Father Daughter Campout

The father/daughter camp out is an annual tradition in our ward each September. In the past it has been a night Emmry and Dad enjoy camping out with friends, sleeping in a tent, eating outside, and hiking together. For me it has been a night of trying to please the ones left behind: toddler twins oblivious to the fact that they are being left out and a jaded boy old enough to know what he is missing out on. In my craziest attempt to satisfy the latter troops, we ventured into Phoenix to a Cardinal's baseball game. Not my greatest idea.

But this year's idea was truly great! For Father's Day the kids and I gave Ryan an eight-man tent. Genius! With the twins old enough to understand the meaning of father/daughter camp out, and with a tent big enough to house them, there were no excuses for anyone to be left behind.

Since camping this summer in Utah, all the girls could talk about leading up to the camp out was when it would arrive. So when Dad came home from work throwing up with a migraine there was nothing he could do but give the toilet one last look, pack everything in the car, and head to the mountains. I felt bad, but it was a father/daughter camp out after all.

The night turned out successful. Braden and I thoroughly enjoyed a quiet dinner and movie out, while Ryan was delighted to find the young women enchanted with the girls and was able to sit back with the other dads. It seems we both had a relaxing night.

Happy Birthday Emme!

What does a seven-year-old girl want for her birthday? As Emmry becomes more grown up, we are learning that princesses aren't nearly as magical as they once were and they are definitely not cool. We gave up the Tinkerbell backpack this year for a black and white one with peace symbols all over it and the Tinkerbell nightgown is rarely worn. So I found that pretty much all a seven-year-old wants is a party with all her friends. Not the greatest thing for a pregnant lady, but thankfully Ryan had the foresight to buy a carnival birthday party given by the young women of our church at a fundraiser last spring. The party came complete with invitations, games, prizes, cupcakes, set up, and clean up. Emme was thrilled... but I don't think quite as thrilled as I was! I'm sure she didn't realize that the party was actually a present for me!

With the friend party behind us we had a few gifts of our own to supply. The little girls had picked out some craft supplies and Braden a lava lamp night light. Both a success. And what was left for Ryan and me? We were giving her a "hair styling head" doll. Go ahead and laugh. I know I did. I remember several years ago my girlfriend was buying one for her daughter's seventh birthday. Braden was also turning seven and I was likely shopping for some battling toy. I remember saying to her, "I always wondered who bought those things." Well, the mother of a seven-year-old girl that's who. And why not? I already have three little heads of hair to do. Perhaps I can train Emme to do a few. If this last one comes out with a pink bow as well, my investment will be well worth it!

Happy Birthday Girls!

Four is my favorite birthday! Looking at these faces you can see why. We have been anticipating this day for the good part of this past year as they been compiling a list of things they want. Every where we would go I would hear, "For my birthday mama. I want this for my birthday." And I would agree, "Yes, for your birthday." It was a great way to get out of any store without incident or an empty wallet. I felt very smart. But as August loomed nearer I began to worry. Did they really think they were going to get all those stuffed animals, the real animals, the baby dolls, the fairies, the dress ups, the thing that goes in the water that spins and lights up (????)... and everything else? Boy, this great idea of mine was going to backfire!

But birthdays are magical at that age and when they opened up their measly roller skates and snap and go dolls they were thrilled. No mention was made of the list of things I had agreed upon over the past nine months that were missing; including the squirrel from Jackson Hole, the Dora doll at the grocery store, and the $65 babies at the toy store. Instead they were elated with their yogurt date with mom, trip to the toy store (to actually buy something), cupcake tower, the mound of colorfully wrapped presents, and all the birthday wishes. Good thing they're only four!

Back to School

Braden has been dreading this day all summer... the day school starts again. It's a big year for him though. He's in sixth grade.

How did I get old enough to have a sixth grader?

I remember sixth grade quite vividly. We played double dutch at recess, I wore my hair in a french braid everyday, and we learned German from a video on TV. I was sitting at my desk watching the launch of the Challenger Space Shuttle when it exploded.

Yet here I am and here he is, certainly getting closer to my 5'8". I do enjoy that we wear the same shoe size now though. When I'm looking for a pair of flip flops I can always find a pair lying around.

Emmry has had no problems moving into 1st grade and I'm realizing how fast the days pass. Braden will be 17 and Emmry 13 when this last one enters kindergarten. So until then I guess I better enjoy them... 1st and 6th grade only happen once!

Utah Pilgrimage

Going to Utah is always an adventure, the success of which is a delicate equation between the number of things we break at my parents' house and the amount of fun we've had. We were fortunate this year to have Ryan with us for two of our four weeks, so we may have just come on the positive side this year.

We were determined to truly vacation this year in our home state while visiting family, so we took advantage of all Utah has to offer. We hiked in Little Cottonwood, camped up Ogden Canyon, swam at the neighborhood pool, and surfed at Ogden's indoor wave. We visited museums, zip lined at Park City's Olympic Village, and rode Wicked at Farmington's Lagoon. We trekked up to Jackson Hole for a few days and floated down a creek in Evanston, Wyoming.

Now we did break a few things... perhaps a decorative plate and a pot... the abacus with its beads strewn all over the floor took a while to put back together... and I shouldn't forget to mention the flu that ran like wild fire through the family bringing one to throw up in a sleeping bag and tent and another on the floor of the Sweet's Candy Factory (although that one was likely car sickness). But all in all, we enjoyed the cooler weather, the company of family and friends, and all the activities. We deemed the vacation a success, although that really is relative to who is looking at the equation... me or my parents.

Jackson Hole

Ever since Braden was five-years-old he has wanted a hang glider. I remember having to come up with many excuses year after year as to why Santa Claus could not bring one: it's too expensive... it won't fit down the chimney... he only brings age appropriate toys... where would you keep it?

So this summer when we decided to vacation in Jackson Hole as part of our annual pilgrimage to Utah, we looked to make Braden's dream come true by going hand gliding. My parents accompanied us on the trip and to our surprise, my dad joined Braden and Ryan as they glided over the Wyoming Rockies.

Who in their right mind would attach their 11-year-old behind an "experimental" plane, to be towed 2,000 feet in the air and released? That's what I was thinking as Braden began his tandem ascent from the Alpine, Wyoming Airport. Thankfully the bread winner of the family whose life insurance policy excludes extreme sports, had been the guiney pig and was already safely on the ground. I can only imagine the thrill or perhaps apprehension Braden felt as he was pulled at 100 mph behind an airplane, then released to soar to the ground. Perhaps in that moment he changed his mind, maybe he didn't need a hang glider after all... no such luck. It seems that not his, but all three riders' fuels were flamed as they have already made plans to sky dive next year!

But the boys weren't the only ones having fun. My mom and Emmry joined them the next day for river rafting down the Snake River. And while one rafter went overboard in the rapids, the five in our group entered the cold water only by choice.

Of coarse someone had to stay behind with the little ones and as I'm just coming up to my third trimester, I was the obvious choice. While Hadley, Chloe, and I didn't sail through the water or sky, we enjoyed the beauty and much cooler weather of Wyoming from the firm ground (really a better place for the three of us prone to motion sickness anyway!). We visited a petting zoo, played at the park, and hiked to the falls at Jenny Lake with the rest of the family.

Jackson was a welcome relief to the dry, hot desert of Arizona and it offered us as parents the opportunity to make Braden's dream come true - a truly rewarding experience for a parent, one I'm sure my parents also felt as they watched me with my family.

Can We Please Buy a Boat?

Ever since our boating trip on Memorial Day, the kids have been asking when we would be going again. We try to tell them it's a bit difficult to go boating when you don't own a boat, but they don't seem to grasp where the problem lies. So when friends invited us to go boating the day of our drive to Utah, we had no problem rearranging our vacation schedule, unpacking our suits, and heading up to Lake Bartlett for the day.

With Memorial Day's boating trip fresh in his memory, Braden was a bit nervous to give the wake board another try. We were hopeful that our friends' boys would offer some new advice that would help Braden succeed in getting up this time around. Unfortunately, we found ourselves circling back time after time to drop the rope.

Failure is very discouraging and it takes a strong person to continue on with its constant nagging. Thankfully Braden has no shortage when it comes to determination and it payed off. It only took getting up just once, and after that we had a hard time getting him down.

While Braden and Ryan enjoyed the wake and surf boards (skiing, what's that?), the girls squealed on the tube and swam to cool off. It was a great time! The only problem... we still don't have a boat and all we've heard since leaving the lake are constant pleas to buy one - and it's Ryan and I doing the pleading!