Isaac Knows a Few Things For Sure

Just found this in Isaac's "Friday Folder". Made me smile.

Sister Love

My friend, Jennifer, just lost her sister to cancer this morning. Her sister had five kids ranging in age from 5 to 14--not too dissimilar from two of my sisters. I can't stop crying as I think about how painful it would feel to loose one of my sisters. I see my sisters twice a year at best, and I'm not a great phone person, but just knowing they are a phone call, email, or plane ride away means everything. My heart aches thinking of my nieces and nephews and how seemingly alone in the world they would be if their mom was no longer on earth to love them. So today while I am sad for Jennifer, I am also grateful. Grateful for health. Grateful for sisters. Grateful to love my sisters so much that my heart aches and tears flow just thinking of one of them missing from the world. Grateful to be a mom and know what it feels like to be the center of someones universe. Grateful for kids who can come home from school today into the eager and anxious awaiting arms of their mom.

Roadtrip to Utah - August 2010

We spent an uber long vacation (2-1/2 weeks) in Utah this summer. It kicked off with my sister Rachel's engagement party followed by boating at Bear Lake and a weekend of camping at the Tony Grove campground near Logan with my family. My uncle Ron brought my grandma Adair to visit, we haven't seen her in a few years so I was so happy the kids got to spend a little time with her (you can tell by the photos that Ethan was a little wary of her wrinkles). We spent the rest of the week with the Shaeffer cousins slip-and-sliding on the lawn, going to the drive-in theatre, playing Ms. Pac Man and just enjoying being together with cousins and sisters. Then we switched to the Paul cousins for fun at Snowbird, rafting down the Provo River, golf (Brent), and the Provo River Half Marathon (Brent & I). The kids spent hours outside at night playing a new game called 21-dot-dot. In the midst of it all we went to my 20-year High School reunion and spent time with many of my best girls from school. Fun times!

Roadside Relief

Often called monotonous and void of any interesting landscape, the Midwestern stretch of I-80 gets a bad rap. While the drive between Chicago and Salt Lake City can be boring at times, somehow, we managed to find beauty every time Ethan needed a between-gas-stops potty break.

Nebraska or Iowa on the way home

Wyoming or Nebraska on the way home

Wyoming (I think) on the way out

Wyoming on the way out

Colorado (technically not on the I-80, but close by)

Staying Cool in the Pool

This summer has been a HOT one! We've spent many days cooling off at our community pool. Ethan showed off his awesome swimming skills by passing the swim test (an unassisted swim across the deep end)--thus granting him access to join the big kids riding the slides and jumping off the diving board. After five years of being too little for the slides, it truly was a glorious day. He wore his wrist band with the pride of an Olympic medalist and pointed it out to many friends (and a few strangers). With my youngest now swimming I have graduated to a mom who can sit at the side of the pool and read...however it's been so hot I've opted to swim with the kids instead--but I love that I have the choice!

The day after Ethan first jumped off the diving board he told Isaac he was going to do a front flip off the diving board. Isaac tried to talk him out of it but when Ethan refused to listen Isaac defered to me, "Mom! Ethan says he's going to do a front flip off the diving board!" I told him it could hurt his back or maybe he could hit his head and that maybe he should wait until he was a little bigger. He kept pestering me till I finally relented assuming he wouldn't actually do it. When we got to the pool all the kids scattered. A few minutes later I was scanning the pool for Ethan when he approached me from the direction of the diving pool with a huge grin across his face. Yes, he'd marched straight up to the diving board and done a front flip all by himself. The boy's got guts that's for sure!

The Hurricanes take Second Place in the League

Congrats to Morgan's softball team, the Hurricanes. After the last two tournament games in the sweltering heat on Saturday they finished the season in second place. This was Morgan's second softball season ever (her first was in 1st grade). I think she surprised herself as a great little player...and she had a lot of fun too (thanks to great coaches and great teammates).

Crazy for Coasters

Camden C with Isaac, Ethan and Morgan at Six Flags We are a family of thrill ride lovers. So, when summer comes along we look forward to many visits to Six Flags Great America. Since it's only 15-20 minutes from home we get season's passes and visit often. Last year Morgan was tall enough for every ride in the park--even the big scary coasters which she rides with a big grin on her face and a sparkle in her eye. Last week Brent and I went for a date night and as we rode the Raging Bull roller coaster I screamed, "I can't believe we let our little girl ride this ride!" It's a great coaster, especially from the front row --but scary when you think of your first born child riding! Other favorites are Superman, Batman, and Vertical Velocity. Isaac is tall enough for the Viper and American Eagle, and also loves Giant Drop (my personal favorite...technically not a coaster, but an awesome drop ride). Ethan's favorite is the Whizzer (because he can ride all alone). He also loves the Jettson's and the Demon. Last week we visited the attached Hurricane Harbor water park for the first time and found some favorite slides as well.