Oh Deary, Me.

So I took a blogcation.  I will be quite awhile (maybe never) until I can take a good old 2-week, sit on my duff vacation, so apparently a blogcation was the next best thing???  Apparently.  I would not even attempt to try to recapture 5 months of our life.  Nope.

I will say, looking back through my phone pics, I didn't realize I was getting so good and living life with reckless joyful abandon.  It's funny how I can feel so stressed about certain things, but my ultimate goal of having a more fun/happy marriage and being really focused on my kids when I am with my kids and traveling a bit more (anywhere) but still in a way we can afford is actually factually happening.  I really had no idea...stupid stress, but I have photo documentation.

There has been a Kindergarten graduation, a 5th grade graduation.  Sewing projects, art/craft projects, home beautification for super cheap projects, hiking (YES!!!!), walks, parks, swimming, dates, start gazing, lying in the grass watching the clouds (and some synchronized flying seagulls), squirt gun fights, Las Vegas, Monticello, McCall, Ely.  Wow.  So. much. more.  I am just kind of flabbergasted.  As I texted to my husband this morning, I am challenged and sometimes feel inadequate for my calling (low self esteem, still working on it, my prob and no one else's fault); the house is kind of just basic maintenance status at this point, nothing spectacular; and work is crazy (do I want to work full time? - I probably will continue to, but scheduling everything in that I feel is truly important will be a bit of a joke) BUT, BUT, BUT, I feel like I have been there for my kids and that we have had a lot of great times and that a lot of teaching and training has gone on...but probably never enough potty training.

 Moon rise/sunset hike

 Behold, Grandma Allene and Daphne finally meet when Daphne is 15 months old.  Better late than never and really hit it off.

 We like nice weather...

 and go to the different parks a lot...and the library...and splash pads.

 Volleyball camp.

 Brothers cooperating can build something great!

Bear advancement.

Ben graduates.  I was so worried for Kindergarten, and though we have miles to go for his speech, he is smart as a whip and has a great attitude about everything...mostly.

Lily is so moving on.  I can't believe she'll be in middle school, but as she is at least 5'7", it is for the best.

 Swim lessons for all 2 boys.  Matt can save his own life, but I think we still have many more years of lessons...which I don't mind.  They are a summer staple which I do enjoy.

 Upper Bogus Basin Loop.  I couldn't believe he agreed to do this with me...on a day that was 103 in the valley...on a Saturday night...with a girl who had only done it once and had to be the guide.  Elk Meadows was amazing!

 Our Fourth in Ely was da bomb!!!

 The parade...

 The candy...

 The Fireworks and Family.  It was fast but SUPER GOOD.

 Park/Splash Pad.  Daph runs into the water and right back out squealing, again and again.

 Lucas's work party was the zoo with ice cream and popcorn and carousel rides, etc.  It was the funnest work party ever.

 And how funny life is because in the below picture Daphne is fussing and wants the glasses off but Lil and I laughed and laughed because she looked so happy.

So why did I decide to end my blogcation.  I don't know, except that apparently a certain grandma keeps checking back and back, and I have to tell her about Shawn's bedtime prayer last night...and then also record a few funny things about the kids that I wrote down literally years ago.

I have been a bit neglectful in reminding kids to say their bedtime prayers.  Our Heavenly Father loves us.  He wants to hear from us, the good, the bad, the ugly, and so I try to remind them, but, as I said, I have been not doing so hot as I work during bedtimes a lot of the time, but last night, I had Shawn to myself, and it was quiet and I remembered.  I told him that he didn't need my help, and he could whatever he wanted, but Heavenly Father did want to hear what he wanted to say, what he cared about.  Without any talking about what to say, this is what I heard, to the best of my recollection and in his sweet little imperfect speech voice, and I have to say the Spirit of God was thick in that room as my sweet little 4-year-old talked to his Father:

"Thankful for Grandma Laura and that we could visit her in Las Vegas.  Thankful for going to the park with her.  Thankful for Idaho.  Thankful for living in Boise.  Thankful we could make art and play with squirt guns.  Thankful for Enzo...he died (Shawn explained after the prayer that the died part was part of a silly story???  Weird).  Thankful for Pluto.  He's a funny cat.  Thankful for food.  Thankful we could see fireworks and Grandma Laura and Uncle Jon and Aunt Sam.  Thankful we have grandmas who love us and we love them.  Thankful for Daphne and Mom and Dad."

I know I left out some parts, but wow, it was a neat moment in time.  Up to this point, I have always, always helped him with his prayers because that is what he asked for, but I wanted it to come from him, not me, and he delivered!

Now, on to old awesome memories.  These are from, I kid you not, when Lily was probably 5-6 and Matt 2-3.

Lily:  When I would say funny phrases, metaphors, Lily would say, "Mom, that's just an espression (expression)".
       
          Those boys at school won't stop chasing me and fighting over me.

          I need a little excitement in my life.  (I swear she came out of the womb and thought that every minute since, nonstop.  None of us are as high energy and ready to go, go, go as Ms. Lil).

          I think a boy has fallen in love with me.

          From now on, I am going to call you Mom J, okay? (because she has 2 people with the same first name in her class, so the teacher calls them Erin B and Aaron M.

Matthew to Lucas who is in the bathroom:  Daddy, it's me, Lucas (in a deep voice, trying to sound like his manly dad).

Man, I haven't written down all of Ben, Shawn and soon to be Daphne's silly stuff, although I do get a kick (and sometimes irritation) out of Ben referring to himself in the 3rd person often.  We are working on that.

Ok, I am going to set a goal...maybe once a week again...we will see.  But meanwhile, life is good, life is full, life is hard, but hopefully not always in that order.