Hamilton

 To break up the monotony of summertime, I'd take the kids to Hamilton Pool.

 It's cheap and allows the boys to play outside - something unheard of in Arizona in the summer.

 Evan finally learned to swim and navigate the water slides there.  He was so proud of himself!

 Christy's family joined us - we had a blast racing our boys down the slides.

Good times.

Friends are tender mercies

 It's been hard with my mom gone - especially since I'm used to talking or hanging out with her almost every day.  I'm so thankful that during the summer a few friends and I would get together on Thursdays to hang out for a little while.  Adult conversation is always nice :)  On one Thursday we took a field trip to Sweet Tooth fairy...yum!

 So thankful for my friend Drea.  Sometimes when I'm feeling down, I ride my bike over to her house.  We basically just sit around and make jokes and laugh.  I love that we have the same sense of humor and that she always looks so happy to see me.  She always calls or texts me when I need it the most.  She is such a tender mercy in my life.

 Nancy at work is another tender mercy.  She is like my other mother.  She made me this cute anklet and some beautiful earrings.  I love that I can talk to her about anything and she will always listen and give me good advice.

I had to include this picture.  Christy slaved for hours over Twister sheets for Colee for her bridal shower.  They were awesome.  I am always amazed that Christy can basically do any thing she sets her mind to and she isn't afraid to try any thing.  I so thankful for her and for her example to me.

I am so lucky to have some pretty great friends :)

Yesterday

was the best and worst day.  I spent almost the whole day with my mom.  We drove out to Sweet Tooth Fairy in the morning to get Kim some cupcakes.  We had lunch with Christy and Drea and then went and got pedicures. Kim came over later and we all went out to dinner and for ice cream in celebration of my mom's upcoming birthday.  I don't get to see my mom much any more and I really loved spending so much time with her.

Repeatedly throughout the day she voiced her concern over my dad.  He had an MRI yesterday.  Years ago he hurt his back and over the years it has bothered him.  These past few weeks have been unbearable for him.  We think that the lack of oxygen he experienced with he had carbon monoxide poisoning made the problem worse.  The doctors think he has an ruptured disc sitting on his sciatic nerve.  The MRI will hopefully help diagnose and deal with what's going on.  I kind of brushed my mom off because I've seen my dad in bad shape before (the worst was when he broke his back) and he always seems invincible.

Nothing could prepare me for seeing him last night.  It took him 5 minutes to get up off the floor where he was laying.  He looks 30 pounds thinner and 15 years older.  Because he is on so much pain medicine he had a hard time talking and communicating.  It broke my heart.  I had to leave Darrel and Trina's quickly and pretty much bawled the whole way home.  Poor Kim had to put up with my sobbing.  My dad has been a constant in my life.  I have always been able to trust him and count on him.  Working with him added to the love and respect that I already had for him.  He has always been strong, steady and invincible.

Except now he's not.

I couldn't stand to see him in so much pain.  I came home and cried and cried.  Ian held me while I just sobbed.  It was like all of my fears and insecurities let loose in one big river of tears.  The boys were concerned until Ian explained why I was so upset.  We had a family prayer together and I felt a little better.

This morning I sent out an email to my siblings asking for a family fast on Sunday for dad.  I then sent a group text to my closest friends asking them to pray for my dad.  They all responded that they would fast too and one even offered to put his name on the temple prayer roll.  I'm so lucky to have such great friends.

I don't know who reads my blog any more but I'd thought I'd share this so that anyone who sees this will pray for my dad.  He needs all the prayers he can get.

Well

so far I'm not doing very good at my goal of blogging 3 times a week.  But the Olympics started!  It's addicting!  I love it!  And I'm exhausted.  Working, being a mother, a wife...it's wearing me out.  What's my problem?  I'll tell you what's my problem..I need to lose 15 pounds!  But it's hard because eating makes me happy and I really need some happy right now (which is why I'm staying up late watching the Olympics).  I'm trying to make my own happy and lots of time that involves food.  Maybe I should be telling this to my therapist instead of typing it on my blog.

June was such an awesome month.  Seriously awesome.  In the beginning of June Trina and I got up early and hiked Echo Canyon.  And I almost died.  SERIOUSLY!  When I had hiked it with Adrienne we had to stop because she felt faint and needed to eat.  I remembered thinking, "I can't believe she needs to eat to do this".  Well the same thing happened to me..but worse.  And that's what I get for judging!  I was almost to the top and I couldn't do any more.  I couldn't take another step.  I thought I was going to pass out.  I hadn't eaten the night before and didn't eat that morning.  Luckily Trina, ever the nurse, saved my life with some trail mix.  I told her to go to the top without me but of course she wouldn't.  I love that Trina.  Any way I felt better after a few minutes and was able to make it.  Yeehaw!

Exercising makes me happy.  Exercising with Trina makes me ecstatic!  Which brings me to Ragnar.  We are doing Southern California Ragnar.  I am so excited.  I've already started training since I will have to do one of the big runs.  I was at lunch with Christy today and told her my secret desire to be runner #7 and do the 11 mile run that goes along the San Diego harbor.  I've been thinking it all week and saying it out loud made it real.  I don't know if I can do it (Christy thinks I can) but I want to try.  Is it bad that running 4 miles right now is killing me?  Well I have 8 months to build up to 11.  Wish me luck!

I was

laying in bed this morning.  Thinking about how fast this summer has flown by.  I thought how it's been one of the best summers of my life...for me and for my children.  One of the main reasons is my friendship with these three gals.  They have made me feel loved and accepted.  And they have made my family feel the same way. I am so grateful for their friendship.  For their sense of humor.  For always being up for anything.  And mostly for accepting me and my family.

They are proof that Heavenly Father answers prayers.

Did you miss me?

I haven't posted in over a week, which is so lame of me.  Even if I only have 2 readers on this blog, I want to post at least 3 times a week.  It's a goal.  Anyhow...June has flown by and these last two weeks have been some of the best of my life.  Especially after one of the crappiest years ever.  I still have trials in my life, and maybe that helps me appreciate the good times all that much more.  

I am way behind in my blogging (I still haven't posted about Evan's preschool graduation which happened over a month ago!) but I wanted to blog about a girls trip I went on.  As usual I was stressed about going, about leaving my family.  But my mom and Ian talked me into it, so I went.

We left late Tuesday night.  I was grumpy, but once the girls got in the car and we started talking I forgot I was in a bad mood.  We laughed and talked the whole way (3 1/2 hours) and finally got at the cabin at 12:30am.  My mom waited up and we chatted some more til almost 3 am!

Robin wanted to see why I love my pillow so much.  Adrienne kept punching it to see if it would bounce back.  Of course it did!  After 3 1/2 years my pillow is still awesome!

 The next day I got up and ran and my mom made us an awesome breakfast.  She took Drea and Robin on a ranger ride and then we all piled in the car for an adventure.  We stopped for lunch in Springerville.  We googled restaurants and this one came up as 4 stars.  It was ok.  Let's just say the company was better than the food :)

 After lunch we drove to Greer.  We parked by Amy and Brian's lodge - which is beautiful.  Then we walked down to the river and watched kids playing in the water and posed for pictures.   It takes so little to amuse us.

 We had to stop for some ice cream.  Adrienne amused us with Utah stories.

 That night my dad made us steak, sweet potatoes and asparagus.  It was divine.  Then we stayed up late watching Downton Abbey and made jokes about how much Bates and Anna kissing upsets Adrienne.  And ate the yummy caramel popcorn Adrienne made.  Seriously good.

 The next morning Christy, Adrienne and I woke up and did Jillian Michaels.  Then we made a schedule for the day:  eat, watch Downton, eat.  And that's pretty much what we did all day.  It was awesome.

 Later my dad took Adrienne and Christy for a Ranger ride where they saw lots of wildlife.  We'd already seen tons of elk on the way up.  Drea was more impressed by the cows though. :)

It was such a fun two days.  We had no schedules.  Nothing to do.  We sat on the porch and laughed.  Ate. Watched Downton.  Talked some more.  We never did get around to playing any games.  It was one of the most relaxing and fun times I've had ever.  I love these ladies and am so thankful for their friendship.  And I love that we all have the same sense of humor and we crack each other up.

When we got to Adrienne's house the Chandler High bus was in front.  I told Adrienne that we need to take it on our next adventure.  

So thankful for my parents who took care of us.  My mom was one of the girls and my dad pretty much catered to us.  I am lucky to have them!