Making it

Sometimes I feel like a major whiner. I thought about posting a list of all the things that make me feel like I'm going to lose it. I really don't want to focus on those things though. I love my boys like crazy, they are healthy and basically happy, but sometimes it's the little things that just keep seeming to pile up, one on top of the next. I feel totally helpless, like a horrible mother, like I need a nanny, a cook, a nurse, and many other things. I just want my babies to be happy without having to feel like I'm running on empty all the time and that they aren't miserable all the time. It has definitely been a major boost for me on the mornings when I can read my scriptures and pray first thing - really there is nothing better. I wish I had a perfect record, but I don't and I find myself saying, "If you just would have studied your scriptures today this wouldn't be happening, won't you ever learn!" So then my kids have to pay the price for my laziness or whatever. I know these days will pass, they have already flown by. I love my boys. I'm glad to experience such wonderful moments with them but it is HARD. I want to have more kids, lots more, and I wish I wasn't finding myself saying all of the time "two is enough, are you insane?" I think this is a great test for me to try to be more tender with my boys. They sure deserve more than what I give them.

Well I know I need to improve on a lot of things, I know I love my family, I know Heavenly Father is there to help me every day, and someday soon I hope I can feel like we are doing more than just "making it"

and

Ear infections are neither dangerous nor are they contagious. However, ear infections are painful and they may affect a children’s hearing during a time when they are “sponges” for information and proper hearing is critical for normal language development.

I'm quite certain this is why Levi isn't talking too much yet.

I'm going to take him to a chiropractor. He needs some major relief in a very bad way and I think this is just the ticket we need. His eczema has also improved a lot since I switched soap and lotion last week to Cetaphil. (Sigh)

Home Again

I'm sure the boys enjoyed their brake from a cranky mom too.

This was our first night back home. I missed them so much I just had to

take some pics of them.

Funny Bronson

oh ya, I also got a cut and color on vacation, I'm not too happy with the cut.

Nobody has ever come close to Susie's haircuts so I guess I'm always

gonna be disappointed a little, or a lot. Oh well

Moab

Jared and I just returned from a long weekend to Moab, kid free thanks to Grandma and Grandpa. Jared had to go down for work and since he'd never been to Arches befor we made a little vacation out of it. It was hard to be away so long, but I survived. We had a great time. Here is a very small sample of some of the things we saw.

Day 1 - Dead Horse Point at sunset

driving back

too bad he had to get up early to go to work

Day 2, Park Ave, Balanced Rock, the Windows section, and Delicate Arch

Mr. Elephant

Double Arch is a great one, it's huge and cave like, easy to get

to but you can do a little climbing and exploring if you like

Delicate Arch

Day 3 - Devil's Garden - Landscape Arch, Double O Arch, Navaho Arch, Partition, Pinetree, and Tunnel. We didn't make it up to see Dark Angel at the very top of the loop, going to Double O about did us in. Actually it was an awesome hike, a little long but worth it. It's amazing how much my balance has changed since I was a teen ager, and next time I go, I'll be sure to have my tennis shoes tied tightly. Jared was a nice little walking stick for me, helping me over the tricky parts, at least tricky for me.

We had to hike across the top of a fin to get to double O, when the pamphlet says "some exposure to heights" they aren't kidding. It was a little daunting but we made it.

the bottom O of Double O

After 4 hours in Devils garden Jared was a bit sore. I wanted to take him to Sand Dune Arch but they were redoing the parking lot for the short walk and the 2 mile walk on a sand trail didn't sound like too much fun, so we headed back took a nice dip in the pool and had Prime Rib for dinner. Ya it was fun, we never could have done any of that with the boys with us.

Day 4 - Lazy morning, drove home - (Moab is a horrible drive) and kissed my babies! Thanks Mom and Dad and Morgan and Steph and Geoff, we owe ya.

4th of July and Hardy reunion

W.P. Parade, the best place to celebrate the 4th of July! (in my humble opinion)

We had a great fourth the boys loved the parade, the park, the reunion, and we even made it to fireworks for the first time. It was a GreaT day!

No baby contest for us this year, but I wish we would have, oh well I know Levi's the cutest baby around and that's all that matters. We did enter him in the toddler trot, I thought he would have no problem coming to me. It took me forever with my wimpy voice just to get his attention and when he saw me he just smiled. He didn't even make it across the start line. Maybe our girls will be better racers, Bronson and Levi flunked out in that dept. Amber, Steph, and I did run the 5K that morning. It was a bit nippy but a very nice jog. It sure is a lot easier when dozens of people around you are doing the same thing. My time was 29:31. I went into a full sprint to cross the finish ( I don't know why) and as soon as I was done I thought I was going to pass out and throw up all at the same time, it was not a good feeling. Luckily I did neither, Steph left us in the dust at the start, she finished a couple minutes before me and Amber a couple minutes after me. Rich was sweet and came to watch Amber, he even ran the last quarter mile with her. Jared and Geoff were sweet too, getting kids ready for the parade.

Bronson making a necklace with his name on it, compliments of Grandma Dawn.

Smilin' Levi

a bunch of old folks tryin' to have a game of softball.

Last time we had this reunion it was few days before I found out I

was pregnant with Levi, crazy! We had a fun time. Carla's family didn't make it

and only Windy's family came from Phil and Sharon's, Adam, Scott, Steven, Angelee, Amber, Steph, Me, and Cami were the cousins that were there, along with our families, and of course Grandma, Mom and Dad, Louis and Janey, Phil and Sharon.

I guess it causes a bit of a dilemma trying to please both parents.

playin' with cousins

5 boys - same face - all guilty as charged :)

for some reason Bronson and Levi like to eat their cones from the bottom

which tends to be a little problematic, but it doesn't seem to bother them

so I guess I don't need to let it bother me.

These pics aren't in order but we had a fun day with the Woll's and

a sleepover too before the 4th of July. Trading kids is a business

I think I'm going to invest in :)

Melissa and I are currently trying to reach our goal weights, using baby sitting as the

punishment, or rather the motivator. So I guess if it takes going over on my calories to get the Orris' to come down and play with us, bring on the ice cream. We had a lot of fun, and I'm sure there will be a lot more where that came from, but hopefully not too much more I really want to get to 127.

Levi's eczema, turns out polyester is a big aggravator. No more basketball jersey's for Levi.

Poor little dude, he was crying and scratching himself like crazy.

more fun with the Woll's on our "park tour"

Bronson loves feeding ducks and talks about it all the time, but just don't try to

set his down. He's kind of a chicken when it comes to any sort of animal whose

name isn't Simba.

the summer buzz

sumMer fuN

A few weeks ago I got up early to watch the eclipse. It was very refreshing out on my porch at 4:30 in the morning looking up at the moon. I headed inside after about 15 minutes and pointed my recliner to look out the window, it was a perfect view. After an hour I decided to head back to bed. It was neat but kinda slow. I still would love to walk on the moon someday :)

Levi tryin' out the jump

Bronson going nutty in the jump

Bronson loves to ride in his truck, that doubles as a police car. He'll usually have some conversation in a low mumble that ends with "my fire truck."

Bronson giving Grandpa his father's day gloves

Simba drying off after a nice summer bath and brush job.

"bike trayer"

I will surely remember 2010 as the summer of bike rides. Bronson and Levi both love it,

contrary to what this picture suggests. In a typical week we usually go for rides 3-5 times. We head up to the bike trail and with out fail Bronson suggests we go to the park, so most of the time we'll stop over for a quick slide and swing.

Levi wants to be a big boy at the park so badly, but he's not quite ready.

We've had some fun memories and rides (as long as Bronson keeps his hands to himself) and even though we've already had a crash the boys still love going for rides. Yes, I crashed. I was getting back onto a sidewalk and there was a curve before the sidewalk straightened and in the curve was a big raised metal box of some kind. I could tell the trailer was going to hit it but didn't have enough time to react, so Bronson's side of the trailer hit the box flipping the trailer on to Levi's side. The bike of course is immediately stopped and I crashed as well. I'm sure it would have been a great video. The boys were a bit shaken up, and after lots of apologies the forgave me and still let me be their driver.