A Day with Rider

My 3 year old is about to turn 4 the end of this month. My youngest child. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. But what a neat kid he is.

Yesterday we were running errands together and having a good time. During our fun day we had quite the conversations.

Rider sees the sticker in the truck that said to wear a seat belt at all times.

"Mom, would you click on this picture?"

"Sorry Rider but this isn't the computer, I can't click on that picture."

"Why?"

That was interesting to try and explain. After my super lame explanation:

"Mom, can I play games on your phone?"


This conversation made me think of the little techno children we are raising.

After a lovely time shopping and grabbing a bite to eat, we pass a man trying to hitch a ride by the entry to the freeway.

"Mom, why is that man standing in the road?"

"He is trying to get a ride from someone. But they won't give him a ride because he is a stranger."

I seriously thought that maybe Rider was going to need a powerful therapy session. His eyes got huge and he knew that whatever the word stranger meant it was NOT good.

I explained that stranger was someone that we didn't know that could very well try to do something VERY bad and mean to us. Rider then had to rattle off the list of possible things this stranger could do:
*take Rider's chicken nuggets
*get the truck dirty
*kill us with his sword
*take our groceries
*be mean

His list went on and on. I found it very endearing how naive, but inventive he was about what bad guys could do. I was stuck in the moment with Rider looking at me with his big blues and concerned about a new element in life that he hadn't realized before ~ Strangers.

Of course I thought of how I hoped nothing would ever hurt my soon-to-be-birthday-boy. I know he won't always be so naive about the scary side of the world, but I hope and pray he is able to stand back away from it, like he does now, and see it for what it is dangerous. (Not the whole world, just the potentially harmful part of it.)

I am so grateful for these tender moments we get to have with our kids. The sweet moments we have to look into their eyes and never want it to end....

For now,I can relish in the fact that he is still under my care. Where he can just keep pretending to fight bad guys with his super sweet Ninja Kung-Fu moves.

Trust Your Dad

"When you put your trust in your dad, he will feel the responsibility of that trust and try harder than ever to understand and to help. As your father, he is entitled to inspiration on your behalf. His advice to you will be the heartfelt expressions of someone who knows and loves you. Your dad wants more than anything for you to be happy and successful, so why would you not want to trust someone like that? Boys, trust your dad."
M. Russell Ballard, "Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship," Ensign, Nov. 2009, 47

I get so headstrong as a mom. Sometimes my hubby will come up with ideas or advice in parenting and I just look at him like he has been getting all of his information from some underground group that is against matriarchs!

But in seriousness, he is very loving with his suggestions and helps level me out.

Over the years I found out that indeed he is right about a lot of the crazy things I hear coming out of his mouth:)

So, I am glad that my boys (and girl) have the father that will whip them into shape and spend time teaching them life's lessons. I am also glad that I have learned how right he is!

SWAGGER WAGON

Thanks Luke! It's the most hilarious thing I have watched in a looooong loooong time!!!! I just wish that all this laughing would give me some super sweet abs!!!

This is a shout out to all you moms! Happy Mother's Day! And you too have swagger:)

Start Spreading The (Great) News....

We can announce officially that we have signed a contract to take a job in Monticello Utah!!!!


I am sooooo absolutely happy! When we flew back there in January it felt so good!





I am soo excited that there is a temple right in Monticello! How exciting is that? Especially after having to drive 3 hours to get to one here!


Cassy, Lance's sister,and her family, live in Blanding which makes it even more special that we get to be by family!

The hospital has been so gracious and kind that I know Lance will feel at home with people that genuinely are good people.

We will be moving back next summer. We are planning on moving in June, then I will probably come back to do some things on the house. It also depends on when we sell the house, but no matter what it's NEXT summer!

It's the Light at the End of The Tunnel!

And guess what?

We are going towards the Light!!!

Happy Birthdays & Eggcelent Times!

It's been a busy month! Trapper's birthday landed right on Easter this year! It was so much fun! How many boys get to go on an Easter Egg Hunt for their birthday?!

For Easter we were lucky to have the missionaries over! The Easter Bunny visited us and then we went over to my friend, Missy's home, for and Easter Egg Hunt.
We also had Hunter's birthday on the 14Th of this month. He saved his good grade money and combined it with his birthday money and got himself an iPod Touch! We are quickly becoming the techno family! Pretty soon all my kids will be texting each other right in the home! Could you imgaine my family NOT talking and texting instead?



We had parties and fun, but the most fun was my own silly children! They crack me up everyday! There is NOTHING funnier then when my kids are goofing around with each other and having a BLAST!

So, even though April was busy, it was hilariously crazy!!!!









And we need have some help. See our little helping hand, right there in the cake:)

Happy Moments

During the day there always seems to be those moments that makes me stop (or slow down:) and smile.




The other day it was my super sweet 16 year old daughter reading a book to Trapper, Fisher and Rider.

Yesterday it was watching Hunter and the 3 younger boys piled in a heap all watching Hunter play a computer game and Hunter taking in stride all of his side seat drivers telling him what to do or what to look out for next.

Today as I was walking back from whisking my two smiling boys on to the bus, I see my little man Rider walk out to the front porch. Normally he would be crying and upset that I left him. But not today.

Today he walked out onto the porch and like the little man he was, pulled his pants down just enough to pee off the edge. Then he gave me a big smile, waited until I got close then reeeeaaaached his arms out and said "Mom!" in a longing and sweet voice. I picked him up and we went inside the house.

It's the sweet and simple moments that make the everyday mundane actions worth doing.

Cleaning the house is just a vehicle to me so that I can have a decent house to invite the spirit in to bless our family. I hope the spirit it OK with "acceptable" and not "awe inspiring" when it comes to cleanliness:)

Even on the same day that I am pretty sure I have raised heathens or jungle animals, I still get that magical moment that reminds me how blessed I am.

Truck Troubles

I know that Jeeps have a great reputation for not breaking down, but we have been having issues with this one.




Rider has been extensively working on his Rock Crawler and trying his darnedest to "fix it up."








Unfortunately after recharging the batteries, and spraying WD-40 liberally,(he had some help from me:) and lifting up the hood many, many, many times, nothing seems to make it go.









So, for now, it will have to be parked, just until we take a look at the water pump, or head gasket or something:)