{Pioneer Days}

Pioneer day here is always such a big deal. The kids love the spinning apple ride & the pony rides, water slides, & bouncy houses.  the previous bishop owned a great harvest across from the Temple. Every pioneer day french toast is made out the cinnamon bread from there. Complete with hot syrup & sides. I had recently read for the 3rd time a book that touched on the experiences that pioneer woman endured with faith. Loosing babies to the elements, loosing husbands, pulling carts filled with supplies alone, being sick themselves but still caring more for everyone around them, giving their meal portions to their children & starving. We celebrate the sacrifices these pioneers made & the legacy of faith they left. This year the children had lots of questions about the pioneers, where in years past they had lots of questions about the cotton candy machine. Its fun to watch them learn of  church history. After breakfast & making the rounds to the attractions with friends Rod & I decided to surprise the 5 with a stop at a boiling alley. Its so hot here, if you aren't in a pool you are inside. Bowling went way better than expected. Honestly I thought Presley would freak out over the noise (she hates loud noises. Ironic. I know.) & I assumed Cooper would not be pleased sitting in his stroller for 1 hour, but Cooper was our little mascot & cheered us all on. we really enjoyed the time together. It seems so rare lately. If you ask the kids what their favorite part of the day was they would tell you it was when i slipped & fell while trying to retrieve a stuck bowling ball just over the blue line. I have the bruise to prove it. Just gotta laugh at those things! 

{best shot}

I just heard a huge thump upstairs. I am listening. My desk chair is situated just below Maddox's bed.  He isn't fussing, I can hear his feet & bed frame creaking. I imagine he is in twilight, that magic place where wake meets sleep as he slides back between the sheets to return to his dreamy slumber. I think what it would be like to dream worry free like a child again. I worry about these 5 little people that have been entrusted in my care, in my arms, in my heart. I feel a tremendous amount of guilt when they go to bed with dirty feet from outside play. ridiculous things like that can seem so much bigger after dark when I contemplate their paths in life. Where will those feet take them? I know where I would like them to go. & that leads to endless lists of things I should do better tomorrow. I should read an extra book, sing an extra song, give an extra kiss, not forget to brush their teeth after pancakes or wash their feet at bedtime. I am a mom in the making. 10 years & I still wake every morning wondering how I am going to make the day work, but not just work, be warm & wonderful, & every night I find myself asking how it all worked out for another day. They are so patient with me. So forgiving of my mistakes. I can feel like the worst of the bad mothers & Britt will crawl up beside me snuggle into me & with that nasally voice of his say "Mommy your the best Mom ever. I'm so glad you are mine. & you cook good food too." that nasally voice that talks in circles just grabs at my heart. I'm not perfect, but I'm giving it my best shot. 

{belly flops}

Last week I was an emotional wreck of a mother. Sometimes that happens. But the weekend was nice with a spontaneous lunch with neighbors & Sunday happened to be particularly uplifting. We kicked off this week with a trip to a natural spring fed pool. The pool, park & picnic was definitely a hit. We brought along Tre's buddy N. Tre loved having him by his side all day. Us ladies even got brave & did the rope swing. & Ill tell ya. I'm paying for it BIG time tonight! My neck is just about ready to give up on me all together. & to think I thought I was athletic. I stand corrected! I screamed like a crazy person because it was all I could do to make myself jump each time. The things we do for our kids! They loved seeing their mommy's swinging from a rope & plunging/belly flopping/dropping into the spring water. I handed the camera off to Tre to capture us crazy people. We sure have fun together. When these babies are all grown up & we no longer can hear their voices in the yards I am certain they will have fond memories of their childhood friends. & I will too.