Happy Place

I went to our ward's Relief Society birthday celebration last week. In the middle of our table there was a flower arrangement with strips of paper attached to it. We were told that they were "conversation starter" questions, so one of the ladies pulled them off and read them aloud. One of the questions was: "What was your happiest day?" Nobody around the table could pinpoint what their happiest day has been. One of the sisters wisely said, "Everyday is my happiest day."

Thinking on my own life I can remember my happiest moments, when my children were born, looking across the altar at Chad while we were being sealed for Time and Eternity, but I don't think of those moments as happiest days. I think I would rather have a collection of happy moments rather than just one happy day.

Last night I had one of those moments. Chad discovered that the park near our house has a dirt track that kids can ride bikes on, so he surprised the kids after I got back from picking up Blake at school and took off work early so we could go and play at this park. Blake was a pro from the get go at flying up and down the hills. Trevor was scared to death as Chad ran beside him pushing him on his training wheel clad bike. Then Chad decided to take Kade up and down the hills in his stroller. Our thrill seeking toddler was in seventh heaven as Chad raced him up and down. It was a lot of fun to watch! I even tried a run myself on Blake's bike...a little scary, but fun nevertheless.

Eventually we had to go find the bathroom and coming out discovered a little soccer field tucked into an area surrounded by trees. In the middle of the field was an abandoned soccer ball, and as soon as Kade saw that ball we knew we couldn't leave without kicking it around for at least a few minutes. Chad played goalie and the rest of us took turns passing the ball and trying to score. It was a great lesson for Blake and Trevor in making sure that each person (including Kade) touched the ball before a score could be attempted. Kade was so funny running around giving high fives after anyone scored! While we were playing I just got this overwhelming feeling of love and warmth for my little family. Sure there was the usual "He didn't pass the ball to me!" or "It's my turn!" but there was a lot less grumbling and more merriment than we allow ourselves to have on a daily basis.

I realized that this would become one of my happiest moments, and while I don't have pictures to remember it, I don't think that it will be an easy one to forget.

Back In The Saddle Again

Sorry I have been MIA lately. Lots has been going on in my absence from Blogger. Last week was Spring Break for Blake. The Saturday before I started thinking that I could take the kids to TN to see the folks since I had a whole week. I mentioned it to Chad and was surprised when he seemed to agree with me. We didn't decide till Sunday, however, to actually do it. So I scrambled around doing laundry and packing up and left bright and early Monday morning (the 16th). It was a loooooong drive, but the boys were really good and we survived. I owe it all to the two-screen dvd player that I bought on the move from CA to TN...the best $160 I have ever spent!

We had a great spring break, my dad happened to have the week off so we were able to hang out with him and my mom and my nephew Campbell during the day, and everyone else at night. We spent time playing in their huge yard, floated "boats" (little aluminum pans) down the creek, shopped for fabric for throw pillows for my couches, worked on sewing said pillows, went to the Adventure Science Museum in Nashville, and even had a girls night out where my mom and sisters and I went to see a movie. We left Sunday afternoon, stayed the night in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and arrived home Monday afternoon.

I was hesitant to do the trip because I had been sick, but I am so glad that I did, it was really a lot of fun. My sickness got worse when we got home though (probably partly due to allergies) and so I finally went in yesterday and got an antibiotic for Bronchitis. I had a fever the night before, and it came back with a vengeance yesterday after I got back from the dr. It spiked at over 102, but mostly stayed at around 100. I felt rotten...I was so out of it I didn't even care that my kids were trashing my house. I woke up this morning feeling much better and decided to survey the damage. Let's just say that it will take me a few days to get everything back to order...I am just glad I survived to clean another day!

Play Ball!

Kade's favorite thing to do is play ball. He especially loves it when Chad and the older boys play with him. The other day Chad walked in the door and Kade got all excited and started yelling "Baw, baw!" He ran to get one of his many balls that he insists on stashing under the couch, but by the time he came back with one, Chad was on his way upstairs to do a conference call for work. Kade was broken hearted and just laid his head on the floor and cried. It was so sad!

Chad is very good about spending time with his boys. He enjoys playing with Kade now that he is able to really interact and he is so impressed by watching the thought processes that Kade shows while he plays. Last night I came downstairs to make dinner and found all my guys sitting on the floor, rolling a ball back and forth. It was a good moment for me, nobody fighting or complaining, all of them just enjoying being together. It reminded me yet again one of the reasons I love my husband and kids, I just needed to store the moment away so that when they frustrate me I can look back and remember!

Comments

I had been wondering lately why I wasn't getting any comments on my posts. Finally somebody brought to my attention the fact that they had been trying to leave a comment but Blogger wouldn't let them. I went on a search to figure out why and I have come up with nothing! I changed my template from a custom one to one of Blogger's standard boring ones, I deleted any widgets I had on here and checked all my settings...and nothing. So to anyone who has tried to leave a comment and couldn't, I say Thanks! and Sorry! I appreciate all my readers and I love to read comments from you, I am trying to figure out this problem, so keep reading, and when I get it resolved I will let you know!

A Very Merry UnBirthday

Trevor is officially five years old. As my boys get older birthdays seem to get a little more annoying simply because that is ALL they talk about for weeks leading up to the big day. This year has been no exception. I tried passing a rule that they weren't allowed to talk about their birthday until theirs was the one coming up next...they know the rule, but just like pretty much every other rule I invoke it gets ignored. Oh well, at least I tried!

On Friday I had it all planned out. I had a dr. appt in the morning so I had a babysitter coming and after my appt I was going to go and get Trevor's new bike and the stuff for his cake. I hadn't taken into account the annoyance factor of having Chad work from home however, so my plans got altered when he called me complaining that he didn't want to be in the house (upstairs in his office) alone with the eighteen year old babysitter. I totally agree with this, but it definitely put a hitch in my well planned morning. I ended up going to get the gifts that night, and as luck would have it I couldn't find the bike we had been looking at for the past several weeks. I went to four different places and finally gave up, calling Chad almost in tears. He calmed me down and said that we would just have to take Trevor with us the next day to find him a bike. In the end it all worked out, Trevor was thrilled to get to pick one out (a pirate themed bike no less).

I can't believe he is already five! It is always a little weird to me that he doesn't actually get to celebrate on his real birthday (February 29th), but it doesn't bother him in the least, as long as there is cake and presents who cares?!

Trevor can be summed up pretty easily. He loves superheros and saving the day. He is prone to be more on the fraidy cat side though, and has nightmares more easily than Blake ever did. He loves Star Wars and anything macho, like football. He is built like a football player, not chunky at all, but very solid. We found out last week that he is in the %95 for both height and weight...so unlike his puny brothers! Trevor is very loving, quick to smile or laugh when he thinks something is funny, and he loves his family fiercely. He is very quick witted, and sometimes catches us off guard with his deep thinking abilities. I had Blake make him a birthday card and on it he wrote, "Dear Trevor, I love you because you are my brother, but also because you are my friend." He and Blake are the very best of friends, and it is wonderful to see them grow together and share a unique bond that only brothers can have.

I am excited to watch my boys grow into men. I know that the Lord has much in store for my little soldiers and I can't wait to see how they turn out. Happy birthday Trev, you make me proud to be your mother.