Moments

I feel myself appreciating moments with my children more and more as I see them growing up right before my eyes.

Moments when we're driving in the car and Abby opens up and tells me about conversations and emotions during the day.

Moments when I'm doing McKenna's hair and she tells me about the three boys that have crushes on her.

Moments when Zachary and I are cooking and he "reads my mind" by guessing the next needed amount of an ingredient.

Moments when Zachary tells me all about why he has a "cwush on Lucy, but he's not going to ask her to be his giwl friend yet because he's too young...he has to be like 16 wight?"

Moments when I let one of the kids stay up a little later then the others and we cuddle on the couch and talk under the red blanket.

Moments when I get Gavin up from his nap and he clings ever so tightly to my neck.

Moments when I'm putting Abby's scriptures away in the morning and find passages underlined and promptings/impressions written in the margins.

Moments when I walk passed a bathroom and catch McKenna posing and smiling in front of the mirror.

Moments when someone new comes to the door and Gavin runs in between my legs and hold on tight.

Moments when I tuck them in at night and sing them songs.

Moments when I check on them before I go to bed and kiss their sleeping angel faces.

Moments when I put in Taylor Swift, turn up the volume, and host a dance party in the kitchen.

Moments when I can wrap my arms around them and squeeze with all my might.

I LOVE these moments of mothering. I am finding more joy in these moments now then I did 8 years ago, 4 years ago, or even 2 years ago. Maybe it's not more joy, but a greater sense of awareness that these "moments" wont last forever and so I cherish them all the more.

He's Found It...

Gavin has recently discovered that there is a whole in his nose that his finger fits in just perfectly! Imagine that. And now it seems to be stuck there.

Zachary

A friend of mine in is the process of doing pictures for us. And when I say process, I mean process. She's having me bring the kids over to her house one at a time to do some individual shots with window lighting before we even go out to do family shots. These are some of the raw images...not touched up yet with photo shop. I LOVE them! How am I ever to choose my favorite? But man oh man, when did my little buddy grow up so much? And isn't he the handsomest little thing you've ever seen! :)
(Aunt Jackie...enjoy!)

TWO!!

When did my little boy get to be such a big boy? OK, so he was always a "big" boy...but he's no longer my baby, measured in age by months. He is now officially my two year old toddler, complete with tantrums, words, funny faces, and above all else energy!

It doesn't seem that long ago that he looked like this...

born in Frisco, Texas weighing 9 pounds 3 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long.

I came across these pictures we had done and realized I don't think I'd ever blogged them. This is Gavin at 4 months.

And then there were these...Gavin at 12 months

And now there are these...Gavin at TWO!

I honestly LOVE how simple birthdays can be when they are this age. Eating yummy cake and opening anything that is covered in colorful wrapping paper....

For example...Abby, McKenna and Zachary went "shopping" in our very own playroom! (All on their own I might add.) Zachary came out with a baggie full of goodies, ranging from cars, to trains, Star Wars figures, and helicopters. Abby grabbed Gavin's Mickey Mouse stuffed animal when he wasn't looking to hide for the big day. And McKenna made her own street map for Gavin to drive his cars on complete with car. As adorable as this all was, it was even more adorable to see how excited Gavin was about this "re-gifting." He honestly was just as excited about these as he was the new things.

Driving an old car on Mckenna's map

He was pretty excited about some new big clunky rescue hero guys.

I love how he's just staring at this big police truck. What I wouldn't give to know what he was thinking! I imagine it goes something like this..."Wow, big truck! Big truck! Big truck! Mine truck! Mine Truck! Mine Truck! YEA!"

Gavin got really excited about his Car Cake. He walked around all day saying, "car cake" and it was the first thing he told Bret when he walked in the door.

However when we put two candles in it he wasn't sure about that at all! I think he was concerned the whole cake would catch fire. He was really concerned and what I love about this picture is how his sisters on either side of him are holding his hands comforting him.

He even managed to blow out his candles...it only took four tries!

Happy Birthday Gavin! Here are some things about Gavin at two:

• At his two year check up he was off the charts for height, 90% for weight, and 90% for head! Like I said, he's always been my BIG boy!
• He loves his daddy, always has.
• He is fiercely independent, which is a struggle anytime we are walking in a street or parking lot as he absolutely refuses to be held or hold my hand.
• He is a GREAT sleeper.
• He adores his siblings.
• He will not play alone, even in the backyard. (It's a good thing that in his mind Sadie counts as someone being out there with him!)
• He loves to be sung to every night and before every nap.
• He has oatmeal each and every morning unless I make pancakes.
• He loves to say: NO WAY! Love you. Bee-ball. Saaee (Sadie.) Abby. Zack. K-K (this is what he calls McKenna since he can't say her name.) Choo-choo. More please. Bye bye. No no no saaee, bad boy. Come saaee. Sit Saaee. MAAAA (which he yells really loud to anyone he's trying to their attention or talk to.)
• I cannot leave him alone while I shower, if I do somehow broken eggs end up all over the kitchen floor.
• He has us all wrapped around his finger.
• He loves to run, run run.
• He is a hard little guy. And by this I mean he does not take well to strangers. He will not look at them, smile at them, or talk to the and instead does a little scowl hoping they will go away.
• He is one tough little cookie.
• He yells "AMEN" constantly through prayers...even at church!
• He LOVES chicken nuggets and hot dogs
• He is adorable!
• He brings so much pure love and joy into our home.
• He is a precious gift

WE LOVE YOU GAVIN!!!

Tick Phobia

I remember well years ago when Lime Disease was discovered. I was SO worried that I would get it. I was just certain that there were ticks in Utah and didn't quite believe people when they tried to reassure me that there weren't. I remember being fearful to go outside. I remember walking ever so gingerly around trees. Safe to say that I was paranoid!

Now I find myself living in tick valley central. And it just so happens that spring is peak tick season. Great! Our neighbors dog almost died last spring because of lime disease, the lady we bought the house from got really sick last year with lime disease, and a friend in the neighborhood is battling it right now and it's bad.

Having never seen a tick before I've been very concerned that I'd be able to spot them. "You'll be able to feel them" they say. "You won't miss them" they say.

So tick checks have become a regular part of our routine. I'm talking head and full body checks. I told myself that when I found one I'd feel much better because then I'd know what I was looking for.


A few nights ago I found one on Saddie...


I do not feel better...

I feel worse!

It was so dang small I honestly almost missed it! I wasn't even sure it was a tick until we pulled it off and looking closely at my tweezers I could see it moving around. How am I supposed to feel something so small in the heads of my kids?

I still have tick phobia. I'm still worried I wont be able to spot them. I'm still afraid of lime disease. Will living here cure me of this...or only make it worse?

What A View...

View from the side mirror on a late afternoon's drive home. Don't you just love little boys!

Miracles

I have a story to tell.

An experience to share.

A miracle to relate.

This past week I was swimming in Primary; neck deep, barely able to catch my breath, primary. My disaster of a house left over from spring break didn't get touched, just added upon. I was lucky to feed my family, although I don't even remember what I happened to get on the table.

Tuesday evening Abby was helping me laminate a bunch of stuff. We got about half way through and she broke my laminater. I was just sick about it. She was devastated. I told her hopefully it was just overheated and I'd try it again after it cooled down. It wasn't just overheated...it was still broken.

Wednesday morning I headed over to a new local office/teacher supply store here hoping they could laminate the rest of it for me. They didn't have a big one, but they owner pulled one just like mine off the shelf and said we could use that one and it could become the store laminater. I went back home to get my laminting paper and headed back over to finish up. As I was getting it ready and heating up I told him how mine broke and asked if he could send it back to be fixed.

His response was this..."yah, but why don't you just take this one home with you."

WHAT?!?

"Yah," he said. "I need to get a real one anyway and what am I going to do with this thing? You can just take it."

I asked if I could pay him anything for it.

"Nope, it's your lucky day."

I was speechless. Really, who does that? I ended up buying six dice and paying $1.20. I went home and realized that it was a model up from what I had and the price tag said $194.00!!

Seriously, who does that? Who lets you walk out of their store with a free laminater? NEVER would that happen in a Staples, Office Max, or Walmart. That's a small town, locally owned business for you. And I LOVE IT! I want to do a commercial for them. I went to send all my friends there. And if I ever need anything...you know where I'm going!

It was a miracle in my life. I loved my laminater. I used it all the time. And when it broke I new I would not be buying myself a new one for several years to come. But it broke while on the Lord's errand. And so He reached out to me through the heart and hands of this kind, good man, and gave me a new one! That's how I feel about it. That's how it happened.

I drove away from that store is utter shock and disbelief. But I knew that the Lord was aware of me. He knew my needs, my desires and situation. More then anything I felt that the Lord loved me and was watching out for me.

Trip Day Three: Archipelago Islands and Gamla Stan

That night we boarded the Birka Paradise cruise ship. It was a 22 hour cruise through the Archipelago Islands between Sweden and Finland. It was very interesting and fun as we moved around between entertainments and did a lot of people watching. Our room happened to be right under the pool deck where the "Disco Dance Party" was held till 3:00 in the morning...poor Bret couldn't sleep but I took my sleeping pill and didn't hear a thing!


The next day we got up and took our seats up top in the front of the boat to sit, talk and enjoy the incredible sights we were seeing. There were hundreds of little islands, some only had one home on it, others had multiple. These are mostly summer homes and in the summer Swedish flags are seen flying on flag poles at every home. I felt a little like the Titanic, our boat was breaking up the ice as we went. It was such a unique and incredible sight.

It was easy to imagine the beauty summer months would provide. However it was still amazing and unlike anything I will probably ever see again.

It was FREEZING! Definitely the coldest day of the trip. We went outside for a few pictures but spent the rest of the time sitting inside enjoying the warmth and the views.

Some of the passageways were SO narrow. This is a ship we were following back to Stockholm making it's way through the many islands.

And then coming into the city of Stockholm itself...wow, was it ever breathtaking. Again, my thoughts turned to my Grandpa who left from there at age 19. Going to a foreign land, where he didn't know the language and not knowing if he would ever see his family again. But yet he left in search of a better life. He found the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. He did see his family again on a trip he took with my Grandma. And man oh man, did he ever love America. He was one of the most patriotic men I've ever known.

We got off the ship and had a few hours...so we headed back into Gamla Stan, my favorite. It was a totally different feel this time. It was a Sunday early evening, shops were closed and streets were empty, and I loved it!

It was also SO SO cold. I had on five layers...two shirts, two sweaters, and my coat. I was OK, but still chilled. We had dinner in an amazing restaurant Fema Sma Hus, traslating to Five Little Houses. There was so much character and charm. The food was incredible. I didn't want to rush a thing, but savor every bite and make the moment last as long as possible.

This was our dessert which consisted of hot chocolate, white chocolate mousse, two chocolate truffles, fudge, and a brownie. WOW! It was the perfect way to end such a trip.

So there you have it, our three days in Scandinavia. I'll treasure them always.