My Happy Place

You know when you are about to have some horrible procedure done....like a root canal or an exam on your nether regions (ladies you know what I mean)? The kind of procedure where you just close your eyes and hope and pray it is over soon? The kind that you try to visualize your happy place so that with the help of your mind, you can escape your current reality?

I'd like to introduce you to mine.

This is my happy place. It's a little off road campsite in Daniel's Canyon.
My family, the Adamson's, have camped at this spot for many years. My great-grandfather was a sheep herder and this is one of the spots where he would bring his sheep. Every year, over Labor Day weekend, we have a family reunion here.

I have so many happy memories spending my last days of summer with my cousins, riding motorcycles, putting on 'shows' around the campfire at night and discovering all the family names carved on the trees.
There is a breathtaking mixture of aspen and pine trees.

One of my favorite sounds is the sound of a gentle breeze passing through the aspen trees. There is nothing more relaxing to me than that sound.
My favorite hike is this one, were one minute you are among the aspen trees and the next minute you are in the cool and dark forest of pine trees.

I took a few pictures along my hike this year that hold special memories for me.

Our kids had a great time this year making memories of their own.


It's one of those places that holds so much hidden beauty.
But when you are there, time just somehow slows down so that you can notice it all.
So if I'm ever in a coma or just have a far off look on my face....now you know where I'll be. :)

The Best Man

A few weeks ago, some good friends of ours finally tied the knot.

Stephen and Anna.

Erik was asked to be Stephen's best man.

I thought it would be fun to document the occasion because it's not every day that you get to be a best man. It was a first for Erik.

Here's the best man checking out some pictures of the happy couple before the ceremony started....(isn't that little guy the cutest thing ever?!)

Pictures of Stephen and Anna hung in the trees....I loved this!
The tables all set for dinner after the ceremony.
Here we see the best man helping Stephen's friend Scott with his boutineer. Isn't that sweet? Oh the many tasks the best man must do.
The best man had Stephen's back the whole time....just in case he passed out or something dramatic like that. For everyone's sake, it all went as planned. It was a beautiful ceremony!
I had to put a picture of the beautiful bride in here too!
After fulfilling his best man duties, Erik headed off to the bar. For some Sprite my friends!
Then he got his groove on! The dancing was lots of fun- I've seriously never been to a reception where the father of the bride did cartwheels and whose dancing put us all to shame!

And then it was all over. A beautiful ending to a beautiful day!
Stephen with his best man- who also happens to be my best man too! :)

What do ya think?

It has begun....

This is how Nicole (with a little help from her mom and dad) asked her friend Adam to Homecoming this year. We filmed it one weekend while staying in lovely Park City.

You may be thinking, "Isn't this a boy's choice dance?" You would be right, it is. But that's how Nicole rolls.

It's sweet with a little bit of kooky-ness, just like Nicole.

Enjoy!

Scenes from the first day....

I can't believe summer vacation is over. In some ways I'm thrilled beyond words, in others I'm sad. But here we are, ready or not.

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year.

Ian was very excited to start 2nd grade!

I think I was way more nervous for Isaac to start Middle School than he was. He wasn't very thrilled about his mom taking 1st day of school pictures either....but I snapped this one as he walked away. :)
Nicole starts her final year of High School- the look on her face says it all. She's a little stressed about all that is going on at the moment- but she's going to have a great year I'm sure!
This is the gift my children brought home to me from their first day. Piles and piles of papers waiting for my signature promising that yes, my child will be an angel in their class every day and will come TOTALLY prepared. Love it.
And this how Erik and I feel about having the kiddos back on a regular schedule and having a quiet house for a few hours a day.
Happy new school year to us all!

One down, three to go.

All four of Ian's top front teeth have been wibbly, wobbly for the past month or so.

Finally, one came out yesterday (thanks to mommy's quick pull).

Ian was pretty excited......

and then he lost the baggie that we had put his tooth in for the tooth fairy. He was devastated. He wrote a note to the tooth fairy, promising that he would never lose one of his teeth again.

Then he cried himself to sleep.
In the morning, under his pillow was the money the tooth fairy had left him and this note.

Now he can't wait until the next one comes out!

Being Loved

Ian's note of warning: "This is a dandelion. Not a drink for anybody. This is a drink for the dandelion."
And just to be sure there is no confusion as to who this floating bloom is for: "For mom. Only for mom. Love from Ian M."

All it takes is a 'not feeling so well' mama to bring out the oh-so-sweet side of my boys.

I must have eaten something that didn't agree with my stomach yesterday because last night it hit me. As I lay on my bed, hand on my stomach, one by one my boys came into my room.

"You're not feeling well?" Ian asked.

"Not so well." I said.

He crawled up next to me and gave me a sweet kiss on my cheek.

His kisses are the best.

They are a little bit wet, but very soft.

And they don't happen very often, so when they do you have to notice and treasure each one.

A few minutes later, Isaac came into my room.

"Are you sick mom?" he asked.

"I think so buddy. My stomach doesn't feel well." I said

"Do you need a bucket?" he asked.

"No I think I can make it to the bathroom if I need to." I said.

Then he proceeded to share with me how he knows when he is about to throw up- hoping that it would help me in some way too.

And in some strange way it did. I think it was the concern in his voice and the fact that he cared enough to share with me in his own way that he has been there and knows how I'm feeling. That always makes you feel better, doesn't it? Knowing you are not alone in your suffering. That someone has been there too and survived?

Erik was just as sweet. He put the boys to bed and then let me lay on his lap for a few minutes. As soon as he could tell I was getting sleepy, he quietly told me goodnight and whispered that he hoped I felt better in the morning.

The morning is here, and I do feel better. As each of my boys greet me this morning, the same look of concern is on their faces as they wait to see if I am feeling well or not.

It's moments like these that make me feel loved. It's not often that my boys are so sweet and lovey. It's moments like these that ease my fears of what life will be like once Nicole is grown and gone and has left me with a house full of boys.

It's a silly fear, I know. But the reality of it hit me awhile back when I realized she will be eighteen this year. She will be off on her own before I know it and the thought of her leaving our little nest causes my throat to tighten and tears to come to my eyes.

But it's going to be alright. I'm going to be well taken care of. I have my boys to look after me and love me when I'm not feeling well.

And she will be a phone call away just as she was this morning, when she called from St. George to say good morning.

4th of July weekend {in pictures}

It started out wet.....

it was filled with lovely music by Nicole (and Mindy Gledhill), yummy cookies, and watching fireworks from the front yard.....

watching the flags wave in the wind, a wiggly tooth (actually all four front teeth are just about to come out!), and sitting lazily on the front porch.....
a parade with friends, sitting in the park with cousins.....
and fireworks exploding overhead!
Hope your weekend was just as wonderful!