Spring and Riding Horses

We had the most wonderful week last week. It was so warm, the boys spent hours outside. Ruxton and I came in everyday with a little bit of a sunburn and by the end of the week Addler was spotn' a pretty nice tan without ever having a sunburn, definitely not my jeans! Addler now HATES school, because it messes up his outside plans! We are all counting down the days to no more school.
So growing, up when warm weather hit, you were outside riding horses getting ready for rodeo! I loved it! I still get the itch in me every time a nice day comes in the spring. Well the boys had it bad! Austin and I had been riding quite often going out and riding through the cows and calves, and they really wanted to ride. I knew what they were feeling, so I went out and caught the horses. They had fun, but are not yet quite full filled in their yearning, they want to chase cows! I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to grow up with horses, and that I learned to love it. It is my life saver on many a rough day. It is therapy for me! I can't explain what it does to the soul to go out for a ride. I feel so much better about life when I come back in. I love my children, husband, and house more! It makes me a better person.

This is the horse we bought for the boys, he is only four going on five, and you can put the boys on him. He was the best find ever!

These are just some pictures of the boys riding. Like I said they really wanted to go be cowboys not just ride around. Addler go bored pretty quick. He is getting a lot better at riding however, he is still very caution. Ruxton on the other hand, is not! He had a scary experience late last fall so I wondered how he would be, I don't know why I ever question his abilities. He was on the horse a whole one second before he was kicking and running off!

This is my hot husband catching my horse for me so we could go for a ride together. I love seeing him out working, he is an amazing man! I love this picture..this is our life and I love it!

Ruxton is patiently waiting his turn for a ride.
Don't we live in a beautiful place, I thought the mountain in the back was awesome!

Holdan

I have a bunch a fun pictures of Holdan. He is my baby and I thoroughly just love him. He has been such a joy, I think because I have just stopped long enough to enjoy him. I told myself I didn't care if somethings did not get done, I wanted to just enjoy this baby. My life seemed so crazy with the other three. They were all so much fun, but I was really caught up being a mom, and not in enjoying them before they got big. He has been so much fun, I ask him who is my baby and he raises his hand and says "Me". He talks in sentences now, it is crazy! You can even understand most of what he says. His newest cutest is butterfly, I can't even spell it how he says it. Last night he was not too happy, I picked him up and said, "Are you sad?" he sadly says "yep" a little while later while I was loving on him I asked if he was happy he said very quietly, "No". He says after you ask him if he wants something, "Yep, lease" he has started the ever famous with all by little one year olds, the "Well" or "Welp" when they are ready to move on to something else-just like their dad! The best is when he is leaving to go even just to the next room, "See ya mom, love oo" Nothing more rewarding! So here are some fun pictures of my Baby!These first two are of him, stopping for a moment for family prayer I thought it was cute how he was on one knee, and the other is of him reading scriptures, he loves those little scriptures. He also says the cutest prayers, a little hard for the older boys not laugh the entire time, but so dang cute.

Holdan loves, loves, loves to read books he asks in his own little way, "Mom read a book"

This was so funny one day at breakfast he was eating and I looked over and he has one foot propped up, just hanging out!


Austin does catch a nap,not very often, on Sundays, and Holdan wanted to join, so he got his own pillow and thought dad needed a hat too. Not quite the nap he was wishing for.

Zane came over this week for the day, him and Holdan had fun. We spent a lot of time out side, and Holdan would call to him and boss him. He says Zane so cute. Then on the slide he would say, "My tun, Zane." So fun to have his cousin over to play for the day.

Our goings and comings

So Austin and I have been pretty busy throughout the winter with Farm Bureau. We have had the opportunity to be in Seattle, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Reno. It has been fun but we are happy to be home. In Tulsa the highlight for us was going to a huge food bank there and volunteering our time. We helped them package and sort food that will go out to families in need. We took a group of 50 Young Farmers and Ranchers. We overwhelmed them. Young Farmers and Ranchers are not lazy by any means. We all jumped in and got every job done in record time and they were scrabbling to find things for us to do. We handled a lot of food that day. It was fun and really rewarding. This is a picture of the group from Idaho that went.



I do have to make a note of a funny story of Ruxton. He stayed with Shancy and Kade while we were a way. They saw some deer out behind her house and Ruxton wanted to shoot them. She told him that they couldn't because they were on the ground that belonged to the "Indians". This went on for a while, him asking to shoot one, and her trying to explain why we can't until he finally came up with his own solution...and I quote,"Well, why don't we just shoot the Indians?" I guess he has watched one too many old westerns, and I told Shancy to tell him they are Native Americans!

Our last trip for a while was Reno, we had planned to leave the kids, but they were sad for us to leave again and we did not want to leave them, we were getting sick of leaving them. So on a last minute whim, we took them all with us. It was a eventful trip to say the least. Monday night in Elko, Holdan woke up sick, throwing up. Next I got sick. We left Elko on a long drive to Reno. After we got there, Ruxton was sick. And by the end of the night Austin wasn't feeling too hot. Luckily it stopped with Austin not ever getting real sick but not felling too good for a day. Maestin thought about it but he didn't either. I love silver! There was a good swimming pool and the boys had a blast swimming. The workshops were good, and we had a fun time really together as a family. Here are a few pictures of my sick family.



This is a cute picture of Holdan, he was a bit better but still not felling great he would lay down a lot. He went and got the pillow and found this little hole in the hotel and laid down in there. I love one year olds.


We are happy to be done for a bit, but have been grateful to see some new places. We also got to spend some fun time with Walt and his family while we were in Seattle, and on the way home we had fun with Blake and Tina. Thanks to Tina, Ruxton got to have a little bit of a birthday party. She made him cake and we sang happy b-day to him. It was really the highlight of that trip to see family!

Thank you to everyone that has helped with the kids while we have been away. We really do appreciate it. The boys feel at home with each one of you. Kade Lusk you will have to clarify why you ate an apple and it is still stuck in your throat. And a few more interesting facts that Ruxton came home with, but we will forgive you for your serviced on my behalf! ;) Also thanks to Dale for taking care of the place while we are away. We couldn't do it without his support, he is a great Dad!

Austin's B-day and Valentine's/ Scouts

We had a busy week last week, but we had a lot of fun. First Austin had another birthday it is so sad that they just keep coming. The boys love their dad so much, they spent the entire day making presents for their dad. They made things like crossbows, wooden animals, and I am not sure what out of wood. It was all very top secret, they were running here and there getting hammers, wood, nails, and each other to accomplish their gift. They wrote special notes to him, and colored best dad pictures that I found for them. Maestin made a banner and hung it up with all of their pictures and surprised him. I made him a big thick cherry cheese cake. He loves it, and hordes it without sharing much. He eats at it everyday until it is gone. He is an amazing individual in all aspects of life. He amazes me on a daily basis. I wish I could be more patient and loving like him. He never thinks about how tired he is, he will always do the most minimal or annoying task for his boys or his wife, without complaining. He is amazing outside of being the best husband and father. His friends, brothers, and any person that associates with him look up to and respect him. He is a great person. I think I can brag on him a little can't I? I may be partial but he is amazing.



For Valentines day Shancy and Kade were going to come over for dinner and play games, we were all excited, but Kade ran into some trouble with his truck and was in the middle of a messy job that took way longer that expected. Unfortunately they didn't make it. It was mostly unfortunate for Kade, because needless to say Shancy was not too happy. ;) However, mom and dad still wanted to come so they came over and we had fun playing games. The boys had fun. We played one game where you have to race to get to a color, and it is timed. We all had teams and Maestin picked "Gramps". That is what he would call him, "come on "gramps" we can do it", "come on gramps it is our turn". They won by the way. It was fun to see mom and dad get into it and have fun. It was a fun little party. We missed you Shancy and Kade, we will definitely have to do it again. Kade, a little bit of advice, don't start any jobs on that day!:)


This is a picture of that night before mom and dad went home the boys went to bed, Ruxton started to ask for lights out, we hear this little "ights out" with Ruxton, Austin goes in to find these two "ready" for bed. Unfortunately Holdan follows and does whatever the big boys do, and they think it is great!



I wanted to post this picture of Maestin, he started basketball and few weeks ago. He does really good, and he enjoys it. We all have, the whole family will go to open gym on Fridays, and we have a lot of fun. Yes, I am encouraging the basketball, you all know what a fool of myself I made with Kade and Bowdrie at wrestling, not going to happen with my boys! Anyway I didn't know if you all knew or not but my house was turned into a gym, and I suspect it will be that way until my boys leave the house in 17 years. When the boys are all home there is constant basketball dribbling in my kitchen. I did have a rule, it is no use, they are good to give me a brake now and then. My brake consist of no dribbling it changes to football throwing, baseball throwing, rope throwing, wrestling, rodeo, or lately wild mustang catching and training. (we watched man from snowy river) I love my boys!





Even when we are tired like Austin in this picture they are still up for some fun!



I love boys because they get to be scouts, such an amazing program. We had our blue and Gold last night. I am a den leader of the weblos so we were all there and involved, it was fun! Maestin has worked hard he earned his Bobcat a while ago. Last night he earned all four of his beads, and earned his wolf badge. We are proud of him.


That was our week and now Austin and I are off to Tulsa, OK tomorrow until next Tuesday. I hope all those involved with my boys have fun! You are all so wonderful to help out and I am grateful to you thank you.

Maestin

This is a quick write about my Maestin. He was defiantly a valiant spirit before he came to me, and I am reminded of it often. Once again it hits me in the face, you have this amazing child raise him right.

So, he started senior primary this year. In senior primary they start studying the scriptures. They follow what we study in our Sunday school class. This kid went nuts the first Sunday after he learned about Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden and taking the fruit. He had some major deep questions. His soul is just yearning to learn more from the scriptures. He really "hungers" for more knowledge. It is amazing to me how much he wants to read and understand. I finally got around to looking up his lesson for the next Sunday I gave him the list. He is downstairs reading it, and so excited he can hardly contain himself with not being able to talk with me about it. He is amazed that the dimensions of the ark are in the bible. So, guess what we are doing tomorrow...looking up what the ark looked like and drawing it. He is such a good boy, the spirit radiates off of him, I am so humbled that he was given to us for a time to prepare him for his errand that the Lord needs from him.

He started piano lessons, none too pleased, however he started on primary songs, he can not stop playing Book of Mormon Stories, he loves it. We all had to sing while he played tonight.





I do have to make note, that Addler and Ruxton are pretty amazing too, they ask each night for me or Austin to read to them out of the normal Book of Mormon. We are going in order, and don't miss a night they love it too. They are born amazing we just have to step up to the plate.











I love my boys, they are a strength to me, thank you sisters for talking me into recording such special moments! I am inspired to be a better mother, wife, and women as I write.

It is Offical

Ok, well here it goes this is for all my sisters and mostly Pepper, yes I finally did it. I am blogging! After talking to Pepper about how she printed off the last year of her blogs I was sold. I am a journaler and always have been. So this is for me, and my family. I really hate the idea of someone other than my children reading my thoughts and view of how things happen, which is why I have not done this before. And I am paranoid about my spelling, it is bad! However, I love reading about my nieces and nephews and how they are growing up, so I thought I would return the favor! Here it is goes!


I guess my first entry has to be about my baby! Yes, he is my baby! The picture is of him doing his latest cute thing. Last week we were out of town and Austin asked who wanted to get out, all the sudden we hear this little."Me!" We looked back and there he is with his hand in the air like he is in Kindergarten saying "Me" This has not stopped thankfully, any time you ask him if he wants something he says, "Yep, Me" Too darn cute. The picture obviously does not do it justice.

My other cute story about my boys is they play so well together. They seldom ever ask for friends over because they don't need them. They play for hours with each other. My baby included. They are so good to play with him and get the biggest kick out of him. Yesterday the game was of catching cheetahs and tagging them like they were scientists. Two would crawl and run around growling like a cheetah while the other two would shoot sleep darts at them. They would run around yelling sleep dart the cheetah would fall down and the others would do a number of experiments on the cheetah, my little baby was right int he middle yelling "leep art" and performing all the the task he was asked to. And of course the cheetahs would wake up and a brawl would follow. They played this for hours until I couldn't take it any longer. They are the best boys, a little noisy, but they are always having a good time!

The other picture is of our Super Man we got him those pj's cor Christmas the boys thought it was so funny and couldn't wait for him to open them. We had to get a picture. He really is all of our Super Man. We all fight and vie for his attention, we would all be lost without him!

I had to add the picture of Maestin and Holdan, he was helping getting him ready for bed and went the wrong direction with the shirt Holdan was laughing his head off, and Maestin was laughing with a bewildered what do I do look. Funny!


So there it is, not too many laughs at my first attempt, I am sure it will all get better. I always have a good story with my boys. You do have the choice of not reading, because very seldom do I get a picture of the good story!