If this isn't the cutest thing...

A Great Weekend

I just have to say that this weekend was one of the best I have had. Seriously. We relaxed, we played, we kept the house pretty clean. We ate a lot of really good food. We worked out. We played games with the kids. It was prefect. So I need to at least blog about it so I can remember it when I am all old and gray.

So Friday started out with me getting James off to school, and a quick walk around the neighborhood, and then off to Allred's for some peaches. Did you know you can get a half bushel of peaches there for $6? Yeah I didn't know either. They are the seconds, which means they aren't quite ripe or are lopsided, but seriously I haven't had a gross one yet out of the 2 boxes I got, so no complaints. Anyways, I had to wait a while to get them but it was well worth it, and I ended up getting some apples too which were delicious if I do say so myself. Then it was back home and lunch and then time to start some peach Jam. James and harrison really wanted to help as well. So while I fed Sophie. They sat at the sink and washed all the peaches. They did a really good job and didn't even bruise them. impressive eh? The rest of the afternoon we made Jam and by the time Dad got home we were too tired to make dinner so it was off to Carl's Jr.

Okay so I love their Teriyaki burger and I usually just get the regular sized one, but Ben ordered the six dollar version for me. Here is my confession. I ate the whole thing, a large order of French fries and a large drink......and I wasn't even full. I guess that is what happens when you are in the middle of Training for a marathon, nursing and working all day. Yeah. Speaking of training I was scheduled to run 12 miles on friday as well. So around 8 pm I got my running shoes on and headed to the gym. Yep, I did the run at the gym. How boring is that? Very. In fact I only got 9 miles on the treadmill before I wanted to die of boredom, and then I went on the elliptical for 20 mins and then I ran on the track until the place closed. So I figure I got close to a 12 mile workout in. But I was really proud of myself for going and getting that workout in, even though I was stinkin tired. It felt good, and I actually enjoyed it.

Saturday morning I slept in, and it was marvelous! Then I got up and dressed and got in a baking mood and found a good looking recipe for peach crsip online and decided to make it. So I did. And the results were not at all disappointing. It was divine. Then we all spent one hour cleaning up and I can't believe how clean the house got after just one hour of cleaning. It was great. So then it was time to relax. We read for a while. I am once again reading Twilight. Yeah I know, I am a little obsessed. but I love it. I also read with James for quite some time. I have to say. He and I have been reading together every day for about 30 min and he is getting so good! I love seeing him improve every day and learn new words and be able to sound out things. He can read one of our books entirely by himself! hurray! It is a Dick and Jane book, and I am ordering more because that one is the best for him to learn with. easy words and lots of repetition. Anyways, we have had so much fun reading together.

After all that we packed up the car, went to costco, got lots of good foods to eat later on, and then got hot Dogs and went for picnic at the park. We were there until later that evening. We had so much fun. We played football and played on the playground and swings and just had a great time. Then it was time to go home and off to bed for the kids and we read once again and watched some shows.

I am just going to say right now that this Sunday was the most relaxing nice sunday we have ever ever ever had. Seriously. It was great. We had a Baby blessing to go to at 9 am so we went to that and it was just great. Then afterwards there was a luncheon and it was just fun to visit with family while the kids played outside. Then we came home, the kids took naps, we took nap, we all slept until almost 4:30! It was so nice! Then we cooked these chicken teriyaki meatballs we got at costco and sweet potato french fries and man! I forgot how much I love sweet potato french fries. I think I could have eaten the whole batch. They were tasty. Then I made another batch of Peach crisp and had some people over for a good game of Scrabble. We played a couple rounds with the kids and they thought it was just great. Then once they were in bed we played by ourselves and had fun. It was a great day.

Then today we worked out again this morning. It felt good. I love a good workout. And I like that I can finally see some muscles in my arms. I know, I am vain. anyways, then we played with the kids for a while and just goofed off. Then we had another hour of cleanup and then reading/relaxing time. I love that. Then we packed a lunch/dinner and went up the canyon to go hiking and have a picnic with my brother and his family. It was great fun. The kids were so excited to see their cousins. And they all had fun hiking. We loved it. Now they are all bathed and in bed and I am eating some white chocolate with coconut. yum. Yep, it was a great weekend.

I don't know how people do it.

I don't know how people do it. I just finished reading a blog about a family whose 7 month old baby boy has cancer. They found out in June, and have been going through Chemo and living at primary children's and then this last week was given the news that the cancer had spread and that their baby only had weeks left to live. As I read the post, the tears would not stop. My heart broke for them. For their family. For their other kids. For their little baby that has already had to go through sooooo much. I wanted to call them, to find them, to hug the mom and cry with her and tell her how sorry I am, I still can't stop crying.

I don't understand why people have to go through things like this. I don't understand why such little innocent babies have to go through so much pain. I don't understand why we have to lose those we love. I don't understand why some people have to carry such heavy burdens. I DO know though, that our Father in Heaven loves us, and that we can be comforted. I know that we are here to help each other get through these hard times. I do know that that little family will be reunited once again. What a joyous reunion that will be. Families can be together forever. I KNOW that. I am so grateful to have been married in the temple and that I am sealed to my husband and to my 3 kids.

Their blog made me think of my kids and my family. I thought of what a slacker mom I am most the time. I thought of how much I take for granted. How precious our sweet little children are. I went upstairs kissed my 3 babies goodnight and rocked Sophie and wept again. To the Nelson family. You are in my prayers. You are in my thoughts. my heart is broken for you. I can't imagine what you are going through right now or in the days to come. You are an inspiration to me. To be a better mom. To give my kids the best life I can possibly give them and to make sure that they too gain a testimony of this Gospel. My heart goes out to you.

Our Summer

oops, these pictures are supposed to be at the bottom, oh well, here they are. Here is Harrison with his pinewood derby. Another tradition of my family. His car took 2nd place and he couldn't have cared less. James however didn't win a single race and cried and cried. Poor kid. Harrison's car was painted like a basketball. shocker.

Look at how big my little baby girl is getting! She is a chunky monkey for sure and she is growing up too too too too fast! I keep telling her to stop, but she is stubborn and continues to get bigger. sigh. This is one of my favorite dresses of hers and she has outgrown it, so I had to take a picture one of the last times she wore it. she looks so good in brown.

Okay here is the real start of my blog, I know I am retarded and should figure this out so it is laid out all nice and in order, but I got 2 hours of sleep last night, ran 14 miles this morning went shopping all day, took care of an extremeley grumpy baby, cleaned the entire house and I am beat. So here it is.

I seriously cannot believe that this summer is coming to a close. It literally flew right by me. I hadn't even noticed that it was really ending until I noticed the slight chill in the air the other morning when I left for my morning run. And I thought "What? What is this nip in the air?" Then I realized that August is almost over, James starts school next Thursday. Yes I now have a kindergartner. We went to back to school night the other night and I asked him if he was nervous, he said he was. I told him I was nervous too. Then I had to keep myself from crying the rest of the time. HE is very excited to go though. He wears his backpack everyday. He has his clothes all picked out and is ready to go. sigh. my little boy.

But Back to our summer. we have been 100% busy this entire summer. Reasons: 3 kids...so busy I can't even begin to tell you. family reunions, races, I am training for marathon #2, which is in 4 weeks! Kids in soccer and gymnastics. Family BBQ's..so many BBQ's. hikes, smores and then even more smores. Seven peaks several times. Playing at the park and getting snow cones. going to the Orem Owlz baseball games, Liberty Land, Bridal Veil falls...... the list goes on and on. Like I said, busy. So here are some pictures of our fun times.

Here we are picking up Ben's brother, Alex up from the Airport. He just finished serving a 2 year mission to Taiwan. We are glad to have him back home, and glad that he had such a great time.

We had family races yet again this year. The kids made bandanas just before the races. And they all got water bottles and medals at the end. The sure were cute.

James at Liberty Land. We spent a day there once and it was pretty fun. James LOVED thos planes and the roller coaster. He would jus make that plane bounce up and down and thought it was the funniest thing ever. He laughed and laughed.

James and Sophie on the 4th of July. Aren't they so cute?

Our neighborhood had a parade on the morning of the 4th. So we decorated our bikes and joined in the fun, and it really was a lot of fun. James and I had fun getting the bikes all put together

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James and I ran race on provo the morning of the 4th as well. We ran the freedom runs. I ran the 10k and he ran the 1 miler. he ran the whole way without stopping. I was so proud of him. He is and always will be just my best little buddy.

3 kids..busy busy. But I love it.

Okay, so it has been FOREVER since I last blogged...but...I DO have 3 kids these days and I wear I am busy 24/7. It is good busy, but very busy. I feel like I am running around like a chicken with its head cut off at times. But I do have to say that life is very happy right now. I have 3 beautiful healthy kids, a baby that I cannot stop looking at and am absolutely obsessed with. A 3 yr old that is finally talking for real and while he has tantrums, his sweet side is definitely coming back, and will let me snuggle him. And a 5 yr old that has been my huge helper and is as always my best buddy. And of course Ben and I are as crazy about each other as we always have been, actually probably more. So here is a glimpse of our life the past few months as we have been adjusting to a family of 5. Enjoy!

I learned that while Sophie is a princess...she doesn't really like wearing tutus at the moment. Maybe if she had some stockings on, then it wouldn't bother her. But like it or not, she is one stickin cute little ballerina. I call this picture "my grumpy ballerina".

I love big flowers on baby's heads. And so of course Sophie has many many of them. It is just too much fun. I feel like I am a little girl again, playing with my doll and dressing her up in every little outfit, complete with the bracelets, bows, flowers, dresses, shoes......It never ends and I LOVE IT!!

My three kids..not the greatest picture, but still cute! I can't believe I have 3 kids, crazy.

Um, I don't know why this picture is sideways, just turn your head :) But once again, James loves loves loves his baby sister. THey have some crazy bond and I love that. The funny things is, is that she is 100% like him! I feel like I have James as a baby all over again. except that I get to put bows on her head!

Once again, James loves Sophie. Every morning he gets up and asks me when he can go get Sophie and every night he checks on her. It is sweet.

This is the day that James got his Kindergarten shots, Sophie had an appointment as well. So James picked out two stickers, Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles, and put one on Sophie and one on him. By the way, James was very brave while he got his shots. He cried for half a second and then was fine.

Harrison got a bow tie on easter and he is so cute in it!

Ben and I celebrated our 10 yr anniversary of Prom. yep, May 2nd 1999 we went to Prom together. And here we are married 10 yrs later. We went to Los Hermanos, that is where Ben took me for our Prom. Man we got a lot of looks I tell you what. Some people asked why we were all dressed up and when we told them what we were doing they thought it was really sweet. I love that I have known Ben for so long and that we have so many memories together!

Harrison's b-day. We went to Wheeler farm and then came home for a Wall-E b-day party. It was a lot of fun and he loved his cake. It had Eve and Wall-E on it and as soon as he blew out the candles he gave James Eve and he took Wall-E. I thought it was o sweet that he was so willing to share with his brother.

James Graduated from Preschool!!

Here James is at his Graduation

James' cousin Mariah had a princess b-day party. James just showed off his awesome muscles.

JAmes and Sophie...You know they are sweet.

Once again, big flower and 100% absolutely adorable! She brings so much joy into our home and we all just love her to death. I can't believe how much I love that thing. Even Harrison has decided that he loves Sophie. He only calls her "soph" which I think is cute and always wants to touch her hair.

Oh yeah, once more thing. James can ride a bike without training wheels. It was hilarious. I was cooking dinner and he came running in telling me that he could do it. I went outside, and James hopped on a neighbors bike and went down the road. As soon as Ben got home James insisted that he take the training wheels off and he has been riding a two wheeler ever since!

So Stinkin' Cute!

Okay seriously, how cute is my little girl? 100% stinkin' Cute. yep. And yes, she looks just like her dad and brother.

Harrison's Eater Egg hunt

Now I realize that Easter was quite some time ago, but there is a story that I must never forget so I must write it in here before I forget one day.

So, Easter morning came and James was so so excited to find all the eggs and he went downstairs and then came back up telling us that there were no eggs. I of course assumed he was not looking in the right places and assured him that there were eggs and we would go help him find some. So we all went downstairs to see what the easter bunny had brought us and I was telling James that there were for sure eggs to find when I started to look around the house and noticed that James was correct. There were no eggs to find. I looked at Ben and said "what the world? where are all the eggs?" He and I started looking in all the places that the eggs had been hidden and every single egg was gone. We were completely mysitified, and then I looked at Harrison, who didn't looked quite so shocked. I asked him if he knew what had happened to the eggs. He pointed to his easter basket...sure enough all the eggs were in there. Apparently, Harrison got up in the middle of the night and found all the eggs himself. Yep, that is Harrison for ya. I am thinking come Christmas time we had better lock his door.