Camping and Hot Pots

Spencer and I took our annual camping trip up to the Brighton Lakes in September. It was awhile ago but I wanted to blog about it because we loved it. The plan was for PArker to walk and Ben to be carried in the backpack but Parker insisted on being in the backpack and since Spencer already had ALL our gear in his backpack and we didn't have enough time to switch things around, I ended up carrying BOTH kids, the tent, water and a couple pads. I seriously think it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. We moved things around on the way back and it was MUCH better. I got a good workout, that's for sure.

We love it up at Lake Katherine. It's so beautiful.

Parker loves camping.

The morning was rainy so we hung out in the tent for a long time. It's was kind of fun to cozy.

Ben was sad. Such a cute little sad face.

In September we also hiked up to the Diamond Fork hotpots with Greg, Grandpa and Grandma. It was a great time.

Fall Celebrations

We have a lot to celebrate in the Fall with Parker and my birthday in September and Ben's birthday and Spencer and my anniversary in October. So yes, I'm still catching up.

Spencer and I took a trip to St. George for our anniversary. We spent the time rock climbing in Snow canyon and loved it (though the climbs were a little tough for me). It was so nice to be with Spencer. Our 5 year (married- but like 13 since we first kissed). How lucky I am that it worked out, he is my dream come true. There was a time in my life I let go of "us" and thought I had to move on with my life. I'm so glad God brought us back together. Anyone who ever knew me (including other guys I dated :)) knew he was my one true love. :)

Ben celebrated his one year birthday. He didn't eat much cake- only played in it- and was sort of put off by all the attention, but he LOVED his new toys. :) Ben is the best cuddler, has the cutest smile and is a stranger stopper- everyone always has to stop and comment on how cute he is. Can't believe he's one!

We had a party for Parker at Chuck E. Cheese. He loved it, especially all the presents and going on the rides over and over again. Spencer probably put 30 coins in that merry go round until he discovered all of Parker's friends were doing other things and he was giving random kids free rides. :) It was a great 3 year old birthday.

Parker is a chatter. He talks all the time and wears me with his never ending conversations, but I absolutly love it. He says the greatest things and nothing gets passed him. He's incredibly smart and has an amazing memory. He is full of energy and passions and life and I would not be the same without him.

Weddings

After our summer in Hawaii we had a couple weddings I never blogged about that I wanted to. We came home from Hawaii on a Saturday and that Wednesday my brother Kc was married (see below). Then that weekend Spencer's sister Minette got re-married. Both weddings were awesome. Minette remarried an awesome guy and added four cute kids to her family- totalling 7! It was a beautiful wedding- really touching- for two people who definitely deserve the best.

This is Ben and his cute cousin Mason, who was here visiting. They are about 6 weeks apart- can you tell- as they are both doing the exact same thing- putting the balls in their mouths. :)

KC and Sadie were married in the Manti temple in August. It was a beautiful wedding, a super fun ceremony and I love my new sis in law! All my siblings (minus 2) were there to witness the sealing and KC recieving his endowment. It was a beautiful experience and really made me cry. It's a day I've hoped for for a long time. And sooner than later all of us will be together in the temple. I love the temple and all it represents of the Savior and being together forever as a family.

I love this pic of Sadie. So her. She is of course gorgeous and KC looked awesome.

The bros

Ajay and Angie stopped in Utah on the way home from Hawaii for the wedding. Always love them being here.

Ben and daddy at the reception- dancing the night away! :)

Happy Halloween from the Ghost Family

Check out Parker's scary ghost face. So him these days. He LOVES to be anything that growls, howls or scares.

Hiking Maunawilie's- a tribute to my mother

I wanted to write about an experience I had in Hawaii hiking Maunawillie's-Maunawillie's was muddy and Parker was super slow and struggling. I've realized that hikes beyond about a mile and a half are too much for this little guy. Spencer and I were frustrated, the mud was bad and my shoes weren't working well so I took them off. Parker then decided he wanted to go barefoot too. When we told him he couldn't, he threw a fit and we were at a standstill. It was a frustrating moment. I was frustrated that we were so slow, that Angie and Ajay were so far ahead of us, and that we were taking so freaking long. I had really wanted to hike Maunawillie's, it was one of the things I really had wanted to do and I was just frustrated that it wasn't working out. Finally we decided to have Spencer (who had never been there) take Ben ahead and finish the hike while Parker and I played in the stream below. It was a hard but growing thing for me, giving up something I wanted to do for my child. That still doesn't come as naturally to me as I always hope.

And I thought about my mom. I have thought about my mom a lot on this trip, recognizing her sacrifices and thinking about who she is, what she has given. After a few groups of people passed me and smiled sympathetically, I realized what I looked like. I was covered with mud from carrying Parker- from his muddy bum on my shoulders, my hair was a mess from lifting him over my head over and over again, my clothes were frumpy and I had on these old nasty, dirty reef booties. I looked the sight. I was also going about 1 mile an hour. And I thought about my mom. We always tease her for being such a slow hiker. We laugh at the story of her coming off the Na Pali coast looking like a homeless person, carrying her belongings in a garbage bag because her backpack rolled off the edge, covered in mud and wearing old tattered pajamas. And now here I was, THAT mom. I realized though in those moments, a few things I never completely understood before. I used to wonder why my mom was such a slow hiker, why her clothes didn't quite fit the fashion, and why she didn't seem to have much to show for herself. But now I know. Now I understand. As I become THAT mom, the muddy, slow one you smile at as you hike by, I realize she hikes slow because she got used to helping little feet climb over the rocks, learning patience to wait for little legs to come at their own pace. As I realize more and more how void of fashion I am, how I'm so "old school" (and not in a good way), I realize my mom doesn't know the trends because she was too busy clothing her children and getting dinner on the table. As I have less and less to "show" for myself, no glamours trips or big promotions, I realize my mom isn't always going places and doing huge amazing things because she has given all of that to her children. She has given her life. But I also see that in that giving, she has become something incredible in return. I watched my mom at the luau, when she got up to say a few things. I thought she looked so beautiful. Tan. Simple. Her moomoo on. Her sweet testimony penetrated my heart and her eyes sparkled. She has become something much more beautiful than anything I used to think was beautiful, because she has given. As I hung back with Parker, the frustration melted away and I realized letting go of “getting there” was really beautiful. Parker and I were able to find a passion fruit in the middle of the trail that all the other hikers trying to get to their destination missed. We put our feet in the river and the fish nibbled our toes. We found bamboo and walking sticks and learned how to cross streams on the big rocks. And I loved it. I didn't even miss going to Maunawillie's. Andy maybe just maybe I am starting to be a little bit like my mother, I hope so.