Aurora Borealis

As membership holders at the Clark Planetarium,

we received an e-mail inviting us to an "exclusive" event.

There was going to be a lecture about a recent trip taken to document Aurora Bourealis.

The lecture was going to be held at Red Butte Gardens and would be followed be a star show.

It sounded awesome.

I was surprised that they could only take 35 people.

But I RSVP'd and waited to see what would happen.

As it turned out, over 350 people RSVP'd.

Instead of just cutting it off, they changed venues back to the actual planetarium.

Honestly, this didn't sound as exciting to me.

We almost didn't go - it started at bedtime and I didn't want to be out that late.

But in the end we decided to just do it.

We are SO glad we did.

The presentation was awesome.

Ammon, especially, was completely fascinated by the Northern Lights.

Katy and her kids were there as well.

After the presentation, Kylie was feeling sick.

The star show was downtown and it wasn't even dark out yet.

We decided to skip that part and just head home.

We promised the kids that we would schedule a "private" star show with Grandpa Derrick.

(A promise we have yet to follow through on.)

We still had sparkler's that we hadn't used on the 4th of July.

We were getting close to the 24th so they were legal again.

So when we got home, we went ahead and let the boys play a bit longer.

As per normal, Peter was cautious, though not as scared of the sparklers as he has been in the past.

He is definitely getting older.

And Ammon was a maniac who scared us as he ran around with his sparklers,

flames shooting at the bushes and plants all around him.

Great memories.

Morning Thoughts

I wake up feeling unusually refreshed and satisfied with my night's sleep.  The window is open and the cooling autumn breeze fills my room.  Summer is winding down and I feel energized thinking of the pending season.  In this moment, my world is perfect.

Ammon, who is usually my child most likely to sleep in, has set his alarm for 7:00.  It's after seven now and he is up, waiting patiently for Andrew, who is making a quick trip to the store for the instant oatmeal Ammon is hoping to eat for breakfast.  Later I discover what is keeping him so contentedly quiet:  he has found my phone and is uploading a new game he is interested in.  This seems typical of Ammon.  He is a slow-moving, meandering morning person like me. 

I hear the pattering of Peter running up the stairs.  He urgently yells, "Ammon, what time is it?"

"7:26," comes the response.

A moment later I hear the shower turn on.  Ammon may have been the first one awake this morning, but it is Peter who doesn't waste any time in getting ready for his day.  His approach to a new day is much more like his dad.  They both like to get up and get going.

I hear Ammon knocking on the bathroom door.  He is in a devious mood and though only moments have passed he announces to Peter that it is now 8:00.

Knowing that they have somewhere to be at 8:00, Peter gasps and urgently responds, "Quick, wake Dad up!"  Peter's need to stay on schedule shines through and I can sense his change in demeanor as he rushes to finish his shower even faster now than he normally would.  The interaction between my boys brings a smile to my face.

The garage door opens, and a few moments later, Peter and Andrew are in my room, showing off the football shirt that Peter is wearing.  They both feel proud that they found the perfect attire to wear to cousin Michael's pre-season football game.

I hear breakfast being easily prepared in the microwave, and the daily scuffle of looking for lost shoes.  As I lay there, blissfully free from pain, I am ready to conquer the day.  I consider the idea of joining them at the football game, but daydream instead of going to the park for a walk.  The weather is my ideal.  I can't imagine a more perfect way to spend the morning.

I think of my sister-in-law running her first half-marathon in Logan today.  What a perfect morning it is!  And her mom is right there running it with her.  I send them each a text offering my well wishes as I jealously imagine the beauties of Logan canyon on this very fall-feeling morning.  The leaves probably haven't turned quite yet, but I picture them in the beautiful reds, yellows and oranges that represent the change in season.

I'm amazed that I have been awake this long without feeling the baby kick on my bladder.  We have known for six days now that our suspicions were true - this is our first daughter.  It still seems surreal sometimes, but the anticipation of her arrival is growing.  My stomach is getting bigger and I feel her moving every day.  Last night as Andrew and I laid in bed, he rested his hand on my stomach and she kicked back at him several times.  He still can't feel her movement, but they are each aware of the other and I can't help but think that  the bond between father and daughter is already developing.

My family says goodbye, and I listen to them head off to the football game.  I marvel at what a wonderful man Andrew is.  He is such a patient, loving husband, a great father and a fun uncle, too.

In these moments, life feels so close to perfect.  I take a moment to soak it in before thoughts of tomorrow bring up the uncertainties and the potential losses of everything that seems stable and ideal.

But slowly those thoughts creep in and I begin to wonder what the future has in store.  For over a year we have desperately tried to navigate our financial distress.  For over a year, as we have prayerfully sought answers and direction, diligently striving to follow promptings we received, we have felt like everything will work out.  Multiple times I have looked into gaining employment.  Several times Andrew has looked into second job opportunities.  Countless resumes have been submitted seeking promotions.  To this point it still seems all for naught.

Now we find ourselves pursuing an opportunity that could improve our financial situation, but wouldn't solve it.  It is a situation which would require us to leave our "perfect" home, neighborhood and life.  A job which would involve a lot of travel and therefore require that our family be separated frequently.

I soak in the perfectness of now even more, wondering how long it will last.  There is a part of me unwilling and un-wanting to let go of my comfortable, beautiful happy home while yet another part of me is determined to follow whatever path is shown us.

I am ready to leave my bed now, hoping against hope that I can seize the day.  Having just finished ten days of being either in bed or on the couch, I am ready to get out and enjoy the weather.  I get up without too much difficulty and stand upright.  This is definite improvement - similar to yesterday.  Then I feel the familiar painful twinge in my back as I hobble to the bathroom.

I head to the kitchen, each step reaffirming that today will have to be another day without much movement.  I quickly make myself some of the instant oatmeal that was left, and find myself in my familiar spot on the couch.  I look forward to starting physical therapy on Monday, optimistically hoping that with some consistent guided effort, my back will be stronger than ever and I will not only be able to successfully get through this pregnancy, but that I will have the strength to care for and carry my baby once she arrives.

I take my first bite of oatmeal and I wonder - are we about to embark on an adventure?  Will we be prompted to "take the road less traveled"?

Yesterday I felt like I was in the midst of the desperate, confusing, tangled up part of a beautiful story.  The story is a lovely romance and I am so lucky to be a part of it.  One way or another, I know our story has a happy ending: Eternity -  together and in love.

In the mean time, I just keep reminding myself that it is the twists and turns along the way that make our story even more interesting.

I think of the song called The Climb.  It took a lot of effort and climbing to get here.  It was hard and yes, in retrospect it was beautiful too.  We are approaching our twelve year wedding anniversary.  Life hasn't come as quickly nor as easily as anticipated.  We purchased our first home just over a year ago.  It is a perfectly humble starter home.  We love it!  It has been wonderful to finally provide a sense of stability for our nine and six year old boys who are growing so quickly.  Poor Ammon has already attended three different elementary schools.   And though there were great experiences and wonderful lessons learned along the way, how I was looking forward to ending those transient days!

As I picture myself on a mountainous journey, "now" seems like an ideal, picture-perfect stopping place.  In my minds eye there is a lovely lake surrounded by gorgeous trees and wildflowers.  A perfectly quaint cottage provides shelter and comfort for my family as we are encircled by lovely images and everything we need.  I don't want to accept that this isn't the end of our journey.  We have arrived!

And yet, this perfect setting and backdrop to our life is starting to feel like more of a resting spot than a destination.  Time to journey on, up through the rough terrain.  There are more obstacles and difficulties to face along the way.  Stormy struggles are ahead.  I can't really picture life in a more perfect setting than I have now, but somehow I know that if I am asked to take up this journey again, it is because there is something even greater out there - even if that "greater" thing is nothing more than the journey itself.  A part of me is pleading that the money will come and we can just sit easy where we are.  But... Come What May, and Love It.

Seven Peaks

Knowing that we wouldn't be doing much in terms of summer vacation this year,

I decided to invest in the "Pass of all Passes".

I spent about $32 a person on them, but they also each came with a $20 gift card.

(We got one card to Target, one to Wal-Mart and two to CostCo.)

So really, we paid just over $10 a piece.

The card is issued through Seven Peaks, which is a water park.

But it includes lots of other venues.

We have loved attending various sporting events.

The guys even went to see Motor Cross one evening while I was studying for finals.

We have been happy to find that the passes have more than paid for themselves many times over.

And with all the use we were getting, it wasn't going to hurt my feelings if we never hit the water park.

For some reason I was really scared to take my kids there.

Neither of them are super strong swimmers and I just envisioned inevitable drownings.

Then I got lost in a world of morning sickness, and it wasn't really a consideration anyway.

And just as I started to feel better and think about the possibility, Ammon got stitches and couldn't swim.

But I finally decided it was time for us to try it out.

I wasn't brave enough to take the boys by myself, so I asked Andy to take a day off work.

And it was SOOOO fun!

I felt like the boys were really safe the entire time.

The only place that makes me even a little bit nervous is the wave pool.

And only the idea of them going into the pool without a parent.

We hit the kiddie pool first.

Then took our first turn in the wave pool.

From there we spent a good hour in the lazy river.

The kids just wanted to go around and around and around.

Finally, we headed out for some of the slides.

Andrew, Ammon and Peter got a triple rider tube and went down together.

It was such a great way to spend an afternoon.

I am looking forward to going back!

Family Baking

Lately I've been spending a night a week with each child, teaching them how to cook a meal.

They decided they were interested in having cinnamon rolls for dinner.

Obviously, that wasn't going to work.

So on Sunday evening we decided we could make a treat.

But summer is starting to drag on.

We are starting to get some restlessness at home.

So by the time we were ready to bake, Peter and Andrew "helped" by staying out of the way.

They went outside and had a marshmallow gun fight.

And Ammon and I got to work.

I traditionally make cinnamon rolls at Christmas.

And we make a lot!

I decided to experiment by cutting the recipe in half.

It worked wonderfully!

We ended up with 16 cinnamon rolls.

(Which was still enough to over-indulge even after sharing with my parents and grandparents.)

Boy are the delicious!

Three cinnamon rolls later, I now remember why I only make them once a year.

They are irresistible.

Shave Ice

The name "shave ice" drives my husband crazy.

Why isn't it shaveD ice?

But either way, the boys LOVE it.

We had a chance to enjoy some at an open house for Peggy's work.

It was bright, colorful, huge and delicious!

A perfect summer treat.

Visit From the Toothfairy

Peter spent the school year watching his peers lose their teeth.

It was always a special and exciting event.

Their teacher would always recognize them and give them a special box to take their tooth home in.

On occasion, Peter would sadly wonder when his turn would come.

His teeth weren't even lose.

Then, out of the blue, he came running out of the bathroom and showed me his tooth.

In his hand!

"Peter, what happened?  Did you even know you had a lose tooth," I asked.

(Because I sure didn't.)

He explained,
"My tooth started to hurt so I decided I needed to brush it.

When I started brushing it, it just came out!"

And that was that.

He was SOOO excited for the Tooth Fairy to come.

At bed time he promptly tucked himself in and was asleep almost immediately.

He even made sure to clean his room in preparation of her visit.

The world felt a little more magical that night,

and I was grateful for the influence of a six year old in our home.

4th of July

We spent the morning of the 4th of July catching up on some much needed yard work.

The boys felt like they were being tortured.

The parents felt like the children weren't working hard enough.

We thought we were going to have to cancel anything fun.

But we eventually got the work finished and headed out to join some cousins.

We had wanted to go to Riverton's "diving for dollars" that they do each year.

We have never made it and with Andrew being home from work and us living so close, I thought this would be the year.

But then Ammon got stitches and couldn't swim.

Guess we'll try again next year.

As it turns out, my sister and her family, who go EVERY year, slept in and missed it as well.

(That made me feel a little less bad about not being able to do it this year.)

But what we DID do was have a great time at the haystack dive!

It is kind of like a 4th of July Easter egg hunt.

Candy and toys are distributed throughout the hay and the kids get to run through it and grab what they can.

It is divided into age groups.

Peter and Isaiah went first and had a great time.

A little while later it was Ammon and Kylie's turn.

The kids were all really cute about sharing their prizes.

Different kids had different treasures that they wanted.

The older kids were sure to deliberately pick up some things for the younger kids.

And the younger kids ended up with some items that the older kids wanted.

I love how well these kids get along.

We spent the evening with my parents and grandparents.

We had a nice BBQ and enjoyed visiting with them for several hours.

We even joined my dad in his traditional 4th of July viewing of  A More Perfect Union.

Then we went home just in time to climb up onto the roof and watch fireworks.

(Well, everyone else did - I was too scared.)

My sister and her family joined us.

Fireworks were shooting off in every direction.

It was a beautiful view.

Phone Pictures

I use my camera less and less lately.

I get pictures on the camera.

But I haven't been good about figuring out how to blog them.

I still don't know how to turn them into collages.

So here is a massive picture dump.

The first pictures are the most recent - they get older as you go through this post.

On this particular Sunday, I woke up to people screaming.

But we ultimately got ready for church in plenty of time.

And the boys played happily until it was time to go.

Then, we came home and the boys got in such a big fight, they actually hit each other with PVC pipe.

They really do get along so well MOST of the time.

But like all families, we also have our moments.

We ran out of propane while cooking our Father's day dinner.

It took us a MONTH to get it replaced.

This was our first meal with the new propane.

Welcome back, grill!

We missed you.

Grandpa went to the hospital for several days.

He had pneumonia.

Grandma brought him home against medical advise.

They wanted to release him to a care facility for further recovery.

It's been a rough recovery and we are still trying to figure out what he needs.

But he has his good moments too.

Peter had fun showing Grandma a game he likes.

Of course she was more than willing to download it onto her iPad for him.

Andrew had a chance to go spend a day with Ammon at Scout Camp.

Peter and I took that opportunity to have lunch at Brick Oven with a coupon he had brought home from school.

It was good food and excellent company!

I love having dates with my boys.

We had a chance to attend an open house for Lone Peak Hospital.

Gramma Peggy is working there and they are getting ready for the hospital to open.

The shave ice was amazing and HUGE.

The boys were in heaven.

We've had fun hanging out at my parents new house.

A lot of us have been in and our - almost more than normal.

Between guys going over to help haul some big items that are still getting situated,

and several of us checking in on Grandpa, it's been fun to see everyone so often.

My hair was getting too LONG and TOO thick.

I decided it was just "pregnancy" hair and I couldn't stand it anymore.

So I called my friend, and she took care of me.

I'm loving my new hair cut.

On July 5th we went out to a BBQ at my sisters house.

We stayed up late watching fireworks.

When we got home, we saw this iron mark in our carpet.

The iron was still plugged in and laying face down on a cheerios box.

Quite frankly, we are amazed a fire didn't start.

It was a scary sight to find and realize what could have happened.

Thankfully, this burned carpet is the worst of it.

(And just for posterity's sake - Ammon was the culprit.)

Here is Grandpa the night he came home from the hospital.

He hadn't slept for about three days.

Sadly, his not sleeping didn't improve at home.

We have had lots of crazy rain storms.

It goes from a hot summer day to insane amounts of rain.

This picture was trying to capture the flowing water racing down the streets.

You can also see the white in the bottom left corner of my lawn.

That is the hail.

On the 4th of July we had fun meeting the Hansen cousins for the Riverton haystack dive.

We've done this with them a time or two before.

It's turning into a fun tradition.

That evening we invited them over to watch fireworks from our roof.

I couldn't handle being up there, but everyone else loved it.

We've been having "cooking" lessons once a week or so with each boy.

Peter has made biscuits and gravy and bagel pizza.

Ammon has made chicken nuggets with french fries and spaghetti.

It's been fun.

Now I just need to be better about helping them think of new meals.

On the day of my parents move, we had a fun time playing with cousin Allister.

Technically I was babysitting, but between my boys and my sisters girls, I hardly even held him.

We had several different days of helping with the move.

After one of them, we took the boys to the park and had pizza.

It was a fun finish to our day.

Here is our first picture of our baby.

I am dying to find out the gender.

(Well, we *think* it's a girl, but we want to know for sure.)

I just have a hard time feeling like this is real when I don't know if I'm having a boy or girl.

We won't be disappointed if it's a boy.

But it just drives me crazy that we are so convinced it is a girl without really knowing.

Five more weeks and then hopefully the mystery will be solved.

This was when Andrew worked on some leaks in the swamp cooler.

The boys got up on the roof with them and they decided that they would go up for the 4th of July.

Before I knew my summer was going to be spent feeling deathly ill, I planned a "summer school".

We had eight "students" in total - my kids and several of their cousins.

It was a nice idea, but in the end, it fizzled out.

I just didn't have the stamina to keep up with it, and never really got it properly organized.

The summer started out with some fun game playing.

Our peach tree is producing like crazy.

We really need to go thin things out.

The peaches are growing too close to each other, there are just so many!

Manti Pageant

I started seeing Facebook posts popping up about people being down at the Manti Pageant.

I was disappointed that life got away from me and we forgot to plan to go.

We were engaged at the Manti Pageant on June 16, 2001.

The week of the 16th was over and we had missed our chance.

I wasn't thinking straight.

Yes, we had missed our anniversary weekend.

But the pageant runs for TWO weeks.

We still had time to go!

We turned it into a fun weekend getaway.

In a not so smart move, we started our "weekend" with a family sleep out on the trampoline.

That means that the adults headed to Manti on very little sleep...

We are definitely feeling our age these days.

The trampoline did not agree with us.

But it was fun to know we all slept out as a family.

The first stop we made was to see the Payson temple.

It is currently under construction and we could see straight through it in some points.

We were amazed at how big it is.

Next, we stopped in Nephi.

We had lunch at Wendy's and then played at a park.

In the future, we might try to remember the fun water park we saw.

But we didn't want to spend the extra money and we didn't bring swimming clothes anyway.

We got to Manti around 3:00.

I think we were practically the first people to get to town.

In the future we'll probably aim for closer to 5:00.

Just as we were getting out of the car, there was a huge thunder.

Andy insisted that he had checked the weather tons of times and there was ZERO chance of rain.

I argued that the clouds overhead seemed to disagree.

Almost immediately we were feeling drops of rain.

But they were few and far between.

We explored the temple grounds.

The boys looked down at the graveyard and wanted to know what it was.

We took them to it and they were completely fascinated by the tombstones.

But then the rain REALLY started.

It came pelting down in sheets.

We ran to the pavilion for cover.

The storm probably didn't last more than about ten minutes.

It was a fun adventure and cooled off the day just enough.

And eventually our blanket dried out...

After the storm, the boys wanted to go back to the graveyard again.

Then we spent hours waiting for the pageant to start.

(It begins at 9:30 PM)

We played games, at the food we brought for dinner, and took naps...

The boys loved the pageant, though Peter got tired and fell asleep before it ended.

Afterwards we raced to our car to try to get out of town before the gridlock hit.

It took us about ten minutes to get out of town - about eight of those minutes at a stand still.

I think the traffic out is the one thing that makes me not want to do this every year.

That, and just how late at night it is.

But we had a great time and were so glad we went.

The other thing that was nice is that we only had to drive half way home.

We had arranged with Andrew's sister to spend the night at her house in Spanish Fork.

We got there around 1:00 in the morning.

She had prepared bedding for us, and we went straight to sleep.

The next morning the cousins had lots of fun playing with each other.

We were there until well into the afternoon and the kids still didn't want to leave.

It was a fun visit.

(But we were SO glad to be back in our own beds that night!)