The Move

I really don't like moving. Luckily since we got married, Tyler and I have only moved twice. This was the third move and the one that convinced me that we really, really, really have too much stuff. By "stuff" I mean, clothes, shoes, food, really anything that requires more than a box to relocate.
I realize I've been a bit cryptic about where exactly we are moving to. You see, admitting to all your friends who own homes, multiple cars, entertainment systems, and smart phones, that you are moving into your parent-in-laws basement for a while while you save up so your husband can go to more school, is a bit......... well, fill in your own blank here.
Ben and Kate were the previous occupants, doing roughly the same thing, and when they decided to move out, we decided to move in. Last week they had gone on vacation and had so graciously packed up all their things and moved them to the garage before they left, so we could start moving in while they were gone.
It took the entire week, load by load to transport most of our stuff into the basement, cringing at each load how much junk we had accumulated in the 2 years we lived in our little home. When Ben and Kate arrived home, with plans to move directly to their new place the next day, they found out that their apartment deal had fallen through. This is the part of the story where Ben and Kate had to live out of their suitcases in the living room, while we all played musical beds and couches and Alex and Archie fought nonstop for the next 4 days.
I am happy to say that Ben and Kate are now surrounded by boxes in a new happy house, and we have almost nearly finished moving and cleaning our old house. As crazy as it has been for us, I feel bad for Ma and Pa Brady who have spent the last few weeks helping move 3 of their 4 kids to new places! And I thought MY back hurt.
So that's where we've been. Someday when I have the energy to pick up the camera again, I'll post pictures of something.

Aspen Grove Family Camp Staff Reunion

Every time we drive through Wind River Canyon, I tell Tyler it's my favorite place on earth. It turns out this whole time I've been lying. Wind River Canyon has to take 2nd place behind Aspen Grove.

Yesterday I took my family to the Staff Reunion. Last time they held one was 5 years ago and I was working at the camp in Arts and Crafts for the second year, engaged to Tyler. Wow, 5 years already.

Going back was amazing. I've always been afraid that I wouldn't have as much fun as a camper, because being on staff at Aspen Grove was the greatest experience ever and it would be hard to top that.

Taking my kids back and watching them run around enjoying the places and things that I loved and helped create turned out to be fantastic. I can't wait until we can afford to take our family there because it's a magical place, my personal Neverland.

We started out at the castle aka "Theatre in the Pines".

Alex could have stayed there all day climbing and running around.

They had a blast, and I had to remind myself that we could go there anytime we wanted, so we wandered back to the grove to check out all the old haunts.

Unfortunately the best swing set in the world and my favorite spot at camp, was replaced by a giant 4 story guest lodge, so we wandered past and sat by the fish pond for a minute.

This is my old "office" the pottery bridge where I spent most of my days teaching pottery and doing my own side projects. My real favorite place at camp.

A picture of me standing by my old work, holding my new job.

There have been some cool improvements since I worked here, like the random animal statues all over.

Tyler was a sweetheart and carried the camera around so I could be in pictures.

He did a pretty good job, no?!

Here is the look that seems to be on Alex face more often than not these days. It is usually accompanied by something like "don't touch me, I can do it by myself, let go, leave me alone".

The bridge was fun.

I now fully appreciate the super awesomeness of the playground. I could happily sit here all day watching the kids wear themselves out on all these cool toys, under the mountains, next to the forest. To the left of the picture is a sandbox, giant playground with slides, and pirate-ship playground. In front are 2 airplane teeter-totters, and to the right is a life-sized teepee.

They ran the train so all the kids could enjoy a ride.

I was so excited that we got a family picture on this horse.

There is a lot of history there.

The all time favorite was the super long slide.

I don't think It will be very long before Heidi is asking us for a pony.

She would have spent all night atop the donkey if we had let her.

My girls are finally letting me do their hair!!!!

Frontier village was a hit. The girls loved running in, around and atop all the old buildings and old west stuff.

Alex did her fake smile for this picture with out me even asking. It was a first.

While Alex ran up the hill and went down the slide 20 times, and Tyler took Heidi on another train ride, I sat back and enjoyed the scenery.

We finally got a family picture! Who cares if the kids are smiling, we are wearing name tags, or my hair is a mess! We are all in it and matching!

While both our girls can be quite moody, at least one of them loves one of us at least once a day.

There wasn't a lot of staff from my years, but that meant I got to focus on my family and having fun. I did win a t-shirt in the drawing though, and we got to eat in the lodge and have those wonderful mint brownies. It was a great evening spent in the mountains, and now I want to go back everyday.

Farewell Dear Friends

Since I have lost all desire and motivation to pack in anyway whatsoever, I've decided to take the next weeks and enjoy all the good things, and all the stuff we will miss.

The swingset will come with us, but the sprawling view across all 3 backyards and the alfalfa field behind us will stay.

The ancient trees that shade our play area and all the birds who wake us up in the morning won't be coming. The walnut tree and the family of quail that live under it will stay as well. But the skunks, the bird poop, the never ending supply of dead limbs on the lawn and the wandering stray dogs will also be staying!

Unfortunately, the chickens will not make the move with us. In fact they will be leaving us before we leave them.

I'll miss the fresh, organic eggs, and their soft clucking in the morning, but what I'll miss most of all is this. Watching Alex run out to feed the chickens in the morning and Heidi's strange chicken whisperer encounters. They made me feel like we lived on a tiny farm, and the backyard became so much fun!

We were able to sell them to a good home close by with a friend who will be taking them on Saturday. I keep thinking that we can go see them whenever we want and can still enjoy some fresh eggs, but I think more than anything, I will miss them, and their relationship with the kids, the most when we move.

It's hard to leave, change is usually difficult, but I'm already plotting and planning and dreaming of ways to organize our new home. I'm ready for it, and as much as I'll miss the chickens our list of Pro's and Con's is quite heavily weighing on the Pro side of moving. So these next few days we will relax and enjoy life as we know it. Soon enough we will grow and change and become better for it.

August?! Already!

I finally gave up on pre packing. We are set to move in 3 weeks and I was going to be so organized by the time moving day hit!

The plan was to get rid of all the necessaries and throw out all the junk that has been cluttering our lives. It was a great plan until I actually picked up something to pack. "I'm sure I could do something with this old salsa jar! It seems such a waste to throw it, and 9000 baby food jars away. Someday I'll wish I had kept them." This is what went through my mind each time I picked up something, anything.

I've decided I need my mother here to pack for me. She will know what's junk, whats good and what I might need later. I'll go sit in the back yard for 2 days until she is done, and enjoy being completely ignorant of all the "treasures" she is throwing away. What do you think Mom?!

Yesterday I'd had enough of being boring. It's so easy for me to get stuck in a rut thinking I can't do anything adventurous without Tyler. My friend Kathleen and I decided to take our kids up the canyon for a hike and marshmallow roast. Kathleen has a 3 year old and a 5 year old boy that Alex idolizes, he teaches her important things like how to shoot bad guys and climb up dangerous rocks. We love them dearly.

It was so fun watching the kids scamper all the way up the trail to Bridal veil falls and then spend an hour playing in the freezing water. There was a slight breeze blowing off the falls and standing there in front of it was like heaven to a couple women living without air conditioning.

After the kids were soaked and freezing we found a great picnic spot next to a playground at Nuns park and let the kids run around while we built a fire and heated up some taco soup. We enjoyed toasted marshmallows, the cool canyon, and great company.

I think there is a special magic that happens when there are multiple Moms (or responsible women) and no Dad's around. There was this great cooperation and multitasking that happened. Usually I go nuts trying to watch my own kids in public, but somehow the two of us were able to keep track of 4 kids on a play ground, next to a river, while tending to dinner over a hot toddler level firepit, and it wasn't stressful at all!

It's outings like these that remind me that I am a competent mother. It's so easy to be stressed out when people are second guessing your moves and mothering techniques all the time. It was nice to remind myself that I know my children, I know what they are capable of, and I know whats worth stressing out over and what's not. Sometimes I put myself in the parenting back seat when I am around other mothers or people who seems to be more confident or know more about what they are talking about than I think I do. I kill myself trying to conform to what their parenting style and technique is, when I need to just own up to how I'm doing it and be confident about how I choose to raise my kids. For heaven sakes I'm around them 24/7, I should be the authority shouldn't I?!

Kathleen has a similar parenting style and our kids get along very well. For the first time in a long time I felt no pressure to intervene at every step Alex took or keep her from looking cockeyed at her playmates. I let her play until she told me she was freezing, run around in her bare feet, and I didn't harp her about eating her dinner. She didn't die of hypothermia or get slivers and she ate everything I put in front of her. I think it was therapy for the both of us. We work better together when we are outdoors.

The garden at Grandma Jakes house is growing and growing!

Friday we went Zucchini harvesting!

This is the whole reason I wanted to plant a garden this year, to watch the kids hunt through the leaves looking for dinner and then have them help and see as it goes from garden to plate!

They were a bit more interested in the raspberry bushes.

Our forest of giant sunflowers is growing quite well. To give you a scale to work with, Alex is approximately 6 feet tall. These are Jack and the Beanstalk quality.

Even with 6 week old baby, Kate is getting around and having adventures! What a cool backdrop for a family picture right?!

This summer went too fast. We need to do a bit more of this before the world turns brown and white and my kids grow up.