Playing Catch Up: November 2012

This year we made a Thankful Tree for Family Home Evening early in November.  We spent a few minutes for many days tracing, cutting, and writing on our hands.  It was so fun to see them thinking about what they are grateful for.  I will do this one with them again :)

We spent 9 days in UT/ID at the end of November.  It was so so fun :)  I only took pictures of ONE event-- after a few fun days in SLC (Thanks Claridge's!) we stopped by the museum at Hill Air Force Base near Ogden on our way up to Idaho.  Rebekah was so confused by the name-- she kept saying things like, "So is this place only for Hill's?"  and "We can be here because we are Hill's" I *think* she finally caught on after we showed her the display of the man it was named after, but it was pretty funny. 

Burke and I had read the book Unbroken By Laura Hillenbrand this summer (bawled my eyes out-- amazing inspiring story) and so it made this tour of the aerospace museum that much more interesting to us.  We spent a few hours walking and reading, and exploring the museum-- it was impressive and more interesting to our kids than I thought it might be.  Finally we were starving for lunch and had to leave.  (My picture of Rebekah by the planes wouldn't upload for some reason).

Then we went to IDAHO!!  Where I took (surprise!) NO pictures.  Sorry. 

We spent most of our time with at Grandma and Grandpa Hill's house.  They spoiled us completely.  My kids got to go feed the cows with Grandpa a few times [Burke even got to revisit the glory days and help pull a calf--it died --so sad :(  ] 
We spent a morning working in the candy shop with Great- Grandma and Grandpa Hill and Becky. Rebekah declared herself the official "Taster"and Preston folded an impressive amount of candy boxes (Rebekah helped a little here too!)  There were both elated when Grandpa paid them a dollar for their work.  It was a special morning!
 In the middle of the week, I met two of my sister's in Blackfoot at my Mom and Dad's house.  We had such a fun time!  We played games, crafted a bit, made a few treats and even sang for a minute!  All too soon, we went our seperate ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with our respective In Laws.
 
We were so blessed to have time to go to the temple more than once while we were there.  It was so wonderful!  We even got to attend a session with Sid, Becky, and Grandma and Grandpa Hill. Grandpa bought us lunch afterward at the temple cafeteria :)  So nice!
Thanksgiving Dinner was beautiful and delicious and a nice little gathering. Sid and Becky are always wonderful hosts, Burke's sister Millie was home from college and had a roommate along to join our meal.  Riley still lives at home (Preston will probably be so sad when that is no longer the case) and we also had Grandma and Grandpa Hill. So it was not too crazy, and I really enjoyed having a low key day to give thanks.
Burke and I did a bit of Black Friday shopping (though not the "crazy" hours!) It was nice to get our extended family shopping done before we left so we didn't have to mail it ;)
Saturday brought the amazing, wonderful day of Burke's brother and sister-in-law being sealed to their new sweet son who came to them through the blessing of adoption.  It was such a beautiful experience to be a small part of.  We are so happy to have a new family member and for the good news of the gospel to bind families eternally.  It was amazing and sweet.
After church Sunday (Sacrament meeting with the power out!) we packed up and went back to my parent's house for a night.  They had been in California all week and we were so sad not to have a lot of time with them on this trip.  At least we had a little :) We drove home Monday.  I was relieved to get home, and amazingly with more energy than I have had coming off of past trips.  I am LOVING my new(er) supplements, my energy has been SO much better and I feel so good.  Goodbye Lupus.  You are going away:)

Halloween!

 Going to school for a fun Halloween party!  Mom couldn't go at the last minute because Preston woke up throwing up!  Boo :(

SO  . . .  He didn't go trick or treating but I still let him dress up and hang out with me to pass out candy (he only threw up once in the morning and I was certain he was not contagious.  Maybe something he ate?  I don't know-- he was a pretty good sport about it luckily even though he was SO disappointed to miss his party and school and trick or treating)  Rebekah shared her treats with him so he was over it pretty quickly.

 The Skywalker Twins

 Gaurding the candy stash!

Scary witch!

Michelle turns 31!

 We made Dinner in a Pumpkin!

We played the Skeleton Dice Game while it cooked :)

Don't we look so thrilled to be having a picture?!

Candy Land!

My cutie pie kids wrote messages all over my presents.  I wish I could figure out how to upload a better picture because it really is so sweet.    It said, "Hppee (then ee was crossed out with a Y on the top) Brthday Mom."  It had pictures of flowers and swirly lines and a robot with a force field.  They are pretty clever! 

They made me cry when they sang happy birthday to me.  I love these sweet babes of mine!

I had lots of help to open my presents!

Excited no?!  I was pretty spoiled :)

The Birthday Cake!

Thanks to my 3 favorite people for planning and executing a fun day for me.  You really know how to make a girl feel special! 

A Mother's Musings on Growing Up

My heart is filled with so many emotions over this last week.  My precious children are growing up.  I know this is a good thing, yet all week I have been shedding a tear here and there as my heart feels a bit broken about it.  I have welcomed all of the growth of my children; I enjoy mothering more and more the older they get.  There has not been any age that I hoped they would grow out of quickly or even disliked-- I just find that the older they get the more I am enjoying being with them.  Each phase has challenges that can feel insurmountable sometimes and gifts sweeter than I ever thought possible.  I love having a front row seat to all these developments.  Change is constantly happening.  I know this.  Sometimes I love change.  Sometimes I hate it.  Right now I love and hate change.
 
All because of what tomorrow will bring:  Preston starts 1st Grade. Rebekah begins her Pre-Kindergarten year of Preschool.  And I feel a little bit lost.  Somehow I always imagined myself doing this  part of my life (staying at home all.day.long with little kids) for many many years.  How is it that I  already have to share my time with them with "other" people?  Preston will officially spend more of his waking hours away from home than at home each week day :(  I hope he is ready . . . and  . . . I hope I am ready.  What am I to do with this time I have without my children?  And how do I make the best use of my time that I do have with them?  Of course I will enjoy the "break"--  I am not really talking about that.  I think I am just shocked that this is where we are.  I feel miserable and joyful at the same time.  I am so glad they are growing, improving, and gaining independence.  I am just sad when I think of how I will feel when they are all grown up and gone.  I keep thinking of the oldies song my sisters and I  learned to sing for my Great Grandmother's ninetieth birthday celebration:

"Where are you going my little one, little one, where are you going my baby my own? Turn around and you're two, turn around and you're four, turn around and you're a young [child] going out of the door."  

Turn Around Written by: Harry Belafonte, Alan Greene & Malvina Reynolds       

Where did they go?!

I am almost out of the "very young children" phase and it makes me nostalgic and sad.  These have been very fantastic and very difficult years.  I will treasure them forever.  I am sad that in many ways they are gone.  It is no longer possible for me to forget what day of the week it is, or sleep until everyone has had enough "collective" rest (sleeping in was gone the minute I had Preston!) I am no longer in charge of dressing them (I barely get to influence what clothes they wear--I am sure that is going to be gone soon too!)  I don't need to spoon every bite of food into their little mouths, they no longer enjoy books and toys they once loved, and they have long since stopped their daily naps.  They no longer rush to me for comfort with each and every scraped knee, and they are starting to disbelieve the magic of my kisses.  They don't need me to walk the balance beam, or push their swings, or steady their bicycles.  They can reach every high surface, unlock every door, and open any container.  But-- despite what they tell me-- {"I don't even need a Mom and I don't like you!"} I know that they DO still need me--they just need me differently now than they did then. And oh how I need them! 

I need those early morning snuggles and the magic that happens when we read storybooks together.  I need those little chats we have each night as I tuck them into bed, and I need to sing those lullabies as long as they will let me sing.  I need all of those hugs and kisses, and being told that I am loved bigger than the whole solar system or more than all the grass blades in the world.  I need them to reach for my hand when they feel a little afraid, because nine times out of ten I am feeling the same way. I need them to remind me of my own nothingness before God--to remind me to humble my heart  because I really need His help so desperately to be able to raise them the way He would have me do so.  I need these children to be those perfect examples of being quick to forgive.  I still need to learn from their unquestioning and total faith--a simple and pure faith.  They only know how to love with their whole hearts and minds-- I need to master this too.  And finally, I need them because they encourage me to find joy in the simple things; to take courage in the challenging things.   And now I have two big pieces of my heart walking around outside my body--going places I physically cannot accompany them every moment.  There really are not words to express the deapth of all of the feelings I have for them.  They are everything to me. I earnestly pray for their well being in every area of their lives.  I plead for strength, inspiration, and confidence in my role as their Mother.  My family is my greatest treasure.  I am so thankful to be eternally bound to them.  After all-- we have eternity if we will live for the promised blessings.  And that means my time with my children will never truly be "over". 

Swim Time

We managed to get a swim session under our belts this summer.  The kids loved it and improved a lot!

Waiting for their turn off the diving board on the final day!

 

How I hoped it would go . . .

 

 and how it really went!  Oh well!  I am so glad they tried it!

Preston's turn :)

Enjoying Ice Cream Cones after a job well done!

Another fun swimming activity with our new neighbors:

 Preston

 Rebekah

Picnic lunch after a backyard swim :)

Biking Family Fun!

This has been a biking summer for our family!  I love that we can all ride "real" bikes now.  I love being able to jump on our bikes and ride to friends houses, or parks a little farther away from our house. We are still getting used to more difficult terrain, but overall it has been really a fun change to each ride our own bikes.  Here we are at the BMX bike park in Fruita.

 This is at the "Lunch Loops" area in GJ.   We took the kids on "Kids Meal"  Preston did so amazing!  I walked by Rebekah and "saved her life" (her words not mine) at least a few times! (I am pretty sure that is true actually!)  Ha Ha she cracks me up!

 The loose sand was difficult to get going in . . .

  . . . and keep going in!

 Three cute bikers!

All tired out and taking a water break before driving home. 

The Fourth of July Fun!!

We are so blessed with so many wonderful friends.  It makes it nice when we have short holidays and no family close by. You can still have fun and make it feel like a party :) We went to Rifle Falls with the Crossley Clan.  I loved it!  The Crossley's have 5 children and make it look easy!  They are amazing examples to us.  Their "older" (than our children) girls are so sweet and help the little ones out.  I really look up to this family and enjoy spending time with them whenever we get the chance!

I love hiking with my sweeties!

 These cute boys still don't mind holding hands :)

 Sweet Madison and Rebekah

 The water Falls at the bottom

 Overlooking the top of the waterfalls

 All the kids except the baby

Exploring inside some shallow caves :)

 Preston and Buddy Brandon

 A little deeper caving (This one was a little scary!)

 From the other side at the bottom of the Falls.

 Picnic time!

 And we finished off with a BBQ at their house that night.  My kids love the "Crossley's Park"

Christy even bought all the kids glow stick paraphernalia since we were under a strict fire ban.  

Thanks again for a fun day.  We love you guys!