Still here

I am having a hard time keeping up to date with the blog this summer. I've actually created a few posts, but haven't managed to get the pictures on it, so I'm holding off on posing. Hopefully I can rectify that tonight.

We've had a busy summer, and have a few more busy weeks to go. Justin has been out of town for three weeks of it so far, and two more weeks to go later next month. Hyrum has learned how to say "Dad's in Michigan, Chicago, and Washington D.C." and will soon learn Rhode Island. He seems pretty sad, missing his dad, especially after the first few days.

We've already been camping once-with TWO kids- so far this summer. Last weekend was Denise's family reunion at Fremont State Park. It was a really nice group camp ground (flush bathrooms and even showers), but pretty hot without a lot of tree's. We played in a nearby lake, went on a few walks/hikes , ate good food, and hung out with family. It was just one night, and the kids did okay. Hyrum had a hard time falling asleep at night, but it was nice to have an air conditioned trailer for naps on Saturday. We have the ward campout this weekend, and a whole week of festivities for Midvale that Justin's involved in the following week.

The kids are growing up so fast. Kate is so big and way too close to crawling for my liking. She sits on her own for the most part and can roll around the living room before I have time to put the groceries away. She'll get up on her knees and rock back and fo

rth all of the time -I have a feeling she'll be crawling before the summer is over.Hyrum is kind of at a standstill on toilet training. That's really our constant obsession these days. We're not doing too bad, but there's definitely room for improvement. In other area's he is sure maturing. It's been fun to watch as he starts to become more imaginative in his play. He seems to have entire conversations with family, friends, and even neighbors on the phone. He plays with his toys and talks them, and they talk to each other. He is still great with his letters and numbers and we're starting to color a lot more.

I'm heading up to girls camp (just for one day) this week and by the time I get back, we'll have a friend from Brazil staying with us for a while, so I imagine we'll do the tourist thing in our own backyard again, which is always pretty fun.

Independence Day

I guess it's not surprising that these kind of holidays (like Veterens Day) have taken on a different meaning to me since Justin joined the Navy. It's been almost a year since we found out his application was accepted and about 7 months or so since he was commissioned as an officer in the Navy Reserves.

As far as impacting our family life, it's only cost as a few weekends and one full week without our dad and husband. His first full two weeks is later next month. Justin missed Kate rolling over for the first time (although it was Monday night, so he would have been teaching even if he had been in town), but it did get me thinking of the things he'll miss when he is deployed.

I have obviously become very aware of the men and women who are full time military, at any part of their life. What they've sacrificed to serve their country, and especially what their families have had to sacrifice. I won't lie, I was not and am still not overly excited about the prospect of deployment, but I do take some comfort in the fact that Justin's position will most likely never take him close to any war front or even close to it.

The other day in church someone was bearing their testimony (I honestly don't remember who) and they used the phrase, "this country that God gave us". I don't want to diminish the fact that we are living in a land that I DO believe was set aside by our Heavenly Father to be a nation that would afford it's citizens certain freedoms. Many of which made the restoration of the Gospel a possibility. But I think it's equally important to remember that it didn't come to 'us' without a fight. And at great cost to many generations and families.

I don't claim any special privilege because my husband is in the reserves, (except for maybe the occasional chance to purchase groceries without sales tax or get 10% off at some restaurants and stores). I'm fully aware that we have yet to sacrifice much for our country, but it's coming. I think that's why I had such a hard time these two weeks Justin's been out of time, because I could only think of the time he'll be away from our family for deployments over the next few (or twenty) years.

So, to all of those that have sacrificed and will continue to sacrifice for the defense of our freedoms and those that come to the aid of others who cannot defend themselves, thank you. And thanks to your families that have had to learn to say goodbye to loved ones time and time again.

Summer is here (finally)

We've had a very wet and pretty cool summer up until the last couple of weeks. Which is good news for most of Utah, since we had a SUPER wet winter, and if it had been any warmer any sooner a lot more area's would have been flooded.


Justin and Hyrum went fishing (on a boat) with Justin's dad. I guess Hyrum just loved it, and he caught more than anyone else. They were catching (and releasing) catfish, or as Hyrum called them, sea monsters.




Grandma and Grandpa Lafeen bought a new toy...


That's all that kids needs -more speed!

Dinner, a sprinkler and a few sparklers at the Flints (Jodi and Trevor's house).



And a quick nap with Big Matt.
Trying to get a picture before church this week. It didn't work out so well.

A trip to the zoo with the Lafeens. We had a lot of fun -but it was sure a hot day!




Touching a snake. Hyrum also got to touch a tortoise.

We've been to the pool once, and to Liberty Park's splash pad and park.

A quick trip to Wheeler Park. We forgot our stale bread, and it was REALLY hot here too.

Poor Kate has all of her pictures in the stroller!

Hyrum and Elijah hanging out the the outhouse. Boys.
Elijah, Noah, and Hyrum.

We went to the Hill Aerospace Museum with Grandma Hardcastle.


Hyrum just loved the airplanes (Jeremy's) and Helicopters (Harold's).

Countless hours playing outside. In the dirt. With the water. Eating snacks. It's kind of annoying, since our little backyard is not gated, I have to open the door and stay in the kitchen to keep an eye on Hyrum. But, he'd stay out there all day if I let him.


A few other places that I don't have pictures of -trips to the library, a canyon breakfast with the Goughs, and I think Justin and Hyrum are headed to his first neighborhood firework display. Kate and I will be content to stay home and listen to all of the loud booms from our house.

Single Mom

I've been a single mom for a few days here and there, I think for a full week once or twice. This time Justin is gone for 8 days, come's home for about 36 hours and then leaves for another 5 days. I suppose it's just practice. There will be a few more week long absences (probably more than we were originally planning on) this year, and a full two weeks in August.

Between his actual job (the one that pays the mortgage and provides insurance -that's how I distinguish between the jobs) and the Navy, he's gone a lot this summer.

I've made a few observations.

It is not natural to be a single parent. I guess somebody knew what they were talking about when it was designed for us to come down here to two parents and live in a family.

I HATE going to the grocery store with two kids.

It's important to get out of the house every day. Sometimes twice. Sometimes more than that.

It's a pain leaving the house with two kids.

Those women and families that have career military husbands have my admiration, sympathy, and condolences. (I just finished a great book called "You know when the men are gone" by Siobhan Fallon which was an amazing look into their lives, if any of you are interested).

I may have picked a bad time to let Kate 'cry it out'. She learned how to roll over, so I don't think I should swaddle her anymore when she goes down. She's struggling.

I'm amazed at how easy this week as been in many aspects.

I fell off the wagon with my diet. Pretty hard. Even harder because there's no one else at home who notices. Hyrum really hasn't complained about the cookies.

I'd like to go on vacation. Where's my HR/transportation department where I put in MY travel arrangements? One day at girls camp isn't going to cut it.

Family photo's (finally)

You'd never know if from the final results, but my kids were so ornery, I couldn't believe she got a few shots with all the toddlers looking in the same direction, and Hyrum spent most of the evening crying.

Just another reason why Terra from Magnifique Photography is amazing -and worth every penny!

Lack of posts

No laptop=No blogging.

My laptop crapped out on us a few weeks ago. We're lucky that we have another (several) computers in Justin's office. The only thing is, I don't really like coming down to Justin's office. I can't come down here during the day (he's working) and by the time the kids are asleep and I've picked up 60% of the messes we've made throughout the day, the last think I want to do is come down here.

And when I do, it's because I have a bit of work to do. By the time that is done, I just want to go to bed. So, pictures are not being uploaded (including our AWESOME family ones we just did -look for those this weekend), blog updates are not getting done, and emails are only being answered by my iPhone (thank goodness for that!).

I should be up and running sometime next week, so hopefully I'll be back to posting and checking private blogs that don't come up in Google Reader (another thing I'm grateful for the iPhone for).

Isn't technology great?

Not my typical post

This one is probably just for me. I don't think they'll be pictures (since I can't get the CD thing to open on Justin's computer to upload all of our AWESOME family pictures -that post will come soon, I hope). I've just had some ramblings going on in my head this weekend, and for some reason, want to write about it.

Two things sort of happened in the last few days that were related.

The first was visiting my esthetican. This is a regular occurrence. I've been having my eyebrows done by Jan since I lived with Yvette, going on 6 years or so now. Every 3 weeks. She takes care of my eyebrows, any other stray hairs that may crop up, and occasionally does facials or other nice pampering type things. I really like Jan, she's older and wiser, has a different view on life and spiritual matters than I do, but I love talking to her and sharing things with one another. It's also the only chance that Yvette and I usually have to catch up to, it's a great half hour every month.

The short story about Jan, is that she has experienced two near-death experiences very close together, and very recently. Even before these two experiences (both of them had her in the ICU for a short period of time) she felt like she had some psychic abilities. Not really the 'fortune teller' type of abilities, more like she was just very in-tune with others needs, emotions, and even their physical bodies. Meaning, over the years she has helped me with some physical ailments when western medicine and doctors couldn't do much for me.

We got to talking (while waiting for Yvette to get there) about the movie "Hereafter" (which is actually the 2nd thing that sort of happened this weekend) and she just broke down and told me that since her two near death experiences she has had her psychic ability completely overtake every area of her life and it's become unbearable. It's not always a horrible thing, she'll start thinking about someone, or feel like she hears a person's name over and over again until she calls or sees them, and it turns out they needed something or someone at that moment - most of us from the LDS faith would count that as a blessing and a prompting from the Holy Ghost that we should act on.

Other times, it's much more intrusive and destructive almost. She will start feeling angry or physically sick, or start crying right before a client comes in -only to find out that that client was feeling one of those particular feelings. She says that she can't even go to the grocery store any more without taking an anti-anxiety pill because she starts feeling all of the emotions or feelings of complete strangers she comes in contact with.

Turns out this might not be the short version of the story.

I re-watched Hearafter last night because there are two characters that had so many similarities to Jan. One who had a near death experience, and essentially had to change her life and her values or priorities because of it, and another who has psychic abilities that have made any personal relationships nearly impossible because he knows so much about a person upon first meeting them that a natural relationship can't develop.

I guess what these ramblings boil down to, is part of my testimony, or what I'm grateful to have a knowledge about. (I suppose I could add one more event this weekend which has had me thinking in this direction, which was a funeral for one of Justin's great aunts, or second cousin -I'm not quite sure how that all works out).

It is such a blessing to know that there is a plan for us. That our Heavenly Father knows what is going on in our lives and has given us answers if we know where to look for them. We don't need to visit a psychic to find out if there is life after death. We don't need to actually die and come back to this earth to know that our family is 'on the other side' waiting for us. Still there, but just separated from our view for a little while.

I started bawling (which I don't often do anymore) at the same part in the movie that I did the first time I watched it. Matt Damon's character (the psychic) is talking to a young boy who lost his twin brother and he says, so powerfully, "If you're worried about being alone, don't be, you're not!" I guess that's really what everyone wants to hear, that we're not alone. Whatever that might mean to you, individually, it's just important to hear that we're not alone.

It's nice to be surrounded by friends and loved ones, but those connections (at least during this life) can't last forever. Relatives die. Friends move away and we lose contact with them. When my grandpa passed away, the thing I remember most vividly is when my grandma said to the doctor, "We were together 55 years. That's a long time... but not long enough". I'm beginning to think that one of the most important things we need to learn how to do during this life is to be able to love with all of our heart... and then be able to let go. It's not an easy thing to do, and I'm not sure anyone gets good at it.

I don't know if I'd really want to get good at it either.