Colorado

I love the Colorado Mountains.  I grew up camping in them.  It is so great to be back close to them again. 

A few weeks ago we headed north for an hour to Colorado up La Plata Canyon for the day.  We played in the La Plata River, ate lunch, hiked a little bit, and played in the water some more. 

There was a little spring coming out of the ground near the campground that ran down the hill a little bit in a stream and then kind of spread out just soaked up in the ground in a mud hole.  Brennen decided to make the path for the water more defined, and cleaned out the leaves and sticks to make the water run faster.  Basically building a longer stream.  I was playing in the water and mud helping him, because it is fun and relaxing. We made the little 'river' about 10 feet longer. Cameron wanted me for something and I said "Just a minute.  I like playing in the mud".  He replied: "Pigs like to play in mud!"

Andy and Janessa brought their goggles.  (I guess they haven't played in a river enough to know that you don't need goggles).  Andy would put his face in the water to look for fish with his googles.  It was too funny.

Cameron is at an age where everything new is fun.  He wanted to go on a hike.  So he and I set off on a little trail by the campground, went maybe 200 yards, then he happily turned around and started back.  That was such a great hike to him!  He was happy and proud.

It was fun watching my kids have fun.  Throwing rocks into the river, moving rocks around to build 'dams', splashing each other with rocks, wading in the cold water.  Building little streams. 

Scott took a few pictures on his phone, but of course I did not bring a camera.

It is times like these that make all the other days worth it.

The following are pictures I took with my phone (so they aren' that great) last Labor Weekend when we were camping near Pagosa Springs by the Piedra River.  Colorado is just beautiful.

One Sunday Morning . . .

Getting ready for church one Sunday --

Andy comes out of his room with his shirt on inside out.  I don't know how he got it buttoned.  I un-buttoned and it, turned it the right way and in the process of buttoning it again and tucking it in his pants, I realized he did not have underwear on.  I sent him to his room to get some on.  Scott is coming down the hall with Andy's shoes and socks ready to help him get them on.  I mention Andy needs to put on underwear, so he goes in with Andy. 

Meantime I am in the bathroom combing Janessa's hair and I hear Scott say "I am going to get a lot of blessings in heaven for helping you so much."  Of course Andy wants to know what blessings in heaven are so Scott gives an explantion of immediate rewards and rewards and blessings you don't see right away.

Later, as we are getting out of the van at church, I notice Andy has red all around his mouth.  He apparently had been eating strawberries.  And there is a bit on his clothes too.  Hmmm. 

Sunday mornings. 

My First Born

I need to give some blog time to my oldest son.  He is a bit of a character.  He is out-going and fun-loving.  Defined as: loves to have fun. Pretty easy going and very confident in many ways.  I will give you an example.  He wore this to the youth church dance.  It was NOT a theme dance, just casual dress.

When he was tie dying his pants and shirt he decided to tie dye the dog too.

He has a great tan line on his chest.

He recently went on a 4 day, 3 night pioneer handcart trek with youth from our church stake and surrounding areas.  This was a great experience for him.  He really enjoyed it and when he came home he was so happy and in such a good mood he actually seemed to be glowing (though it might have been the sunburned face).   

He had the most noticeable pants on the trek, I think. 

He just turned 16 and will be getting his driver's license soon.  I think that will be great because he can run errands for me and run kids around!  Driving with him these past few months as he has been learning has been a good experience as we have spent a lot of one on one time in the car together. 

He was ordained a priest a few weeks ago and has been blessing the sacrament in sacrament meeting.  I have to admit I was a little emotional the first time he did it.  I am proud of the choices he is making (except maybe his long hair) and that he is the type of person everyone likes to be around.  Of course he is a teenager so sometimes it seems like his brain is missing, and there are frustrating moments as a parent, but for the most part, I think he is turning out okay.

It is hard for me to think that my job of guiding, nurturing, and teaching him is almost done.  Only two more short years and he will be on his own.  It seems like only yesterday he was dressing up as Batman, Peter Pan, and Superman and playing with pokemon figures and cards.  (Okay-- so he is still "dressing up" as Superman...)

A Week Without Dad (and Brennen)

It is Friday evening.  Scott has been at Boy Scout camp since early Monday morning.  I am tired.  I know, he is the one camping, but I am tired.  Maybe he is tired too.  He will get back sometime between 12 and 5 tomorrow. 

I guess this time around it is a little easier.  After all, I am not home alone 8 months pregnant with a 2 year old, 4 year old and 9 year old.  Or home with an 11 month old, and kids ages 3, 5 and 10.  This year Brennen is at camp with Dad, and Dustin is home to help me (when he is home).  And the little kids are older now (8, 6, and almost 4). 

But they still wear me out.  I don't know how single parents do it . . .

(By the way, Scott's arm is pretty much back to normal.  He has almost has full range of motion and is back to his active lifestyle, which includes scouting).

Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?

My kids have already had some sumer adventures, and school has not even been out for three weeks.  In fact, these adventures happened last week all in a two or three day period.

1) Scott was trimming our tree and Andy got the idea to make a jungle.  We have a cement pad (we have lots of cement in our yard...) at the side of our house with a clothes line.  Put the branches atop the clothes line and viola:  

Not a bad little jungle . . .

2) Andy was found in the garage spray painting his bike with his brother's spray paint.  Purple and green if you are wondering. 

3)Research.  Cups of water and dirt and rocks and grass and bits of cheese and some crackers . . . and who knows what else. . . Research. 
(I did say no to the food coloring and they don't know where it is...ha ha ha). (we have had food coloring adventures before.  In fact there is still green food coloring in my deep freezer and garage floor.  Hey, I just realized it matches the spray paint!)

4) What do you have when you get a big bowl, a hose with water, and a big bottle (all of it) of Dawn dishwasher soap?  Lots of bubble fun in the front yard. 

No, I wasn't supervising my children.  I was watching TV, which I rarely do, and hubby wasn't home.  Who knows where the big brothers were.  I should have had a hint about something when Janessa did tell me at one point to come and see their bubble cakes, but I sort of ignored her with something like "okay, in a minute." 

4) I got out some chalk for them to use on the sidewalk.  But it was hot outside.  So naturally they decided to get wet probably by the sprinkler or the little pool.  And the chalk got wet.  And one thing led to another and they decided to have a chalk 'fight' and smear wet chalk all over each other.  Only it wasn't sidewalk chalk, it was regular colored chalkboard chalk from probably the 1970's or something before things were washable that I picked up at an estate sale.  A big box of it.  I didn't know that it wouldn't wash off of them!  I didn't know that they would go to church with their arms and necks and legs looking bruised like they had gotten a good beating!  (Good thing the boys wear long pants). Janessa was the worst because she had been wearing her swimming suit.  They had a shower on Saturday and another good scrubbing on Sunday morning but were still stained).  Unfortunately, I did not get pictures. And for the record--Dustin was babysitting.

Good thing Andy had cub scout day camp most of this week.

Out of the Loop

So my son texted me on Sunday while he was on his way to Utah with his dad : "Oh i guess i forgot to tell you but me and sarah broke up yesterday."

Of course we have been discouraging this relationship because they are too young and only wanted them to be friends anyway.  So I am happy that something or someone is getting through to him about steady dating.  (The issue of the New Era, church leaders, maybe parents...) Not that he was actually going on dates with her but they were a "couple". 

Anyway, I mention it to my neighbor, who also has teenage boys, on Monday and she says "Oh.  That is old news. It has been all over facebook for days now." 

Okay, so I am out of the facebook loop because I haven't been on there for ages.  Guess I better log in now and then to keep track of the latest news about my kids...