Making Memories in the Rain

As the summer ran on, we quickly realized that we were missing it. We had dreams of doing all sorts of family fun, but in the joy of sleeping in, lack of schedules and sunny days, we forgot. So we planned a quicky family get away camping at beautiful flowing lake for the week before school started. We planned delicious camp food, packed up our two tents, tarps, and my dad's row boat and off we went. We had reservations at one of the best sites in the area. We were all so excited! Then the rain began to fall. We bundled up and read books in the tent. Then the rain began to pour from the sky like heaven's ocean was emptying on top of us. Matt kept saying that this was how memories were made. We spent that first very long day huddled under the tarp, trying to cook food on a fire that only flickered. Matt used his inventing skills to rig up a special contraption that kept the fire somewhat sheltered from the rain with tin foil, sticks and ropes. It's the only reason we had a fire at all! Only Lucy and Alex were brave enough to stay out, under the tarp, with Daddy. The rest of us hid in our sleeping bags and played games. It was crazy! That night, though we didn't think it was possible, the rain fell even harder. It fell like a hurricane storm! We all tossed and turned listening to it ROAR outside and the waterfall falling in continual torrents off our tarp. Moving everyone away from the sides of our tent, we finely fell asleep muttering prayers that we wouldn't all wash away. You are probably wondering why we even stayed. The problem was that we REALLY wanted this family vacation. And Matt and I are super resilient. We will push through alot before we are willing to give something up. Well, the Lord really blessed us. All of us shouted for joy when the sun shone through the trees the second morning!
The kids kept taking pictures and pointing out how the sun made beams of light through the trees. It was truly beautiful! While Matt and I hung everything out to dry and mopped up puddles in the tent, the kids played hide and seek in the forest around us. I'd run out in the trees occasionally to help Lucy find a good spot while she called out, "here I am!"... completely defeating the purpose of my great hiding spot. The kids found a trail in the woods and we pulled Matt away from wringing things out. We followed the trail to all sorts of amazing finds. Like a whole tree blown over in the storm. And another whole tree will all the pine cones blown right off in huge mounds of pine cones. The kids were excited to take them all home. Apparently, kids collect them at their school and they had the idea to sell this jackpot of pine cones at recess!
We found a beautiful place for a picture and set up the camera. Say, "sunshine!!!!" everyone! Later, we all took a break from nature and went to the state fair. We got back to the campsite full of junk, free shows and rides. That night we sat around the fire and read a "pick your own adventure" together. It's one of those books that tell a story, then come to a choice. Depending on the choice you make, it tells you to go to a certain page number, where it continues the story. The first time through, the kids picked all the wisest choices and we ended the book happily with no untimely deaths! After that we all picked random stupid choices and enjoyed all the funny ways we died or somehow lucked out. It was a lot of fun!
The next day we went out on the lake with Dad's boat and rowed for hours! Matt and I house hunted (dream houses) all the lovely vacation homes around the lake and the kids looked for fish, frogs and took turns joining in our dream house hunt. Some of the houses had elaborate kid areas which were pretty awesome! It was so peaceful rowing through the quiet lake with the sun shining on the water. We had the lake mostly to ourselves. After we rowed around for a while, we parked the boat at the beach and played for a while. Matt and Lili fished while Lucy, David, Alex and I played in the water. Later we all joined Matt and Lili out on a rock in the lake. We got pretty wet each time the waves hit us and we had more fun laughing and trying to all balance on the rock. I'm sure we scared all the fish away, if there were any. In the end it all lived up to Matt's assertion that this was how memories are made. It was a wonderful way to finish up the summer!

Girls Night

Lili and I went out and had a blast together. It was the first time in a long time that we'd been together alone (we got a babysitter for Lucy Ann and the boys went to conference). We got our toes painted and even got matching flowers. Lili told me all about the movie "How to train your dragon". She'd seen it at a birthday party and was very excited about it. After hearing all about it, we desided to go see it again. It was alot of fun and Lili exclaimed that we really ought to do this more often. I agree! When we got home, Lucy Ann saw our flowers and fell in love. She brought me the polish and Lili and I tried to figure out how to do it ourselves. So Lucy got in on the fun with little flowers on her toes too! It sure is fun being a girl. :)

Christmas Pictures

Well, It's been too long! We are all having a busy but wonderful time this Christmas. I'm still tap dancing and loving it. I've also taken to running and am training for my first 5k. Matt's work is keeping him busy as his group keeps growing and tracking down all those scary pirates worldwide. :) Alex is progressing in school and just made a topographical map cake in the shape of washington with all the cities, rivers, mountains, volcanoes, dams and regions on it.
He got the highest score possible, which is hard to achieve in our school system. He had fun making it and also eating it with his classmates! He also just performed a Christmas song on the piano for Primary sharing time. He did really well. We're proud of how accomplished he is becoming on the piano! He is starting the simplified hymns book now and we look forward to him being able to play hymns for us. His current passion is Pokemon. He can tell you what a hundred different Pokemon do are what they are decended from, thier powers and weaknesses etc.

Lili is in gymnastics and is loving it! She announced to me today that she can stand on her hands for 10 seconds without falling now. Handstands used to be something she struggled with. She is a determined little gymnast. I love to watch her work hard at something that she wants. She seems to already know that if she isn't good at something, she can just work on it and she will get much better. She doesn't get discouraged easily! She is also very creative and artistic. Her pictures and love notes are all over the house. She often ropes in her brothers, sisters and cat (Elinor) for her artistic creations. Here she is adjusting the costume she made Lucy!



David is loving Kindergarten, which did take an adjustment. His favorite thing is all the friends he's made. He's quite a social bug! Every day he buzzes through his homework and asks " Can I have a playdate?" In fact, they are usually the first thing out of his mouth when he steps off the bus! Just so I would have an excuse to spend SOME time with my little buddy, we had to come up with a rule. No playdates two days in a row. Whew! Now I get a spot in his little appointment book of playdates! I sure love the guy. He entertains me with his stories and opinions and I tell him mine. He is a good listener as well as a talker and we enjoy our conversations.
Lucy Ann is our personality! Matt likes to burst into the song, "She's got personality" at random times when Lucy Ann is being silly. This Thanksgiving she stole my camera and ran around getting silly shots of people. She did a great job of getting people to loosen up and the shots are priceless! We love playing with her. She loves tickle fights, telling "secrets" that end up blowing your ear, and playing with Alex. She has the funnest giggle!

It's all over... whew!

Today is the last day of school and boy have we been busy! Running here and there. Staying up way past bedime finishing things up. End of year projects, end of year recitals, and lots of activities! But it's all over now, at least for now. And we are just resting... at least until next week when our first summer trip begins.

Happy Birthday Alex!

Alex's party was a blast. I figured out how to use Microsoft Publisher and made those invites above becuase Webkinz doesn't make any! I made a Wheel of Wow, we broke geodes, and played balloon darts (while I was praying no one left the pary without an eye). Each game earned them Webkinz Cash or Kinzcash as the kids would correct me. The person with the most in the end won a real webkinz. It made me feel good when Alex told me that he loves my parties. That is what makes it all worthwhile! We saved all the stuff because Lili wants a Webkinz party too. We'll be having her party a little late, during the summer (the schedule picked up so fast that we had to keep rescheduling her party).

The Flowers in my Garden...

I heard someone once compare their children to flowers in their garden. All my flowers are starting to bloom! I'm afraid this causes more excitement in me than is even remotely cool. But then, I stopped caring about being "cool" years ago anyway. :) Another one of my amature hobbies is photography. I love capturing a beautiful plant or moment forever! Well, I went outside to take some pictures of my beloved flowers and found something even better. My Alex and Lucy were playing together and interacting so sweetly! I was blessed to be able to capture it.

And it beats any flower, any day!

I also watch Alex growing each day and I can't believe how lucky I was to have him for my firstborn. What a sweet son and brother he is! I love his thoughtful, kind, and fun personality. He often sits and has very mature conversations about things with me. Or very funny ones. He is quiet about his life and feelings unless you take the time to talk with him. But it is always a treat. I've always loved him. But I was also always afraid of what it'd be like as my children got older. I find that I really like Alex even more each day.

10 years of Matt + Belinda <3

Hi All - it is me Matt. Belinda and I are having a great time having our 10th Anniversary at Disneyland! Here are some pictures.

Picture to right: Belinda and I eating at the Blue Bayou. :) One of my all time favorite rides is the Pirate one. We made reservations to eat at the Blue Bayou the first night. It was fun because we got to sit right by the water. People going by on their boats made all sorts of interesting noises and of course stared. It felt pretty weird, like we were part of the ride for them or something! One obnoxious guy started singing this crazy perverted song nice and loud as he floated by. Matt and I had a lot of fun from then on scheming about what we could throw at people like him without getting caught. In the end, after alot of laughing and failed attempts, we decided we didn't want to get kicked out of Disneyland on our first day. But maybe we'd come back on our last day here? :)

Picture to Right: Belinda and I at Sleeping Beauty's Castle:

On our first date, Matt pulled me into the hall to teach me how to waltz. He started singing softly the waltz from Sleeping Beauty, as he taught me the steps and spinned me around, " I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar to me... And if I know you, I know what you'll do. You'll love me, at once. The way you did once, upon a dream"!

Of course, it was all in fun, and he wasn't pretending to mean any of it. But my romantic heart melted at once. Before and after that dance was so magical! It was, quite simply, the most fun I'd ever had on a date. Some say soul mates don't exist, but things moved so fast for us for a reason. From our first date we both knew something really special had happened. Maybe we did know each other once upon a dream!

As Matt and I passed the carousel, it was playing our waltz. Matt twirled me around and around and I felt a bit dreamy all over again!

Picture to Right: Belinda and I on the Steamboat

What a trip! We had so much fun running around to rides, shows and restaurants that I even got blisters on my feet the first day. We stopped at the Steamboat for a nice moment of relaxation! Unfortunately, there were no seats left, so we were left standing. Oh, well! It was a nice view anyway.

It was quite an emotional roller coaster preparing to leave my kids for a whole week. But in the end the kids loved being at their Grandparents and Lucy loved Rose and Kyan. And somehow we were able to relax and let it all go after leaving. Once there, Matt and I joyfully remembered what it's like to date again... for more than a few hours each Friday. At first it almost felt odd, having that much time together. But I can't tell you how wonderful it felt to spend almost a week alone with my best friend. And to remember all the reasons we fell in love, even before we had 4 beautiful kids.

Happy 10th, Matt!!

-Matt and Belinda