Pack Mule

I love camping.

Marc loves camping.

Our kids love camping... as long as they are told about it ahead of time, well in advance, we have all their coloring books and crayons, snacks and food to preference packed and ready to go with us, clothing and jackets picked out and readied for them so I can put them into bag.

I even took my cool new camera on the campout and captured some good moments,

But, because it is late and I am in a hurry and I am exhausted from the full day I had, I will just leave you with some pictures of the adventure that Marc and I took with our iPhones.

Maybe this will get you all get geared up and then I can put on some awesome pictures later.

There's me in the bright green shirt :)

Just a cool picture of one of the local landmarks

On our way home we stopped at Jessie and Joel's house. We at lunch and just had a great time.
This is the "hut" that everyone helped Brother make because he wants a cool stall

Coming back from the hike

And now, here is me packing everyone's coats and jackets back down the trail because it warmed up and my kids don't hold their jackets... nope, I'm a walking closet ...

Bubble bums... tee hee! I'm a pack mule for Pete's sake!

Layering is always in style...

Climbing, Chasing, and Hunting

I know, I get worn out just reading the title.

I LOVE to rock climb. I got hooked on it as a teenager, and by "hooked" I mean, I only did it a handful of times but I fell in love with it and wished I had more money to make it a sport of recreation more often. Marc and I went twice when we were first married and Marc wasn't as sold on it as I was, so we found other things that we both liked. Would you  have ever guessed that we were big backpackers during our first 3 years of marriage? Ya, we've had some little adventures.

Well, we went rock climbing at and indoor climbing center for our date on Friday.

It. Was. So. Much. FUN!!

I was only able to reach the top a total of 3 times and belayed Marc at least 5 or 6 times and my arms were limp at my sides like wet noodles. Noodles, I say, wet, overcooked spaghetti noodles.

I am out of shape, but I guarantee I will get into shape for a new love. Marc is hooked too, so this is the sport we can do together. I can't do basketball and volleyball anymore because of my back and knees but my arms are still good and climbing is going to be my sport! Yes! It's such an adrenaline rush and I am excited to have a sport to do with Marc again, and on my own with friends.

After getting home and getting the kids in bed we watched "Chasing Mavericks" with Gerard Butler. Yep, I am a Gerard Butler fan. I am also a surfing fan and so is Marc so we have been excited to see this movie. We don't get to the theater often so the DVD player is our friend.

This movie is based on a true story. I love movies like that. This movie, was so good. I just loved it. The surfing in it is awesome, the love story is sweet and the lessons are memorable.

We loved the movie so much that we brought it to the family Easter party to watch with everyone.

Yep, that's where the hunting comes in. We were hunting for candy and Easter Eggs in Jessie's back yard. It has been a tradition for, I think, 9 or 10 years now to gather at Jessie's before Easter for the hunt and the dinner. We always have fun, and this year was no different.

Coloring eggs and playing a little basketball shoot were a few of the highlights of my day.

Here are some of the eggs the grandkids colored. They were having a blast. Brother made sure to inform me that he likes to color eggs but not eat them. Baby enjoyed stirring hers in the liquid so she only ended up with one when she finally got bored of it and ran off. Hers is the bright red one on the top left.

Sister had just as much fun dyeing her hands as she did the eggs. I wish I would have had a picture of her bright blue fingers. But, after Jessie did some searching on the internet we tried Whitening Toothpaste and it worked! We only had to repeat it once and it worked like a charm. So if any of you mothers are worried about sending your colored fingered children to church tomorrow, try the paste...

I love coloring eggs. Love it! I have to try very hard to let the kids have all the fun,
but I have to at least do one each year. So this was the one.

Then is was the basketball shoot in the basement. Sister was VERY excited about making her shots!

Marc kicked my butt, but I was giggle the whole time... did I just say "butt, but?" ... yep, I did. Hmmm. Kinda funny...

Well, after all the fun we had this weekend this is how I feel now.

This is Sister  this past week. She loves to read. This day, reading must have been very hard work. She just laid down right on her book and took a nap. I put the blanket on her to keep her warm and so that she would sleep longer. She's so quiet and un-mischievous when she sleeps... I know... that makes it sound like a bad mom, but hey, she was warm and I got dinner made early.

Baby talk

It has been such a thrill to not only hear Baby's voice but to hear her voice making sentences and singing songs. She started making requests a couple of months back and then it stopped. It started back up again these last 4-5 days and it has moved to full sentences, "I want mlk." or "Give me that." I love it!

I always want to record it but, then she'll stop as soon as she hears the camera beep. Tonight I actually caught her while she was busy drawing pictures with Sister.

It's a bit long (5-ish minutes) but you'll hear her sing, say what I ask her to say, and, towards the end, say things on her own.

This is a big deal around here so I just had to document it.

I also post this video hoping it may give another Fragile X mom out there hope for her daughter who may not be talking yet.

Enjoy.

New Project 3 from Rachael on Vimeo.

The little things...

You know it's the little things in life that can make you happy.

Finding out that they make dark chocolate Cadbury Mini eggs and having your dad share some with you at a family dinner.

Getting to talk to both my sisters within the space of 1 hour because they needed me.

Having my sister-in-law call me to say they want our family to come visit them in Illinois for a week.

Having my other sister-in-law send me a picture of me making my nephew laugh.

Marc's mom and dad stopping by for a visit just because they are in town.

Seeing that my nephew, J.R., made a picture of him and Baby after she was born and his memory of her, as his Facebook profile picture.

My mom calling just to see how I am.

Friends texting to have their kids come play with my kids.

Clean sheets.

Compliments.

Sincere apologies.

Naps.

Hearing Baby say "Rachael" to get my attention.

Sister's hugs in the morning.

Baby's run (or lack thereof).

Brother's giggles.

Marc's kisses.

Watching snow gather in beautiful lines on my big maple tree in the back yard.

Young Women in the neighborhood who volunteer to be with my kids just to read with them or color with them, or just sit at the house while they sleep and I finish a movie at my friends'.

Being able to post all these little things to be remembered.

(smile)

From Donuts to Track in One Post

I'm writing earlier today just because I have to get this off my chest.

First I will start with Dad's and Donuts at Sister's School.

It was Dr. Seuss' birthday that day and Sister L-O-V-E-S Dr. Seuss! They had a Dr. Seuss Day all planned and she had all her favorite Dr. Seuss books in her backpack ready to go for the big day. She had been planning on this day for a couple of weeks. But, Dad's and Donuts Day was not on her plan so when Dad showed up that morning to read with her and have donuts she was upset that her routine, her plan, had been seemingly ruined. As Marc walked into Sister's classroom to get her for their time together, Sister coiled up at her desk and crocodile tears began to flow.

Sister loves her Daddy, but he was not part of the plan that day. Marc saw that his daddy daughter date was not going to happen that morning, gave her a sweet hug and kiss, wiped a few of her tears and left.

I am sure he cried some crocodile tears of his own as he drove off to work wishing that his life with his children was a little closer to normal.

Then comes my turn for Moms and Muffins at Sister's school. I had prepared myself for the worst, that Sister may not even want me there because it was not part of her daily routine. I took Baby with me and  we were off in cold of our Utah Spring to read and eat muffins with Sister.

I even had thoughts of bringing my camera to take pictures of the event. Sister smiling while holding her muffin and book. You know, the way you see other mothers do, or at least I do.

I walked into Sister's classroom with Baby in my arms because she was too upset that her routine of sleeping in had been interrupted and was too upset with me to cooperate and walk with me.

To my surprise, Sister grinned and giggled with excitement when I came in. I set Baby down to give Sister a hug. Baby assumed the "student" role and wandered about the classroom as if it was her own, so then it became a task to get Baby out along with Sister so we could have muffins and read. Finally with Baby in my arms and Sister at my side she bounced (literally) down the hall to show me where Moms and Muffins was taking place. She grinned and grinned.

She waltzed happily into the section of the lunch room where everyone was gathered. She smiled all the way up to the time of me informing her that "we have to wait here in line for muffins." Then it was as if switch was flipped.

"No. No. No. No. No. No. No," she repeated as she shook her hands nervously next to her face.

I asked, "Do you just want to read?"

She nervously and quickly found a spot on the stage steps and we sat and I read to her. The entire time I was reading to her she nervously scanned the room and kept her eyes on every new body that entered. I wrapped my free arm around her to give her some sensory input, love and reassurance. After a few minutes of her trying to do what was expected of her she started to nervously turn the pages before I was done reading them and telling me, "I'm done. I wanna be done. I'm done."

So we got up and walked back to her classroom.

She was not bouncing down the halls happily this time. She was scanning nervously, and kept her hands next to her mouth and kept hurrying me along.

When we got to the classroom Sister was immediately calmed. It was so interesting to watch how instant her mood changed just because she was back in her environment.

Baby wanted to explore the classroom a little bit and the teachers said we were welcome to stay a bit so we did, only because I wasn't ready to carry Baby out of the classroom kicking and crying just yet. My back was still sore from the last escapade 20 minutes before. So, for my own selfish reasons we hung around the classroom.

It was so interesting to watch how at peace and at home both my girls were in that classroom. It was like they were at home. Content and happy.

When it was time to leave I wrestled Baby's jacket back on, swept her up into my arm along with my purse and we were off.

As I was walking down the hall, I was in a bit of a daze. I just kept thinking, "This is my life. This is how it is." As I watched other mothers entering with their children for Moms and Muffins, ready with their cameras and happy, "normal" children.

I wanted to cry as I walked by all the artwork hanging outside classrooms, flyers advertising extra-curricular activities for gifted and advanced students, posters about goals for reading or math that had been achieved throughout the school.

I started feeling numb as Baby began to cry because of the wind in her face as we walked outside and her stiffened and fighting body as I folded her into her car seat.

I sat in the car with it running answering a text about Brother going to a track meet today with all the regular education kids and if I wanted him ride the bus to the meet with them.

Did I want my son to be with the regular ed kids on the bus? It hit me that this is my life. I have to answer questions like this.

I set me phone down and started to drive home with Baby still whining because I had taken her from the wonderful classroom.

My mind spun as I thought about my morning and how abnormal it is from other mothers this morning.

"HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNK!!!!!!!!!!!"

I slammed on my breaks and was caught in a stupor as I looked up at a big yellow bus with a bright red flashing red stop sign to the left of me. The bus driver was yelling at me and shaking his hands at me in disgust.

I apologized through my window and waited there for the sign to be retracted and my embarrassment and dismay along with it.

It was only a block away from my house.

I pulled into my driveway embarrassed and ashamed that I didn't notice the bus sign. There were no kids getting on on my side. I know because I remember thinking, "Oh, this is the bus my kids would be riding on with their peers if there weren't in special ed."

I pulled into my garage and wanted to cry.

Instead I came into the house and decided to write about it.

And no, I don't have any pictures to show you from this morning's Moms and Muffins experience...

BUT, I will, by dang, get some pictures of Brother at his track meet. Now that is a happy thought to end with. He is on the school track team! How cool is that? I mean how cool is that?!

Quirky, Sweet or in Between

I really don't know how to describe my family...

I'll just show you some recent pictures and let you decide:

Yep. That is a goat. That is my mom holding a goat. It is not a real goat. Oh no, that would be weird. It's a porcelain doll goat... Someone gave it to my mom. I mean, hey, you can't turn it down if it's free...

Aunt Chelsea reading to Sister. Sister LOVES to read and just can't get enough of it. Chelsea was a little surprised, though that Sister chose such a long book. But, hey, I wasn't complaining, it kept Sister busy for at least 20 minutes.

Baby was giving Uncle Joel and Jman lessons on her iPod. I wish I would have gotten a the shot of her holding his finger and making it do what she wanted on the iPod. It was a crack up!

So, have you ever needed a flash light and some lipstick at the same time? No? Well, then I guess you won't be interested in this gem my aunt received recently--lipgloss, mirror and light all in one! Bwa ha ha! There is a light in the lid of the lipgloss! Seriously! What will they think of next?!

And this little video gem is definitely one of those tie breakers. It was a video message my mom sent me while I was on my Advocacy trip.

Quirky or Sweet?

For sure it made me laugh!

The Man and the Mannequins

What do you do on your dates out with your spouse?

Do you plan something special like dinner and a movie?

Maybe a game and some ice cream?

Me and Marc?

Oh, we go to outlet stores and take funny pictures with the mannequins...

Tee hee! That's how we roll baby!

It's even funnier that they don't have heads...

OK, it's just funny anyway...

or weird...

however you want to look at it.

We had fun! And, I think, that's what matters.

Oh, and did I tell you that Aaron and Chelsea joined us on our creative date?

Aaron didn't want to be left out.

And Chelsea didn't want to be left out either.

No, that is not a mannequin in underwear behind them, it's a swimsuit. Sheesh!

Creative and spontaneous dates are always fun! I am just so glad that my hubby enjoys it right along with me. What a man! Love him!