..Where Have We Been?..

It's been quite awhile since my last post.  Some of that is because I haven't been motivated to post, but most of that is because we have been busy, busy, busy enjoying our summer.  What have we been up too?

Nelson spent the last 3 months in the "great" state of Washington on a job that felt like it would never end.  We saw  him for a total of 7 days during that 3 months.  Once when we flew him home to go camping with us for Memorial Day, and once when he drove down to Utah while we were there so he and I could celebrate our...

...9th Anniversary!  Wow, where did the time go?  Our 10th is staring us in the face and I can hardly believe it.  I don't feel old enough to be celebrating 9 whole years of marriage.  Don't get me wrong, there have definitly been moments when it has felt like an eternity, but as cliche as it is to say, I am more in love today than I was the day we wed.

As you  may have guessed, the boys and I made the trek to Utah in June.  On the drive out we had Candice and Stephen with us, but the drive home was solo.  I was really afraid it would be a nightmare trip, but to the credit of my boys, it wasn't too bad, and they even did it without a DVD player. While in Utah we...

...Played with cousins! (And aunts and uncles!)

...Visited Kennecott Copper Mine.

  ...Panned for gold, rode the mini train, and rode a pony at the This is the Place Monument.

...Went to the Eccles Park Dinosaur Museum.

Once we got home, we jumped back into life by...

...Getting 5 pigs! Welcoming 3 goat kids, 2 boys: Ace and Atom, and a girl: Abigail.  The addtions bring our farm count to 1 cat, 2 dogs, 5 pigs, 6 goats, 20 chickens (and an occasional fox).  It's a full house around here.

...Keeping up with our garden.  I got a little crazy and planted 25 tomato plants, among other things.  So we have been canning tomatos like crazy!

...Swimming and getting tan!

...Getting glasses for Ronnie.  Mostly for school and reading, but I couldn't believe how excited he was. He is growing by leaps and bounds and is very excited to be BAPTIZED this December.

...Teaching Ryland how to talk.  He is in speech thereapy and making notable progress.  He gets to start a special pre-school this year, so we're hoping that will help more.  He still has absolutely no interest in potty training though.  He spends quite a bit of time in time-out, as most 2 year olds do.  This particular time, he just went ahead and took his nap while he was at it.

...And baking cakes.  I had 3 wedding cakes scheculed 3 Saturdays in a row.  CRAZY! but fun.  And it put a little extra cash in my pocket, which is always nice.

I am also staying busy as a housekeeper for my sister-in-law, on top of trying to keep my own house clean,

 which is no easy task with 2 live tornadoes living in it.

Nelson got home last night at about 10:00pm.  Finally!!!!!!

 And last but certainly not least, today is Ryland's 3rd Birthday. 

The rest of our summer will consist of spending as much time with Nelson as possible before he leaves for Hazard, Kentucky and preparing for school which starts in 2 weeks.

..To Be A Mother..

This week has been an enlightening one.  And a rather emotional one.   I learned a great lesson from Stephenie Nielson.  This amazing woman continues to inspire me, I could only hope to be half the woman she is.

This week she opened a new perspective for me.

My life is a privilege!


Therefore...

My experiences are a privilege.

My trials are a privilege. (Yes, I said trials!  What would we ever learn if we never had trials? How would we ever grow?)

My blessings are most surely a privilege.

And on this occasion where we celebrate the privilege of motherhood, my children are a privilege.

What a different and better perspective I have for my life and the direction I would like to go now.


....


Unfortunately, today I am too sick to care about anything!

Perspective will officially begin tomorrow. (fingers crossed)


...


In the meantime, a very public Thank You to my own mother, who has blessed my life tremendously and for whom I am most grateful.  I don't know where I would be without her.  Everything that she is, I could only hope to become.  I hope she knows how honored I am to call her Mother.
Thank You for choosing to be my mother.

Thank You to the many other remarkable women who have influenced my life for good.  There truly are  more than I could ever fully give credit too.  How blessed I have been in my life to be surrounded by such greatness.  I have big shoes to fill!

..Mastering the Monkey Bars..

It's very exciting when your kids get old enough to start learning certain things.  Like riding bikes, reading, CHORES, and simple little childhood pastimes like the monkey bars.  Ronnie has been quite pleased with himself once again as he has mastered the monkey bars. (He even brags about his blisters.)  We are so proud of his desire to learn and be good at things.  He really is such a good kid!

..Dirty Boys..

A couple of weeks ago I had a load of top soil delivered for my soon to be raised bed garden (which turned out completely awesome! And I did 90% of it by myself.  Gives self pat on the back).  The boys had a blast playing in it, because they are boys after all, and it was dirt.  Ryland was particularly fond of sliding down the mound on his belly.  Mom was glad he was naked, she would've hated cleaning the skid marks (as seen on his belly) off his clothes.  Boys are HARD on clothes.  At least mine are.  There are very few hand-me-downs past the age of walking around these parts.

..Cake Mania..

It's been a crazy, busy, long week! But, the outcome was so rewarding.  I had two birthday cakes this week.  One for a friends suprise birthday party and one for my nephews first birthday. 

I LOVE MAKING CAKES!!!!

Here they are.


The "Basket of Flowers" cake is covered in Sugar Tulips, Gerbera Daisys, and Daffodils. I was really pleased with how they turned out.  I can't wait to try some other types of flowers!

Masen's 1st Birthday was at the Zoo (after it quit raining) so we had a Zoo themed cake.  I had so much fun designing this cake and I was so pleased when it came out looking almost as good as I had imagined.  I only had one casualty, my cute little lion didn't make it, but I think Cas got some pictures of him before he broke.  All the animals are hand piped from icing.  Masen had his own little cupcake, which he literally devoured.

I can't wait for the next project.  I have cake on the brain!

..Easter..

We went camping at Table Rock Lake State Park with Casadee, John, and Masen.  The first night was very wet and chilly, but it was beautiful after that.  70* plus! We had a blast.  Nelson enjoyed the escape from life, and the boys loved having their dad all to themselves.  We can't wait to go camping again. 

Again, prepare yourselves for more picture overload.

The boys and their dad spent most of Saturday playing catch.

Ronnie is a natural pitcher with incredible accuracy.  I think we know what sport he needs to start.

I love this picture!  It's nothing fabulous, but I love what's happening.  A little fatherly encouragement for a discouraged son. I'm so glad I was there to capture that moment.

Ryland wanted to "wing" every chance he got.  Pitty the poor sucker that got roped into pushing, they were there for the long haul. 

Coloring Easter eggs.

Masen "enjoying" his first Easter egg.

The Easter egg hunt brought lots of candy!

..Dickerson Park Zoo..

When Grandma and Grandpa and Kelsey came to visit, we went to Dickerson Park Zoo.
 Prepare yourselves for picture overload!