Where have I been?

Usually blogging for me seems so enjoyable and so doable.

For the last few days Ive wanted to journal everything that has been going on but haven't been able to get myself to the computer to actually do it.

I'm not sure why...maybe its because I'm trying to just eat up the last two weeks I have with Caleb before I send him to school and am no longer the sole influence in his life.

Maybe its because the last two weeks of Henderson events took a lot out of me and left me a lot to reflect about and learn from.

Ive just wanted to be unsocial and be a home body. Focusing on getting my House and my thoughts in order. I haven't done much and even though I have a pile of pictures to edit and I'm looking forward to it, I'm just relishing in the non-committal and gloriously unscheduled life of ours that will end in two short weeks.

I love my small and eternally significant life. Even though the last year or so has been hard, I'm very lucky and just wanting to relish in it rather than blog about it.

Whatever my issues are...I'm sure I will be past this rut in blogging soon...

This is awesome!

I know this has gone viral and a lot of people have seen it but if you havent you have to watch it!

I love it! Seriously some people think weddings should be so serious that they feel more like a funeral! Me. I think they are a celebration!

Hitting the road...

We are off tomorrow again to head up to SLC for Pioneer Day! Not really, we have a family reunion up there and then we are going camping in THE tent trailer! I'm so excited.

On the water...

in THE tent trailer...

with my boys...

no more extended family drama...

hopefully no cell phone service...

walking through rock canyon on Sunday after church...

visiting BYU and temple square...

3 books from the library...

foil dinners and campfires...

I haven't looked forward to something so much in a long time!

Nic & Steph

We spent the weekend in Vegas celebrating Johns brother Nic's wedding. I had so much fun taking pictures...Im having a hard time not ignoring everything to work on them...here is a sneak peek!









I really need to figure out how to make my pictures even bigger....

Updated: Ohhhh! Don't they look so much better BIG! Many thanks to Vanessa at V and co for showing me how! If you haven't been to her blog...GO! Shes great!

Lisa: 1- Paslisades Collections: 0

Do you remember this post about how I despise collections agencies...and how I will fight their injustice?

Well I got this letter today...

Dear HENDERSON, JOHN

After reviewing this account, we have decided to cease further collection efforts and cancel the debt. If we previously reported this account to on or more credit bureaus (yes, they cant even get a form letter correct...I think they mean to say one or more) we will ask the bureaus to delete our trade line. We have no control over, and can not be held responsible for when or weather any particular credit bureau complies with our request.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,

Dispute Department


Needless to say, Im feeling a little smug at the moment!

What is soft, round, warm, and squishy all over?

6 month old Beckham!

Can he really be 6 months old? I know people say it all the time but he really is growing up so fast. Beckham has been my lifeline these past 6 months. He is such a happy and easy going baby but the best part is that no matter my mood...he always is SO happy to see me. Here are some special things I want to remember about him at 6 months:

• You LOVE solids. You are by far the best eater of our boys and you only have had veggies so far but you down them!
• You can roll all over and get yourself stuck....a lot
• You LOVE your brothers and your face lights up and your legs start kicking so hard when you see them
• You sleep on your tummy most of the time
• You LOVE your binkie. I usually start to ween our kiddos off of them right about now but you freaked out and started sucking your fingers instead until I gave it back...Score: Beckham 1 Mom 0.
  
• You love your car seat
• Your hair is going blond
  
• You can hold your own bottle
• You can be very impatient...you dont want a lot but when you want it you want it 10 minutes ago.
• Everyone thinks you look like Davis, but Mommy knows you look just like Caleb did at 6 months old but with brown eyes
  
• You love TV and if you are facing away from it and the boys put a movie on you immediately spin yourself around so fast and roll over to watch.
• You are loud and command attention when you want it
• You still love the water. Your arms and legs both start going wild so you can splash
• You make Mommy's heart melt every time she looks at you and you make our family so happy!
  

Trouble...chapter 1

Setting up the scene: The boys were sleeping in and Lisa is out in the yard watering trees....

Caleb walks out the door yawning with a big smile on his face.

Caleb: "Mom! I had the best dreams last night" (huge grin)

Mom: "Really? What were they about?" (smiling)

Caleb in singsong voice: "Halle!"

Moms face falls.


This is the same Halle that Caleb said to me, "Mom, Halle has the most beautiful face Ive ever seen."

I feel like a perpetual clumsy caterpillar...Always hoping to become a butterfly yet always stuck feeling clumsy and inadequate. Blundering around with self doubt through periods of trial.

Perhaps that is the cycle of the life, cycles of inadequacy followed by periods of triumph. Each time reemerging a more and more intricate and exquisite butterfly.

It sure doesn't feel like that right now.

Do you read Nie Nies dialogues? I love her blog and almost a year ago she and her husband were in a plane crash and she was burned on more than 80% of her body. Their story has captivated me.

In some ways I also had an internal "accident" of sorts and have been burned. I watch Nie as she tries to come to understand and figure out this new version of herself and can relate in so many ways to what I feel on my inside.

Each time she thinks she is coming to a sense of equilibrium and peace with herself something sneaks up on her and she once again is reminded of how different she is now.

I miss the old version of myself. I'm trying to understand the new person that I am now.

And even though I putting this out there for you all to read, this is for me. So that hopefully, in the near future, I can look back and smile at the silly girl who forgot to remember that the most beautiful sunshine always comes right after the storms.


ps. we did have a great 4th and I would love to post some pictures but someone needs to tell our teething 6 month old that mom cant maintain eye contact and hold him ALL of the time!

Karate!

We started Caleb in karate a few weeks ago and we have been so impressed with how great he is doing. He loves it! Not only that but the teacher cant get over how well he concentrates and listens. Hes picking things up so fast and you can tell he really gets a lot of satisfaction out of how much hes learning.

They also were playing the game Kung Foo Kats (each person has two short belts tucked in their belt and you have to try pull the other persons belts outs while protecting yours-kind of like flag football). Caleb rocked! He got low and would pull the other persons belts out before they even could get to his. He beat 4 people in row and you should have seen his smile. He would whip around at me and just beam!

The first video is of him showing some self defense moves that he has learned...although his laugh is truly priceless! The second video is of him counting to ten in Korean. In class they went to teach the new guys how to count to ten and they asked if anyone knew how to do it and Caleb raised his hand. In my mind I thought how cute he wants to participate even if he doesn't know. The called on him and he totally went all the way through the numbers! I was so shocked. Like I said hes picking it up so fast and excelling! I think he got nervous to do it for the camera though.



Doesnt he look handsome in his uniform!

John and I both really like the disciple in Karate and how they teach respect. We have him in Tang Soo Do which is from Korea and its emphasis is in self defence. They also have tenants they recite at the end that I love some of them are..."loyalty to country, obedience to parents, honor, integrity, in battle fight with sense and honor..."

Im really excited that we can have him in something like this...makes donating plasma worth it!