her day

::my family::

My kids are exhausted today. Ex.hau.sted! Uncle Jake watched Brynlee and Jace while I went to a doctor’s appointment this morning. Jace had a full on melt down when it was time to leave. Kicking, screaming, fit throwing. I asked Jake if they were okay while he watched them and he said they were great. I think he’s a dirty liar. They weren’t great. They couldn’t have been. At my house they’ve been nothing but fits and tears.

It’s been dreamy.

Truth be told I’m exhausted too. And if it didn’t take so much energy to throw myself on the floor and kick and scream and act half animal I would join in. But alas, I’m short on energy.

Yesterday was Marlee’s baby blessing. She looked beautiful and I couldn’t kiss her enough. At the end of a long day Spence and I collapsed on the couch and marveled at her perfection, the same way we did when Brynlee was that age, and Jace too. My little family makes me so happy. And although my heart swells with happiness, my mind has a hard time putting it into the right words. Joy, it’s hard to explain.

Yesterday our house was full. 47 guests in total.

Today I am trying to make sense of it all. I’ve washed three loads of tablecloths, four loads of dishes, cleaned the yard, vacuumed and cleaned everything upstairs and fixed some strange dug up dirt mess in my flower gardens {kids, I’m assuming}. I’ve yet to step foot in the toy room - it looks like a bomb went off in there. I’m thinking I will wait until tomorrow; I may need a good night’s sleep before tackling that level of disaster.

Good things about yesterday:

:: my beautiful baby marlee {i’ve yet to take pictures of marlee in her blessing dress, yesterday was just too crazy. but we will be playing dress up in the next day or two and i will post pictures then.}

:: getting out of the shower  in the morning and realizing that jace was already dressed in church clothes. he came running in to ask if he looked handsome. and he did!

:: me and marlee in an empty house before heading off to church. we snuggled in the quietness.

:: a beautiful pink blanket with matching tiny booties. made by rachel.

:: kali jo coming to marlee’s blessing. she’s a constant, i don’t think she’s missed one of my families big events. her friendship means so much to me.

:: a baby blessing given by spencer. he is my everything.

:: a ward family that loves and supports us.

:: my siblings, they don’t have to be asked to take charge and they know their way around my kitchen. i love them!

:: watching brynlee with her cousins. she had so much fun – playing with cousins that she only sees a couple times a year, even – that’s a big step for my shy girl.

:: alan and brad braving the heat and stacking all the tables and chairs just to be helpful.

:: grandpa keith climbing to the top of our maple tree.

:: my mom and dad dead asleep on the couch. with mouths wide open! {i have blackmail pictures mom, so you had better be on your best behavior}

:: texts from caring people to make sure i had survived the event.

:: surviving.

:: my girl with grandpa and grandma m::

::pa and his newest love, until january anyway::

:family//my side//minus one: jake::

::family//spence's side//minus 30, if I am counting correctly::

::because it made me laugh//love you three::

Weekend summed up

blossoms on our tree

“Mom!” Brynlee exclaimed when she first woke up this morning, “It smells like summer!” It was warm enough to leave the windows open last night, and her bedroom sits in direct aroma trail of the crabapple tree. It’s in full bloom, and smells like a million bouquets of fresh flowers. And, when the sun’s rays hit it just right, it paints her bedroom and the dining room the perfect color of summer sunrise pink. Come fall time Spencer will be cursing that very tree for raining crabapples on his lawn. But right now, that tree could do no wrong. It’s springtime beauty. As are the tulips and daffodils and blooming periwinkle.

Honestly though, the last few days have been so warm that it feels as if we skipped springtime entirely and dove headfirst into summer. Our days have been filled with sunscreen, popsicles and the sprinkler under the trampoline.

We spent Saturday in the burning sun at our town’s Environment Fair where we ate hotdogs and listened to our neighbor boy’s band play {the neighbor boy’s band, which is different that our neighbor’s boy band f.y.i.}. We wrapped up the day with a scoop of ice-cream at Farrs.

On Sunday after church we loaded up our bikes and spent the afternoon rotating between bike rides on the bike trail and playing on our town’s newest resort of a playground: Brooklyn’s playground.

Over the weekend Spencer and I were also able to sneak in a hot date. Dinner and a movie {thanks mom}. We’ve also been grilling dinner outside, doing yard work, running around in our swimming suits {not me so much} and running around barefoot. I love warm weather!  

at the environmental fair
notice the batman logo face paint that left the left side of his shirt a lovely shade of grease stained black

in the sprinklers

flying her homemade kite

water balloons on the trampoline

Photo Album: At the Play

The weekend before.

We spent last Sunday at my little sister’s house watching General Conference. The whole gang was there gathered around the television in Jami’s front room. Our family is getting bigger – ten grandkids now if you count my soon to be and ten-year-old Aunt Marie {and we do}. Add in the twelve adults and it’s loud when we hang out. Loud and rambunctious and a teeny bit overwhelming. Just as a family get-together should be.

Here’s five things that made me smile on General Conference Sunday.

One. Singing along with a YouTube video to the apostle song. We are learning it in primary in our ward and I think it’s so fun that I suggested that the entire family learn it.

Two. The fringed denim cowgirl duster. Enough said.

Three.  When dad broke Jami’s chair.

Four. Since we weren’t planning on all being together for Easter Weekend we celebrated with the Grandma & Grandpa Easter baskets a week early. The Grandma & Grandpa Bunny we call it. My mom tends to go a bit over board on holidays with bags for each kids of random randomness: shoes, clothes, random toys, treats, anything goes really. My mom gets a kick out of it, the kids love it, and grandpa pays for it.

Anyway, on Easter Sunday Brynlee leaned over during church and said, “Mom, when I grow up and have kids you will be there grandma, right?” I confirmed and she continued “Okay then…you HAVE to do the Grandma Bunny like Grandma B does because my kids need to be just as spoiled as your kids are!”

Five. The fact that Jace cried the entire way home because he wanted to go back to be with his cousins.

Okay, it made me smile at first. But about midway I was ready to throw him out the window. {And don’t think that I’m above threatening with such a thing.}

Searching for the Grandma Bunny Bags

Jace

The Girls
{minus Chloe}

On Easter

Our Easter weekend was superb.  The kind of weekend that makes me ready for summer and no schedule and long days and no schedule and Otter Pops and no schedule. In fact, when the alarm went off this morning I moaned and groaned and told Spencer that I would be withdrawing Brynlee from school that very day because I was sick and tired of having to enforce a morning routine. He said it sounded reasonable, shut off the alarm and pulled the blankets over his head. Responsible parenthood is the pits. Especially during the early morning hours.
Anyway, Easter.

On Saturday: we braved the morning’s wind to search for candy filled eggs at the neighborhood easter egg hunt//decorated and colored eggs//spent the afternoon at the sledding hill racing our hard boiled eggs//it was decided that the easter egg race winner got to pick where we got dessert//ended up at kiwi loco, brynlee’s choice//ran a few last minute errands for the easter bunny//and wrapped up Saturday evening with some major sugar induced pregnancy nausea.

On Sunday: remembered the real meaning of easter//taught adorable 3&4 year olds the easter story//let my heart rejoice when jace retold the story when asked why we celebrate easter//snapped a quick picture of the kiddos in their sunday easter clothes before they ran off to find what the bunny had left them//a basket full of summer goodies for the kiddos//new patio furniture cushions for me and a leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher for Spence//realized that the easter bunny is super practical//dutch oven potatoes and bbq chicken for easter dinner//it tasted like summer//naps in shifts and playing outside until we were all kissed red by the sun’s rays

Easter weekend in a sappy review: The last few weekends have been perfect reminders that I’m living in my heaven on earth. This is my paradise; my family, my life. And it makes me so happy. I am so blessed.

Easter weekend in pictures:

Photo Album: We Camped

 

The camping gang~
Spencer's brother Matt and his family: Tracy, Jill (she left early - something about school work - so she's not in the picture), Paige, Carrie & Charolette
Spencer's sister Sarah and her family:  Brett, Gavin, Bryn & Alec
And us.

Paige & Jace

Hula Hoopin'

Aunt Tracy sent a hula hoop home with Brynlee.  It's a new favorite toy at our house.

Camping 101: S'mores must be made daily.

Matt & his beautiful girls.
It was so fun to get to know Matt's girls better.  They are super fun.

Family Photo

Oh, how I love these guys.

Cousins

Sailing paper boats.

The scenery was beautiful.
And the company fantastic.
Can't wait to do it again.

P.S.  Our life has been jam packed with more summer fun and goodness since our camping trip last weekend.  We just got home from my big sister, Jessica's, house and then spent the day today hanging out with my little sister, Jami, and her kids.  It was a great day.  Right now the washing machine is cleaning clothes to be put back into suitcases and earlier today I filled the gas tank for yet another summer get-a-way. I think filling the gas tank as become the theme of Summer 2011.  Well that and completely exhausting my runts so that it's is impossible for them to keep their little eyes open past 7:30pm.  And as an added bonus my toy room has stayed clean since the beginning of June.  Fist pump!

Anyway, I was planning on starting another 30 pictures in 30 days challenge for the month of July but I left my computer charger at my sister's house.  Dang.  I will have to tell you about my plan just as soon as I'm able to turn my computer on. 

Until then, happy July. 

It’s not like me to go this long without posting a list.

Me, Brynlee and Kate during the intermission of Annie on Thrusday night.

·         Brynlee, Katie and I went and watched the play Annie last Thursday.  We had such a great time and I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried like a heartbroken teenager when the cute little orphans sang “It’s a Hard Knock Life.”  I really am such a sap.  The evening was perfect though.  I’m so glad Katie joined us and I am so glad that my Little Miss Sidekick loves watching plays just as much as her mama does.  She can sit through about 10 minutes of a movie before she get bored silly, but a two hour play keeps her entertained for its entirety.  Makes me happy.

·         My kids hate tags on their clothes.  Like passionately hate.  You know, like the tag sewn into the back of a shirt that says the size, and fabric material, and little love notes like if you dare dry this sweater in your hoity toity drying machine it will turn to a size small enough to fit your lapdog.  Yeah, the kids hate those things.  Neither of them will wear any clothes until all the tags have been removed from the vicinity of their body.  It drives me batty.  I never know the size of their clothes, it’s hard to tell front from back, and it’s a pain in the keester to be on the tag removal crew at any beck and call.

·         Celebrating summer has become our full-time job.  No kidding.  We’ve been spending our every second basking in all that summer has to offer.  And it’s just as I like it. 

·         Speaking of celebrating summer we spent the weekend camping with Spence’s big sister, Sarah, and brother, Matt, and their families.  We didn’t go camping at all last summer and this trip reminded me how much I love camping.  Here’s to more summer 2011 camping trips. {clink, clink}

·         And also to cooking more dinner’s dutch oven style.  Every time we join Sarah & Brett for dutch oven chicken and potatoes I’m motivated to make it part of my summertime cooking routine.  And then I forget.  Actually, I don’t forget . . . it’s the follow through that I struggle with.  But this summer I’ll triumph.  Maybe.

·         I’ll be posting pictures from our camping trip in the next day or two.  Because it’s what I do.

·         Completely unrelated:  you know the self flushing toilets that are in most public places?  You stand up, and without any warning – no pulling on the flushin’ handle, no nod of the head or wave of the hand – they flush.  I hate them!!  I mean, sure they are convenient and arguable more sanitary for full grown adults, but for the miniature potty users they’re crap {no pun intended}.  My kids are too small to set them into automatic flushy mode.  Which isn’t a big deal if there is a handy toilet flushing button to push, but not all models are equip with The Button.  So instead I’m left waving my arms, and shaking my booty in hopes that my killer moves will trigger the automatic flushy feature.  Just sit down on the potty and stand back up, Brynlee will advise me.  Your behind is bigger, it will make it flush.  So I do the half squat, still no flushing.  So I shake my butt in front of the sensor, still nothing.  And just as I’m about to give up, to admit defeat, I turn my back to the toilet to walk away and ta-da dumb thing flushes.  Just to mock me, I think. 

·         And with that I’m off to bed.  And I believe it’s high time.  Don’t you?

I So Enjoy The Easy Listing Format

·    I got a new bike for my birthday.  During Spence’s shift for Sunday nap the kids asked me to take them to the park.  Thinking it a good reason to unearth my rusted biking skillz I loaded them in the bike trailer and peddled to the nearest park.  And then I died.

·    Note to self: Please try to get into shape.  Like, soon!

·    A little boy was teasing Bryn at school.  “Brynlee likes to fart, Brynlee likes to fart.”  {Preschool boys are obviously no more or less mature than any other age group of boys.}  Brynlee’s response?  “No! I don’t!!  But my dad does.”  *ba-dum-bum* 

·     My friend Miranda made me a carrot cake for my birthday.  My mom named it ’The Best Carrot Cake She’s Ever Eaten’.  Seriously, the cake was delish.  But the frosting.  Oh. My. Heck.  The frosting.  ‘Best Frosting I’ve Ever Eaten’. 

·    Someday I’m going to learn to bake like Miranda.  Scratch that.  Me learning to bake like Miranda is just about as likely as me being the next president.  Instead, I’m going to do my best to stay friends with her so I can indulge in delicious baked goodness without having to actually do the baking.  Or wash the dishes afterwards.

·    Jace got a haircut today.  No Tears!  Jace went to nursery today.  No Tears.  Miracles do exist after all.  Halleluiah.  I sure love that kid.

·    On April 26^th it looked like this:

On April 27^th it looked like this:

Just thought you would like to know.
 

·    We spent the weekend at. . .

·    Hold up!  I have to tell you something first.  Remember how last summer Jami & Zeb moved to that town in the middle of nowhere where my parents live?  Well now my little brother and his wife are moving to that same town.  It makes visiting family convenient.  Three birds, one stone kind of thing.

·    Anyway, we spent the weekend at that-town-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-where-half-my-family-resides.  They were having a little carnival and we invited ourselves, because that’s how we do playdates in my family.  If there is one thing you should know about that-town-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-where-half-my-family-resides it’s that they know how to throw a party.  Nothing beats a small town carnival.  Well except a small town 4^th of July celebration.

What we do for entertainment in that town-in-the-middle-of-nowhere

·    May is national bike to work month.  And since taking the kids to the park is part of my job I’m so going to bike to the park again.  Just as soon as my legs no longer feel like jell-o OR until the park moves closer to my house – whichever happens first.

Happy May you guys.

Family photo on a stock pan lid.

Photo Album: Easter Weekend 2011