Summer is here!

Summer has officially arrived at our house. Not only is school out, but the kids are playing outside a ton. Sweet Marley has just learned to ride her bike with pedals (and no training wheels)and that is all she wants to do. She didn't want to take a nap today and I gave in. This is what happened when I told her she needed to go back in the kitchen to finish dinner after the rest of us had finished.

The last bit

It has been a long time since we blogged and I am not in a position to add any pics right now but I wanted to update. Garrick: His best friend moved to Texas which would have been tragic if not for the brand new best friend. Yay! The too of them play do well together it is wonderful! He is almost done with Kindergarten and is excited to go to school all day next year. He started soccer with La Roca rec, it was a slow start but he really loves it and almost (I feel silly even writing that) scored a goal last week. As soon as we find a dresser he'll be moving to his own room downstairs, I even made him some chevron curtains. Marley: Will only wear dresses if she has a choice and she will turn down a dress if she doesn't think she looks like a princess in it. Loves her friends and wants someone over to play every day. He preschool ended but she is thrilled to go to Ms Tonya's in the fall. I feel like I am always cleaning up after her she loves to pack stuff around in bags and buckets from one room to another and back again. Annoying but cute. Grady: Is still a mama's boy but is finally walking and attempting to run all the time. He picks on Marley and Garrick constantly and thinks he is big enough to do whatever he wants. He is a screamer but says a few words, his favorite is dog. If we had a dog I think he would maul it to death, he loves them almost as much as he loves me. He is a handful and I recently decided that I can't take him shopping with me he just wants to stand up int the cart. Carl: Is Elders quorum president and is working hard with that. He is doing a great job and is missing our traipse to Fairview, we usually go once or twice a month. I don't think we have been there since February. He also, as usual has a bunch of projects to do around the house. His ( our) big plan is to buy a travel trailer so he is prepping that yard for that. Me: I am doing the AP testing at Roy high to help finish my re-licensure points. I realize that though I love my kids and being home with them I do really miss teaching. So what I hope is that I can get the online job I applied for so that I can continue teaching that way.

Fears

All of us have a few things that we dread. . . right. Something that if it happened you wonder how you would react. I understand I am acting much more dramatic than is humanly necessary, however, one of my fears came to fruition last week.

Have you ever had that moment while carrying an armful of stuff in one arm and a baby in the other and thought, "What would happen if I fell?" Or, "It would suck so bad if I fell right now." Well. . . I did it. We went to Carl's church basketball game on Saturday morning and as we got out of the car we were bombarded by the cold, strong wind. Automatic response by the kids (and myself I must add, it was the kind of wind that takes your breath away) "LET'S RUN!" So we were jogging along the side walk, Grady in one arm, Garrick holding my other hand, Marley and Carl were just a few paces behind. I was wearing my new running shoes, which I love dearly, thank you Brooks. When I caught my foot on the sidewalk, we are still unsure if it was the shoes or a lip in the sidewalk and began to stumble. In my head all I could think was I can't land flat on Grady, what do I do? I had let go of Garrick and was trying to catch my balance when my foot caught on my purse and I was done for. I did the only thing I could think of (which wasn't roll onto the grass, a thought which would have been brilliant, unfortunately brilliance isn't something that comes to me under pressure) and held Grady up and out a little so I only landed on his legs a little bit and I was able to cushion his head the best I could.

Long story for such a simple fall. We didn't come away unscathed. Grady tilted his head back and so he ended up with a skinned up spot on his head. I bore the brunt of the fall on my hand and knee. But we are alive and although both shaken for a bit we are fine. I guess it is just one of those horrible things I hoped would never happened but did so I can cross it off my "Worst Fear" List.

Christmas 2011

We were here in Layton for Christmas this year so after our Christmas eve feast of Ham, cheesy spuds, and homemade rolls we opened the one Christmas Eve present and then Santa and Mrs. Clause came and finished things up. Things were a little different this year with Christmas being on Sunday, we got the kids up, fed and dressed for church. We then let them open one present and we headed to church and finished the rest when we got home. Both Marley and Garrick had pretty specific lists and both got what they wanted which made things really easy for Santa. Garrick didn't want to take off his Captain America Jammies for days (we finally conned him into letting us wash them). Marley decided she needed to be Rapunzel to open presents and Grady was more into climbing on presents than opening them. I didn't get a picture but Grandma and Grandpa Gatherum came and opened presents and had brunch with us. Overall it was a great Christmas.

The annual jammies.

Year ONE

Our baby turned 1 a couple of weeks ago. It has gone so fast. We had a little party with the Grandparents. He didn't like his cake and he didn't love opening presents, but he was a ham for the Grandparents.






He says "dis" (this) and loves crawling. He loves going down the stairs and playing repeat with Marley. He thinks he is as big as his siblings and has recently taken to climbing. He likes to be heard and has a great set of lungs. He had a rough go just before his birthday, after a round of antibiotics (which wiped out the good stuff in his stomach) for an ear infection we found out he had c-dificile (which is the bad stuff most people have in their stomachs but is repressed by the good stuff). But is good now and actually is eating better than he ever has. I was thinking the other day how fast things go and how much you can love someone. But I do, our boy is wonderful and we are very blessed.