Snow Cone Love

On Monday, Braxton, Kaydon, and I went to Uncle Brandon's after work. We got ourselves adjusted and then I decided that I had been a very big girl so I needed a snow cone! It was a super nice night and so we sat and ate some goodness for an hour or so. It's only the second snow cone I've had all summer which is absolutely NOT normal! Love me some snow cones!

An Unexpectedly Beautiful Weekend

Thursday, Josh texted me and told me that Brooklyn was really wanting to see the boys and I. I told him that we would love to have her. He told me that he was working on Saturday 5:30 am - 2:20 pm. I suggested that she sleep at our house and stay with us Saturday until he got off of work. He then asked me if I would also like to have the baby. I was a little caught off guard. I obviously haven't even seen the baby yet. I told him I would talk to my boys and get back with him. I spoke to each of my boys, individually. Everyone was okay with it. So, late Friday evening Josh brought Brooklyn (who was absolutely ecstatic to see us) and the baby. The baby sat in his baby carrier for a little bit while I allowed all of my emotions to process. I just looked at him. He is a beautiful baby. I took him out, changed his diaper, put him in his pajamas, then I held him. I allowed myself to cry. I allowed myself to feel. I allowed myself to forgive. I allowed myself to love.

Brooklyn crawled into bed with me and the baby (his name is Treyvan, but I call him Goober) slept next to me in a bassinet. I was up most of the night. He is a loud sleeper. When Kaydon heard him fussing at 5:30, he came in to see if he could help. I made a bottle to feed him and Brooklyn asked Kaydon to crawl into bed with her, so he did. The baby and I went downstairs to feed him and then we fell asleep on the couch. As the children woke up, they each took their own personal time with him as well. Both Braxton and Kaydon fed him. Jackson spent time tickling his arms and talking to him. The three of them tried to figure out how to change a diaper (it was the funniest thing I have ever seen!). We played outside, put Legos together, ate popsicles, and watched Baby Einstein. It was an unexpectedly beautiful day.

When Josh came to pick them up, Brooklyn cried and cried. I pulled her aside and told her that I would always be her mama and the boys would always be her brothers. She nodded and cried somemore. She told her dad that this was his fault and that she was very mad at him. He acknowledged it and told her he was so sorry and that he knew he messed up very, very badly. Then, off they went.

Our family of five then celebrated Kaydon's 14th birthday. Oh, my boys crack me up! They are so dang funny.

Oh, how I love my children. Oh, how I am so thankful for forgiveness and joy. Oh, how I am so thankful for my Heavenly Father who is very patient, who has a plan for us, who knows best, who loves us so very, very much.

Tomayto Tomahto

This past weekend, my amazing bishop and his wife brought me A LOT of tomatoes. Braxton and I worked and worked to get them canned. 3 1/2 dozen pints of tomato sauce and tomoto soup base.

Now for corn, cherries and grape juice.

Legos

Thursday after work, I went home to find this:

Sweet Colton had such a rough time at the doctor's office. Sweet Kaydon was on the floor with him for HOURS putting together his new Legos. I am reminded every day how blessed my boys are to have each other. They don't quite see it that way a lot of the time, but someday I hope they'll look back and see that no matter what was going on around them, they had each other!

Little Sugar with Uncle Brandon & Aunt Carrie

One of the greatest blessings about living in our new digs is that our house is only one mile away from Uncle Brandon's office. Last night, he came to pick up Braxton and Kaydon to help him move a 560 pound table. Afterwards, he texted me to bring Colton so we could go get ice cream. Colton and I were in bed, but you can bet your bootie that we got out of bed to go get ice cream!!

Aunt Carrie came too. We missed Jackson, who was on a date, but I'll eat ice cream anytime!!!!

Boys Camping Trip

I asked the boys' dad if he would like to spend time with them this past weekend while my mom and I were gone. He was really excited to do that. They planned a camping trip to Bear Lake. They headed out Saturday morning. Unfortunately, he dropped them off on Sunday morning. They had fun, though. They were so excited to see their mama and the same for me!

My Trip

Mom picked me up from work on Friday and we drove up to Idaho Falls. It was a lovely drive. We stopped at Burger King to get a burger and fries and just kept on driving. We could not wait to get to Aunt Lois' house to love on her.

We sat and visited and visited and just relaxed until it was dark outside and the cool Idaho Falls breeze was blowing through the open windows. Mom and I went downstairs and got into our beds and went to sleep. I woke up around 10 on Saturday morning. Whoops! I went upstairs and Aunt Lois made French toast with homemade bread (that she made that morning), sausage, fruit, milk (in a glass pitcher), and all of her best dishes. The French toast could either be eaten with homemade rhubarb jam, homemade raspberry syrup, or homemade maple syrup. After breakfast, my mom's cousin came to visit. We were still in our jammies!!! Mom and I needed a nap after that!!! When we woke up, we went out to the "chair room." It's a gorgeous covered patio with all sorts of collected seating. There are hanging chairs, rockers, a church pew, a homemade wooden bench, a homemade picnic table, and more. The wind blows through there and the wind chimes sing and sing. I colored and chatted with my mama and my sweet aunt.

My Aunt Lois is 90 years old. She does EVERYTHING on her own. Her impeccable yard, her impeccable home, driving, walking, shopping - everything. She amazes me. She is beautiful, sharp, active, hilarious, so kind, the best cook, a master quilter, a reader, an organ player, a friend, neighbor, hostess. She is everything I want to be when I grow up! She climbs up onto her back cinderblock wall and crawls along the top to trim vines. True story.

Saturday night, she made a chicken thigh meal that was to die for. Seriously. After dinner, she took me downstairs to her storage room where she has pounds and pounds of all kinds of chocolate. (She makes chocolates and dips chocolates and on and on) We cut up a bunch of pieces and took them upstairs to taste test. Oh. My. Gosh.

On Sunday, we got up and went to church. It was "her turn to drive," so we picked up her little widow friends. They are too cute for words! She helps them into church. So cute. After church, I went back out to my chair room and listened to the chimes. She made another seven-course meal that was so yummy that I couldn't stop eating.

I did not want to leave her and she didn't want us to leave! My boys needed me and I needed to be back with them. Jackson said that going to Aunt Lois' without them was the meanest thing I could do as a mother. I will take them up there soon so that they can love on her too.

I am SO blessed to have my Aunt Lois. Mom and I need to do more girl weekends, too. This is the first one in about 21 years. We have to do that more often! I loved every minute of my time with her and my time with my sweet aunt.

Laguna Beach, Lagoon

The boys and I headed to Lagoon, again, yesterday. The season passes that we got for Christmas have been so amazing! We have definitely used them A LOT! I love that we have a "free" option for entertainment! The big boys rode some rides while Colton and I hung out at Laguna Beach. I don't have any pictures of Colt because he is a fish and is always in the water. Again, Autism is a funny thing. When in the water, that kiddo is perfectly content. He won't leave the water and wander. He is just so happy in there. I can watch him from my chair. As soon as he is out of the water, it is complete chaos again. We have a routine now, where we go right from Laguna Beach to the slurpee refill station on our way out of the park. That gives him a point a to a point b. That has helped the chaos trying to get out of there.

This mama LOVES the sunshine! And I really love my babies!

Don't mind the picture of Braxton - he and Jackson were having an ice-spitting contest. Just another day with boys!

Layton Days

Jackson is in Sandy this week and so the boys and I are virtually home-bound which is not awesome. FYI. So, we decided to walk to Layton Days on the 4th. It was a mile walk to the park and we enjoyed a snow cone and walked around and looked at the vendors booths. They got to pet a lizard type thing. I stood back as far as I possibly could. Those are not safe! I have watched those shows where they eat their owners! Unsafe!

A Wee Little Break

I made a bad decision on Sunday. After a year of trials and tribulations and a week of tears and exhaustion - I told the boys we were going to Lagoon for the day. And we did. They swam and rode rides and played and laughed. I sat, except when I was laying down, but mostly I just sat. I drank my Diet Coke and ate my watermelon. It was just what we needed - a wee little break.

Nef Family Reunion

My mama did an amazing job planning and pulling off a huge family reunion! Of course, I only care about pictures that pertain to me and my boys! The food was delicious. The company was amazing. I found a baby who let me hold him for most of the time! My boys had fun with Uncle and Auntie and Grandma and Grandpa. I got to love on Aunt Lois. It was perfect!