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A Mid May Update

5.20.2022

^^For some reason, I was really feeling many of these photos in black and white. A little nostalgia, maybe?^^

Talking about three recent happenings:

1. The warm weather has finally arrived between the rain storms, which means I am in my happy place as a mama. I absolutely LOVE taking my boys to go adventure or play outside and during the first week of May we made it to the park four different times. That week, Ezra learned how to climb ladders and careen down the slides like a bullet, laughing the whole time. And Conrad learned how to cross the monkey bars. He is so proud of his new skill. We had to make time after our grocery trip to town just to do them again. I'm soaking in this phase of motherhood. They'll both be in school before I know it! It makes these park trips all the sweeter.

Also of note, this has by far been the coldest, rainiest, and windiest spring we seem to have ever had while living here. Winter just won't stop coming around! Fortunately, I *think* yesterday might have been the last of it.

2. Our new ward put together a Work Hard, Play Hard Day on May 7th for the youth. The young men and women met for lunch and then split up to do various outdoor yard work as a service activity for several hours. I enjoyed meandering around to different groups of kids to help them work and to chat. Afterward the work was done, we gathered all the youth to go swimming at Nat Soo Pah. It was so much fun! Our friend Owyn won the belly flop contest off the high dive! Kid committed. He also said he had no idea how much it would hurt! Lol. The young men happened to help a woman who had locked her keys and son in the car. Then we stuffed our faces with brats and cookies and chips and enjoyed a fireside led by President and Sister Funk. I think it was a successful activity!

So how is it going as the young women's president, you ask? Well, I feel like I am finally finding my groove; I have finally won the girls' trust and am getting to know them and their individual needs. It's been a trip learning how to juggle this calling. I learned early on that I need to be assertive -- though sometimes I worry that I'm making the wrong decisions? It's weird to be in charge. There's a lot I do not want to do, like micromanage. But it's also nice to be able to make changes or switch things up just because something isn't working or something better comes up! I realize I will never be able to make everyone happy. I occasionally get push back from parents who do not want to drive or other mildly lame reasons. Sorry. This is what it is. We have a humungous ward, but it's a healthy ward. And I will do what I think is best for these girls as I work closely with Bishop England, who has been good to get to know. He's a go, go, get-it-done kind of a person. So understanding his personality along with his leadership position has had me adjusting. But I think I've got it now.

Anyway, I will sing praises about my presidency all day. Chalet, Lisa, and Genesa have been the best group to work with. They each communicate well and run with their responsibilities. I never have to worry if they will come through! They always do. It's been so helpful. I honestly think I did have divine inspiration when selecting them. I mean, I had no idea who Lisa or Genesa were! Never met them. But Genesa is a whiz with all things secretarial. Wow!

Young Women's president is a time consuming job. I actually silenced all of my young women group texts because they were so distracting. Now I get to it when I get to it -- which is a few times a day.

Nothing like a learning curve to give a girl some stress and keep her on her toes! But I'm excited for what's next in the program this summer and to have some fun with the girls.

3. The boys have been making us parents absolutely miserable the last few weeks. They've been lazy and fighting incessantly. Nothing is ever quite good enough; they want more. When Levi lamented that he wanted to do something fun, Bron and I just about kicked his tushy. We explained that everything we have been doing has been for him and his brothers. Those lacrosse tournaments in Idaho Falls and Jackson? Those were for you! The 4H cows (and subsequently the new fence we put in), the mountain biking program... it's all for you! Bron and I never did celebrate our 15th anniversary properly. There hasn't been time to do much else. Then over the weekend, after watching a few hours of TV, Jed and Levi complained that they didn't have time to do anything fun for themselves. "There's no time to shoot my compound bow!" And that was the last straw.

No TV for a week.

Monday evening, Jed and Levi were mad. Levi just sat on the couch next to me, in tears. He had no idea what to do with himself! I made a few suggestions, but nothing sounded good to him.

Wednesday night, Jed needed to be at a mountain biking meeting and I needed to be at young women's. That left Levi to babysit his two little brothers at home. And do you know what happened without TV as an option? The boys played outside. They rode their bikes and drew with chalk. Then Levi remembered he had chores to do. So he and Conrad put their folded clothes away, did the dishes, wiped the counters down, and even swept and mopped the floor! I came home to a clean home and was astounded. Levi totally deserved to be paid for his efforts.

Thursday night something similar happened again with Jed. Also, Levi decided to get a puzzle out and put it together.

No TV suddenly turned my boys into responsible agreeable human beings! It's a parenting win!!!

5.03.2022

Who knew back in 2009 when I started this 'ol blog that it would become a family journal of sorts that I would still be using today thirteen years later? This blog means so much to me. I have many of the years printed into hard covered books. The other day, Jed and Levi were lamenting that I don't love them as much as I love their little brothers. I busted out the books and proved to them that they were each my whole world at the same ages as Conrad and Ezra are now. They lit up with big grins, reading through what I wrote about them and seeing their pictures. That is why I blog. Or at least one reason. My memory gets hazy. This blog brings me so much joy to see pictures and read passages that bring back precious memories I otherwise would have forgotten. And so I am determined to keep blogging, keep journaling, keep putting my thoughts and experiences to virtual paper. It helps me process my feelings and is a safe place to store those things that are most precious to me.

Anyway, enough sentimental blabbering. Welcome to the 10th annual day in the life post! I chose Thursday April 21st this year instead of waiting til May. A cold and rainy day just felt more authentic to document. This winter has felt long and never ending. Spring just keeps teases us only to disappear! I wanted to remind myself of the beauty and the fun that really does exist right under my nose.

4.30.2022

The other day, Conrad approached me wearing a plastic garbage sack like a leotard! 🤣 He had his arms through the handles and over his shoulders. Somehow he managed to poke two holes in the bottom for his legs. "I'm going to put Gus in the sack and carry him around!" Conrad announced holding the sack away from his body to make a pocket. So I told Conrad I had a better idea. 😉

Conrad is a five year old hoot. He is a big inquisitive personality in a little body. Conrad is enthusiastic, funny, and creative. Sometimes it's exasperating. The tape is always used up and there's constantly some mess he's made out of paper and string that I cannot possibly throw away. But Conrad makes my life so much brighter and happier. I'm so lucky I get to call him my son.

4.28.2022

It's offical. Gus is here to stay! (We must be nuts! 🤪) Welcome to the family little guy!

I think my life should be following three specific mantras at this point:

1. Never say Never

2. Expect the Unexpected

3. Embrace the Chaos

Adopting a puppy was not on my radar this month! In fact, I just spent a copious amount of time and energy getting rid of the nine that we already had. Having a puppy so soon under our roof again was a surprising turn of events! But it's a happy turn that I'm hoping will come with a very sweet companionship one day.

Our good friends Dave and Amy just had a litter of Labradoodles. (Auggie is 12% Labrador, the rest Poodle.) They knew that we eventually want to breed our Australian Shepherd to a Poodle, so they brought him over Sunday afternoon and asked if we wanted him. It was totally manipulative -- in the best and funniest of ways. We were overwhelmed and the boys were instantly head-over-heels in love with the puppy. Our friends knew we couldn't possibly say no. The decision was obvious: keep him! The stipulation is that we owe Dave and Amy some strawberry freezer jam + the first couple of stud fees/puppy sales to pay for him. Done. Deal. We must be absolutely crazy to take on a third dog!

So far, Auggie seems to be a very chill puppy. He's playful and curious yet is totally willing to just come lay down next to me. I can see Gus becoming a beloved part of the family. Just wish us luck on potty training first! And then all the other training we will no doubt need to conquer afterwards.

Below are pictures from our first day with Auggie. (It just happened to be Jed's 12th birthday as well. He got a bike AND a puppy?! Lucky duck!) A fluffy puppy + chalk just might make for the best spring evening ever. 🥰 Also, can I hear three cheers for a day that was finally over 50 degrees and not blowing?! Whoop!

4.10.2022

^^The neighbor girls Ella and Clara came by to visit daily.^^

I'd be lying if I said I didn't cry at all saying goodbye to our puppies. I totally did! It broke my heart (but also felt relief) to part with all the furry fun; I think Misty is feeling the void too. She was such a proud and happy mama! I would often look out the window to see her nursing, checking on, or playing with her babies. But enough was enough and she would also curl up on the couch where they couldn't reach her to watch them or leave the yard entirely for a while. Gosh, I understood that so well!

All nine puppies found new homes. A strong interest for them came through emails, texts, and calls soon after I posted about them when they were a little over 6 weeks old. It was an intense two weeks for me, communicating and coordinating with so many people about their puppies. In fact, my weekly phone report said I'd used my text messaging app a total of 5 hours and 59 minutes in a span of seven days. Ugh. But it was worth it. I got to know several local families who came by several times to visit with their puppies before taking them home. It's reassuring to me that I gave them the best future possible. At least I know they had a fantastic start with us here at our home. They were spoiled with so much love and attention... and maybe Conrad terrorized them a time or too as well. 😬😳

It was chaos back there on the porch, but it was joy too. The puppies came running whenever they heard the back door open and would dart inside the house. They nibbled on our shoes and licked our faces. And they drove Ezra batty. They nibbled on his fingers, his ears, and even put a hole in the butt of his onesie trying to play with him! The puppies were fluffy and cuddly and playful. And destructive. But it was kinda the best!

Would I do it again? Absolutely.

And so, I present the last of the puppy pictures from Misty's first litter. I want to remember them all.

3.26.2022

Sharing is caring. 🥰 I'm just trying to soak in all of this chaotic cuteness for the limited time we have them. We're all in love with these fluffy babies.

The fur balls have been moved outside to the back porch indefinitely. They are just too active to possibly stay inside! Bron set up a temporary fence for the puppies so that they can have free reign of some of the yard. We moved the old couch onto the grass too; the puppies love to hide out and sleep underneath it. The weather has been mild. They have endless access to water, food, toys, and each other. It's basically a little puppy paradise! Conrad and Ezra spend every spare moment out there they can. Seeing the puppies is the first thing Ezra wants to do when he wakes in the morning and after a nap.

I just updated their "mug shots" to post on KSL for sale. Look how much they've grown in just two weeks! I'm hoping that since we're getting closer their eight week mark, we'll have more interest. Who wouldn't want a super cute puppy -- possibly with BLUE EYES -- for a steal of a price in this economy? In fact, Clover was the first to be spoken for. A sweet family in the Salt Lake area put a deposit down on her. She's the puppy I would keep if we chose to keep one! Good choice. I am simultaneously thrilled and relieved that she is going to a family who will undoubtedly love and spoil her.

In other news, I just bought Levi two new pairs of jeans... in March. Not my favorite thing to do when we're so close to spring, but it had to be done! A boy can't be wearing holes in his crotch to school. Also, Conrad had pink eye last week and Ezra had an ear infection. Thanks to a little medicine everyone is feeling better now, so we're all much happier.

3.14.2022

The puppies are four weeks old. Their eyes are open! They're nibbling on puppy food. They're walking, stumbling, sniffing, exploring, whining, napping, and playing. They are the cutest fluffiest bunch -- and though they pee everywhere -- have won my heart.

Four weeks old also means it's time to start thinking about procuring forever homes for these sweet balls of fur. I really hope we can find good families for these dogs. Each would make a fantastic indoor companion or hardworking cattle dog. Their DNA test came back. They are, of course, 50% Australian Shepherd. But they are also 26% Border Collie, 18% Australian Cattle dog, and 6% Super Mutt. In other words, these puppies are a classic and super cute Idaho Shag. Who wouldn't want them?!

Right now the puppies have free reign of the back porch and part of the lawn, but spend most of their time in their whelping box where there's a heating pad and a rotating set of dry fresh towels. Misty still nurses them. When I peer through my window, I notice the puppies seem to operate in waves all day long. Some hours they're all curled up together in the whelping box, fast asleep. Other hours, they're all over the place eating, exploring, walking through the dog dishes, falling off the porch steps, and wrestling one another.

3.01.2022

Conrad is a very articulate kid who never quits talking! It's as amusing and entertaining as it is frustrating being interrupted every few minutes. His immature high pitched voice is quite literally a stream of five year old consciousness. I never have to wonder what's going on in Conrad's head! I wish I was in a better habit of writing down what he says. So here is what Conrad said this month:

:: "Alexa is connected to the internet. But Mom, did you know that people are not connected to the internet? People are connected to Heavenly Father!" Melt my heart, Buddy.

:: "Do you know why potatoes make such good da-tectives? Because they always keep their eyes peeled!" "Why do ice cream cones carry umbrellas? Because there's always a chance of sprinkles!"

:: To ANYONE who would listen: "I won the no cavity club at the dentist office! Do you know how you don't get cavities? You brush your teeth. And floss. And you don't eat too much sugar. So I won the no cavity club! And you know what? They gave me ten dollars to Target. That means I can choose something that is ten dollars -- or less -- at Target!" He bought an electric top that was basically a flightless drone.

:: While climbing into bed, Bron noticed a light on in the house. I went to investigate and found Conrad watching TV at 11:15 PM, two and a half hours after he went to bed! The kid thought it was morning. Lol.

:: "When I'm a dad, I'm going to have three rules. One, no kids on the roof. Two, no kids driving a car. But then this is the good one. I'm going to have stairs in front of my front door. Then I'm going to open the door and get a sled and call my family. Then the kids will take turns going 'wheee!' 'whooosh!' down the stairs and out the door!" I think I know Conrad's favorite part of Home Alone now.

2.25.2022

^^Just a living teddy bear^^

We moved the puppies and their whelping box outside onto the back porch because Misty insists on being in and out of the house 29 times a day. But then the weather turned bitter cold, so I moved them back inside again. For now, the puppies are living in the kitchen all snuggled up on the dog bed... that I've already washed once. The ways these puppies sleep -- on their backs, upside down, dog piled under and over one another -- makes me laugh.

They're two weeks old and have just begun opening their eyes! I had no idea that all dogs' eyes are blue for the first few weeks. I hope a few of these puppies get to keep their blue eyes. The puppies are also starting to crawl. It really is the cutest thing watching them scoot their way across the floor.

Last but not least, we're getting to know these puppies well enough to name them! They each have little personalities already and distinct markings that set each apart. The whole family collaborated on the project. I cannot wait to share with you what names we chose. It was a lot of fun.

2.18.2022

Puppy fever! Our dog Misty gave birth to 9 puppies Wednesday night February 9th. Bron and I had just left the house to run into Kimberly when we got a phone call from the boys. "I found a puppy!" It was an exciting evening for all.

Misty birthed two puppies out on the back porch and the rest in the whelping box in the garage that Bron and the boys made. A few hours later we moved Misty and the puppies all inside to the office to keep them dry and warm and they've been there ever since! We did find what must have been a stillborn puppy in the hallway the next morning. It made us all sad.

It's been so fun and eye opening to watch Misty become a mother. She's a natural nurterer and becomes an anxious basket case if she's separated from her babies for more than a few minutes. I totally understand that. Nursing and keeping nine babies clean is a full time job! Misty hears their cries and comes running. I'm so proud of her. She's also very protective and doesn't like anyone taking the puppies away from the box.

Now that we're ten days in, Misty is ready to be outside; I think she's bored inside the house. It means she's in and out the door about 19 times every day, tracking dirt all through the kitchen. It's driving me a bit nuts, so we will probably move the whole box with the puppies out to the back porch where it's protected from the weather with a heating pad.

The puppies are so cute and sweet. I love hearing their little whines and purrs. They're also therapeutic to snuggle with! In fact, if I cannot find Ezra, there's a 90% chance he's visiting the puppies in their box. We're all anxiously awaiting the day the puppies open their eyes and become extra super cute!

For now, pictures from the puppies' first week on earth. A litter of puppies is a whole new experience for our entire family!

2.10.2022

I deceived myself going into the school year. With two boys in school full time, I thought I would be able to get some things done with just half my children at home during the day. How wrong I was! Two is still a handful. I'm currently in that phase of life where taking a shower is risky business. I can never be sure what messes and mischief await me when I step out! So at 12:45PM every afternoon when Conrad is at preschool and Ezra is down for a nap, I suddenly find myself hands free in a quiet house for 90 blissful minutes. I have a decision to make: Do I use that time to conquer a chore or do something for myself?

And therein lies my problem.

Fortunately, I am seasoned enough to know that this is just a phase; it will pass too quickly. So I grab my camera to document the mischief. I relish how their little hands feel in mine. I try to really listen to Conrad's high pitched voiced as he spews questions and ideas all day long that make me laugh. And I savor every time Ezra falls asleep in my arms... because someday I'll have enough time for both the chores and myself.

Right now, my time belongs to them.

This is Artifact Motherhood -- a project shared with other female artists who are documenting our journeys as mothers and creating memories for our children through our photographs and words.

Please visit the next wonderful artist CARLA MONGE to read her post in our blog circle.

*****

2.01.2022

About a week into the new year, I realized I'd taken a photo nearly every day. The thought of doing a 365 project (shooting a picture every day in 2022) crossed my mind, but that just felt like I was setting myself up for failure. So instead, I committed to shooting everyday through the month of January! It was harder than I thought, but it kept my mind occupied through one of the coldest winters we've had in quite a while. Of course, I wasn't perfect at it. I may have skipped a day or two. And other days, I couldn't possibly narrow it down to just one photo! So here is my little photo project, all summed up into one post.

Rainy day play. Also, see Thomas the Train, there? A certain child ran him through my hair the other day and I had to cut it to get the train out!

1.07.2022

We welcomed the New Year with so much snow, ice, and wind, that the boys had two extra days off from school to play! They went to school Monday (the roads were terrible) but then school was canceled Tuesday and Wednesday. They played hard outside both days doing what boys do best: making precarious sledding choices (i.e. running into a pile of logs or sage brush) and getting soaking wet. But I prefer that over dealing with their pent up obnoxious energy inside the house. There was also a lot of Nintendo those two days too.

While they played at the neighbor's house one afternoon, I strapped Ezra into the hiking backpack and we went snowshoeing down in Little Cottonwood Creek. I was the first to make tracks and thoroughly enjoyed watching the dogs bound through the snow ahead me. It was so quiet! Everything was blanketed in a soft thick layer of snow as snowflakes drifted down from the sky. A true winter wonderland! I often stopped to just listen to the birds and Ezra's soft breathing behind my ear; he was mesmerized too.

5.11.2021

These are my 9th annual (can you believe it?) day-in-the-life photos! I've been taking photos of one ordinary day in May every year since 2013. I still cherish those very first photos when Jed was just 3 years old and refer to those past blog posts often because so much changes in just one year!

So welcome to Wednesday May 5, 2021 -- our 14th anniversary! I chose our anniversary because, why not? I love my Honey Buns. But I also chose it because I've been taking the big boys to swim team every Monday and Wednesday since the beginning of February. It's become a part of our routine.

*****

Jed and Levi's alarm goes off at 6:50AM. They are the world's best kids at getting themselves up and ready for the school day. It makes me feel like the world's laziest mom, but hey, I give myself some credit for teaching them this kind of discipline. Lol. Levi comes out to the kitchen wrapped in a blanket to grab some breakfast while Jed hops in the shower. Then they switch.

I roll myself out of bed a few minutes after 7:00AM to come say good morning, make sure they've got their backpacks together, and most importantly, kiss them goodbye. The bus picks them up promptly at 7:30AM.

I've been trying to get myself into a morning exercise routine. Some days I don't fit it in til nap time, but on this particular morning, I'm able to fit in 20 minutes of kettlebells. Kettlebells have been helping to strengthen my back and core. I feel so much better after swinging some weight around, it's crazy!

It's also our anniversary, so I place a little card I've signed on the kitchen countertop next to some sushi I bought the day before; sushi is one of Bron's favorite food.

Then I help Conrad pour some cereal... from a box that he ripped open like an animal.

I can hear the baby has been fussing through the monitor for several minutes so I go to his room to greet him.

3.12.2021

One little monkey jumping on the bed. He jumped so hard, his pants fell down... and we both laughed about it!

Some things Conrad has said recently:

"Mom. Dad. I'm the coolest person in Kimberly."

"I'm not a baby anymore. My feet are big and they're STINKY!"

Grandma Kelley: "Ezra is getting so big!"

Conrad: "He's not big enough."

The cheese man is here! (The FedEx man brought us a monthly subscription for cheese last year. Now the FedEx man is known as the cheese man.)

"Mom, the boys shoot me, so I call them big dummies and then you take away their {nerf} guns."

While getting his hair cut, "I look like a clown!"

He throws my parenting tactics right back at me. "Mom! Stop moving your feet... I'm so proud of you."

3.10.2021

^^Ezra got through his nasty stomach bug with a lot of warm baths!^^

The stomach bug hit our family. It took down Ezra first. He threw up four nights straight! Poor baby. I slept (well, more like napped through the night) on a mattress in his room just so I could help him out. Then Jed came down with the bug on Monday. I picked him up from school and he slept on the couch for the majority of the afternoon. Finally, Levi threw up in the car on the way home from swim team. He said he felt fine... up until the moment he suddenly didn't. Fortunately, he threw up in a bag. Good boy! I was so relieved to find out that I didn't have to clean out the back of my car. So far, the rest of us have been lucky enough to avoid it. I'm crossing my fingers it stays that way. The even better news is that Jed and Levi are bulletproof. They bounced back quickly and are back in school.

Anyway, Monday was a day where I felt inspired to get out my camera a bunch. I love how much variety I can get just in a day -- even if it was a very imperfect, slightly derailed and messy day.

3.05.2021

5.19.2020

Wrapping up this pregnancy journey with one last belly picture. It feels bittersweet.

Because I make much bigger than average babies, the plan is to be induced this Friday at exactly 39 weeks. That's less than three days away!!! That is, if my body says it's ready.

I am so relieved to have an end date; something to count down to. These last couple of weeks have been a bit of a doozy physically. I have felt very tired and even nauseous. Poor kids. As if it was possible, life around here has gotten even more slow and boring! My ankles have become so swollen that I don't even recognize my own limbs! The only shoes I can wear are my flip flops. (Um, yes, that is why I cropped out my face in these pictures. You guys, I am a balloon.) And false labor contractions have kept me on my toes, wondering if they'll turn into the real thing. But nope; he's cozy in there.

Last Wednesday, I thought my water might have started leaking. My underwear was uncommonly wet and I was having mild painful contractions every 20 minutes or so. "Body," I thought, "what is going on?" I decided to err on the safe side and went in to the hospital to see my provider. Wow, things changed in a week! All of a sudden, new policies were in place that required everyone to wear a mask and more restrictive measures/signs were posted throughout the hospital. It felt a bit apocalyptic. Fortunately, the people behind those masks offered the same friendly service as always. Apparently, I had a common vaginal infection that just needed some cheap antibiotics to clear up. Eeew.

Anyway, exciting and miserable physical effects aside, I am so very grateful I got to experience the miracle of creating life within me one fourth and final time. What a privilege! I cannot believe this special time of my life -- the part where I'm pregnant and we grow our family -- is almost over. I will miss this belly. I will miss feeling the flutters and rolls and pressing my fingers against a tiny foot that moves in response. I keep trying to imagine what he will look like, but I know breathing him in for the first time will exceed all my expectations. There is nothing on earth quite like the exciting anticipation of new life and all of the joys and possibilities it brings along with it.

5.12.2020

Funny Faces!

I'm at that point in pregnancy where all I want to do is sit on the couch, eat ice cream, and cry. But Levi gave himself his first real dose of road rash from crashing on his bike today and needed a little distraction. This worked for all of us. It was so fun!

Our own twist on a trend I've seen on Instagram with Mickey Mouse eyes, Chewy eyes, and Jed's very own eyes.

4.30.2020

We are on week 7 of "quarantine" with plans to begin our gradual trek back to normalcy in phases beginning this weekend. Hip, hip, hooray! However, I have a feeling it's going to be a long time until life is truly normal again.

I can rattle off two positive personal outcomes from staying at home.

1. Conrad is officially poop trained now! He's such a stubborn turd. (Pun intended.) It only took him a solid year after being pee trained THROUGH THE NIGHT to accomplish the task. Believe me when I say I tried absolutely every tactic out there. I now keep a stash of potty treats in the pantry and eagerly give it out in handfuls.

2. I make the bed everyday. And since I make the bed everyday, I figured I'd better attach another habit to it: my morning prayer. I've never been able to make that a consistent habit... until now. It's amazing what impact a little prayer (and honestly a moment to meditate or reflect) has had on my life as a mother.

In other news, however, it feels like the outside world is preparing to rip itself apart. The economy is in ruin, the food supply chain has been severely disrupted, free speech through media outlets is being censored, and people are verbally and/or physically attacking each other in the name of social distancing. A political power struggle (remember, it's a presidential election year) seems to be running the world these days. It's very concerning.

SLIDER