Anniversary Get-Away...13 years

Garrett and I were lucky enough to be able to sneak away for the weekend and celebrate our anniversary while Garrett's parents watched over the kiddos.
Our plans changed a little bit when we heard that Carrie Carroll, a friend of ours, had passed away on Sunday and that her viewing and funeral would be on Friday and we wanted to make sure we could be there. She was married to one of my closest childhood friends, Dorian, and had been fighting leukemia since January. I talked with Carrie a few weeks earlier and at that point the doctors were trying a new procedure to see if they could finally kill the bad cells and let the good ones thrive, but to no avail. It was devastating to hear the news of her death and so hard to see Dorian at the viewing. I hugged him and couldn't hold back the tears. He was strong and even managed to smile...I've seen so many times the last few years as I've attended funerals for a baby, a toddler and now a young mom in the prime of her life, the power of the comforter to those who are mourning...it's so real. I remember leaving Whitney's hospital room right before William was born when she was just sobbing and almost inconsolable, then not even ten minutes later, going back into her room after he was born and she was as calm and beautiful as I've ever seen her...she was comforted by that same spirit spirit of peace that comforts during times of loss...it's hard to deny.
After the viewing, Garrett and I headed to the Timpanogos Temple. We always celebrate our anniversaries by returning to the temple, any temple...it's where our eternal family began 13 years earlier and where we're reminded of the covenants we made and where we renew the covenants we've made. It was our first time in this temple and we absolutely fell in love with the stained glass windows...beautiful!
We ate at Wingers and then drove up Provo Canyon with a quick stop in Midway to unload our bags and change out of our nice clothes into more casual clothes, so we could shop the outlets in Park City and enjoy dinner at Ruth's Chris. Everything was great from my afternoon nap in the car on the way to Midway to the delicious cheesecake dessert late that night.
Saturday we woke to snow in Midway, then carefully made our way to Falcon's Ledge. We finally broke through the storm just miles from Falcon's Ledge and it never hit us. G fished a little and I read the Lightening Thief, a book McKenna and Ashlyn have been wanting me to read ever since they finished it a few days ago. We enjoyed lunch at the Lodge and drove back to spend the night in Midway, dinner at Tarahumara and then watched some movies we've never seen...Iron Man and Avatar and more yummy cheesecake.
Sunday we slept in, attended the Midway 5th ward's sacrament meeting and headed home to see the kids...it's great to get away and it's great to return home again.

I Wonder...

I wonder about those days to come when our kids will all question and contradict our opinions and views. When they'll break free and maybe even fight again their boundaries. When they'll have momentum and huge, complicated plans of their own. When they'll finally realize mom and dad did know it all.
In not so many years they'll be real grown-up people, and I'll still be me, watching it all happen. I hope they still want to hear what I say. I hope they will still want to settle their head into my neck, for just a minute. Just to feel safe again. I hope they laugh at my jokes and get mad and tell me off like they sometimes do now. It makes me feel like things are open. Like there are no secrets. I like that. It will change and morph, but I never want them to shut off or shut me out. It will break my heart.
Right now, Wyatt’s spirit is strong and jumpy and stubborn and we adore him oh so much…even when he holds us hostage.

The Dodgers...

I love this time of year...just wish it would warm up and let the sun shine through. No more hail and snow, please!

The kids were excited to go to Colt's first baseball game, too, because they knew the snow cone shack would be open and waiting for them...and it did not disappoint - neither did Colt!

He's on an awesome team with lots of his friends...Kobe, Sam, Hayden and Wyatt and Kobe's dad is even the coach...they are gonna blow all the other teams out of the water! Colt hit every time he was at bat and not just wimpy hits, he's pounding 'em. He's such a stud!

Treats are still an important part of the game...

Boondoggle...

Ashlyn is great at coming up with ideas and finding ways to make her ideas come to life. She needed to come up with something to sell at her 4th grade rendezvous...something she had made herself. We thought about hair flowers and magnets, but all by herself, Ashlyn decided to do something different. She found a container in the craft cupboard full of boondoggle (that has probably been there for years) and remembering how grandma Nichol once showed her how to make little key chains, she quickly began making boondoggle key chains to sell. What a smartie!
Ashlyn enlisted the help of her dad, who is the master of tying flies and especially tying tiny knots, to help her finish the ends of the boondoggle. They were definitely a hit with her friends!

My Divine Calling...

For FHE the other night we talked with the kids about Moses and the burning bush and his calling and mission in life. We talked about how we all have our own missions to fulfill and that we don't know exactly what our missions in life will be, or what callings the Lord has in store for us. But, we can receive personal revelation from our Heavenly Father every day of our life through prayer, and we also have patriarchal blessings to be a guide for us.
Garrett and I then shared parts of our blessings with the kids and then testified to them that Heavenly Father is watching over. It was perfect.
Then, last night, after getting the kids down for the night I sat alone in the kitchen and reread our blessings. I was overcome with a tremendous feeling of love...love from my Heavenly Father and for my Heavenly Father.
My blessing talks a lot about my divine role as a mother to these spirits that have been placed in my care. I am in awe of their goodness, their willingness to do right quickly, their desire just to please and to show love. I am unworthy so many times of their love and their goodness and all the richness they've added to my life. I know they are valiant and good. I know they will fight a much harder fight that I've ever had to fight. I know they will succeed as long as they stay close to their Father in Heaven. I love being their mother...they are my greatest blessings.

Saturdays...

Saturday, McKenna had her last soccer game of the season and then she and I, along with her friend McKahl, headed down to Orem to watch their friends, Mady, Brinley, Delaney, Sophie and Afton play in the State Cup. While we were out and about all day, dad, Ashlyn, Colt and Wyatt were hard at work transforming our front yard. They took out all of the ivy and began cutting down the three pine trees in front of the turned garage...and of course made a Slurpee run.
It's a huge job and I feel badly that I wasn't home to help. Good thing he had Ashlyn...she was a huge help, Colter was preoccupied with burning bugs and twigs and who knows 'what the heck' Wyatt's doing with his tools and fake knives???
There's still a lot more to do, but finding free Saturdays or Saturdays when we are in town are few and far between. Garrett is such a hard worker...we both have great hopes of instilling this trait in our kids, and every once in a while I see we're making progress...every one in a while.

Anything for a Laugh...

Wyatt got out of the bath the other night and wrapped himself in one of the little shower mat towels. He came strutting down the hall with an air of mischief about it...he cracks us up. He looked just like a mini Garrett.
Pretty quickly we were all laughing at how funny he was and so, of course, he immediately began hammin' it up for the camera...that's our Wyatt!

Bluff Ridge 5k

About a month ago Colter talked his dad into running the schoool 5k with him. Garrett's good to do those things that are important to the kids.

This night, McKenna was at training, Ashlyn ran off with a bunch of her girlfriends to the carnival and so it was just me and Wyatt cheering the boys on. Garrett was so impressed with Colter running the whole way and in only 30 minutes. A few hundred yards before the finish line Wyatt jumped on dad's shoulders and crossed the finish line with them...he was so excited!

Rather than stay at the school carnival we offered to take Colter to his favorite restaurant...it didn't take much coaxing and Red Robin won out...yay! Colt crashed hard that night.

Colt and his buddy, Wyatt...
a little pre-race strategy and pep talk from dad...
heading for the finish line...it's funny to me that looking at these pictures it looks like Colter's just strolling along struttin' his stuff! I love my boys!
our cute friend, Aubrie...

Just Observing...

A few times this year I've had the opportunity to be in Colter's class and read with a few of the kids. This last week as I sat waiting for the next child to come back to the desk, I had a few minutes and just silently watched Colt in his element in his class. I watched as he corrected a paper he had worked on earlier. He had no idea I was watching him. I sat watching as he went down the list and at the end of the paper realized he had them all right. I heard him say a little quiet "yes" while making a fist with his hand and pulling it into his side.

I love that he is confident, that he thinks it's so cool to be smart and that he loves school and that he thrives in school. I love this boy...it wasn't anything grand, but watching him made me smile and truly made my heart swell with thanks for my many blessings, one of them being a great school that my kids have the opportunity to go to.

Next year our incredible, amazing principle, Mr. Venable, will be moving onto another school...to make another school as great as Bluff Ridge. We're going to miss him terribly - he is the reason Bluff Ridge is so incredible.

Pinewood Derby=Unrealized Dreams

It was a night of unrealized dreams for McKenna and Ashlyn...but it was also a night of lessons learned. Coming in last can either break you or make you stronger. I'm proud of my girls for not letting it break them, but for being able to laugh about it with their dad. He always knows the right things to day...plus Blizzards from Dairy Queen can always make anything alright!
Dad and Wyatt messing around with Mike n Ikes. Gotta do something to kill the time...