Labor Day Vacation

 Every year we go on a big Labor Day vacation to visit our families in Idaho. Dave is my hero and sits with the kids in the back while I drive the entire way. I get horribly car sick and needless to say, sitting in back with our kids can sometimes make anybody ill.
Notice the big old nasty stain of olive juice on Dave's gut. Bless his heart...

 On our vacation we stopped at a park during one of our may stretch-our-legs-pit-stops. The play equipment was old school (maybe 30+ years old), and HUGE!!!! You can't really tell here, but Carson is like 8 feet in the air.

 This slide was CRAZY. It was so tall and so fast! I stood next to it and raised my arms to give you an idea.

 Don't mind the hideous pictures of me. Those are courtesy of Dave, and I was truly scared out of my shorts but wasn't about to be bested by a 4-year-old.

 See what I mean, this teeter-totter is well above my head, and as you all know, I am no tiny lady!

 What a hunk!

 On our trip we went to the Eastern Idaho State Fair

 We stayed in Provo as well for two nights with my sister and her husband. These are my cousins whom I hadn't seen in about five years. I also got to spend some time with Ben, who just got off his mission in August. I know I am biased but aren't we a good lookin' crew??

 Lastly, what is a vacation without Drake fighting sleep like it was his worst enemy. Forget sleeping in a bed...this will do.

Preschool!

 Carson and Drake are both doing preschool this year. This is the first year I have enrolled Carson in an official preschool program and so far Carson has really enjoyed the crafts they do and the books they read. I have quit asking him what he is learning because he gets kinda irritated answering the same thing over and over again, "nothing mom, I don't learn anything in school". He is right though, they did preliminary testing as the beginning of the year and the teachers sent home a report telling me he already knows everything on the curriculum. He passed every single item off the list including his address and phone number.
Drake and I are doing a special little preschool together. I was going to join a co-op but EVERY other child in it lives quite a ways away from us. We would have been doing a lot of commuting. Instead I chose to focus the time Carson is away at school entirely on Drake. It makes me slow down a bit and really prioritize my life. Kids before cleaning, cooking, laundry, shopping, callings, etc. We spend a couple of hours twice a week to focus on letters, writing his name, a fine motor skill, gross motor skill, a craft, and some sort of memorization. Drake has really blossomed in this little program and he and I have bonded over school. He loves doing it, and I love exploring his world with him. It has been a big blessing and something I just might have to institute with the rest of my kids.

Carson Reads

We put Carson on a reading program this summer to hopefully teach him to read and give him something to do. His incentive was a movie once the list was completed. Not only did Carson pass off each book but his reading skills really took off and he has been able to sound out difficult words, even identifying ones he has never seen. He reads the scriptures every night, and rarely do we have to help him. He is one smart little boy. His intelligence really speaks for itself. So does his good taste...the movie he chose at the end of his reading program was The Incredibles :).

Rub a Dub Dub

 

Three boys in a tub! For the first and close to last time. These boys are simply too big to fit!

  

Mt. Bierstadt Pics

 Remember long ago when I told you I would post more pictures of hiking Mt. Bierstadt? I finally am :).

I am so very, very tired

I need to get some pictures up here!! You wouldn't want any of the last couple of days though. The stomach flu has ravaged our home. I am the only one who hasn't gotten it and it is a particularly contagious bug, so either, I am going to be slammed in a day or two, or I have already had it at some point in my life (which is what I suspect).
To preface being so tired, I should tell you that my hunk-of-a-husband is always the one that gets up with the kids. Jealous ladies?? It's never usually too terribly much, but there is always at least once a night that someone needs help going potty, had a nightmare, bonked their head, has a stuffy nose ("my nose is broken!"), or something of the like.
When I get up, I have a hard time falling back asleep; it usually takes a good hour or so. Dave can fall asleep rather quickly.
Two night ago, Carson woke up vomiting and continued to do so throughout the night. Dave got up with him as did I. I was up from about 12:15 till 3:30, then again from 5:30 - 6:00ish, then I got up at 7.
Last night, Brooks woke up covered in vomit. At this point Dave had been hit by the sick truck as well so I did my very best to do it on my own. I succeeded except for when we were trying to bathe puke-covered baby/get the vomit off the floor/rinse the bedding and get it started in the washer/keep said baby from puking in another hard place to clean up. Fortunately, Dave was able to get to bed before nine, and all the fun began just after eleven. He was able to get back to bed, but I was up till 4:00, then up at 7:00.
Suffice to to say, I am not a night owl. Neither am I a morning person. I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night. I never even held a schedule like this in college. I. Am. Dying.
All in all though, I feel very sustained and helped in the last couple of days. I like to work hard. I get things done, and I don't mind a bit of blood, sweat, and tears along the way. This whole experience has taken things to a new extreme for me and it has been insane. Heavenly Father has blessed me, and I know it. The fact I haven't gotten this bug (at least not at the exact same time as everyone else), is a miracle in and of itself.
Now, I just need to get some rest so I quit tearing up at the dumbest things...