after a year.

I have realized the usefulness of having a blog when morgan needed to do an autobiography.  Since I haven't yet done a book for my kids the blog is the only organized source I can turn to.
The other reason being that I found out that I was expecting our fourth child and I feel like writing down the events that happen in our family is important.
I wish i could say I kept this up all last year but instead I'm just going to start back up again.

Easter was pleasant, though I have had a bit of morning sickness that i didn't have with the other kids.  It makes me less excited and super tired.  I hid only one golden egg for each of them and filled it with a small set of legos.When they found the egg and tried to put the set together, they realized it would be almost impossible to build without instructions.  I related this to living a life without the savior and his plan of happiness.  We can try to build ourselves a decent good life, but with the saviors help we can make it even better and more magnificent than we ever thought.  There were even extra lego pieces that I brought out with the instructions with the thought that the savior can add pieces to our life to make them stronger, such as the priesthood.   I hope it made an impression, it was a simple lesson.  They  were able to get a large of basket of goodies at grammma julies house later that day.  

The day before we we spent with Dad and Lori going fishing.  We only caught one, but grampa chip always makes it fun by staying positive and Lori made some great sandwiches.

We also took a family trip to Moab, because the kids have been wanting to do some camping.  we found the perfect little spot in Horsethief campground #43.   Wes brought the griddle and made pancakes, eggs, bacon and even chicken fajitas for dinner.  We caught two lizards for our pets during our stay.   My favorite was getting the whole family out on a bike ride around the Intrepid trail system. We rode along sandstone and dirt for two hours.  Malia was impressive going down steep little drops and holding her legs out for balance!  We also took a hike and filled our bottles at the natural spring.
Sunday poured rained down on us and we were out of there!  But it was solo fun.  one evening wes and I were out by the fire and carson sticks his little face out and yells, its time for family prayer!  It was a fun trip.

The kids are excited to get a new baby in the family.I have mixed feelings but for the most part I am excited.  We will need to remodel the kitchen to make room for one more.  We plan to stay at my moms while wes gets it done so hopefully she won't get too sick of us!  I am very glad to have her help, she is happy to have us and even offered to teach the kids art.  Her selflessness is a great example when many people her age only want whats best for themselves.
Abbie had her baby summit and is excited that he will have a cousin. I thought we would have another boy, but now Im excited if it were a girl! so who knows.

Malia is sick at the moment, sleeping. which is why I have the time to write.  Wes stayed up with her as she threw up and cleaned up after  her.  So grateful for this as my naseua would have gotten the best of me.  Carson and Morgan are both doing great in school. Morgan gets notes from the teacher about how kind and helpful he is to other students and his teacher. Carson has yet to miss a spelling word and continues to draw up some fantastic animals.

Carson also had a really nice baptism.  Before going into the water he told Wes that he had been waiting for this his whole life!  He's got a good sense of what's right.

Christmas 2013

There is nothing better than christmas with small children.  They are the light of my life and a reminder of the goodness in the world.  While there are those that want to fill christmas with all things material, I am grateful for the simplicity and love that comes from the true meaning of the season.  And to my darling children: I hope you will remember this and hold it close in your hearts. Christmas is love, togetherness and giving from our hearts.  No amount of money or gifts will replace this!  Our christmas was chaotic and messy for a week! And oh how some might reject!  But my heart is with my children, my husband, and love for the Savior.
Carson was so excited to see a stuffed tiger in his stocking and Malia loved her stuffed pony.  Morgan got a magic set and I got some markers to start drawing with.  We visited all our family.  Yesterday we went to see Grandpa Ridd, who, in his old age, was so happy when we asked him to play the harmonica for us!  Too bad he doesn't get visitors more often.  i sure love and admire that man, I see so much of Wes in him, he really cares and we feel it.
I have loved having the kids home, we have gone sledding and played together all week.  I'll be sad when they have to go back to school!

yes i have a reason

I haven't posted in about a year. I regret it because so  much important stuff has happened. and by important , I mean awesome progressions of the little ones.  I have also learned so much this year.  One came from a very fun trip with my girlfriends.  It literally opened my window of learning to enjoy the journey. I love to be in the company of open, positive, creative minds.  And these girls were all about it.  I cannot thank my blessings to have people like this to communicate with in my life.  They keep me sane!
Wes has also had a big year in that he started working for a remodeling company.  Although the pay isn't quite how it used to be, his stress is all but gone and it's nice to have him home on the weekends.
It got pretty busy and we really weren't getting together as a family much anymore, and we have come to realize that the time together was more important. So for this year, we promise to do a camping trip with the kids and some smaller trips-maybe visit Jenn when she moves to Wisconsin.
Morgan and I were able to visit her this year in Washington D.C.  We had already made plans when the government decided to shut down all the monuments.  We arrived to see signs up, fences, and police guards monitoring our monuments. It was a real let down to me to see the monument of Lincoln and be turned away. He never would have allowed this!  The monuments opened the next day and the juxtaposition was interesting. People were back to work and as we came up out of the subway, there was a band playing for an outdoor army meeting or something- it was all very fun! Morgan loved it.  It was fun to take him and see him so inspired.

Regardless, I have started to do a little art here and there, we have redone the kids room and I now have a space to create and I love it.  My kids love to do art in it as well and are coming up with some great stuff.  I don't know what I would do without my little three angels.
A lot of the year has been posted in Instagram and I am going to try to keep up the blog as a way of clearing my mind and recording the adventures of our life in a crazy world.

Birthday Wes

Yes Wes's birthday was 2 months ago and i've got a little time to blog about it because being the good dad that he is, he took little Malia to work with him today.  I guess he was just doing runarounds.  He also managed to sneak in a little lunch break with us today!

Just a few amazing things about Wes. in no order, other than when it pops into my head.
He is a hard worker and knows his priorities.
He is a worthy priesthood holder and works hard to keep it that way.
Kind to everyone.
Had the guts to start his own business, from the ground, by himself.(and keeps it going)
Loves his kids and they know it.
Unselfish.
Strong and steady.
His clients have become his friends. has no enemies
He loves what he does, passionate about building, finances and helping others.
He hiked/ran across the grand canyon, not for accolades but because he loves it.
He's more concerned with helping someone than being better than someone.  Doesn't do the whole Rat race thing.
Someone once took advantage of him financially and he turned around and helped them move out of their house because no one else would.
That's the kind of person he is, I think he has it figured out.
Wish i could buy him an Indian motorcycle For his bday!

Sunny St. George

   Oh boy this was a welcome treat to a long cold winter!  We had to get out. I had planned to do a race down in St George but tore my hamstring, so we went anyway and didn't race.  It was warm and healing to all our pale skins and indoor eyes.
    I love how excited the kids get and how easily pleased they are with just being together by the pool. We also did some hikes and ate some good food.  I think it made us all feel a little better.
   We found a hike called Johnsons Arch where we heard frogs and then ventured down to catch a few.  There were cotton bushes down by the river which the kids thought was pretty cool. I had a little frog in my hand and just had to double check with carson that he wasn't poisonous.  We were good.
Afterwards, we mingled at a little flea market where I found the coolest silver ring made by an Indian woman named Lucy.  Morgan got a flute and carson and Malia both picked out a little turtle.  Morgan played it all the waaaaay home. Malia left her turtle at the restaurant, and Carson kept his turtle close and knows where it is always, just as with his other animals.  Because that is his personality.
I am grateful to live in a state with so much diversity in climate and landscape.  So wonderful to have a beautiful winter but also a warm desert not too far away.
Even the drive isn't bad, our kids get along pretty well with books, snacks(that don't give them hyper crash), audio books and fun conversations about things or people like george washington or egyptians.

We visited my mom on the way there and back, which breaks up the drive nicely and she always makes a nice dinner when we come, which never goes unappreciated.

malia birthday 4

Malia turned four on February 18th.   She wanted a costume party and a costume cake which Julie did a great job of! Malia is growing up very fast, she is very matter of fact and has no problem making things the way she wants them.  She comes up with names like cellerina and portendary. She will tell you she has a seven pack.  She knows exactly how to dance like a princess and "wait like a cowboy," with one boot pointed up.  She loves her "furry sister" Ruby and plays under a blanket she calls The taco house, while Ruby tries to get her.  She is her Daddys prize. They are wonderful buddies. She screams when he gets home.  Malia is sunshine in our house, I love to hear her sing or try to sing along with every song. She loves to tag along with daddy or grandpa chip on a weekly errand run. 

She just brightens my life.