do i live in oregon?

it is raining again today.  we've had so much rain lately that i feel like i live in oregon.  i like the rain, but the thing is, i've lived in utah all my life - i have learned that when it rains one must savor it.  a rainy day to me means curling up on the couch with a book.  when it rains it's harder for me to be productive.  i don't want to do anything when it rains.  rainy days are lazy days.  the last few weeks, however, we have had rain more days than not, and on those days it has pretty much rained all day.  so, while i really like the rain, i haven't wanted to do anything for weeks!

the kids have really enjoyed the rain.  our driveway was poured with asphalt years ago and, as is typical with asphalt, we have some major potholes.  this makes for great puddles.  

aren't i glad i bought rains boots for the kids so they could not wear them?  

early this spring i found out that snow boots are terrible for rain puddles.  i guess if i had really thought about it i could have figured out that all that insulation in a snow boot was just going to get sopping wet.  the problem was, i wanted them to wear something on their feet because it was still pretty cold outside so i thought, "ah-ha!  snow boots!  their feet will stay warm and dry!"  boy was i wrong.  it took about a week to dry those out.  

it was, like i said, early in the spring so i decided to buy the kids rain boots.  as a kid i don't recall ever having rain boots.  i suppose when you live in utah rain boots aren't all that necessary.  it doesn't rain that often, and when it does rain it only rains for about fifteen minutes and then the dry ground soaks up all the water.  but i was hopeful for a wet spring and i thought it would be fun for the kids to have some actual footwear designed for puddle jumping.  silly me.  of course they would prefer to go barefoot.  

they did have fun filling the boots up with water . . .

beautiful baby

here are some pictures i took of liberty today:

isn't she the most beautiful baby in the whole world?

sweet spirit

i don't think we are embarrassed enough to admit 

that we love the movie "sons of provo".

i just love a good mockumentary.  

it is about a mormon boy band.  

this is one of their performances

from the movie. there are so many

reasons why this is funny.

sunday drive

hudson and maria.  the bear lake is in the background.

after church yesterday we decided to go for a drive.  i'm glad we did.  it was fun and we were reminded of what an awesome valley we live in.  first we drove west toward the wellsville mountains and noticed logan was under a huge, very bright rainbow (it had been rainy most of the day).  we drove through mendon - a beautiful place - to wellsville.  then we booked it across the valley and drove up logan canyon.  we stopped at the bear lake overlook then came home.  we stopped down toward the bottom of the canyon at a campground and looked at the very turbulent spring river.  it began to rain again and it was beginning to get dark so we then made our way home.  it was so great.  i really love it here.

here my favorite pictures:

it was cold at the bear lake overlook.

the family - minus me - at the overlook.

beautiful bear lake.

this is a shot of mendon up near the mountains.  this is our dream spot for our dream house.

the rainbow.  my cheap camera doesn't do it justice.

our love for cache valley is reflected in the new picture on our header.  this place is just us, a mixture of mountains and farmland.  i once heard cache valley referred to as "the eden of utah".  i believe it.  this is where we always want to be.  

mystery solved

i felt really, really tired today.  while i was folding laundry i said to myself, "man, why am i so tired?"

maria piped up, "because you can't handle kids."

mystery solved.  thanks, maria.

when sisters attack

poor, unsuspecting hudson.  there he was, having a pleasant time walking through the mud puddle with maria when all of a sudden, without warning, his sister decides he needs mud from head to toe.

and he did NOT like it.  despite being a rowdy boy, he does not care for mud on his face . . . or in his hair . . . or even on his clothes for that matter.

hudson's cycle

first of all, here's maria with her bike.  i thought it was funny that she was riding her bike wearing one of the fanciest dresses she has.

hudson and liberty.  aren't they so cute?

now, here's hudson's new cycle.  that's what he calls it - "my cycle".  we bought it last saturday.  we figured he needed something more than the little tricycle.  he loves it!  everyday (multiple times a day) i hear "mom, i want to ride my cycle."  it's pretty cute.

he's doing really well with it.  he's learning quickly.

now i have to say something about hudson's determination.  he is amazing.  he has a special gift for sticktoitiveness.  many, many times in his two years of living, i have already seen strong examples of this.  often times it seems like the task he is working on is just too hard so i'll offer to help only to hear from him (in a very disgruntled tone) "i do it myself!" - and he will.  it may take him a long time, and it may make him very angry, but he will accomplish the thing he set out to do.  i think that is amazing.  i tend to be someone that gives up easily so i really admire this quality in him and i hope he keeps it.  it especially amazes me that, like i said, the task can make him quite angry, he could be crying or screaming or both, but still he will work at it until he can do it.  i've been seeing this most recently with his bike riding.  he really works hard.  i can't wait to see what he's like as he gets older.

shannon