Other June events - somehow life was still going on

 June is Kate's Birthday.  Here is her Monster High Party.  I didn't even know what that was, so we had to learn quickly.  It ended up being really fun to plan.  We got to do Halloween things in the summer!

I am starting to get a little weird on my little Kate.  I was fine with her 6 year old status, but the turning 7 years old is just too old.  I am very sad that my sweet little one is growing up.  I know I should be happy for her, but I am sad for what that change means for me.  She really is turning into a fine young lady.  I just have to learn how to let go.


One of six posters we created

School got out late this year, and on the first day of summer vacation, we got word that my mom had passed away.  That changed many of our plans.  While I flew to Texas, the rest of the family went on the Iverson Family vacation without me.  They stayed with all of their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents in a cabin in the mountains of the St. George area.  The pictures make it look like a wonderful time.  They were so excited to play with their cousins all day (and night I am told).

Chad somehow survived being Mr. Mom.  Grandpa caught him sleeping on the job, however.  How cute is that!  My two boys needing a little shuteye together :)


 The kids are learning how to make dinners this summer.  Each one has  a night of the week, and they do ALL the work.  I am just a consultant.  Here is a sample of Carson's Greek Pita he created for all of us.  They were very yummy.  This is true joy for a mom.  Teaching the children something important, having a positive result to show for our effort, and excitement on their part for what they created.  Very good times.  I plan on putting the picture together with a recipe card so they can remember what they have made.

 The Wasatch Back (Ragnar!).  I ran this race again, Here are the members of our van at the top of Guardsman pass.  I am the one currently running (in the pink shirt), so as soon as this picture was taken, I took off running down the mountain for 7 miles.  What a crazy thing we do every year! 

Audrey tried out and made a competition soccer team (Go Chaos!).  She practiced though out June, and had her first games at a tournament this last weekend in June.  She played so tough, we are so proud of her.  Despite never playing goalie before, she got the tough job 1/2 of each of the 4 games of the tourney.  I couldn't believe how well she did.  It was a little miracle.  We are loving to see the growth in her.  Not just in soccer skills, but she is maturing into a woman with goals who is willing to work hard and even suffer a little for longer term rewards.  That is very fulfilling to see.

And yes, the last few days of the month of June, it finally felt like our summer vacation could begin.  We went swimming at 7 peaks!  The poor kids have been dying to go, but doing laundry and packing occupied most of the days we were home this month.  It was a relief to just spend time with the kids at last.  We put together a fun calendar for July and August.  Now we are excited to just get at the fun of summer.

 

Saying Goodbye to my Mom

Although a lot of really fun things happened in June, I will always remember it as the month I had to say goodbye to my mom.  I didn't really believe it was the end.  I even made her promise that she would stick around so the kids and I could come visit her in July.  Still, her 6 month battle with cancer was at a sudden end.  We should feel blessed she went so quickly, though my selfish side still wanted a little more time.  I should instead feel blessed that she was able to talk and converse with me on the phone so often, even on the last day of her life.  I know she loved us.  I am glad she is in a better place, now.  She will be missed.  I love you, mom.

May Is An Adventure

First of all, I just have to say, I love recital day!  Here is my beautiful dancer, Kate.  We have so much fun doing her hair and getting her sparkly for the show.  Seeing her dance reminds me of why I used to love dance so much.  Kate is my sweet little girl.

Our Memorial Day Weekend Adventure.  The Iversons discover Canyoneering in the Subway at Zions National Park.  It is so beautiful there, and we were so lucky to be 6 of the 80 people that visited there that day.  Chad got really lucky in scoring us a permit.  This was not only a highlight of our trip, and month, it is a highlight of my life.  My little hikers did amazing, and the view was worth it!



Here we are at the mouth of the subway.



The sweet curving canyon sides by the waterfalls.

Loving the slot canyons in here.

April Showers - Excited for the May Flowers

The flowers are growing in my window sill.  We only have a week or two left before they can move outside to the flower gardens.  I am thinking that the tomatoes we have grown from seed might even have a flower or two before they move outside.  Growing these plants and nurturing them through the winter is always a reminder that summer is on its way.

This month has been very fun.  Chad and I had a trip to San Diego for his school board conference.  We have had soccer start for the girls.  And, the most fun of all, Carson's birthday party! 
He had a very creative theme - again!  We did "Stuck in the Super Mario Brothers Video Game".  We had the boys do tasks and collect coins.  They had to manage their lives (decorated clothespins) so they didn't have to start over.  Oh, and by the way, each level gets harder and harder.  Very fun for us all.

I can't believe that he is 9 years old!  It has taken a bit to get used to that big number.  We love this sweet boy.

It's Beautiful Outside - March Brings New Beginnings

 It has been nice to finally have winter ending.  It seemed impossible at the beginning of March that nice weather was really on it's way.  But, we have had a few nice weekends and a beautiful spring break.  We are very fortunate. 

We took the kids skiing, one last time at the beginning of March, but our hearts were more into getting out and playing.  Here we are the following weekend playing capture the flag at Draper Park.

 Last weekend was had more snow, so we played volleyball indoors, which was great.  But then the warm up happened and we really enjoyed the last week.  It was our spring break.  We played outside, got the garden started, went on a 10 mile bike ride on the Jordan River Trail with the entire family, and visited Antelope Island with Grandma and Grandpa Iverson.  It has been fun.  Here are the kids playing at the beach.  It is so fun to watch them.  It is nice to be out!

 The Easter festivities were great this year.  We had Easter egg decorating, Easter crafts, Draper City egg hunt, Grandma's Easter Party (our family FAVORITE), and the annual Easter Bunny visit.  The kids get so excited.  It is so fun.  

But, more importantly, it has been fun to do the 12 days of Easter that Grandma made for us last year.  The kids have fun opening the egg, remembering about Jesus and reading the scripture together as a family.  I think it has been wonderful helping us remember the wonder of the Resurrection.  Kate also had a talk in church today about the Resurrection.  It was special to work with her in preparing.  I think she learned a lot, and was able to share her testimony with the primary. 

 

We are grateful to new beginnings.  New spring, warm weather.  The new beginnings we continually need, and receive through the atonement.  The new beginnings we will have when our loved ones are resurrected.  We are so blessed by our Savior.

Escaping to a little Red Rock Heaven

 

The cold weather and snow has taken it's toll on spirits in our household.  We have not been outside as much as usual, and the kids are becoming X-Box zombies.  Chad fondly remembers winter excursions to St. George, and planned our family a little respite.  We went over Presidents' Day Weekend, with most of Northern Utah.  The weather was amazing.  We hiked, biked, explored and were outside in sunny, warm weather for 4 straight days!  What a wonderful break from the snow that continues to descend on our home in Draper.  My favorite activity was mountain biking with the kids on red dirt trails for hours.  EVERYONE loved it!  Graham even put up with it in the baby trailer, eating dirt from Chad's bike.  It is so fun to look back on these pictures and see the brilliant red rock and remember the sunny warmth.

In January, Chad and I hosted the school spelling bee.  Our Children worked hard to be ready for the bee.  Audrey just missed being in the top three (4th place) of the 4 - 6th grades.  Carson had a repeat performance of 1st place of the 1 - 3rd grade.  It is fun to see them work hard for something.  We are proud of these amazing people.

Wow!!  Our little baby turned three.  I guess he is not a baby anymore.  We just love having this smart little guy in our family.  He keeps us smiling all day long.  He LOVES garbage and trucks.  He plays with trains and Play dough.  He follows me around and loves to help me fix things and clean things.  He plays well with his friends, and they are starting to be a very good thing for mom as well.

Anyway - we are welcoming March and hoping for more cheerful weather!

Celebrating the 2012 Holidays

 Our Thanksgiving this year was unexpectedly just our family.  Graham had the croup (for the second time, some of us missed the family Halloween party as well!).  We didn't want to spread germs to our cute cousin friends, so we stayed home and made do with just us.  It was actually pretty fun.  We had most of the usual fixings, but it felt like we were playing hookie from the chaos and elaborate affair that Thanksgiving usually is.  It was fun to spend time with our favorite small people, who might have gone a little un-noticed in a larger family crowd.

 I made a sudden trip to Texas the second week of December.  I got a phone call that my mom was dying and to hurry.  I got a flight and flew down with my sister and uncle, leaving the rest of the family behind.  It was really hard to leave my little kids (and Chad!), but I was so glad to be with my family - I don't spend enough time with them!  My mom was bleeding to death from stomach cancer she didn't know she had.  There wasn't anything the doctors were able to do to stop the bleeding, but it decreased on it's own until it was manageable.  Then she had the hard road of stabilizing her electrolytes and getting new blood.  Miracle after miracle, but she did stabilize, and now she is living to receive the radiation and chemotherapy which will keep her alive and with us for a little longer.  I have felt pretty confident that she will be with us for a while.  She just got the news that her stage 4 stomach cancer which we knew had already spread to her esophagus and liver, also has 4 bone cancer spots and enumerable lung cancer spots.  But, treatment is the same, and she is responding very well so far.

 Christmas was wonderful.  We have some very fun traditions, and it always includes a comical nativity rendition.  This year, the baby dragon was a cute touch.  Graham wanted a costume as well, and what story is complete without a dragon?  Anyway, the season is always special, and it is a joy to participate with our children in their excitement.

A little Christmas mayhem.  It is always the funnest time to open presents.  Some of the sweetest moments have been watching the children open presents from each other.  We are so blessed, I want to always remember these special years.