I'm all alone...

Well, Ben's actually in his crib asleep. But David and the bigger kiddos are in the next-door neighbor's backyard. Camping.

David is a good dad.

He kept asking the kids all week "Are you SURE you REALLY want to camp in the backyard this weekend?"

Then today: "Really, are you TOTALLY SURE? Because if you don't want to, that's FINE with me."

What a trooper. John is a trooper, too. I'm grateful they've decided their comfort is less important than making memories with their children.

Good times, good times.

I need to go to bed. I'm supposed to run 11 miles tomorrow. Hmmm...so much for an early start.

More Summer Fun

I have to admit, as much as I was ready for the kids to go back to school on Friday (not a good day. Ha ha. No, I mean it.), I'm now sad about the end of summer. It's been a great year, and we've had so much fun together.

Here are just a few more pictures of the latest escapades.



And now, on to the joy of schedules, waking up early, homework, and early bedtimes...

Too Much Time on My Hands...

Look what I made...

The End of Summer Blues

Yeah, I only had five hours of sleep last night, but I still think I'd feel blah today. This is the last week of summer! How could it be true? Last night as I listened to Ben scream for two hours (aarrgh), I began thinking about all the things I did not do this summer.

1. Camp. Not even one night.
2. Organize my desk.
3. Get Josh and Sophie's piano skills to a much higher level. I think they need a teacher other than me.
4. Lose those last five pre-Ben pounds.
5. Organize my laundry room.
6. Plan wonderful, memory-making events for the whole neighborhood.
7. Relearn and memorize 5-10 significant piano pieces
8. Hike weekly.
9. Get my hair cut shorter, cuter, and hipper.
10. Go to more than one Deer Valley concert.
11. Organize all my photos.
12. Organize all my home videos.

Oh, I could go on and on, but it's a little depressing.

What I DID do:

1. Went to Idaho.
2. Went to California.
3. Allowed the kids to play too much Wii.
4. Started adding back the running miles.
5. Won the Youngberg 5K. (ha ha)
6. Took the kids on more outings than ever.
7. Actually quit teaching.
8. Started practicing again (you should hear my Chopin Scherzo...it's coming along!)
9. Helped Ben learn to sleep a LITTLE better on his own.
10. Took the kids to the pool more than ever.
11. Helped Kate do very well with piano (hooray for her fantastic teacher).
12. Survived. And while some days were horrifically hard, some days were perfectly joyful. Ain't that the way it goes?

Thanksgiving Point

Last week we traipsed on down to Utah County with our wonderful neighbors to take advantage of Two Dollar Tuesdays at Thanksgiving Point. A great day with great friends...

I love the Olympics.

It's true. I'm an Olympic junkie. I think we won't be getting much done around our house for the next couple of weeks.

The Opening Ceremonies were remarkable. I loved so much about it. But I couldn't stop thinking about the average Chinese citizen's annual income compared to the cost of the darned ceremony. And then I read about the injuries of some of the performers. And what about the Tai Chi performers and having to practice for 2 days straight? In the stadium? And then how the performers didn't get fed for a day during rehearsals because of security? C'mon. And freedom of the press? And taking away the visa from...

OK, I got a little upset there. Back to the joy of the Olympics...The spectacle, the numbers of performers, the colors and lights and fireworks and music...it was all so amazing.

And so we've decided that our normal routine of work can wait for a week. The TV's on more than it's ever been on. And remarkably, I'm fine with it. Hooray for the Olympics.

And then he was twelve...

My sweet Josh turned TWELVE last week. TWELVE. I know. It's remarkable. This and him starting junior high at the end of the month are just too big to get my brain around.

What do I love about Josh? I love his enormous smile. I love how gentle he is with Ben. I love his insatiable appetite for reading late at night. (I also hate it.) I love his loyalty to his friends. I love his passion for soccer. I love his tender heart. I love his sense of humor. I love his enormous sunglasses that he got on Fisherman's Wharf (2 for $10. Woohoo.) I love his growing sense of self and style. I have loved his shaggy hair, but...

Twelve is a big age in the LDS faith. Boys receive the Aaronic Priesthood and are ordained deacons. Josh has been looking forward to this, as he is one of the youngest of his friends to turn twelve. In the week before his birthday, David asked Josh to consider cutting his hair shorter for his priesthood ordination. We discussed this together, as Josh was ESPECIALLY not wanting to cut his hair before junior high. I told him that my opinion is that hair length has nothing to do with goodness or righteousness, but that as a traditional show of respect, I could understand his dad's request. We told him it was his choice, but that we felt like it would show respect for the cultural norm and that it would show Heavenly Father that he was willing to sacrifice. The rebel in me has a hard time with this, because I really DO believe that all of us are Heavenly Father's children and that hair length matters much less than how we treat others.

So what did he choose?



I was really proud of him. His ordination was very sweet, and we were grateful for our family. Dad, Mom and Chelsea even drove up for it, and only stayed two nights.

So, I have an old son. I love him and I'm proud of him and I'm grateful to be his mom. And he says he won't cut his hair again until his Melchizedek Priesthood ordination. When he's 19. :)

Ben and the Sweet Stuff

Yeah, my kid is addicted to sugar. I know, it's terrible. I have every intention of teaching him to love his veggies, his whole grain bread, and his lean proteins. But the kid really digs ice cream. Here is proof. Most of these pictures were taken by his lovely sister, Sophie. After using my camera for these, she then announced that HER camera was a piece of junk and she needed one like mine. Not likely, sister. Keep dreaming.