rain or shine

I feel bad for Brian.
Summerfest has come and gone.
Our last one for awhile.
It rained off and on all day
but
The rain was kind
and always let up just when we needed.

At the carnival

Biggest rainstorm of the day had just let up
Grass was a muddy mess
Shoes were gross, pants were rolled
Big slide was the favorite
Until the "obstacle course"
Elle stayed happy with a sucker
from a friendly police officer

The parade is the best part

McKay was serious about collecting candy
Almost died when Captain Hook asked him to join his crew
Ellery got a handful of rings
that she's been wearing everyday
Bri got a tie
like always
We all enjoyed sitting with family
On the same yellow and red blankets as always
And
rain poured again as we were walking home

Notice

that this girl held on to her treasures

for a good two hours

never opening her fist

She could have gone on forever

and was completely content

just clutching them tight.

it must be summer. . .

because my boy's head looks like this:

Looks like Daddy won again.

I miss his hair.

thoughts on a sunday

• When is life going to settle down? I'm still waiting. I'm getting sad about this because summer is going to fly by, and then we're off. I want to savor these last few months here, but that might not be possible due to our calendar that just keeps filling up.

• The other day I asked McKay to clean up his room. I was trying to tidy up the rest of the house so we could head out. He was whining and whining about it and finally I told him to just do his best and I would help him when I was finished. More whining. More pep talks on doing his best. In a frustrated tone he said to me, "But mom, I don't have any best in my body!" I assured him that he did and he comes back with, "But mom, my best is way down low." He eventually raised it.

• Do you want to buy our condo? Because you can if you want.

• Ellery is very into testing her limits. Today she hit me on the head with a car and I sternly told her no. We then had a staring contest to see who was in charge. She finally gave up and I won. But she spent the next three minutes raising her arm up and down, car clenched in her hand right in front of my head, starring me in the eyes. I really tried not to laugh. I can't let her get me!

• On a different Ellery note, Brian and I are quite disturbed. Whenever this girl sees a bug she gets all excited. She gets all excited, and then she says, "Step on it!" and promptly stomps the life out of the little guy. Every time she sees a bug! What little girl's first reaction to a tickle bug is to kill it?

• Our yard sale was a huge success. We raised over $1700 for camp- exceeding our goal by $700! I was so happy that all our hard work paid off and proud of our girls. And, we got away with only a light rain shower instead of the dramatic downpour that happened an hour after we cleaned up.
  
  
• At the yard sale a really old couple, who had a van packed from floor to ceiling with loose items, combed our tables looking for more stuff to add to their collection and they bartered like nobody's business. They would go add their items to their van then come back for more. We finally had to refuse their offer for a box full of random books and knick knacks so that they would leave. Brian thinks they were hoarders, others thought they'd re-sell the junk. Either way I was disgusted yet fascinated.

• I am feeling sad about Jon and Kate, and their eight. That's all.

little tumbler

We signed McKay up for a little four week gymnastics class.

He went.

He stretched.

He flipped.

He jumped.





He got a medal.

And he was very happy about that.

glad to be back

Got home from a three day youth conference in St. George on Saturday night. We packed a ton of stuff in and all of it was great- holding a fund raising car wash, a spiritual ropes course, several inspiring devotionals, swimming, temple, historical tours and hiking Kanarra Creek. We were busy!

Youth conferences are so great. I remember mine when I was younger and it was fun to see them from a different perspective. First, I realize how annoying I must have been to my leaders. Embarrassing. Second, it's so great to see these kids feel the spirit and to know that for some this is their first time experiencing it. That part of it was very cool.

Here we are after our two hour car wash was complete. I had the unfortunate job of making sure all the kids took turns holding up signs and jumping around waving their arms at all the cars driving by, since all of them wanted to be using the hose instead. This means that I jumped and waved my arms around for nearly two hours. I learned a lesson: it's more polite to do a little wave or friendly honk to someone holding a sign and jumping, than to pretend you don't see them. Just so you know.

Another lesson: I kind of like my husband. Well, I already knew that, but it was a lesson refreshed. I found myself wanting to talk about him constantly. I felt myself getting annoying. So, I toned it down and moderated my Brian comments. But that didn't stop me from thinking them!

I had a lot of fun- and more importantly so did all the kids- but I'm glad it's over.

Next up? Girls Camp Garage Sale!!! 5:30am will come mighty early on Saturday. And after that? I can focus on Brian's favorite day of the year.

big jack, little jack

While packing up my parents garage I came across this old hat:

I knew this hat was not meant for the DI pile, but had greater purposes.

(including transforming this boy into Jack Kelly)

It was my PopPop's hat. He wore hats like this every time he went outside. Every time.
He also changed into slipper shoes every time he came inside.
He had the most wonderful British accent and was such a doting husband/father/grandfather to all us girls.

He was a man who had lived a lot of life by the time I was around to know him and he would tell fascinating (often very long) stories about his life's adventures.

When I was younger I would listen to his stories to make him happy.
I sure wish that I would have paid more attention. . .
because now, listening to his stories would make me happy.


I've put in a request that when Brian is an old man he will wear hats like this

every time he goes outside.

should i be worried?

nope.

he's calling it our pool.

more thoughts on a different sunday

I've been super busy and my camera broke. That combination means I'm not on my bloggin' game. So until I get my camera fixed and find time (and inspiration) to do a post other than thoughts on a Sunday, that's all I've got.

• A few significant events this week: Jaynie graduated from high school. Ken and Missy moved to Alaska. My parents moved out of their house and will be moving into their new house next week.

• I think I'm a little bit obsessed with Kris Allen. I usually like to watch American Idol, but haven't really been able to at all this season. I knew who some of the contestants were, but hardly ever heard them sing. But then I watched the finale- and I really liked it. And since then I haven't been able to stop thinking about Kris Allen. I told Brian I think he just might be trying to be my new boyfriend.



• The other night I asked Ellery what song she wanted to sing at bedtime. She replied with a word that shocked me. McKay used to say this word when he was trying to say "truck". So she said this word and I asked her again, "Elle, what song do you want." Same word. We repeated this conversation a couple more times until finally I realized - she was saying frog! So then we sang Five Little Speckled Frogs- her new favorite- and she was happy.

• Lately my new favorite dessert is 'smores made in the microwave. When I'm camping I kind of think 'smores are a pain because they are so messy and the chocolate is always too hard, but I'm totally loving them at home. Until recently I had never had a 'smore indoors. It's still messy.

• Brian and I are trying to decide whether to list our home with a realtor or do it ourselves. We keep going back and forth - actually, it's just Brian who keeps going back and forth. Every time he changes his mind I think, "Okay, that's what we'll do," and I start preparing myself for that, and then there he goes again. Flip flopper. Any advice on which way to go?

• Today at church, since Brian wasn't there to hang out with Elle, I didn't even attempt to take her to nursery. She ditched and hung out with me. As we were walking by the nursery door towards the end of church she heard them singing. She had a total crying fit and wanted to go in more than ever before. She cried, "Nursery. Nursery, in a whiny scream until I decided to give it a try. Of course when I opened the door and ushered her in she clung to me like a monkey and changed her mind. I should have known.

Happy Sunday.

thoughts on a sunday

• Being the young women's president at age 27 has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I have learned so much since getting this calling- it's been life changing. I've had so many incredible experiences. But one of the most common feelings that I get from this whole experience is that one day I will look back on this time and think, "I was a baby." What's interesting about this realization is that I can already look back on the last year or so and have similar thoughts. I find that I'm really enjoying getting older. . .for now.
  
  
• Brian got a new bike this week. He's been wanting one for about three years, really bad. What he really wanted was a road bike so he could start joining in on some triathlons, but we both agreed that starting a new sport/hobby right before going to a gruelling two years of graduate school is not the best timing. So a mountain bike it was! He took the kids on a ride on our bike trailer/stroller thing and they all loved it. I especially love seeing Ellery in her big orange Dora helmet.

• Speaking of helmets, McKay got them out before bedtime on Monday and they were both wearing them around the house. Ellery was so passionate about wearing her helmet that we had to say prayers and sing songs with it on. Very hard to snuggle a baby girl with a big old helmet on her noggin. It was all I could do to take it off before I put her in her bed. She has since worn her helmet several times to the dinner table.
  

• While at a play date at aunt Lisa's, McKay was outside with his cousins playing in the sprinklers. Nature called and McKay decided to pee in one of the window wells, right on the window. Brian and I laughed when we heard because he and his brothers were famous for peeing in the neighbors window wells every spring as little boys. Like father like son.

• Ellery has stopped saying "hello" and now pronounces it "all-lou" like a proper little British child.

• Today while waiting for me in the hall after church McKay was being a little too active on the furniture. Brian kept asking him to calm down and be good and McKay responded, "But dad, there's so much for a boy to discover in the whole wide world."

Happy Sunday!

"racing day- it's racing day"

My husband does amazing things. I could list all of the amazing things he's done, but I really get uncomfortable being too mushy, so I'll just say that I've been proud many times of the remarkable things he's accomplished.

But it's not often that I get to actually see him do amazing things- referring now to the amazing accomplishment of running marathons. Out of the nine marathons Brian has run, it was only on Saturday that I actually got to be there as he ran across the finish line. I was amazed, inspired and incredibly proud.

For those of you who have always known Brian as a runner, let me enlighten you on his past a little bit. Brian didn't run. Hated it, or said he did anyway. It wasn't until the year we were married, 2003, that he got the running bug.

My sister Jana talked us all into running the Freedom Run 5K on the fourth of July. Brian decided after this little race that he didn't actually hate running. After that we started a little running club with my dad. Long story short, me and my dad quit the running club long ago, but Brian kept going. Shortly after the dissolving of the running club, Brian started running with his dad and they've been running together ever since. Six years now!

Now, back to Saturday. Brian, his dad and brother Ken ran the Ogden Marathon.

Lindy, Missy, Elise and Addie drove up with us to watch our runners. We found a spot as close to the finish line as we could and waited for a familiar face to run by.

I love this picture of Elle.



The oh-so helpful Lindy anxiously awaiting their arrival. She was nice enough to be the official photographer- most of these photos are hers.

Here are the marathoners!


After a few chocolate covered raisins and some much needed hydration, Brian was off again.



This time running the kids race with little Mack.

Please let me just tell you how serious my boy was. He, obviously, very easily gets into the character of whatever he is doing, and running this race was no different. He was running so hard and with such concentration that he ran right by us- screaming and cheering his name on the sidelines.

Brian had to stop him and point us out. That finish line was in sight and he was going for it! The announcer at the end actually noticed the pure joy and pride on McKay's face and made a comment about his huge grin. As soon as they crossed the finish line McKay looked up at Brian and said, "Did I win?" Well, no, but he did it all by himself and we were sure proud of him.



My boys. I was pretty impressed with Brian for running another mile right after he'd run 26! What a sweet daddy. He didn't get the time he wanted and he felt really frustrated about that, but after the races I just kept looking at him, feeling so proud and impressed. And he even looked pretty cute all sweaty and salty!

I am so glad I got to go and see these guys run. They really are amazing.

thoughts on a sunday

Thinking of doing a little rundown of our week every Sunday night. It seems that there are lots of happenings during the week that I'd like to post here on my little blog but I don't feel like doing a whole post for each one. I also seem to get quite contemplative on Sundays, so those thoughts might be thrown in here too.

• We had quite a busy Sunday. After Stake Conference this morning I had a young women's meeting, followed by Brian home teaching, followed by seminary graduation for one of my laurels.
• My camera broke, but first something really exciting happened. There was a teenage bird on our doorstep. I know that he was a teenager because he still had his molt-y feathers, but couldn't fly (really I have no idea how old he was). So the teenage bird could not fly away and was stuck in our little porch area. The kids were very excited when Brian caught the bird in a butterfly net from the dollar store. McKay was thrilled when the bird "whined" while in the net and Ellery was unhappy that she couldn't touch the little guy. I grabbed my camera to take a picture of Brian trying to catch this big little bird in a teeny butterfly net and the next time I turned it on the digital screen was black. I am depressed.
• My parents are moving so I got to go through some of my old boxes, which produced my old journals from high school. What a treat to read Sarah's teenage thoughts. I would randomly grace Bri with a lovey, drippy, weepy excerpt from the journal I kept right before he left on his mission. These excerpts softened the blow of the other two high school journals dedicated to another boy. I think our story is sweet, yet I think I would die if Ellery met her husband at seventeen.
• Ellery is giving up her nap. She is eighteen months old. If she naps during the day she is up until 10:00pm. I am depressed and I can't really talk about it. But now you know.
• Brian ran his 9th marathon on Saturday, and McKay ran his first race right after. Big old post coming soon on this one.
• McKay keeps trying to play with older kids outside. This is painful/amusing to watch. I don't want to intervene too much and discourage him from being outgoing and friendly, but sometimes these older kids look at him like, "Who are you kid?" And McKay talks to them like he's one of their best friends and totally knows what's going on.
• We started packing some things up in preparation of putting our house on the market in June. Brian also started doing all the projects that have needed to be done forever, like bolting the dishwasher back to the counter top, and touching up the crown molding. Our dishwasher has been rocking for three years and all it took was a few little screws and five minutes to fix. Why do you get your house all perfect right before you're going to leave it?
• For those of you who know Katie- she now has a blog, and although she doesn't write on it very much yet, go and say hi because she will eventually be making her blog a private one.

Happy Sunday.

mother tell me the story. . .

This year mothers day seemed very real to me. I felt like I was part of it, instead of just supporting it.

I found myself thinking often today how grateful I am to be a mother.

Their mother.

Happy tears kept coming from those thoughts, which began as I watched my little Sunbeam proudly sing from the front row of the stage today in church. It melted my heart, and if I weren't standing with a group of other mothers singing back to the children on stage I would have just let the tears flow freely next to Brian in the congregation.

I have a child who sang in Sacrament meeting on Mother's Day. I felt like a mother today, and it felt wonderful. I love my job so much. Sometimes I don't- like when I have to chase McKay around the park because he doesn't want to go home, all the while trying to make sure we didn't get run over by a riding lawn mower- but almost all of the time I do. I get to have moments when my son comes up and tells me he loves me out of the blue. I get to have days where we play outside and pick flowers and pretend we're puppies. I get to wake up to two beautiful faces that are ecstatic to see me in the morning. I get to sing to my little girl while she snuggles against me in the middle of the night. I get a lot of good things out of this motherhood thing. Today I didn't want my kids to celebrate me being their mother, I wanted to celebrate that I am their mother.

I can't end this post without mentioning two other mothers I know. My mom. Oh how I love my little mother. So generous, so thoughtful, so loving, so sweet. And so stylish and young.

And Brian's mother, Adele.

So selfless, so Christlike, so talented, Grandma-extraordinare. I really lucked out in the in-law department. Like really.

Happy Mother's Day!