Cole's 1st 4-H Pig

I don't know if I have written about the wonderful 4-H group we are in but they are AMAZING!  I knew when we came here I wanted to get the kids active in this program but getting an invitation to join Pigmania was such a blessing.   There are currently 5 families in this group and we do all sorts of activities but the last two years we have done pigs together as kind of the big project.

If Cole did not want to do it we would not continue but he LOVED it this last year.  This boy doesn't like karate, not soccer, not baseball ....but walking pigs he likes.

 We need to get him better trained on the proper way to show and walk it, but for his first year with very little training, he did amazing.  Especially, since he was afraid of Maroon (that's his pig)  when we got it as a baby.

 

 There were so many huge pigs I was really afraid for him.  But he got out there with all the kids, pigs and people watching and did good.

These picture are from our county fair.  His pig didn't make weight so we took him to state too.

Here is proud daddy!

Here is proud mommy!

Garden 2013

This past summer garden was interesting.  I think I got overwhelmed by how much we did and then kind of checked out.  Next year I will scale it back...  and stay more on top of it!!

We did finally have success with corn!  It was really good. I tried the 3 sisters planting.  Its where you plant corn, squash and beans all together.  The beans grow up the corn, the squash covers the ground and keeps in moisture..plus, the beans replace nitrogen, or something like that back in the ground, where as the corn pulls it out.  I don't get all the science behind it but it worked out really great.  (This was after a pretty good wind storm. )

I learned a very good lesson about bringing corn in the house.  I will share for those who are novice like myself, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT let the corn sit for long because worms get brought in with them. In fact, I would suggest never bringing in the corn. If I can somehow do it outside from now on I will!

This year was really good with fruit on our new trees.  The apples tasted really good!

Here we are with our bounty of pumpkins.  We had tons of them this year.  I planted 4 different kinds...we did good.  (Love those little kids there in the shot....I am one lucky momma!)

Its a whirlwind around here!

I am not going to have much of a blog book for 2013 if I don't kick it into gear around here and start documenting!  I wish I had some great excuse for why I can't seem to sit down and post but I don't.

Life is moving at such a rapid pace it feels.  Thank goodness I have my planner to help keep me straight.  Between 4-H, cub scouts, relief society visits on Tuesday nights, gym twice a week, homework, and all the other stuff that crops up too...we seem to be on the go a lot.  I like it when I am able to keep up, otherwise, it can leave me feeling frazzled!

The kids are great..they keep growing and growing and growing.  I keep growing and growing with them.  I love the challenge and fun of the whole family thing.  It is so interesting that now I get to have an adult perspective on the elementary stage of life.  I hope that as I listen to the stories and problems of my children I can pause and remember how I felt at that stage.  Instead of brushing off their worries and concerns as childish, I hope I can relate on there level and really hear them.

I am caught up in the whirlwind of raising kids, making a home, and trying to find that magical balance in life.
Happy I am sometimes and crazed I am at others....life is good!  I will find time here soon to document all that has been happening.

Thoughts on summer and kids

I have really enjoyed this summer!  Sleeping in and not having to chase has been so wonderful!  And the kids have been pretty good too.  They have had there moments but over all I am very pleased with them.

I had big dreams of making a monthly schedule and sticking to it at least 80% of the time.  Reality has been, I didn't even finish the schedule and what I had made of it, we stuck to it 5% of the time.  Usually, operating at "fly by the seat of your pants" mode doesn't sit well with me but it has served us very well this summer.

Have I been as productive as I have wanted? Not even close, but I am glad to be here with my kids all day. They are really great little people....

Cole is wanting us to change his name to Maroon and signs everything that he does with that name.  He is also seriously begging us to have a claw (I think this comes from Inspector Gadget) He wants a doctor to surgically put it on for a hand... and gets mad at me when I say no!   When he found that he could use the really long metal tongs for a claw that helped with that for a little while.  He stays up at night drawing or reading his books.  He is a character that one!  I am very thankful for him because he is already teaching me a lot about myself and makes me smile a lot.

Carson is going to be 8 in five months!! That is crazy to me.  He is such a handsome little guy.  So athletic and coordinated. He can do all sorts of tricks on the tramp he taught himself.  He and I are kind of going through a rough patch together...he is really getting vocal about not wanting to do certain things and I find I am in a power struggle with him a lot more than I have ever been.  But even with that going on he is still wanting hugs and kisses and still tells the most fascinating little stories.  He is so honest and I love looking into his little sparkly eyes!   He is usually the first one asleep at night and the one with the least amount of night time drama.  Love him, love him, love him! And that kid can do push ups and sit ups like no other.

Morgan is so sweet.  She loves getting lip gloss put on and she loves her friend Brinley. (When they move that will be a sad day!) She is turning into a great little helper.  Her chores right now are getting dressed, pick up her room, take dirty clothes to laundry and pick up the living room.  She does a great job.   A lot of the time she can be found talking to herself, lost in her play land and it is really fun to listen too.  Morgan is very compassionate and warm!  Loves to play with her brothers.  When she wants to take a sip of your drink she will say, "Can I take a zip of your drink" Its really cute....so thankful I got such a special little girl!

And our little Tater...is a DOLL.  I just want to kiss him and squeeze him a lot!  His mannerisms are so adorable.  He has a little shoulder shrug he does when you talk to him sometimes, and he is still doing that little crunched up look he does with his nose and eyes...wow....love him!  He is the kissest little guy ever.   He doesn't just give one or two kisses when he is in the mood he wants lots of kisses and none of us in the family can resist when he demands kiss after kiss after kiss.  He is 17 months already!!  What happened?  I need time to slow down a little so I can really soak in theses amazing moments with this baby boy.

Kids are special, summer is good, and I am content!

4th of July

 This year for the 4th we had some friends over.  It was pretty fun and all the kids were so great!  With 27 people there and 14 of them being kids I think it went really well.

 We kicked off the night with a BBQ.  To keep the kids busy we had bubbles, water guns, glow sticks, and chalk.  It was a great group. I put Cole in charge of the kids stuff and he did such a great job of helping out and keeping the kids busy.

 We let the kids run wild.  It was pretty fun to watch them and see how excited they all got when the fireworks started going around.

We had a really good firework show.  Jake and Jared came over later and brought some of their fireworks too.  It was really fun.  I hope we can do it next year too!

I couldn't help but feel so grateful that night.. what a wonderful country we live in!  Truly the best nation on the earth!

If Only.....

If only, I didn't try to do so many things at once, maybe then I could finish something completely.

If only, I didn't set myself up everyday thinking, "Okay, today the kids are going to be great and I am going to  keep them busy."

If only, I would just sit down and make the menu for the week....maybe then we would have a decent dinner around here for a change!!

If only, I could stretch my patience muscle day by day, maybe then I wouldn't be so darn weak in that department.

If only, I could always keep my eye on eternity, then maybe I wouldn't get so caught up in the "little things"  of the day.

If only, I knew how to use my comma then I wouldn't always be wondering if I am putting then in the right spot!

Today was an okay day.  Maybe tomorrow will be better!!!

Funny Pictures

 Mike did these of the kids and it gave me a good laugh!

 Carson's expression on his face matches perfect for his part.

Look at my cute little rocker baby!