ultimate tanline

this is what happens when you live in vegas.

mr. cubby

if there is a cubby to be found, he'll find it. remember when you were little and finding the perfect little space that fit you only was the greatest thing ever?

little gem

these kinds of things are what i love about being a mom. jack said to me today "mom, i wrote you a note, see? C O I...note!" mostly, i love that C O I spells note, because that's what it is, a note. also, he really did draw a C and an O and an I, we've been working on our letters. he's 3, people. genius.

home

after shawn's 3rd session, we went to utah for a grand two week break. it was so great. it truly is home. we loved the mountains, jack asked to go up the canyon every day...he's just like his dad. shawn would live up there if i let him. we loved the grass. we loved sitting out on grandma and grandpa gibbs' deck, chatting away the summer nights. we loved playing with cousins, aunts and uncles, grandmas and grandpas. jack is a different kid there. he loves it. we can't wait to move back in oct.

thanksgiving point animal farm, love it there.

and this little guy turned 1 while we were there. he had the greatest birthday party ever. we went up the canyon, had a great dinner, birthday cake and ice cream, opened presents, and played and played and played. it was awesome.

we went out to cedar hills for some fun festivities, love the area. the boys got to sit in a real army hummer. it was huge.

everything

one of those crazy random posts in a desperate attempt to update. brace yourselves.

bathtime is a favorite around here.

i swear he's gonna be my musical prodigy. he loves the piano, guitar, and dances like crazy whenever there's music on.

what?

lake powell

our awesome friends, jen and aaron paxman, were kind and generous enough to invite us to lake powell to stay on their incredible houseboat for a week. done, right? jen and i drove out there with the kids and shawn and aaron joined us a couple days later. well, i have a kid who is super-human who apparently has no need to sleep. ever. for 5 days straight. so we ended up coming home early with the daddies. but the awake part was super fun, something that we'll probably never have the chance to do again. so here's a HUGE thanks to the paxmans and gilberts for their amazing generosity.
why would i do such a silly thing as taking pictures of our fun adventures? instead, herde are pics of us packing to come home.
decided to bring him with us.

lesson learned

my kid pooped his pants today, in payless shoe store, no less. and it was the one day i foolishly thought there was no need to pack an extra set of undies and shorts in my diaper bag. but i digress.

as he's walking in his poop to get to the car and i'm ranting on about how disgusting it is and "do you need a diaper like a baby because you can't go on the potty like a big boy?" he pitifully says he's sorry. and i say "no, you're not! because if you were really sorry, you wouldn't do it over and over again!" like he understood that.

then an arrow pierces my heart. amidst the chaos, i quietly think about our sweet Father. is this what He thinks every time i kneel to apologize and wallow in self-pity for doing the same wrongs every day, over and over again? i know He loves me, but surely He must be a little exasperated as He tries to whisper "if you are truly sorry, don't do it again". i was/am humbled.

and now i can't be mad at my kid. dang it.