Living Red Dirt

Why is it that red dirt never gets old? We could sense the electricity in the air as we watched the lightening in the distance and hiked around the rocky red Sedona desert on a breezy, cloudy day. The new environmental signs told us to please not step on the dirt because we might break the crust and it would take decades to rebuild. Wait....don't step on the dirt?!? Next it will say don't breathe the air because we may inhale living bacteria that are beneficial to the atmosphere! Thank goodness we have a rebel grandma to lead us off the trails and through the dirt. Gasp! As my kids ran through the red dirt and up the rosy boulders they laughed and played and enjoyed the beautiful earth that was created for us. We were smashing all those little creatures on the ground and we didn't feel bad about it. We appreciated it! We were fulfilling our purpose and those microbes in the dirt were fulfilling theirs. 

Easter Sunday in June

Oops!  How could I have forgotten to get our annual Easter party at Uncle Heath's on here, especially because it was Stella's first Easter Egg Hunt.  Can you tell?  She loved it!

 

Mommy daughter night

As I was taking pictures off of my phone I realized I hadn't posted some of our fun times lately.  Papi took the boys for Father Sons Campout. The boys were super excited.  It was the first time he had been here to take them.  So while the cats are away the mice will play, except we aren't mice and the boys definitely aren't cats.  But we did all the girly stuff. 

 

Homemade masks for our faces using oats, strawberries and honey.

 

Painting our nails

Even little Stella got a pedicure.

I'm grateful for my girls and the fun time we have together.  Love you little ladies!

New talents

We have had a very loud house this summer.  The boys are working on learning new instruments.  They've got Mary Had a Little Lamb down and are working on concert pieces for the end of summer band.  The blue room has become the music room and it's always busy.

 

 

Then we have our beautiful ballerina.  Isabel is gorgeous on stage and she dances with so much excitement that you have to applaud.  Way to go chica!

Late Night Home Run

 

Or was it early morning? If we can't be there in Taiwan in person watching Papi hit a home run live online is the next best thing even if it was at 1 in the morning.  Time differences, so confusing!

Little Swimmer

 

I don't think I need anymore words than these cute pics of Stella.  She is my little swimmer!  I can not keep her out of the water.  If everyone else is swimming she wants in.

 

 

So it made it hard when I took Alexandria stand up paddle boarding at the river.  I had to watch Alexandria's exploration of the Salt at sunset from the riverbank with a very unhappy Stella who kept wanting to climb in that dirty water.  Silly baby! 

Two Sunburns

Papi still calls her his baby.  She will always be his baby.  But the past few days have been more "babyish" than normal.  These tears were on two different occasions.  First leaving her teacher, Mrs. Rother was hard for her.  She gets so attached to people and Mrs. Rother won't be at Franklin anymore.  Honestly, I may have cried a little for her on that one.  But the other one, I had no sympathy for.  After swimming for six hours in Grandma's pool she began complaining about her cheeks stinging and hurting when she moved her mouth.  I soon realized that her natural SPF 500 had run out and she had a sunburn on those cute cheeks!  Once I told her there were even more tears.  At least DJ tried to help.  "What's wrong Isabel?" He asked.  "I'm crying because I have TWO sunburns!" Yup, this girl needed some sun experience.

Camp

 

She earned her own money. She packed her own bag, three days in advance. She had her book and all her supplies that a first year girls camper needs.  She was super excited!  The young women met at the church on Monday, threw their bags in the bottom of the bus and headed up to Camp Lomia for four days.  It was different to have her gone.  We realized how quiet it is when she's not home.  We missed the nonstop chatter that she brings to our home. 

 

Then Wednesday I got a phone call.  It was a number I didn't recognize on my cell.  But something told me to answer it.  So I did.  It was Alexandria.  "Mom, I don't feel good."  She was in tears.  Throwing up and feeling sick your first year at girl's camp is not fun.  I really wanted her to try and stay if she could. It was their last night and lots of good things happen that night.  I had my kids with me in the car on the way to the gym.  When we got there I hung up with Alexandria then asked my kids if we could say a prayer for her right there in the car, in the gym parking lot.  We did.  After the prayer Isabel said, "now we wait and see if Heavenly Father answers our prayer." 

 

"No, he always answers your prayers. Sometimes its just not the way you want." AJ corrected her.  I'm so thankful for their faith because while in the gym more hours the camp nurse called again.  She and I decided it would be best for Alexandria to come home a day early.  She didn't throw up anymore after that prayer she just slept the rest of the day. I think she may have been a little homesick anyway.  My cute little first year camper, I love you!

Mother's Day with Bang

It was the perfect Mother's Day morning.  My kids had made me a delicious breakfast in bed with scrambled eggs from our chickens, a cranberry, strawberry and banana smoothie and a multi grain piece of toast.  The kids had given me their presents they made in school and then they showed me my present that Papi got me the night before out on the patio, a brand new bike with a trailer for the baby.  Excellent!  We were figuring out where to ride to on that beautiful Sunday morning when I hear a BANG! CRASH! SHATTER! 

Yup, I was lucky enough to get two presents on Mother's Day.  A new bike and a new window?!?  Actually, it's been a few weeks and we still have designer zebra duct tape over that hole decorating our front window with no plans of fixing it in the near future.  DJ swore the rock bounced when he threw the rock at the ground trying to break it open, and instead broke open our window.  I'm not totally convinced. 

Then there's my mom who instead of me buying her a present on Mother's Day she buys me one, soft matching pajamas.  She's the best!  She makes up for my broken window.

I was so excited about my new bike that we rode over 3 miles on Sunday and on Monday I took Stella for a ride to go see Mikey so he could wish me a Happy Mother's Day too.

Ride Cowboy Ride

We love when Uncle Adam and his family come to visit.  Adam had called me a few weeks before with a rockin idea to have a Bon Jovi party while he was here.  We planned the details and set the date.

It was "99 in the Shade" but we partied like it was a Bon Jovi concert. There was music, there were treats and even pizza pies.  It felt like we were "Livin' in Sin". The neighbor actually came over to complain that the music was too loud.  I think he was just jealous he wasn't invited. "Let it Rock" neighbor!

This cutie was "Born to be my Baby".

This is the life, "It's my Life" and I am so thankful for all of these people who I share it with.

To my awesome sisters, "I'll be There for You" always and forever!

"Stick to Your Guns" boys, don't fall off!

 

"Have a Nice Day"! We did!