Deck building and Cousins fun

Grammy wanted to do some home improvements, so that means we got some visitors! Curtis Morgan contracting company came up and Ryan came down so everyone could pitch in to build a deck for Shanna and Deryl. After a week, the deck was all finished (minus the railing) and is very impressive. Those boys do good work! While the men were out manual-laboring, the girls tried to keep the kids out of the way and occupied. One of our outings was to the main street splash pad. Pictures below. Noah and Jake loved spending time with their cousins during the week. We can't wait until their return trip in a few weeks to finish the railing!

a little nudge for the season's first swim:
Noah, loving it.
Jake, loving it too. Haylie, looking cute. Noah wades while Kennedy and Jake think about climbing up on shore.

bedtime is fun time

Noah's bedtime routine is pretty elaborate. After bath and pajamas and brushing teeth, at his request, this is what we do:

1. sing a song. The same song every night: "Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird" Noah fills in the blanks with other things he wants me to buy. Like lions, windows, pictures of Jesus, scary dinosaurs, Jake,...
2. read a scripture. we use the gospel art picture kit, he picks out a picture and I tell him the story or read him a scripture that goes along with it. Sometimes one isn't enough.
3. pray
4. tell a bedtime story
5. do "sun on my arm" (this thing I made up that involves saying things like "sun shining on your arm. rain falling on your arm. wind blowing on your arm. while I do coordinating motions on his arm) on BOTH arms.
6. "Around the world in 80 days"
7. if he isn't drowsy yet--and he usually isn't--then he takes a turn to do the bedtime stuff to me. He does sun on my arm and around the world in 80 days and tells me a story.
8. I tell him: "ok no more talking, it's bedtime."
9. The "Sleep by me" begging begins.
10. At this point I do one of two things. I leave, and he promptly cries until he falls asleep; or I succumb to his pitiful pleas and lay by him until he falls alseep and I sneak out.

I think most parents have some kind of similar bedtime routine, and understand the sigh of relief that comes each night after the long process is over. But lately I have been feeling that some of the sweetest moments of the day are in those last 15-45 minutes before the boys are out for the night. Two experiences to illustrate:

The other night I had reached phase 10 of the bedtime routine, and I was still in bed with him. He seemed to be dozing off, until with his eyes half closed, turned to me drowsily and said: "One time my dad said I have to take a bath. But not now." nonsense. For some reason, I found that hilarious, and I started laughing. He joined in, and both of us laughed and laughed and laughed. Noah had no idea why I was laughing, but he just laughed anyway. Childhood is awesome. Laughing comes so easily.

I went out last night while Kyle took over the bedtime routine. He ended up falling asleep with Noah for a couple of hours, so I had a quiet house to myself. Just before putting myself to bed, Kyle came out and told me something that happened during that night's bedtime routine. Kyle was getting ready to leave, he thought Noah was asleep, when all of a sudden, Noah opened his eyes, sat up and said: "We forgot!! We didn't read our scriptures!" My little boy loves the scriptures, that makes me happy. Thanks, bedtime routine.

there you have it. 2 good moments that make me think it's ok that our bedtimes are a little long and drawn out :)

ode to kyle

He's in Boston for an ESL conference and a little sightseeing on the side, although I don't know if the side trip he has planned to swing up to Maine for can be counted as a "little sightseeing." I am so jealous. Ever since that movie with Steve Carell as that widower who goes on a family vacation to Maine, I have my sights set on that place. But good for Kyle. He'll take pictures for me so that will be enough for now.
We miss him like crazy. Yesterday Noah said: "I lost my friend! I miss Daddy!"
I have resorted to desperate measures for entertaining myself in his absense. On Tuesday night I called American Idol for two hours. So embarrassing I know. I finally got through at 10:55 and voted 10 times. You'll have to guess who my favorite is.
Other confessions: since there is noone to impress with my superb homemaking skills, I don't use them. I haven't cleaned in the past few days (it's a disaster zone) And as for the cooking, well, poor Noah. I just went to grocery store finally and he got excited because he could have milk with his cereal again. So I haven't spent much time in the kitchen. Unless you count the cookies that I put in the oven last night from frozen premade dough, after I put the boys to bed. They say every man needs a good woman in his life. But apparently it works the other way too. I don't know how well I (or my boys) would survive without Kyle around. So, husband, if you take the time out of your New England adventures to read this, we are kind of a mess here without you, so come home soon!

About me, for once

When you first start to have kids, you start to realize that people don't really care about you anymore. More often than not, people don't want to hear what's happening to you--they only want to know about your life in relation to the baby. People want to hold that little baby and talk about what milestones he is reaching, and you are only mentioned in passing during the conversation if that person thinks the baby looks like you instead of the father. I am not being critical. I don't really mind it when it's happening. I happen to think that it is nice that people you don't know enough to normally carry on a conversation with suddenly become friendly and interested. Babies are definitely good ways to bring people together. But, now that my babies are past that newborn/people magnet stage, I'm starting to refind myself a little. A few months ago, while I was still in that all-consuming task of learning to mother a newborn and a toddler simultaneously, my sweet brother asked me, "how are YOU doing, Kate? I don't want to hear about what and how you are doing as mother, how are you doing as person?" I still remember the kind of awkwardness I felt trying to fumble through an answer. Because at that moment, I didn't feel like a person, I just felt like a mother. My point is this: even if I didn't have an answer, it was really nice to be asked.
That's kind of why I love my first family, my family of origin. They knew me wayyyy before I was a mother, and so they see me differently. It feels refreshing. They came to visit last weekend, and we had a great time. It was nice to be around people who know a different side of me (that old naggy, bossy Big Sister isn't necessarily the best side of me, but oh well!).

Thanks Christian, Lauren, Andrew, and Kenton and anyone else who knows me as Kate, in addition to Noah and Jake's Mom.
But maybe I am talking to myself, after all, this post has no pictures of Noah or Jake. I'm just joking around. Please don't stop asking about my children. But if you do, don't worry, I'm sure I will run out of things to say pretty quickly, and then I will give you a full report on my boys, whether you like it or not, because after all, I'm not just a person, I am a mom.

big j

A few weeks ago Jake took his first steps. And he's been working on his walk fearlessly. Face plants don't phase the little guy. He is on his way to becoming a little toddler!

I guess since Jake is growing up so fast, it's about time to have another baby. Just kidding ;)

we hike

We have gone on a few hikes lately. Our dedicated hometeacher (who happens to be hiker of the century) took us out for our first hike of the year, and we went back with Grandma and Chief when they were in town visiting last week (come back grandma and Chief! We miss you!). The pictures are all at Snow Canyon State Park, which is practically in our backyard. I think it is absolutely beautiful. So if anyone wants to come and visit, we will take you there too.
Here are a few pictures.

the boys
noah called brother hanks a cowboy that day.
the four of us

jake the mountain climber (in socks!)

with grandma

jake learning what a cave feels like

noah hiding in a cave like a "kinkajou" (that's what Diego taught him)

noah and his buddy chief


our little hiking addict
Noah keeps demanding we go back. Everytime we drive anywhere and he notices the mountains, he tells us he wants us to climb them. We might have to become a hiking hippie family.

silly noah

Noah: "I have a good idea!" [proclaimed as he stood perilously on the edge of the couch]
Me: "What's that, Noah?"
Noah: "I jump on the costume" [costume=cushion, as in the couch cushion strategically placed on the floor below him]
Me: "I think that looks like a dangerous idea."
"No, mommy it's a beautiful idea."
[and then he jumped]