I'm out of onions

I am out of onions today. I always buy a ton because we go through them so fast but I ran out today. When I realized it I started a mad dash to finish cleaning/organizing/washing from our week of partying and began a list of everything I need and dinner planning for the week so I could go shopping. About 3o minutes into it I realized that Sam is not having a good day and the boys just need a break but I didn't want to stop. I thought I have to keep going and get it done but then a few things came to my mind...
First a conversation with my SIL's mother, Sis Davis. She was just telling me about having her last child (she had 7) as I was talking about my conflicting feelings of trying to hurry and finish up having kids and still wanting to enjoy them while they are young. It was a little harder when they were all so little and so close together trying to keep up (as many of you know) but with Seth and Sam (and some with Math) I have just been able immerse myself in their little lives. I have LOVED it. The first few I had as close together as my body would allow but nursing spaced them pretty well. Sister Davis told me not to worry, I don't need Sam to eat more solids so I can have kids quicker and finish off. As she pointed out why would I want to end one of the best parts of life faster just cause it is a little hard. The rest of my life is going to be hard too so I won't be getting rid of that anyway :) Of course, she had a lot more to say but that was the main point.
Second a trip to Costco. I was sitting in the food court with the 3 little ones. There were a few older men sitting at the table behind us. They were catching up on what their families had been doing (they had obviously been long time friends). One of the men was talking about when they were young and had all those kids running around and everything was crazy but he finished off by saying if he had known when they were little how wonderful it was going to be to have them around for the rest of his life then he would have kept going and had at least 10. I don't think a person needs 10 kids, or even half that...just a good reminder that they are a blessing, not a trial :)
Third the article in last month's Ensign about being too busy. I had just skimmed this again last night. I am pretty strict with computer use for me and the boys but I do waste time being "busy" in other ways. So when I started my "I have to get this done" morning I realized that it was in someways being busy at the cost of my children's happiness. I stopped. I decided to play with Sam and Seth. Then I played with everyone for a bit. Josh and Hyrum and Math cleaned up the entire house (yes, the whole thing) and wiped down all the toilets and sinks for me. I took a break from playing to vacuum while Sam scooted around trying to catch me. We had a snack of all the sugar cereal left from the week of cousins. The boys started a large bionicle play fest and I threw in a load of laundry. Instead of just putting Sam down I rocked him to sleep today and held him for about 20 minutes while he slept just looking at that sweet face. Now he is asleep, I hung up the laundry. Everything is done, the house is calm and cleanish and we had a much better day than if I had run around crazy all day. This formula doesn't always work but I thought I would share a few of my thoughts/and tell you to read the article since pretty much everyone I know is running around in a similar position either at the start of a family or at the end or in the middle of some kind of crazy/busy life. We are in trials that consume all our emotion and physical energy. It seems that every once in awhile we DESERVE a chance to slow down and give ourselves a break, give ourselves a chance to realize all that we do have, like today...
My dinner has dried food storage onions in it and still tastes pretty darn good and tomorrow's dinner may have the same :)

Sam is up now and Seth just gave him a "drink" so he is completely covered in water...what was I talking about again... ;)

Good Quotes from the week...

Seth- I love to stay up late and recycle (yes, we were recycling)

Eldon - (on visiting BYU) Maybe I'll go to the bathroom in one of my favorite bathrooms while I'm there.

Seth - I don't think I am going to make a picture for Grandpa because I am going to be a grandpa some day so I'll make a picture for me.

Father's Day Weekend...

We had a busy weekend with a Father's Day/B-day party, yard work, cleaning, arranging and unpacking more, and visits from all sorts of family. We managed to squeeze in one trip up the canyon on a BEAUTIFUL day!! Can you guess where we are? :)

30 Seconds...

30 seconds in the life of Sam

Begin the countdown...30, 29, 28, 27....

Isn't he so cute and happy...

All laughs and smiles...

20, 19, 18, 17....

Here it comes, wait for it...10, 9, 8, 7...

3, 2, 1....

BREAKDOWN!!!

All it takes is 30 seconds.... :)

Keepin it real...

Growing Up is hard to do...

DTR

Yeah, you BYU'ers know what I am talking about. The DTR. Define The Relationship. After already making it through one love triangle since we moved, Josh has found himself in the biggest one yet. He isn't very happy and he has no idea what is really happening. This young lady won't let him play with anyone else and gets mad when he does. He doesn't understand why she doesn't want to be his friend or let him be friends with anyone else. Poor boy...he just hasn't reached the point in his life where he cares about girls. It is coming but he isn't there yet and it is like torture to him (although the little girl is a really nice, good girl) Today he spent sometime talking with her, "trying to talk some sense into her." I am not sure if she saw the error of her ways. He lost the privilege of playing with friends for some of last week and today after church he asked to be grounded again so he didn't have to play with Bailey..."Afterall, I still have my brothers to play with." Yes Josh, that was the whole point of having them!!

Hyrum was spotlighted in primary today. After we got home from dinner with Joe & Brittany and the Davis family (we had a great time), Hyrum made up spotlights for the family. This is the one he made for himself.

He likes legos.

He likes games.

He is awesome (spelled awsomes)

He hates cheese sticks.

He likes to rock.

Here was Sam's

This person likes to play with his brothers.

This person likes fitting (you know, throwing fits)

His name starts with an S

He is very cute and cries

He is a baby.

Memorial Hike...

This is Hyrum at the top of Squaw Peak. Happy MEMORIAL DAY!! Our long hike started at 9:30am where we met Uncle Joe at the mouth of Rock Canyon. We were very happy to have him and I don't think we would have made it all the way without him. If you haven't done this hike it is amazing!! Don't think it isn't hard. It is a 8.4 miles round trip and gets pretty tough in the second half. Backpacker ranks it a 7 out of 10 in difficulty. It is one of my favorite hikes but it is a little too big for little ones like Seth (and sometimes Math) but the boys did really great considering....Math walked the whole way except for about 5 minutes and Seth did about 2/3 going up by himself (however, he did ride on Joe's shoulders for all the steep parts :)

Spring runoff is still coming down making the trail a little muddy and hard to get through.

Saw a wild turkey...it ran fast! We didn't catch it for dinner unfortunately because I know it is cage free and vegetarian fed :)

John only carried the boys like this for about 3 minutes but it was just enough for a bunch of BYU students to come by and tell him how amazing he is, how tough he is, how he is their inspiration and hero :) I think he deserved the comments!

Had to wait for this snake to move out of the way. It wasn't in a hurry.

Yes, the views are amazing!!

Just under 10 years ago we took this hike with Uncle Dan. Josh was the same age as Sam and we have a picture of Josh sitting in the same place doing the same thing...picking up and eating rocks.

Josh recreating his picture :)

All the boys!!

Going down was faster although not much easier.

Trail running...

Sam is still smiling even at the end of a long adventure.

We came home to hot dogs, baked beans and homemade cookie ice cream sandwiches. Everyone's feet hurt but what an adventure!! This valley really is one of the most spectacular places!!

Best Quote

John - (on the top of squaw peak) What do you think about this hike?

Seth - I think I am afraid of heights and I think we are on a height.

Pioneer Tough

Vinyl lettering is really popular here. I know it is a big LDS thing since everyone in Boulder and Austin had some too.
I like the idea although sometimes I think it gets a little out of hand like when you have huge tiles with strange, long quotes on them. However, I have a new slogan and I might learn to vinyl letter just so I can put it up next to my bed and read it every morning...

Built Pioneer Tough

Yeah, the last week or two has been crazy busy/stressful but I lived through it and got a TON done. I just kept telling myself I was pioneer tough like when I had to wash all the sheets (5 beds) no dryer in one day and every dinner for the last 8 days has been from scratch (for real scratch). Do you deserve this title? YES!! We are pioneer tough! Next time life overwhelms you just remind yourself you are Built Pioneer Tough :)

PS - if I see this slogan start appearing on all those vinyl signs for sale I am going to claim plagiarism....and then I'll let Ford claim it from me :)

My Kitchen...

Just a quick post because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my kitchen. Not so much the appearance but rather the space. Ahhh...the space. Everything fits and everything fits on the counter with room to spare. I pulled out the pressure cooker today for my quinoa. I made rolls everyday last week. EVERYDAY! Today's dinner is so good I already ate half of it for lunch :)
If your baby sleeps at least 8-9 hours and your kitchen is big, life really doesn't get much better!!

No additives necessary...

You don't need sugar in your cereal this morning...just look at Sam and you'll have all the sweetness you need for the day :)

Another round of Mustang Sam...