The Dam Store...

We saw this little store on our trip in Michigan.  This store was right near a dam we were on our way to see, hence the name.   

David was driving and taking us to different areas of the dam and kept saying, "this is the dam...(insert point of interest)."  You get the picture...well, after a little while Graham was frustrated and bored and said, "Where are we going now!?"  I heard Gracie say to him, "We going on the dam hike"  
I tried not to laugh too hard, but really so funny!
I don't think she even knows what she had said (:

 Gracie on the hike

 David and I trying to cut a piece of lumber for fun?!

 Julia and Reuben on the .... hike

 David running down

Graham and I

the beach and the mess

Dear Mother,

My house is a MESS!!  Like, really...A MESS!!
I am trying to remain calm and be patient with it all, but I'm pretty stocked school is starting tomorrow.  Does that mean I'm not a good mother?  I hope not.  I really am trying! 

Asia went into the MTC today.  I've been praying hard for Lizette, especially today.  I found some pants for her the other day at the thrift store that I would have loved to have fit in myself (size 4 will not see me ever!) and then washed, dried, and ironed them.  I drove to a school open house for Gracie with them on the floor of the suburban while we ran into school and then off to the post office.  I got in to mail them and they were STAINED!  Oh, I was so mad!..I almost cried.  Ugh!
I ought to clean out my diaper bag every few days and take out sick old grapes.
  
I got to visit with Dinah the other day.  It was so sweet!  Like talking with you and Grandma Wagley combined.  I had been praying for help with the thoughts of still living in Ohio, and not being in Texas or even Utah next to family.  It's hard to live so far away and feel so far.  Talking to Dinah was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father.  I'm so glad you have a sister!

We went to Michigan again this summer and had such a good time on the beach.  We rode bikes into town almost everyday.   Here are a few pictures:

 Oh, Julia!  I love that baby!

 

 don't worry, Julia's liver is not failing...David was trying some funky setting on the camera.

 visited the light house.

 Happy Graham

Gracie on her sweet bike.

handsome.  starting 6th grade!

Gracie loves frogs.  I do not.

Gracie got a hermit crab for her birthday (well, 2 because this one died)

and sunglasses.  Happy 6th, Gracie

Birthday party on beach.

Yours truly. 

Dinner 

Picking blueberries on opening day.

I love you Mother.

camping

Dear Mother,

  What are you doing today?  I think about that a lot!  ...did you come to see us?  I hope, if you did, that it was a pleasant visit, though thinking back on the day it might very well not have been.  Reuben is so BORED!  you know, "there is absolutely nothing to do!"  He mowed the grass today.  I love that he is getting old enough to do some hard jobs around the house.  The other day I left Julia (asleep) with him in the house to "watch" her, while I went to the dentist.  It was awesome!  I can smell a little more freedom. (:  

We went camping this weekend.  We hiked, ate good food, caught baby frogs (I hate them), and swam in the lake...

They caught two frogs,,...they made it home the 2 hour drive, and then were dead the next morning.  Can you tell I'm not sad?

I know you wish you could just eat her up!  She is so cute!!

Graham had a hard time sleeping that night in the tent.  We were sleeping close together and I reached out and held his hand and within a few minutes he fell asleep.  He is such a sweet boy.  I love that I am his mother, all of them!  

I was thinking back to when you were in the hospital after brain surgery.  Do you remember how you said (before surgery) to Lizette and I that you knew how they were going to do it?  You said they were just going to skim your scalp a little and then fix that tumor, then sew it all back to look good.  I laughed and said it would be a bit more invasive than that and then Lizette gave me that look of death only older sisters can give!  I love you Lizette! 

Anyway, I thought the other night about how when right after surgery we each visited you a few at a time in ICU and I was holding my breath wondering what you would look like or how you would sound.  You were a little druggy and very tired, but still just Mom.  I felt this aching to just have you all there again, just back like you.  You were, but not quite.  I think you never leave that feeling of needing Mother.  I miss you.  I love you, but I'm okay today that you've got to be gone....tomorrow may be another story.

learning sanity.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Learning Sanity

Dear Mother...

Have you seen this kid?  He is seriously good!!!  Of course, I'm modest on the baseball field and don't scream too loud (okay, maybe I do sometimes), but my heart could burst watching him!  He is serious about this game.

He loves baseball and his coaches love him.

We are finally done for the season, Saturday was our last game.  Secretly, I was a little excited it was finally over.  We've had  both boys in baseball for the last few months, that's 4 games a week...and now swim team with  practice everyday and 2 swim meets a week too.

Both Julia and I have wanted to run away!!  

My house looks like this...well, usually worse.  Yes, that is a bird cage on the fridge (for a bird/hamster/anything that poops that Gracie is currently praying for) 

Though, really this kitchen doesn't look too bad with flowers on the table (thank you Amy!)

A couple of weeks ago Reuben's coach asked if we were going to have him try out of the All-Star Baseball Team.  His coach would head  that team too.  David and I hesitated, primarily because we weren't sure if this team would play on Sunday and really we are both pretty tired of running around like crazies every evening!  We decided to let him try-out and just this week we learned that he had made the team. 

So, I thought, cried, and thought, "how in the world am I going to keep up this pace??"  It is such a great opportunity for Reub, but I'm NOT doing well!  I listened to this talk over and over again this week...For Peace at Home

After praying about what was best, we decided to scale way back.  Before sending the email to the coach, I finally told Reuben he had made the team.  I explained how difficult things had become in our home with our schedules and how stressed I felt.  I asked him what he thought we should do. Of course, he was elated to find out he had made this team but understood the situation and said he thought he'd like to spend more time as a family too.  What a good boy!!

Needless, to say, his coach had a few words with me at our game this weekend and wanted to know why!  I tried my best to explain without referencing the possible onset of mental illness! He said, (with tears in his eyes), "But your taking away my best pitcher!"  Well, that may be true, but there will always be another year. 

 It will just have to wait.

Columbus Ohio Temple

Family

Sunset Beach

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Sunset Beach

We traveled to Sunset Beach, NC this spring break.  We were all excited to go, after such a long winter here in Ohio!  This is us after 12 hours of driving and stops...just as the sun was setting...perfect! 

The Easter bunny came!  

We all got dressed and went to a lovely little ward about 20 minutes away. 

Our neighbor to the front of us was a sweet old man with no family near, so we invited him to have Easter dinner with us.  I think he stayed 4 hours and told us his life story.  He is a man of great faith and so happy to have some company.  He became our friend for the week. 

The Easter bunny nailed it with the kites!  

This is just about how we all felt every evening   We'd get up early go play at the the condo's indoor pool (no one but our family was there at 9:30am)  then he beach in the afternoon and play the rest of the day. By evening everyone was beat and happy!

How to Relax...

Sunday, August 26, 2012

How to Relax...

   Last week went to Michigan and stayed in a little cottage off of Lake Huron.  We had the best time!  I came home not feeling like I needed a vacation from my vacation!  
                        It was AWESOME!!!  


  

Here's a few pictures....

Julia

David took lots of pictures (the pictures of the kids on our walls are several years old, so I was hoping we could replace them)  He did a great job! love this picture of Julia! 

The boys loved playing Monopoly

David and Julia on top of huge sand dune

  

Graham

We went to a great little ice cream shop and then a five a dime store...the kids loved it!!!

Boys acting crazy

We ate smores almost every night ! 

We went blueberry picking...made blueberry pancakes,  blueberry  syrup, and  blueberry muffins.

Gracie...I love this one too!

                 

The cottage had kayaks we could use, I loved going out on it.... I was totally free, floating off in the distance ..."See you later kids".... 
David on the other hand, would take the kids with him.  He's a great Dad!

The beach was right out the back door... it was so great to let Julia nap and the rest of us could just play!

The kids loved playing in the water....there was no, "we're bored, Mom"  AWESOME!!! 

                 Happy Kids!

         Dave, let's go back every year!