My endless love . . .

Saturday marked 7 years since I married my sweetheart and best friend. Our "song" was "Endless Love" though Lowell couldn't remember that we even had a song. More or less that was what our first dance was at the reception so I dubbed it our song. It's funny, Sunday we went to my cousin Zack's mission farewell (he's headed to the Baltics Mission, Russian speaking, good luck Zack!) and I sat next to my little cousin who was our flower girl. She's now 12 and starting Jr. High school. How time flies! Our anniversary celebration was a little disjointed this year, traditionally we go overnight to Park City and out to a nice dinner. This year we hiked Timp, went to Snowbird with the kids, went out for dessert on our anniversary (thanks Hill!) and dinner a couple of days later (thanks Dinda!). Each part was fun though I think it worked out better when we just did it all in one day. Oh well, live and learn.

This is on the wall in our bedroom--I keep thinking someday I will look at it and think I don't even look like that girl any more. For now I still think we are pretty close, we were thinner then and Lowell had less gray hair but kids will do that to you.

Saturday we also got to celebrate my friend Erin's wedding--congrats girlie! and my sweet adorable niece Alivya's 2nd birthday. What a doll baby, why do they grow up so fast?

Sunday as I mentioned was my cousin's farewell and all my mother's siblings were in attendance so it was fun to see them, some we see regularly and some not so much. Through the wonder of facebook, I even have pics!

My mom (green top), her siblings and my grandparents
And a kind of blurry shot of most of the group. You start with 6 kids who then have 2-7 kids each who then start having kids and the group really grows. My grandparents have 27 grandkids and 16 great grandchildren so far. They are not all pictured here of course, goodness I have several babies I haven't even met yet. I met my uncle's 5 year old son for the first time Sunday.

Tuesday we had the UVMOM play group for the month, a hike up to Grotto Falls. We took the boys not too long ago but it was fun to go again and to visit with the other moms and my sister who came and helped me. Thanks again Hillary . . .are you sure you have to go back to school?

Here's strong-man Carter above the falls
Davis too
And this is how they got there, climbing the rocks up a pretty steep incline (I didn't want to do it but of course I had to follow them) and yes, they are barefoot. My sensitive children would not wear their shoes once they were either wet or dirty and instead did a fair amount of rock climbing and in Davis's case, the entire hike back barefoot. I guess you can say they have tough feet.

Yesterday was just one of those days for me . . .I was literally seeing red, I thought if I checked the mirror steam would actually be coming from my ears. We went grocery shopping, the dreaded chore. T-1 more trip to the store before the munchkins will be in preschool and I can blissfully go shopping by myself. It was just bad, nothing specific but yes there were many many staring people. We went home and the kids wanted to play the Wii--fine it will let me get the groceries unpacked and lunch started. No such luck, 1 minute later they are screaming because they can't take turns. Then my dad calls so I duck into the garage so I can hear him. The screaming stops . . .would it be my luck that they just worked it out? Nope, I come out and they are gone--totally gone. I instantly walk 3 doors down because I know they have climbed the fence again and are playing down the block. I march them back home fuming mad (they KNOW they are not allowed to leave the yard, they are 3 for crying out loud) and the front door is locked, the side gates have pad locks and the garage entry's battery is dead. In a nutshell I am totally locked out. This did not improve my mood. A few good deep breaths and hooray the Lord loves me, the garage opens, the kids are spanked and put in time out (for their own safety!) and I got a minute to calm down. It wasn't a good day though. And somedays just aren't. That doesn't make you a bad parent in my book, it's just how things are. Today was better.

And tomorrow we have the boys' preschool park social. Just a chance to meet their teacher and the other kids in their class and for me to meet the moms I guess. Then next week they will have their open house day to see the classroom and get all ready for the following week when, sob, they actually start preschool. My tiny little men. Who like to tell me frequently that they are not my babies any more, they are big boys now. Sob. But before that we'll have a last hoorah in Denver, yeah! More to come.