Ah, the wonders of St. George. When President Hinckley came to visit us after the floods of 2005 he said, "This place is like a vampire. It's beautiful to look at, but it turns around and bites ya."

In all of the 5 and 1/2 years we have been here, the weather has never ceased to surprise us, except that we know that the blazing heat WILL scorch us throughout the summer. We had a the year of the flood, then the year of the fires, warm springs, cold springs, warm winters, cold winters and now a very windy spring... Weird!

Here are the boys in their coats, which I had put away for the summer...



Personally, I am loving it. It feels like Seattle. I would way rather be chilly in a jacket than sweating buckets with no way of cooling down.

Our favorite little friend had a birthday party at the park last night. McKay Miller is one now. We had so much fun that we think we will start crashing ALL their family functions.

Just look how cute his cake was!! My friend Mary Lynne is super talented, is she not?

And look how cute he is!! He has grown some since I posted pics of him a year ago.

My boys love McKay. Brennan calls him "Kay" and when I told him we were going to see him he said "Kay? Yay!" and clapped his hands. Kaeleb asked "How old is McKay turning?" I said "He will be one." He asked, "So is he going to start saying something?" I giggled.

Brenny is really getting into talking. Yesterday at breakfast he fell off his chair and wailed "Fall down! Bonk! Ear! Sad!" He said it over and over while Daddy held him. At the park last night he got "stuck" on a platform and couldn't find his way down. He said "Mom, me, down, here." That very nearly counts as a sentence, wouldn't you think?

Our Kaeleb is learning about bugs in Preschool. He told me all about how ladybugs open up their shells to let their wings out when they fly and how caterpillars eat and eat before they go into their chrysalis to change into a butterfly. I love hearing how much he is learning and watching his mind develop. Sometimes I can't figure out how any one person could grow and learn so much in 4 and 1/2 short years.

Kwint and I are happily busy. We are so thankful that the Lord led us down the TurningLeaf path. It hasn't been easy doing the private practice thing, but it has been so filled with blessings. We feel so good about the programs and watching people find hope. Obviously he gets to see more of that than I do, since he is there for 40 hours a week and I am there for two, but I am glad to make my little contribution and I love my clients.

Blogging away...

Has anyone who lives by me had a book made of your blogs? If so, I want to see them. I am contemplating making ours into books because I seem to have lost the "umph" for writing in a personal journal. I filled book after book from high school through my pregnancy with Kaeleb, but since I became a mother it has been hit and miss. Ironic, isn't it? The time in my life that I most want to remember is now, watching my children grow and discover this world... and I am too tired to write it down. I forgot yesterday already!

So, if I can at least get a blog out there once a week with a couple good stories, maybe it will do. I may not capture all the feelings of my heart, but maybe that is ok. I don't want to remember how tired I always am and how often I feel like I have no control over my own life or how irritated I was this morning when Kaeleb and Brennan were chasing each other around with toy shovels and plastic guns, screaming wildly (not play screams-- these were "I want to seriously, truly MAIM you because I can't stand the sight of you anymore" screams).... but I DO want to remember how cute they were playing at the park this morning.

We went early, because it is getting too hot for me already in the middle of the day. I am a wimp, I have accepted that. We were the only ones there. The birds were singing and the trees were so pretty in the early sun with the bright colors of their spring leaves. Kaeleb commented, "Wow Mom, isn't it so nice and peaceful?" I sat and watched them play, wishing it could last all day. But... I had to get a safety inspection on the car...

I also want to remember last night's FHE lesson, which was on being thankful. We asked Kaeleb what he was thankful for and the first thing he said was "I am thankful that Heavenly Father gave me Brenny and that he is so sweet."

Kaeleb is doing great. I registered him for Kindergarten last week and we attended the Kindergarten Round Up. I am glad we chose to register him. When they explained the assessment test they give I realized just how ready he is. The only thing he won't do yet is write his name in lower case letters. But we have all summer to work on it.

He got Lego Indiana Jones and is now as obsessed with it as he was with Star Wars. We do, of course, limit his play time and he only plays with Kwint on certain days, but when he pretends during the day, he runs around the house with Luke, Ben, and Indiana now. Bad guys don't make it far here.

Bren is talking like crazy. We are starting to realize that he is not a baby anymore. I asked him last week, "Are you a baby or a big boy?" He smiled and patted his chest, saying "Beeg bow!" However, when he wanted a bottle (I am trying to wean him)I told him that bottles are for babies. "I thought you were a big boy." I said. He patted his chest and said "Baby!"

He tries out every word he hears. In fact, today I was trying unsuccessfully to clip a silk flower stem which was super thick. I said "What the heck is this flower made of, anyway?" I left the room but heard Brenny behind me saying "Heck! Heck! Heck!" Nothing gets past these little guys. It is a good thing I don't swear.

I am glad that he is communicating better. Now when he throws a fit it's not just incomprehensible screaming, he screams real things. For example, last night, when I pulled him in the house after helping Daddy wash the cars. I was going to give the soaked kids a warmer shower, and he protested, "NO! NO PANTS! AH WANNA WASH! AH WANT CAR! NO BATH! NO PANTS! DADDY! AH WANT DADDY!" It is easier when we can talk things through.

My days are full of much to remember and I won't remember much of it, but hopefully I will remember the important stuff.

Happy Easter

Here is a bit of Easter Fun Footage!

Watercolors and new coloring books

Hunting for eggs

Baskets o' fun

Dippin' eggs

My little Bunny, who by the way was much too smart to buy the whole "Ginormous Bunny brings me candy" bit. I had to 'fess up, but he played along anyway.


We have 9 am church, so we waited until after to do the hunting. As you can see, they were stoked about their stuff and way too excited to eat (anything besides candy) or take a nap today. Not so fun for us.

Easter has always been my favorite holiday because Spring feels so happy. This spring, especially has been nice. By some random act of God it has been so nice and cool this year. Usually it is in the 80's by now but has hung around 70 for the last 3 months. LOVIN' IT. We have been hiking like crazy and playing at the park, blowing bubbles, sidewalk chalk, etc.

We have been busy as usual. Kwint is super busy at TurningLeaf and working on our website. He gets really excited about watching it grow and loves his work.

I am revising the workbook, but it is coming along really slowly. I love doing the group on Tuesday nights. Right now I am doing a teen group and I love it. They have so much left to do and if they can conquer their "stuff" now it will make a world of difference. It also makes me feel young again. :-)

Kaeleb had his kindergarten physical. He has more than perfect vision. When he did the exam he said the picture of the plus sign was a jack. I thought it was funny. He wasn't so hip on the shots, but he was very brave and got an ice cream cone out of it.

Brennan is currently going bananas and taking us all with him. He is talking up a storm, though he didn't show off much in the video. The other day after breakfast he looked at the floor and said "Ah made ah mess!" Indeed, he did. We watched "Bolt" two nights ago and he loved it. He said "Dog fast!" My favorite word he says is elbow. He now tells me which body part he hurts when he falls or bumps something. If he hits his elbow he cries "bonk bol-bo!" I often hear "Bonk head!" and "Bonk knee" as well. He calls Kaeleb "Buh-da" (brother) or "bell-o" (somehow that is Kaeleb) and he loves to say "Huh Mackow!" (Holy Mackerol)

Happy Easter to all, we love you!!

All in a Day's Work...

You all gave me so much good advice about Kaeleb (we are sending him, by the way.) that I decided to see what you think about this one....

(actually, I am just venting)

Does anyone else have a kid like Brennan? If so, I would like to hear your survival techniques.

Just today, since breakfast, Brennan has, in chronological order:
-Dumped a plate of waffles on the floor
-Hit his brother over the head with a baseball and toy sword
-Crumbled a granola bar all over the living room floor
-Threw a whole plate of spaghetti (with one calculated inch width distance between noodles)across the entire dining room
-Wrote all over his hands with marker (but at least not the walls this time)
-Threw several fits about random things
-Dumped a can of mandarin oranges on the kitchen floor (still sticky)
-Smashed banana bread (butter side down)on top of his head
-Sprayed Windex through the hallway
-Emptied a garbage can (at least it was the small one in the laundry room)
-Dumped a laundry basket of clean clothes
-Put a sock in the FISH TANK and splashed FISH WATER all over Kaeleb's room
-Cracked an EGG-- yes, a raw one-- on my very absorbent COUCH
AND
-got his head stuck in my desk chair as I wrote this.

Yes, all in a day's work my friends... but it's only 6pm... the night is young.

When all is said and done, though, I look at his sneaky little grin and all I can do is love him. I have never stayed mad at him longer than it took me to look into his eyes.

Speaking of Kaeleb...

I need your help. I am notoriously indecisive and we have a big decision.

Kaeleb, as you know will be turning 5 in August. We have spent the last few months trying to decide whether to send him to Kindergarten or wait another year until he is 6. We prayed and fasted and prayed some more and had decided to wait. I registered him for another year at preschool. It kept gnawing at me and I couldn't find any peace, so I told Kwint I thought the Spirit was prompting me to send him.

So, we decided to send him this fall, I am planning to register him next week at Sunset Elementary, but I STILL don't feel at peace. I think the Lord would support either decision and wants us to choose. I always like it better when He spells things out in the sky for me and gives definite, clear, big answers. I am going bananas with the choice and I am so irritated at myself that I am coming to ask for advice. Kwint is just hanging out, waiting until he has a stronger opinion one way or the other, but I am WAY over thinking it.

Many of you have cast your vote already, I have heard some "send him now"s, some "wait"s. There are many pros and cons for both sides and you are all right. Let me list my reasons for both sides and if you have an opinion, I would love to hear it. We are not looking for anyone to choose for us, but if you were in Kaeleb's boat or have a summer child you sent or didn't send, tell us your story.

Why I want to wait until he's 6:
-He is short (I know it's vain, but it makes a difference to a little boy)He allows himself to be bullied and if he is bigger it may make a difference. When kids are mean he feels confused because he would never act that way.
-Most parents in St. George hold their summer boys back because of the advantage in sports. If we send him now he will be a whole year younger than some of the boys in his class and it doesn't seem fair.
-He has separation anxiety anyway, and maybe another year will help him be more ready to leave Mama for school.
-He has a tendency to wander and get lost (I know there are fences, but school is a big place for a little boy).
-I don't want him to be the last one of all his friends to get his two front teeth, get baptized, get the priesthood, date, drive and go on a mission.
-He tends to be a follower and if all the kids are older and bossier it will make it easier for him to follow.
-If he goes this fall that will put Brennan 4 years behind him in school because Bren's b-day is two weeks after the deadline. (Sept 14) I feel like it will throw off the "family dynamic." I know I am weird.

Why I want to send him when he's 5:
-He is academically ready. He knows all his letters, several sight words and is starting to sound things out. He can count to 100 and add any equation up to the sum of 12. He at least tries to write all the letters and most are at least almost legible.
-He communicates better than most teens. (Of course, that may be true for all 5 year olds...but he is pretty mature verbally.)
-I love and he loves all his friends in his class at preschool and church.

The list for waiting is longer, but the sending reasons are important. How the heck am I supposed to make this choice? It could really change his whole future. (I am also over dramatic, I understand that.)

Either way he will probably be happy as a clam, and either way he could end up blaming us for ruining his childhood. One of Kwint's colleagues, Dean Nixon said to me, "Every other parent has messed up their kid at least a little- they've all got problems- why should your kid be special?"

We all make mistakes with our kids, but ultimately, if we love them wholeheartedly and do our best, they will be just fine. We just need to choose and let it go.