Memorial Day

We had a very fun memorial day! We always love when we get an extra day with daddy. We met up with the other Westons at the Reindeer Farm in Palmer after lunch and the kids loved it there! Kelsey especially was having such a blast, as she is my biggest animal lover. Tyler and Brynlee also really loved it, but Madison was pretty hesitant and scared. She always takes longer to warm up to animals, and just doesn't really care for them up close :). They got to hold bunnies and chickens, feed elk, a bison, and reindeer. They're still shedding their winter coats, that's why their fur looks all splotchy and weird in the pictures. They also pet some horses and huge dogs that were there too. On the way back home we pulled off at the Matanuska River and had fun playing on and under the bridge. There's just something about kids throwing rocks in the water! They never tire of it, and it's free :). After a while we came back here to our house and just played the rest of the evening. And Memorial Day wouldn't have been complete without a good BBQ and some warm apple crisp and ice cream :). Everyone was good and worn out by the end of the night. My kind of day.

Chasing chickens--this is how I feel as a mother! :)

Work Hard, Play Hard

One thing I really believe in, is having children work right along side their parents. They can be involved in a lot of things, even if it is harder to have their "help". :) Of course, there are many nights when I send them all out to the trampoline so I can finish the dishes and cleaning in peace, without anyone under foot. But, most of the time we try to include them in whatever the task is. Their excitement and enthusiasm are a really good reminder for me to find joy in work and in serving my family, and not to do it begrudgingly. Even when I had to take them and all our dirty clothes to the laundromat, they would fight over who got to put in the quarters and detergent. It was really fun for them, and helped me to lighten up a bit. Of course, most of the time they're much more willing and excited to help their dad. He has funner work than me apparently ;).

Brynlee was especially responsible for scrubbing inside the van because she had written her name, in pen, in the back!

Bad picture but they took over for me to pound those pork chops a little flatter! (I should really get a meat mallet)

Brynlee made hers and her sisters' beds without being asked here. I thought it was so cute.

Installing curtain rods 

Play hard: this is the easy part!

 Some guy from Kenny's work was getting rid of his archery set, and his baseball pitching machine and just gave them to us for free! Tyler is in heaven with this thing!

It's sort of a joke to go on a "walk" with these kids. I waddle along the sidewalk pushing the 2 younger ones, while Tyler and Brynlee bike for like a mile ahead and come back every once in a while to check on us :)

 Wasilla Lake is just down the road from us. It's the only community hang out place in Wasilla, so it's always very busy. And it's not really sand, more like gravel. But we still had a lot of fun!

This boy stays up late every night reading in bed, and starts reading again as soon as he wakes up. Currently into Harry Potter and loving it.

Thunderbird Falls

On Wed. 5/21 I took these kids hiking at Thunderbird Falls. The last time we hiked there was 2 years ago! Tyler wanted to re-enact this picture of him by the sign...

May 2014

June 2012

And excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor from seeing this picture! I can't believe how much they've grown up and how quickly that went!

(2012)

I have to say, I love it.

(2014)--And Brynlee always has a bouquet of dandelions, or "dandies" as she calls them.

 This year I was just carrying a baby inside, not a baby in a carrier outside :). This hike sure did me in though! Holy cow I was so tired and sore the rest of the day. I do not like how much pregnancy slows me down and wares on me. But anyway. We had a lovely time and I love that we're at a point where I can go and do these things with them by myself. 2 years ago, I couldn't. Time is a good thing.

Madison kept collecting bundles of sticks like this 

Of course Brynlee's the one crawling out on a log to get in the water. :)

My Season

Mother's Day 2014

This mortal life, through which we all must pass, is one of times and seasons. The earth itself revolves around them, and so do we. Right now, this is my season. The season of rarely sleeping through the night. Of kissing boo-boo's, feeding little mouths, and quieting tantrums. A time of teaching every little basic thing like how to feed and dress and wipe yourself, to the very biggest of things like "you are a child of God", and "you are so loved". Setting timers for time-outs, tying shoes, and potty training. A season of "lots of little helpers" every where I go. A very sticky, messy season of poopy diapers, wet sheets, spit up, snot, slobber, etc. etc. A noisy season of jibber-jabber, screaming, talking, crying, and laughing. A tired back from holding babies and bending over the majority of the day. A repetitive season of reading the same little books over and over again with everyone on and around my lap. And cleaning the same rooms over and over again every day, just to be undone again. Teaching how to brush your teeth, don't talk to strangers, and how and why we pray. A season of physical discomfort and pain from sharing my body through pregnancies, deliveries, and breastfeeding. A season of stretching myself to my limits emotionally, mentally and physically. A time where as I parent these little ones, I in turn become a better child to my Heavenly parents. Understanding better obedience and forgiveness; pleading daily for guidance in how to raise my children, His children, the way He would have me. A season of learning patience by the hour and minute, and how to be loving and selfless. A thankless season where no one recognizes what you do save God alone. A season of lots of little hugs and kisses, smiles and laughs that make it all worthwhile.

This is my season. And I'm loving it.

Cousin Time

We really love having cousins nearby. Our kids ask all the time when we can go play with them. It's too bad that we moved an hour away as soon as they moved up here. But we still find ways to hang out often.

5/9: We had to go down to Eagle River for a dr. appt. for Tyler. He was having bloody noses more than once a day, and it was starting to worry me. He is always one to get a bloody nose when it's too dry. Whenever we go back to Utah/Idaho, he gets one, or on an airplane sometimes, often during the winter, etc. But even though he sleeps with a humidifier every night and we were putting vaseline in his nose, it was getting really bad. So I took him in and she confirmed that it was super red and swollen in there, but didn't think we needed to have any vessels cauterized or anything. I think it's just part of his horrible allergies he all of the sudden has. Right now we have like the highest pollen count in the world, so it makes for bad reactions. Anyway...while we were in Eagle River, Shalee and her kids met us there after the appt. and we had fun at the nature center. We went on a little hike and just let them all play for a couple hours. Not quite as green as it's going to be, but still beautiful. Tyler is always on the lookout for wildlife and keeps a record. But all we saw was evidence of termites, and 3 bald eagles. :)

And they were out here on Saturday the 10th. We went and had a little adventure.

Over a dozen pair of shoes up in this tree. Not sure why

They really thought they could push that boulder into the water :)

The Great Outdoors

I'm not sure if I should thank global warming, or what the deal is. But we are having the most beautiful weather. It's pretty much perfect every day and so we spend the majority of each day outside. (Tyler's allergies permitting...)

I know some of these are repeats from Instagram, but I want them to be on this blog because this is what ends up being our family journal. 

These kids' shovels have been some of the best "toys" we've purchased. 

Kenny re-stained the deck. No it didn't dry that bright orange

70 degrees is suitable swim suit weather, but that water was freezing

Lots and lots of hours on the trampoline

That's Brynlee at the top of there. She pretty much ski'd down the rocks, then would run back up and do it again