My Life

19/52: Up

For Brandon's monthly one on one date with dad, he went on a bike ride and then got to build a wood project of his choice in the garage.  He kept saying he wanted to build a raft, but he really meant a ramp.

The mural the kids had painted the week before was the perfect size, so they got to work.  It makes me smile everytime they drag that thing out front.

So now they can pop wheelies, go really fast and jump their bikes up in the air:)

The boys also brought to my attention the lovely colors in the sky after the sun had set one evening.  They wanted a picture.  I think that too goes with the word for the week.

Check what up looks like to these awesome photographers:

Stacey

Michelle
Heather
Jenn
Jessica
Kristin
Sara
Janet
Lesli
Amanda
Amanda
Naomi 
Rose
Tracy
Rhonda
Carla
Lena
Veronica
Heidi
Amy
Andrea
Liza
Jean 
Kristi

Next prompt: Anger

18/52:Mother

Still playing catch up.

A mother is something I always wanted to be.  I've welcomed my children as they've joined our family.  Mothering is a tough job.  Often times I feel inadequate and hard on myself.  As my children grow, I've learned that I don't have all the answers.  The constant change in stages and ages, allows me to never quite get the hang of it.  I suppose that is how it should be,  so we are humble and so we can continue to learn and develop as well as our children.  I am learning how to be a teen age mom.  It doesn't come easily to me.  My kids are worth the time and patience that I need to develop what they need me to be for them.

I love this quote from Elder M. Russell Ballard:

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother... Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children... What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

These photos were a hurry, get in the frame and smile.  And this is me on most days with no makeup.  I think we had just walked home in the high 90 degree temperatures because Kade's bike had double flats after school. Real life: That's ok by me.

Check what mother looks like to these awesome photographers:

Stacey

Michelle
Heather
Jenn
Jessica
Kristin
Sara
Janet
Lesli
Amanda
Amanda
Naomi 
Rose
Tracy
Rhonda
Carla
Lena
Veronica
Heidi
Amy
Andrea
Liza
Jean 
Kristi

Next week, which is really this week: Up (hoping to get this up by the weekend)

17/52: Trees

My parents have the best climbing trees in their front yard.

Check out these other participating photographers:

Michelle, Kristin, Jenn, Heather, Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Andrea, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica

Next week: Lighting Experimentation

16/52: Growth

Kade got to participate in Cub Scout Day Camp a few days early, since his birthday was the following week.  He was thrilled.  I knew he would have loads of fun, but wondered how he would do in a new environment and participating in some challenging, new adventures.  Luckily, I was able to go the entire time since I was appointed day camp liason for our ward;)

All the boys were so cute climbing on this large rock wall.  They were eagerly anticipating this station.  And they all did so well.  After the inital fall, Kade began to be more confident.  I think he didn't realize until it happened, that the ropes would in fact let him gently and safely down to the ground.  Then his mantra became, "Don't look down!"

He was brave and determined and he showed me that he is growing up.

If they made it to the top, there was a bell to ring.  Kade was oh, so close.

Check out these other participating photographers:

Michelle, Kristin, Jenn, Heather, Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Andrea, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica

Next week: Trees

April: Spring

Happy Birthday Kade

It's his day.  We are lucky that he is a part of our family.  I really love his easy going personality. It's been fun to celebrate with him today even though he wished that he was automatically exempt from school on his birthday.  I told him then he wouldn't get Krispie Kreme doughnuts to share with his class.

Balancing Act

It has been a busy, busy month.  Feeling very unbalanced and always like I'm juggling a million things at one time.  Life is such a balancing act.  I'm always busy, there's no escaping that, but some weeks just sap it out of me.  I literally could not wait unti the end of this month, so I could breathe.  Spent a few days at Women's Conference which ended up being just the sort of break I needed.  More on that later.

Hoping to play catch up.  I have so many posts in my head and pictures to edit.  Happy to be home with my family.  I love them even more after I've been away for awhile.  Nice to be back to the warm, and familiar. 

This feeling of busyness, reminded me of a talk I love given by President Uchdorf.  Really puts things in perspective.  I think the key is focusing on the most important things first:

"Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.

we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do “all these things … in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby … win the prize.” ⁷

Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most."

 

Perfect advice:)

15/52: Work

Not too long ago, Steve backed over Kyle's bike.  He's adjusted and just rode his skateboard instead.  Well, he and his friends had big plans to ride their bikes to school.  His school is a bit farther than the elementary and Lauren's middle school.  So I kind of dismissed his request.  Plus his bike was broken.  I thought it was the frame, apparently it was just the brakes.

After dinner and homework, he disappeared into the garage. He squeezed into the very small space between the car and garbage cans and got to work.  I didn't see him for an hour or so.  He was determined to fix the brakes by using Kade's from his bike.  He figured he
didn't need them anyway since he could use the pedals.

I went to check on him and he had the most worried look on his face.   He thought that taking the brakes off of Kade's bike would ruin the rear brakes. He was seriously worried about it.  Feeling lots of guilt that he may have possibly ruined Kade's bike too.  I reassured him.  He wasn't having it.  Steve was working late.  He's the fixer around here. We called him and he promised he'd help when he got home.

They worked together to get both bikes working.

I think the fixing it gene has been passed along to Kyle.  Steve was pretty impressed with what he had figured out on his own.

Check out these other participating photographers:

Michelle, Kristin, Jenn, Heather, Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Andrea, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica

Next week: Growth

14/52: Excitement

 

We've been going, going and staying up  late.  Filling our days with fun for Spring Break.  I'm anxious for the return of normalcy again.  All this fun is wearing me out:)

We don't do sleepovers unless it's cousins. Frusins (cousins+friends) as Steve likes to call them:)  We stayed up late roasting marshmellows and making smores in the firepit out back.  Then talked everyone into bed.  They were up early as expected.  It always happens that way.  Here they are, not really looking excited, but rested enough and excited to face a day of fun playing with each other.

The perfect ending to a long week off.

Check out these other participating photographers:

Michelle, Kristin, Jenn, Heather, Rhonda, Tracey, Stacey, Andrea, Jessica, Andrea, Sarah, Janet, Lesli, Carla, Lena, Rose, Naomi, Tracy, Heidi, Veronica

Next week: Work

Thankful Thursday

These boys are happy with whatever, usually.  They are up for any kind of fun and adventure. Even the simplest of adventures like riding their bikes down the hill behind our house or finding a tree to climb once we reach our destination.

Hopefully they will never outgrow this, the finding joy in the simple pleasures of life.  I thought how easy they are sometimes, that the thought of a bike ride makes their day.  Soon enough I won't have little ones wanting to go to the park, so I ought to enjoy it now while I can.

This photo doesn't do the hill justice.  They start going down and catching speed, which scares me, because one unbalanced moment could cause a bad, bad fall.  Once they get down, they tumble into the grass below.  Kade kept saying as he was headed down the hill,  "just stay on, just stay on."  We took the kids for a walk last night, we made new rules.  It wasn't just me being overly cautious.  They now must start from the middle of the hill and I need to buy them new helmets. 

Brandon is a tad more cautious, which is uncharacteristic for him.  He's a wildman.  I think the hill scares him a bit :)

And frozen grapes for a treat to cool off.  That is the best.

So today I'm thankful for: my boys, bike rides, spring break that there is time to spend with the kids, and frozen grapes:) 

What are you thankful for?