September 5th

Used to be my favorite day of the year, still is one of my favorites. But my sweet angel babies give me lots of favorite days now! This year we were able to leave them with Grandma over night and take a quick get away just my sweetheart and I up to McCall. It was a very special couple of days full of valet parking and cookies on the bed side table. The shore lodge was SO luxurious! We went golfing, kayaking, took walks, played tennis, sat in the hot tub, watched movies, ate so much food, got massages, relaxed on our balcony in our robes, it was fabulous. I missed the kids but it was definitely a nice break from 12 diapers a day and getting purée beets and carrots spit back at you. All the not so pleasant parts of parenthood. Coming home to them was especially sweet, even at their tiny age they were so happy to see us. We got the sweetest giggles and snuggles that night before bed. It sure made coming home from vacation exciting! We sure love those special babies!

Spirit of Boise

We got to go to the spirit of Boise celebration this weekend and watch hot air balloons sail into the open air! So much fun it makes waking up at 6 am worth it. Growing up my family always went to the river festival. A full week of parades and concerts and greasy food and people watching and roller blading the green belt! They always ended the week with the hot air balloon "night glow" on Friday night (which we didn't make it to) and the launch Saturday morning. We went with family friends and wagons wrapped up in blankets, and this  year I got to take my own littles all wrapped up. Stephen never made it to the park to watch the balloons launch so it was cool for him. I think there were 21 balloons! Anyway, it was fun. Brought back great memories. Made new ones. And I think B and C loved it. Happy Labor Day!

Panic

The very definition of the word Panic is a sudden sensation of fear which is so strong as to dominate or prevent reason and logical thinking, replacing it with overwhelming feelings of anxiety and frantic agitation consistent with an animalistic fight-or-flight reaction. 

On Friday afternoon I arrived at Dani's home for a play date. I shut off the car, put my phone and keys in the diaper bag in the seat next to me and then got Charlee out of her carseat to take her inside then come back for Bear and the bag. I took a few steps toward the front door when I heard my car honk briefly and LOCK all on its own, with my Keys and phone and BABY inside. It was about 95 degrees out and I instantly went to open the car door hoping and willing with all my might that it was unlocked. Of course it wasn't. Instant panic washed over me like a sickness. I pulled the handle so hard that I about ripped it completely off, the animalistic fight in me or "mama bear" I suppose. I ran inside and handed Charlee to Dani and grabbed her keys to hurry to my house and get the spare key! As I went to open her garage, it did not open. I froze. Dani tried resetting the breaker and we could not get it to open manually. After 2 minutes I realized it was a waste of time and called my mom. She had been sleeping and luckily thought a call from Dani's phone was worth waking up for. In a groggy haze she was able to find my key downstairs and told us she would call back for directions when she reached the cross street. As I waited outside looking in at my precious little boy I prayerfully pleaded that he would be comforted when I was unable to comfort him. He looked at me wondering why I wasn't picking him up. I'm so glad he stayed calm and sucked his binkie. I worried he would start crying and make himself hotter, when I could see he was already flush and sweating. My mom called after what seemed like an hour and Dani's phone wouldn't let her answer. There was something wrong with it. We waited a few seconds and tried to call her back, but she thought it might be her phone and turned it off and back on. We got a hold of her within a minute but my panic grew immensely. By the time she got there about 15-20 minutes had gone by. But he was fine, I grabbed him and stripped him and held him in front of a fan until his face was no longer red. What relief I felt holding my baby and knowing he was going to be fine. Looking back, I should have called the police. I love my mom and she did great, but she was equally panicked which made it hard to be an emergency response person! Everything about this story was odd to me. I never put my keys in the diaper bag. And what kind of car auto locks with the keys inside? Less than 2 minutes after closing the door? And her garage door was working just an hour before and was fine later that day. I was being watched over. Either I wouldn't have been fast enough, or I would have caused a car accident? Whatever the reason I am thankful for the safety and protection we received that day. Plus it sure put things into perspective for when Charlee pooped in the bath tub later on. Motherhood means taking your heart from your body and watching it grow and be completely vulnerable to everything this world offers, good and bad. It's nice to have heaven on my side. God is good.

The ever loving, ever sweet, always smiling, darling to the core Bear and Charlee. Our last 3 months in pictures.

Family

Being a family means you are part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life. No matter what.

The ever amazing talents of Mallory Hurst Photography at Red Fish Lake, one of my very favorite places in the world. We grew up spending a week out of the summer here and I get very excited to share this special place with them, and can only hope it will be as special to them when they get older. Family is so important, too important. My moms side of the family has had its feuds (what fam hasnt) but it is sweet to see us still coming together and the power of forgiveness in full effect. Now that my cousins and I have children I feel it has brought everyone closer. Babies bring so much happiness. And luckily we get double happiness in every day:)