Oregon (part 1)

I know it has been a long time since I have posted but we have either been getting ready for a trip or gone on a trip and there has been no time for blogging. A couple weeks ago we headed north to Oregon for a couple of reunions. We went earlier than when they would start so that we could do our own thing. We headed to Boise the first night and stayed with Tony and Laura it was fun to visit with them and then bright and early the next morning we headed to Portland, where we met Ben and Nat and their kids.

The next day was Sunday and while we had planned to go to church Ben and Nat hadn't brought church clothes so we decided to go and walk around the temple grounds for a while since it was only about a mile away. The day was beautiful and that temple is beautiful on a cloudy day but it was neat to see the sun shining through the spires. Now let me worn you there are lots of pictures but that's because this is the main place my kids look at pictures of themselves since I don't print them out so this is for them.

The family in front of the reflection pond. I love how this picture turned out!

All the kids minus Kenna


But this one was pretty cute of Kenna (OK and Steve)

I love how this looks like Dad and his little ducklings following behind. (No Steve is not up on the ledge he is on the sidewalk but it looks like it)

One angle of the spires, I told you the sun was shining.

Another cute one of Steve and Kenna

All the kids minus Camden

After having a little spirituality we thought it would be fun to go and walk the boardwalk down in downtown Portland along the Willamette River. We had seen it driving through the previous day and thought it looked like a good time. We also figured there wouldn't be too many people with it being Sunday morning and all. Boy were we wrong. I guess every Sunday they have a farmers market type thing where everyone can set up shop and sell whatever they wanted. We didn't spend too much time looking at the booths but had to browse a bit since the only bathrooms we could find were among all the booths. We did stop for a minute as a band was starting to play and the kids thought it was kind of neat. But I will say this it was a very interesting experience and even eye opening you might say but fun to walk along the river with the kids

Kate and Railey really got into the music and were dancing and clapping it was pretty cute.

So there's the first day of our trip, I promise not to post about every day but this one was different from 4-5 days of building sand castles so there you have it.

Father's Day

Steve called me up a couple days ago and told me not to worry about buying him a Father's Day present. He had just bought a tile saw for work and it was a little pricey. Anyway I guess by now I should be used to this, he does it every year. But I did have something in mind this year so I decided I better not do it and started thinking again (cheap cheap cheap thinking). That's when my friend told me what she was doing. She had just bought all these letters and took pictures of her kids. That works for me! So we borrowed the letters and started photographing. Here is some of what we got. I loved how their personalities totally came through in this. We had so much fun doing it!

Originally I was going to cut out 3 pictures and put them all together but then Damen had the idea of putting them on the ground and doing it. I loved the idea but only did the heart. Kenna was not liking it that much so I started tickling her with my foot and that's why she is laughing so hard.

But then we tried it with all letters and she was done but the rest of the kids look so cute we ended up using these last two for what we did. I love how they turned out I'm definitely framing the heart one!

So then we bough all these "Hersey nuggets" and made a treasure hunt. We called it our love nugget hunt. They hid all these love nuggets with clues that then led Dad to the piano room where we had these two pictures on the piano for him. The kids really are his love nuggets! Then all day long they would come up to Steve and give him a love nugget along with a bear hug, whenever they darn well pleased. It really was a lot of fun. I hope Steve loved it as much as they did.

I just wanted to say as well how grateful I am for my Fathers. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful men in my life. Dad has always been such a source of strength and encouragement. He's calm and I rarely remember him getting upset with things, but I cherish the times he would sit on my bed and talk to me growing up. I might not have showed gratitude for it but now I look back with fondness of those times. In fact it was one of those times that I realized that I really did want to marry Steve. Dad had helped me work through my thoughts and feelings and I am grateful for that.

I am also grateful for a dad I never really got to know well. That's Daddy. The first time I met him Steve and I were outside the house getting ready to go in and wrap some presents when Daddy was just there. It was dark outside so I hadn't seen him and he couldn't see me very well either, but he came up and reached out with both hands and put them on my cheeks and pulled me in so he could see. I remember thinking that was weird but now it's funny how I look back at that and cherish that moment in time. I wasn't able to be around him much but am grateful for the powerful influence he has had in my life through Steve and his influence on him. So for that I am grateful for Daddy.

I am also grateful for my boys who we are hopefully raising to be wonderful fathers and husbands. I love them so much.

Rockets

On Friday we had an Elders Quorum party at our house. We ended up having about 90 people show up. I guess if you say your going to have a BBQ rib cook-off (so free ribs) lots of people will come. It really was a lot of fun and the meat was incredible. They ended up getting 2 guys who aren't active at all to cook the meat and boy they knew how to cook it. It was amazing. I ended up being Steve's committee and was a little frustrated when he said kids would be coming because then I figured that was one more thing I would have to plan. How to entertain 50+ kids in one night while parents mingled. But Steve took this on on. He's been wanting to make a rocket launcher for a while, so he made this whole contraption out of PVC pipe and hooked it up to his compressor. The kids made rockets out of foam tips and card stock and then we placed them on the launcher and watched them go. Some went all the way across the cul-de-sac. Others not so far but many people who were packing up to go ended up staying around and building themselves a rocket. It was a blast. I think the dad's had more fun than the kids--well at least it's debateable.


3...2....1....

Blast off!!!

And then the madness would start as all the kids took off running to go and catch them.

Here they are building away and yes see those Dad's eyeing up their competition and Seth wondering if mom was taking pictures to put on the blog!

Everyone was having such a great time that the last of them didn't finally go home until about 9:30. It was a fun night! Too bad the ward couldn't fork out money for ribs at least once a month, I'm sure we could get everyone to show up that often for a party!

Happy Birthday Seth

Well my baby Seth is now Big Seth. Seth turned 8. Where oh where has the time gone. I can hardly believe he's this old. In fact I keep pretending he's not. I know stupid huh. Seth has been begging for a rip stick for the past 5-6 months. But usually we are spending so much money on the 8th birthday with new scriptures, scout uniform, baptism and everything else that with Damen that was all he got for his birthday. But with Seth he got scriptures a few months back and someone gave us all the scout stuff for him so we decided to splurge and get him a rip stick. It was still cheaper than all the scout stuff we had to buy for Damen. I was on my way to buy one when I decided to check out KSL classifieds. When only 7 minutes before someone in Lehi posted on for half the price they are in the stores. I called immediately and had it in my hand in less time than it would have taken me to go through the check out line at Wal-Mart. He was so excited, I think he was convinced that we still had to go buy a present. See earlier in the day when I had gone to pick it up Damen had proclaimed to the entire cul-de-sac that I was going to buy Seth's present. Well I knew they would all crowd the car when I drove up to see it so I went to the back gate put the rip stick by the grill and then pulled the car around front. All the kids did crowd the car looking for the present but were sorely disappointed when I told them I had to take some papers to someone. After dinner I told Seth to go and grab a big rock by the grill to take to pack meeting that night. When he did he found his present and was so so so exited. So was Damen since I had totally pulled the wool over his eyes.

After going to a few minutes of Pack Meeting we came back and had cake and ice cream with Ben and Nat and Darc and Jared and kids. It was so hard for Seth to pick out what he wanted on his cake. He is into sports but already had a "ball cake" before and he is into super heroes but not about to admit it any more. So he went with a sports logo instead. I colored half my cake batter blue and so my layers were white, blue, white, and blue. I didn't spend much time decorating as you can see (nothing is smooth) but he loved it none the less and was super excited for his cougar cake

Seth oh how we love you. We love your gentle, sensitive side that looks out for your sisters and hurts when you know you've done wrong. We love how you want so hard to do what is right and get frustrated when you know your not. But we also love your willingness to try anything hard. Like skiing down hills that Mom won't even look at or riding a rip stick and figuring it out no matter how many times you fall down. You are determined and we love it. We also love that you still want to be cuddled and aren't afraid to come and ask for it. We will always take you in our arms and cuddle you whenever you want and no matter how big you are. We love you Seth and are so proud of you for all that you are doing and especially for your choice to be baptised. Sorry we are having to put you off until August. These darn vacations that are getting in the way of when you should get baptised. Oh well we'll have fun. Love you bud, Mom and Dad

End of School Party

Yeah I'm behind on this whole blog thing. But I figured I would do my best this week to get all caught up before we take off on our trip and I'm behind again. So the day school got out the neighborhood gets together for a fun little party with all these big blow-ups. We have great neighbors! The kids love going, I just wish the weather would be above 60 degrees one of these years. They sure had fun sliding down these wet slides but I'm surprised they didn't get hypothermia with how cold it was outside. It did warm up later that day but at first it was a tid bit nippy out.


Seth, being crazy Seth. He did like a flip thing and is loving every minute of it.

Damen --a little more cautious--that's ok, I trust him with Railey

Kenna playing--she wasn't so sure of the thing at first but gradually warmed up and loved it.

Railey--happy wherever she goes or whatever she plays on

Damen and Railey--see I told you I could trust Railey with him.

What an Adventure

So Steve and I have been married 10.5 years. We have had kids for 9.5 of those years and enjoyed most moments from those years. Life really has treated us good. We rarely take our kids to the doctors office. In fact we don't have a doctor! I know some of you may be saying --what! But it's true. I can list on now 3 fingers the number of times I have taken kids to the doctor (I do my immunizations at the health center). The have all been for extremely serious things like Seth not being able to breath (literally gasping for breath-his airway was swollen and was smaller than a coffee straw). Damen's eyes were bright red, we thought it was pink eye and kindergarten started the next day (turns out his eyes were just sunburned from being at the beach for a week). And our most recent visit to the doctor was Friday. All the kids were out playing with the neighbor kids, I was chatting with their mom. It was a beautiful day when all of a sudden all that was ruined when I looked up to see Seth, yes my Seth, driving his bike straight into a parked trailer. He went flying over the handle bars and hit his head on the side railing of the trailer. I took off running even before the extremely loud screaming started. I knew this one was going to have some blood involved. I think the whole neighborhood knew he would need stitches with how loud he was. We took off to the house, praying the whole time that I could find the butterfly bandages that Kenna had spilled all over and I had picked up and thrown somewhere. But deep down I knew with the amount of blood squirting from his chin that it might take more than just butterfly bandages. When I finally got a good look I was certain that it would need a doctors attention. I called Steve and told him to come help and then ran out to the neighbor who had just had her son in to get stitches that morning but ended up having it glued instead. I figured she would know (she's experienced with doctors and stitches--I'm not). She said it was a definite yes. So I called around to a few places and got some prices and then headed off to meet Steve at the doctors. We got right in and they numbed it up with some gel and stitched up with four stitches and in less than an hour from when it happened we were home and $200 poorer. Seth really did well once we got him to stop screaming and was pretty brave while they stitched him up. He was funny though because he wouldn't swallow his spit, so he couldn't talk to the doctor, which made the doctor think he had hurt his throat too. Steve just spoke up and said "It's just that the only experience he has with doctors is the dentist and he told him not to swallow." Well at least we thought that was funny.

The thing is for once Seth was wearing his helmet. He doesn't do it that often. When we got home and were putting things away we noticed that the helmet had been broken and a chunk of the foam was pretty much just hanging there. I know we had to pay for stitches but I think the helmet kept us from having to pay for a whole lot more (like serious head injuries). Thank heavens for the small blessings and for neighbors calmly walk you through the process of what to do and then watch your kids when you don't know what else to do with them.

This is one experience we have now experience and don't care to again. We told the rest of the kids that if they didn't get stitches before they were married we would give them $200 on their wedding day. Lets see if they take us seriously! I'm hoping!

Bike Riding

The neighbors gave Railey a bike a couple weeks ago. She was ecstatic! First off it was pink, then there were princesses on it and all of that topped off with the fact that it was hers. Only problem we had to hold her up everywhere she went because there were no training wheels, so that problem was quickly solved with a trip to Wal-Mart. She has never ridden anything or had to peddle anything, let along steer while pedaling and we knew that would be an issue since it was for the boys. So as soon as we flipped the bike over after putting the training wheels on, Steve turned to Railey and said "Let me put the tools away and then I will help you." He walked 4 ft over to his tool box and when he turned around she was in the middle of the road pedaling away. She needed no help! WHAT! Every kid needs help knowing how to ride a bike, but not Railey! She is out there constantly riding and just loves it. She's actually good enough that I think I will take one of the training wheels of this week and see how that goes for a week or so before taking them both off. She's amazing. Go Railey-- except not out of the cul-de-sac!

She Don't Know She's Beautiful

I threw together a dress for Railey today during Kenna's nap. Railey likes to sit there and "help" me the whole time especially when she knows the dress is for her. She of course had to try it on like 5 times before the dress was done, but now that it's done she won't take it off. I have to get it off of her so that it will still be clean for Sunday. Anyway Railey judges a dress by its twirl ability --"if it don't twirl she don't wear it!" The dress can be ugly but full in the skirt and its beautiful to her cause it twirls. I've made her some way cute things that she won't wear now because they aren't good to dance in. Silly girl! So after making and finishing the dress I was over cleaning up my mess when I looked over to see Railey and Kenna dancing to the song "She don't know she's beautiful" It was so cute. Though both girls know they are beautiful, they are even more so when they are happily dancing! But if you listen carefully you will also hear Railey singing the words. This is a song she has always fallen asleep to even from the time she was a baby, she loves it and loves to sing "Beautiful" loud and clear. Also you can't help but notice what a little ham Kenna is. Most people don't get to see this cute side of her because she is so serious scowly in front of everyone else but this is what we see all the time.

Wink Wink

A while back Steve was winking at Railey, he's cute with the kids and me like that. Ya know how some people are winkers, he's one. I'm not but I find it quite charming. Anyway back to the post. Railey started trying to copy Steve and eventually got it down. She is so determined. So here are a few pics of her winking at the camera. It's still a very concentrated wink but a wink nevertheless. The other thing she's picked up is snapping her finger. And yes you can even hear it snap! She's good! I don't know that Damen and Seth even know how to snap but she goes around showing everyone. That is one thing I love about kids they are not shy to show what they have learned and accomplished. What changes in adults that we think we aren't modest if we show what we've learned. Who decided that anyway? It's stupid. One more reason Christ says we need to become like little children.

One nice Day

The weather here has pretty much, lets see how to put it nicely,--SUCKED. It has been cold and rainy all spring long. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't change what we think of as spring to later months because that way we wouldn't be so disappointed that it's cold and rainy. Let's just say spring is May and June instead of March- May. But everything would have to change, even school schedules, because I don't want a cold summer. What else would have to change? Growing season--Oh yea it already has. We have planted some things but have yet to plant our big garden because I'm afraid we'd lose it all (that and it's not quite ready--one more tilling).

OK--enough complaining--sorry. Just had to get that off my chest but it sure puts a damper on work and everything else. But on one nice day we did take the kids to the park and let them play. It was beautiful and just fun to be outside! Here are all four swinging away. It was a nice break for them and for me as well.

Faith

Over the years we have tried to teach our kids about Faith. We have explained it in several different ways given example after example of what faith is and how it works and basically tried our darnedest to help them understand. To be honest there is so much I still have yet to learn about faith but as I learn I want to teach it to our kids.

The last few years business has been very slow. But Heavenly Father continues to bless us and give us little glimpses of how he truly is aware of us and the circumstances we are in. For example the other day I decided to fast. It was the first time since I had gotten pregnant with Railey, I was actually kind of excited to fast, I know call me crazy. But up to that point the phones had not been ringing. Normally by that point we have been lined up and backed up with over a months worth of work but not this year so I decided to fast for work and for the phones to start ringing.

I know that the Lord works on his own time table and I wasn't expecting the phone to start ringing on Sunday but figured within a week or so we would get a decent job. Little did I know that while I was leaving church two people would stop me and ask me to have Steve call them because they needed work done. The jobs weren't big but they were jobs. I went home from church wiping away tears as I realized that though these jobs weren't going to pay the mortgage, God was telling me that he would provide just as he always does!

Last week Damen approached me and said "Mom ya know how you and dad are always saying prayers that we will get jobs?" I answered yes wondering where this was coming from out of the blue and where it was going. "Well have you noticed that Dad didn't have any work and now he has lots and he's never home?" "Yes Damen, isn't Heavenly Father amazing," I tearfully replied. My son, without us ever saying a word to them about praying for work, has noticed the hand of God in our lives and was pointing it out to his Mom (though I was completely aware). We then talked for a while just the two of us about faith and how it works along with prayer. I only hope that somehow we can keep pounding this into our kids heads and that they will continue to be receptive and then notice on their own how much God truly does care about them and their needs. They will need to know this more than at any other time in history and it is our job as their parents to help teach them this. Heaven knows we all need the reminder even as adults.

Stake Conference

We had Stake Conference last Sunday. Our Stake broadcasts the conference to 3 different buildings. I must say I used to enjoy conference growing up, now it's a bit frustrating and almost dreaded. Oh that sounds so bad. I'm sorry it's just that trying to entertain and keep 4 kids reverent for 2 hours in a dark room just wears me out! I think in the five years we have lived here in Lehi we have attended the actual meeting in the actual building only 2 times, probably because we are the biggest ward in the stake and fill our own chapel on a normal Sunday clear to the back of the gym (it is a smaller gym). But we are a big ward and a very active ward.

Anyway lets just say they have some serious issues with broadcasting it over the Internet. After a 5 minute pause in the middle of the prayer (you should have seen all the people looking up to notice why the guy was so emotional), then after missing all of the sustainings, half of the stake presidents talk as well as some of a couple of other talks, we were getting a little perturbed. Why they can't hold two sessions like they did in our last stake I don't know but we were a little frustrated the noise level kept raising and raising with each LOOOOONG pause.

But we all had to laugh when Railey in her normal loud voice (she's is incapable of using a normal quite or even everyday voice--for her it is LOUD, LOUDER AND LOUDEST) said, "Mom I really don't like this movie can we get a new one." Sadly I had to agree at that point.

Mother's Day Recap

I hated last years Mother's Day! I was ornery all day long. Steve and the kids did everything right but I still hated it and let them all know it. By the end of the day I realized how ridiculous I had acted all day long and vowed I would never do that again. This Mother's Day Steve and the kids did everything right again starting with breakfast in Bed before 7 (we don't have church till 1), going for a walk with Steve, watching them straighten the house for friends that were coming over, seeing my beautiful fuchsias hanging basket and cuddling my cute kiddos. The difference between last year and this year--My ATTITUDE! I know that makes all the difference in the world. But hey don't worry I was back to my yelling and ordering first thing this morning.

During sacrament meeting Steve always writes me a Mother's Day poem, but since he wrote it early (I posted it for Easter on the blog) he hadn't planned on writing another one. Damen leaned over though and said, "Dad where's your pencil and paper? Why aren't you writing a poem." Steve told him he already had but that wasn't good enough for Damen, he thought I needed one on that day. So with a little help from Steve this is the poem that Damen wrote me for Mothers Day. I love it!

Sons first attempt

A mother's Day poem

Tradition passed on

Before I go roam.

I love you mom

With all of my heart

Even though sometimes

I act like a fart.

You're the best mom

A boy could get

Especially when

I throw a fit.

That's my attempt at

A mother's day Poem.

I promise we'll love you

No matter how far we roam.

Later in the day I found a poem that Seth had written for me and just placed on the counter for me to find later. This is what he wrote:

Roses are red

Fuchsias are Pink

You're the best Mom

We think.

Ya know this poem could be taken several ways just depending on how you say "We think" But I am so proud of my boys. They take after their dad when it comes to poetry, because I ain't got no rhyming skills!!!!

I'll have to share more of the poems I've been stacking up over the years. Some are quite tender others are well down right hilarious, but they all mean the world to me because they are for my from "My Boys."

I guess while I'm at it I have to tell my Moms how much I love them and how grateful I am for their amazing influence on my live and Steve's and our family. You mean the world to us and we cherish your words of wisdom and advice. We need your input and council in helping to raise our kids. You've been there and done this and we need all the help we can get to raise these beautiful kids we've been given. Thanks for loving us even when we may disappoint. Thanks for seeing our potential and helping us to reach it. Thanks for just being there when we need to vent. We love you!

Easter Pics

Well I'll just begin by saying it was Kenna's nap time. It does explain a lot but I'll let you feel bad that I had to go to church with her after this. Oh what a nightmare. I wish I knew how to combine pictures to have 3 in 1 like I have seen on other blogs but I don't so you'll just have to bear with me. But I love how these first three pictures represent the whole photo session. They are Kenna taking off her bow. Oh how she loves bows! Ready. Set. Go

Can't you tell she is not amused.

The boys did a great job. They can be pretty patient--sometimes!

Dad and his two little princesses

Dad and his handsome boys

Me trying to deal with a screaming baby and still try to fake a smile

The only way to capture Kenna in with the other kids.

These 3 had no problem posing for the camera

As you can tell. You gotta love those cheeks.

Each one had to have a "kissing shot"

The "kissing shot" all started a few years back when one of our favorite shots of the boys was Damen (2) kissing Seth (2 months) on the cheek.

I threw Kenna up and begged the rest of the kids to look at the camera. Didn't really work though.

Dad and all the kids, with Kenna who is so done!