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Sunday, October 20, 2013

Fall, family and repentance

Fall is here with Halloween around the corner.  That means time to make pumpkin face cookies and to travel out to Denver to visit my brother Daniel's family!

We have been counting down the days to go do Denver this year to see Daniel and Mimi and their kids Claire, Samantha and Matthew.  I think we would have all agreed to cheerfully kidnap their kids and bring them home to live with us, if we thought we could get away with it.  We love being with them.

I drove up with the kids as soon as they got home from school.  We left here at 3:15 and got there at 11:30.  I was a very mean mom but kids were anxious to help out by agreeing to only one 10 minute stop in Grand Junction where I quickly gave Taylor a drink and filled up with gas.  I was a little nervous about getting tired on those twisty canyon roads at the end.  Robyn did have one melt down at the 6th hour about how she needed her bed and couldn't stretch her legs out but Allison and Spencer talked her off the ledge...after 30 minutes of very loud crying and complaining.  I just ate my cinnamon bears and stared at the road.

We spent a day at the Science Museum and another day at a pumpkin festival.  Kids were in heaven playing together and my favorite part was just hanging out and visiting.  Phone calls are great but you don't really get to feel caught up until you can sit around talking about inconsequential things that end up feeling very important.


I even got to go running at the state park right next to their house.  One of my favorite places to run/walk.  Although running right next to deer that don't move but just stand and stare at you is a combination of very cool and unnerving.


Friday night Jeremy flew in to join us for a few days before we drove back Monday.  So the good pictures are coming.  We spent Saturday at Elitch Gardens for Claire and Samantha's birthday party - its a big amusement park.  One of my favorite parts was going on the most extreme roller coaster with Spencer that I have even been on, called the Mind Eraser.  It was the first ride of the day.  During one of the corkscrews, my shoe fell off and was gone.  I thought great, I am going to be walking around all day with one shoe on and one shoe off.  But as we were leaving the ride we walked down a sidewalk some distance from the rollercoaster and there was my shoe sitting in the middle of the sidewalk.  Prayers are answered.  We all took turns going on roller coasters and rides with kids - Daniel's face of mute resignation on the tea cups kept me laughing all night long - the things we do out of love for our kids.

Sunday we got to go to church and spend time taking family photos.  Everyone sucked up as much play time and visiting as possible.  Then Monday morning we packed up and I was very grateful Jeremy was there to drive us back home.


Kids and I were not very excited to come back to school and reality but we did it.  Spencer had a teen week at the library where he did different activities and wounded up winning a $50 gift card to the mall about which he is quite stoked.  And he had a pow-wow this Saturday where he learned about astronomy and chemistry and then went out for the obligatory fast food stop.

Spencer did something to one of his stomach muscles which has led to a few days of groaning and moaning every time he bends or picks something up.  I am not the most sympathetic mother.  I have been thinking I need to do better about that.  Allison stayed home with an upset stomach today and came to me this afternoon crying that she wasn't tough enough to go to church.  Robyn asked me this morning why I was so calm, usually she says I am busy telling everyone constantly what they should be doing to get ready for church.  I think I need to make some changes in my up-tightness ratio!

Jeremy was gone this weekend to a photography seminar up in Idaho.  He said he didn't have any big revelations but saw some new approaches and learned things.  Before he left we were able to have a great Friday night.  We went to the temple to do sealings and then came home to watch a movie with Spencer.  Jeremy pointed out that with kid interruptions we had watched 3 minutes of actual movie in 15 minutes of time.  But I couldn't help thinking how lucky we are that our kids want to share everything with us - especially when bed time is looming.

This week I have been working my way through the yard.  I think I am almost half way in the clean-up process.  But I discovered our chicken's hidden stash where they have been trying to hatch their eggs.  We had a big omelet Thursday morning!  The chickens were very vocal in how they were not happy with me.

Robyn did a dance clinic this week with a friend and then got to perform at the high school football game's half time.  She has been busy practicing how to say "I ain't afraid of no ghost" - with attitude.  She can really, really pull off attitude if she wants to.  But she kept saying mythbuster instead of ghostbuster - tickled our nerdy funny bone.

I gave Taylor the deadline of tomorrow to have a bowel movement or he was back in the hospital again.  After some serious increases in laxatives and softeners I think he will manage to stay home.  He is happy but is really thin right now.


1 comments:

The Skeehan Family said...

no joke, we have probably checked your blog five times today :)

Missing you like crazy but enjoying reminiscing as we look at pictures. We sure do have a lot of fun when we get together, don't we?

Thank you thank you thank you again for making the trip over the mountains to see us.

We love you so.

And the chickens secret stash?? That is really funny.