Denver - Summer 2013

I just realized that I never posted about Denver because I wanted to post pictures. I have to write about our summer vaca for rememberance sake. Chet and I have always wanted to take an annual family vaca. It's near impossible. Between family reunions, and scouts, and hunting, we have no vacation time left. This year we decided to skip family reunions and plan a trip all around fun. We planned it with several friends in Gillette. Come time for the trip, everyone but the Lee's had to back out for one reason or another. We decided rather than camp and lake, we would go to Denver and play. We switched plans last minute and Erin and I went to planning. We booked our rooms and headed down (the guys had taken off Wed, Thur, and Friday) Wednesday morning. When we got there, we went to the zoo. It was the first time for my boys. Then we went to the aquarium and decided to eat first. It was sooo cool. There were tanks where mermaids were swimming which was a huge highlight for the Lee girls. You could go up to the tanks and they would swim over and touch hands with you and let you take pictures with your kids by the tank. They also had a play room for the kids while they waited for their food. So the men took the kids and Erin and I just ordered and sat and chatted. So much fun. After dinner we decided we would just go get dessert and head back to the hotel. Outside they were making smores for free over a fire pit. All the kids got to roast a marshmellow and make a smore.

The next day we got up and ate at the hotel. Again, all 14 of us eating in a hotel breakfast room. The kids were all talking and excited for the day. We wanted to be at the amusement park when it opened, and we were. We partied hard all day. First Erin and Clint took the older kids and Chet and I took all the younger ones on the kiddie rides. Then we switched. Then Erin and I took them, and then the guys. It was a fun day, and we all got to ride almost everything we wanted. Clint and Erin took the kids to a motorcycle show where they were jumping and doing circles in a cage. Colby talks about that every day still 2 months later. We closed the park down. While leaving the parking lot I called cheesecake factory and asked if they could seat 14 of us. They said sure come right down. We all went to the cheesecake factory in downtown Denver. I don't think we were the group of 14 they were hoping for, but it was great. We were kinda in a seperate room (there were about 6 other tables) and we all had a great time. Then we went back to the room and watched some TV together and then crashed.

We had planned to go to the Lee's property in the Black Hills on Friday and camp the rest of the weekend, but we were having too much fun. The kids loved the water rides, so we just had to go to the water park too. So Friday morning we got up and were at Water World to open the park. If I thought we played hard on Thursday, we played even harder on Friday. Even the babies were having a blast (they have a boy 2 months younger than Colbs, 2-1/2) We played until the park closed. It wasn't too hot, but hot enough, and the lines were fairly short. For the second day in a row, we seemed to hit on the right day. Perfect weather and lines. We then went to dinner at a steak house, and the kids were GREAT! They were so tired, we thought it would be breakdown city, but they were so tired they just sat and stared. It was a blast!!! Dinner is a highlight for me. I love to just sit and eat food that I don't have to cook or clean up after while talking to my friends, and reliving everything we had just done. I had permagrin. We then headed to the hotel, hung out a little, and crashed.

Saturday we hung out until about 10ish and headed home. We stopped in Casper on the way home and hung out for a few hours. Sunday we headed up to the Lee's property and cooked dinner and had a great feast. The boys ran around in nature, feeling like they were in heaven, and we just sat in chairs relaxing. The guys took all the kids on a low key 4 wheeler ride. Everyone was just happy!

It was a happy weekend and always a great time with the Lee's. It's so nice to have a family that is in the same situation as us. They understand our frustrations, and we all help each other. They can help any of my kids and we can help any of theirs. We just all pitch in where needed. Their kids are almost our kids ages, and they all get along really well. Clint and Erin are VERY different from us, and it works. They don't like to plan, but are always up for having a good, clean, fun time! They leave most of the planning to me, and go along with whatever I come up with. We love hanging out with them, and always come away feeling happy and blessed to have them as our friends!

We hope to hit Disneyland with them next! Lego land, the beach, Sea World, the works!!! Already saving and hoping!!!

Temple Trips

We try really hard to attend the temple every month. It's not so easy. It's a long day when we do. It was a youth temple trip yesterday, which means that Chet is taken for 2 hours at a specific time. Usually I would just keep the kids and then go in when Chet was done. My friend Erin found a drop in daycare there in Billings, so we decided to wait for our husbands to finish with the youth and then go together, all 4 of us. We did some family names for a ward member and had a great time being in the temple together and with friends. I felt so much peace. Then, we decided to go to a corn maze. We were a little unsure about going because we knew it would cost us more than $50. We decided to all go (they are a family of 7 as well) IT WAS AWESOME!!! They had so many fun things to do! The kids were all just running around having a blast. The babies and big boys. We stayed for 3.5 hours, and really only left because it was cold and getting dark out. We then went to IHOP to eat, all 14 of us. We get the funniest looks. We love to go out with the Lee's, and seem to do it about every other month. We just ventured to Pizza Hut for the first several times, and now we are venturing out a little more (mexican and stuff like that). As we were leaving I apologized to the table next to us for being so loud. It was an older couple and they had been staring at us the entire time. They smiled and said that they had been talking about how well behaved they all were, and how fun it was to see. I love that. I'm very careful not to take them somewhere where they shouldn't be, but it is nice to get compliments about how well behaved 10 kids (ages 10 down to 2) can be. The boys (Cart and Cars) both told me that they were excited to go to the temple when they turn 12. I love the way I feel (according to Caden I am REALLY weird after I go, I say I love you way too much and be all nice and fun), I love being there with Chet, and I love that we are setting an example to the boys of the importance of temple attendance. It's fun to make it a memorable day too; friends make anything more fun at every age!!!

Feeling the Spirit

After church today Cars and I were alone in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher. We were just casually talking about nothing in particular. He says to me so nonchalant, "Guess what happened to me today?" I asked what. He says, "I felt the spirit while we were watching a movie on missionaries in Primary." That is the first time that he has ever said that. We have pointed out times when they could possibly be feeling the spirit, but I think that this was the first time that he recognized he was feeling it. He felt it, knew what it was, and really liked it. He didn't say anything more, but he randomly hugged me twice today and told me that he loved me so much. He's a good kid, but the older he gets, the less of that I get. It was so nice. He made a few other comments, and I could tell that he just felt different today. I love that my boys are growing up in the gospel. I love that they can recognize the spirit, and then love it when they do. I love how the gospel changes who we are, and how we live. We are very blessed for sure!!!

Old Folks Home

Chet has been administering the sacrament at an old folks home for a while now. He is really good to take the boys on different things when doing his calling. He takes them to the church while he has his early morning meetings and they set up chairs. He takes them to every move and makes them help where they can. They love to tag along, and I love having a few less kids while he's gone, AND I love that they are learning to serve. It doesn't bother them, for the most part, when Chet leaves, because they know it's just what we do as a family, and we sustain him. Well, Cars asked Chet if he could go with him to the meeting at the old folks home. It was an instant hit! Not by the old people, but by Cars. He does not miss a week. If Chet has another leader go for him, Cars is mad. He came home and announced to me that he WOULD be applying as soon as he is old enough to work there. He told me that he CANNOT wait until he is 12 and can pass the sacrament, especially there. I asked him why and he told me that some of the people cannot take the sacrament themselves and that you get to help them eat and drink. He loves to talk to all of them and help them where he can. Chet says that he shakes everyones hand, and he even said the closing prayer for their sacrament meeting the other day. We took the boys to a drop in daycare place in Billings so we could go to the temple, and upon picking them up Cars informs us that it was the most boring place EVER! Chet says, "It's about as fun as an old folks home huh?" Cars says, "No! That place is AWESOME! This place sucks!" He is just in love with the place. He loves the old people! He is such a great caretaker. I love that about him!!! And I am curious to see if he really does work there. I told him that he can start volunteering there if he wants soon, and he is really excited. The other boys think it stinks and that the people are weird, and they don't like it so much. Not Cars. He would go every day if we took him!

Perspective

All the things that Chet and I do for the kids, I think that we sometimes forget what really matters to them. They want to be loved, and they want to be boys. We got DUMPED on today. The boys wanted to get their snow clothes on and go shovel. Not play, shovel! It is really heavy snow, but they did their best. Cars was so mad at us all morning because we have Papa's 4-wheeler and no plow. We just found out that our neighbor has his 4-wheeler in Laramie for hunting, and has his plow in his shed, and is DREADING the thought of shoveling. I told Cars to go see if the 4-wheeler would start and if he could dig it out. He worked diligently until he could get it out. He was careful, and responsible and used so much common sense, not just crazy 9 year old boy! He got it out and drove it from the side of the house to the driveway. He then came inside and had to tell me a detailed account of everything he "The Snow King" did to get it out. He is on cloud nine, had to call Papa and tell him about it, ask if they could hook up the plow. He is walking around the house happier than I have seen him for a REALLY long time! He told me that he loved me out of nowhere. He is just happy! Happy to get to go with dad to help others that needed it, and now getting to plow for the cul-de-sac. I love the helper he is. And the joy that he has in LIFE! Thanks Papa for letting us use the 4-wheeler. You have one happy boy!!!

Creepy

Cael picked out the movie Flushed Away, but never got to watch it. When he went to school, Colbs asked if I would put it in for him. I put in on and walked out of the room to do something. Typically Colbs will fall asleep for a few hours shortly after Cael leaves for school, so I thought he would be to sleep in no time. Instead he was out hanging on me about 15 min later. I asked him why he was not watching his movie and he says, "Because that movie is creepy mom. I don't like that creepy movie." Creepy? Where did he get that word. It makes me laugh. The older boys would have never said anything like that, because they only repeated the words we would use. Now the babies are using all kinds of funny words they are learning from brothers!

Steak and Fish

Chet has just started making green smoothies before work. He likes to put raw almonds in it. Today is a snow day so we are all sitting around watching Duck Dynasty and one of the boys found Chets stash. Raw almonds are expensive, but so good for them that we just let them eat them. Cars and Colbs are just devouring them, so I said, "You like those Cars?" He replies, "Yeah! They are like eating steak and fish" and never lets his eyes leave the show. What a weird comparrison! He is so weird. He likes SUCH different food from me!

Shes a 100

I have a really bad habit of rating EVERYTHING on a 1-10 scale. After I make a new meal, after we go on vacation, after I play volleyball, I ALWAYS ask Chet to rank everything on a 1-10. Then I will ask what made it not a 10. So Cars asks me today when he gets home from school what I would rate his teacher (she's LDS, her husband is a bishop of another ward. She is really awesome. Fun and laid back) I thought about it and said, "I think a 10 from what I know so far. What about you?" He says, "She's a 100!" I asked him why. His response was typical Cars. She is a 100 because her kids put music on her ipad and then she plays it throughout the day. He started naming all the songs, and then tells me that there are songs he can get because she will only play ones without naughty words and so she buys clean versions. A lot of times he gets shut down on song purchases because we disagree with the words or meaning behind it. Now he tells me we can get the clean version of every song out. Cool songs too, not old lady songs like country! (Haha I love this kid!)

Debate

Chet often tells Cars that he should be a lawyer. He doesn't even understand why he says it. Today Cars comes home from school and tells me that they have started something new at school called debate. He tells me, "Mom. I am really good at it. I win every one, even when I don't agree with the position she makes me debate (he commented on "position" like he was really cool) He said that he debates really good, and is really funny at it too. I just smiled. He is too cute! I just love when they start learning new things and are so excited about them. He is good at debating at home too!

Not a Sucker

Today Colby asked me to come wipe his butt. (I am ALMOST done wiping butts for good!!!) I walked into the bathroom and said, "Colbs, flush that sucker, it stinks!!!" He looks up at me with confusion on his face and says, "That's not a sucker mom, it's a turd!" Oh my gosh, I laughed until I cried! So dang cute!