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I needed a change : )

Temple Square and Caving!

I absolutely hate the winter.  Hate is a strong word.  A very passionate word.  And Im going to use it.  I hate winter.  I grew up in winter, but its a whole new ball game growing kids up in the winter!  In an effort to keep my hatred from spreading to my kids...we keep on keepin' on and do what we can with it.  Mine as well try to enjoy some parts of what winter can offer...New Years resolution #1.  We have been skiing several times...amazing.  Santa brought new sleds this year...amazing (so amazing, in fact, and unfortunately no pics to tell the tale, I had to run home and grab the kids their helmets!)  The above picture is the trax.  Took a 'train' ride to the lights.

The train ride was the hit.

Kids are still confused about the purpose in seeing the lights.  One of those things where I CONVINCE them that its beautiful, awesome, so fun.

Wasn't working.  I tried the nativity at the lights.  Still, no such luck.  Evan says: "mom, those are statues...not even real!"  And more.  Like: "this is so boring mom...we came all the way here to see...lights?!"

As I mentioned...still confused : )

I love my family.

And of course we can always rely on Uncle Scott to show us new adventures of winter wonderland, because Uncle Scott oh so loves the snow!!  Thank you Scott for this amazing adventure.  The kids had so much fun exploring these caves.  Its an exploring dream come true.

There were parts of these caves that were so small Shawn almost lost his shirt trying to squeeze through.
Doesn't make me nervous at all.

Here are the adventurers.

As I mentioned before...gonna keep my eye out for some new adventures for us through the months of Oct-Apr.

Hope to add some to the list as we attack winter each year!

This one has been added.

photo dump

Mayci and her paint.
This particular piece is frame able.
So is her smile.
 

Winter comes...but the pool stays OPEN!
This was a hit for this precious babe of mine.
She loves the tub.
 So the pool...
PARADISE!
Just as we were gonna wrap it up she fell fast asleep in my arms.
We stayed.
I, too, was in paradise.

Another amazing note from none other than Raegan.
I was out with friends.
And this is what I came home to wrapped up on my pillow.

This reads:
"to: mom  Love: Rae
DO NOT LOOK
privecie"

 And this is what the inside reads:

"Dear, mom  

I love you goodnight

I am conduve mad you 

are coming home

late I LOVE YOU

Love Rae

PS dad was also being mean  Love Rae  and I love dad to"

I died.

Laughing.

"PS dad was also being mean"

She is one of a kind!

Celebrated a few birthdays here at the good ol' Classic Fun Center.
This one here is for Heather.
Love her like a sister.

Cant get any sweeter than that look on grandpas face.
I was staring at this for a long time.

I wonder if this is what I looked up to and saw when I was his baby?
I KNOW it was.

I love my dad.

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving was exactly what it supposed to be:
family
relaxing
eating
sitting
It was a beautiful day.
And Heather is a beautiful girl: )

And this lovely lady was kind enough...always is...to offer up her house and home for the crowd.
Thank you beyond being generous -
Thank you for being open, sincere, kind, honest, wise, and fun!
And this is a great description of your entire family.
We love you.
And thank you. 

Isn't this what its all about?!
Lounging to the greatest degree.

This girl doesn't sit still.
e.v.e.r.
But she sat and stared on papa's lap for a goooood looooong time.
Something bout him just captivated her ; )

It was so fun to get together with the people I am most thankful for in my life...
family.
And how lucky was I to have married Shawn...
for his family ;)
And for Shawn.
Of course.

Ski Sesh!

Rae on Left.
Evan on right.
Dad behind Evan.

Evan got it!
No backpack for this guy.
He cruises and its so awesome!!

Pretty much the best pic of the day.
Melts my heart.
Ma boys.

Me and Rae on the lift.
She isn't having any fun at this point.
-sarcastic-
This is her happiness.
Complete!

Im kindof excited.
Shawn...WELL..
I thought he was too : )

I love this picture.
Let the games begin!!

Me and Ev on the lift.
One of the best days Ive had in 2013.

Its just Evan.
WOW.
Book between his legs.
Helmet on in the car.
...
< nerd >
...

I love nothing more than to watch my kids have fun.
And fun they had.
But selfishly...so did I!
I have not been on skis for probably over 15 years...NO JOKE!
I learned on skis when I was a lad...but switched to the snowboard when they became "cool".
Im turning in the board.
Skiing was heavenly.
Something about the crisp cold air.
The quiet mountain.
And the recreation found in mother nature.

Nothing quite like it.

Princess Wes...

BUSY. BUSY. BUSY.
LOUD. LOUD. LOUD. 

YES.  That is our garbage can.
She loves to dig into it...every. single. day...
and finds lots of beautiful treasures.
Child lock for garbage cans you say?

Look at that smile.
If I had known, I woulda just asked Santa for her very own!!

Anyone need the crockpot recipe for something sweet...and spicy...all in one?!
Ill eat her for dinner.  She is pretty delicious.

You need WHAT? while I finish dinner?
An ice cream cone it is Princess Wes.

There is a magical world of Disneyland that I don't see under that table.
And EVERY time she emerges from that world...
she has a crown of bruises around her head! 

Oh my dear sweet crazy princess child that has rocked my world in more ways than one!
To sum it up...there is something so ... BIG ... inside that baby body you have.
You demand to be heard.
You demand my attention.
You demand your castle...and everyone that resides in it...to bow down to your roundness and say
"YES...YOUR Heiness...how can I be of service to you this very moment...before your shill a shriek that shatters my eardrums and shakes my brain?!?!?!"

As you demand, I demand too.
I DEMAND to retrieve you from bed!
I get almost giddy when I open your door in the mornings,
to see your bright, lively, loud, happy SOUL spilling at the seams.
And I can't help myself -
I squeeze you...and all your fat fat rolls.
And I demand you let me.
Every day.
All day.
And your cheeks...thats a story in and of itself.
I NEVER EVER want those to go away.
I demand...they are ALL MINE!
For.
Ever.
Your chubby feet...they fit perfectly in my fist.
And in my fist they go each and every time I hold you in my arms.
Your sausage fingers that are always at work...
except when you sleep...and when they are still...I hold them.  And squish them ever so softly.

And, OH, when you sleep.
My whole heart tightens with a love that doesn't have words.
Its as if your room turns into a sweet little heaven.
Right here in my own home.

Princess Wes.
You are somethin' else...
but you're all mine.
And I am blessed beyond.
I love you.

48 Hours in St George

There is nothing like Go-Carts to take you back to the good ol' days.

How can you NOT celebrate?!!
The weather was perfect.
The crowd was amazing.
And the biking was Heavenly. 

Rearin' to go...

I wasn't going to make this happen when considering Shawn's schedule, but once I realized that it was quite possible with some help from a babysitter and an early Vball game on Saturday...I gave it a shot.
And it happened!!!
We have a really awesome ward with some great girls at great ages ready and willing to babysit anytime.  My kids requested a particular gal, and she was open.  She came Saturday morning while Shawn was at his game that started at a very unusual hour of 11am so he was home by 2pm to take over....
and spend some good quality time with the kids ; )
It was a good role reversal.  Necessary every once in a while...and dad did a GREAT job.

We left late Friday.  Came home before the kids were in bed Sunday.
It was a very short trip...but it was so perfect.
We ate out.  Rode bikes.  Raced go-carts.  Played tennis,  And laughed...A LOT!

Thanks to everyone who made this possible.
Karalee and Scott for cheering Evan on in his Bball game (and the snap chat of his play: )
And a big thanks to Shawn who is always encouraging me to GO.
Its always nice to know that while I am gone he is supportive, but also that he is there with the kids spending some MUCH needed time with them...considering how much he is away from them.

I love my job as a mom.  I am so so blessed to be able to stay at home with my kids.  I wouldn't want it any other way.  Truly.
 Although...a trip like this reminds me that I AM more than a mom.  And I CAN do more than be a mom.  For how long...Im sure its short lived?!  My injured mortal body has already taken soccer out of the picture.  But more than that,  I know as my kids get older and busier, life will be wrapped around their schedules.  Life changes.  Phases come and go and come again.  And plans that you think you have Im sure just fly right out the window.  So for now, I will take a solo ride when life opens up and offers it.  And when it doesn't,  I will continue to work hard at planting in my kids a love of the outside world in hopes that as they grow and get older, they will want to run off with their best friends,
and enjoy it with them.
As I did this last weekend.
I hope and pray that this will take the place of all that other yucky stuff out there that 'claims' to be a 'high'.
An 'adrenaline rush'.
Or 'fun'.

I hope that when they are searching for a 'high'
that they will know right where to find it.
Out on the grass in a field with a ball.
On the court.
In the mountains with a bike.  Or a fire.
On a piece of paper with watercolors.  Or a pen,
On the ski slopes, or behind a boat.

Thats where its at.

To soak in the sun and just breath in the fresh air while zipping down a trail on a bike...
ITS A HIGH.
A highlight!

I hope my plans work : )

Halloweeny!

Halloween was a HIT this year.
So glad my kids chose something I could whip up from old clothes and sheets...
minus one...
but I don't mind buying a costume for Mayci each year because she actually plays dress-up! 

Heather was serious about her costume.
Props to her...she was pretty creepy looking.
Heathers fangs fit.
Evans.  A little large.
(PS I hate those fake full mouth fangs with all my heart!  Woke up the following morning to find them lying in a pool of slobber on the table.  They are straight up nasty.  Our garbage likes them)

Cant have Halloween without the Fall Festival.
I learned my lesson last year and with the help of some willing and amazing older cousins,
I sent them away while they enjoyed and I chilled...
AT HOME.
I was kind enough to make an appearance for the remaining 30 minutes.
Big thanks to Izzy and Madi LOU!!

Mayci.
Wow.

The 'trunk-or-treat' crew.
Hard core. 

This is what you get when mom is cheap.
Pretty amazing if I say so myself!

Richard Simmons.
And his lady friend.
Love these two.

Best friends/cousins.
Priceless.

Two babies braving the 'Halloween Parade'.
I sure wish Wes was content as he in a stroller : )

When dad is away...

...we fit it ALL in!
The good.  The bad.  And the ugly.
This...is the GOOD.
I hate that Shawn has to miss events such as these.
Evan is completely in Heaven out there on the court.
It makes my heart so happy to watch him, so into it, and so happy.
Major perk to my job are moments such as these.

This...is the ugly.
 

This is my company when all the rest of the kids are down.
I don't mind it...
one. bit.

When dad is away...
I chop all my hair off.
Gone.
Like a boy.
And my face says it all.
A little unsure about it this time 'round : )
Best thing about hair...
it grows back!

The GOODS!
Mom gets to work really hard to make moments such as these.
Rae.
Happy.
As Ever.

The BAD!
Fits.  Time-outs.
The GOOD!
Finding apology letters such as these : )

Car rides.
Wes...
Still hates them.
THE UGLY!

The HEAVENLY.
Wes.
Rocked to sleep in the swing.
In the last bits of perfect weather.
While the others enjoy their bikes.  On dirt jumps.  In a beautiful place called Park City.

As I mentioned earlier,
A LOT of work.
But every now and then its majorly worth it.

These last few weeks have been tiring,
Shawn has been gone a lot.
My kids all really missed him.
It hurts my heart when they cry for him.
It gets stressful and I get on edge and we all get a little cranky when he leaves,
but I have to document the good moments that DO happen.
And I hope these are the moments that stand out when my kids grow.
I hope they can one day appreciate the efforts and hard work that it is to make them happen.
At this point,
that is my major motivation to do anything but sit on my butt.
At home.
And do nothing.
A lot easier.
But not as rewarding!!