Summer Plans . . .

Things we are definitely doing (aka. they are acutally on the calendar):

• Camping at Yuba Lake (haven't been there in years, so we'll see how it goes).
• Mom to El Salvador
• Ride the firetruck in the 4th of July Parade
• Camping at Grand Mesa (or somewhere thereabouts) with my sister's fam
• Fiesta Days Children's Festival (unfortunately it is the same day as Llama fest this year, either we will have to choose or that will be one full day of fun!)
• Celebrate my Mother-in-law's 60th birthday
• Annual Bear Lake camping trip with Russ's fam
• Celebrate the Pioneer Day (It's a state holiday in Utah, in case you are unfamiliar)
• Road trip across Oregon

Other things we will do, because we usually do:

• Seven Peaks
• Spend the day fishing and swimming at Payson Lakes
• boating on Utah Lake, or maybe Deer Creek
• Payson Pool - it's cool, you should check it out.
• Rodeo - Lehi Round up, Fiesta Days, or the "big one" in SLC
• Fiesta Days festivities
• Payson City Onion Days (the morning that they have the free kids stuff is best)

Things I really want to do and am (mostly) planning on doing:

• Build or buy a playset
• Llama Fest
• Spanish Fork Community Theater's production of The Music Man (we have lots of friends that we will be watching!)

Things that I would like to say I am going to do (but by the end of the summer I may have forgotten that I wanted to or maybe I could just never fit it in):

• Moonlit ride up the Sundance lift.
• Trafalga - mini golfing, go karts, etc.
• Lavender Days in Mona
• Visit the Thanksgiving Point Gardens (although I am SO un-inclined to pay such a high price to ooh and aah at nature)
• Utah Valley Parade of homes (though this one is doubtful, because it starts two days before I leave for El Sal and will be over by the time I get back. hmm)
• Float down the Provo River
• Camping at Cherry Hill

The biggest thing we will be doing this summer (as in the thing that has taken up most of my attention and will require much planning and effort on my part) will be our "Summer of Service".  You can read about it here, but understand that that blog is very much a work in progress.  But since summer is starting, I had to just jump in and do it.  No going back now.  Wish us luck!

Oh, and, any other suggestions of things not to miss this summer?

Hi Ho the Dairy-O

Last week we took a fun little field trip to a dairy farm and I think we all learned alot, including the mommies!  We all had to wear "boots" over our feet so that we didn't track any germs into where the cows were.  Before we started the tour we also got "Got Milk?" stickers and milk mustaches.  Ready to begin!

We drove in a big van around the dairy and got to see LOTS and LOTS of cows.  (I didn't really get pictures, because it would be out the window - and I think everyone knows what a cow looks like.)  We got to see the babies and the pregnant cows.  This dairy averages 25 calves a day!  And boy did those pregnant mommies look miserable.

We got to see how the feed the cows.  They grow all the food for the cows.  This here is corn all blended up.  They store it under the plastic and the tires keep the air out so it doesn't go bad.  What the cows end up eating is actually a precise blend of several different things.  We got to see the feed truck dumping the food for the cows, where they stay when they are not being milked, and yes, it was a little stinky.  But their stalls get cleaned 3 times a day, wouldn't that be nice!

We got out of the van to see where they actually milk the cows.  160 cows can be milked at one time and it takes just a few minutes.  They are milked milked three times a day and average about 12 gallons each.everything was very sanitary and very efficient.  It was kind of cool. 

 

Our tour guide was Ollie's Grandpa, one of the little boys in our preschool, and he did a great job!   Cody said his favorite part of the trip was his "Cow Tail" treat that they gave him.  It was a great field trip - we learned alot AND had fun.

Terrible Twos?

I've always thought the "terrible twos" were actually more from age 1 1/2 to 2 1/2, and by then they're into the "whiny threes".  I think it's just always something.  Maybe with my third rowdy little boy, I've realized it's not really that "terrible" more just about learning and alot of discovering.  Now I just roll my eyes and clean up the mess, sometimes I even remember to take a picture so I can record this precious time of new experiences.  And most of the time he makes us all smile.  They get such joy out of simple little things.

Colton does many of the same things my other boys did, but somehow time makes us forget. Sometimes I wish I would have recorded the little things more.  So here's a glimpse of Colton at two years of age...

He says lots and lots of words (and attempts pretty much anything).  Many times he just repeats words:

Mom: "Colton, do you want a cookie?"

Colton: "Cookie"

Mom:  "Or a cracker?"

Colton: "Cracker"

Mom: (slowly) "Cookie or cracker?"

Colton: "Cookie. Cracker"

Mom:  Ok, how about just an apple."

Colton: "Apple"

Mom: "Great, here's an apple."

He has also learned the word mine, although he is great at sharing:

Mom: (bringing his lunch to the table)

Colton: "Mine?"

Mom:  "Yes, this is yours."

(setting the plate down, a mandarin orange falls off the side and I pop it in my mouth)

Colton: "Hey!"

Mom: (smile)

Colton: "sharin?" (smile and tilt of the head)

Mom: "Yes, we're sharing."

Colton: (smiling and nodding) "sharin."

Colton has been really talking since about January.  His first full sentence was "I got it."  It is still heard quite often.  Colton still sleeps in his crib (mostly for his mom's sanity).  He is also still attached to his binky, which is probably also for my sanity.  He loves to do the dishes, though when I am not looking, he likes to spray the sprayer all over the kitchen.  He loves to take baths or showers.  If I tell him I am going to take a shower, he HAS to come in with me (ie major tantrum), but if I tell him I am going to go rest for a few minutes, he just waves and I can take a quick shower, alone, and he is none the wiser.  He still takes pretty decent naps, which gives me a short amount of time each day to actually "do something", although Cody us usually running in and out with his friends.  He loves his daddy and watching out the window for him to come home in the mornings.  He gives great hugs and always wants a "hamwich, hamwich!" - a hug squished between mom and dad.  He LOVES to play outside, no matter how cold or wet it is and apparently the only thing to do in our backyard is play in the sandpile, so he is constantly dirty.  I always feel bad when I go to change is diaper hours later and it is full of sand.  Speaking of diapers, I am hoping to be done with them soon.  Everytime I change his diaper, he says "toilet!", so I let him go, although we have only ever had something come out just once.  He likes to do anything his big brothers do - ride bikes, play video games (or pretend to), wrestle with dad, go to friends', "play" legos (or throw them, whatever).  Just recently he has actually started playing with his brothers (as opposed to just following or annoying them), and I love it!

Although he is definitely in the "discovery" phase, he is smiley and snugly and amazes me everyday at all that he is learning and absorbing.  He brings such joy into our home!  We love this two year old!  Happy Birthday Colton!

What I got for Mommy's Day

From Corbin I got a cute little book he made at school where he had to fill in the blank:

If Mom could be queen for a day, she would... boss everyone around.

Five words to describe my mom are... pretty, cool, fun, awesome, lovely

In 20 years my mom will be ... old.

My Mom's favorite's are:
Color: blue and green
Food: probably soup
TV show: Amazing Race
Restaurant: Bajio
Vacation place: Colorado

Mom, I will always remember... you and our family.

Dear Mom, You'r nicer then any mom in the world. Love, Corbin

I also received a letter in an envelope with a big heart which said:

Dear mom,
I love you because you eat with me, you keep me company, you take care of me, you sleep with me, you read with me, you pick me up from school, you talk with me, you do my homework with me, you cook with me.
Love, Corbin

Russ picked out a card from him and the boys that said something about how grateful they were for all the things I did . . . like always making sure they had clean underwear.  It was perfect.

And from Cody I got the usual:

Happy Mother's Day to me!

I hope I am a good mother

We had this hanging in our house when I was growing up and since I came across it again a few months I have thought on it several times.  What am I teaching my children?  What are the little things that I do unintentionally, or intentionally, that will shape the person they become.  I think being a mother takes practice, reminders, and sometimes learning things the hard way, but I know they harder I try the better it will turn out, the better they will turn out.

If a child lives with criticism,

he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility,

he learns to fight.

If a child lives with fear,

he learns to be apprehensive.

If a child lives with pity,

he learns to feel sorry for himself.

If a child lives with ridicule,

he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with jealousy,

he learns to feel guilt.

BUT

If a child lives with tolerance,

he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with encouragement,

he learns to be confident.

If a child lives with praise,

he learns to be appreciative.

If a child lives with acceptance,

he learns to love.

If a child lives with honesty,

he learns what truth is.

If a child lives with fairness,

he learns justice.

If a child lives with security,

he learns to have faith in himself and those about him.

If a child lives with friendliness,

he learns the world is a nice place in which to live.

Dorothy L. Law, 1959

Happy Mother's Day to all those out there who have been and continue to be an example to me.  Yes, that means you - whether you are a mom or not.

Vamos a celebrar Cinco de Mayo!

Hooray for Mexico!  Thanks for giving us an excuse to get together and party!

It's really all about the food.  Everyone brought some really yummy Mexican dishes. Too bad I was getting over the stomach flu and couldn't eat much, but I'm sure it was all delicious!

Cody: "I can't look at the camera or my food will blow away!" (Notice the food on the table, that was from his neighbor's plate - it was a little windy)

Despite being slightly chilly (yes, on May 5), a good time was had by all.

And you can't have a Mexican party without a piñata!

Thanks Jessica and Stan for hosting and getting us all together for good food and good fun!

One month from today

I will be on a plane to here:

That's Central America, in case you couldn't tell.  El Salvador is roughly the size of Massachusetts and has beautiful beaches.  But I won't be going there for a vacation.  Remember when I went to Uganda last year?  Well, I just found out a couple weeks ago that I will get to do the same thing this summer in El Salvador.  So you're saying, "What is the 'same thing'?  What do you actually do?"  I think I often assume that people know what I do and what I love, but just in case you've been left out of the loop...

I am on the Board of a non-profit called HELP International, which trains volunteers to do community development and humanitarian service in less developed countries.  This year, in addition to El Salvador and Uganda, we are also working in Thailand, India, Fiji and Belize.  Volunteers will be there May thru August and my job is to visit their projects, support the Country Directors, give them advice (if I have any), and make sure things are running smoothly.  I also get to meet with our in-country partners, as all our projects are done in conjunction with a local organization, making what we do more sustainable.  For an idea of some of the projects, you can click here, but it really varies every year depending on the abilities of our volunteers and the need of our partner organizations.

The last time I was in El Salvador was in 2005, a memorable trip for two reasons:

One, I got to take my brother Mark with me.

eating conejo (I'll let you figure that one out.)

starting the ground for a pig pen

door-to door mosquito abatement program

us with the other volunteers

And two, I was the absolute sickest I have ever been in a foreign country or maybe ever, and it was all thanks to this baby, pineapple strawberry liquado froma street vendor.  Yes, I broke the rules one time and it was really good, but I paid dearly.

We'll see how the trip goes this time.  But I am very, very excited.

Meet the Robinsons

Didn't you always wonder how they got hair to stick straight up? 

Forget the gel. 

We've figured it out. 

Hopefully all of our experiments will turn into something useful one day.

My Brave Little Ninja

They were huge.  And since our doctor, the specialist and our dentist were concerned, we decided to go ahead and get those puppies out.  So last Friday, our little Cody had to go in for surgery to have his tonsils and adenoids removed.  He was such a good little guy!  He was actually looking forward to it.  Every time he would cough or something, he would say it was because of his "fat tonsils".  And he confessed to me one night that his tonsils got so big because he ate his boogers.  Yeah, he's a boy.  On a more accurate medical note, they were causing sleep problems, sickness, and the dentist said it would start to affect the movement and growth of his jaw.  So the decision was made and now it's done.  Lucky for Cody, and us, everything went very smoothly.

Waiting at the hospital at 7 in the morning.

Cody showing me his bandaid after he got some blood drawn.  He didn't even flinch, he just watched with great interest, as I'm in the background wincing for him - definitely his father's son.  All of the nurses thought he was so sweet and two of them commented on his beautiful, long eyelashes - those are from his dad too.

"Show me your brave face."

Cody decided that he was a ninja, because they were very brave.  This was his bracelet that gave him special powers.

Cody preparing by putting on his "ninja jammies".

Waiting for them to take him back.  He loved that he had his own TV and that the sound came out of the "controller".

He also loved the bag of goodies they gave him.  The yo-yo koosh ball was especially cool after the Versed kicked in. (Think of a mildly drunk 4 yr old.)  It was actually kind of funny.

The little ninja wanted his daddy when he came out.  Because of his asthma, his O2 levels were a little low, so they gave him a breathing treatment and we had to stay a little longer with him on oxygen.  But he was such a sweetie and hardly cried at all.  One of the nurses commented that he was the best tonsil patient she'd had!

Awake, drinking juice, breathing good, and ready to go home.  You did it, Cody!

He spent the next couple days playing video games and watching movies and I think we've had enough smoothies to last us a year, and hopefully it was all worth it.  But he did so good and we were so proud of him!  We love our brave little ninja!