Staycation...

Seth was so disappointed he didn't get to go to Texas with the older boys so we promised him a staycation that would be full of things that no one in Texas would be doing. Seth got to chose a few of them so we ate lunch with Stella, Joe, Brittany and Paula at j-dawgs one day. Our other lunches were made up of our favorite cheeses and crackers. He got to eat all the of the strawberries from the garden without sharing. Lots of cream puffs because we knew that the boys wouldn't be eating those. He was the complete, undivided center of attention at John's lab party we had here yesterday. Seth got to pick a small toy and sleep in Math's bed with a flashlight not to mention we let him stay up 20 extra minutes. He got to use the computer on a non-screen time day. All this made him pretty happy...it wasn't quite enough to make up for it but it was close.

John took a whole day off just to spend time with the 2 little ones because we so rarely get to do so. We spent most of the day outside and up the canyon and had a wonderful time (yeah, it was only 80 degrees, this summer has been insanely cool). These few days have reminded me that it is okay for school to start. Sometimes I feel a little bad, like I am sending those boys out into the lone and dreary world all alone to face everything themselves. I know it isn't true. We love our elementary school here and in Boulder. The boys have done so well, had great teachers, and truly enjoy and love going to school...AND...it is okay for me to think it is okay for them go to school :)

Yesterday the S's and I got to play for hours. We did cars, bionicles, puzzles, books and walks. We've had enlightening conversations on garlic, bicycles, repentance (or lack thereof), talents and letters. At the end of the day my heart was full and I realized once again, how quickly it goes. Sammer learned to jump this week with both feet off the ground. He has used about 15 new words and has finally master almost all of the letters. On a normal week I wouldn't have had time to do a lot of this nor energy to reflect on it :) It has passed so quickly and I am coming to the close of this time of life. These are the last few years of little ones. It is nice to have a few hours during the day to just spend with them and to spend only paying attention to them. When the big boys get home from school their needs take over. Lessons and homework and dinner and projects and friends...most nights we go on walks with Hy and Josh and spend that time talking with them. On really cold nights we play Puerto Rico or Uno or Settlers so...I am going to take those few precious hours in the day and soak in the wonderfulness that is baby and toddler (like when they move constantly during a diaper change) and feel just fine about it :)

And now we are off for our last staycation activity, the farmer's market with cousin Stella and shaved ice...

A few things I've learned...

These are just a few thoughts about my forced renovation...

1. Home Depot is greater (much greater) than Lowes, that is why it is further away.
2. There is never going to be a good time to renovate anything.
3. Pregnancy (my pregnancy) is probably the worst time to redo anything.
4. I like money and I like nice things but when push comes to shove I tend to prefer to keep my money and have ugly/free things.
5. Sometimes it is good to be forced to get rid of your ugly carpet.
6. Everything we had in 1800 sq feet fits in one room with a path to walk through but I still have too much stuff, especially if I have to move it.
7. Local stores really do provide MUCH better service than big, giant stores. It is very, very nice when their prices are also much better.
8. Taking a forced computer break for a few weeks is both nice and annoying.
9. Eventually a person will cave and by a TV even if they waited one and a half years before doing it. Why not? I am already forking out tons of money, the TV is only a drop in the bucket.
10. A husband that is very cheap and totally agrees that we should be doing everything in our power to reduce the TV viewing experience will still bend to the lure of amazing technology.
11. Getting rid of the first car you ever owned is emotionally painful. When I pop the trunk I still see it full of HEB bags and when I look in the rear view mirror I still see three little boys squished into carseats in the back.
12. A two car garage is just like a three car garage if you only have one car!
13. My hair should be an inch longer.
14. Do I have enough courage to put up purple curtains amid protests of adding color to any room at all. Past experience has shown I do...
15. After the last move I was going to get a kindle so I wouldn't have to move books around anymore. Instead I got the opportunity to move all the books again and not get a kindle...(but seriously, if anyone has a kindle and loves it tell me so I can hang onto the dream and start saving again for next year :)
16. My husband is strong and a hard worker but terrible at setting time lines and priorities. I am weak and trying my best not to move at all but great at setting time lines and priorities. It has been a successful combination :)
17. New carpet will get rid of old house smell.
18. I am truly the only on in the house capable of painting a room.

19. Fixing things never goes as fast as they say it will.

Pictures to come soon but there is still a lot more work for this weekend but hopefully by the start of next week everything will be done.

Again...

Seth really is a fountain of funny sayings...these are a few that John has asked me to record from this week...

At Costco...

Me - Seth, you and Math need to stop moving, you are making me crazy.

Seth - Mom, it is alright. We need to do it, we are just learning how to live!

Getting on his bike...

John - Seth, do you want shoes?

Seth - No

John - I think you need shoes, don't you care if your feet get hurt?

Seth - Dad, I don't care about shoes. I care about Heavenly Father and I care about Jesus but I don't care about shoes.

Picture is worth a 1000 words...

This is a picture of my basement family room. Do I really need to elaborate about what the last few days have been like? Hopefully the whole basement will be fixed within the next two weeks but my savings account will take a little while longer to recover :)

July 4th weekend...

Saturday was Stadium of Fire. We saw Brad Paisley. His concert was amazing.

Marci...this is for you :

The fireworks were spectacular as always...

Early (very early) on Monday was the Freedom Run. John got 14th place and Dallan 45th place in their ages. They both ran a fast 10K. Josh and Hy went with my parents.

For those of you requesting a picture of John's feet after a 10K and the walk back to the car...a little dirty but fine other than that.

Monday continued with hamburgers, chips and dip, homemade ice cream and many games including quigley, speed, indoor ultimate and indoor soccer. It is good to have keys to the church :)

Busy...

When June started this week looked like it was going to lazy and carefree but it didn't turn out that way :)

First off, John's new bike arrived!!

My uncle passed away last week. Although a sad reason to get together it did bring LOADS of fun in the form of family. My cousins (with kiddos in tow) poured in and the boys probably had one of the best times of their life. It was impossible to separate them from their "cousins". They played from sun up till the sun was really down...

Here we are getting shaved ice thanks to Uncle Keith!! Cougar's blood, of course, was the most popular flavor...

Keith surrounded by the munchkins...

This month also brought Austin to Provo...

Have you ever seen so many wonderful people together (yes, we used to call it Sunday a few years ago) And we thought we had a lot of kids while we were in the Austin ward...this picture is still missing quite a few of them because they are on the playground. The Hansen family also made it but they missed the picture. Even after all these years, this picture has some of the most beautiful and amazing ladies I have ever known. I am glad I have gotten to see them (or will get to see them) more than once this year.

My beautiful Melinda came a little earlier in the spring and we had a blast together. One of my best dates ever Melinda! :)

Only two things that money can't buy...

Spring and summer have finally arrived...it took a really long time but the garden is starting to flower and the early girl tomatoes are growing wonderfully along with everything else. In honor of summer (winter is a culinary bummer)...one of the best and least known John Denver* songs....

Now that John Denver has died, youtube exists, and mp3s are everywhere it is a lot easier to get a hold of his music but you have no idea how long I searched to find a cd of this song in the early 90's!!

*He didn't write the lyrics :)

Overheard...

When asked which kiddo is most like me I often say Seth. Most people seem surprised but I think that is because he is still little (only 4) but we mesh perfectly and understand each other really well. Ironically, Seth is often the hardest for John to deal with because Seth demands a certain level of respect that is far above his age and John doesn't agree he should have it :)

If there was any doubt, the countless quotes I put up from him over and over should at least give a hint that we are alike because I am pretty sure I said (and still say) lots of things like this....

At FHE tonight when talking about repentance...

Seth - I don't really need to listen because me and Math don't have to repent, right mom...?

Me - ummmm...Seth, it is true you aren't 8 yet but as a good person you should still want to repent.

Seth - But I don't really have to, do I! (big, huge smirk...) also note, it wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Sometimes it might be better if he didn't listen so well in Primary...

This child...

Our Seth man really is quite the character...

Seth - Mom what can we eat when we are resurrected?

Me - I don't know exactly what we'll eat.

Seth - Mom, when we are resurrected we CAN'T die again so I think that means we get to eat an infinity of candy everyday. We're going to eat ice cream and candy all day because we don't have to worry about our bodies.

What am I suppose to do? I can't completely disagree with this logic.......and I wouldn't mind eating m&m's and candy corn all day long ;)

PS...

Math (at dinner tonight) - The artichokes don't taste too bad but they do smell like Hyrum's feet.

Our week...

This week we had my niece in town. She is between EFY and music camp so she got to stay with us almost the whole week. The boys were super happy. I feel a little bad because my hosting abilities are gone but I figured a teenage girl could live on cold cereal if she had to :) She did get her own room and bathroom and internet access...what more could you want?

Everyone had a blast playing with her. She got access to all the aunt/uncle dating info, a few funny stories about her father and even got some snow the first day she got here. I think she may leave our house as a NOVA addict. Here are a few of the activities...

The park, of course, with a few rounds of frisbee...

Stella gets to ride the slide and her dad was pretty fearless...she caught air off the bump in the middle of this slide...

Math...

There were lots and lots of light saber wars this week...

A hike to the Y...

It was more fun for some and less fun for others ;)

Baby Stella...

S'mores in the canyon...

More rounds of games and frisbee up the canyon...

The s'mores were good!

Gary Fisher

John "had" a Gary Fisher marlin. He got the bike many years ago (2004) and it has been a good bike. He put about 10 miles on it every work day from the beginning of 2004 till the spring of 2008. He probably put about 5 miles a week on it the next year and a half. Since we moved in the spring of 2010 he has averaged about 21 to 35 miles a week on the bike. To sum up...the bike has been used A LOT through extreme Texas heat and 2 1/2 feet of snow in Boulder.

Last week while riding home (uphill, thank goodness) the bike frame literally broke in half. When he called I didn't believe him. I picked him up and we brought the bike home.

What do you do? We know the bike frame has a lifetime warranty but we no longer have any paperwork or proof of purchase. We called the Gary Fisher dealer here and they said it wouldn't be a problem and to bring the bike in. John and I were both a little skeptical about what Gary Fisher would be willing to do but the bike shop seemed to think that there was no question they'd replace the frame. This was Friday so we went home and hoped for the best.

It has been 1 1/2 business days since we turned the bike in. Gary Fisher (and the bike shop) informed us today that they were sending out a brand new 2011 Gary Fisher Marlin. Not just the frame but an entire new bike with disc brakes, 29in wheels and a lockout front wheel. Oh...I think John is pretty happy! I am super impressed with the quickness and level of service from Gary Fisher. If you are ever wondering about a Gary Fisher bike our experience shows that the service (at least) is going to be excellent.

John will just get a new set of road tires and he'll be set...

Pretty crazy right...imagine if he had been going 30 mph downhill instead of 5 going uphill...serious accident!