Still Here, Thankfully!

You know it's been a while in blog world when friends actually start calling to make sure you're okay. Yes, yes I'm alive and kickin', but thanks for checkin' on me Chris! Tyler and I actually had a little getaway last week, so I'm thinking I'm okay since it's only been a couple days since I blogged, when in reality it's been more like a week. And this post will be short cuz I am blogging on the sly while the rest of my family is outside having family night. Even Briggs is passed out in his swing while the radio blares and the kids splash in the pool.

I don't know if anyone else's relationship is like mine and Tyler's, but we start a project together and quickly I get irritated. So, tonight, after we washed the patio furniture (in anticipation of the family Olympics we're hosting on Friday) we start spraying down our decking. Oh, I realize how it is so filthy when the dry dirt becomes dark, muddy water. Tyler's spraying and I'm pushing the water off the deck into the rock bed and planters, etc. But, in my opinion, Tyler is doing it ALL WRONG! And I try "suggesting" different ways to do it, which he (IN ALL FAIRNESS) ignores, and then I'm annoyed. I have to give myself credit, though, for letting it go and removing myself from the situation instead of getting overly bugged and being snotty to him (which is my first reaction.) So, I'm blessing the entire family by blogging :)

So, what's been going on? Nothing abnormally exciting. The girls are on track break and, like always, it seems to throw the whole world off kilter. I'm REALLY trying to be a better mom full of patience and love, but it's gonna have to be a process. I cannot get it through Brock's head that he can't climb and hang on ALL our furniture and fixtures or he might get hurt. It's the might that he wants to argue about, which, to 2 yr. old "might" is like an empty threat. But I hate the "See, I told you moments!" He was literally hanging off my shelf in my dining room that is about 5 feet from the ground and holds some candle thing-a-ma-jigs trying to get one of them in his hands. Crazy! And for breakfast he cannot understand why dum dum suckers and apple juice won't cut it. Anyhow, it's normal stuff, right? Honestly, the past few weeks my perspective about being a mom has changed a ton since reading Stephanie Waite's blog. My sister-in-law told me about her family a few weeks ago and I have devoutly checked to see what Stephanie has posted every day since she lost her one year old daughter in a drowning accident. Sometimes a tragedy like their family experienced is morbid and overwhelmingly devestating. While I am sure there are some powerful moments of sadness (she's very candid in her blog), I have been so inspired by her inner strength, faith, and understanding. If y'all want to be similarly affected, I highly recommend it. I'll warn you, though, being a parent will not be the same experience once you thing about what she has to share.

*Deep breath* Okay, before I head to Erin's for the Bachelorette par-tay, I'll leave ya with some pics. (For lame posts, pictures always help.) I took the girls (and Briggs) to Spring Mountain Ranch with my sister's ward a couple weeks ago and we had a great time seeing Beauty and the Beast. The girls had a blast and a huge thanks to Angela for commanding the blanket brigade so we'd have a place to sit! *AND* for always being so great to help with Briggs.