Ok so this is glutton for punishment but…it’s my blog and it’s what I think about all the time so who cares right? 

It just seems like I’m missing a cute gummy smile!

Cute little stinkers huh?—

But it’s been 6 months.

Dang buddy. 

Anyway it’s been a good week. 

Well, this is how we survived youth conference…at power nap time at least. 

Colt woke up with a weird rash Saturday and by that night his stomach hurt. 

Oh boy-it was a long night. With at least 3 batches of laundry. 

He Seth and I stayed home from church but by noon or so he was feeling a little better. 



The highlight of Sunday was our good friends the Lingwall’s stopped by!! We love them!! And we only got to see them for an hour (I had Colt stay in his room-it felt mean but nicer than giving our friends a stomach bug) anyway only an hour but we got to see them! Nobody comes back to Kirksville-except them. Yay!! 

Anyway then just kindof a normal summer (hot and muggy) week. Swamp swimming. Mark Rober videos at dads work. 

Tanners still working on that shoe tie’n goal (just not very consistently—but he talked me into getting his new school shoes out to practice on)  







Oh and they have this “game” they play with the battleship and warplane books we got from the library I’m not sure what it is but they pick planes (or ships) and somehow money is involved…Cannon does the math—but it keeps them busy for HOURS! So that’s a win. 

Anyway I don’t what else. The bugs are eating me alive. The bugs get me the poison ivy gets Isaac at least one of us doesn’t get both.

We went to Stuart Vorkink’s viewing tonight, we had great chats with so many of his family-we love them! And got to meet the Bauer’s from St George. (Bro Vorkink’s bro and sister in-law) I loved chatting old SG with them. It was a blast.

Summer fun…

Last week we couldn’t find a current pic so Saturday on our way to Miri’s baptism (friend Colt’s age-we LOVE the Hilton’s) but we made the pic happen. Cann got the close up in the swing with the portrait setting and Colt took the one with Sethy at the bottom. 

Which I only put on because he is photo bombing it. 😊  But we’re up to date now-should be good for about 10 years! 
Saturday afternoon while Seth and I did some mowing these troops started working on our nasty swamp of a pool. Of course we’re just puttering (and wasting chemicals) Isaac was glueing part of it back together with super glue…I’m not talking one little piece it was several pieces and when he asked me-my first vote was buy a new one-he didn’t want to, not surprising, so second I voted e6000 but he wasnt going to wait around for that to dry so he went with super glue. The real question is—-why does he ask me at all??? 🤔

Tan’s been pretty into running the skid steer this week-and Colt wanted to too. 

They’re getting attached and Isaac’s getting ready to sell it.  I promise you he’s not going to get it all shined up or buy a new seat for it for us. 

I asked him why now, just curious, the plan has been to sell it all along but he didn’t seem in any rush. 

Bottom line he just might want to free up some assets for another business idea…heaven help me! And if someone could please remind him he has a good job that provides for our needs (and gives him a dang lot of freedom) I’d sure appreciate it. -Sigh-

Sunday I got a new calling—guess what happens when you complain to the Bishop about singing random songs that nobody’s heard of…I don’t know ANYTHING about being a music director but I know I’ll pick songs we’ve heard of. Ha. 

He had his annual fireside about balancing med school with life. Guess who the babysitter was? There was no way I could take the crying kids to their parents, at one point they were ALL crying. It was the snowball effect and I was like whatever-you’re safe you’re fine… But holy smokes by the end of it I was pretty frazzled. And I made upwards of 6 doz cookies that morning because he didn’t tell me anyone else was bringing treats. Oh goodness, there were so many treats-and we have some frozen cookies too. 

All the treats you want kids—outside! (Only one of the kids in the pic was one I actually had to tend-these guys were pretty much on their own and I had this many more 1-2 year old screaming their heads off. Yikes. 

Monday we went to the church to “workout” but really I’m pretty dialed in on exercising by going to Riz’s grave right now so I don’t know how much I’ll go back…now if they want to start playing basketball again —I’m in…but if not, eh maybe… the kids love getting to see their friends though. And I find 150 pics similar to this when I go to blog. 

Well-we know they didn’t learn to take that many pics from Isaac. Ha! 

Monday was also more on pool fun (or grossness he had them trying to stir up the alge off the bottom with their feet 🤮🤮🤮) and  then everyone had naps so dad would let them stay up and go coon hunting. We tried to catch fireflies while waiting for it to get dark. 

I guess they did get a raccoon, Seth was telling me all about it. But my favorite part was the first place they went was over to Riz’s grave. I thought it was kindof sweet-little brother got in on the fun too…not really but you know. But they didn’t get one over there,  they almost had to give up but persevered until they did get one right here close at the silage pit. I had stayed home and just went to bed, but that didn’t work when the herd of elephants came home. Oh well. 

That water is quickly getting greener and greener again, Nasty. 

Tan hasn’t had the best week-he ended up puking the other night, then again today 👎🏻 And last night he had this crazy heat rash. (I know he’s standing close in the above pic but I swear he didn’t get in that pool-he just likes to hangout on the ladder, so that couldn’t have been the rash culprit) 

Anyway…a little Benadryl and we hope he’s on the mend 



Isaac is at youth conference as of yesterday…but I thought it was super sweet of Sis Johnson to send me this pic! 

The only other thing I can really think of was I ended up unloading on my journal this week-the same one I said last week should be burnt, ha, maybe not quite yet- and it was really really good for me. It just started with me telling about my day like normal and I had made my “find your faith” shirt (I like faith shirts) but I kind of just started writing down where that came from. Among other things like “today is going to be really hard” and “come out stronger” that is what Dr Speak told me when he came in and crouched by the side of my hospital bed the day I delivered Riz’s body. I know he said more that I don’t remember, I know he checked on Isaac too, just that it was going to be a rough day for dad too. But “Find your Faith” is what stood out to me-so I put it on a shirt…cuz I love to make t-shirts. But anyway so I was writing about my day and that I’d made that shirt but then I kind just ended up writing down A LOT of stuff that I’ve relived a hundred times but not ever written down. Things like that horrible no heartbeat ultrasound where I sit up and ask “now what?” As the shock set in. 

Anyway it’s just been really good for that to be written down-it has a spot now, beyond just inside of me, and it’s been a good step in the healing and liberating direction. 

So of course here I am writing about that too. 🤷‍♀️ It’s just what I do. 

Cannon nags me constantly to play catch with him-occasionally his brothers get in on it (I really like it when they do cuz then I don’t feel like I’m ignoring them) anyway we had to bust out a new glove for Colt’s  he was pretty excited-most interest he’s shown in baseball EVER



AND we didn’t get to do it today because Tanner puked but I’m kinda a violin teacher 🤣🤣🤣

Now if you can pick yourselves off the floor I’ll explain. I’m really just the temporary she’s 7 and let’s see if this is going to stick person for Michaila’s daughter Saige. We’ve  done one lesson so far where we talked about bow holds and plucked Pop goes the Weasle…basically we’re kill’n it! 

My new headboard came today. I’ve got some work to do in the decorating department but that’s alright. We haven’t had a headboard since we moved to Mississippi. Headboards are not really functional so it’s never been a priority around here…but it should’ve been—cuz I’m pretty happy about it! 

I should put a picture on…I don’t know what else so I guess I’m done.

Seems like I should’ve put a kid or two in this pic. Oh well. 

Good Saturday vibes! Aren’t they cute? 

I don’t know what I wanted to accomplish Saturday but I’m pretty sure the only thing I really got done was being the moral support on this project:

I swear the mower is ALWAYS broken…but so far at least he’s ALWAYS been able to fix it. I mowed over at the cemetery this week-that’s nice it was pretty bad! And we haven’t mowed up around the  headstones cuz, well, we always have a broken mower withOUT hitting a headstone…and since it’s so over grown you can’t even see them so that would be inevitable. But the front area looks a lot better. I've ran there a few times this week too. It’s easier to stay out of the mud when I'm running instead of riding my bike-I definitely get my heart rate up higher running...by running I totally mean SLOW jog...but the question mark is my dang knees. Stupid aging joints. It helps if I ice them when I get done though and I have learned that I get along a LOT better if I walk a little first instead of just taking off running. I figure if I walk to the end of the gravel road its still a mile and half over there so...whatever, good enough. 

Saturday afternoon Isaac invited the missionaries over (for that night 😳) they brought some friends they’ve been teaching. Its cool -kindof an open invitation if they wanna bring someone out. Imagine our surprise when a friend from Colt’s kindergarten class, Carlos, walked in! He and his sisters had a great time zip lining, jumping on the tramp and just playing farmhouse style. Isaac was in full blown Mr fun guy mode.

Sunday I ended up reading about our friends stillbirth when they lost one of their twins. I confess I read about Riz often…it’s not like I’ll ever forget but sometimes I just want to remember what I felt then, what I wrote then! I realized I never wrote about the last time I know for 100% sure that I felt him move, it was Monday night as we knelt to pray. Isaac (used to) sometimes kneel up on the top of the bed (I called it his rameumpton haha) but I went to kneel up by him and hunched over my big belly and said “oh little guy is having none of that!” And crawled off  to the side of the bed to kneel normal. I feel like the end being in prayer is one of the tender mercies.

Anyway as I read and read and read (our friend is a writer! A total wordsmith, her ability to write is amazing  there were like eleven posts or something like that) and it’s been almost 5 years for them but it was crazy to me how different it was-and how ultimately it was really completely the same. 

After that I ended up reading about the week before Riz died-there was one way bad night I wrote that I didn’t know what was going on. I guess now we know.  Ug.

Monday I went looking for a pic of just Isaac and I, (for a RS thing) they don’t exist!!!  Not recent ones anyway.  But I found some fun memories!! 

At Devin and Jill's wedding June of '09

Painting our room...I threw a fit about that green paint-no way was I going to go for that...I've mellowed out quite a bit... But it was sweet of him to paint me a message. 

And he might not be a real cowboy (don't tell him I said that) but I'll keep him!

AND.....Who are these people???

So much hair for him, so blonde and sans wrinkles for me. We didn’t get married young but I guess compared to now…we were!  

It was actually super fun to look through the old pics. 
In more recent pics…

I’m not sure how you sleep like this? Grama thought sheer exhaustion…probably a good guess. 

I have tons of pictures of him playing with my hair but we’ll skip those. 

Tuesday we went to the new aquatic center and to beach with ward friends. 

The old pics were a blast but we were upstairs thinking about and plotting against the climbing wall to get up to the loft and Cannon found my old journals...ummm maybe not bud. The first page I flipped open to I was pretty ticked. Positive memories here on the blog-vents there. YIKES. They probably should be burned. But the second thing I turned to was Tanner's birth story. It was fun to read. I am thankful I wrote things down. I'm thankful to be his mom. There was one dagger though I wrote something along the lines of "Its crazy how I hate being pregnant, dread delivery, but then instantly can't imagine life without him." And now here we are carrying on, living what couldn't be imagined then. 

ANYWAY

We got to hang out with the Pettit’s a couple times this week-we always love that. We went there yesterday and they boys had piano and today we met up with friends at the church and then the park and then brought a couple home with us. 

Good times 

But I think that pretty much wraps it up. 

I couldn’t figure out how Friday snuck up on me so fast this week but I think the 4th through the night drive in 2 weeks did me in. Ug! 

But we’re home! Yay! 

So let’s go back to Saturday, it feels like a year ago —we headed up to Shoal Creek and hung out with my family for the 4th of July weekend.  But not before goofing around at Grama’s 

Isaac -ever the one to change plans but this time it worked beautifully-  took all the kids to the Gunlock rodeo on Saturday night. They had a blast, chased chickens, (Colt had one but a bigger kid boxed him out and swiped it -phew-) Grampa sent them with money for snow cones-it was a party! But Isaac’s not quite the picture taker I am 😉 he got me one though! 

Up at camp-well into church and attack of the grasshoppers, they’re gross.

The kids made a movie and showed it off 

Four wheeling, hand cuffs??? And more checkers 









How’s this for a sleeping out under the stars buddy? 



It was a little hot and dusty up there but super fun! After lunch Monday we headed for Huntington. 

A little work and a little play. 

Isaac finished up his pump job on Tuesday and we hit the road that night (several hours after I wanted to be gone) but we made it! And then it was back to baseball! 

Tann had two make up games but one of those got canceled and Cann had two tournament games. They were already in the losers bracket by time we got back but they won one and then lost tonight so we are done. Cann really enjoyed playing though-it was a good experience so good enough right? Oh but he really did hit the ball pretty well the last two games-couple doubles, I was proud of him. And he got to be "the closer" the last couple games. That was fun too. 

 

Tann actually took a pic of ole Seth-a-roo in his Cubbie gear but COVERED in dirt  and me holding him that was pretty cute but I just deleted it. I was getting rid of so many pics (that Tan took) I got a little carried away and thought my had was on the arrow keys instead of the delete key. Whoops. Oh well. I guess you'll just have to imagine the mess and my what else can you do but smile-smile. 

And I love this stuff… I’m living the dream right? 

Today we went to the you pick blueberry farm—I can’t believe that’s the first time we’ve been! It was awesome…Sethy was a little rough on the bushes 😳 and then Tann was trying to use centripetal force and dumped all of his-but I made them pick them up. And I paid for a couple extra pounds on account of Sethy grabbing them by the handful green or not and then dumping them on the ground. Whoops! Yikes!  

And just like that-another week bites the dust!