Family Pictures

 

I like to think of myself as a pretty easy going mom in most ways, but I am a family picture nightmare mom.  At least I am willing to admit it.  I tell my kids it's because I am going to miss these days so much, and I want to document their cute little faces while they are in this phase of life. I tell them some day many years from now when they are all grown and gone I will sit and look at these pictures and cry because I miss them and want them to be little again. They laugh at me and tell me I won't miss all of it, I won't miss how Sam screams at me or when they wrestle and hurt each other.  I tell them I most certainly will, I will miss all of it.  Family pictures are very important to me, I just want everything to be perfect.  I want everyone to smile and be happy, and if it means I have to bribe and scream in some cases to get it, I will do it!

The day of family pictures this year came, the clothes were ironed and hanging in the closet, we were all ready, and I was ready to have them over with.  When Carter woke up his entire face was swollen, another side effect from the terrible baseball accident that knocked his front tooth out in May.  The tooth was infected, and he looked like one of the characters from How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  I wanted to cry, I really wanted to get these pictures over with.  I wanted to stop stressing about them and just be done with it!  We got Carter on an antibiotic, loaded him up with Motrin, and got the swelling down enough to do the pictures.  If you look you can tell he doesn't quite look like Carter, but it was good enough.  We did the pictures, they are over, and everyone is happy!

The Never Ending Birthday Celebration!

What could be better than a birthday spent at Disneyland?  It seems to us that Carter has been celebrating his birthday now for about a month.  He had a birthday party at the park, two sleep overs with friends, a birthday dinner, family party, and we spent his actual birthday at Disneyland with the Paulsons and Burrs.  What could be better!  We love you Carter!  I would say we can't believe you are seven, but you have acted seven for almost a year now so it seems about right.  We love your craziness, we love your zest for life, and we love your sense of humor.  We hope you never outgrow it!

Camping

Oh how we love a good camping trip.  We don't get much sleep, but the kids absolutely love it.  I'm so glad Laura brought her 95 pound baby to sit on her lap around the camp fire. 

Sam's Sleeping Habits

After we put Sam to bed at night he often roams around.  It may be because he takes a three hour nap pretty much every afternoon, and he's not quit ready for bed when Jacob and Carter are.  He usually heads down to the kitchen for an apple, goes to the bathroom, gets a drink....he usually goes back to his bed but sometimes we find him the next morning in an unusual spot.  These are two of my favorites.

First day of school

I am totally anti-character clothing, so why do I love this Batman shirt? I love it, and so does Sam. I took him to Target to pick some clothes out that he would actually wear. I am so sick of seeing that BYU shirt I could scream. He tried to talk me into a Toy Story shirt which I quickly shot down, but when he asked for the Batman shirt I went for it. We ended up with a Superman one just like it.

We take this picture every year, I wasn't sure we would be here to take it this year. Hooray! We are still around!

Fourth Grade-Mrs. Spiking

First Grade-Mrs. Gretlein

We fought for these four to be together in the same preschool class this year. They better behave! I love these crazy best buds!

The next generation. Typical that Natalie is standing in her stroller. What a bad mom.

I'm going to miss this.....

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How can I leave this? How can I leave any of it? My friend said it was sad that I was taking so many pictures at the beach today, she knew it was because I know this may be one of our last beach days. School starts on Wednesday and this summer is the last for me in San Diego. Going to the beach with these good friends of mine and their kids has become such a regular occurrence that we rarely think to take pictures anymore. Today, however, I was a little camera happy. I need to record these precious memories (you should have been there Sunshine, I of course didn't have my camera on Tuesday. We'll have to go back). I love the beach, I really love the beach. It's such a perfect place where all my kids are happy, I get to enjoy the beauty of the beach, watch my kids have fun, and talk with my friends. What could be better?

I think I am still in denial over moving. At first I cried a lot, I thought of all the things I would miss, the people I would miss, now I am just in denial. I thought my house would sell quickly, which it didn't. We are going to start school here, we put the boys in soccer, we are going on with life as normal, but things aren't normal. We are moving. I know we are making the right decision to move back to Utah, but that doesn't make it any easier. I will miss the weather, oh how I will miss the weather. I am used to taking my kids to the park in July or December, it doesn't make a difference, we are used to taking family walks after dinner year round. I will miss Disneyland, the beach, my school, my house, my neighborhood, living a short drive away from the Paulsons, the list goes on and on.

When we moved here we didn't have any kids. I have become a mom here. All my life I couldn't wait to grow up and be a mom. I know it sounds corny, but it's true. You know that song "When I grow up I want to be a mother, and have a family....." that was always my favorite. I began that part of my life here, and I have loved it so very much. Now I have to leave. I know most of what I will miss are the wonderful friends who have truly become my family. We have watched each others kids grow up. When we all met we had one or two little kids. These kids are now getting braces, starting middle school, and growing taller than their mothers (almost). I have seen babies born who are now getting baptized. I have watched families with one child turn into families with three, four and five kids. We spend our summers together, spend holidays together, Sunday dinners. We go camping, we swap kids. We know each others history. They know me. They know all my faults and quirks, and they still love me. When we've had enough kid time we go to book club, Women's conference, or go out to lunch or dinner. We throw a party. We support each other in every possible way. I can't imagine living without these people in my life. I don't know how I'll do it. I know I should be happy. We are moving back home, back to our families. We love Utah. I know I will love living in Utah. For now though, I am just sad.