Letting Go

So now you know what London and T.J. do for fun. They swipe a cute little car from some unsuspecting neighbor kid who has left it unattended and off they go down the street as fast as London's little Flintsone feet will carry them. They actually get going pretty fast. Had this been my first or even my second child, I may have stopped this little excursion with something like, "Get down before you break your neck" or "I don't have time for a head wound today." But alas, I have evolved ....

I sat on the porch and read my book and didn't even look up at everyone who drove by and wondered who these poor unattended children were and why their mother wasn't stopping them. Nobody got hurt, and they had a great time. London even graciously slowed down before turning the corner, and T.J. held on with amazing strength and agility. She braked hard a few times, and he slid pretty far forward but held on tight. Way to go T.J. They tried it the other way with London riding on the roof, but she is apparently too lanky and the balance of the whole operation was off. Good thing we don't live at the top of a big hill ....

Not So Scary

T.J. had a field trip yesterday for preschool. His very first one! I was even feeling brave and let him wear underwear instead of a pull-up, and he did great (yeah!!!). We're talking about a serious milestone here people. He thought he was pretty big stuff and had to call daddy the moment we left the fire station to tell him all about it. It was fun to see him so excited and acting all big and grown up. Too cute. We went to the park (for class pictures) and then to the library and the fire station. Needless to say, he LOVED the fireman and the big trucks.

So, they had a fireman talk to the kids and get to know them a little bit, and then he got all dressed up in his gear to show the kids that it was still him and he was still their friend so they wouldn't be scared. Apparently that is an issue when they come to help kids in an emergency. A couple of the kids came totally unglued. There was screaming and crying and all that. T.J. (normally a bit of a chicken) was totally brave and volunteered to give the fireman a hug. So cute.

Never Forget

I can't believe it has been seven years since "9/11." I can't believe how fresh the memories of that day and that time are in my mind. It is like it just happened. We lived in Draper at the time (two houses and two kids ago), and I remember so well turning on the TV early in the morning for my daily dose of Matt and Katie (a habit that has long since faded ....), and I saw a building on fire. I called to Dave in the bathroom and remember telling him the World Trade Center was on fire. We kind of looked at each other like, "Where is that again?" He was in the bathroom getting ready when I saw the tape of the plane steering into the tower, and I yelled to him that it was a plane. By this time, Dave was already a pilot and I remember him watching that plane and gasping and saying that this was no accident. I didn't believe him. The thought never crossed my mind that we were under attack. We watched that plane over and over flying right into the tower, and Dave just kept saying that it was no accident. I remember the sinking feeling in my stomach when they started reporting on the news that we were under attack. I just felt sick and shocked and scared. Everything felt so unsettled that day.

I remember just wanting to hold my kids. I remember deliberating whether Dave should go to work or not and not wanting him to leave. I remember the TV being on for the next three days straight. I remember all those people on TV holding up pictures of their loved ones and asking if anyone had seen them. I remember people waiting for hours to give blood and scrambling to find ways to help and to give and to serve. The spirit of the American people during that time was amazing. It was like, for once, we were all united as a nation. As tragic as it was, the feeling of unity in this country was amazing, and I've never seen anything like it and sadly, that spirit has faded a bit.

Austin and Jackson had a lot of questions this morning about 9/11 and what it has meant to our country. It is so important to me that they understand what happened and why and what it means to be an American. I want them to understand what a "hero" really is. They had a hard time understanding why terrorists hate America, and for me, it was surprisingly hard to explain. I tried to help them understand that kids just like them who happened to be born on the other side of the world are raised to hate and destroy while at the same time we are trying to teach our children to love and serve.

I was surprised how much the boys knew about 9/11 and the war and our country's security and their interest in the political process going on now. They were shocked that we had a candidate running for President of the United States that has NO PLAN WHATSOEVER on how to keep our country safe from the terrorists who brought upon us one of the greatest tragedies in American history. I guess I'm a little shocked myself. I think the problem is that we've forgotten what it felt like that day. It is like that song:

I hear people saying we don't need this war,
I say there's some things worth fighting for
What about our freedom and this piece of ground?
We didn't get to keep 'em by backing down
They say we don't realize the mess we're getting in
Before you start preaching
Let me ask you this my friend

Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside
Going through a living hell
And you say we shouldn't worry 'bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

They took all the footage off my T.V.
Said it's too disturbing for you and me
It'll just breed anger that's what the experts say
If it was up to me I'd show it every day
Some say this country's just out looking for a fight
After 9/11 man I'd have to say that's right

Have you forgotten how it felt that day
To see your homeland under fire
And her people blown away?
Have you forgotten when those towers fell?
We had neighbors still inside
Going through a living hell
And we vowed to get the ones behind Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

I've been there with the soldiers
Who've gone away to war
And you can bet that they remember
Just what they're fighting for

Have you forgotten all the people killed?
Yes, some went down like heroes in that Pennsylvania field
Have you forgotten about our Pentagon?
All the loved ones that we lost
And those left to carry on
Don't you tell me not to worry 'bout Bin Laden
Have you forgotten?

My Tax Dollars At Work

The kids started school a few weeks ago, and I've got to say, we're loving it!! Everyone is happy with their teacher, and I am loving the schedule and structure that school time brings. London just happened to be the most excited kid on the planet to start kindergarten. She's been asking daily when she gets to go to the "big school" for at least a year and a half. This might be partly our fault for moving right across the street from said "big school." So for four years, she has watched the kids come and go and be out at recess playing and having fun. Yep, she was ready, and off she went.

Don't mind the strained look on Austin and Jackson's faces. They're just excited about school ....

So, here's my confession ... I'm not one of those mom's that cries and gets all emotional when their kids head off to school for the first time. (Now, I do have one more to go, and he is my baby, so we'll see if that holds true.) Before you think I'm a bad mom, let me explain. My emotions are kept at bay by the simple understanding that I think school is SO good for kids. In so many ways - socially, emotionally, mentally, psychologically, etc. There are things that kids learn at school that they really don't learn anywhere else, so I'm a big fan.

The whole learning thing is awesome. I love it when they come home with some new interesting thing they have learned and can't wait to share it with me (i.e., Austin's knowledge of composers, the Beatles, and John Williams that he picked up in his music class that far surpasses anything I know about any of those things). I just love how excited they get about field trips and assemblies and fun little things they are working on in class, and how they admire their teachers and look up to them (i.e. Jackson's teacher grew up in Japan and knows about Pokemon and other neat stuff, and according to Jackson, she just could not be any cooler).

So the other thing is, when they are gone, I can get HUGE amounts of stuff done that they would just really not like to be involved in (i.e., laundry, cleaning, painting, my work, naps, grocery shopping, etc.), and then when they get home, I'm all theirs. We sit on the swing on the front porch and talk about their day and then we read and work on homework and sometimes go for a bike ride or to the library, and I don't have to keep saying "hang on, hang on, hang on."

So my "handsome" started preschool this year with Miss Jenny (London's teacher for the last two years). Even with how clingy and "mama's boy" he is, he marched right into his little classroom and turned and waved bye to me. He was all happy about being at school. He calls it "London's little school." He loves preschool and he loves Miss Jenny (of course). Could he look any cuter with that backpack on?

I have to say Dave and I are so grateful to live so close to such a nice new school. We have had a wonderful experience with Eagle Valley Elementary so far, and I'm sure this year will be no different. We've had great teachers and I have enjoyed working in each of their classrooms, helping with the take home reading library, running the book fairs, making dinner for the teachers during SEPs, going on field trips, helping with class parties, etc. We love being part of such a small close knit community. I love sitting on my porch and knowing most of the people that walk by taking their kids to school. I might even laugh at these same people when they start driving their kids two blocks to school as soon as the temperature goes below 50. Ha ha!

So basically I'd say we're off to a pretty good start. Or as Austin would say, "Two weeks down, 34 more to go."

I Have a 10-year-old

There is nothing that makes me feel older than seeing how old my kids are getting. Austin turned 10 on August 11th, and even though he has looked at least 10 for quite a while, it still got to me when people kept asking him how old he was that day, and he kept saying 10. Weird. I guess it takes a while to sink in when your "baby" is that old. I'll be in real trouble when he turns 30 ...

He got some fun Lego sets to spends hours and hours putting together. He loves that kind of stuff. Just the site of everything that comes out of a Lego set box makes me a little dizzy, but he gets all excited and jumps right in there and goes to work. A few hours later, he has some amazing contraption all put together with hundreds of little pieces. Amazing. He also got an Indiana Jones computer game which he is now obsessed with. I guess it must be a pretty fun game, because he talked Dave into playing it with him and Jackson the other night, and I had to threaten to turn off the power to the house before they'd quit playing and get to bed (it was a school night - HELLO?!!). We got him an Ipod shuffle too, and he loves it, but I think I've used it more than he has .... comes in handy on my bike rides. Thanks Austin!


We let Austin pick between having a friend birthday party or going to a place like Seven Peaks or Boondocks or something like that. His choice was Seven Peaks, and his reason for not wanting a party was "I don't like all the attention to be on me." He is definitely my most sensitive and tenderhearted kid and gets embarrassed pretty easily. He's definitely not one for large crowds. The choice was fine for us, and we had a great day at Seven Peaks. I forget how fun that place is. Next year we'll have to go a little more often I think ...

Austin lucked out and got two cakes - a cupcake one after Seven Peaks and brownie sundaes with ice cream a few days later. Lucky kid. I guess that means he got two wishes too ... that could come in handy.


Austin was really interested this year in my time being pregnant with him and the fact that he was over a week late. I mentioned to him on August 3rd that he was supposed to be born that day, and he was all annoyed that he had to wait 8 more days for his actual birthday. Of course, I shared with him that 10 years ago I had those very same feelings ...

It was fun to share with him about how I felt when he was born and some of the stories from his first few days. He's never really asked about it before, so that was kind of nice to remember that time and talk about it with him. Austin was born via an emergency C-section after 16 hours of unproductive labor and a rapidly sinking heart rate on his part. There were complications for me with the anesthesia during that procedure and additional complications with the pain relief following the surgery. Austin wasn't doing that great himself, so I didn't get to see him or hold him after he was born. He was born at 12:18 in the morning. Around 4:00 a.m. I woke up from the anesthesia and still hadn't seen or held him. The nurse who came in to move me knew I hadn't even seen him or touched him yet and felt so bad for me that she caused a big scene and likely broke a few rules to make it happen. While wheeling me down the hall to my room, she steered my big old bed right into the nursery and right up next to his little incubator. I was so groggy and out of it, so she lifted my arm up and into his little incubator and put his foot in my hand and just let me hold it and feel his little toes. I was so touched and so grateful to her for that moment. I had been through so much that day (and night) and was so grateful to feel the reward of all my efforts. Just holding his foot made it all worth it.

Austin loved hearing that story, and I love it too. I remember it so well. I guess it hasn't been that long after all. We are so grateful for Austin. He is such a peacemaker in our family and reminds us all to be kind to each other. He has such a kind heart and truly cares about others. It is fun to see his talents emerge and develop and to watch his progress in school and scouts and sports and everything he does. He is a big help to me and spends a lot of time entertaining London and T.J. and even Jackson with his wild imagination. He comes up with some crazy stuff to do, and they love it. He is an amazing brother. Way to go Austin. Happy Birthday!

Fun Times At Lagoon

In July we went to Lagoon with the Webbs. The kids had a great time, and the parents survived Lagoon with 9 kids, and let's just be honest .... that is seriously impressive. The picture in the right corner above is the result of us having trouble keeping track of them at Lagoon-A-Beach. Melanie was willing to hold all five of them just so we would know where all the little kids were while the big boys were off playing on the slides. What a good sport. So, there's a funny story about that ...

That is Jason behind her steering her around the lazy river. A few minutes later I got a tube and took London and T.J. with me. Dave was then pushing/steering Melanie with Chase, Cameron, and Dallin on her lap. Well Dave got a little over-ambitious with his push, and dumped Melanie and all three little boys into the water. How rude. She managed to keep them from drowning while Dave and Jason scrambled to rescue them all. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

You gotta love Kiddie Land ... 14 different versions of the exact same ride. The kids had a blast!

T.J. takes his driving very seriously. We couldn't even get him to crack a smile for the picture.

T.J. and Chase were so brave going on rides all by themselves. I don't remember any tears all day. Just a lot of silly giggling. It was really fun to see them having such a great time. I'm not much of an amusement park person, and I come by it honestly. There's a long story behind that ... actually several of them. I'll have to tell you about that some time. But, I really enjoy going with the kids and seeing how excited they get. Amusement parks are a whole different place with kids. Dave usually gets the job of taking the older boys on all of the vomit-inducing spinning nonsense or freefalls or the never-ending rollercoasters that all feel the same. And I get Kiddie Land. Considering Dave LOVES rides and I really .... well let's just say they're not my thing, I'd say this arrangement works well. And I get to spend a lot of time on park benches in the shade hogging all the snacks while they spin around in circles surrounded by flashing lights and loud music. I snap a few pictures and sit back and enjoy. Not too bad.

We were wondering who would give into the overwhelming exhaustion first - no surprises here.

This is Dallin's first Merry-Go-Round ride captured on film for your viewing pleasure. Could he get any cuter? You should have seen T.J.'s mad dash to get this giraffe to ride on. It seriously looked like a segment from The Amazing Race. He got it. Everyone was happy. London is really shy around the camera. We'll have to work on that with her. I need to work on my self picture taking skills. Next time all of both of our faces will be in the picture. We had a great day at Lagoon, and I'm sure we'll be back next year.

Be Impressed

This post is totally out of order, and I promise I'll catch up on the last month or so later. I just have to share about our amazing bike ride yesterday. I realize some super bikers (Kendall - that's you) might be reading this, and they might even snicker a little, but I expect the rest of you to be impressed. Yesterday Dave took me on a 30-mile bike ride. Did you hear that ?!!! I rode a bike for 30 MILES. I know, you're all shocked. I understand. I am too. My record before that was nine miles, so that was a big jump for me, and I'm really happy about finishing and still being able to walk today. Really, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, and we had a great time riding together.

We started at Utah Lake and followed the Provo River up past the beautiful Bridal Veil Falls and on a couple more miles up to Vivian Park in Provo Canyon and then of course we rode back. It was a paved trail the whole way and a lot of it was in the shade (good thing since it was about 97 degrees when we started). I only had one near mishap with a Chinese guy who rode a motorized scooter into a tunnel under a road just as I was exiting the tunnel. The tunnels are barely wide enough for a bike rider to get through and definitely not made for scooters. He bumped my tire, but we both escaped without injury. That definitely scared the tar out of me. I was envisioning "death by scooter" there for a second. I guess he missed the sign about NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES ON THE TRAIL.

We really had a great time, and the trail was beautiful. I loved riding with Dave. He let me set the pace and we just talked and laughed and had a great time. Dave was all happy about being on a "real" bike ride together. I got it out of him on our way home that he had his doubts about how I'd do before taking that ride, but now he says he's impressed. Good thing.

So my goal is to be ready for the 67 mile ride from Thanksgiving Point around part of Utah lake next year and maybe the 111 mile ride all the way around Utah Lake after that .... we'll see.