Mt. Timpanogos and Playing Photographer

My sister Nancy and her family came to stay for the weekend. My girls were so excited when they heard they were coming that they immediately set to work making a countdown calendar and making a homemade treasure hunt for Hayden and Hannah. We had lots of fun when they did FINALLY get here. On the first night we had a BBQ and made smores. The next morning we got up early to hike up to the Timpanogos caves. We were all a little worried about the weather, but we discovered that hiking in the rain was much more pleasant than hiking in the hot 90 degree weather that we did it in last year. The kids all made it with hardly a complaint. We also went to see the copper mines. I have always wanted to see them, and I must say it was a pretty amazing sight.

View from the trail. Sorry this picture is so small, I had to steal it from my sisters blog and this is how big it ended up.

Playing Photographer

One of my hobbies is taking photos, and I love it when anyone lets me practice on them. I got to practice on my niece and nephew when they were here this weekend. I think they turned out cute. Thanks in big part to Photo Shop, and the cute kids posing for the pictures. Sorry I posted so many this was the easiest way I could think of to show Nancy the pictures.

Hayden and Hannah

Here is a candid one that I had a little bit of fun editing.

Hayden

Hannah

Feeling like a good mom...then again.

I think as moms we should take time to congratulate ourselves when we do something great. I think about 10% of the time I feel like a pretty good mom and then the other 90% percent of the time I find myself yelling at crying kids, "You had better get your room clean or else...."

Feeling like a good mom...

My friend and I put together an art camp for some of the kids in our neighborhood. Five moms each take a week hosting art camp for the 10 of our kids that are around the same age. It was my turn this week. I spent the whole morning coloring rice and beans with food coloring for their bean pictures. The kids had allot of fun making their bean pictures as well as painting their bowls and fruit that they had sculpted a couple days earlier. Needless to say my kitchen was a disaster area by the end of art camp. It took me over an hour to clean up the mess after they were gone, and I am still sweeping up bits of colored rice and beans two days later. But as I was cleaning, I have to say I was feeling like a pretty good mom.

Kaylee, Maddy, and Taylee finishing up their bean pictures. Doesn't that mess look fun. You should have seen the rest of my kitchen.

The 10 artists posing with their artwork.


Close up of my two little artist work.

And then again...
It seems you can only spend a few moments congratulating yourself on being a good mom before something happens that takes you right down to earth and makes you realize you have a long way to go.
I had left Sydnie in her crib even though I knew she was awake, for probably almost an hour. After all she wasn't crying and I needed just a few more minutes to scrub the toilets (she always likes to help) I started feeling guilty, and decided I better check on her. I knew I was in trouble when I opened the door and smelled a poopy diaper and saw my little girl naked in her crib. She had managed to strip of all of her clothes including her diaper. In her boredom, she had decided to play with the poop and had it everywhere, her hands her feet, her crib and of course all over the bedding. Needless to say, all the time I had thought I was saving myself by leaving her in the crib was soon wasted by cleaning up the mess.
Other not so good mom moments:
I let my kids eat cold cereal for lunch all the time, sometimes even for dinner.
I've been known to let my kids watch t.v for over an hour just so I can have some me time, (like right now as I am writing this blog.)
I get mad at them all the time for spilling things or making messes, even though I spill and make messes all the time (although in my defense I am the one who has to clean it up)

Spring Soccer

We just finished up another season of soccer. It was a little crazy this year because their games were at different fields and overlapped several times. Both Kaylee and Brianne are becoming quite the soccer players. Kaylee tried out for an all girls competitive team and made it! She starts playing for that team this fall. She has been busy training for it by running three times a week with me. She is quite the little runner and is almost up to a full two miles without stopping. Brianne has shown amazing improvement. She is not afraid to get right in there and get that ball. On her very last game of the season she scored 3 goals!!! Bringing her grand total to 6 goals for the season.

Brianne and Kaylee suited up and ready for their games.

Brianne running to catch up to the ball. Brianne is the one with all the hair.

Kaylee kicking the ball around during warm-ups.