{pioneer day}

Every year we celebrate Pioneer Day.

(whats pioneer day? click here.)

last year looks a whole lot like this year, just this year I went with slightly bigger babes. 

We...

 visited with little friends

Rode the spinning apple

petted ponies

ate french toast & watermelon

had shaved ice

bounced in bouncy houses

melted in the Texas sunshine

Had help from Maddox primary teacher/my beautiful friend 

& Help with madame sassy pants from another sweet friend 

(it was just me vs 5 on saturday. always an adventure.) 

{construction}

I am in way over my head.

& thats okay.

I know why I am doing this.

I know where I want to go.

I know where I want them to go.

When the day has hit its boiling point & the kids decide they are not friends after all

I see one thing.

It may sound silly...I see that big family picture.

Me & Rod silver haired in the center. 

Our children standing around us with their children; our grandchildren.(don't worry we are not all wearing denim-the canadian tuxedo its called, I believe.) 

I know why I am doing this.I am creating something bigger than right now. I am creating a family.

I listened to a parenting podcast the other night (I do that occasionally) & It was about relaxing. 

I walked away with some insight.

Our homes are not always perfect & fingerprint proof. (ps: stainless steel appliances? who came up with that bright idea??!) I am guilty of chasing messes.  I spend all day making sure everything is in its rightful place. I like my countertops cleared & shiny all day everyday. I know Im not alone in this craziness.  I know I have babies...I know they have goldfish, bananas, sippy cups & legos, tea sets & sleepy blankets. But really?? do they have to take over? Thats where I need to relax.

When we drive by a temple construction site, there is dust & there are pieces of materials yet to be used, there are tools & machines to help build the temple. When we see this we do not think to ourselves "what  a mess!" no, rather we think...that is going to be a beautiful Temple. I suppose life is like that. Its not always completed, there are piles of folded laundry that need putting away, there are lunch boxes that need packing, there are floors that need vacuuming....but that is because we are under construction. We are building something. We are building an eternal family. It can be messy. Making cookies with 4 extra helpers usually is. Watercolors can find their way to white shirts. Its okay. We are under construction. & When the construction is complete...oh...how beautiful it will all be. 

So when the day gets loud and busy & I cannot keep up with myself...I think of that big family picture framed on my wall...of all of us when the construction is complete. 

I know why I am doing this.

I know where I want to go.

I know where I want them to go. 

(the podcast I refered to  & other super fun mom encouragement can be found HERE)

{distractions}

3 ipads

2 ipods

2 iphones

1 imac

1 television

1 wii...

so yeah. 

thats a lot of electronics.

a lot of distractions! 

Rod is on OB services right now.

helping woman deliver babes without pain.

He has Mondays off.

Which works great.

It means we get to visit the city hot spots without all the crowds. 

The kids got up & we threw them their suits 

& buckled them in the car.

We did not tell them where we were headed.

We did however tell them it would not be including electronics.

They were tickled when we started driving out of the city 

& down hilly roads past farms & into the tree lined gravel roads.

They played like the best of friends.

The river was peaceful & calming.

Sans distractions. 

I really try my darndest to keep the 

electronical (I just made that word up)  

use to a minimum,

but when cooper needs this or that & I am trying to juggle 

the needs of everyone & their stuffed moose...

Ill tell ya I let time slip by now & again. 

Our stolen Monday just reminded me how important it is 

to have these little siblings play, pretend & create together, so that they can build good relationships with one another now.

I'm going to do better at that. 

or try to anyways. 

& now 1 bazillion pictures of my children.

'cause they are cute.

& I love them. 

                 

We did THIS LAST YEAR TOO. 

they have grown so much 

& we even have a new little nugget in tow. 

{gone}

Opah left first on a business trip.

Then a few days later Omah left taking Lucca along. 

I am usually the one who cries.

Maybe it was just too early for my tears.

But it certainly was not too early 

for this poor buddy to get all misty eyed.

45 minutes had passed before his slumped over sad-sack of a body

joined the rest of us in the family room. 

{good girl}

For 2 nights & 3 naps 

Presley

has been sleeping in a big girl bed.

The transition has gone perfectly.

she does not get off her bed...

not even to pick up a book or cup that has fallen to the floor.

we have a full sized bed waiting for this wee thing...

but we are convinced she would get lost, 

never to return in such a big bed.

So her generous & loving Omah & Opah gave her this adorable bed 

that grows from toddler length to twin.

The jury is still out on bedding choices. 

Presley does not seem to mind a bit that her bed is 

a mix of sheets & blankets.

She is tickled to be in a big bed.

I have been rather emotional about the whole thing.

Its been a long time since I have not had 

2 cribs set up in our home. 

we are down to just one baby, one crib. 

It all feels foreign. 

She is a good girl. 

{here & there}

today marks our 10th anniversary! 
thats a mighty big deal. (I say) 

I posted THIS 2 years ago. 

It still holds true today. 

more sappiness later this week.

aannnddd...

one great big gift is the return of our boys.

ready or not here they come! 

this is what has been going on... 

-Here-

bird bakery, tutus everywhere, swimming with friends, date with daddy, watching Annie, teething, building blocks, ice cream sundaes, painting.

-There-

Road trip, indoor camping, painting pottery, swimming, root beer floats, candy, fake mustaches, mini golf, whole in one, 4th of july shirts, bubble guns from the Connolys, church with Omah, singing "i love to see the temple" when the temple was in site, Monsters University & Despicable Me 2, In & out Burgers, Snuggles with Lucca the dog, Wii.

-Here & There-

show & tell with ugly dolls, stories, "I love you", 

Mom & Dad being silly.