Memorial Day

We had a fun and beautiful Memorial Day weekend! After a kind of cold and wet May, this past weekend was absolutely beautiful and we tried to be outside as much as possible! On Monday, I started the day with a hike and then we spent the rest of the morning doing yard work. Ben really wanted to plan something fun and different for the holiday, so he came up with the idea of taking the dutch ovens somewhere out in nature and doing dinner. We invited the family along and they happily obliged! We headed out to some property my dad has that was absolutely gorgeous, quiet and serene. The kids explored, threw sticks and rocks in the river, and played in the dirt. The men cooked our super delicious dinner and we all had a great time just chatting and relaxing. It was a really wonderful way to kick off our summer! 

I know I've said it before, but these three cousins are so darling together! They spend so much time together that they really interact, play (and fight) like siblings. It's so fun to watch their relationship grow. Every time we get together (which sometimes is upwards of 4 times a week) they run to each other to give out hugs and greet each other with so much excitement. I love it!

Ben, Will, Chase and Nora played frisbee for a little while. I loved how beautiful and peaceful it was up there!

Towards the end of the evening, we put all three kids to work building...something...a road maybe? My boys and dirt!

We packed everything up and headed home with our very dirty, happy little boys! I love spending quality time with my family out in nature, it's really the best! We are so excited about this summer- it's already off to a great start!

Late April and May Stuff

One thing we love about this time of year is that there is so much to see and do! One night we ventured out to Bountiful for their Chalk Festival. As we talked about going during dinner Hudson remarked, "We are going to a chalk festival. But I would rather go to a CHOCOLATE festival." The chalk drawings ranged from fun and interesting to down right amazing! Hudson, obviously, loved this one of Lightning McQueen. Afterwards we treated the boys to ice cream (although Hudson did NOT choose chocolate) and it was just a pleasant, fun evening.

 Chase started T-Ball and it is the best! He looks forward to games and shows a lot of enthusiasm (when batting that is, being in the field is a different story). Ben helps coach and says it's pretty crazy out there trying to keep 13 little boys focused and teaching them the rules. Chase makes a friend with whoever is standing on base with him and tells the coach and other players all kinds of pearls of wisdom! Nana and Papa come watch his games whenever they can, and Katie and Nora even came once. Chase definitely feels like the star of the show, and it's fun to see him so excited about sports! He mostly enjoys the social interaction of being on a team and doing something active. When Will asked him who won his game he answered, "T-ball is just for fun!"

 We've been spending lots of time at the park lately. The boys were initially disappointed this spring that the sand at our neighborhood park was replaced with wood chips! They literally ran up to the park, and then stopped dead and just stared at it in disbelief the first time we went back this spring. We've all adjusted, and even though we are sad that there isn't sand to dig in anymore, we've learned that there are plenty of other fun things to do at the park. We meet a group of friends there every week and it's a blast!

We got to attend the BYU vs U of U baseball game during May. Layton City gave all the kids who played baseball (and their families) tickets into the game, and a chance to go down into the dugout and meet the players, then stand on the field for the national anthem. It was so cute and fun! One Utah player teased Chase by taking his BYU hat away, so naturally Chase likes to retell that anecdote to anyone who will listen. We only lasted about 3 innings of the game (which was over an hour) before it was time to leave. And then Hudson screamed the whole way out of the stadium and half of the way home because he really wanted one of the T-shirts they threw into the stands. I was literally carrying him as he was screaming, "Go back! I want a SHIRT!" One lesson we are continuing to learn whenever taking the kids on any outing- take the good with the bad. Chances are that someone will have a tantrum at some point- we just roll with it. 

We have been very busy with yard work this Spring! Our yard felt like such a mess last year, and with a lot of pruning, weeding, planting, and tearing out 12 trees, it's starting to look like a yard that someone cares about! We've planted our vegetable garden and a bunch of flowers- and we are actually enjoying it! We love pleasant evenings that Ben and I work in the yard and the kids happily play in the dirt. I loved this view one night of Chase helping Ben mow the lawn- that little mower is usually used by a small boy when the other (real) one is running! 

A New Room

Back in April, when we really didn't have much going on, Ben and I decided to tackle Chase's room. I feel a little bad that I've never really decorated a room just for Chase. His various rooms in various homes have always just been through together with whatever hand-me-down stuff we had on hand. When we moved into this home, I kind of had a picture in my head of what I wanted his future-shared-with-Hudson room to look like, so the few things I bought I did so with that in mind. 

Then over the winter a neighbor gave us a bunkbed frame. And then the little plastic sterilite container he'd been using as a dresser was getting too small for his clothes, and Ben and I decided it was a good time for us to put the whole room together. We did one monster trip to IKEA to get a full mattress and dresser (after three years of saying we would buy Chase a dresser we finally did!). I shopped online, knowing what bedding I wanted. I found it at Pottery Barn kids, but it was so expensive. My sister helped me look online and found identical bedding at West Elm for a third of the price! I wanted something very neutral that could grow with the boys over time. 

It's still technically just Chase's room, although since the bunkbed was set up Hudson sleeps in there most nights. They call it a sleepover and have a great time! Once we officially move Hudson in, I'll add more art to this little wall to include him a little more.

 I ordered these canvasses last fall and they make me so happy every time I see them. They are some of my favorite pictures of my boys together! And this little ruler was found by my mom last summer- it goes perfectly in this room. It's fun to track their heights so they can see how they've grown.

As Hudson has been sleeping in there most nights- and the boys think the bunkbeds are great for playing on- I've seen their relationship grow in this space. I hope it stays when we move Hudson in full-time!

It's been so fun to decorate a room that shows Chase's loves and interests- mostly machines! I loved the throw pillows that a friend of mine designed. The sheets I found for their beds is covered in fire trucks, ambulances and helicopters. It's all so perfect for my machine-obsessed boy who is always on the go! 

Out of the Mouth of Chase

During General Conference:
Me: I'm glad Elder Stevenson is speaking now because I feel like I don't know the new apostles very well.
Chase: Yeah, maybe the new apostle was kicked out!

And then during Elder Eyring's talk:
Chase- who's that?
Ben- Elder Eyring
Chase- (thinking about it) is this his first day on the job?

Hudson was talking to himself in the car and all we heard was "..and then they died and then mommy died..." and Chase pipes up in a patronizing, sing-song voice "Mommy is still alive, honey!"

Daddy flooded the bathroom.  He's mad AT HIMSELF for flooding the bathroom. It's true. I can't believe my dad flooded a not-at-our-house bathroom! (yes, this happened while we were houseguests, and after I told Ben that Chase was feeling bad that Ben was mad at him.)

We had a little mishap while traveling where Chase tried to be helpful and dosed himself with melatonin before bed (we give the boys melatonin to help them sleep when we travel). We had a long talk about how it's dangerous to give yourself medicine and only mommy and daddy are allowed to give you medicine. He actually gave himself a whole pill, and we usually give him a 1/4 a pill, luckily you can't really overdose on melatonin and he wasn't in any danger, just very, very sleepy. Ben went in to tuck the boys into bed and Chase randomly burst into tears.
Ben: Why are you crying buddy?
Chase: I don't know!
Ben: (chuckling) You don't know?
Chase: (still crying) I really don't!

He had his screen time taken away for bad behavior, and we had this conversation:
Chase: Mom, can I have my screen time back now?
Me: No.
Chase: That's okay mom. I was planning on doing a lot of other fun stuff this afternoon. Like paint with watercolors and talk to you. I love you Mom.

Did you know that you can love people AND you can love stores! Because I love Little Ceasars.

Our trip to Torrey

We've been feeling an itch to get out of town. One of our goals this year was to have lots of adventures with the kids, and since our trip to California in January was such a success we were anxious to do it again. The boys have talked about the California trip non-stop since we got home. They are at such great ages to travel with and we've been wanting to create more family memories with them. My aunt and uncle have a vacation home in Torrey, UT, which is just outside Capitol Reef National Park. Capitol Reef is one of those hidden wonders- it's never crowded and it's beautiful and amazing everywhere you look. My aunt graciously let us use her beautiful home, which was amazing! We had toyed around with the idea of camping, but staying in a comfortable home was just so much easier, nicer and more relaxing! 

We had planned to leave Wednesday evening after work. Ben was so anxious to get out of town that he kept trying to bump up our leaving time and before I knew it we were actually leaving on Wednesday morning instead. I'm so glad we did! We took off fairly early and made it to Capitol Reef in time for a beautiful hike and relaxation back at the house! We started off with hiking Hickman Bridge. This is a beautiful, fairly short hike to an incredible arch. It's almost two miles round trip, with a good altitude gain. We weren't sure how Hudson would do, but he was a champ! Ben carried him for a tiny bit of it, but other than that he hiked the whole way! We were going slow for sure, which was fine since the views throughout the whole hike are breathtaking!

We passed a lot of people on the trail- and none of them had kids with them. Everyone remarked on how cute our boys were and what troopers they are! I was so proud of them. It was pretty warm, but they kept trekking!

When we planned this trip I was mentally prepared to have to entertain the kids the whole time. We were pleasantly surprised that my aunt kept her now-grown son's toys, so the boys were thoroughly entertained the whole time! In fact, Ben and I were able to sit back and read and talk, while the boys played together for hours! This sandbox in the backyard was a major highlight for them! Ben and I couldn't believe how well the boys got along- which was always part of our hope while traveling with them. It was so fun to see the bond they are forming!

Our second day we started early and decided to hike Cohab Canyon. It's a harder, longer hike, but we decided we would just hike until it seemed like the right time to turn around (not wanting to push Hudson too far and have a meltdown). There were these little caves everywhere that the boys loved to play in! We hiked about a mile in, let them play on the rocks for awhile, and then hiked back out. Again, we were completely taken by the gorgeous scenery!

 These pictures turned out way too funny. I have even more, but narrowed it down to just a few to post. I love these silly boys!

 Chase is a natural hiker. In fact, while we were hiking he said to me, "Mom, hiking is my thing." It really is. He loves nature and loves the challenge! Generally Ben and I would each have one kid during the hikes, mostly holding their hands since there were some steep drop-offs involved. Chase would talk the entire time, mostly about rocks and the things we were seeing. He was very interested in the difference between sedimentary and igneous rocks and how they got there.

 Hudson is more of a fair weather hiker, but he did great. He loved the little lizards we would see along the trail. He started naming them, super original names like "green" and "black". It was fun to hike next to him and hear him jabber non-stop the whole time about lizards and sheep and whatever else was going through his little mind.

On our last full day we opted to stay nearby and explore the national forest right by the house. The boys found plenty of big rocks to climb in. As usual, Chase wanted to hike way farther, and Hudson was asking to go back to the car. We tried to find a happy medium. I could tell Chase was totally picking up on my excitement for the beauty around us because I kept hearing him saying things like "It sure is gorgeous here" and "wow, look at this view!". 

This trip was amazing, just what we needed. I loved all the quality family time and being able to relax and enjoy nature. There is something about being out in the quiet, with your family, seeing beautiful things that just fills your soul. 

Motherhood

I feel really blessed to be a mother to my sweet boys. I know not every woman who wants this gets to do it, and I have promised myself that I won't take this time for granted. I'm not going to be overly hyberbolic and say I love EVERY minute of it, because there are definitely a few minutes almost every day where I'm frustrated or tired or a little bored. But overall, I love almost every minute of it. I just wanted to record some of my favorite moments of motherhood and my favorite parts of our life right now.

I love bedtime. I really do. And not because it means the day is over and I get to have a break (although that is a small part of it). I really love freshly scrubbed babies out of the bath (although these days Ben usually does the actual bathing part). I love cuddling up with them in their soft jammies and reading to them. I love singing lullabies in their dark rooms while I rub their backs and tuck them in. I love the goodnight hugs and kisses (and Chase usually needs at least 5 of both every single night, spread out over about 30 minutes).

I love taking my kids on adventures. I absolutely love teaching them and letting them explore their world, learn, discover and have fun. That's why we frequent the children's museum and story time at the library. We hit up the park multiple times a week during spring, summer and fall. We go to the zoo every chance we get. I love taking them up in the mountains to hike and explore nature. I love being out and about with my kids and be part of them taking in the world.

I love being part of the learning process with my kids and the fulfillment we both get when they master something new. One day I asked Chase to get dressed, make his bed and clean his room- and for the first time I can ever remember he did all three things immediately, and without any additional prodding from me. What a milestone! I quickly found him and praised him for doing such a good job and his little face broke into a huge smile- he was proud of himself and was beaming because he knew his actions had made me happy. Hudson frequently asks for a high-five when he knows he's done something good. I love seeing them learn and grow and become.

I really love being a mom. It's hard, but it's also my favorite job I've ever had. I love my boys more than I could have ever imagined!

Out of the Mouth of Hudson

He's started turning my own words back on me. One morning I asked him to do something, like eat breakfast probably. He replied "Mommy! You are being very naughty to me! How many times do I have to tell you!"

One morning he woke up super upset and was crying (with his eyes still closed and still half asleep)
Hudson: I'm just so mad that my mommy is married!
Ben: Why?
Hudson: Because I am just so mad at my daddy!
(And it went on and on for awhile, repeated different variations of that conversation).
15 minutes later:
Hudson: I'm happy now.

Chase was being punished and he was in his room crying (fairly hysterically- he was really tired) and I was trying to talk to him, when Hudson literally pokes his head in Chase's room (with his little bum sticking out behind him) and says all calmly and patronizingly "Chaser, use your words!"

Hudson was explaining Easter to Ben, "So they put Jesus in the tomb. And then the angels came and knocked on the door. And then they rolled away the stone and Jesus was alive! And then he took off in his rocketship! Zoom...Zoom....ZOOOOOOOM"

After a really rough night of trying to get him in bed (that included a lot of Hudson screaming at me, "NAUGHTY! NAUGHTY! NAUGHTY MOMMY!"), when Ben came home from young men's he took over Hudson duty. 15 minutes later a calm, and reluctant Hudson came in to my room. His quiet, pouty little voice said, "Sorry. I don't want to hug you." And then he just stood there straight as a board while I hugged him and refused to hug back.

He noticed a picture from years ago where Papa is holding him and has a watch on his wrist. And then he noticed Papa doesn't wear the watch anymore. So he asked Papa about it. And now even complete strangers have heard the story from Hudson "Papa had a watch but he broked it. He cut the band."

A few weeks later at a family dinner he came up to my mom and said, "Nana, can I tell you a story. A long, long time ago there were dinosaurs and a volcano...(and then he kind of walked around the room whilst telling this elaborate story involving dinosaurs, a volcano, and all about somehow that's related to how Papa's watch broke.)"

Mom, do you take your vitamins so you can keep up with us crazy kids?