Creating Memories!

I have been planning to go up and see my parents and get out of the heat all summer and it finally happened this last weekend. Ryan has been traveling a bunch for work, so he was not to thrilled to be in a car for 5 hours both ways, so he stayed home and my long lost buttsister (that is Ryan's name for Casey Ann) volunteered to come with me. So off we went, the two of us, with six kids packed in my van. Lets just say the drive up there was eventful. We were doing pretty good until we got to the canyon and I think Diesel got a little car sick and threw up. So we stopped at the bottom of the canyon to clean that up, then we got through Show Low and were on the home stretch, or so we thought. They were paving the road! So we had to wait for a while. After all that time in the car, we all wanted OUT! We stopped at Ramsey Park to let the kids play. All was well until Jackson comes running over saying he pooped his pants. "I'm sorry Mom, it was an accident!" he says. While I was trying to figure out what to do with him, he steps over to a tree and pulls his pants to his knees and goes pee. Don't you love boys! So by now there is poo everywhere, so it was a lot of fun to clean up. We finally made it to Nana's and Papa's, just in time to get some good grub. Papa even took the kids out spotlighting for elk.

Of course being at Nana's and Papa's, my kids were up at the crack of dawn (I'm not kidding). Nana eventually got up and made us all sourdough waffles with buttermilk syrup, to die for! Then Papa took all the older kids to get a load of wood, he was so brave. I don't know how much help they were, but they had a blast. They were driving us nuts in the house that afternoon so we sent them all outside on a scavenger hunt, it didn't last very long, but it was fun. We ended the day with a chicken fry at the church in Luna. My kids loved being able to run free. If only it didn't take so long to get there I would go more often. The ride home was about as much fun as the ride there, we had rain, lots of bathroom breaks and poor Diesel got sick again. Thank you Nana and Papa for everything, we had a blast and thank you to Casey Ann for coming along - love you girl! You are the best! It was exhausting, but I wouldn't trade those memories for anything. These are all the kinds of things I did as a kid that I want me kids to experience too. I do have to say also that I came home to a clean house (even bathrooms) and a happy husband. Thanks babe, I did miss you! (Bear with me, there are a lot of pictures, but I couldn't leave any of them out.)

Here are some pictures from the park.

Hauling wood with Papa!

Every single one of them crashed on the way home. I have no idea where Brock is in this picture.

Here are the kids on their scavenger hunt.

Brock was intent on finding something living - he really wants a pet!

Jackson thought he could spot a pet better from up here.

On the way home!

Doesn't this just say it all!

The Divine Institution of Marriage

This Sunday a member of our stake presidency came in to talk to us about Proposition 102 that will be on the ballot in November. He just asked that we make ourselves aware and do what we could to make others aware. He drew a lot of what he said from this article from the Newsroom on the church website called "The Divine Institution of Marriage". If you haven't already read it, it is a very good read. It is so important for us to be aware and to vote. There are so many ways that Satan is attacking the family and this is definitely one of them.

Reflections

It has been a while since my last post, it has been pretty crazy around here. My life has been in limbo and utter chaos for the last month. Some of you may know that we had applied for a job at the college in Thatcher and were really hoping that we would get it. That is really where we want to raise our family. I was called to interview and I don't think I have been that nervous for a very long time. We prayed and fasted about it a lot, but I never got a definite answer that this was what we were suppose to do. So we left it up to the Lord, if we were meant to go it would happen. So, we didn't get the job, and I am okay with it. We are here for a reason, I just need to find out what that reason is. All of this has been such a growing experience for me. I am so thankful for the trials that the Lord has given me to strengthen me. I know He is there for me no matter what it is that I am going through. We have really been struggling with what to do with Brock & school. He has really struggled since school started back. I think he and I both cried every day. After a lot of prayer and discussion we have decided to put him back in Kindergarten. I cannot believe the charge in him and his attitude. Before he would come home and say things like "I suck Mom" or "I'm stupid", it broke my heart. On Friday when I went to pick him up he was beaming and ran up to me and said, "Mom, I had the bestest day ever!" That was all I needed to hear, I know we are doing the right thing. I want him to have the confidence and knowledge he will need to succeed in life. I am so thankful for my kids and all that they teach me, I am so glad that they chose me! Jackson also started pre-school and is loving it! He has grown up so much in the last month, I am so proud of him. Porter is so smart too, he takes everything in. He repeats everything we say and he is so sweet. I am so thankful for my family. So those are my reflections on the last month of life in the Conrad house.

Furry Cheeks!

The other day I went outside to see what the boys were up to and found them "taking a bath" in the cooler. I ran to get my camera and when I got back I could tell that Brock was upset. The video is of Brock telling me why he is upset and also of Jack just being cute.

So we found a solution!

10 Years!

On July 23rd, Ryan and I had our 10 year wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has been 10 years. We have had our ups and downs, but I would not give anything for the time I have shared with my best friend. Ryan is not a very patient person, but he is patient with me and my nagging, which seems to get worse with age. I guess that is what marriage is about though, overlooking (or at least trying) each others faults and loving each other in spite of them. I love you babe and can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring us!
I know many would think that after 10 years you would do something grand for your anniversary, and I had planned to, but with our life in limbo and being a little chaotic, we decided to make it simple. Ryan has planned some amazing anniversaries, so I had my work cut out for me. I had planned to take him to hit balls and the driving range (he is obsessed with golf) and go to dinner. He mentioned that he had heard about a virtual golf course that just opened up, so I looked into it and made a tee time. We had a blast! I haven't played golf since I was at ASU, so eight years ago. But it slowly came back to me. We then went to dinner at BJ's. It was a great day.

Ryan gave me these beautiful flowers. It was so sweet. I could tell he hadn't bought the vase, but I couldn't figure out where he had gotten it from, until I realized that my dried flowers were missing from my bathroom. He decided since they were "dead" he could throw them out. Men!

24th of July in Thatcher!

We always try to go to the 24th of July celebration when it in Thatcher (it rotates between Thatcher, Safford and Pima). It is always the best in Thatcher! I was so excited for my kids to go, the fireworks are always amazing! They let them off right over the EAC football field, it is the coolest thing - the closest I have ever been to fireworks going off. Anyhow, the weather was not looking to good before the parade started but let up for the parade and then pretty much drizzled for the rest of the night. We went and ate at El Charro to get out of the rain and then went back for the fireworks. Well we sat there in the rain for about half and hour and I was soaked and I was sure they were not going to do the fireworks with the rain, so we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We weren't home for more than two minutes we we heard them start going off, so we watched from Grandma's office window. It was still fun and we stayed dry.

Happy Birthday Brock!

I cannot believe he is six. It has gone by so quickly, but he has been an absolute job to have in our home. We tried for so long to get pregnant, so we see him as such a blessing. Brock is so caring and is (almost) always trying to do what is right. He really keeps us in line. He is such a peacemaker (he gets that from me you know), he rarely starts fights and is very good about trying to end them after Jackson has started them. Ryan is always telling Jackson that one day Brock is going to get sick of his antics and knock him out, but that does not stop Jackson. Anyhow, Brock, we love you and we are so glad that you are part of our family. We hope you had a wonderful birthday.

I am pretty sure he did. We had some of his friends over for a little water party, games, hot dogs and cake and ice cream. Thank you to all that joined us to celebrate Brock's birthday, it meant a lot. Brock has really good friends. Here are a few photos from the big day.

Here are the boys with their rubber band airplanes.

The boys really wanted to have a water balloon fight, but I figured that was just an accident waiting to happen so we opted for throwing them at a target on the wall.

The party crowd!

I had initially planned to make a WALL-E cake myself, but soon realized that I do not have the skills to decorate a cake that elaborate, so we opted for the one from Wal-Mart! Brock loved it!

What a cheese!I recorded this video the morning of his birthday, we were taking Ryan to get his rental car for his work trip (which he left on right after the party). Anyhow, I thought it was pretty cute, but then again I am bias.