18 Months of Boone....

This little love of ours has been on the earth for 18 months.  He's been walking for more than half his life and acting like the quintessential fourth boy for all of it.  

Boone is in the 95th percentile for height and he is off the charts when it comes to cool.

He knows lots of body parts and enjoys sticking his finger up his nostril whenever we ask him to point to his nose.  He says Mama, DaDa, Ace, Dax, "Le-low" for Kael, Ball, Hat, Treat, Shoes, Poop, Fish, and will mimic just about anything anyone asks him to say... with a house full of brothers we have had to draw up quite a few rules with regard to this.  I'm sure you can imagine.  :)

And multiple times a day, sweet Baby Boone asks for his "Baba" and "Baby", which translates to bottle and blankey.  And folks, once he has those two items AND his Mom - everything is right with the world.  It's simple and powerful all at once.

And his example to us to slow down and enjoy the little magic moments of childhood and life is simple and powerful as well.

He goes to every ball game, every program, every pool, every park, every-freakin'-where and he does it with flair.  He doesn't squawk except to bark orders at his brothers.  He doesn't cry except to protest being left out.  He sleeps in the car for nap time more often than not and this little on-the-go babe is basically a champ.

Boone's First Day of Nursery  - Cry me a River...

We truly can't imagine our lives without him.  Are we fans of having a caboose?  Heck yes.  There is something magic about those little loves that come into your lives when you least expect it.

Case in point = Boone.

Love you, little buddy.

And Then He Was Grown...

Eight years ago this handsome little lad was born.

He was a butterball turkey with no hair and cheeks for days.

Our lives were immediately changed for the better.

Go ahead and say it... I already know.  He looks like he is ready for Wall Street.  

(Insert Tears)

There - this one looks better to my fragile mama emotions.  :)

Kael here are Eight Wishes we have for you on this very special Birthday:

1.  Be Courageous

2.  Work Hard - Play Hard

3.  Stay Close to Your Heavenly Father

4.  Have an Understanding Heart

5.  Trust in People & Believe in Yourself

6.   Listen to Your New Companion - The Holy Ghost

7.  Never Doubt in ALL the People Who Love You

8.  Set Goals & Go Make Them Happen

You are everything we ever hoped for in a first-born son.  Thanks for being patient with us as we figure out this parenting gig.  Thanks for your belly laughs, your booming voice full of excitement, your quiet thoughtfulness, and your diligent work ethic.

We love you so much and we are so proud of this choice you have made and all the other good choices you make every day.

Can't wait for this weekend.

It's going to be simply awesome!!

A Great Grandma - 90...

This sweet, sweet lady turned 90 years young this past weekend.

I remember when I first met Ryan's Grandma.  She was doing her windmill exercises and leg kicks in the living room and singing, "Good Morning to You".  As a fellow morning gal - I knew right then and there I loved her.

And that contagious happy energy continues to exude from her.

My boys each wrote her a sweet card and delivered it - then helped her decipher their writing...

 which must have required great concentration.  :)

As we gathered together, we enjoyed one of Grandma's favorite treats... root beer floats.  Which was a bit challenging in the sweltering 100+ degree heat of St. George.  But you know what?  It all worked out just swimmingly and everyone enjoyed soaking in some time just celebrating together.

Sweet Aunt Ginger and Uncle Meik brought bunches of balloons so we could do a 

"Birthday Balloon Float" and send special wishes up to the Heavens while we sang Happy Birthday.  

One of the bunches snuck away, out the roof of the pavilion and high into the sky prior to the big release... and in true Grandma fashion she just laughed and said, 

"I guess Grandpa wanted to let us know he was here celebrating with us too!"

It was fun to see cousins and Aunts and Uncles.  It was fun to think about those that weren't able to join us for various reasons and miss them, but know they were celebrating from afar.

 It was fun to spoil Grandma for a few minutes and point the spotlight on such a positive and generous matriarch.  

We are lucky to be counted among her descendants and grateful for her example of love and faith.

Happiest Birthday, Grandma Clement!

We hope this year brings more goodness than you know what to do with!

And you know what?  You make 90 look amazing!  Must be all those windmills, eh?!

Desert Water Dogs...

You know what I love most about taking my kids to the same places each summer?  I love that I see the change from year-to-year.  I'm very aware of my fleeting time with them as my little pack of crazy buddies - but I'm also so grateful and so happy I get to enjoy so many sun-filled days with them. 

 They're definitely starting to stock up their own storage unit full of summer memories -- it's fun to watch and funny to hear what stands out to them trip after trip.  

These pictures from the pool?  This captures just one pool trip out of six on this trip to Dixie.  I took my camera this time because the sun was setting and I knew we could get some golden light to enhance these golden moments.  But these are just snippets of what happens on a week-long trip south.  Little moments out of SO many that make me smile and spurn my memory.

I always want to remember how tough it was this year to cram two boys into the center of the inner tube but how once they stuffed themselves in it was all giggles trying to pry themselves out.

I want to never ever forget how fearless our little Boone-Doggle was at the pool.  Jumping off the deck and into the water without any arms to catch him.  Feeling so big and independent.

I want to remember how seriously Kael takes his diving and how he asks me to watch a bajillion times in his trademark "quiet" voice.  :)

This trip I tidied up the back patio and was arranging furniture and when I stopped to take it all in around me I noticed that a non-working fountain and a hose was providing hours worth of entertainment.  

Boone took his first "back yard pee" and was thrilled as punch to be watering the grass.  :)  And the boys howled at him as they watched him discover his manly powers. 

And this trip was the first time we took to the river.  It was a little ragey in some parts due to some mountain monsoon rains - but we found a quiet section near Sullivan park and the boys ran wild.  All but Ace who sliced open his toe and had to keep it out of the muddy water.

Summer brings so many joys and reminders of how I really want to live my life.  And the beauty is I get to choose no matter the season.  So here's to a life well-lived, whether it be under the sweltering July sun, or the frigid icicles of winter.  

We got this.