Being Grateful

I think it's so easy to get in the mindset where you compare yourself to others, or think about things you wish you could have-- things that even seem totally logistical and more of a need than a want at times. I seem to go through periods where I am more at peace with what I have than at other moments. I realize it's an attitude and something I have a choice over. If I choose to be grateful, my life is happier and I see the beauty in a simple life.
   I have been really grateful lately that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with an abundance of love for my two little boys. I know it sounds cliche, but I just LOVE them! They are sweet and I love them. They are rascals who drive me to tears and I still love them. I feel like my heart is just filled to the max with love for them and gratitude that I get to be their mama. I think a lot of this has to do with the fun ages they are at. Kyle and Nolan are so opposite from each other in most ways, so they always keep me on my toes. I am grateful for the little boys that they are and the things that they teach me daily.

Kyle
  Kyle loves Kindergarten. He has a desire to choose the right. He is still Mr. Social and loves to have play-dates with friends. He loves adventure. He is an excellent reader and very smart. I am always amazed at his attention to detail. Kyle's behavior has really improved this year. His tantrums are occurring less often (Hallelujah!). He loves Ninja Turtles, Ninjago, being with Tim, root beer, baby doggie and is really into counting money. He often takes my planner and fills in things. For example, he wrote "Fast Sunday," really big on the first Sunday of every month in my calendar. He also wrote birthdays and other funny things. It makes me smile to see his handwriting. He is now interested in cursive. Kyle is always listening to our conversations and wants to know what we are talking about. He gets this from me. I hate to be out of the know :). He is very sensitive to my feelings. He says the most faithful prayers. When Kyle prays for me I know it will help. If Kyle could be granted one wish right now I think it would be to have karate lessons. Hopefully one day we'll be able to do that for him. Either that or to get money. Ha. He is such a handsome boy and getting so tall!

Nolan
 Mr. Bear is just downright hilarious. He is a handful in the funniest of ways and so I'm afraid I'm not good at disciplining him since I am often just laughing instead. He is witty and quick with his responses. He also has the biggest love for life that is such a gift. I say it's hard to have a bad day when I'm with such a happy person all day. Tim and I literally lose count of how many times he says he loves us in a day. Nolan is always telling me, "Mama, I love _____."  Nolan is addicted to baked goods. When he's not thinking about donuts, he's thinking about cinnamon rolls, muffins or cookies. He still loves to run errands. Last time we were at Costco a lady heard him tell me, "Mama, I just love Costco," and she smiled so big. A couple of weeks ago he finally started to play by himself. He wants someone by him all the time and so it is hard to get anything done during the day. He loves when his, "Kyle boy," is home and I am happy to say that they finally play pretty well together. We tried teaching Nolan how to ride the bike with training wheels last week and it was like walking with a blind person on a bike. He was too busy noticing the birds in the sky or the planted flowers to watch where he is going. If Nolan could be granted one wish right now it would be to have a baby bunny as a pet. He loves small animals and thinks if he had one, they would sleep in his bed with him. I told him that wouldn't happen, so he agreed to getting a cage. 

A couple of months ago I was having a hard day and crying in bed. The boys walked in and saw me upset. They said they were going to get something to help me. So what did they bring back? A bag of m and m's and a big bottle of pepto bismol. It made me laugh so hard! Chocolate and medicine! It was so loving of them though to think that they could help their mama. See how sweet they are? I just wanted to write down some things about this age so I will remember! I love my boys!

My Sweet Elle

At the end of April I got to watch my cute niece Elle while her parents celebrated my brother-in-law, Sam's, graduation by going on a trip to Mexico. It was so special for me to be able to enjoy her for those couple of days. She is so cute and entertaining.

     When we first found out that my parents would be serving a three year mission, I remember my sister saying to me, "If I have a baby while they are gone will you come out and help me?" Of course I said, "Yes!" and even offered to be her doula, but for some reason she never took me up on that part.

  When Curtis and Candace went to Argentina to see my parents last year I had agreed to watch their son Reed. We figured out the dates and felt like it was far enough from Alli's due date that I would be able to go be with her and then come home to watch Reed. As time got closer to Candace and C-bug's departure date, and Bubby was still a beautiful prego, it was looking like I would not be able to be with Alli until after they returned and Elle would be a couple of weeks old. As plan B, I figured out a date that I could fly out once Curtis and Candace returned home, and then they would help watch the boys so that I could go be with Bubby.

   

   Well, the more evident it became that I would not be there right after the delivery, the more I was starting to lose sleep. My mind would race at night. I had once felt peaceful about going to Alli's after my brother's trip to Argentina, but now I felt like I needed to get out to Utah sooner after the birth rather than later. I called Candace and expressed my thoughts and we came up with a plan that when they left to Argentina, I would fly a few days later to Utah with my nephew Reed. 

Reed would go to his wonderful Grandma Denise's house, and I would go be with Bubby, Sam and Elle. After my time there, I would fly back home to AZ with Reed and continue watching him until his parents returned. It was a crazy plan that involved a lot of details from everyone, but once it was made I was able to sleep again at night!

  It was such a treat to cuddle my newborn niece and to see my little sister as a new mom. 

I also had a fun time with my RooBear. He was a great travel companion!

  What no one was expecting was that my mom would have a stroke while Curtis and Candace were in Argentina. Soon the pieces to this big puzzle began to make sense. The Lord had put so many of us in different places for a reason. What a blessing it was that Curtis, Candace, and my niece Charlotte were with my parents for the days leading up to the stroke, and when it happened. What a blessing that Denise and I were able to be with Reed.

  Two weeks after my mom had her stroke I was on a plane to Buenos Aires so that I could be there as she began her rehabilitation. It was while I was waiting for my plane out of Phoenix that I had realized it was also the day in my, "plan B," that I would have been arriving in Utah to be with my sister. I am so grateful I was prompted to change my plan B (even though it meant a lack of sleep :)), and that so many people were willing to change their schedules to make it happen. Alli being accepting of my crazy schedule, Denise taking off work to watch Reed, Candace listening to my concerns and being up for making it work without any hesitation. And of course TRay, he's the quiet supporter through all of my craziness every day! Had I stuck with plan B, it probably would have been over 2 months after Elle's birth that I would have arrived in Utah. I don't know that me being there really made much of a difference in my sister's recovery, but it meant so much to me to be there and to try to help her like my mom would have. As I waited to board the plane to Buenos Aires, I felt blessed and grateful that I had already had that opportunity.

 I wanted to record this lengthy series of events as a reminder that our Heavenly Father is aware of all of our needs. He knows more than us. He loves each one of us. And also, that family bonds are one of the best things ever created.

Happy First Birthday Eleanor Rae! I am so proud to be your aunt!

Photo-op Successes and Failures

Last year after going to church in Greer we pulled over on the side of the road and took one of my favorite photos:

So naturally I wanted to pull over again and try to take another photo. We went at a different time of year than last time so the fields weren't as green. Most of the photo op was a disaster.

1. It was very windy.

2. As soon as the clouds parted for the sun to shine through, one of the boys wasn't having it.

3. Since the brother shoot wasn't happening, we trusted Nolan with the camera. Nice shot Bear. It's almost straight. 

4. We cut our losses and decided to just get back to the cabin. Imagine our surprise when someone was ready and willing to smile with Smokey Bear.

I knew Tim really, really wanted to take more photos, so in the spirit of Father's Day, I snapped a few more when we got back to the cabin. My favorite boys and their totally natural smiles: 

Mama and the ninos:

 Jenni snapped this for us:

After the trying experience in the open field, I was excited to find these two shots when I downloaded my photos. Wind-blown hair and all:

 My life:

Maybe it was worth the stop after-all! Right Tim?

Trip to Greer on June 16, 2013

We had the wonderful opportunity of going to Greer with the Konkles again this year. The boys have been asking me about, "Benson's cabin," ever since we left last year, so we were all thrilled to be able to go again. This year Miss Ivy joined us, as Jenni and I drove up with the kids on Thursday and the dads joined us Friday night. The kids were awesome in the car, even Benson who didn't watch a show like Kyle and Nolan got to in the back.

  I love going to Greer and being able to just be outside!! Such a treat in the summer. Nolan loves humming birds and while I was pushing told me, "Push me high into the trees so I can be with the honey-birds." So cute.

    On the way to go fishing we happened upon a parade. As in, someone came up to the car and told us we had to get off the road because the parade was starting. I wondered why so many people were sitting outside. I thought it was just a beautiful day!

Guess who was the most excited about the candy. I love this pic. True Tim. :

Can you spot Kyle?

Nolan giving me a wave:

Here is my, "Stop to smell the roses," boy. This time it was a weed, but it didn't surprise me nonetheless.

Kyle boy and I waiting, waiting, waiting.

After no success, we decided to go to another location. 

Story of our lives: Bear trying to hug or touch Kyle, Kyle not having it. Bear loves to just throw his big head and body weight at you. I love these pics though because Kyle is laughing and not freaking out. We have made progress!!

All of the boys fishing:

Kyle was so patient! We waited for literally hours.

Benson and Nolan:

The sequence of Kyle catching his fish:

Jenni yelling to me that he caught a fish. Luckily I had my camera ready!

I love the little arch in Kyle's back and Tim instructing him:

 Kyle has his proud, tongue-in-cheek face on:

 Bear is probably just thinking at this point that he wants to pet it.

Happy Boys:

 Benson may have gotten a little wet during the hoopla:

 Mason soon caught one too!

And after the excitement of Kyle catching his fish calmed down came the 20 min (at least) drama of trying to tell him why the fish wouldn't be a pet, and that we (as in Mason, Jenni and Tim) had to either eat it, or we needed to let it go back in the water. Apparently catching a fish isn't fun if it isn't going to be your pet.

We snuck the fish home and Mason cooked it. Tim offered the boys a bite and we got this response:

Right there with you buddies!

Jenni and Mason, and sweet Ivy. I somehow only got one other pic of Ivy and she was crying in it :(.

Thank you so much Jenni and Mason! We treasure our friendship and can't believe we ever got you to move into Arlington in Provo! :)