Diego's Birthday at the Dinosaur Park

Last Monday, Diego (Dylan's cousin) celebrated his birthday at the Dinosaur Park. Dylan LOVES that place and Preston is starting to become quite the fan of dinosaurs as well. We had a great time walking around seeing all the dinosaurs and then eating pizza and cake with the cousins and playing on the playground. Happy Birthday, Diego!

Aquarium

Last Friday, I met up with my friend, Sarah, and we headed down to the aquarium in Sandy with Dylan, Preston and Olivia packed in the good old minivan. It was kind of hard to get pictures so I snapped a few and then decided to just enjoy the day. The kids LOVED the aquarium! I pet the sting rays and Dylan kept trying to but was really nervous. Some kid helped him get over that and he touched them a couple times. I also signed him up to feed the sting rays. I ended up going in with him and it was a little scary. They slide all the way up the side so they can find the food with their mouths (which are on the bottom of their bodies). Dylan ended up doing two pieces and I did two. I was the last person trying to feed the sting ray and EVERYBODY was watching. I was a little nervous and kept pulling my hand back out of the water when the sting ray swam up the side. Everyone seemed to think that was pretty funny. I guess I'm not as brave as I thought. We had so much fun though. It really is AWESOME seeing all these ocean creatures up close (shark, jelly fish, an octopus, etc) and the areas with animals from the Amazon and Utah were cool too. If you haven't been, I highly recommend it! :)

Hogle Zoo

I've gotten a bit behind on my posting. Here are a few of the fun things we've been up to lately. A couple weeks ago, I met up with my friend at the zoo. I had Dylan, Anthony and Preston with me and I was with three other ladies who each had one kid. It was a little chaotic coordinating kids, food, and schedules, but we had a great time. We especially loved seeing all the new babies -the elephant, the giraffe, the tiger cubs and the snow leopard cubs. So cute!

Workin' At The Carwash

A few days ago, I decided it was time to wash the van. Marcos had been saying he was going to do it for a few days, but somehow there are just never enough hours in the day and our "To Do" list continues to grow much faster than we can cross things off of it. I decided I could wash the outside and the windows at the house and then Marcos and Dylan could take it and vacuum the inside. The kids had a blast and it looked pretty good when it was all finished. Unfortunately Marcos took it to Brigham City a few days later. The entire front was COVERED in bugs when he got back. Oh well, it was still worth it!

Preston getting ready to help

Checking out the bubbles. He kept saying, "Bubbles, bubbles."

The more he talks, the more I love that kid. He is so much fun!

Dylan hosing down the van.

Of course he HAD to be in charge of the hose. :)

Preston soaking wet and thrilled to have a turn with the hose.

Some pictures I take of him remind me SO much of Dylan at that age - INSANE!

Another Testament of Christ

My cousin had this on her blog. I loved it and wanted to share it here.

Simple Monday

Today was a good day. Preston and I walked Dylan to school and then went to the grocery store. I blogged while Preston watched his favorite show and then we waited for Dylan to come home from school. We had some lunch and ran to Home Depot and then I put Preston down for a nap. His favorite book is called "You've Still Got Me" and he absolutely LOVES it. I had to read it to him 3 or 4 times before I put him down and then he went down without a fuss (an unusual occurrence for us lately). Dylan and I changed into our grubby clothes, I scooted our super heavy new shoe rack built by my brother-in-law out to the driveway and we put a coat of primer on it. Dylan was really helpful and excited that I actually let him help me. I figured it's not a project that needs to look perfect and it's just the primer so as long as I check on him to make sure there aren't big runs or globs of paint, it doesn't matter. He even decided to finger paint on one of the shelves and I just let him. He commented to me how much fun he was having and how he loved to spend time with me. Oh, to have such peaceful days more often! After we painted, we did some reading and then I let him watch a show while I laid by him on the couch. I love that snuggle time so I decided against being productive with my office piles and just hung out with my son. Preston woke up and the kids rode bikes until Marcos got home. We had a gift card to Subway so we went and got Subway for dinner and then went to the park to feed the ducks and kick the ball around for family night. We had tons of fun feeding the ducks and playing a bit and then brought the kids back for bedtime. I read to the kids while they were in the tub so we could speed up the bedtime routine a bit and Dylan told me one of the books was the best story he'd ever heard (it was about a penguin family). Dylan "read" his memorized book to Preston and then I read scriptures to the kids. We read part of Alma 14, which talks about the people Zeezrom had taught false doctrines too who ended up burning scriptures and people who believed in their doctrine while Alma and Amulek watched. We got to the part where Alma was constrained by the Spirit from stopping the burning. Okay, I'm not very good at telling scripture stories. Here are the last few verses we read.

11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in ^aglory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the ^bjudgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the ^cblood of the ^dinnocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.

13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

Dylan had quite a few questions about it so I did my best to answer them. D: Why did those people burn them? M: They were bad people and they made a bad choice. Remember how we make choices and we try to choose the right. They made a bad choose and were following Satan instead of Heavenly Father and Jesus. D: What about the judging? M: Well, Heavenly Father will judge all of us after we die and decide if we have lived a good life or not. And when we make a mistake we need to change and say we're sorry. That is called repenting, remember? D: Yes. So you mean like a judge. Like with a table (making a gavel-like motion with his hand). M: Yes Dylan, kind of like that. He'll judge us.

I went in the other room to get a book for Preston and when I came back in, Dylan said to me softly, "Mom, kneel down by my bed." Of course I said okay and knelt down. We had already said our family prayer and Marcos had gone downstairs already (Marcos usually says goodnight and then I do the official tucking in). I thought Dylan was going to ask me to say another prayer with him. Instead I had one of those sweet parental moments. D: Mom, while you were gone, Jesus spoke to me. M: (with excitement and shock in my eyes but a calm voice) He did? What did he tell you? D: He said, "My son, I don't know why." I asked him what he meant and he said, "About the people getting burned mom." M: Oh, did you ask Heavenly Father about that? D: Yes. M: In your heart and mind or in a prayer? D: No, it was a prayer. M: You prayed to Heavenly Father and He told you that? D: Yes, I asked him why the bad people burned the other people and he told me, "My son, I don't know why." He always hears us when we pray, Mom. M: I know He does bud, and he answered your prayer didn't He? D: Yep.

I tell you those little children are so close to heaven. At times I feel that with every sensory organ I possess. It amazes me really! There are so many "barely surviving motherhood" moments I experience on a regular basis. But once in awhile I am blessed with moments that remind me why it is all worth it. Today I got a glimpse of the spirit with whom I have been entrusted. Now I sit here in solitude...in silence...in awe...reflecting on the magnitude of my calling as a mother. What incredible spirits I must guide through this life and what a huge responsibility that is. I pray with all my heart that I don't fall short.

Saturday Was A Special Day...

...it's the day I got ready for Sunday. Okay, seriously I have been way too lazy lately. I think it has to do with how overwhelmed I had become from all of our unexpected expenses and everything breaking and falling apart. I was so close to just giving up on everything. It really has been a depressing moment and I'm working as hard as I can to get back in my grove. Plus it's been difficult trying to get used to my new calling...and Marcos'. So housework has been kept to a minimal lately. I was finally sick of it. I started out not wanting to get going Saturday morning when my early birds woke up, but I soon realized I needed to take advantage of the day. Dylan's game wasn't until 12:30 so I had plenty of time to get going. I started in the kitchen, cleaned up, then decluttered and deep cleaned it a bit better. After Dylan's game I worked on the bathrooms and got 2 of the 3 done while Preston was sleeping.

Which leads me to part 2 of this post. I've been putting off dealing with Preston and his lack of desire to sleep in his crib. I just wanted him to be in a crib as long as he would stay there. But he's been getting out during naps and sleeping on the floor or in Dylan's bed (a toddler fire truck bed) and causing all sorts of problems at night. He gets out of his bed so many times that Dylan can't sleep (and Dylan is the one who gets up early no matter what time he went to bed...and he's my kindergarten child who has to get up for school every morning). We were hoping to wait until Christmas or maybe the kids' birthdays and save the money they got from grandparents to put towards bunk beds. But this week we realized it was time. We went in to check on the kids before we went to bed and found Preston asleep next to Dylan in the toddler bed. We thought it was cute and left them there to sleep, but two hours later Dylan was in my room telling me Preston was taking up all the room and he couldn't sleep. I had to make a "camp out" for Dylan with his sleeping bag on the ground for a few nights since he obviously can't sleep in the crib. So we decided to have a transitional bedroom since we don't have bunk beds yet (and we have absolutely no discretionary funding right now... for obvious reasons). Luckily my mom had Tony's old bed downstairs for when visitors come, but Connor (my nephew) usually sleeps upstairs so we were able to use that one. Wa-hoo!

Finding Preston in Dylan's bed. Cute, but not good for either child's sleep needs.

(Sorry it's blurry. It would not focus in the dark room).

After Preston's nap, I decided to try to take the crib down by myself and put up the twin bed. Marcos had gotten roped into doing the music at his boss's daughter's wedding so I was alone for the afternoon and evening. I thought he'd be back after a couple hours, but it was a good 7 hour project (let's just say that was not the highlight of my day). So like the trooper that I am, I put it all together myself with Dylan occasionally balancing something for me. You should have seen my trying to move 4 big pieces of furniture around and around. I had to stack the toddler bed on top of the big bed to have any room to move stuff. Nothing worked! I was SO TIRED! I think I worked on that room for 4 hours by myself. I thought we were going to have to give up and wait for bunk beds, but I decided to try the same layout we had had before but with the toddler bed where the crib had been and the big bed where the toddler bed had been. It fits...barely, but it fits. It might just be the most crowded bedroom ever, but it will work. My kids don't play with toys in there so it's fine. It's just for beds and clothes. Anyway, this is what the room looks like for now. At some point we'll put bunk beds in there, but now I'm in no hurry. Dylan has commented both mornings on how well he slept and how comfortable he was and Preston hasn't been wandering around all night so it might be exactly what we needed.

Dylan's side of the room

Both beds with the dresser between them

Preston's fire truck bed and the changing table with extra drawers

Now I just have to bring myself to finish the rest of the house. I basically caught up on everything but the office papers (which I had not even dealt with in FOREVER). I seriously hate that task. It's my least favorite thing ever. I make myself catch up and then fall behind again. So I think my goal is going to be to catch up and then have one day a week that I ONLY do paperwork mess and bill paying so that doesn't fall so far behind anymore. Chances are it will though. I told Marcos that was the one thing he had to help me with from now on because I just can't do it by myself. Here's my lame excuse. I told him if I'm the CEO of the house, I shouldn't have to be the secretary too. :) So until Dylan is old enough to train in paper sorting and filing, it will need to be a joint project. He said okay (although he's worse than I am at organizing that kind of crap). It's very possible I'm a paper hoarder. I'm not a hoarder in general - I love dejunking my house - but paper stuff stresses me out. I worry that I'll throw out something important that I needed to keep. Weird, but it's just an overwhelming thing for me. So here's my disaster that I've been tossing paper into for the last two insane months of my life and I hope to post an updated picture so you know I'm not a complete slob...just one who got behind on all the crap that comes in my house every day.

And as a completely random part of this LONG post, here's a picture of my poor little Preston and his great big "bonker noggin". That's what we call it at least! :) We were at a friend's house and he and the other 2 year old boy kept going up and down the stairs until they collided. I'm not sure what part of the other kid hit Preston's head because he didn't get hurt, but Preston's been rubbing his head ever since. It was a pretty good one! Both my kids were screaming when it happened. It took me a minute to realize Dylan was crying because he was so sad that Preston was hurt. At least I know my kids really love each other! :)

Dylan Update

Dylan is such a funny kid! The more he grows into his personality, the more I enjoy him. Sure, he still throws a mean temper tantrum (I had no idea the 2 year old tantrums came back around full swing in a 5 year old body) but in general he is my little buddy. He picks up on everything and is very inquisitive about his world. He is learning so much. Most days he AMAZES me with his questions and understanding of his world. He learned to tie his shoes back in July, which was one of the best days ever for me. I was making him wear velcro shoes, but he LOVES the tie sketchers my mom gave him. I had showed him a few times how to tie shoes, but he always just seemed to get frustrated so I didn't push it. But my insistence on his wearing velcro was enough to motivate him to learn. He just did it one day. It's like all the times I'd showed him finally made sense to him. After he tied his shoes once, he tied them at least 40 more times that day. I don't know if he was practicing or trying to get it just right or what, but that was enough to help it stick. He even figured out how to tie a double knot by himself. What a big boy! He still loves to play with dinosaurs, animals and his tools. He is getting better and better about just playing alone when Preston is sleeping and Anthony isn't around. He knows if he asks me too many questions, I'll make him read some more. :) Actually, he LOVES stories and is starting to sound out words. Hopefully once he catches on, reading will just come easily to him. He LOVES kindergarten, but it's basically just fun and learning to obey at this point. Nothing is actually new to him. That's the hard part about kindergarten. All the kids come with a different level and ability so catching up the stragglers seems to be the focus of KG. I think preschool was actually more difficult. Anyway, I thought I'd just write down some of the things that are so common to me right now because I know in a few months I will forget how it was right now. Here are some of the funny "Dylanisms" I have managed to write down the last month or two.

• D: Mom I want to go to Fairyland. M: What's Fairyland? D: Where all the tooth fairies live.
• During the prayer at church he was burying his head in my shoulder and rolling it around. It was driving me crazy so after the prayer I told him not to do that anymore and to be more reverent during the prayer. He said, "But mom, I was praying as hard as Joseph Smith."
• Dylan saw Nick Canon on America's Got Talent and said, "Mom is that Barak Obama?"
• We were out sitting in my step dad's old pickup truck that we had borrowed to run a few errands. Out of the blue Dylan says, "I'm so glad I have a Papi who doesn't smoke."
• Every time I fill the car up with gas he begs me to get 91 grade. I always tell him no because it costs more money. When I was filling up one time he asked and I again told him no and he responded with, "But mom, if you use 91 then it's better because it will last 91 days." I told him if that was true I'd for sure buy it.
• D: Mom did you name me? M:Yeah. D: When I was a baby? M: Yes. D: What did you name me when I was a baby? M: Dylan. D: Oh, okay.
• I was trying to describe Fresca to Dylan before he tried it. I told him it was kind of spicy because he uses that word to describe anything that's not bland or that makes his tongue tingle. He tasted it and said, "No mom, it's not spicy. It's just kind of jiggly."
• The song "My Maria" came on the radio and I said, "Listen, Dylan. It's my song." He listened, started smiling and said, "Is that Papi singing to you when you got married?"
• Dylan was talking to me and said, "My principal's name is Mr. Extra." (it's really Mr. Eckstrom).
• Marcos was pushing Dylan on the tire swing at the park and Dylan said, "Faster, my brotha." Marcos laughed a little and turned to me and said, "Where did he learn that?" I told him I didn't know. Dylan overheard the whole thing and said, "From you and Nate (my brother-in-law) Papi." It's true, they always talk to each other like that. You don't think they're paying attention, but they always are!
• Dylan was in the bathtub and poured some warm water on himself and said, "This is the life."
• When we were at Wheeler Farm together as a family we were all sitting under the shade eating our picnic. It was so nice to have some shade and I said, "I love these big old trees." Dylan replied with surprise and excitement in his voice, "Pickled trees?"

Fixin stuff with his tools in his new tool belt

(a neighbor gave it to him because they don't use it anymore)

He's getting so brave. Look at his feet - he's doing "tricks" already :)

Dylan loves to be "healthy". All I have to do to get him to eat vegetables is remind him they help him grow healthy and strong. Marcos and I have been trying to workout more. Dylan loves to join us when we workout. Here are his pushups.

And pullups. He's actually getting pretty good at these.

This is the pipe cleaner forest we built. Grandma Suzanne gave crafts to the kids at Flaming Gorge to keep them busy, but this one was more complicated so we brought it home. He begged and begged me to help him so we spent an afternoon making these animals. It took FOREVER but he was so grateful and played with them all day. He's starting to like crafts and coloring more. He used to dread it, but now he looks forward to it. It helps that he can focus better now...I guess he's growing up.

Soccer

Saturday was Dylan's first soccer game this season with his new team. They're the Green Dragons instead of the Black Dragons this time. Real original, I know! :) They look more like dinosaurs than dragons if you ask me. The good thing about his uniform this time though is that you CANNOT possibly miss them. All you have to do is find the right park and you will easily be able to find where the team is playing. It's like a really bright highlighter marker! :) I was a little bit nervous because we turned our papers in late so we seem to be on a team with random stragglers that don't live anywhere near one another. Plus we had such a great team and coach last year that I didn't think we could be so lucky. But I may have been dead wrong. The coach was super cute with the kids and they played REALLY well. Dylan was really starting to catch onto the game by the end of spring season last year, but it's amazing what a few months of maturing will do. He is SO much more coordinated now. He was focused the whole time (which was not the case for the majority of the fall games last year) and he seemed to really understand the concept of the game. He scored a couple goals...and he play really well. When he threw in the ball it was right to his teammates (which is rare since most of them like to throw in to themselves - understanding the team concept at this age is difficult). And several times he kicked the ball right to another team member who was able to score. At the very end of the game, he got frustrated because he ran the ball all the way down the field and then kicked the ball out instead of in the goal. Poor kid! He's still a perfectionist and WAY too hard on himself, but he's getting better so hopefully it will prove to be a fun season for all of us. :)

Wheeler Farm

Marcos had to work Saturday so he was off on Friday. And Dylan has early day on Friday, which makes his short kindergarten day even shorter. So we decided to do something as a family and headed down to Wheeler Farm. I hadn't been since I was a kid so it was a new experience for us. We packed up a picnic and headed to the farm. The kids LOVED it...all three of them! :0) Marcos really was like a big kid the whole time. He was so excited to have the ducks and geese eat out of his hand and then insisted on having me give it a try. Of course I had to take him up on it, but it was a little intimidating having a goose eat right off my hand. It was hot, but we had a great time seeing all the animals, playing in the play house, eating our picnic and just being together as a family. Of course Dylan had to have a pony ride again. Preston's still not sure about that. He likes seeing, touching, and being by the animals, but riding on them is another story.

Dylan loved riding the pony and then Marcos couldn't resist asking if he could be the one to lead the pony around. Seriously! Preston was so thirsty and drank from the water fountain until he was drenched. And Dylan LOVED playing with this puppy, but when the puppy started chasing him trying to bite his shorts, he looked TERRIFIED! As soon as he realized it was just a game the puppy was trying to play with him, he was over there calling the dog back, "Here boy, here boy. Good dog!" Funny kid. He really does LOVE animals!

Are You Kidding Me?

I am having one of those weeks or months or whatever. I know I just barely wrote a post griping about my life, but it's just how I'm feeling lately. Okay, here's the deal. I feel like whenever something major happens (i.e. Marcos getting called to the High Council) life seems to fall apart. I was reading in Mosiah last night and came across this. Mosiah 23:21-22.

21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to ^achasten his people; yea, he trieth their ^bpatience and their faith.

22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his ^atrust in him the same shall be ^blifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.

I'm not exactly convinced that I'm being chastened, although my attitude on life could definitely use an adjustment lately. But I totally feel like I'm having a trial of my patience and my faith. Did I mention the YW are doing a 90 day Book of Mormon read? And we've all been challenged to choose a word or phrase or something to focus on while we study. Mine is trust - as in trusting in the Lord and not in the "arm of the flesh". So here it is again. I'm trying to put it into practice, but it's easier said than done.

We're the type to use a credit card for convenience, but not for actual charging purposes. But...last month/this month I had to use the credit card for all our unexpected expenses and guess what. Even with all the money I can round up with all my little shifting of bills, I am still going to be WAY behind. Like in a couple thousand dollars behind. Where in the crap am I supposed to find that kind of money? AND...this morning I went to the garage to run an errand and it smelled like smoke. I tried to open the garage door and it wouldn't budge. Well, the door had fallen off the track and the stupid cable was touching the sheet rock above it and burned a freaking hole right through the sheet rock and into the metal. We put it back on the track and it fell off again. Marcos tightened the chain and it worked...and then didn't. So we've got a guy coming with a minimum service call fee plus whatever is wrong with it. WILL IT EVER STOP! SERIOUSLY! I cannot handle one more thing breaking down. I do not do well with debt and will not be able to sleep until I figure out how to pay for this crap. Am I supposed to go out and get a job again? Is that really the answer? Why can't social workers make more money? Am I really supposed to just get on all sorts of government aid so I can raise my freaking family? I am SO opposed to a handout like that, especially when we are capable of working and earning money. But I don't feel like working and paying someone to watch my kids is the greatest option either.

I feel like a horrible mother lately and wonder if anything I'm doing even really matters anyway. Preston's favorite phrases are "knock it off", "stop it", "basta" (which means enough in Spanish) and "do not". It makes me wonder how often I tell the kid no. But what's a mom supposed to do? I walked downstairs yesterday to put a load of laundry in. No internet, no playing around, just 2 minutes to start a batch of laundry. I came back upstairs to a wall full of artwork by Preston. I told Marcos a couple days ago I was going to get a job and he could stay home with the kids. I know, stupid, but that's how I feel. Maybe he could be patient with the little stinks and I could find a way to actually get promotions, which isn't really possible at his job. AHHHH!!!

Preston's art

I'm just one big contradiction after the other. And I'm totally indecisive. On the one hand, I am secretly relieved to have a moment of quiet while Dylan is away at school (although quiet usually means disasters by Preston) and yet at the same time I worry about what he's going to be exposed to and have even considered whether or not home schooling is a better option for him. I think about having another child and then I decide that pregnancy is not worth it, that we can't afford another child and that I can't even handle the kids I've got. I tell myself I should work and Marcos should stay home and then I wonder if I could actually handle missing so much of their lives. And I wonder if a dad at home is the same thing as a mom. I find myself thinking that if I can just do my calling well (and allow Marcos to do his) that everything will be okay and then I turn around and find myself saying it's just not worth it. All this time and effort and service to everyone and everything and we can't even pay our freaking bills. I so don't get it! I was really good in school and could've been anything I wanted to be. I put off my own school (I went back but didn't do med school like I had planned) because Marcos was so far behind and needed to be able to get through his Master's degree so he could support a family. It just wasn't practical to have me do EVERYTHING and not get him through since he needed to be the provider while we have a young family. I knew it would be hard and it was one of the biggest fears about marrying Marcos that I had. But Marcos and I were meant to be together - and he was BORN to be a social worker. He really was. So I had faith and worked hard and tried to time everything so we wouldn't struggle so much. But we struggle anyway. It's just so frustrating! So yeah, pretty much nothin' but negativity here. I AM SO DONE RIGHT NOW!

Gardner Village

My best friend, Lisa, and I have birthdays that are only 10 days apart, even though we were in different grades in school. So weird! It's been fun to have our birthdays so close though. Now that she lives relatively close again, we try to get together to celebrate our birthdays together. This year we decided to meet at Gardner Village, go to lunch and look around at the little shops. Just a fun, relaxing day together. I ended up with kids tagging along, but it wasn't that bad. I had Preston in the stroller and had to keep him in the middle of the aisles so he wouldn't break anything, but other than that, we had a great time. The kids LOVED the petting zoo and we enjoyed it too. Here are a few pictures I took of our day out together.

Dylan riding "the real merry-go-round" as he calls it.

He got to ride twice because he was really well behaved all day.

Notice his serious "cowboy face" in some of the pictures. :)

Preston was so cute at the petting zoo. The kid had no fear, but was very gentle with all the little animals. He LOVED the goats and gave and received kisses from several of them. Dylan loved the animals too, which was no surprise to me. He was born an animal lover. Lisa and I got a kick out of the funny donkey. So cute!

Some of the animals we saw

We got some candy before we left and fed the ducks in the pond. Dylan was sporting his green tongue from his dippin' sticks while Preston dug in the sack for taffy. Preston didn't get a nap that day, which is evident in his very grumpy face. Overall we had a really fun day. I love Lisa and can never get enough friend time in! :) Happy birthday, girlie!

Flaming Gorge Trip

We have gone to Flaming Gorge with my dad and step mom over Labor Day weekend for the past several years. I guess it's become somewhat of a tradition. Usually some of the family can make it and others can't, but this year all three of my sisters and their families were able to make it so it was especially fun. It's the first time we've all been camping and boating together since the year I got married. Crazy! Nate and Alicia brought Nate's dad's boat and my dad brought his so we took turns on the two boats during the trip. We split up the ingredients for the meals so nobody had too much to bring, which made it much easier as well. We had a great time camping, boating, skiing, tubing, fishing (Gustavo & Justin went fishing one morning) eating, laughing, chasing kids and enjoying one another's company. There were WAY too many pictures to even try to choose a few to post so they are here for those who want to see them. :)

Marcos' New Calling

For those of you who may not know, Marcos was the YM president for what seemed like forever. Looking back it was a little over 3 years...so not forever, but it felt like it at times. He's been a gospel doctrine teacher since December-ish and been loving it. He gets to study, teach, interact, and ponder. And hasn't had any extra meetings to attend. :) It may be my greatest fear, but wasn't that big of a deal for him. He was comfortable. Yep, comfortable. And that's where the change comes in. We got a call from the stake executive secretary several weeks ago. We had to figure out how to get a babysitter on Sunday so we could go meet with the stake president. Kind of tricky without mentioning to people where you're going. Anyway, we basically went in holding our breath. He asked us tons of questions starting with, "So do you guys like each other?" I responded with, "Well, sometimes." :) It's true though. :) After we talked for awhile about where we were in life, he told us Marcos was being called to the high council. Are you kidding me? I am not old enough to be married to one of those boring speakers am I? :) Just kidding. It was actually very humbling. It seems like whenever something major like that happens in our lives, everything else seems to fall apart (including the water heater and car this time). But we're getting through the temporal struggles and praying we can both fulfill our busy callings the way we've been asked to with such a young family.

Marcos was sustained in church on Sunday and then ordained a high priest that afternoon. His dad performed the ordination and then he was set apart by one of the counselors in the stake presidency. I actually had a couple of my young women come to the stake center with me and help watch my kids and my nieces and nephews so we wouldn't have so much commotion during such a reverent meeting. They are such cute girls who are so willing to help and serve. I even had to call another girl at the last minute to come sit at the house with Preston because he was still asleep and I did not want to wake a 2 year old from a nap...DISASTER! Marcos' sister, brother, sister-in-law, mom, dad, good friend, my mom, my step dad, the Bishop and 2nd counselor in our bishopric and all three members of the stake presidency were all there. It was like stepping into the temple. The spirit was so strong in that room. And the feeling of love coming from the stake presidency to this newly called high counselor was amazing! I thought my heart was going to leap out of my chest. The ordination was beautiful. His dad said some wonderful things about Marcos and reminded him of how truly special he is and what amazing gifts and talents he has been given. The setting apart was awesome too. You just know that they are guided as to what needs to be said. The strength he will need to magnify this new calling and the patience and support I will need to be there for him seem overwhelming, but we were both blessed during his prayer. Anyway, I will spare you the intimate details, but it was amazing. I will never understand the Lord's timetable, but I do trust it.

So here's a picture of my cute husband minus the goatie. We're both working on getting used to the new "clean shaven" look. :) And here are a couple pictures we took after the ordination and setting apart. Marcos already had meetings that evening so we didn't really have a get together, but some of the family stopped by the house to talk for a few minutes and we happened to snap a couple pictures.

Dylan Starts School

So school started last week for most of the kids, but the kindergarten students just had a meeting and testing. This Monday was Dylan's first real day at school. So far so good. Only thoughts of tears from mom and no major meltdowns from Dylan. He has the cutest teacher who was seriously born to be a kindergarten teacher. He seems to love it so far. He did great on his testing and when we were on our way home he said, "Mom, that test was not so hard." Yeah, I know kid. Funny boy. He loves picking out his clothes with the color of the day (that'll last for a couple weeks) and seeing all his friends at school. My first fear is that he will end up bored and either hate school or stop trying to learn. I'm hoping to find a balance so he can continue to learn at home with me and not just grow more and more bored with things he already knows. The second fear is that he will pick up all sorts of crap that I'd rather him not hear or learn so early on in life. He did tell me he was playing with friends at recess and they let another kid play with them. This kid doesn't have the best behavior and Dylan has already recognized that. It's another thing I'm worried about. But he told me, "Yeah, we let 'Cody' (I changed the name) play with us too because I was showing him respect...like you taught me mom. Aw, cute! I'm glad he listens to me sometimes. Hopefully the naughtiness doesn't rub off on him though. Maybe I really am that mom...paranoid about everything. I just want him to stay my little boy a bit longer. Kids grow up way too fast these days! So there it is - my constant inner battle of figuring out how hard to hold on and how much to let go.

Dylan's first day in his classroom (for a meeting and later testing)

Dylan's first day of kindergarten without me there.