Fall Break Lodge

 Fall Break has flown by and I am so thankful I got the chance to sneak away to the Lodge with the boys for a few days.  Wednesday morning we helped my mom and dad pack up some stuff from their house (they sold it) and then we headed up to the high country.  In Show Low we stopped at Safeway for groceries and Michael had fun prancing around the parking lot with a skeleton head and arms.  It was hilarious watching him wave and try to pick up stuff with the arms - like the Saturday Night Live skit with the small hands.  Ben could not stop laughing. 

 Thursday we woke up to gray skies, wind, thunder and rain/sleet/snow.  The weather up there is a fickle thing.  We drove into town to make our requisite Wal Mart trip and by the time we got back the sky looked blue.  However, it continued to rain the rest of the day.  Some highlights from Thursday:  watching The Pioneer Woman on the Foodnetwork - she's making homemade pizza and ice cream pie.  Evan says, "Don't erase this grandma!  We need this food."  Later I told the boys that I used to make pizza from scratch when they were little.  Max quips, "And now all she makes is Digiorino :/

 Kim and Brian came up late Thursday night (yay!).  Brian kept Evan entertained most of the day Friday.  Evan built a robot out of Jenga blocks and then he built the word "Robo" out of the blocks in honor of a business he wants to start (more on that later)

 We also discovered just how double jointed Max is.  Freaky.  He then showed us how he can bend his legs in a weird way and walk on his feet.  That boy constantly surprises me. 

 I love when the boys are together makin' music.  For a long time on Friday Joe played guitar and him and Michael sang while we played 5 Crowns. 

I decided to travel home late Friday night - Ben and Max stayed at the Lodge with the folks and Kim and Brian, which left me with these crazies.  Michael stayed awake the whole way home to make sure I didn't fall asleep.

I love spending time with my parents and sister.  It is wonderful to go to a place where I can be me and feel unconditional love.  I can't begin to say how much I needed that.  Plus they all like me!  I can't ask for more than that :)

Happy

 I just had to post this picture of Max.  He is such a cool kid and let's face it...he makes those glasses look good :)

My mom came down in August for her birthday.  It was hard because my dad was very sick and in a lot of pain at the time.  It really shook me to the core to see my dad like that.  I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for the knowledge that families are forever. 

I got to spend some quality time with my mom.  Kim and I took her out to Olive Garden for her birthday.  We always laugh so hard and have so much fun when we are together. 

Afterwards we got ice cream and went to Darrel and Trinas.  I was also able to take my mom for a pedicure when she was here.  I love my mom so much.  She is my best friend.  I am so thankful for her and her influence in my life.

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.

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!

Unreal

 I was driving home one day and saw moving trucks in front of my parents' house.   A sight that not only took me by surprise, but something I thought I'd NEVER see.  It sucked.  I can't even explain it.  I made a spur of the moment decision to go up with my parents the next day to help them unload.  Evan came too, of course.

On the way up we stopped for a green chili burro at the Burger House in Globe.  Jared had been there on his mission and got my parents hooked.  We also stopped at Safeway to get lemon filled twinkies for Brian.  I didn't try them but I hear Brian's addicted :)

Evan helped unload the trucks.  Harold, Vickie, Denis and Denise also came by and helped.  It was fun to see my aunts and uncles and catch up a bit.  It turned out that it was a bit of a mistake for me to leave - Max had a project due the next day and it was a nightmare trying to help him from miles away.  Luckily Xander stepped up and helped.  I love that boy.

The next day dad and I spent a lot of time moving things upstairs, then we headed home.

 I love my parents so much and am grateful for the love and support they give me on a daily basis.  I only hope to be able to do the same for them. 

El Cabin - day dos

(Darrel - that title is for you :) )

On Sunday we got up and went to church. We were sitting down and Evan looked at me and said, "Is this heaven?" Trina said, "If this is heaven, then it wasn't worth it." (the kids were being a little crazy). That Evan cracks me up. We went home after sacrament meeting - my head was killing me and I was starting to feel sick to my stomach. I went upstairs and layed down. When I got up everyone was hangin' in the kitchen. Ian was in fine form - telling jokes and cracking every one up. Good times.
Ian spent most of the day entertaining the big boys. They were playing some sort of word game. They sat outside for hours.

Then we played 5 Crowns. We played a lot of that game. That and Bananagrams. Both are family favorites.

I spent some time talking with my mom - I kept trying to snap her picture but she wouldn't let me. My mom is awesome.



I got distracted when Ian gave me this look:

I didn't take too many pictures on Sunday - mostly on account of my feeling like crap. I did go for a walk with Darrel, Trina and the kids - which was fun. When I came back I had a little photo shoot with this beauty:

I love the dirty face :)
Later Darrel hooked up the Xbox so Trina and I could play the dance game. Sadly, I couldn't do it that long - my head hurt too bad. Then Darrel got all of the adults hooked on Law and Order: Criminal Intent. It's good.

Blessings

I feel like today I need to count my blessings. Really, I have too many to count. But the things I am grateful today are:

-My mom - who listens to me, never judges me and loves me enough to tell me the truth...even if it hurts me. And who watches over my children when I can't.

-My work family. I feel so lucky to work with people who I geniunely like and who make work fun.

-Good music. Right now I am loving Adele, Death Cab for Cutie, Coldplay and the Glee Warblers cd.

-Friends who are the answers to my prayers. In the past month I have been humbled and thankful for friends who have answered my prayers in different ways. Ways that they are unaware of. A text, a call, a pie, a dr pepper & chocolate :). Sometimes when I have been at my lowest I've had a friend call or stop by and instantly everything is better.

-My kids. Whether I'm mugging for the camera with Max, cuddling with Evan, singing at the top of my lungs with Ben or wrestling with Xander...my kids bring me so much happiness.

-For books. I love to read. I love to escape into a different world.

-Last (but not least!) for Ian. No one makes me laugh harder. No one knows me like he does. I'm so thankful for the dad and husband that he is.

Evan's first fieldtrip

A few weeks ago I got to go with Evan's preschool class to Schnepf Farms. Evan has never been there so we were both pretty excited (Evan was also super excited to be going on a fieldtrip - something he knew his brothers did). Grandma and Joshua came with us and we met Trina, her kids and her mom there.

I was so glad this cutie came.


The train was what the boys were most excited for. We were the first ones to get on. And then we sat. And sat. And sat some more. Finally someone told us it was broken and they were fixing it. We did get to ride it a little later.

While they were fixing the train, we rode the merry go round. I'm just glad I didn't throw up. I have such a weak stomach. Evan loved it.Ro did too.

The boys were also excited for the pig races. Last year when I was there with Max he got to cheer a pig on.
Miss Ruby LOVED the pigs. She thought they were hilarious.The kids got sick of waiting for the pigs so I took them to the park while my mom saved seats.

This digging toy was in high demand. I had to make them all take turns. The only one who really had a problem sharing was Evan.

This year Rowan got to be a pig-cheerleader :). He was so cute - and a little shy.

His pig didn't win, but he still got a minature pig. Sorry it's blurry. After that Trina and her crew went to eat lunch and we left to take Evan and Joshua to the petting zoo (ick!) and to the rides. They rode the airplane and the roller coaster.
I'm a little bummed I didn't get any pictures of the roller coaster because my mom had to ride it with Josh - it was the highlight of the day for me!

Then we were tired so we went and got our pumpkins.

Josh picked his out right away, but Evan took a little bit of time. He finally found the perfect one.

It's always a great day when I can spend it with my mom and one of my kids. I loved having that time doing something fun with Evan. I can't wait for his next fieldtrip!