first half of May

Justin finally working on painting the basement.  This is a job that he enjoys.  We let the kids pick whatever color they wanted for an accent wall in their rooms.  Molly chose green, so that is what Justin is working on in this pic.

Stockton combed his own hair this morning.  He is trying to grow it out like Gordon Hayward.  If Justin does not comb it in the morning (I am way more comfortable doing girls hair), he makes sure he does it himself.

Ivy had her turn for the stomach bug on the first Monday in May.  Luckily she just threw up once, had a touch of diarrhea, and was sluggish for half a day.  She slept in super long that morning (she had been up in the night with her sickness) and just wanted to be held.  I bathed her and snuggled her and then laid her on the couch for just a minute to go take care of something in the kitchen.  I was barely gone for long but she was sound asleep when I went back to get her.

She took a 4-hour-nap and seemed to be back to normal that evening.

Brynn was super excited to go to the library and get her own library card, now that she's 5.

My two little partners-in-crime while I'm outside doing yardwork.

This day I was trying to rake and then mow some of the leaves that didn't get taken care of last fall.  We have never had a yard to take care of and I am really enjoying getting outside and working.  I have even learned how to use the riding lawn mower and have mowed the lawn once.  I don't do as good of a job as Justin but it is fun and I'm hoping to get lots of practice. :)

The kitchen windows are just barely too high for Ivy to see out of them but she loves to stand on a little chair and watch Justin work.

Brynn has spent practically the whole month of May running around with a hooded towel on her head like a cape.

We have been so busy with soccer and finishing the basement and trying to get stuff planted in the yard that we really haven't taken a break for anything else.  We missed going to anyone's house for April's birthday, Mother's Day (I'll blame our late church block for that one), and my dad's birthday.  We did make a sign and take a picture and sent it to April for her birthday on the 4th.

We had some friends from Spanish Fork up for a barbecue.  The Howard's are relocating to Arizona (they've already gone) and the Phillip's to Oregon in June.  The Wood's are staying in Spanish Fork for now, but it was always the four of us families so it really wouldn't have been the same without them. 

The boys went golfing together earlier in the day.

Lance Howard, Justin, Roger Phillips, Cory Wood

When the kids were done with school, the moms and kids carpooled up together.  It was so good seeing everyone!  The kids were excited to see their old friends!  I (and they) have so many happy memories of playing for years..

14 kids all together...we were around to see 8 of these kids as brand-new babies, and one was born since we moved to Heber!

Hazel Howard, Peyton Phillips, Brynn, Elsie Wood, Mikki Wood, Alleah Wood, Logan Phillips, Corbyn Phillips, Molly, Ivy, Stockton, Kel Howard, Rhys Howard, Calla Howard

These girls were my best friends and I relied on them for so much.  I have missed them a lot in the last year.

Shauna Phillips (I was assigned as her visiting teacher when she first moved into the ward, one month before Corbyn was born.  That was 7 years ago and we have been friends ever since!), me, Kelli Wood (she was doing Activity Days when I was the Primary Secretary and assigned to "oversee" Activity Days.  Then I got to know her even better serving as RS President.  She is just awesome.), and Leanna Howard (our garages faced each other and any day that was nice weather, you could find our garages open, our kids out playing, and us out chatting.  Those are great memories, for sure.)

I didn't expect to get sad or sappy since we moved away a year ago, but knowing that they are leaving the state and that we really won't see them much, if at all, made for a bit of a sad goodbye.  I don't have friends like that up here yet, so it was especially bittersweet knowing what I'm missing out on.

Ivy's sickness decided to come back right as we were dishing up dinner so I was mostly just holding her and taking care of her and trying not to worry about how many other kids she was getting sick (she really had been fine for three days, even that morning before her nap!).  It made it a bit more stressful but it was fun to catch up and chat and it felt just like old times.

The kids really just had a great time playing-they picked dandelions in the pasture, jumped on the tramp, tried out the zipline, played with all the toys inside and out, and we had our first campfire of the season and made s'mores.

Elsie Wood, Peyton Phillips, Brynn

Elsie, Peyton, Brynn

Stockton, Alleah Wood, Brynn, Molly, Elsie

I caught this special moment between Molly and Ivy.  They sure love each other a whole bunch!

Mother's Day.  All I ever want is to have one morning to stay in bed a little longer and not make breakfast.  Justin is always great to take care of that.  He and the kids made french toast, buttermilk syrup, with sliced strawberries and bananas, and topped with fresh whipped cream.  I'm not a food photographer, but it was delicious.

The kids cooperated and took a picture with me before church.

Ivy is not in church clothes because she was staying home for a nap.  Justin had a urinary tract infection on Mother's Day so he wasn't feeling too hot and ended up staying home from church as well.

I had a nice, relaxing sacrament meeting with no wiggly, noisy baby.  The Elder's Quorum and Young Men took over Primary so I was also able to enjoy going to Sunday School and Relief Society.

My mom and dad ended up being alone that afternoon so they drove up to spend the rest of the day with us.  We had a very simple meal-grilled honey mustard rosemary chicken (only Justin's smoked it instead of grilled it), twice baked potatoes, and steamed carrots.  My mom brought up strawberry shortcake and Oreo cupcakes for dessert and I didn't have to do any dishes.  For a gift I decided I just wanted flowers for my yard so we did that the following Saturday.

Here are a few things that I have stumbled upon in the last few weeks that have caused me to reflect on my role has a mother...

-One video I watched reminded me that my "need to do" things each day aren't necessarily the things Heavenly Father needs me to do.  I need to stay close to the spirit so I can be guided each day and led to do those things which are most important.

-Another video reminded me that motherhood is a privilege.  So simple but something that I am trying to remember each and every day.

-This quote from James E. Faust: "To be a good father and mother requires that the parents defer many of their own needs and desires in favor of the needs of their children. As a consequence of this sacrifice, conscientious parents develop a nobility of character and learn to put into practice the selfless truths taught by the Savior Himself."  

-And this quote by Elder Ballard: "...the purpose of mortality is to become more like God by gaining physical bodies, exercising agency, and assuming roles that previously belonged only to heavenly parents-roles of husband, wife, and parent."

Both of the above quotes taught me that being a mom is something that will help me develop more Christ-like attributes and to become more like my Heavenly Father (and Mother).

I found these squishy faces when I was emptying pictures from Justin's phone to the computer.

Ivy loves to wear Molly's fuzzy purple slippers around.  They are way too big so she takes two steps, they fall off, and she wants someone to put them back on her.  Then we repeat.  And repeat.  Until we can distract her with something else.

This is what Ivy does when we call for prayers.  She's got "fold your arms" down pat.

Molly's team practices pretty much rain or shine.  She enjoys playing in the rain.  One night I picked her up and she had mud all over her face and excitedly told me how she fell in a puddle.  She also likes to wear my USU hoodie.

The carpet was installed in the basement on May 9th.  Excitement was extremely high.  We had FHE in the basement that night.

We took down the baby gate when the carpet got put in the basement so Ivy can go up and down now whenever she wants.  She enjoys the new-found freedom.

Brynn cooking up something yummy in the kitchen.  It was mostly water and scraps from what I was baking with.  She said, "Mom, I made you some water with cheese in it!"

Stockton won this Weber State banner from school and wanted me to take a picture and send it to my dad.

Playing hide-and-seek with Brynn one afternoon for our plan.  There were more places to hide since the basement was complete and kids are not scared to go down there now.  This is in Stockton's closet.

I was out working in the yard when I looked up and saw Brynn in a sea of dandelions so I ran over there as fast as I could to take this candid shot.  This is our pasture.  A couple of days later, the yellow was mostly gone.

Ivy didn't make it as far.  The ground is uneven and she kept falling.

Brynn is my little helper in the yard.  Ivy just enjoys being outside.  On this day we were filling flower beds with dirt and prepping them for some flowers.

And watering raspberries.

Justin isn't too keen on putting in a sandbox because so much sand escapes the box and it just gets messy.  I sent him this picture of the girls playing in this flower bed (they stayed put for about 30 minutes) and now he might be re-thinking the no-sandbox idea.  We'll see if he ever caves.

Molly painted Brynn's toenails and did her hair one day after school.

It was such an nice afternoon that day.  Justin was in Ogden overnight for a training so I didn't need to be making dinner and we all sat out on the back deck. 

I also found these candids on Justin's phone.  They are from Gavin's baptism.  Ivy was being loud so Justin stepped outside the church for a bit.  I just think Ivy is the cutest smiling up at her brother and that Stockton is looking pretty darn handsome and grown-up.

There's Ivy looking for daddy again.  She is just the cutest.

She is so busy these days but it is so fun to see her personality starting to emerge.  She has 4 molars that have recently popped in.  She can point to her belly and her toes and when you tell her to honk her nose, she pinches her nose.  She has a big cheesy smile for you whenever you ask her to smile.  She hasn't started saying any words but she does have "uh-oh" down.  She is definitely the "family pet" and everyone around here is always try to get her to show them her new tricks.

We finally had a nice Saturday so we spent it outside in the yard.  Justin and I got all the flowerbeds ready and raked for planting some flowers and bushes.  The kids pulled out this blow-up pool that Grandma and Grandpa had given Ivy for Easter.  It is way bigger than I thought!  The kids should have fun with it this summer...and a bonus is that we have a warm water spigot on the side of our house so I can actually fill it with warm water!

Justin had a rough couple of weeks.  He got the stomach bug that the rest of us did but his lasted three days, whereas everyone else had it for just one.  Then he got the urinary tract infection.  Then one Sunday morning he woke up in excruciating pain.  I rushed him to the ER where they found a kidney stone.  He's never had that before and it was miserable for him.

He was okay once he got some medicine in him.  They sent him home with five prescriptions and for a family that doesn't have to deal with medications that was a lot.

It was up to me to make sure he took them when and how he was supposed to.  After the first day he just took the Ibuprofen and the Flomax.  He passed the stone a few days later and we disposed of all the meds.

Stockton wore this get-up for a few days. Any guesses on who he is trying to be?  I'll give two hints (the broomstick could be a third): Bulgarian Quidditch seeker and Triwizard Tournament. 

If you guess Viktor Krum, you are right!

We had some of the stuff from the basement storage closet upstairs when the carpet was installed (we just had them throw down some cheap remnant in the closet) including the suitcase.  Ivy thought it was so fun to climb in and out of it.