Captial Reef

This summer has been the summer of National Parks for my family.   Utah has 5 parks and several monuments and we have been to 4 of the parks, and several national monuments this spring/summer.

We actually didn't plan it (and in fact, when I mentioned to Mark that after our visit to Capital Reef, there was only one left... he had to think back!

Anyway, this weekend, Mark had to visit a site that had lost power due to a wildfire... the power had been restored, but the surge had flipped the breaker, so he just needed to flip the switch and check and make sure the equipment hadn't been harmed.

Ryan and I decided to drive down with him... and then we took the scenic ride home through the park.  For a drive, the weather was beautiful... lots of big storm clouds, lots of thunder and lightening and some REALLY heavy downpours interspersed with BEAUTIFUL shots of the sun pushing it's way through the dark clouds, creating a dappled vista that was just breathtaking. 


Plus, the rainy weather cooled the air, because normally this area is SMOLDERING in the summer!  But it was a wonderful mid 80 for most of the day.  Seriously, pictures cannot due justice to this unique area of the country.  The shadows and light play against the enormous red rocks and then there will be a shot of green where a tree has beat the odds and put down roots.

Plus, I got to spend it with two of my favorite people...  Evan will be home soon, and hopefully we can repeat the experience in our last Utah Park!

FLASHLIGHT and FUNDER!!!

There will be more about our Saturday Adventure coming soon... but I had to share this HILARIOUS picture of Ryan.

We were fishing, and a huge storm started to roll in.

Mark and I were just a few feet away from him with the lighting stuck the hillside on the opposite side of the lake (at least a mile away, but pretty close).

I had been snapping pictures of him fishing when he turned to me with this look of confusion and terror in his face. 

We couldn't help but laugh as we grabbed our gear and ran back to the truck.   He kept asking WHY the flashlight was so loud! 

We told him the loud noise was Thunder... and he said, "Why do they call it Funder... that was NOT fun."

The rest of the day as we took the scenic route home was filled with Flashlight and Funder Storms.

Getting Back in the Groove

I've neglected my "self" since ... April 9th. 

Yes, I am aware of the exact day that things started going down hill.  Sad, but true.  

I allowed life to be dictated TO me by the hurdles it threw at me.  I thought I was rolling with the punches... but really I was rolling myself into the fetal position to protect myself from the punches.

Have you ever seen the movie Hoodwinked??  You know the squirrel... Twitchy?  If you ever wondered what my "inner voice" sounds like, that's it... maybe a little faster... and a little jumpier... 

 

Anyone who has known me for more than 2 seconds knows that my very best therapy is to create things... to take the mental energy from my ever running mind and turn it into something physical.  Yarn, Fabric, Paper... whatever the medium, the creative process of turning that raw material into something focuses my thoughts, it allows me to make order to whatever is bouncing around in my head... it gives my hands something to do while I work through things. 

In the last few weeks, I have started to feel more like myself... more in control... Stronger, Motivated... Happy... and my creative juices are coming to the surface, and I'm no longer trying to force the process... it is overflowing on it's own, which is my very best therapy.

Is Life still storming?  Yes.  But I feel better... I can do this.   

Walkin' the Tree

Maybe we need a dog or something... 

Or maybe, he just has a really great imagination and doesn't NEED a dog...

Evening Out

Last weekend, we got together with our good friends Rick and Robyn, and their little boy (who is growing too fast) Trevor. 

Dinner out, music on the plaza and ice cream from Cold Stone.  (Ryan's favorite is anything with gummy bears mixed in!)

It was a blast... and much needed distraction from the hustle and bustle!


My favorite part was watching the boys run around the plaza.  As the grown up sat and talked and listened to the band, we let the boys work off some energy.  They kept glancing at us... afraid to question what had come over us.  We never let them run uninhibited in public!!  In fact, we were encouraging them!

Public Service Announcement:

Wait to type on your computer until you:

a. Wash your hands after using ModPodge

OR

b. Wait for the ModPodge to DRY.

Either option will work.

Don't ask how/why I know this.





PS:  This is what I ModPodged.  I think it was worth it.

Update

I'm sorry for the sporadic posting lately... just a lot going on... and a lot on my mind that I'm not ready to share. 

Everyone is doing good. 

The boys took their annual trip to Montana to visit my parents... Evan is still there and loving every moment of playing with his uncles and aunt.

Ryan is obsessed with the fact that his Aunt Sara met Mater.... You know... the talking tow truck?  I'm not sure of the whole story, other than she sent me a picture of her and a life sized Mater, and he carried my phone around for 3 hours looking at it and asking if we could "please, pretty pretty please" go there. 

As soon as the thoughts in my head slow down a little, I will return to regular posting, but for now... I just need to spend time with my cute family and let my thoughts sort themselves out.

I promise random pictures along the way!!

Confessions of an Imperfect Mom

You know what annoys me about a lot of things you read from moms on the Internet?  That it's almost always practically perfect. 

Beautiful pictures.  Cute, clean kiddo's in adorable outfits. 

Posting about clean houses and the new organizational plan they mastered.  De-lish, healthy dinners that are pinworthy.

Yeah. 

I know...

I post a lot of fun things about my boys too. 

And they are so cute and photogenic...

And mostly I only post recipes I actually like, therefore, they are usually successfully cooked.

But just in case you missed the post where I fed my kiddos ice cream for dinner...

Here's another REAL post... Inspired by my friend Robyn, who commented on this picture I took over the weekend:

Awwwww!!!  How sweet, right??

Want to know the story behind it???

I was at the hotel pool with the boys.

I didn't want to get in with them, so Evan agreed to help watch his brother and they played and played and PLAYED.

And I sat and watch, and watched and watched.

And then, I got a text message from a friend, and looked down at my phone for all of TEN SECONDS.

And then looked up and noticed Evan had moved away from where his brother had been playing.

And notice that was past tense??

Because, when I looked at where Ryan had been hanging onto the wall, he wasn't there.

And I SCREAMED for Evan to help and started running... and I could see my little boy about a foot away from the wall, in water just over his head, struggling for all he was worth to reach the surface or the wall. 

And he was only under water for about 30 seconds... but as I reached in and grabbed him and hauled him out and into my lap, he was sputtering and gasping and crying. 

Afraid to get back in the water, in his cute little 3 year old voice, he just kept saying, "Mama, I was running as fast as I could under the water, and it didn't work"

And so, to sooth the 3 year old, who loves the camera, I started showing him the pictures I had taken of him having FUN in the water... and then he asked me to take his picture... and I snapped this one of the two of us.

And, no worries, both of us are totally fine, and neither of us are any the worse for wear.

I don't think that a moment of distraction that resulted in a scary few seconds with my child that caused no harm makes me a bad mom... just a everyday normal mom!  In fact, it probably makes me a better mom, because I was reminded of how quick the game can change.  How I always always have to stay on my toes... in EVERY situation. 

I will always be a believer in allowing my children the room to fall and pick themselves up because I know that it teaches them the very best lessons.   I refuse to hover.   I am a BIG believer in helping them dust off and get back on the bike... or in the pool.

Because without a healthy dose of fear...

You can never feel quite this much euphoria!

  

Privileged

Until yesterday, I was the very proud Aunt of two little girls. 

And now, this itty bitty adorable one is part of our lives.

Brian and Casey, thanks for letting me be a part of this amazing few days!  I've enjoyed every moment of being with her big sister and listening to her tell me all about her ideas for names, what she plans on doing with her little sister when she gets big, and all the other things a 5 year old thinks about!  And, of course, the stolen moments snuggling Presley!