Happiness is Swinging Forever

A friend from my ward called me this afternoon and asked if I'd like to meet her at the park.  She has a son Michael's age that was wanting to play, but her son is in morning kindergarten, Michael is in the afternoon.  I told her I'd love to, but that it was just Sadie and I, Michael was at school.   She cheerfully replied that that was just fine.  She then gave me directions to the park. I wrote them all down on a little white board on my fridge and took a picture so that I'd have them on my phone.

Directions...and a partial shopping list

I then tried to find the place.  Now, if I just followed my instincts and the directions instead of second guessing myself, I would have found the place in no time.  As it turned out, I drove around for a half an hour with Sadie in the back asking "Where are we going, Mama?  Are we going to the park?"  I eventually found the place; I had to give in and ask Siri for guidance.  Someday I'll be able to confidently get around without her assistance.  By the time I got to the park, poor Sadie was asleep, but woke right up when she realized where we were.

Oh my, what a park!  There were so many things there. . . a fort/treehouse looking thing, swings, play-sets, big hands holding a rock you could climb, a slide that went down a little hill...fun, fun, fun.  Sadie, my sweet girl, just wanted to swing.  She'd squeal and laugh like it was the best thing she'd ever done.  She told me she just wanted to swing forever.

This is her relaxed face, I love it. 

Totally excited to be swinging again

Happiness is Swinging Forever!

This is her attempt at trying to get away from me when I needed her to get ready to go.  

I can't wait to take the other littles to that park, they'll love it!  There is actually room for them to run and play, unlike our apartment complex.  How fun it was to get out and talk with some friends while our children could play.  The weather was about 62 degrees.  It's supposed to snow 4-10 inches this weekend, but be back in the sixties by Tuesday.  I'm not looking forward to more snow, but I'll take it if it comes with beautiful days like today on it's wings.  Today, I love Colorado.

We'll Raise our Colors High in the Blue, and Cheer the Cougars of BYU

As I was walking out of WalMart the other day, (don't judge me, I still detest the place, but with it being the nearest grocery store to us, sometimes I just can't justify a trip to another store when I need to get something quickly) I saw a young father with two cute little girls walking toward me.  I didn't really think anything of it until I noticed that he had on a BYU hat.  Feeling a bit lonesome for my familiar Utah Valley, I couldn't let him pass without acknowledging that I knew what that Y stood for.  So, I bravely said "I love your hat!" How silly it sounds now, but it was a comfort to see something so familiar in a place still somewhat foreign to me.

A couple days after that, I was wandering around Costco.  A new friend had invited all four of my children over to her house to play.  I had two glorious hours of  child-free  errands, so, I chose Costco as my children hate it there.  As I was meandering through the aisles trying to locate something that I never could find, I passed a young mother with a toddler playing happily in the cart.  The lady had on a BYU hoodie, and on this particular day, so did I.  We both smiled and pointed at eachother's sweaters.  "Nice hoodie" she said as she passed me. It was an exchange that again I was grateful for. It was as if I was being shown that I wasn't alone.  

I've  only ever taken one psychology class at the Y, and that was as a visiting summer student.  I was afraid that I did so poorly, I never even found out my final grade for the class.  My loyalty for BYU has nothing to do with being a student there, but my dear dad began working there  when I was 5 after his own graduation, and he works there still.  When my brother, sisters and I were little, sometimes my dad would bring home tickets for a football game.  It was always very excting to get to go.  We'd pack a cooler full of treats and drinks and bring it into the stands with us.  I loved doing the wave with the crowds, stopping my feet and joining in singing the fight song.  Good memories, lots of good memories are associated with BYU, and I was happy to be reminded that I'm really not that far away.

We're in Denver!

We're in Denver (as if this is a surprise to anyone)! A month and a half ago we moved here, and I've gone over this blog post over and over in my mind trying to make it funny, yet real.  Our move here has been one of the most difficult things I've ever done in my life, and yet I see so much good in it.

Our LDS ward here is wonderful, there are so many good and friendly people that have welcomed us with open arms.  We are renting out a town home, and that in and of itself has been interesting as we haven't rented since my nine year old was a two year old; seven years! Matt is really busy with work, and that has been wonderful because again, there is hope for something better.

Our littles are doing well; school here is quite challenging and while that is difficult for them, they'll only be better off in the long run.

We've gone a couple times to a place called the Red Rock Amphitheater.  It's about 30-45 minutes from us and it's become my happy place.  I feel my heart becoming lighter as I go out there and can just spend time in something like the mountains.

My Littles

View of Denver from the Amphitheater

Please Shine Down on Me!

Our first week here, we celebrated sweet Annie's 7th birthday.  She is a beautiful, helpful daughter. We have our struggles, but mostly when I look at her in awe and wonder how she got to be so tall and pretty.  Dad and Mom Shelley came over with us when we moved and we got to have them over for Annie's birthday.  She was delighted.

Blowing out candles with Kindie, the kindergarten bear that Michael brought
 home from school to spend the weekend with us

Seven princess in one box!

The birthday girl

Today, Annie is learning to embroider, and it's been fun to show her, but it's also be a trial in patience. I have to remember that she is only seven, and this is her first time. 

At work with her needle

My children have two days off for President's Day and it's been nice having them home and not having to run all over.  I figured living in the city would mean that things would be close by, but I'm driving around more than I ever have in my life! But we're busy and mostly happy.  Things are going well.

Lost

The third Sunday of the month is Birthday Sunday with my in-laws.  We get together, enjoy dinner and catch up on what is going on with everyone. Those celebrating birthdays get to blow out candles on cake, cupcakes, or some other dessert.  My children love Birthday Sunday.    

Today, there was so much sugar to be had, that our youngest (who, although she and I didn't go to church today because she's had a nasty cough, did not take a nap) was SO wound up.  Matt was tickling her on the way home and she laughed a deep laugh from her gut.  It was so cute, but you could really tell that she was beyond tired.

After we got home, the kiddos all got their pajamas on and I tucked them into bed.  I walked, in the dark, down the hallway and around the corner into my room.  The thought came to me that in the last four plus years, I've walked down this hall thousands of times.  How much longer will I be able to call this house my home?  How is everything going to come together for us to move to a neighboring state?  I feel overwhelmed and lost.  My faith is slipping.  It's so easy just to say "If it's meant to be, it'll work out" but to really believe it is another thing all together.  I am having a difficult time living in the present.  One foot is in the past, the other in the future.  Leaving my family, and the state where I grew up was never in my plans.  When Matt and I bought our house, I thought we'd be here until our children graduated from high school.  We brought our last baby home from the hospital here.  

With each little hiccup in our plans, I begin to doubt our decision to move.  Thank goodness Matt is steady and confident.  He really deserves a change and to be able to move up to bigger and better things.  

 

The ''G" Family

As an amateur photographer, there is nothing that makes me happier than photographing families; that's my love and passion.  I believe that every family should be able to have their photograph taken without it costing an arm and a leg.  I realize that I'm not the greatest photographer out there, not even close.  I know I don't fit everyone's style and that is okay.   But I must fit this family okay because this was the 4th time I've been able to do their pictures and I just love being able to spend time with this beautiful family. "The Mom" of this family is a wonderful person and I am happy to call her my friend.  As I finished this session, their youngest daughter came up to me and gave me a great big hug and said "Come to my birthday!"  I felt so honored that she'd say that and be that comfortable with me.  It really made my day. 

Conference Weekend

I so enjoyed Conference weekend, but it really wore me out.
 Saturday, we began by cleaning out our garage in preparation for our impending move (which, by the way, may or may not be official... I know.   It stinks.  We should know more by the middle of November).  So we organized, boxed and cleaned things up so that when we do move, we just have to move the things from the garage into the moving truck.  

The second session was a bit more relaxing, and we were better able to listen to the Lord's leaders and feel of the spirit.   That night, I got to spend a rare night out with most of my sisters, one of my cousins, a niece, and my mom. We'd planned on going to the Olive Garden, but with every woman in Utah County out on a girl's night, the wait was over an hour.  So we went to Mimi's Cafe where there really wasn't a wait at all.  Awesome.  We talked, laughed, and really just had a good time.  So much in fact that when dinner was through and we headed back to my parents house, I just didn't want to leave.  So, we talked and laughed some more.  One of the funniest moments was when my mom said "Gee!"  That may not seem funny to you, but growing up, slang like that just wasn't allowed in our house.  Saying gosh, darn, goll, gee, holy cow, etc., etc., just wasn't allowed. So I thought it was was pretty amusing.
I did eventually go home and went to bed.  The next morning I got up to make cinnamon rolls because my family was coming over for breakfast and to watch the morning session of conference.

I'd made the dough the day before, but it always takes longer than I think it will to roll and cut all the rolls- I made about 70 of them. Along with the rolls, I made a spinach mushroom frittata with swiss cheese and bacon especially for my dad because he has diabetes and those cinnamon rolls were forbidden.  My brother Brady brought sausage and made yummy cheesy hash browns.  My parents brought fruit and my sister, KayKay brought milk, chocolate milk, and orange juice.  It really was quite the spread, and so delicious.

After the morning session was over, everyone left.  Our house was quiet and my children were bored having no aunts or uncles around to play with them.  I laid Sadie down for a nap, and let the other children play quietly while I listened to the last session while I got ready for some family pictures in the evening.  General Conference is a time for me to reflect on my life and evaluate what needs to be changed.  Sometimes, I feel uplifted and ready to do more, other times, like this one, I feel chastised and ashamed at my lack of conviction.  But yesterday, along with the feeling of being rebuked, I also felt hope.  I can try harder and do better.  Certainly, I'm not alone, and I'm not an awful human being as my inner-critic would sometimes have me believe.   But there are things to do better, things to change to make me who I was born to be.

At about 4:15, we left the house to meet Matt's family for some family pictures.  We drove about 9 miles up Diamond Fork Canyon to an area that was just beautiful with leaves.  We got a lot of pictures done, but the light faded fast and then it got really cold.  So we didn't last very long.   It was good though to be together with so much family yesterday.

I "shot" a buck!

For Labor Day, my family went to a cabin in the mountains that is owned by my brother-in-law's family.  It's beautiful up there and I didn't want to come home after we'd been there for 2 1/2 days.   It just wasn't long enough.  My reality has been a bit crazy lately and it was nice to get away.

 In true Crystal fashion, I had my camera practically glued to my hands the entire time I was there and got some fun shots.  One of the ones that I liked the most was one of a buck that I got.  I had to go chasing it because one of the kids scared him a bit.  To be honest, I really just wanted to be able to say that I "shot" a deer without having to actually kill it.  He really was pretty.  I also got some shots of a doe that kept wandering around the cabin.  I felt bad for these animals.  It's only September and they already looked too skinny to survive the winter.  I could see their ribs under their fur.

My Buck

And the doe

Matt attempting to shoot at me with a marshmallow gun.  He may or may not have actually got me.

We played around a lot, hung out a lot, ate good food and enjoyed being with family.  Matt enjoyed teasing me as would be the norm.  Sometimes, his teasing bothers me, but if he didn't tease me, then I'd think something was wrong.  :)

View of the valley where we were staying

I took three of my children and a nephew on a little hike one morning.  When we got to the top of a hill, I took a picture of this little valley.  Doesn't it look so peaceful?  I wore all the kids out as we went about 2 miles, mostly uphill.  My backside was a bit sore the next day.

Red Leaves

Little Waterfall

Me and my family enjoying a four-wheeler ride

Bird

My two youngest and Me and my father-in-law in the background

We really had a great time getting away from it all for a couple days.  I only wished it could have lasted about a week longer.  On our way home, Matt and I had fun dreaming up a fabulous cabin that we love to have built when we're filthy rich.  We'd invite family over for week-long sleepovers and take our children and grandchildren there for Christmas.  Someday. . .