Disneyland, Mom and Dad's Visit, Stomach Flu, Broken Arm

We DID have a very fun time at Disneyland! I could have done without the 90 degree weather the first 2 days, but all in all, it was a good family get-away. I am not sure we would go again for UEA, considering that all of Utah was there. The boys had such a good time though, and we were able to do everything over and over in the 3 days we were there. It was fun to spend time with my sisters, their kids, and my mom who all joined us on our first day! (I will admit on our way home that Eric and I decided we can never, in our right minds, imagine going to Disney World and doing that same thing like 8 days in a row! Maybe our minds will change as our little rascals grow up and I don't have to shepherd them along the whole day. EXAUSTING. Understated.)



Here is a great thing that happened: So,... I lost my camera (that's not the great part, keep reading) and I was really bummed as I was sitting next to the carousel, back tracking my steps in my mind. I finally decided that Space Mountain was where I had it last but I was unsure and was totally hopeless. I was imagining it flying into the midst of darkness somewhere on that ride. But, when we went on Space Mountain again, Eric suggested I ask the man directing the line.

ME: "Excuse me, sir..."
HIM: "Yes?"
ME: "If I lost an item here on this ride, ...um...what happens to it if it's found?"
HIM: "Well, it goes to the lost and found"
ME: (thinking,...yes, logical). "So,...there is a lost and found on THIS ride or do you mean the Disneyland one?"
HIM: "There is one here and one for Disneyland. If you ask that girl over there about your item, we just may have it!"

He was just so positive, reassuring and just "happiest place on earth"-acting, ...that I gained some new found hope! So, right after the ride, after my ear drums were all blown out by the noise and screams, I asked "that girl" and she opened a big metal Space Mountain-like box. I peered in with hope in my eyes (that had been blinded by the bright flashing space invader lights), and sure enough. There was my camera in the little black case! She asked me what it was, I said, "Cannon, with pink suede on the inside of the case!" And then, ...oh yes she did, she handed it to me. Can you believe that? I found my camera at Disneyland!!! So, knowing my mom was pretty worried about it as well because, you know, she worries enough for everyone in the whole universe, I ran off the ride with camera in hand and took her picture. And while taking it, she realized it was my LOST camera. This is the face that that realization produced:



Bronson was not only excited about the carousel, but also about the trees and the lights and everything else he set his eyes on. It was so fun to watch him observe everything and point. The wonder in his eyes was priceless!



Then there was the the Jedi Training over in Tomorrow land. All 3 boys were picked to go up on stage, get a brown cloak, a light saber and learn "the moves". They fought either Darth Vader or Darth Maul and were handed a certificate saying that they are now "worthy of training to become a Jedi, the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy." I love that my kids love Star Wars. I have a video of Landon going crazy with his moves on Darth Maul. The girl had to stop him and remind him to "remember his training." He thought he knew so much about saber fighting that he wasn't going to do what he was told.





We ran into Buzz while in Tomorrow land, met a pirate in Frontier Land, met several characters at the Goofy Character Dinner one night,

got familiar with California Adventure Park which we had never been to.


I was very impressed at how they decorate for Halloween. They had the Haunted Mansion all decorated for Christmas with "The NIghtmare Before Christmas" props. Disneyland spares no expense on ANYTHING that they do- the details are and have always been amazing to me!!! It's expensive to go there, but I always can see why. Good memories for us! We clearly weren't the only ones worn out. Here are the boys lying down between the 2 parks as Eric ran back to tomorrow land to fix Ethan's brand new light saber that didn't last an hour. (The boys made "build-your-own light sabers. Highlight for them).



On our last morning in the hotel before the 4:30AM alarm to catch our 5:15 am shuttle to the airport, I heard Bronson crying for me from the boys' room. I went in there and he said, "a mess", in the cutest, sweetest little voice. It's a good thing he is so cute, because I quickly realized he threw up in his roll away crib. And yep, we made it home ok with that situation. I will spare you any more details on that, but one after the other, all the boys came down with a 24 hour stomach flu. Happy to say, though, that it passed me, Eric and my parents who came the next day for a week visit. Whew!

Just as soon as Camden recovered from the stomach bug, I received a call from his school saying that he fell off the monkey bars and broke his arm. What?!?! I called Dr. Dad who saved the day once again. So, off my mom and I went to get sweet, (clumsy), little (big) 6 year old. and drove him over to Dr. Dad's office. It was an injury right up his alley and Camden got "star status" kind of attention as he had Dr. Dad, a good friend Doc, and 2 medical assistants surrounding him. Good Friend Doc did a great job at getting all the bones back in place after an injection to numb his arm. Fortunately, I did remember my camera for the sake of some more memories. He is now working on learning how to write with a cast on his right arm and did well in choosing the camo cast wrap.





We had a fun week with grandma and grandpa. My dad went to the temple a couple of times, mom was good enough to help me lengthen my curtains which I bought way too short,
we went on walks, shopped, hung out at home, we took my mom to Martin Harris' grave site which was really neat,




they were good enough to let Eric and I have a temple night and then go to a Halloween party the next. My dad took and picked up the boys from school, I worked out a lot while they were here, and I even got my hair cut. Lots of fun and it's always sad when they leave.

And in other news: I have NOT purchased any Halloween candy yet. I have lost 9 pounds so far with the Ultimate Loser program at my gym. We are half way through and I hope to lose at least that much more the 2nd half of the game. Be rootin' for me. And, just a word of encouragement to any of you striving to drop a few pounds: It's so much easier to run and workout even with 9 pounds off...it's amazing and also very logical.

Stay tuned for some Trick or Treat pictures of our 4 wild, spooky, little punks. And here is my nephew who does NOT want to be Superman for Halloween.



Oh, and we ran into Ricky Ricardo and Lucy, no really, it's really them!

Fall Break

We are off to Disneyland for a couple of days as we take advantage of Utah schools' fall break. The boys are so excited - as well as Eric and I. We'll be able to spend the first day with Aunt Elise & Cousin Jordan, Leslie and kids, and Grandma Sharyn. We are really really needing a little family time and what better way to spend it than to take the kids to the happiest place on earth. With a little pep talk before we go, we'll be able to relax even among the crowds. I can tell Eric is looking forward to a little slower pace...he is at work tonight until 1 am making sure everything is taken care of there so he can go worry-free. We'll take lots of pictures and with any luck we'll get one of those days where it starts to rain, everyone goes home, and the sun comes out later. That would be a dream. So, "yo ho, yo ho,...a pirate's life's for me..."

2nd Weigh-In

We stepped back on the scale today before our 6 am swimming workout. I have lost 6 pounds total since we started 11 days ago. I am about to head out with Bronson on my back for a 5 mile walk. Getting 2 work outs/day has really been helpful to boost the metabolism. So, all is well,... excited for another good week. We are taking the kids to Disneyland next week, so I need to be very careful to not lose focus. It really makes a difference when you know your team is counting on your weight loss to win the competition. This Saturday morning is our first day of relays with the other teams. We could run the stairs at the football stadium, or a number of other creative things that the directors come up with. Go 6 am team!

Today: Nutritious food with low calories, lots of water, and take a nap when the 4 year old gets home from preschool. Ready, go!

What is "old"?... Is 36 old?

I am not 36 yet. ERIC IS! He had a birthday the end of September. I appreciate him. His birthday came and went so quickly that I overlooked posting a nice heart warming letter about him, maybe even TO him, if he had a split second to read my blog. He doesn't, so it's about him. He loves to be outdoors and on a bike, or hiking, or running. I don't have a picture of him on his bike yet. Unfortuneately that is because he doesn't have much time to be on the bike. But, I thought you might be interested in seeing how Eric spends most of his time lately. We are not sure why the wind has blown in an over abundance of people who need spine help, but lately this man of mine has been more than stressed. He has been stressed, worried, sad at times, has had little sleep, and the beeping of the pager at all hours of the day and night is a common sound.

He spends a lot of his time doing this:

And this:
(And watch out it's graphic) this:
BTW, those were photos from his Peru surgery trip, and the facilities are very primitive as well as the light he had for the surgery which he compared to a standard bedroom reading light. I haven't been in the operating room lately to snap a few shots as a "fly on the wall" and probably never will, in fact, I think I might faint.

Anyhoo, I am married to a man who chose spine surgery as his profession. He is an orthopedic spine surgeon. It doesn't define who he is or how he loves to spend his time, but it's what he does during the day, a LOT. This person knew he was going to be a "brain surgeon" from when he was about 12. He is smart, yes, but more than that, he is determined, he is disciplined, he is a hard worker. He knew he wanted to operate on people and he kept his eye focused intensely on that for years and years. I met Eric as a Freshman at BYU, and our families knew each other. We didn't know one another personally, but I knew that in that family there was a handsome boy who was quiet and intimidating and interesting. He made me nervous, very nervous because you just didn't know what he could be thinking. He is a thinker- one to keep all emotion very controlled and bound, most of the time.

He and I dated as I started school at BYU for a few months and then he left to serve a mission in New Zealand for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He returned 2 years later, the night before starting the Fall semester at BYU, never skipping a beat. We married in 1996 and he started medical school in 1997. After 14 years of school/training he was ready to start the "job" he has been preparing for. Fourteen years of training, studying, tests, interviews, no sleep, moonlighting, balancing family, marriage, finances, etc. etc. Those years stretched his every talent, skill and ability. He really does have a talent for no sleep and making sure that somehow family time was quality time. It's been hard for me, yes, but I have had it easy compared to what he went through. Oh yeah, it was hard, don't get me wrong, (and on my birthday, I will write a little something about how amazing I have been over the years) but I have to hand it to the person who somehow was able to keep perspective, to give me the attention and support I needed, to still give time to the children even though he describes feeling like he was in a "fog" for 6 years.

Eric is good at what he does. He takes it seriously and he cares about the patients he treats and the families that he knows are praying for those patients. He deals with life and death situations EVERY. DAY. of his life. I respect him for this. Most of all, I thank him for being the husband I have always dreamed about, the father that loves his boys, and for the way he continues to try hard in all he does. He indeed makes time for things like this:


Like this:


And like this:


I am thankful for this man. Is our life perfect? No. Did he know how much stress and time his profession would require? Maybe not. Do I have a hard time at home sometimes without him? Yes. But, I wouldn't trade our situation for anyone else's. I have everything in the world to be grateful for, especially for this hard working man who loves us. Happy Birthday to the man of the house. I respect you, I love you, ...here is to eternity with you.

Some Things on My Mind

Free writing: I am not very smart when it comes to politics. I am a smart person, but my mind just takes a snooze when THAT subject comes up, so...I have to rely A LOT on my feelings as I continue to learn. I have been listening to talk radio more lately, trying my hardest to catch up on what I have missed the last 35 years of my life. But, as I have said I need to rely on what my heart is telling me along with reading and trying to understand the issues and what the solutions might be. I am trying to figure out who is a good person, who will try to make decisions with integrity, who will do the right thing and excuse the suggestion but... may be even pray about what to do? There is so much to be paying attention to right now. Also, there is much to do in life, so much to enjoy, so much to prepare for, so much, so much, so much. Should we be discouraged, should we feel dispare? Is there a reason to be scared or fearful? I received much comfort from General Conference this weekend. The bottom line still remains the same. There is a God in control. And we need to do our part: we need to trust in the Lord, do the best we can, be active in our communities, make our homes a secure and loving place for our families, make wise decisions about money, get out/stay out of debt, enjoy our children, pray, serve others, learn more of hope, faith and charity, be happy, find joy in life's simplicities, follow the prophet and our leaders, find common ground with all around us, and be COURAGEOUS CHRISTIANS. If we are doing all we can and there is much to do, there is no reason to feel anything but optimism and joy.

MARTIN HARRIS: The coolest thing happened tonight. Eric heard in the priesthood session of conference that Martin Harris was buried in Clarkston, UT (Cache Valley). After our family walk in the rain (bad timing), we hopped in the van for a drive through the valley. We decided to see if we could run into the little town of Clarkston. With some good music playing (the "Wicked" soundtrack followed by Paul Cardall's "Praise" CD- I highly recommend!) we sang together as a family as we drove around the BEAUTIFUL valley in which we are SO happy to live. Lo and behold, we came upon the little town of Clarkston and then a sign that pointed the way to the cemetary. I am so sad I didn't have my camera along with me as we came upon THE cemetary in which Martin Harris, the scribe for Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormon, was buried. It was atop a hill, we all got out of the car, the sun started shining through all the haze and clouds and we bundled up and walked through that small cemetary, reading about families that were buried there. In the far back corner was a huge obalisque (sp?), indeed the monument of Martin Harris. No one has been talking about this place...I had no idea, but we felt very lucky to find it and to have this experience this afternoon. It was pretty special for us.

A NEW WEEK: Ok, starting a new week of my Ultimate Loser challenge at the gym. This weekend was pretty tough with all the good food we had around. (You know, conference food has to be good). I made sausage and egg biscuits for breakfast this morning, (I only had a half), we fried up some breaded shrimp this afternoon and dipped it in spicy cocktail sauce, there were ice cream cones, and yesterday even a cheese cake for Eric. (Again, I only had a half). We had fresh strawberrries, carrots dipped in red pepper hummus, chips and salsa, and I could probably go on if I dared. With all of that, I did pretty well and stayed on track. We will see what this week brings. I am gearing up for 5 more days of 5:00 am alarm clock wakings and 2 work outs/day.

My goals for this week are to keep on track spiritually (my time), physically (my time), be present emotionally for my children, hold them more, listen more, read to them more, keep the kitchen clean, get dinner made early, keep moving, don't stop, keep moving, don't stop, stay on top of life, ...until....9:30 PM, strict bedtime with kitchen clean, clothes laid out for a new morning's workout, and start fresh the next day. Lots of water, lots of moving, lots of "enjoying the journey" GO ME, and GO YOU!

One Week Down, Seven to Go

So, I just finished my first week of the "Ultimate Loser"! Here is a picture of the 6:00 AM team. They are all very hard workers and we are warming up to each other after 5 mornings of relays, partners, running, lunges, stairs, wall sits, resistance bands, crunches, squats, planks, etc. It has been so much fun, (oh,...except for the weigh-in on Monday complete with pictures in spandex). Waking up every morning at 5 am hasn't been too bad, and I am loving the device we are wearing on our arms called the Body Bugg. It keeps track of all the calories you burn all day long. I even sleep with it. We are set up on the Body Bugg web site and record all our food there. Then it's easy to compare what you are eating with what you are burning to come up with a deficit. If you can have a deficit of about 1000 calories, you will lose 2 pounds per week. So, it's very concrete- it really keeps me from wanting to eat a bunch of junk so that my deficit will keep increasing. This whole week I was able to fit in another hour long workout in addition to the hour at the gym. I am so glad I was already working out before this challenge began, ...we have a lot of sore people right now, me included, but I can't imagine how bad it would be if I went from nothing to this. There is a neighborhood "Ultimate Loser" challenge that started at the same time, so we have huge groups going for long walks every morning. Very fun.

Friday is the day we step back on the scale, so being that today is Friday,...after 5 days, I lost 3.8 pounds! With that said, I have to say that I drank a LOT of water before the first weigh-in on Monday and a very large banana. I wanted to really start off full and heavy...and I also know that a lot of water weight comes off very quickly at first. Especially since my eating has been right on target. There were 2 people on the team that lost 11 pounds in the first 5 days, and we were very happy for them. You can tell that gave them extra motivation this morning. I am excited about the progress I will make and I am really hoping to win as a team. If our team wins out of 3 teams, we each get $300. The individual that loses the highest percentage of weight wins $3000! That is a very big incentive for everyone. So, no over eating this weekend, keep on exercising and enjoy the experience.

And most importantly, enjoy General Conference this weekend! I love General Conference, and not just because we don't have to wrestle with little boys at church. I love to hear what the leaders of the church have to say to us and knowing who it comes directly from. I strive to make it a memorable thing for my boys. Good food and lots of projects during the conference both days. The weather is beautiful, the leaves are changing, ....ahhh! Have a great weekend!

Thank you to Clif and Sam.

Clif Bar has come out with a new really good fruit snack. It's an all natural "fruit leather" twist that Sam's Club has now begun to sell. I love this new item very very much because of the difficulty I have in trying to find "fruit snacks" with any fruit in them... "fruit snacks" are only sugar and artificial flavor, as we all know. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find this product at Sam's Club in the protein bar isle. (I guess it qualifies as a super health food item instead of a snack near the other "snacks" in a far away isle, that are really only junk food at best.)

The only minor problem, as I see it, is that it tends to get all over little baby boys' faces. And then again, is it really a problem? What can qualify as a real problem anymore? Don't ask me. Ideally, a wet wipe would have taken care of that as we sat at the flag football game, but...after 4 boys, the preparedness factor has really drifted far far from me. Sigh. I am still a good person. (Part of my daily self pep-talk).

I'm Weak, but I'm Still a Good Person

Ok, so only 2 of the 10 are gone. Again, not moving along very fast, but I can't stay away any longer, because I am sharing something I saw on my friend's blog that I quite enjoyed, very much. Thank you to so many people who decide to help out and serve. I mean, really. THANK YOU to people who are learning what it means to truly sacrifice. I am grateful to you!

Watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

Oh BTW, I like McCain.

I am still working on my goals, I have signed up for the "Ultimate Loser" program at the local gym. I am on a 6 am team of 10, in competition with about 5 more teams. Starts Sept. 27th and goes through Nov. 20th. Work out M-F at 6 am and fit another hour long workout in everyday. Weigh-ins, workouts, diet logs,...it's serious business or you let the team down. It's boot camp, and it's going to take some real discipline! I am prepping myself for a very long and hard 2 months but I am up for the challenge which will end just before Thanksgiving, (where I will then sew my mouth shut as not to lose ground on my hard work when I see the row of pies at our Thanksgiving dinner!)

I am excited to keep you updated with pictures and tips along my little "Ultimate Loser" journey, so you need to keep posted. Then, from November 20 and forever more, I will stop being critical of myself, and talk much much less about my struggle to get these last several pounds gone for GOOD. Just in time to have another baby. No just kidding, ....am I? Yes, of course I am done. Four boys makes me CRAZY. It's crazy talk- can you hear that? I am NUTS- ...going out of my MIND! Tired and exhausted after just getting those wild little punks in bed, how on earth can my mind possibly drift to another baby? Just admit me NOW.

Before I leave you, I am going to catch you up on a little of what has happened in a month at our house:
We have zipped lined and Alpine Slide-ed at Utah Olympic Park in Park City.




The boys have started school. And Ethan waited patiently for his preschool to begin (pictures soon).


There was a fun night, a little get-together with a few friends. We have decided that a "girls night out" is going to be good for us. And, it's going to happen now on a regular basis. (You know to prevent any certain moms from going crazy...a-hem.) It was Dance Dance Revolution NIght. Some dressed up, some didn't. Here are the dresser-upers, and here are the party-poopers, who still left with a prize, cuz I am nice like that.



My hard working husband, whose birthday is just around the corner, surprised himself with 2 new black toys (I really had to help him along in order for him to surprise himself this big!) Happy Birthday to the guy who loves to ride a bike and who can now pick up his own darn couch if he needs to. It's his turn for heaven's sake and I am so happy for him.


And we have progressed on our yard in the smallest kind of way. We have started with some cement. We have had some retaining walls poured and one patio. I just took this picture and the moon helped a bit in the darkness, but you'll get the idea. I will take more as we get more cement poured.


In the last month, Bronson has formed a PASSION for books. Truck Book, Happy Book, Apple Book, Puppy Book, ...etc. He wants me to read him books all. the. time. I mean, ALL the time. I recently bought him a couple more of those board books so I won't be BORED. He doesn't care who reads him the book. So, the boys have taken their turns. Thanks Camden!


Some certain 10 year old finally got his stuff together and earned his Cub Scout Bear Award. Hooray! He has had the most fantastic Cub Scout Leaders. We really appreciate all they have done for his little Cub Scout experience. I, in turn, got my stuff together and took him for a Kidddie Kandids shot. Handsome.



I also had a nice flash back moment when an old elementary school friend sent me this lovely gem so that I might walk back onto the Lane of Memories. Sixth grade. Boy/Girl dance in the garage. We decided to "dress up". Hello Seinfeld look for the boys! And...someone ripped off Laura Ingall's sleeves and sewed them right onto our dropped waist sashy dresses.


And finally, I got a picture of little Boo the other day, thinking he was all big on Ethan's bike. With Ethan's old helmet on, next to Aunt Tessa. Darn, he's growing up- the little stinker.


Wow, I feel better. Apparently I have missed my bloggity-blog, but, ...all things in moderation. Off to finish cleaning the kitchen before starting my craziness all over again in the morning. I have missed you guys, all you pretend people out there that can't WAIT to read up on my life. It really is such therapy. SIGH!

I'll Be Back... WITHOUT the Sand Bags

Saturday night I ran 5 miles by myself. Eric had to work late, I put the kids to bed and let Landon stay up to read his book and to listen for Bronson. (Landon has read 10 books this summer by just reading at night- I love that.) So, on my run I just take my cell phone and tell him to call if he needs to. He is good for baby sitting like that when the other boys are in bed...and it gives me that many more exercise options. It's a new occurance in my life and I am loving the freedom. Then, Monday night after Family Home Evening, Eric and I ran the same route except he added about 6 interval sprints while running with me. He takes off fast and sprints for about 2 minutes up and then runs back to me. I like when he does that because it takes the pressure off of me to have to run at his pace.

Yesterday morning I walked with a neighbor while we pushed our kids in the strollers. We went about 4 miles, much of it uphill. It's every bit as good of a workout as my runs. We walk fast and there are a LOT of up hill climbs and pushing Ethan and Bronson is no easy task! Which brings me to this morning: I ran at 5:45 am with two other neighbors who push me like I have never been pushed. It's the same 5 mile run, but I swear those two sprint up the hills! At the end of the run as we start making our way back up to our neighborhood, I stop running (they used to...) and walk up the BIG hill. This morning they both kept running up the big hill until one almost threw up. Those are the people I am trying to exercise with. They are competitive (I'm not), they are intense (I am kinda not), and they train for races now and then (I don't). But, I hold my own and I am proud of myself for what I can do. I love to exercise but I don't love hurting while I am doing it. So, Wednesday mornings are a bit of a mental struggle for me. And I have been thinking the same thing all along. "If I could lose 20 more pounds, I could really really be good". It's like taking a 20 pound bag of sand, strapping it to your waist and saying, ok, let's go run. I can only imagine how fast I could be and good I would feel if I would just take OFF the sand bags. I will have had some really good training. Tues and Thursday mornings I go to a 6 am strength training class at the gym, and Friday is a swim or a spinning class day. See? I am doing the work, but it's just not enough. I just feel heavy.

So, here is where I use the blogity-blogity-blog to my advantage. I really enjoy this form of journaling- it's very nice to get my thoughts down; it's very nice to be able to share pictures with family and friends. I am a social person and LOVE to stay connected to my small social circle. But, here it is. I am not going to blog until I lose 10 more pounds. I need to focus on the task at hand. I need to care about my knees and hips- afterall, I am not getting any younger! So, maybe this will motivate me to hunker down and get serious. My Weight Watchers Lifetime Award is waiting for me, and I can earn that in 10 pounds. After I achieve this I will report to you of my progress. Now, don't go away crying- I'll be back in about 6 weeks, if I can even stand to be away that long. If anything will motivate me, this will. In the meantime, I will get my kids back in school, I will read some good books, organize my project room, and learn how to cook for my family. I will continue with my workout routine, and I will add a bit more will power to that and avoid the junk food. In addition to all of that, I am going to brainstorm on how to get myself to Hawaii in the next year, to enjoy the sand on the beach and not on my thighs.

As a farewell parting gift, I would like to post a few pictures of our last summer trip. We went camping with 2 other families at Tony's Grove in Logan Canyon. Never seen anything as beautiful in my long life! Putting aside the fact that Eric and I slept like crap, we all enjoyed our friends while hiking, fishing, and playing in the lake. Tomorrow we are taking the boys to Park City for the zip line and the Alpine Slide. Take care and talk to you after the removal of the sand. Wish me luck! I mean really,...what's it going to take?!?!?!

Back trackin' to Beach Week and tryin' to SLOW DOWN TIME!

Summer has been pretty busy around here. And it's almost over. I can't believe how fast the summer has flown and I am not ready for the kids to go back to school! You would think I would be tired by this point, and yes, somedays I am. But, for the most part, I am not ready to start in with the school routine, the homework, the carpooling, the packing lunches. We are still smack in the middle of enjoying the lack of routine. I am loving the morning weather to exercise in, I am loving evening walks/runs with Eric as the sun takes it's time to set, I am loving that I can let Landon stay up late reading a good book, I am loving planning outings and weekenders with family and friends. We have had a great time at the pool doing swim lessons and then staying to swim, we have gone to the beach, we have camped, we have visited grandma and grandpa, we have taken day trips and some days have been spent at home doing nothing. I think maybe I am just really liking the stage of life that we are in right now. All the kids still want to be with us, at home. They still get excited about renting a movie and watching it at home together. They still get excited about getting McDonalds or Subway and having ice cream cones afterward. They still get excited about Family Home Evening on Monday nights, about playing board games together. I DO realize that it won't last forever, I really do,...so I am just trying to savor the moments.

Here are the rest of the pictures of our beach trip. Eric and I would take nightly walks after the kids were in bed (thanks mom and dad), we rode the beach cruisers all the way down to "the wedge", we walked on the pier, sat on the roof top deck (on top of the beach house there was a deck with patio furniture and a grill...very nice). We ate good food, boogie boarded, we took morning runs with Bronson in the running stroller, we had quality time with grandparents and cousins, we ate at the Crab Cooker, took the kids to the Newport neighborhood park, we played checkers and read good books. A great time was had by all and it was lots of fun to hang out with my sisters. They are good people raising good kids...when we get together there is lots of funny moments. Right "Nar Nar"? And "Salud". (that was for you two...) Ahhh...summer....please don't leave us!