Back to Bear Lake

It was hot outside Saturday, so what did we do?  We went to Bear Lake, of course!  We can't stay away.  It's one of our favorite places to be - and it only takes us about 45 minutes to get there.  Gotta love that!  

For this jaunt we went around to the south-ish side of the lake where the sandy beaches are still hidden under last year's very wet winter and spring.  

 It cracks me up how when then kids see water they must immediately search for rocks to throw in said water.  I can remember being that way as a kid.  It's irresistible!

 It didn't matter that the water was really cool.  Hudson and Libby had to get in it anyway.  Hudson was walking around in there up to his chest.  Ethan, Maria, and I could barely stand to put our toes in there.  Lincoln would have none of it.

 I'm so proud of this guy.  He's just finished his MBA.  What a happy thing!  It's such a burden to go to school and work full time, and be a dad and husband full time.  He's done such a great job balancing everything.  Now, if only we could find him a job!  School is beginning to seem like the easy part compared with job hunting.

As per the norm, Lincoln refused to go in the water, or touch the sand with his bare skin.  After throwing rocks for a while he parked himself on a towel and proceeded to hand me rocks, directing me to throw them in the water.

It was a gorgeous day and we were practically the only ones there.  We had a great time.  It was a much needed break after the last few weeks of school.

So now we are in that horrible place to find oneself: limbo.  We're trying to figure out where we need to be, what's best for our family, how to get to that place, all the while trying not to think too much about the student loans we'll need to tackle looming in our not too distant future.

We've been giving these questions a lot of thought and a lot of prayer, trying to listen to any bit of inspiration the Lord is willing to throw our way.  

As we figure these things out, we'll keep you updated.  I think there's a big change in store for us.

Little Gems From Today

We were finishing up dinner when Hudson said he was full. Then he picked up his glass of water, paused, and said, "Well, my water hole is not full but my food hole is full."


 While admiring Hudson's slinky Libby said, "I miss my stinky."


 Libby was lolling in her bed as she so often does when it's time to clean her room. I was busy cleaning and trying different ways to convince her to come help when she suddenly popped out of bed with her hand over her eye. Still covering her eye she said, "I'm a piwate (pirate)!". Pirate Libby cleaned up.

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Added April 23:

Tonight, while Ethan was jogging, Hudson was riding his bike . . .

Hudson:  Dad, is my brain an important part of my body?

Ethan:  Yes, it's very important.

Hudson:  Why?

Ethan:  It tells your body what to do.

Hudson:  So if I didn't have a brain I would die?

Ethan:  Yup.

Hudson:  I need to keep my brain in my head.

Ethan:  You sure do.

Hudson:  My brain gives me power . . . to go fast!



While eating toast . . .

Libby (holding a piece of paper):  I'm going to mail this to Jesus!

Hudson:  You can't 'cause you don't know where Jesus lives.



While climbing into the tub . . .

Hudson:  I'm not necessarily a boy.

Me:  I don't think you necessarily know what necessarily means.

Easter Eggs

We have a tradition of dying and hunting for eggs on Easter.  Here are my little ones dying their eggs . . . and hands:  

Ethan and I hid them in the backyard.  They were so excited to search for their eggs.  Well, most of them were anyway.  There's always one, isn't there?  (Let's just ignore the fact that it was me when I was a kid.)

 Posing for pictures.

 Go!

 My Linkies was such a good little searcher.

 And so was Libby . . .

Until she found a patch of wet dirt that commanded her attention.

It Makes Me Smile

Getting Out

Libby's Prayer

I try very hard not to laugh when a child is praying. First of all, I don't want them to think they are making a mistake - I want them to feel free to pray as they feel. Second, I don't want them to think prayer time is a time for entertainment.

But sometimes it simply cannot be helped and a laugh sneaks out.

Two weeks ago, Libby said the family prayer before bed. It went something like this:

"Heavenly Father (she often forgets this part),

Thank us for the day.

Thank us to sleep good.

Help us to be bed and snuggli.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to be good.

Thank us to do school.

Thank us to draw things.

Thank us to draw mad face, smoochi face, mad face, smoochi face, mad face, smoochi face, mad face, smoochi face.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

We all lost it in the end.

Who Did This?

I have a dry erase calendar hanging on the wall. Last evening I noticed someone had erased most of the calendar. I said, "Hey! Who erased my calendar?"

I knew it couldn't be Lincoln because the calendar was too high. I looked at the other three. Isn't it funny how, as a mom, you know which child is guilty just by looking at them?

Maria just laughed because she thought it was silly. She was too relaxed. Nope. Wasn't her.

Hudson immediately said, "I definitely did NOT do that." Don't you love when you ask "who did this" and the answers you get are for the question "who did not do this"? But, no, wasn't him. He would have a guilty grin.

I turned to Libby. She looked cherubic. And it looked fake. I figured I'd better question her.

"Libby, did you do it?"

"No!" she replied.

"Are you sure you didn't do it?"

"It was the bad guys and the ghost!"

Mmm-hmm. Thought it was her.

Where'd My Baby Go?

I was holding Libby today. She is looking so big. I can't believe she's three and, believe me, she acts much older sometimes. I was looking at her, noticing how beautiful she's getting, wondering where the baby went.

"Libby, I can't believe you're so big," I said with a sigh. "Where'd my baby go?"

Libby replied, "In you mouth."