bionicles spread across the floor, bowls of half eaten cereal left on the table, and homework spread across the couch.) I feel like my patience has been great during the day, and then 7:00 hits and I'm done. It's shocking how fast it can happen.

However, last night, there was one boy, who took a nap during the day and really shouldn't anymore because he will not fall asleep at night boy, that really wanted to help me out and just be together. I gave in. I scrubbed the floor and the little boy scrubbed the toilet. He helped me clean out the tub, and then he found a spider and told me he would "get it." He grabbed a tissue wadded it up stood behind me, and then threw it at the spider. Luckily daddy was standing by to really "get it." But the rest of the night he said, "mommy, I got the spider!!"

Justin has his class three nights a week, so since he was still on-line for that I decided I would climb into bed and take this chance to read my book. Then I let this little guy come and cuddle with me while I read. It felt so good. He asked if he could "read" to me, grabbed the book and then tried to find every O on the page, the excitement in his voice was priceless.

After that we had a 5 minute conversation of how to properly sing the star wars theme song. Then he would tell me, I'll sing this, and then you sing this, then I'll sing it like this. Seriously, you're how old?

Then off to bed he went.

I am so happy that I gave in last night, it was good.