Memorial Day

This Memorial Day was great. We took the opportunity to talk about the meaning of the holiday with the kids when we saw The Flags in Idaho Falls. There were 1000 flags set up in remembrance of fallen soldiers. It was incredible. While at the park we looked at the river, had sword fights and rolled down the hill. It was so fun!

Memorial Day also meant work. Lots and lots of work. Scott continued to work on the shed while I planted trees! We are in full swing of projects and its really exciting. I really really love my trees. Scott also gave Tayden his first lawn mowing lesson. Tayden thought it was awesome...we'll see how he feels about it in a couple of years. Cache was busy racking, Kyle just ran around naked and Beckett helped with the wheel barrow. I love working together as a family in the summer evenings.

We finished the night of with a water fight in the front yard with our neighbors. I didn't take any pictures of it as I was too busy laughing and trying to stay dry. But it was the perfect taste of summer. The boys have their last week of school this week and then we are full time summer and I can't wait!!

Wonderful Weekend

We had another great weekend! I know, its a few days late to post about the weekend, but we are in full force baseball season, people! Tayden, Beckett and Cache are all playing on different teams. That means we have 5 practices a week and soon to add six games. More about that later, but June is going to be busy busy. So while I have minute, I want to talk about our awesome weekend.

Friday night we had our ward camp out. We opted out of camping, but went up for dinner. It was held at Camp Cumorah and was beautiful. I was banking on the kids napping on the drive up, but it was so close to the windmills and there was so much to look at that a nap was out of the question. The dinner was great and it was wonderful to be up in the mountains with friends. But I have to say the highlight of the trip was the kayaking. The boys loved it. Kyle knew exactly what was going on and was begging for a boat ride. Scott indulged him and our sweet baby was in heaven. It was such an enjoyable evening.

Saturday started with the sun. Scott got up early and started to lay sod and Ky decided to join in. Kyle has a special love for his daddy and shovels, so I couldn't help but smile as I watched them dig together.

Scott spent the rest of the day building a shed (more on that later) while the kids and I hung out. The evening rolled around and I decided to take the kids to the monster truck show. Since Scott was busy working, he met us there a little later. It was so much fun and the kids thoroughly enjoyed it. Kyle kept clapping in awe and yelling, "Go Monster Trucks!" It was so cute. It got a little chilly, but we surprisingly made it through the whole show. Its fun to have boys and take them to do special fun boy adventures. 

Sunday was more for me. I had a great Relief Society that has really left me pondering. So many times I have heard about the seasons of life. That sometimes there are things that we want to do, but can't because of the season of our life. For example, I would love to go to the temple more often, but because of my season of life with little kids, its harder for me to go. I found myself using that as a crutch and an excuse at times, saying, "when they grow up a little then....fill in the blank...will happen". But after Sunday, I realized that needs to change. I understand that there are things I can't do, but there are more things that I can. I have a deep yearning to understand more of the gospel and to be well versed in the doctrines we believe. I want to have a better knowledge of the scriptures. I want to have the light that I see burn in others. But, I have not pushed myself to become so...saying that its too hard right now or I have too much to do. So today, I am becoming accountable, to be more and to do more. It won't be easy, but it is possible. It will take a change of routine and I'll have to learn to be more flexible. There are things that I can do to better myself. Even if it is 10 more minutes of scripture study a day. I crave the companionship of the spirit more often and I hope that my new resolution will allow me to find ways to draw closer to it. 

It was a wonderful weekend. Truly, one for the books.  

Joy

There are moments in life when it's hard to deny the joy around you. Not fleeting happiness, but deep down inside joy. I'm lucky enough that I experienced it twice in the past two weeks. 

I was watering my flowers during Kyles nap when Beckett and Cache came out. They bugged me to spray them, just a little, so I did. Next thing I knew they came running out in their swimming suits begging to play in the water. My initial response was no, but there was no reason not to, so I said sure. We played in the back yard for over and hour. They boys kept commenting how so much fun it was and they were having the best day of their lives. Just hearing them laugh as I sprayed them in the sunshine filled my heart with joy. 

The second moment of joy came completely unexpected and I was doing one of my least favorite chores...folding laundry. I was finishing up with the socks and called the boys in to help. One thing lead to another and the next 30 minutes was spent on my bed in a crazy sock fight tickle war. Being surrounded by my boys and listening to their fun was a dream. I never want to forget that moment. 

I'm grateful for my moments of joy. And I'm grateful for my family that provides them to me. 

Mothers Day 2017

Mothers Day was great this year. The boys showered me with gifts this morning. Scott got me the most perfect sign, that is basically my life motto right now, it says, "You are braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think." Its perfect. He also got me some beautiful roses, a cute door mat (I LOVE door mats) and finished it off with a candy necklace and ring...since he couldn't afford the real thing. How cute is he?

We spent the morning at my parents and the afternoon at Scotts parents. It was wonderful. I love being so close. I put down my phone today. I didn't take single picture, I just enjoyed the day.

I love this day and the chance it gives me to reflect on what being a mother means. Its hard. Like incredibly hard. But I had a wonderful example of perseverance growing up. My mom went to school, worked full time and juggled three kids. She was kind and loving and always knew just what I needed.

One time, my wallet got stolen and I had a million things on my plate that day. I was freaking out. She took me to Taco Bell, where we sat down with a fresco taco and we wrote a list of things that I needed to get done. It was a simple thing, but it meant so much to me that she knew exactly what I needed to calm down. And when we left, we started checking off my list. She stood by me until we got it done.

Another time, I was having a rough day. And she told me that I should pray. I told her I didn't want to, so she scooped me up into her arms and prayed for me. Again, she knew what I needed without me saying a word.

I hope to high heaven I can be that kind of mom for my boys. I hope I learn to know them so intimately that I can anticipate their needs without them having to tell me. I hope they can count on me to teach them, lead them and pick them up when they fall. I will always be their biggest fan.

There are days my patience runs thin or the TV is on too much. There are days we have cereal for dinner and toys don't get picked up. There are days I'm not very nice. But never is there a day that I don't love my children and I hope when they think of me in years to come they remember the love that I have for them.

Being a mother is my greatest blessing. Sometimes I look at all four of them and wonder how I got so lucky to call them mine. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Fathers loves me enough to have given me such a wonderful gift.

Preschool Graduate

Cache is officially done with joy school. It's been so much fun and he had a blast with it. We had a quick little graduation party for the kids and then took them to the zoo today. It was loads of fun.