family pictures

I think the only thing harder than family home evening is family pictures.  Trying to get everyone dressed and maintaining some sort of composer for a decent picture is near impossible.  Then the pictures come out with our family looking calm and collected as if to say this is how we are all the time, happy and well groomed!   Yes that is the irony of it all.   It is nonetheless, still a treasure to me, a captured moment of family togetherness.

This picture was actually not part of the 'shoot.'  Our photographer led us to a friends backyard to do all the picture taking.  When we got there I realized it was Leconte Stewart's old home!  This is the entrance to his studio, he was a famous kaysville artist whom I admire and I thought it was pretty neat and wanted our picture in front of it (even though "the lighting wasn't good").  She took the picture anyway and it turned out to be one I liked. (She called it the tourist shot). The 'real' pictures will come later.

Carson and his broccoli

Carson loves broccoli, he planted it in the spring and when it was ready to pick in the fall he ate it like an ice cream cone.

so sick

Little Carson came down with such a sickness.  His fever ran up to just under 104 Friday night when Wes was gone hiking the narrows.  It was 1:00 am when I wished I had the calm collective reassurance that Wes and the optional blessing can bring. Thankfully, Carson was able to sleep and his fever didn't get any higher.  Unless the fever gets to 104 and keeps them awake i don't like to use fever reducers and mess with the bodies natural defense against infection.  So it was a relief to see it falling on it's own.  Anyway, I decided to take him into the doctor the next day but there were a lot of people there with masks on getting flu shots and what not, and I just decided to turn around and go back home. There seems to be such an overload of hype on the H1N1 flu and the vaccine.  Is it really necessary for healthier individuals? Yeah, I can see the point for people with compromised immune systems like diabetics, obese persons, some babies etc, and they Should get it! ).  But how is the body supposed to create antibodies and immunities if we constantly bombard it with temporary vaccinations?  There are some people who are actually immune to this influenza because they have had it before, and gotten through it just fine.  The vaccines should be saved for those who really need it and can get it when they need it.

Is this one of those things that is okay to do because everyone else is doing it? That doctors and chemists are pushing because of the money they make from it?

 To me it seems like society has embraced the path of least resistance and instant gratification to a such point that when we begin to experience any pain we must have instant relief.  Don't we gain strength (in more ways than one), by going through some pain?  Have we lost trust in our bodies and spirits ability to heal without being completely reliant on western medicine?(Keeping in mind there are exceptions of course, and I mean more severe situations where death is a very probable outcome)

I'm not saying I think all vaccinations are bad--some are given for good reasons.  I just don't like the pressure of conforming to the status quo when I feel it really isn't necessary (or right).

So who knows, my kids may already be sick with the swine virus, and I pray daily for insight as to how to best deal with what illness may come our way.  If the sickness get worse, I plan on calling the doc and getting some antibiotics.  I hope anyone who gets this illness gets through it without alot of complications.

Recap: Weekend in PC, rode bikes all around, enjoyed Conference, and the Soccer game Real vs. Byu, (fun game, Real was faster, stronger and harrier than Byu, no surprise there!) Morgan can't wait till Halloween and  I can't wait to get over walking pneumonia. maybe I should just lie in bed all day.  oh that's a good one.

Yay for fall, and Wes and Morgan

I love love fall.  The evenings bring  an ever so slight breeze that seem to wake up my senses to beautiful new changes.  There's such an amazing orchestra of color, sounds, feelings and freshness.  For me it's a feeling of completion, a harvest, an anticipation of get-togethers,  and snowy days on the slopes.   It is like the golden hour of a day, the last glow of light most enjoyed and savored before the sun takes its rest.  Fall rejuvinates my whole being. I love love fall.

 Both boys are in preschool now, Morgan on second year.  Both are enjoying their new 'independent lifestyles.'  I have thought alot about charter schools, so if anyone has any input about those I would greatly appreciate it.

Wes did the mountain xterra triathlon, although he was not excited about it, having done little training and falling sick the day of the race.  This season had been shot for both of us, Wes started the summer out by stepping on a nail, and I had the fortune of a stone vase falling on my foot while I was wiping little Carson's bum and didn't see it fall. (I know, random, the tiny bones took months to heal.)    

The best part of the race was when Morgan, (who had gotton up at the crack of dawn to get his running clothes on) ran alongside Wes on the run.  It was such a neat moment, Wes slowed down just enough so Morgan could keep up before it got too steep for little legs to continue.  Even the runners behind him slowed a bit instead of passing.   One lady came up to me and said, "seeing him run with his father made my entire day, that is what this is all about!"  I thought about the truth of that short statement, how the finish line and the focus of getting ahead can sometimes deter from that which brings most beloved joy.  My children have taught me so much in the way of simple happiness: enjoy the little things, play together often, and believe we are superheroes.

Wes has his triathlons and I have mine.  From Morgan to Carson to Malia, changing, feeding, cleaning, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

The other day at the state fair, there was a baby alligator.  Since these are one of Carson's favorites, I thought he'd want to hold it.  Surprisingly he said, "No way!   He'll slap me and pee on me."  I couldn't stop thinking of a baby alligator slapping carson across the face in fast motion like on the little rascals. Next year Morgan wants to enter his corn in the state fair and Carson wants to enter his plastic sting ray.

Malia's first word.

Let it be written that Malia said her very first word today!

Dadda. 

I have no further comments. :)

I am Iron man and Five years Old

In case you didn't know, Morgan is Iron Man.  He has a little mole positioned directly in the middle of his chest, where he says his 'light' will be one day. He has determined that in order to make his suit, he is going to need metal, really hot fire, and careful hands.   So for his birthday he really wanted to make his iron man suit.  So with a few cardboard boxes, red spray paint, neon glow circles, and some beads, we were in business.    

After  completing their suits, the kids tested them out by knocking down huge walls, and throwing water balloon bombs at the chalk monsters drawn on the side of the garage.   We did "Pin the spark on Stark" and a pinata.   Pizza and a well designed cake followed, thanks gramma juwie for even putting a real light in his chest!  Iron Man even showed up.  Cousin gabe thrilled him by showing up in his Iron Man costume.

I enjoy throwing fun little parties for the kiddos, if not just to watch them run into each other wearing funny little boxes.

Now that he's five, Morgan is such a sweetie. He didn't ever have the terrible twos, it was more like terrible fours.  (and that wasn't even that bad) He also learned to ride his bike just before turning five as well.  He is a little straight arrow and Malia's favorite.  He is positive and sensitive.  When he's not having a good day he'll say, "All I have to do is look at that little Luci Malia and I am happy again!"   

He is an example to me in such a simple, beautiful way. The other day he said, "My heart hurts because I told a lie today."

Like Iron man he indeed has a light inside him, yet his glow can permeate even the darkest of days.