Our Backyard

Sunday afternoon at the Bonneville Shoreline "Doggie" Trail. We'll miss it.

I Need To Brag

I don't even know who reads this, but beware.  I'm going to brag about my children for a minute.  We went to Lagoon yesterday.  We actually spent 11 hours there.  We didn't intend to, but we had a lot of fun and there were a ton of things to do.  The part that I want to brag about is that we didn't spend a dime at the park.  Admission was free.  And so was lunch.  We packed a picnic for dinner.  Not once did my kids ask for a toy or candy.  They didn't whine to play the carnival games or to rent a tube at the water park.  I guess our mantra "We're Poor."  has sunk in.  Also, for the most part, they got along well and behaved.  And we didn't lose anybody.  There was one incident where Connor took a bite of Josh's sandwich, which then resulted in a smack (from Joshy) and a timeout.  But I'd call our day at Lagoon a success.  I love the attention we get because we have four boys.  It doesn't matter where we're at, but when I have all four together, I get comments, "Wow!  Four boys!"  We got many looks and a few comments yesterday.

I wish I would have gotten pictures at the water park and the fountains at the entrance.  Little Connor LOVED the water.  He was freezing, almost hypothermic, but he kept on playing.  Andrew finally was brave and rode some of the roller coasters (and loved them).  Joshy, who once loved roller coasters wanted nothing to do with them this time.  Connor rode (and loved) any ride we'd put him on.  There were a couple that I thought were a little too scary for him, but when he got off, he was all smiles.  Baby Jacob was an angel, as always.  As long as he's fed and held, he's good to go. 

It takes less brain power when they're matching.  This was taken at the end of the day.  They're thrashed.  Connor didn't want his picture taken.  Josh just makes that face whenever I get the camera out.

I Wonder.

Would Jacob even be part of our family if we'd waited to get pregnant until now?  This child right here.  He's a crazy person.

Mom's Graduation

My mom graduated with her Master's degree in Nursing this weekend.  We got to celebrate her accomplishment by having a girl's weekend with Aunt Cee-Cee, Jamie, and Rylie (and baby Jacob).  Deborah was so great to take the boys for the weekend, not easy!  That woman is a saint, I'm telling you.  I've decided that we need to do this once a year - I needed this.  I think we all needed it!

On Friday, we had the assignment to find mom a cute graduation outfit.  We were successful!  And I'm kicking myself that I didn't get a picture of her in it, because she looked smoking hot!  It was a fun day of shopping, lunch & mani-pedi's.  Little Jacob was so good.  He was so good the whole weekend.  It probably helped that he wasn't put down for even a millisecond.  We also had lots of vegging time.  We had a Mr. Selfridge marathon. 


Mom graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University which is situated overlooking the ocean.  So beautiful.  The weather was perfect and the constant ocean breeze felt amazing.  I can see why people live in San Diego.  Paradise.  

Mom's classmates/co-workers/friends Cassia & Rose

You can see the ocean behind the theater.  There's mom receiving her diploma.  She said we were the loudest cheering squad.  I made sure to yell, "That's my mommy!"  When I was five, I yelled that when she graduated LVN school.  I think I set a trend because after that, we heard random, "That's my son!"  "That's my baby!"

Rylie & Jamie

Aunt Cee Cee

Danny is also a saint.  He cooked, cleaned and ran errands for us.  Thank you Danny!

Oh sweet Jacob. I so enjoyed our time together. 

 

Family Pics May 2013

Legos

Weekend Getaway

I say "Getaway" but we still had a kid with us.  Randy's parents were nice to take the other three so we could "get away" and go to Arches National Park.  I'd never been there, and I really wanted to go before we left for Sacramento.  We spent two nights there and it was lovely.  Jacob even slept through the night (and hasn't done so since).  I think we hiked all the arches except the really long hikes.  Pictures don't do it justice.  A must-see-in-person kind of place.

That's Randy in the middle of the arch.

When Connor is in trouble, he immediately says, "Hug!"  "Hug!" 

Yeah, he gets lots of hugs.

I love the last line of Elder L. Whitney Clayton's talk from General Conference:

"Marriage is a gift from God to us; the quality of our marriages is a gift from us to Him."

What an inspired thing to say.  A new way to look at marriage for me.  

Andrew and Josh told me tonight that they want more brothers.  Because 3 just aren't enough.

Mischief Managed

Natural History Museum

Jacob @ 4 months

Connor + Lamby = BFF