Condo

I think it was when I was in the sixth grade, one of the first days of middle school, and I made the biggest slip up and when telling my classmates about what I did over the summer. Instead of calling my family's time-share condominium the "condo" I called it the condom. I'm not sure I even realized yet what a condom was, so you can imagine my horror when I finally figured out the reason behind the looks I got from my class and teacher. :)

Since I was a wee one my family has been spending the same week in July at a timeshare condo in Island Park, ID. This was the first year Darius and the boys were able to go, and the first year I've been back for probably close to around 8 years or so.

The entire time I was there I kept thinking to myself, how the hell did we fit as many people as we did in that little unit for all those years!? It wasn't just my family of 10, it was my aunt and uncle and 5 cousins...and some years an extra friend or two. Chaos...and bodies everywhere, but it didn't feel like that when we were younger. It was just fun.

I'm happy to report it's still fun. Since we've all grown up, the condo week is now rotated each year between siblings. Since we've lived out of state for so long, Darius and I missed out on our turn so we weaseled in on my parent's year and enjoyed a great week with them.

I love the reason behind their smiles in this picture. Inside joke. :)

Our trips into Yellowstone never get old, and I think this year and the route we took was one of my top favs. We saw tons of wildlife...a lot of them up close, and just the drive itself was gorgeous. 

Can you tell Zach has to pee really bad in this pic!? :)

Much to Darius' delight, Ben and I took up golf while at Island Park. I played my first few rounds of golf and really enjoyed it. Come next year, D and I will have a fun activity that we both enjoy. :)

During all our years going, I don't ever remember going to a rodeo/bbq (probably would of cost an arm and a leg for all of us to go) so going to one this year was a big treat. We visited the Meadow Vue Ranch, and from late June to early August, they host a rodeo/bbq on Wed & Sat nights. What's unique is that the rodeo involves all the youth that come to participate in the ranch's Summer Youth Camp. It was awesome to see all the kids riding horses and showcasing skills that many of them had only just learned within a week or two. And the bbq afterwards....so yummy!

My dad's birthday has always fell on the week of the condo, so to be able to share his birthday with him at the condo again was special. What a great opportunity he and my mom have given us to be able to spend time with family, connect, and enjoy a beautiful part of the world for all these years. Thanks Mama & Papa!

I can't express the emotions behind looking at photos of these two guys in places I spent time at when I was their age. There's something really beautiful about being able to revisit these places all over again for the first time and see it through their eyes...even with all the complaints and whiny moments. I hope they're able to look back on these trips with the same great memories as I've come away with. 

Rounding out a fun week, we were joined by James and Brooke's family for the last couple of days, and on Friday we all met up at my Aunt Elaine's cabin not far from the condo, and enjoyed the company of my favorites cousins who we just don't see nearly enough of. :) It was an afternoon of fun that was over far too soon. How awesome it was to see all their beautiful faces!

Can you believe that gorgeous person driving is the same lovely baby I was lucky enough to take care of nearly 20 years ago!? Holey Moley! Seated behind Riley is her lovely mother Jerilynn and a very happy Zach. And in the background is the reason behind my love of Shelties, Rocky. I threaten to steal him and take him home with me every time we see him. :) 

I'm sure there were plenty of years (probably much of my teens) to where I didn't appreciate our yearly trip to Island Park, Little did I know how lucky I was all those years to have that time with my family and in such a beautiful place too. I'm beyond grateful that I have the opportunity to visit it still with my own family in tow. Good times. :)

Tail between legs....

Big sad face....

Has it really been since June that I was last threatened with devil vermin? No excuses, I've just totally dropped off there for a long while. Sorry my dear family and friends for the lack of updates. 

Unfortunately I have photos on multiple phones...another story altogether, but I'll do my best to re-cap summer....and fall!?!?

Wow.

Well, I guess I've got to dig in somewhere...let's pick up in late June. :)

Joy totally hooked us up with Snowbird passes to all their summer activities..Mountain Coaster, Alpine Slide, Mountain Flyer, Bungee Trampoline and Aerial Tram. And we finally got to see where Joy works and she had a little bit of free time during breaks to play with us a bit. 

The activities were so much fun and it was mentioned several times between us what a great way to spend the day together, enjoying lots of fun in a gorgeous setting. 

While waiting for the next tram ride, we met another couple with the most adorable pair of twin girls. And of course with Zach being all about the ladies, he quickly realized the jackpot he hit and snatched up one of the girls' hands and (no joke) held onto her nearly the entire time from the waiting area to our return trip back. Beyond adorable! 

Joy, thanks so much for hooking us up with those great passes! It gave us an opportunity to really enjoy a wonderful day together and left us with some really sweet memories. :)

Report Card

I think I'm finally coming out of the home school trance I've been in since last fall. What a relief to be done....and I think the boys are in total agreement with me on that one! We survived each other, and trust me it was probably a much bigger challenge on their part to survive me.

I distinctly remember at the beginning of the school year, at an event we attended, one of the speakers discussed with us just how much is asked of a Kindergarten student and how many things they were expected to learn throughout the year. I spoke to that same woman at the end of the year about just how right she was! How amazing a young person's mind is!

I am beyond amazed and proud at how far Ben and Zach both progressed from where they started. There was a period at the beginning to where some subjects were daunting tasks to finish each day, especially when it was their least favorites, and the subjects they needed the most work in. We plugged away and I can honestly say they both worked really hard. And as much as it challenged me, I was rewarded with those great 'light bulb' moments to where I could see their little minds hard at work and the excitement on their faces when things would start falling into place. Those moments were so worth it.

I love these pictures of the boys reading to Grandma Ruth. It doesn't seem so long ago that she was holding them when they were only 6-months old. Seeing her on a regular basis allowed her to see the boys' progress, and she had the most delighted look on her face when they read to her. 

I was given the role as a Learning Coach as we started out, and although I'm more than happy to hand off my coaching responsibilities to an actual teacher, I'm happy to have had the opportunity to gain a better appreciation for just how much a teacher does. I hope the insight I've gained will help me communicate and build great relationships with the boys' teachers and be an extension of their efforts in our home as we move forward. 

We met the boys' awesome teacher, Mrs. Keeler, at the beginning of the school year, and although we saw her many times during the year, it was only on webcam. The boys were very excited to see her at the end-of-year Dibels testing. Having an awesome teacher there to support our efforts, made all the difference.

Our goal starting out was for the boys to be ready for 1st Grade, and I'm more than thrilled to say we reached that goal. As a parent, it's hard to remember not to compare Ben and Zach with other kids their age, and especially not with each other. Life is a really long haul, and regardless of where they fall on charts or how long it takes them to learn certain things, it's the confidence they have in themselves to keep going that I want them to always build upon. If they believe in themselves and put forth the effort, there's nothing they can't accomplish.

I may know a lot of things that my boys don't, but they are constantly challenging me and teaching me things about myself and the way I approach situations. Kids have an enormous amount of awesomeness to impart on us if we're open.

Note to self:  Keep yourself open. 

During the last couple weeks of lessons, we reviewed the play Three Billy Goats Gruff. The boys loved it so much that they put on the play for me. Ben narrated, and Zach did most of the acting. 

Idaho in the house!

It wasn't too long ago that we used to be the furthest ones out from the rest of the family, but now it's James' family. I can't say that I mind giving that title up much. :)

James and Brooke had some stuff going on in Utah at the tail end of May, so it was great to have some time with them while they were here visiting, and it was an extra treat to meet their new family member, Preston. What a chill baby he is! It was super cute to watch his big sisters love on him.

A bunch of the family got together to celebrate their daughter, Madison's, 2nd birthday with a little cake and ice cream.

I love any excuse to make a fun cake!

 

We hadn't planned on it, but threw together a little impromptu bbq a day later, and we were joined by my parents and James' family after their visit to the zoo earlier in the day. The kids had lots of fun together, and we got to enjoy an extra helping of their company before their trip was over. It's always fun to get together...especially with how much the kids change in between our visits.

The party

Better late than never...here's a rundown of Zach and Ben's birthday party from April. We lucked up with great weather, and were so happy to see all those that were able to make it! I know as the boys get older their tastes will begin to differ, so for now I'm grateful that they can still agree on some things, and an Angry Birds theme is what they wanted, so that's what they got!

Making decorations for their party was easy (albeit a bit time consuming) and lots of fun. 

I was in a pretty foul mood when I started making the decorations for their cake, but it was impossible for me to stay grouchy after I got underway. I had so much fun making the birds and piggies. 

This was the boys' first party with guests and presents, so they had no etiquette when it came to the gifts. They were ripping into some of them before it was present time. My bad for not prepping them for that! 

The Angry Birds' 'missing eggs' tied in perfectly to it being Easter weekend.  I'm not a big fan of egg hunts (to competitive for my liking) so I tried to come up with a way to make it fun and fair, but ultimately ended up just telling each of the kids to find 10 eggs and then stop. They did and it was the most pleasant egg hunt I've witnessed!

 

 

Thanks to all the beautiful faces pictured here (and those that are not) for coming and spending time to celebrate with us!

Six years...what!? Time flew. 

 Oh, and thanks to Carrie and Bobby's sweet camera (used to take all these shots) I'm now disgusted with my own to the point where I find myself cursing under my breath whenever I use it now.

Oh how we love her!

We may all be partial to our own grandmas, but I really think my Grandma Ruth is just about the sweetest thing ever. :)

I usually see her every couple of weeks when I clean her house, and I'm always amazed by her health and her ability to get around as well as she does. There are always those days when she may be a bit off with her memory, but she's still very sharp most of the time. Just last month Grandma reached the ripe old age of 94!

I'm grateful for each time that I'm able to see her...especially when I see her on a really good day. Her smiles are contagious, and when she comes to the window or door to wave goodbye to me when I leave...well that just pulls my heart strings every time.

Carrie, Joy, Archer, Ben, Zach, and I all headed up to Brigham City to see Grandma and take her out for lunch the day after her birthday. 

 

It's so easy to forget to take time and appreciate that we're around because of the generations before us...especially when they're far away or have already passed, so for this I'm extremely grateful that Grandma is still here with us, close by, and that we have these opportunities to spend time with her.

Our garden!

TOTAL SLACKER!

Yup...that's me.

Carrie, thanks for nudging me to post...that squirrel offer is still on the table if I start to slack off again.

Onward...

Last month...pretty much to the date is when we put the rest of our garden in, and I'm glad I remembered to take a photo because I'm amazed by how fast everything has been growing so far!

We're already enjoying peas, spinach, lettuce, rhubarb, strawberries, and herbs. I'm looking forward to when it will be time to enjoy all the other goodies as well.

So looking at the photo and moving from left to right we have peas, spinach/lettuce/swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, summer squash, spinach, artichoke, okra, carrots, sweet banana peppers, yellow/red peppers, and purple hull peas. The area towards the front is occupied by tomatoes, and then in the back from left to right is the rhubarb, potatoes, raspberries, and strawberries. And then there's the odd peach tree thrown in....not our doing! :) We also have a little strip just outside of the photo for most of our herbs.

I've been geeking out over gardening, and I love walking through it and seeing how things are coming along. I'm totally one of those loonies who talks to my plants, apologizing when I accidentally rip one up with a weed, and of course I have choice words for all the WEEDS...yikes they loooove our garden. Those big city trash cans...well, after weeding this last round, the weeds filled just about half the can! Can't say I'm a big fan of weeding, but the good news there is that the fingers I was starting to lose feeling in from all that weeding, are now starting to improve....I think. ;)

I'm sure it won't be long before I'm dumping a lot of produce off on people...so get your bellies ready!

March...and April

I'm behind as usual...again.

Rather than a lengthy post I think I'll stick to some photos to recap the highlights. :) Forgive me for taking the lazy approach.

A bunch of us got together for a little bowling to celebrate Joy's birthday.  It was a lot of fun, and we definitely need to do it again soon. 

A birthday morning is as good as Christmas morning for this cow-licked duo. Since we planned to head out to FL on the boys' birthday, we promised them an early start and managed to squeeze a lot into their day. 

We were planning on a birthday party for the boys, so I promised them a big Angry Birds cake for it. I had no intentions of throwing together a cake before we were scheduled to leave, but the look on Ben's face when I told him no cake was enough to make me feel like poo, so this is what he and I came up with. Ben did all the decorating himself. 

Regardless of the sad circumstances for our FL visit, we had absolutely no problem enjoying the beautiful weather and our wonderful friends' company while we were there. I was really grateful for the opportunity to spend so much time with Emma. Her personality is something else, and I thoroughly enjoyed all the time I had with her.

Brandi asked me to make a birthday cake for her mom, Debbie's, surprise party. Debbie is a huge Disney fan, and I was excited for such a fun theme. After returning home and feeling a little down, this was a wonderfully fun distraction. 

We got incredibly lucky this year and have been enjoying pretty mild weather now for a couple of months. It's fun to be in a home where we get seasonal surprises for the first year. I had bulbs to plant in the fall and waited too long and missed my window. I was happy to see the last tenants had some planted some and we were treated to a flower bed of tulips. We also had the most gorgeous (and unfortunately super stinky) blossoms on the tree in our front yard.  

Another Canfield member joined the world. Preston James was born on April 8. I'm so excited to meet him in May. :) Congrats again James, Brooke, Jaydaka and Madison!

I was all excited for clear skies and a reasonable hour to view the lunar eclipse. I was awake but had set my alarm in case I dozed off....good thing I went out early to check if things had started because I had looked at the wrong time zone and nearly missed it.

I was in the worst of moods before I started the boys' birthday party cake and was no mood for making decorations or hosting a party, but after I got started on these figures for it and saw the boys' excitement grow with each one I finished, my spirits lifted tremendously. :)

While D and the boys went on a fishing trip with my dad to Lake Powell, I headed out to MN to spend some time relaxing and talking the ears off of my dear friend Lyndsay. One of these days I'll figure out how not to be such a chatterbox! 

Zach has no problem pooping and peeing wherever, whenever. He layed down some serious stink in a bucket on the boat during their fishing trip, and it was so bad that Ben puked over the side of the boat.