Horsin' around

Lucas' preschool group had a field trip last week to the home of one his classmates; her parents board and train horses. The children learned all about horses, and got to ride Tornado - the very same horse that Antonio Banderas rode in the Legend of Zorro! Actually, Tornado was one of three horses used in the movie, but he was used a majority of the time. Tornado is getting old and has asthma (perhaps from the cigar he smoked in the movie?), but he gave the children a fabulous riding experience. What a fun memory! Brian wants to know if Tornado has to use a "neigh"bulizer? An inhaler, actually. Who knew?

Isabel, not having school on T and Th, was able to join us for all of Lucas' field trips this year, and especially loved this one too. A picnic on the farmland under the shade of a big tree after the riding made for a picture-perfect field trip!

 

Motherhood

I had a great Mother's Day this year. Mason slept in until 7 instead of awaking at 5, as has been his norm (although Brian was prepared to handle the 5 a.m. wake-up call had it come). Brian handled kitchen duties the entire day, and it was blissful to have a break from such activities. I got some fun presents, including a movie, the Adele 21 album, and Brian even ventured into Charming Charlie to search for a short, chunky, coral necklace that matches my new sandals, as per my request. Not only did he venture, he succeeded.

As I am still the 2nd Sunday Relief Society instructor, I had to teach the mother's day lesson to all of the lovely ladies for the second year in a row (everyone from primary and young women attends also), and it was a packed room. The lesson went well. It was humbling and inspiring to stand in front of so many fantastic ladies.

Isabel wrote on her mother's day paper from primary that I am "good at dancing and beautiful as a dolphin." That, along with Lucas' preschool questionnaire answer that I am 70 years old, I can see that my kids really know how to flatter. I tell ya what.

The rest of the day was relaxed and calm and just what I needed. Isabel gave me a foot massage, Brian cooked fantastic fish tacos - which were as scrumptious as they were pretty - and from-scratch brownies.

After dinner the clouds that had been hovering for several days lifted, and it turned into the most glorious evening. We played a little backyard baseball then walked to the lake. These pictures illustrate how much the older children love to take care of their baby brother, and how much they love to throw rocks in the lake. I swear, it is a rite of childhood. It never.gets.old.

 

If you read NieNie, you might know that she sponsored an "Motherhood is..." essay contest. I entered,  didn't win, and thought I'd let it rest here:

Motherhood is…a choice I once made, while driving with my husband on a road trip across a sun-kissed early-summer Midwestern cornfield that spread out before me, as vast as my future. I was ready to have a baby, I announced to my husband.

            But what I couldn’t have known then, yet have subsequently learned, is that motherhood is a choice I continue to make every day.

            My decision to become a mother was only the launching point for countless other decisions, almost like a daily, real-life choose my own adventure. And what an adventure it is, this bringing a life into the world and guiding it in the direction it should go!

            Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, ‘There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family.”

            I choose to accept the knowledge that the tiny, innocent babies that stormed into my life and stole my heart, time, sleep, body – anything, really, that possibly can be sacrificed – will one day grow into adults. I choose how I am going to prepare them to be successful adults that contribute to their worlds in positive ways.

            I choose to make the very most out of the relatively short period of time that my children will be young and they will be mine. I choose to endow them with experiences, memories and lessons that they will take with them on their journeys, and from which they then can pluck from the life smorgasbord I have prepared for them a treasure to help them attain all that is possible. Or simply, to select a “remember when we…” to make them smile. Or to remember how much they are loved.

            I choose how much of my time to give. I have sacrificed money and career to spend precious moments living fully immersed in this season of young motherhood, a season that will lend itself to other seasons, and, unlike the spring that always casts aside the darkness of winter, will not return.

I choose how to respond to situations. Sometimes – oh blasted truth, more than I care to admit – I choose incorrectly. Yet I make a cognizant effort to choose as best I can to handle my responses to the funny, infuriating, overwhelming and at times indescribable situations I am presented with, just as the Savior would.

I choose to remember that I chose this. And in so doing, I choose the dirty diapers, the monotony of preparing three square meals a day, the piles of laundry that taunt me with their refusal to shrink but instead rapidly multiply, the homework, the activities, the heartbreak, the laughter, the tears, and the joy. Always, I strive to choose the joy.

Glimpses of me

Lucas' wonderful preschool teacher held a Mother's Day Tea for the kids and their moms, and Lucas was beside himself with excitement about it. It was so lovely. The children escorted us to and seated us at the table, which was decorated with flowers, balloons, handmade vases and place mats, and a placard. They served us chocolate mousse, lemonade punch, chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies (one of my faves), and fresh fruit. The children performed a fun mother's day song, and we made coupons for each other of ways to serve and spend time with each other.

I loved having such a fun date with my handsome boy, who is such a good, well-behaved, delightful person. Lucky me. But according to the place mats, I was the "oldest" mom there - seriously, 70? Unlucky me.

I had a fun lunch recently with my former co-workers from Children's Hospital; we comprised a big part of the PR department back in the day. We haven't all worked together in nearly 9 years, but we still keep in touch and do lunch 2 or 3 times a year. And this is the first time we've actually taken a picture! So fun to connect and catch up. Didn't notice until later the funny cook getting in on the action!

I needed some headshots for my new column position, so I turned to my dear friend Kristie for help. I hate myself in pictures, but she worked her magic and I actually kinda like them! It's been fun getting opinions from family and friends and helping me pick my faves. Here they are:

 

Always nice to have visitors

My parents were able to visit with us recently from Minnesota. They mostly came to visit their new grandson, Nate and Alli's baby Aidan, and to move my brother JJ's stuff to his new place in Boulder, but we benefited from their travels nonetheless. Some of the highlights (in addition to them being able to attend Isabel's dance recital):

They arrived on my dad's birthday, and both of my brothers, SIL and nephew came over, so we wowed them with our fantastic grilled pizza and homemade chocolate cake. It was the first time the children met Aidan, and they completely adored him. So funny to see him by Mason, who of course instantly looked ginormous, as he's my baby and I don't have another baby to compare him to.

While my parents were spending time in Denver with my bro, we met up one morning at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge for a prairie hike.

We spent a day in Rocky Mountain National Park - it was a glorious sunny warm day, pretty amazing for early May at such high elevation. We hiked, picnicked, played in some rivers - so beautiful and so much fun!

We always love family visits! We are really looking forward to my sister Lara and her family visiting in June, Brian's sister Kelley and her family moving back to the Denver area in June from Dallas (they've lived in TX the entire time Brian and I have been married), and going to my parents' house in Minnesota in July.

Isabel's dance recital

Another spring, another dance recital! Isabel was so excited that my parents were in town and thus able to see one of her recitals for the first time, as were my parents. And Brian's parents also came, so she was thrilled to have all of her grandparents in attendance.

I love love love her ballet costume this year; the dance had a picnic theme. The tap costumes were supposed to look like bums. Not sure that's really what the outcome was, but the girls thought the costumes were fun so that's all that matters. She did another great job, knew her routines perfectly and executed them as such. She really likes to be on the stage. And she's a joy to watch.

These are from when they had professional pics taken a couple of weeks ago-

 And her recital pics:

She loved getting flowers from each set of grandparents and from daddy and her brothers. I am so proud of my beautiful little dancer, who was moved up earlier this year to the older girls' class; she has kept up beautifully and did a fantastic job. Way to go Isabel!