Bluebird Intruder and Other Tales

One morning last week, I came in to our front room with Vienna.  There was a sudden clatter around the fireplace. Of course I freaked out since I'm so jumpy.  I settled down and saw a prisoned blue bird. Not nearly as scary as a mouse, snake, or fox, but still- 

After several failed attempts to jump/fly out, it sat quietly staring at our morning routine,

And Cambry stared right on back at it. Devin had to leave for school, and I wasn't about to have a terrified bird flying around my house terrifying all the 3 girls. So I simply went to story time and errands as planned with the little ones, came back, did snacks and tucked the girls in bed.  Bird time. I put on my gloves and ski coat- hood and all, closed all my blinds and opened my back door.  I was so scared!!! haha.  I opened the fireplace doors and the bird hopped to the back corner, so I got the fireplace poker and started prodding.  Finally, the bird jumped out and flew right out the back door (of course I let out an involuntary scream).  Jos 1, Nature 0. 

Good morning miss Sunshine.  It's always a surprise what C's hair is going to look like after sleeping.  This one looked a little more like "Toddlers in Tiares" than normal.  She's such a cutie.

C spinning V while momma bear cooks

Beep Beep! Out of the way- 3 new teeth coming in up top (what a joy that has been at 4 am!). She's so dang cute, we'll keep her.

Hit the Road

In May while I was out for a run, I started playing with the idea of training for a marathon.  My last marathon was pre-mission, pre-patellar tendinitis (my knee caps have no/little cartilage),  pre-broken leg, and pre-babies.  Running long distances should be a thing of the past... right? As I toyed with the idea, I continued to run and I searched for races close by.  It surprised me that most races are on Sundays, and there isn't one around the corner every other week.  Man, I got spoiled in Utah.

The more I ran, the better I felt.  Each run I made sure to wear my knee straps (or knee bras as I call them), and my knees don't feel inflamed, which has been my constant distance running stumbling block.  I started waking up on my own about 5:30 am, ready to run. I was encouraged by my body's signals, and decided on a November race in Richmond, Virginia.

Training as a wife and mom is a whole different ball game.  Gone are the days when I ran 15 miles and came home and slept for 2 hours. Gone are the days when I am 100% in charge of how much sleep I receive at night. Like everything in life, the things that are worthwhile require sacrifices. Its been an interesting juggle, and I am so grateful for a loving and supportive husband who gets the girls dressed and fed the mornings I'm gone.

I don't remember ever feeling more driven to run. Yesterday, I did a "halfway" loop.  13.1 miles. While running, I was reminded of something I learned from an Apostle.  Elder Scott dissected D&C 50:28-30 when he came to my mission.  Paraphrasing him he said  when we're in tune with the Holy Ghost, we ask God something, and it will be done.  However, because we're in tune with the Holy Ghost, God implants the ideas in our minds to know what to ask for in the first place.  Isn't that great? He, who knows all and loves us so purely and completely, gives us the ideas that will best benefit us!

Sometimes I get overwhelmed seeing all the great things the women in my life are doing, thinking I need to do so much more. I realized that their ideas to plan, create, parent, explore, love, and essentially LIVE were given to them much the same way my desire to run was given to me. When I look at my dining room wall, I wish I could receive that creative inspiration. But my wall and mind remain blank, with boxes of unpacked decorations and frames in the attic. Today my blank wall is a reminder to me to appreciate others' God given talents and drive to live their life the best they know how, and to live mine likewise.

Running has become so much more than a way to be fit.  It is spiritual refinement.  It is grasping a fraction of my God-given potential. I believe that following through on those bursts of inspiration, whether it be to stain the kitchen table, open a preschool or train for a marathon, bring us closest to God and to fulfilling our purpose here on earth.

Independence Day!

Happy 4th of July!  I went for a long run early, and got home to Devin finishing up freedom waffles and eggs.  It was absolutely delicious!!!

We walked to a park that hosted a bike/stroller parade.  Vienna loved having new "snacks" hanging all around her to munch on.

Cambers helping out with the decorations.  

Her first tattoo.  We're so proud.

Devin and Mike carting the kids along. Cambers is still unsure about everything.

Summer, baby Abby and I navigating the way

Cambry and Caroline participated in the doughnut eating contest.  At first, she thought is was a toy and pushed it around. Then they said go and she got scared by everyone yelling "Eat, Eat." She kept staring at it, and then Devin and I realized- this kid is 2 years old and has never had a doughnut!!  Devin ripped off a piece of it for her to eat.  After that...

We went swimming at our friends house for a good southern party.  It was so much fun. Cambry became a little fish in the water, getting braver and braver swimming around, and loved jumping to daddy.

Gosh!  Vienna loved the pool, but mostly loved trying to gnaw on the concrete pool edge.  ??? 

Seriously!!  They roasted an entire pig!!  So gross and fantastic!! It still has eyeballs and teeth!  We felt like the real deal Southerners. 

We ended the evening at our good friends the Rivers' house for dinner and fireworks. Company and dinner was great.  Fireworks... not so much.

We only did a couple and it was still light.  Our little jumpy, scared of everything friend liked it until it started popping.  Haha.  Poor girl didn't stand a chance with 2 extremely jumpy parents.

She's still trying to decide if there is life after fireworks (Vienna did great by the way!!)

haha.  This is as close as she got to the sparkler.  

God bless America!

The Past Couple Weeks

Cambry's hair is so blond on the top layer.  It's growing in darker underneath. (Devin really wants to remember this).

 

 Love this sticky, messy girl. 

Out for a little scenic drive

The missionaries left us with a challenge, and we told them we'd do it if they sang us a hymn. They stood on our fireplace and everything! After one line, we were grateful they chose a short one. 

Cambry eating her first ice cream cone with her friend Will. 

I think she liked it

I emptied the trunk of diapers, and left them in the front hallway as I grabbed more stuff.  Cambry aligned them, making a choo choo train, and took her spot as conductor.  Vienna found her newest obstacle, and managed to climb up and over it.  She is in/on EVERYTHING!!

The beach beats the heat

It has been hot, hot, HOT! I mean sweat-pouring-down-your-face-and-back-the-moment-you-step-outside hot. So Friday we went to the beach to beat the heat.

Cambry took off to the waves the moment we got there.

She was much more adventurous this time. What a difference two months make. She was charging the waves rather than running from them and surprisingly stable when the waves would crash on her.

Vienna, our little jack-o-lantern (see that little tooth!), loved the beech this time around. She would sit in our laps and splash as the waves lap over here chubby legs.

Cambry in beach bliss.

Cambry loved making, but mostly finding others', 'tall, tall, tall' sand towers.

All the girls together playing in the shallows.

Cambry got some fun mommy time kicking the waves

Vienna got to nap for a little bit. 

Cambry and I made some sand towers, but Cambry was more interested in the dug out holes that would fill with water.

This is first time that Cambry has really let me toss her like this. It was so fun. She usually latches onto my arm or hands with a death grip.

Look at this happy, but extremely tired face. Her eyes barely open and all puffy. She was so exhausted, but couldn't stop playing. We finally had to leave when she was switching between hysterical laughter and sobbing cries every minute.

Passed out in a matter of seconds of being strapped into the car. She played herself to utter exhaustion.

The trip to the beach definitely kept us cool and made for one happy, exhausted family

Camera Clean Up

Here are a bunch of pics from the past few weeks:

morning snuggle

Daddy Games

Cambry found Vienna's dress and tried putting it on herself, and it got stuck and she couldn't get it off.  

On our walks, V always needs something to hold on to.  She has quite the firm grip too!

Cambers and her friend at the park.  I know I have this exact pic from a year ago, but I COULD NOT find it! Bummer!

Park snack #1: Leaf

Park Snack #2: Sand

I was a little hesitant about posting this movie, but since I'm already out of the running for mom of the year by almost drowning my baby, I thought- might as well. This went a lot smoother in my head.

Back to Pullen Park to ride the Boats.  Vienna is sold on them just as much as Cambry

Cambry was supposed to be taking a nap.  I heard her room chattering away for an hour.  I go in there and she has tons of books, toys, coloring books and crayons strewn all over her bed.  She was having a great time in there.

Devin's favorite PJ's growing up were big t-shirts.  ??  He was trying to relive it with Cambers, but it was way too big and she wasn't too impressed with her Toga

V climbs on everything now. She loves pulling herself up in standing position- her baths last about 30 seconds since she is relentless about trying to stand up in the tub.  However, she loves coming back to the bath from the outside to giggle with her sister. So glad they enjoy each other so much.