July 4th 2014

Well, our celebration actually started July3rd with the annual Hillsboro party. I look forward to that party every year and count down the days till it arrives. Nothing says "God Bless America" like a hot dog, cold coke, and a million friends! I seriously know everyone that comes and spend 3 hours chatting up a storm. At the end they put on one amazing firework show... I mean 20 minutes of lying under gorgeous balls of fire is pretty spectacular. 

"Alice look at mom" "Mom, I looking at you okay"

20 weeks pregnant! 

July 4th we drove up to Brain Head to spend the weekend. We got up there just after a huge hail storm and it looked like snow had covered the ground. The girls squealed with delight. We spend 2 of the 4 hours explain that there would be no snow at the cabin this time... wrong! We went 4 wheeling and saw the fireworks that night. I actually like the Hillsboro fireworks better as we were just so close to them. Saturday we laid around, took walks, played at a park in Cedar City, and of course took a long ride on the four wheelers. It was bliss. Perfect cool bliss!! My mom drove up Sunday and Nick left... the story continues from there.

There were two hail storms while we were up there. We ran through one with the girls. Alice was not amused. Scarlett loved it.

Dreaming of Summer and Pregnancy

I have been dreaming of hot weather, afternoons by the pool, and summer tans for months!! And I mean MONTHS!! Way back in February I got pregnant and like clock work I got sick mid March. We were excited and this baby was very much planned but still when pregnancy sickness starts all that fades away. To make things more interesting Nick started his own financial advisor firm with my brother-in-law around the same time. Once again, we were excited for this next adventure and we could not have been more thrilled. But this meant Nick would be working more and spending weekends away for awhile. This meant I would be handling two active kids and pregnancy woos by myself. Days were long and depressing for a couple months. Even though both of these events were wanted and answers to prays it did not take away feeling sorry for myself. I was supposed to be in a new house with a backyard (which we decided to hold off on) and have my husband home to help. Instead I laid on the coach and dreamed of summer days. Oh those wonderful summer days where worries fade away and I would be far enough in this pregnancy to feel "normal" again. The days were so, so long and it seemed that summer would never arrive....but it did!! I am feeling great, Nick is home more and does not have to travel, and I spend my days by the pool. Plus I have an awesome tan!

"My boon mom"

Lake Powell 2014

I love the anticipation of going to Lake Powell. I love the planning, packing, food buying, and dreaming of the perfect week. Really, I love it all. In the dark days of my first trimester I would think of sunny days at the lake and it would warm my soul. 

This Lake Powell was very special for me as I finally had a kid that was old enough to get excited!! Alice stayed behind with the Milnes (she would have drowned in a second) and Scarlett came with us. We talked about Lake Powell for a month before we left and got her all excited to go. On the drive she asked every 5 seconds if we there. I remember being her age and just bursting with wonder and energy. It was such a joy to share this experience with her and spend the week making memories.

I love the hot wind in my face and going through my hair. I love the warm nights and watching the full moon rise over the mountains. I love not having cell service and forgetting what a cell phone even is. I love how ALL food taste better after an afternoon of swimming. I love sharing this place with my kids and husband. I love the very first day and thinking that I have 5 more days of this left. I hate leaving.

The water was rising about a foot a day. By the time we left this island was just about underwater...crazy. We loved swimming to it and getting a nice tan

 I am so happy Nick could come for a couple of days. Scarlett just loved having him there and he played with her every second of the day. He even talked her into going on the surf board with him...amazing!!

Scarlett and Nick tried for 3 days to catch a lizard. Of course, the day he leaves she catches one and I have to manage it. Good thing is ran away after day

 There's nothing better than reading a book in the hot sun and having this as your view. When I told my grandpa (who came the last couple of days) that this is such a pretty place he said "oh no. It is not pretty at all. It is epic!"

Joy School Graduate

My sweet Scarlett graduated from joy school last week. Teaching her friends and her over this past year has been very rewarding. I gained such confidence around toddlers after all my teaching. They are fun and adventurous little people. I was also shocked that lesson after lesson the activity they loved the most was reading books. They would sit and listen so intently and ask all sorts of funny questions. I now try to read books to by girls every chance I get and they love it!!

I only have 14 years left with this girl and I hope it goes nice and slow!! She is a wonderful little girl and joy to be around. So blessed to have her as the first!!

Memorial Day

Well summer is officially here! I am so excited to enjoy the hot summer and spend all day in the pool. This past weekend we spend the whole time as a little family. On saturday we spend the morning/afternoon in Boulder City going to breakfast and playing a huge park. It was cooler and over cast so we were able to spend 3 hours playing at the park. Sunday we took a very hot walk through the Wet Lands park. We never did find the huge pond with turtles and fish... it was depressing. Monday we took the girls to the water park at the rec. center. They LOVED it and could have spend 10 hours playing/swimming/running around. Unfortunately Nick and I only last 3:) We ended the fun weekend with a BBQ over at Milnes house. It is always a struggle to pull our kids away from their cousins. Here's to a great weekend and memories made!

Pics from our Wetlands adventure. I think we will have to wait for cooler weather to go again...it was HOT!!

Mother's Day 2014

" I just don't see motherhood as anything but a choice that benefits me in huge, rewarding ways. I feel like all those sloppy, sweetly, saintly tributes just don't really apply to me. I mother because it's about me. And in turn, it's about them. And that's the miracle of motherhood." CJane

I have been feeling this way... that motherhood is selfish! I get to spend all day with the people I love most, doing things that bring us all joy. They are constantly telling me how much they love me, drawing me pictures of hearts and rainbowns, and kissing my checks and face (even as I write this Alice has your baby arms wrapped around my neck). I feel this constant love and gratitude from my girls all day! At times, especially these past couple of months, I feel that they have been mothering me. I am so blessed to partake of the beauty and miracle that is motherhood. 

except this....i dont like this