The Crazy Train....Um I Mean Mini-van

I have seen the face of insanity and it is ugly.

Instead of padded walls....heated leather seats
Instead of a straight jacket....a seat belt
Instead of the State Mental Hospital...the Inter-state Highway
Instead of voices inside my head....three voices yelling mommy at the same time
Instead of medicine to make them stop....goldfish, fruit snacks, and graham crackers
Instead of hallucinations....vision of three sleeping children

Our family made the very short drive from Lagoon to Sandy last night and I wish I would have counted but I estimate that I heard the word, "mommy" at least 150 times.  It can and has driven me mad!!!

Once a word I couldn't wait for each of the kids to utter I now wish I could fling from their memory forever. 

S-E-V-E-N

Did you ever see the Seinfeld where George tells his friends that he wants to name his first born, Seven, as in the number.  And he makes a seven with his finger in the air.  Haven't seen it?  Ok, totally random and moving on.

My oldest boy is seven and if you could see me, I am making a seven in the air with my fingers.  This was an off year for a friend's birthday party so we celebrated with just ourselves, which is fun and a bit of a relief.  We ate his favorite pizza on CARS2 plates and went swimming.  It was the first year that Gage didn't want a toy for his birthday.  When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday I could see that he was struck by the same reality and that he really had to think about what he wanted.  It was weird to watch and a little sad. 

He did finally come up with a DS Game that he wanted.

My mind keeps going forward to think that in January he will go to the, "It's great to be Eight." activity and learn about Cub Scouts and the Faith in God program and most important his Baptism.  Totally freakin' me out over here.  But at the same time there is something so rewarding in seeing your kid become competent.   

Gage is really just a lot of fun.  He has the strangest ideas and imagination that just blows me away sometimes.  He loves to read and I have found him many a night at 11pm still reading, with a flashlight, in his bed.  He read an entire novel one night.  I love it and I get excited to hear his enthusiastic report in the morning about what happened in the book.  The kid wakes up at the butt crack of dawn and never seems to tire.  I swear Tim is slipping him caffeine.  He loves Claire even though she treats him so rudely sometimes.  But, when I discipline her for hitting him for no reason at all, who do you think goes to comfort her....Gage!  I hope he never loses his sweetness.  It is hard to take his picture.  He looks like a mad scientist a lot of time unless I catch him off guard.  I don't know why he thinks when I say "smile" he should weird out his eyes and smile so fake and wide.  He does have another look that is slightly gangsta and it is funny.  I guess I should just start capturing those faces. 

The Gangsta Face

Yesterday, he had his 7 year check up with the doctor and he had Gage write his name and ever the conscientious one, Gage took his sweet time so he could deliver a perfect signature.  His doctor was really quite impressed with his handwriting.  I was too.  I had no idea he could write so neat.  It was the one area on his report card that his teacher said he needed to work on this summer.  I now realize it is just getting him to take his time so it looks neat...not that he doesn't know how.

Gage loves swimming.  He is good at it and loves being in the pool.  We gave him a soccer ball for his birthday.  He wasn't too thrilled when he opened that one, but he and Tim have been playing at night and Tim was so excited one night when I got home from mutual to tell me that Gage was aggressive and went after the ball!  Tim had his proud papa look that I love so much.   

Gage, you have been my faithful buddy for the last seven years and I sure love you!             

Where did June Go?

President Mckay's Family Home

June seemed to pass me by in a flash.  The kids went to school later into June this year and the day after they got out I was on my way to Youth Conference.  The conference was held in Huntsville UT, where President David O Mckay was born and raised, and we spent time at his family home doing service.  I left the conference thinking that President Mckay was the Man.  We had nightly fireside's and one was given by one of his secretaries and she had great stories to tell.  One guy who came, brought $10,000 in cash and let the kids handle it and the point of his fireside was, "Would you sell your testimony of Jesus Christ for $10,000?"  Obviously, we all said no but he pointed out that we sell it for much less everyday in lots of little ways.  It was very thought provoking and left me wanting to do better.

Some of President Mckay's Family live next door to the house he was raised in and I thought it looked like it could be a post card.  So beautiful.  

After I got home I thought, "Ok summer is here!"  Um, not so much.  For the next week and a half someone in our family was either barfing or getting over barfing.  It was good times for sure.  And then I left for Girl's Camp.  Camp was fun although I use the word camp very loosely.  We had a large cabin complete with big screen TV, hot tub, and granite counter tops.  We were joking that it should have been called Girl's Spa Retreat. 

I got home from camp on the 30th and I wondered what in the world happened to June?  All I know is that somewhere in there Gage finished 1st grade, Claire turned 2 and the next day Gage would be 7, and my upstairs was painted the most heavenly shade of grey with no chair rail.  Double Yea!!!   

In spring a bunch of women from the hood signed up to do a 5K Dirty Girl run at Wheeler Farm and although it is totally unlike me I signed up to do it with them.  We dressed in white shirts and decorated our shirts to say, "Another mom bites the dust."  and on the back, "Another one down...."  Oh my word, I had so much fun.  I didn't run the whole time (gotta work on that) but it was a blast getting dirty and being with the girls.  Lots of people say how much they love to exercise, which I frankly find so odd, but after the run I had this feeling in my chest like my lungs had been working....a lot....and if felt really good.  I guess that is what they mean?  I'm signed up for another 5k in October that I'm doing with Tim and my sisters and Gage.  Did I totally just rock your world?  It just rocked mine.

 

This post race pic is missing my white tube socks. I had to throw them and my shoes away. My shorts at one point were baby blue. 

And then comes the 4th of July.  I love the 4th!  Even though I never seem to find my decorations until after the holiday has passed.  Don't let my lack of decoration fool you...the 4th is one of my favs.  I love parades, fireworks, and family.  There is nothing more beautiful than the old stars and bars and bands and I could just go on and on.  But I'll stop now.  

 

The kids got a mother load of candy at the parade.  Sorry for the lame picture.  A photographer I am not.  

 Claire was afraid of the sirens on the fire trucks.  Grandma is helping her out.