The End of Summer is Near

You would never guess it because it has been hotter than Hates here. But it is. Most kids are already back to school. The kindergartners have this week to do evaluations which means, I have had one more week to squeeze in as much time with all my kids at home. I have such mixed feelings about this coming school year. Hannah is so excited for school so naturally I'm happy too. Nathan starts pre-school next week as well. I will be down to one child in the afternoons. I hardly know what to think about that. These last 5 years I've craved alone time, quiet time, Melissa time and starting next week I might just get a little more of that. And now that it's almost here, it kinda makes me sad to think about. Things will never be the same now that I officially have a child at the big school. This fall is already promising to be busy with soccer games, piano lessons, and dance lessons. And actually, all of that REALLY excites me.

With my Monday report being one of the worst days ever for me and the kids, we've made up big time the rest of the week.

Tuesday: Shopping & Swimming in our Pool (Hannah has improved so much this summer)
Wednesday: Evaluation with Mrs. Rico. Hannah got the go light and her teacher said she is ready for Kindergarten.
The rest of the day was spent playing with cousins.

Thursday: Thanksgiving Point Splash Park with cousin Hayden

 Adorable, sweet, perfect baby Beckham

The trip ended with a graceful, or rather not so graceful fall by me. I came away with a scraped up hand, twisted wrist, badly bruised foot and kinked knee. Oh, and did I mention that I landed right smack in this pond? Fully clothed! Too bad I don't have a picture of that.

That means Friday, today, we are spending in doors where I can nurse an aching hand and foot. However, the festivities will continue this evening for Nathan and Aaron at a fun swimming park with Hayden and Brett. The girls and I will head over to my mom's and say our goodbye's to Aunt Carlee. We have LOVED having them home for a while and seeing our kids play so much together.

These last pictures are just things that have made me happy lately.
Chickens that come to say hello at our door each day. Almost as good as having a dog.

Kids who have a green smoothie mustache. That's right a "green" smoothie made of spinach, collard greens, chard, cucumber,(all grown in our garden this year) bananas, and frozen berries sweetened with agave nectar. Not much makes me happier than when they drink that all down, which doesn't happen often, but anything they get down makes me happy! I take that back, Nathan chugs that thing down with no problem, the girls are still acquiring a love for it.

Hannah's pictures and seeing her spell words out. This one says: McKenzie from Hannah (not sure what the middle part is supposed to say) Happy Birthday.

And then there's Abby wearing a winter hat everywhere this day in 95+ degree weather.

We have one more fun trip planned up to Bear Lake next weekend. I feel so spoiled with all the fun we've had this summer.

Eyre Family Reunion

Family Games. Family Movies. Family Football. Family Basketball. Family Meetings. Family Sleepovers. Lots and lots of food. Family unity. Family History. Beauty. Family Cleaning. Swinging. Family drama. (just a little, not much. :o) Family Relays. It was a weekend all about Family in a place that quite possibly was a little piece of heaven on earth! Wallsburg, UT. Who knew? The Eyre family is certainly a fun Family to be apart of.

 Aaron and I snuck out one night to "look" at the stars. Incredible! We could even see the milky way. Haven't been able to see that since I was a little girl.

A little friendly competition of family football!

The Large Family Pictures - We missed Ron, Devin & Tracy, Dave, and Dallin

Mom and Dad with all 9 of their kids

 The Six Eyre Daughters

Carlee and I didn't want the reunion to end so we took our families down to Deer Creek before we headed out.



Better

Today was far better. Still

Even Moms Whine Sometimes

You know those days where you take your kids in public just because you know you are less likely to hurt them if you are in public? Well, today was that day for me. Boy oh boy we all woke up on the wrong side of the bed here. From sun up, to nearly sun down we did not get along. I say nearly sun down because I put them all to bed at 6:15 tonight. We gathered together as a family for Family Home Evening and when I couldn't take one more second, family home evening was cancelled and bedtime replaced it. We just cannot repeat this day. Ever. Never. Ever. Maybe I won't be so sad when summer is officially over and school can bring some structure again. I think I need it desperately.

Little Boys

It's too bad that this is such a poor quality picture of Nathan because I sure think it's a cute one of him. His beloved blankie has been M.I.A. for the past 3 nights. He hasn't complained once. I never thought this day would come. In reality, I'm actually kinda sad. The blankie somehow tricks my mind into believeing he's still my little boy. The fact that he hasn't cried or even asked for it means he must be getting big! And despite all the hardships we've endured together in his short 4 years of life, (mainly just that 3rd year of his life) I'm wishing he'd just stay little for a little bit longer.  Hopefully he won't outgrow his love for wanting to be wherever I am. Hopefully he won't outgrow his love of wanting me first thing in the morning. Hopefully he won't outgrow his complete devastation when he has disappointed me. And hopefully, I won't ever forget just how much I love this little guy right now.

Some of his latest funny things:

- Me: "Nathan, when did you get so big"?
  Nate: "Friday" everything is friday to him
- Me: "Did you sleep good last night"?
  Nate: "yes, Father says yes". This one took me a while to figure out, but whenever Nate says "Father" he    
  is referring to Heavenly Father.
- Nate came in my room early this morning all wet to which he said, "I didn't wet the bed. Santa gave me some candy and it made me wet".

I sure love the way his little mind thinks.

Girls Night Out

What do you get on a girls night out? Time together with sisters and mother.
What do you do on a girls night out? Go to a movie, "The Help". Cry and laugh together. And share candy.
Where else do you go on a girls night out? Why Red Mango of course! and then sit and visit for hours, laughing, crying, and venting.

What happens to your children on a girls night out?

They look like this.....

Apparently they had fun on my girls night out too!

8 Years

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."

 ~ Dinah Craik

A trip to the temple with every obstacle in our way to get there

Riding Trax down town

Walk around and enjoy the city

Eat dinner

Go see a play and get free tickets for another play all because of our anniversary

It's been a good 8 Years!

Growing Up

She's not so little anymore. She hasn't been for quite some time. Kinda fun to watch your babies grow and learn.

Blah!

Can't think of a good title for my post tonight. Today was kinda.....blah! It was go go go all day long. Hannah's piano lesson, swimming with friends, mountain dutch oven dinner. Doesn't sound too bad though does it? Well......here's how it all went down.

Swimming with our friends at their fun water park, swimming pool. First thing, no water wings aloud....only life jackets. Ugh! but oh well we obeyed. I'll skip the drama and just get to my point. There was a fun water slide that Nathan and Hannah thought was just too cool. Rule #2....no life jackets aloud on slide. Okay, so off they came, but the life guards said I could stay at the bottom of the slide and catch them. Great! So I did this over and over and over again while they had a ball. All the while Suzanna was with Abigail and her Ellie in the kiddie pool. Perfect. After loads of fun on the slide, we headed back to the kiddie area. Didn't last long. They wanted more slide. This time Abigail wanted to come with me. Somewhere between the 15 minutes we were away from the slide, the life guards changed the rule that I couldn't stay at the bottom of the slide and catch the kids. Instead I had to go down with them. Lame! When I told him I was only one adult and there were too many kids (yes I was being slightly lippy to him) he told me the kids could sit on the steps of the pool while I rotated taking the kids.

Mistake #1: Don't trust teenage life guards. Da! I already knew that and must have been having a brain freeze because I trusted him. I walked away, leaving all three of them on those steps to grab my friend Suzanna to ask her to come help me with the kids. Not a second later I looked over and saw Abigail fighting in the water, completely submersed, gasping for air. I  ran over and yelled, "there is a baby drowning". My BABY! right at the feet of the stupid life guard. I jumped in and grabbed her, he jumped in too.....just a little too late. Thank goodness it was just seconds because she got her air and clung to me for dear life. I was so mad. Mad at myself, mad at the life guard for not letting me just stay at the bottom to catch the kids, which was obviously so so so much safer. I was just plain mad!

Then, on top of this wonderful experience, Hannah comes over to me having just thrown up outside of the pool. Then she threw up again. And again. Poor girl. This just wasn't our day. When she drinks too much water from the pool, she cannot keep it down. It was time to go!

We had plans to have Family Home Evening in the mountains tonight for some dutch oven dinner. Hannah was feeling much better and we were all anxious to get up to some fresh air. We invited the Nielson's to join us. It's a good thing the Nielson's have known us all of our married life. They know our kids. There is no pretenses. It is relaxing. It is good company. It is fun. They know our quirks. They do not judge us. So when Hannah came to me and told me she had to "poop" and said it with a worried look on her face, I somehow knew the damage was done and this was going to be messy. Indeed it was.Poor girl just isn't feeling well. Underwear went in the garbage and she was going commando. And when she cried and cried, it wasn't because she wasn't wearing any underwear, but that I threw hers away. Oh what a day! It wasn't a complete loss though. We had great fun swimming until the near drowning experience and the throwing up. And the dinner was delicious and the kids got good and filthy so I'd say it was a success there too. It was certainly a day I do not wish to re due though. Ever!

Life Is Bliss

Of course it's not always Bliss, but really, I think life is pretty darn great and not because I have a perfect life, because I don't. But I sure have some pretty darn great things in my life. And they are simple things. This morning Aaron and I went for a hike to a beautiful lake. It's been far too long since I have done such a hike, and although it was really hard for me going up 2 miles, the beauty was so breathtaking that it made for some spectacular resting spots. To which I was very thankful.

On top of the beauty, we doubled with our friends the Nielson's. It's always a good time when we are with them. Just the four of us, no kids, enjoying the beauty. And we noticed that people in the mountains are so friendly. They really are so so friendly. Everyone we passed by was happy and kind. I have to admit that I was super impressed with the many small children I saw on the trail. For me, this was no easy hike and those children just kept walking. It was all worth it when we got to the top. Just like it always is, finishing something that is hard.

Silver Lake

And one of my mountain man. Very very tempted to jump in for a swim.

There was so much beauty all around.

Good Times. Good Life. Good Day.

Winding Down

We have had a very full and fun summer. One of the fun things we've done is have a picnic in a different park every Wednesday. Wowzers! we have a lot of great parks near by! The kids have loved this and so have I. We've done everything from just your basic park with a play ground, to ones with a splash park, and even one that had a creek running through it. It's been so fun! Today's park had a great hill so we threw out a slip and slide. Boy oh boy those kids were in heaven! Nathan got hurt twice so his fun ended far too soon today, but Hannah and Grace (her cousin) could have done this all day.

I thought it was so cute that they would hold hands running back up the hill.

Nathan found safer fun on the playground with his buddies. Abigail was perfectly content to watch the kids this time.

Other things as of late have been: Hannah was stung 3 times by wasps, one right after the other. I too got stung twice by them. Aaron went on a killer bee rampage! It was a horrible experience.
Abigail got a new bed and she is happy to have a big girl bed now. (she is doing perfect in it. Yea!)
Nathan is adorable to me lately. I can't get enough of him......especially when he's in a good mood.
(Aaron made this cute bench for the kids and I LOVE it!)

We have a few things left to do before school starts up again. It has been a great summer!