Twin Falls

Josh has been in California since Monday for work, came home late Wednesday night, and had to go to Twin Falls first thing Thursday morning. So he asked me if I wanted to go to Twin with him. Hmmmm....okay! So I got my nieces lined up to stay with the kids for the 2 days. It worked out great and it was fun for the kids to have their cousins here to play with.

We left Thursday morning and I tagged a long while he worked for a bit. Then we went to lunch at Jakers. Yum, so good! Then Josh told me that he had a surprise and that he was taking me to the Twin Falls Temple Open House. I was so excited. But one problem...I didn't have a dress. I know you don't have to have one for the open house, but it would just feel weird not wearing one in the temple. So there was really only one thing I could do...go shopping. So I got a new dress and I was ready to go. The temple was so beautiful with such a sweet spirit about it. We've decided we're taking the kids next week to go through it.

The rest of the day was filled with some more light shopping, eating out, going to the movies and just enjoying one another's company. It doesn't take much for me to recharge, come home happy and ready to get back to the daily grind.

Time to Hang up the Towel

The kids had a great time at swim lessons this year. However, all fun things come to an end and it's time to hang up the towel to swim lessons for the summer. We had 1 pass their class and 2 that didn't. Which really surprised me because they all did so well and all were able to keep up with the rest of the class. Oh, and the dreaded diving board...which wasn't so dreaded this year. On the last day they all get to jump off the diving board. In years past, I've had to bribe 1 or 2 kids with a snow cone. There was no bribing necessary this year. They all couldn't wait! One thing is for sure, Riley will be ready for her turn next summer, she got tired real quick of just being a spectator!

 

We May Not Have It All Together...

Or should I say I may not have it all together. This last couple of weeks have been really crazy. We have been doing some major landscaping in the yard which have resulted in many long days and late nights, and it has really taken a toll on my capabilities to function normally. Lately I’ve been noticing signs that I’m losing it! Here are just a few:

1. Josh and I come inside from a late night of yard work to the kids who’ve been tearing up the house inside. We did manage to get all the kids knelt down for family prayer at 10:30 to which Emma says in a very sleepy voice, “Mom, when are we going to have dinner?”
2. My last 4-5 gallons of milk and loaves of bread have been purchased at the local gas station, Speedi Mart. Which is a direct reflection of my inability to make it to the grocery store. Well, at least we had milk and bread, right?
3. Riley, my baby, has a tendency to wander. She’s always been a handful. In the last couple of weeks several of my neighbors have found her in THEIR yard just hanging out. It doesn’t look good when your neighbor brings over your baby and you didn’t even realize she had left OUR yard.
4. The other day I was in the backyard doing some yard work, what else, and I look over to my neighbors back porch and I notice a little girl standing there in nothing but a diaper. I thought to myself, oh maybe the new family has moved in and they have a little girl my baby’s age. Oh, and isn’t that sad she has no clothes or shoes on. Then upon further looking, I notice that naked orphan looking child is mine!

These are just a few things that made me realize, snap out of it, I’ve got to get it together! Thankfully our yard is done—for now. After many long nights, trips to Chiropractor, muscle relaxers, fast food take outs, hot showers, sunburns, and calloused hands our kids are ready to have their mom and dad back to normal—whatever that may be. I've learned in the last couple of weeks that we may wake up in the morning and expect our day to go one way, and a lot of times it goes another. We are capable of so much more than we realize. There are times when we’re not at the top of our game, and there are days that we may feel like Super Mom. But I know that all we can do it try our best. I’m grateful that at the start of each day I can try to be better. And at the end of each day, “We may not have it all together… but together we have it all.”

Blog books

Many of you may have seen these and some may have already done these. But this is the next best thing,
I think, since sliced bread!! Blog books. I've heard about these but could never figure out where to get them done at. My sister just recently came across the web site. You just download the program and it transfers your blog into a book. It will let you design your book, delete pictures, add pictures, or even add text. I have really come to enjoy blogging and look forward to making new posts. I've always enjoyed taking pictures of my family, and now I can journal my entries in a way that I enjoy. I may not be so good at scrapbooking all my photos or regular journal keeping, but blogging I can handle. And now I can bind them all into a book. What a great way to preserve memories and photos--and I don't have to get out any glue sticks or paper! (Okay, so I don't know if people use glue sticks anymore, but whatever--you get the idea.) If you want to check it out here's the web site: http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook

July 4th Family Fun!

Well, another great 4th of July has come and gone. It nice to have the usual family traditions mixed with some new fun things every year. The day started at the parade...of course! Thankfully Josh and his cousin Paul Wood staked out our territory a couple days prior. They are the family's designated parade reservers. We always sit in the same spot and know the regulars that sit around us. The kids are always decked out in red, white and blue and this year--so was their hair! They thought that was pretty cool. After the parade we had a picnic with all of the Wood family. Josh's parents and siblings are out of town this year, so it was nice to still have family to spend the day with. We are so lucky to have lots of family in town to spend holidays and special occasions with. Later that night we met my sister Holly and her family for dinner at the park. Great fun. But of course the night ended with a bang! The fireworks were some of the best we've seen. We had a fantastic view and will never forget it. It was a long day, especially since we were up till almost midnight doing fireworks the night before. (Note to self...do family fireworks on the 5th next year, not the 3rd.) Some of my fondest memories as a kid are on the 4th of July, and I hope my kids will grow up and feel the same, and grow to have the same love and respect for our country as I do.

Happy 4th of July!!

My little guy is getting excited for the 4th can ya tell?? We all are actually. It's definitly a favorite in our house. We're just getting geared up for a big day full of fun! Have a great and safe 4th of July, and we'll see you at the parade!

Mommy-Daughter Date

Today the girls and I went to see Kit Kittredge: An American Girl. It was so darling. We went with some of Katelyn and Emma's friends and their moms. We first went to lunch and then the movie. It was a perfect date for the girls and I. I highly recommend it. Katelyn has read the Kit books so it made it even more fun for her. I really hope the movie does well so they make more American Girl movies. It was so nice to sit and watch a feel-good movie with my girls that had a real good message. So go and see it--you'll love it!