Life is Passing Me By!

I've been wanting to get my thoughts down on my blog for a long time now.  Something about time passing and me not recording my life is troubling to me.  I have always been a journal writer.  From a very young age I would think, "when this day is gone, I will most likely not remember it unless I write it down."  It's kinda like, when you do write the details down you have preserved a memory forever.  I have 14 journals starting from age 5.  Some of the entries are completely meaningless but then there are many that bring thoughts back to my brain.  I think about my good life.  I also think about what dumb things I said and thought.  But, that is beside the point.  Even THAT makes for a good read.  

I have gone private again on my blog.  I will just have to add people's emails that I have missed as we go along.  I am feeling so free this way!  I can brag about my kids and speak more openly, knowing that only my friends will read it.  They know who I am and they love me.  And goodbye to all the stalkers out there.  This world can be a little creepy, so sad.

Landon is plugging right along in the scouting program.  And... so am I.  He needs a little push from me now and then, ... and now.  This is good boy right here.  He turns 13 soon- will be our first teenager.  Sounds exciting and unbelieveable.

We have been getting to know the Lar Family.  They are from Burma and are refugees who escaped to Thailand, lived in camps and waited for a chance to come to America.  Some of these refugees have some unbelievable stories.  This is Swa-hey-dar-bi.  She is beautiful.  She was excited to find out that she would indeed graduate from Logan High School this year after much determination and hard work.

We drove the family to the graduation.  (The boy in the back is Obdula.  He is Ethan's age and English is coming right along for him.)  We don't do a lot for the Lars but we are kind of mentors in a way for them. We have had FHE at their home several times and have brought games to play/teach them.  When they need something, they can call us.  It feels good to help where we can even when it's a sacrifice.  It's hard to find ways for our family to serve together, so it's been good so far.

 Here is my beautiful mother who will be mad that I put this picture on my blog.  (Don't worry mom, I went private... only a handful will see it now.)  Here we sat at the tire store, waiting for new tires on the Suburban.  I even got fancy rims.  She and I walked to the mall to pass the time and I think we spent money in every single store we went into,... very fun day.

 Here is my beautiful little sweet curly headed girl.  She loves the water and is not afraid... which makes me afraid.

This year Cam and I were the main Pinewood Derby car designers.  And I think we did a fine job.  Five ounces, exactly.  It even won a few times.

Sometimes I find this little guy in here, the crib.  They play really well together most of the time, but the big brother bugging little sister is well on it's way.  Her screaming is more consistent lately when he is around.  But, look at his face- so hard to get mad when all he wants to do is hug her.  In the hot tub, he says, "Annie... koala??  koala?"  And that is supposed to signal her to do the "Koala" where she wraps her arms and legs around him in the water and he holds her like a koala bear.  Sometimes she goes for it and sometimes.... she screams.

(Cam's 9th b-day party held on his birthday, May 13, 2011.  He invited 5 friends from school).  When you have a Landon, all your dreams come true when there is a b-day party.  He says, "Don't worry mom, I will take care of all the games for the party".  Nope, not kidding.

He is the most helpful, cheerful kid.  He is presently at scout camp as I type, so I miss him now and cannot think of one thing he has ever done wrong in his whole life.  But when he comes back tomorrow from camp, I will probably remember some.  :)

Take notice of her awesome calves

Running and playing on the ONE sunny day in May.  Beautiful!

Water balloon toss.  Bronson is my partner.

Happy boys.  

Present from the Hooley grandparents.
$25 rolled up with lots of notes!  So great.

More and more....

Still more....

Money and notes as far as the eye can see... 

One of the happiest moments in the last month happened when I was picking weeds.  Bronson was outside doing a little whining.  I said, "Camden, why don't you get some tools, take off his training wheels and teach him how to ride a bike?"  Cam agreed.

And he did.

Of course you have to have a very coordinated student in the mix.
He said, "MOM, I am just so proud of myself!"

This picture was thrown in ONLY because I love her face so much.
Here she sits probably watching, "eggo".  Or "Diego",  in our language.

Another important event occurred last month:  Bronson is a preschool graduate.  I am not sure how he made it through all that studying,... and he has now gotten the OK to move on to 4 year old preschool.

It's the best when he gives me the, "I love you" sign.  So sweet.

Analise waving to her big brother with her
messy hair that I didn't take time to do.
Aaand, somehow she is still just as cute to me.

Bronson with Teacher Blaire

 Ethan was brave last month as he went up and performed at his first piano recital.  It's so wonderful to have 3 little piano students in our home.  It's not so wonderful that I have all the weight on MY shoulders to get them to practice.  I have tried every method there is and have finally realized that however I try to slice it, ... it's still gonna be my project.  I accept.  Thank you Jill for being such a wonderful teacher.  We love her!  (Landon is missing in this picture,... but Brons was happy to fill in.)

The next 4 pictures are for me to remember that Analise spends much of her day climbing up to the computer or table wanting to write/draw.  I also want to remember that she has curls- LOTS of them, just in case they ever decide to vanish.

Hello, cute calves.  

Right SMACK as soon as school let out in May, we loaded up the kids and the stuff and headed to Bryce Canyon for some camping, hiking and biking.  It was hectic at times, yes.  But, we had such fun times with our friends the Crowthers.  We also met some new people there who were also fun to hang out with.  Bryce Canyon is beautiful!

Tree growing in the middle of the canyon

And that's a big tree

Oh yeah, we are excited.  We actually do great on road trips.
I would love to say we sing the whole way and play
the "letter game".  But, no.  I feel like the DVD player was a
blessing that came our way just in the nick of time.
We do however stop the movie from time to time to look
out the window or to jam to some great music.

At the start of this hike called "Peek a Boo", there was an
older man who had dislocated his shoulder and
was hiking all alone.  Eric was able to help him and with
a lot of pulling and tugging, he got the shoulder back
 in place.  Silent prayers were said by adults and
 children alike.  I was so thankful the man felt better.

We bought a cabin in Park City in February-ish and have already made some good memories there.  We love it and are enjoying it whenever we can.  The pool and clubhouse are awesome, and there is no cable or internet there.  Also, when Eric is there, he is away from work so it's just quality time together.  We have done our share of hot tubbing in the snow this last couple of months- very fun.

We ordered a humongous couch from North Carolina
and it took 8 weeks to arrive.  It was most definitely worth the wait.
I have never been so comfy as when I am on the Big Comfy Couch.
PS.  I chose all the fabric and leather online
(so risky) and I say I did a pretty good job.   

It's so wonderful when all the snow finally melts
for the year.  We took my parents to the cabin where there
are plenty of walking trails around the community.
Such fun, ... even when the stroller wheel fell off about
2 miles from home.  Right mom?  We love adventures?

 So Mid-June, we are finally feeling like summer just might make an entrance so we fire up the pit and roast some hot dogs and marshmellows with our neighbors.

Very exciting to end soccer and go right into baseball season.  Even more exciting that Camden and Ethan are on the same team this year.  Not just because the brotherly experience will be rewarding but mostly because we don't have double the games to go to.  Ahhh, I just love simplifying.  They have been hitting well, and having fun.

We had a fun Park City day with cousins, Weston and Lexi and little McCoy.  Tessa and Grandma drove up to see us while we stayed there in June for the week.  Landon was at BYU swim camp.  We just decided to stay in Park City while Landon was gone.  I was able to get a few things done with the house while there.

Cute cousins

McCoy playing peek-a-boo with his mom, Tessa

Weston and McCoy 

Analise- almost 20 months.  She climbs
everything and is not afraid to slide down any slide.

Handsome Camden

 Ethan FINALLY lost his first tooth- almost 7 1/2 years old.  And we really had to yank that sucker out.  He was being so patient about it all but one day we had just had enough.  "give me that napkin".  Lots of blood, but... we made it happen.

I love her face

These two were lucky enough to get to attend BYU basketball camp.  For 3 hours each day (Friday and Saturday), they practiced their "moves".  It wasn't "Jimmer Camp", but it was the next best thing.

And OOPS, I forgot to have Camden wear the
right colored t-shirt.  (We fixed that the 2nd day.)

 And one final happy bit of news to finish off this extremely long post:  My sister and husband are moving to UTAH!  I will finally have a sibling close by, and I could not be any happier about this news. I am now checking, "blog" off my to-do list.  Signing off now at 1:50 AM.  Nighty-night.