"Pinetop"

Danny and Kasey Perkinson, Alan and I, Jill and Doug Chipman, Melinda and Stephen Brower
Cole, Alex, Will, Cooper, Andrew, Carter, Abby, Janie

We just got back from the most amazing weekend at our friend's the Chipman's cabin in Payson, Arizona (near Christopher Creek). It was the most relaxing, kick-back weekend we've had...maybe ever. We spend the whole weekend talking, eating, talking, doing our hair, and talking some more. Jill's rule was No Going to Bed Before 4 am. They have the most amazing land covered with pinetrees, fishing ponds, a zipline, four-wheelers...it was boy heaven. I had been telling the boys all week that we were going to Pinetop, on Friday I was told it was actually Payson. The boys would have lost it if I told them we weren't going to Pinetop afterall, so the whole weekend we made sure that they thought we were in "Pinetop." As we pulled out of the driveway of the cabin last night Will asked, "Can we go back to Pintop now, Mom?" We feel so lucky to have such amazing friends that are pretty much like family to us.

Happy Easter!

Motherhood

I've felt so behind lately. I often think of the phrase "I'm a day late and a dollar short, and it's okay," because I constantly feel like I'm just trying to pull together what needs to be done that is absolutely necessary and there is just not time for the rest. I've been forgetting about things and dropping the ball TOO OFTEN. The days have been blending into one long day and I haven't done as well as I need to at savoring the moment. I was talking with my mother/sister-in-laws tonight and Caroline was telling us about this quote that a friend of her's had come across when she was a young mother in the throws of young motherhood. It reads as follows:

“Everything in all the books I once pored over is finished for me now. Penelope Leach. T. Berry Brazelton. Dr. Spock. The ones on sibling rivalry and sleeping through the night and early-childhood education, all grown obsolete. Along with ‘Goodnight Moon’ and ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’ they are battered, spotted, well used. But I suspect that if you flipped the pages dust would rise like memories." “…The biggest mistake I made (while raising her children) is the one that most of us make…I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of [my children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.” --Anna Quindlen
I want to remember how they smell, because they still smell so good. I want to remember how soft their skin is, because it is still so soft, and they will still let me place my cheek right next to theirs. I want to remember their sweet voices, their chatter, the conversations, their laughter, how their faces look when they sleep and the quiet sound of their deep breathing....I want to memorize everything about them, how they are RIGHT NOW, just stop time and savor it all because I am so in love with them and it is all going by too fast.

Easter Cookies with Cousins

While the boys went off to Priesthood session, we headed to Caroline's with all of the kid's to decorate Easter cookies. I had this moment where I realized I will probably frost a lot of cookies in my life, and I will be doing it alone. My boys are just not that interested!

April has arrived!

Breakfast with the Brower's: They invited us over for crepes before the first session of conference. Melinda is amazing and our children are in love with each other. It makes me laugh because my boys are so into her baby Janie, and they generally have NO interest in babies or girls for that matter. So cute. Melinda bakes cookies each time Will comes over and you better believe she had a plate of freshly baked chocolate-chip-cookies ready for him at 7:30am this morning. Because she is honesly that amazing. We LOVE the Brower's.

Let the birthday celebration's begin: This man is turning 4 on April 5. He is a character and I love and treasure him beyond words.

The entire family came to Will's preschool birthday party. He goes to a Montessori school and they do this darling celebration each time a child has a birthday where the child walks around a candle for each year of their life and the parents talk about things that have happened in the child's life up to this point. It was very important to Will that his brother Alex be there so I pulled Alex out of school and we were all there to support him.

Papa's b-day is just 2 days before Will's so we did a combined birthday party at the park after conference. I was too tired to throw a *real* b-day party this year, but this turned into quite the celebration! I mentioned that I was feeling bad about the lack of party for Will and my family came through for him. Sarah contributed a pinata, Caroline made goodie bags, Julie made the cake....and we had ourselves a big feast and a fun time at the park.

Mom & Dad, Nate & Carla, Todd & Jen & family

The day after we were done watching the Brenchley's, half of my family arrived for a visit. My mom and dad came in from Guatemala (my dad's first visit since we moved to AZ), Nate and Carla from Canada, and Todd and family from So. Cal. We had a full-house!! My parents were traveling through en route to conference so we had a little mini-reunion here. I'm horrified that I didn't take more pictures. I think I was just so tired from the week before that I wasn't functioning at full-capacity. We had a great time. We went to spring training, spent a day at the water-park, ate lots of good food, hung out at the park, went on walks, went to our ward's youth service auction (where my fabulous mom purchase massive amounts of babysitting in my behalf- how great is she?!?!), had a picnic with the my Jackson cousins, a missionary reunion for their AZ missionaries, and took them to dinner at our local favorite, Pita Jungle. We also had to introduce them to Ocean Blue, AZ's answer to Pinkberry. My dad spoke in church and taught an amazing combined Priesthood/Relief Society lesson that was so inspiring, and has helped us to make some changes around here. The day after they left we recommited to a family scripture study program and it's been going well. We gave each of the boys their own Book of Mormon and have been reading from it each night. They are interested, attentive, and Alex can read every word so I feel like we have broken down a barrier and we are planning to keep it up. There has been nothing but entusiasm from them. We had a great time with my family and just wish it could be more often and for longer. We love them all so much.

Week with the Brenchley's

Caroline called about a month ago with a proposition: I take care of her kids while she goes to Boston/NYC with Paul, and she would return the favor by watching our boys....whenever. I was thrilled, because as many of you know, Alan and I have only ever left both our kids overnight somewhere for more than one night-Once. Last month. When my friend Melinda was nice enough to be on boy duty. I seriously feel incredibly indebted to her for doing that for us. We were beyond overdue for a break from our life with each other. We went to Sedona for 48 hours and I was a different person. Because I can actually be fun and interesting and not-stressed out when I'm not with my kids in our house. Anyway, I was up for the trade. Since they have four kids and a much bigger house we moved in with them and it was so fun and crazy and messy and loud and wild. We got to know their kids so well. There was lots of cousin-bonding and lots of great talks about the details of their lives. They were so great to the boys- Alex and Sam slept in a tent in the basement the whole time and one of favorite memories was listening to Sam read in his "crazy-voice" stories to all of the little kids before bed. It was great and now Alan and I need to get planning--we can finally go away somewhere! Yeah!!

Children's Museam

We spent one day of spring break taking the new Light-rail system to downtown Phoenix to check out the new Children's Museum. Sometimes I get so frustrated with Phoenix because they lack so many of the basic things that a big city should have.... I couldn't believe it when I moved here and there was no children's museam!! Anyway, they finally opened one and we had a great time checking it out!

Spring Break

Cousin Kate and brother Chandler (and off course mom Sommer) came to AZ for their spring break- it was so great to see them! The kids just jump right in and run with the crowd of AZ cousins like they never left- I love it and I love them. We miss you guys so much. Can't wait to spend more time together this summer.

Alan took a day off (HOORAY!) and we went to a spring training game with Papa, Nana and Sam. I am not such a fan of baseball, but I'm game to hang out with my husband, and this was his activity of choice....something about the childhood memories of attending such events. Anyway, besides it being like 100 degrees, and me forgetting to bring a hat or sunblock, it was fun.

We spent most of spring break in our pj's, but there was the occasional outing to the park, as shown here with buddy, Ethan.

Cousin Time

My sister-in-laws and I had a bread making day a few weeks ago. We were hard at work grinding the wheat when we discovered our children, painting one another's faces. Too funny. I love the cute stage that Will is in- he is so lively and fun and talkative. He tells me all of the time that I am his "best-friend" and "best-mom."

This week

Yes, we went swimming this week. Yes, it's the first week of March and it's hot enough to go swimming. Yes, it was at the Camelback (a fancy smancy resort in Scottsdale) and we had a blast. Yes, my 4 year-old who can swim is wearing a life-jacket because I'm too lazy to watch him.
In other news. while I was making dinner on Thursday Will got so excited about the food that he put his lip up to the pan on the stove and gave it a kiss. Now he has a fairly painful burn on his bottom lip. Boys also had haircuts on Friday... I will post them as soon as I take a picture. Let's just say it's shorter than I intended.

For Maria

Chocolate Mousse Pie

Mix together:

1 ½ c. crushed graham crackers

¼ c. brown sugar

1/8 t. nutmeg

1/3 c. melted butter

1 (1 oz.) square unsweetened chocolate, melted

Press into 9-inch pie pan and bake 350 for about 7 minutes. Do not overbake.

Filling:

6 oz. package of chocolate chips, melted

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

¾ c. light brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/8 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. whipping cream, whipped

Combine the above ingredients, except the whipping cream. Once everything is mixed, GENTLY FOLD IN whipped cream. Do not over-mix. Pour into chilled crust. Chill 8 hours or overnight.

When asked to name my favorite chocolate dessert, this is it, hands-down. THE BEST PIE EVER.

The Fifty Nifty

Will has an obsession with geography. He can name every state in the US and many, many countries in the world. He's always bringing me his globe and asking "What country is this mom?" Sometimes it's embarrassing because I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. At Alex's school there is this mural of the US painted on the ground outside of the cafeteria. We walk by it every Friday as Will and I walk Alex to his classroom (He has therapy Friday morning and goes late to school.) Will could spend all day counting the states, pointing specific states out to me, and giving me details about certain ones (ex: Mom, I was born here! while standing on Texas.) On Friday, he sat his little bottom down on Oklahoma and informed me that this is where he would be living when he was a grown-up. Oklahoma? Really? Dude, I think I would rather live in AZ and that is saying A LOT. Also, this child will not look at me with a normal face when I try to take a picture of him. Thus the crazy-faced photos.

FHE

So sometimes we struggle with Family Home Evening. It's hard to get everything accomplished before bedtime on a normal night but Monday's are especially difficult. We have a pretty rigid bedtime routine: dinner, straight to tub, pj's, teeth-brushed, scriptures/prayers, Will to bed for stories, Alex to Mom and Dad's room for therapy, then quiet reading time, and bed. I'm not flexible with the order of things. I guess I just feel like I know what works and I don't feel like experimenting with other options. Also, my kids are exhausted at the end of the day and so am I. They (and I!) do best if they are in bed, lights out, before 7:30pm. This is impossible on Monday nights. My kids LOVE family home evening. Will makes suggestions at the dinner table EVERY night of what we should do for fhe. I am constantly explaining to him that it's only on Monday night. Anyway, Alex has been suggesting for months (since Christmas) that we make graham cracker cookies for fhe. Every week he suggests it, every week I have an excuse of why we can't do it. And let's be honest, there was no good reason. So I felt like mother of the year last week when we FINALLY made all of his dreams came true and made those cookies for our fhe treat. Why did it take me 2 months to listen? I don't know. I think I need to loosen up a bit.
ps-Will's face in the frosting? Not staged AT ALL.

Student of the Week

Alex was student of the week. He was SO PROUD of his poster, which was entirely his production- concept, design, execution. He had very specific ideas about this project. He created a book (in powerpoint) that gave details about his life. He wants to be an author when he grows up. He created a table of contents and the first section of his book was "I am a person." He chose to bring blueberry muffins to share with the class for a treat. He is such a serious little man and oh so smart. He is currently reading "Falling Up" by Shell Silverstien and thinks it is about the funniest thing he has ever heard in his life. You should hear the belly laughs. They are enough to make you lose it. I'm so proud of this boy.

The face I wake up to each day

At the mercy of his brother

This is what happens to the 3-year-old when the 5-year-old is left in charge while dad is at meetings and mom is sleeping the Sunday afternoon away. TIC-TAC-TOE, three in a row!