Just because

Micah is suddenly noticing all of the sweet babies around us and is in love with them all. I think it the cutest thing in the world.Here's Noah with his Egypt project that we ended up throwing together at the last minute. It was supposed to be Travis that helped him but we all forgot and he was out of town for a couple of days and suddenly we remembered it was due the next day! He got to stay up late that night and got 100%. Phew!

Remembering my Mission

Sunday night, there was a missionary fireside at our Bishop's house. Every month or two, he invites a returned missionary to his house to do a fireside and tell the youth in the ward about their mission. I was so nervous! This is a big deal--he is hoping you will inspire the youth to serve missions somehow communicate what a great thing it is. And I have such a hard time expressing myself and all of these strong feelings I have inside. They are there, and they are powerful but I stutter and my mind goes blank and my speech is so inadequate for it all. Anyway, in preparation for this night, this week I got out all of my mission journals and scrapbook and lived the journey all over again from the months before getting my call until coming home from my mission. Oh how glad I am to have kept a journal! All of the things I had forgotten! It has been like reading the best book ever. I made some blinchiki (Russian pancakes) and honeycake and Bishop Sitton and his wife Jennifer made some other refreshments. There were a ton of youth and leaders there, and it was really fun! I probably shared more than they ever wanted to know and it was just the tip of the iceberg. I had no problems filling the 45 + minutes that I was given.


A friend watched Micah and Ammon, while we brought Noah and Kaden with us. Noah played the opening and closing songs--and after the fireside, he came up to me and said "Mom, why in the world have you not told me all of those things you told everyone!? I never knew any of those things!" and Later "Mom, I never knew you could make such good Russian food!".....(I resisted the urge to add wheat flour and substite ingredients, but I didn't fry the pancakes the way my trainer taught me!).

So I got caught up reading more in my journal. I used to be so much better at writing things down! Now there is always so much I want to write but never seem to find the time. When I do write it, it's just summing things up and not really writing about them. But reading through those few years has given me such insight into who I am, and helped me to see the blessings and guidance I received when I didn't even realize it. It's been so amazing and baffling and I am so grateful I have those journals. I have felt all day these overwhelming feelings of gratitude for where I am today, and especially for a wonderful husband who is so perfectly matched to me. I don't like to even think it, but what if our paths hadn't crossed? I just can't imagine.

Well, I wanted to copy and paste some of my notes from my mission, the short summary that I wrote as I tried to think what parts to share with the youth. But it won't copy and paste, and I don't have time to type it out. Let's just say what a unique time of life and what a growing and amazing experience a mission is. Full of ups and downs, and constantly challenging you and showing you your weaknesses, and all the while experiencing such amazing joy and awesome experiences.

10K--take 2

Yesterday Trav and I ran our second 10K. After the first one, it was so great and fun and felt so good that I was pumped to do it more and better and faster, etc. Well, I have to say this one was not as fun for me! I woke up feeling yucky, got a side ache jogging with Trav to the start line, and it was not a run day for me. If I didn't have Trav with me I would have starting walking after 3 miles, but there he was a step in front of me and pushing me faster. He swears that he thought we were going a slower pace than we did on our first 10K, but it was killing me. I kept asking him if he knew how far we had gone, and where was the next marker. They were big and neon yellow but somehow I kept missing them! Maybe it was my vision was blurred and I was concentrating too hard on the ground in front of me. At one point, I told Trav dramatically "Please honey, just go ahead without me!" He said no thanks, he was fine, and we somehow made it through. The last quarter of a mile I even was able to kick it up and sprint past the group in front of us. And then promptly wanted to pass out on the grass. And as I saw the timer, it all felt a little more worth it, because it was more than 4 minutes faster than our time last time! 48:13. And I was second in my age group and 9th out of 166 women. So then it was fun again. Until we got home and I felt nauseated and like I still wanted to pass out for the next 6 hours. I really don't think it was the run that did it, though. Usually after running I feel tired but really awesome at the same time. Not so yesterday. I only felt awful. Surely I had some bug or started out way too dehydrated or something. Hmmm. --And now I am adding to this post and I have been nauseated and lightheaded for 3 days. Too bad to can't choose your race days. At least Trav had fun, he says he felt pretty good =).

Daily Joys

In the midst of all the chaos and confusion and many times of frustration of my daily life, I need to focus on the small and wonderful things about being a mom. Like my boys who are constantly picking flowers and leaves (and weeds and rocks and sticks) and giving them to me. Usually I wonder what in the world to do with them, but these bushes have been blooming at the side of our house the they have loved keeping a fresh supply on the table for me. It's sweet that they are so proud to give them to me.

Other things that make me smile everyday. . . .

Noah who is so good at getting up in the morning and doing all of his chores without ever being asked. I LOVE getting up to an empty and clean dishwasher.

Ammon who, even though he throws big fits about his chores much of the time, loves to snuggle and give me hugs.

Kaden who is always drawing and creating wonderful things and giving them to me.

Micah who give me dozens of daily hugs, and is so innocent in his mischief, like when he closes my bedroom door so I won't see him eat the strawberries from the counter, or when his new word for today was "a mess". Who is such a people person and I love to watch him show off for people and jabber nonsense to them.

Travis--well, pretty much everything about him makes me smile....he is just wonderful.

We are hoping to run "The Wounded Warrior 10K" this coming Saturday. I guess that depends on Trav's ankle and my knee, and hoping that he won't have to go into work like they are saying he might....I want to see how much faster I can do it this time around, but I've been running kind of easy because my knee makes me nervous.

My Baby is 2!!!

I am really trying not to think about my little Micah being 2 years old already. I tried so hard that we almost didn't celebrate his birthday and I had to scramble at the last minute. And that would have been horrible because this little boy is really a guy to celebrate. He has brought so much joy into our home every day we have had him. He is so fun and lovable and cute--I try to be unbiased, but everyone else seems to like him just as much as I do. Here is his train cake. The wheels were actually supposed to be those gummy peach rings, but the neither the commissary or walmart had them (weird!) and I wasn't going to search harder for something I really didn't want everyone eating anyway. But they would have been cute...

The birthday boy with Dad coming to the table...We ate his cake yesterday because Trav was leaving for a couple of days just after church today.

I blinked and missed it, but I was told he actually blew the candle out right away.

This morning, opening his presents. The little sweather he is wearing is one the Travis wore at that age. He's always doing funny things with his eyes...

What to say about my angel baby? I wish I were a writer and could adequately describe him. He is silly and happy, friendly and mischievous. Always into trouble and making messes, and always giving me lots of hugs. He can also be very stubborn and loud and demanding. This morning I woke up to him throwing a diaper and the wipes at my face. I guess he's starting to not like his diaper so full. Then he snuggled in bed with me for a long time with his icy toes.

He is starting to yell "hey!" at people for all kinds of reasons and sometimes it sounds very rude. I am pretty sure I taught him that all the times I am telling him not to touch something and he's not listening to me until I say "hey!". I am not sure how to undo that now. He has been our latest to talk, and yet maybe the best at communicating. Everything he does is so full of expression. But just in the last 2 or 3 weeks his vocabulary has exploded so I have hope for the talking thing with him. He loves to be like his brothers and parents and is always trying to do things he sees us do (like cutting vegetables, pouring water and milk, planting or rather unplanting seeds and watering them, etc).

He runs from me every time he knows I want to change his diaper or put him to bed, and squeals hysterically like he's the funniest boy in the world. Anytime we are in the car he asks for his friend Grace "wace, peez".

He makes friends wherever we go. The other day at Noah's baseball game, there was a teenage girl eating her dinner from Wendy's. He eyed her and moved right close to her and I watched him for awhile and got distracted. When I looked again he was helping himself to her fries, and she assured me it was fine and he could have all he want, and then he would see her dip them and in the ketchup his fries would go right after hers. A few minutes later (well, after he was sure the fries were all gone) he was at the top of the bleachers flirting with another lady and showing her all of his friend Taylor's erasers and toys and jabbering to her while she listened attentively and asked questions.

Anyway this post is just a bunch of babbling, random thoughts as they come to me. I do smile when I find toys in my boots and drawers, and sometimes even when I find our silverware in the garbage (although I am very sad about the ulu we never did find, and I fear it met it's end there). Or the other day when I was supposed to make a couple of strawberry pies to each with the missionaries, he emptied the strawberries from the bowl to a pitcher and ate at least a 3rd of them before I caught him, and it had to be "strawberry/blueberry pie" after that. Which was very tasty, so I guess he did me a favor. Whenever I notice silence in the house, I panic and have everyone search for him fast. Almost always there is trouble. Sigh.

Anyway Happy Birthday Micah. We love you and life sure wouldn't be the same without you.

Trav's homecoming

I thought this was hilarious. Travis got home from his 5 week SOS after the kids had all gone to bed. So in the morning he went to get Micah up. I thought Micah would leap for joy, but in his sleepy surprised state, he looked deliberately away from him and would not even look at him after Daddy picked him up. He must have a been a little pouty inside, like "WHERE have you been?!"

Other March randomness

Noah got his glasses just before Trav got home. He was so nervous and spent a few days just wishing out loud for a pill to take that would make his eyes see better, all the while voicing awe and wonder at all the needles he could see on the pine trees, etc. He got used to them pretty quickly, and I think he's very handsome.

All of the missing teeth in this household have been pulled by kids and Dad. You would think with a Nursing background, I could handle such a task, but it's really hard for me. But my day came THE DAY BEFORE Travis got home this time around. Kaden was miserable and couldn't eat things (and he loves his food), and it was bleeding, and I just buckled down and did it. I did it! So proud of myself, and he is no worse for the wear.

1-4pm church takes such a toll on this little guy. He just won't ever go down for a nap before church and then is so exhausted all the way through. He usually goes all Sunday without any nap at all, but this day he fell asleep in the car, and Trav took advantage of the chance to snuggle. I love moments like these, I don't know why, but I do.

My new haircut.

EASTER EGG HUNT

This was our neighborhood Easter egg hunt on Saturday. It's the only Easter pictures I seem to have taken this year.

I love the look on Micah's face here, the trying not to smile, but can't help it look.

Everyone helping Micah find his eggs.

The Noland Trail

So here I was thinking I have nothing to blog about or catch up on, and then I found fun pictures in my camera reminding me that we do actually do fun things some times...Last Friday Trav and I had a breakfast date and then went to check out the Noland Trail (which we should have done SO long ago!). We loved it so much that we took all the kids back there later. They had so much fun.

My boys...

Micah walked the whole way there (we only went about a mile before turning around) and a lot of the way back.

Noah really wanted me to take a picture of this hold in the tree that he was convinced is a raccoon home. He said to make sure to get a picture of the cup inside to prove it.

10K Run for the Heart

So I did it--my first 10K. In fact, my first race, since I have never even run in a 5K before. Anyway, it was SO fun! Way more fun than I expected. I don't know if it was because I was braced for it to be not at all fun, or because Trav was so nice to run with me, or what. Or was it because we both won raffle prizes? At any rate, I may be on my way to becoming addicted.


We dropped all of our kids off at our friends the Pinegars at 7:30 and drove to Newport News Park. I should have taken pictures, really. It feels so official pinning a number to your shirt with a built in timer. I am so glad Travis was with me. It feels much better to have someone by your side, especially when you don't know what is going on. His ankle has been bothering him so I was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to run with me. But he did and it's very sad how my husband who doesn't even like to run, and therefore hardly ever does run, and therefore has never run even close to that far....just stays by my side to run with me and support me, and could easily take off without me at any given moment. But he was nice enough to even let me into the finish line before him, even though we have the same times. Here are the results, if you can find us... www.peninsulatrackclub.com/2010_results.htm . Okay, so everyone may not not want to search through those results, so Trav was 53rd overall, and 11th of 23 in his age group. And I was 52nd overall, and 3rd in my age group, which totally surprised me.

We started at the very back and slowly worked our way up. Trav took note afterwards that we only passed people, no one ever passed us. It's easier to push yourself in a setting like this because when you pass someone, you have to keep up the faster pace, or else that would be pretty rude and irritating to that person you just cut off. I think next time we should start closer to the front, because when we turned off onto the trail, it was hard to pass people and we got stuck at a slower pace for awhile. Trav liked the starting at the back, because I think he like to pass everyone... It was beautiful, and a very fun place to run.

Anyway, it was cool to see all the people helping to mark the trail and there were 2 water stations. At that distance I wouldn't really have needed to get water, but we had to do it at the second station, just so we could have the experience we see in the olympics, where you grab the cup, drink while spilling on yourself, and then toss the cup to the side (after saying thank you of course). So fun =). Afterwards they had yummy fruit and drinks for us to eat (and cookies and donuts, does that seem odd to anyone else?). And then they had the award ceremony and the raffle. Trav's name was drawn for a cool tool set, and right after that, my name was drawn for a $25 gift certificate at a Sports store in Williamsburg. And that my friends is our first race situation. I am already looking for the next one. . . .