Fishing trip/debacle

 Peacefully fishing on the point at butterfly lake in the uintah mountains.

This spot is legendary for rob and i. 

 Caleb has his own spiderman fishing pole and colton took apart Rob's fishing pole so he could splash the water in the name of fishing. He managed to fall in the lake (no surprise here) and get his brand new chair all muddy (no surprise there either).

 But man oh man were all three of my men happy! I overpacked as usual so i designated myself the pack mule. Totally worth the preparedness though!

 Spyin' on my man

 Tryin' to smile staring into the sun. He has his jacked because his shirt got soaked when he fell into the lake face first. 

 Mighty fisherman. He did all of his own casting and we were impressed with him. He enjoys doing things himself so much! 

 Overprepared momma

 The debacle: fishing hook in the back of caleb's head. 

He was casting so so good! Rob and i had finally settled down to enjoy the deafening silence and stillness when caleb started to scream. The hook was imbedded all the way to where it bends. I trimmed the hair and was going to try to jerk it out but couldn't get it. Poor Caleb! He was overreacting from fear (wonder where he gets that from??) and rob took him for a meander to help settle him down. They said a prayer and when they came back Caleb was calm. At that moment, there was a fish on the line so Rob had Caleb reel in the fish which promptly came off the line once we all got a good look (but not a picture). 

We felt like this was a tender mercy for Caleb from Heavenly Father. 

 Then we packed up. hauled all the crap i brought back to the car (i had brought it over seriously less than 1 hour before the incident)

 Rob put the bandaid over the hook in an effort to prevent it from getting caught on the seat and hurting caleb terribly. 

 He tried to sleep on the way home but even then he was so worried about the hook he couldn't sleep. We had taken the back of his carseat off and he couldn't get comfortable. Rob and i giggled for a while watching him startle and jerk in his sleep (remember when you 'fell' off your desk in school while you were sleeping? imagine that only sitting up.)

So three hours after the event we make it to an instacare here at home and Caleb manages to charm the lady at the desk, he learns the nurses name (lindsay) and charms her and charms the doctor too. 

The doctor and i decide to have him just rip out the hook (as opposed to numbing with a shot, and cutting it out with a  small incision). I tell caleb what is going to happen, ask him if he wants me to hold him down. He didn't want me to, he wanted to hold nurse lindsay's hands. He squinted his eyes closed, gritted his teeth and BAM!! the doctor ripped out the hook.

 Caleb started crying of course but then nurse lindsay asked what color of popsicle he wanted--"pink" and just like that, he stopped crying. 

I was so proud of my little man. 

The look on his face as the doctor got ready to pull out the hook has stuck with me. 

Scared but brave. His body was so small looking on that bed with the doctor and nurse around him. 

We haven't heard a peep about the incident except when he proudly told our neighbor's what happened to him. 

daddy rocks!!!

 Dad is the star at our house. 

my boys cannot get enough of him. 

especially colton. 

Lately dad is who he asks for when he wakes up and goes to sleep. 

You can tell why.

he is the fun one 

full of laughter, fun, wrestling, jokes, silliness

Boy oh boy are we glad we have him!!! 

Chick-fil-A

We are not a big fast food family but recent stories in the news (here, here) about Chick-fil-A irked me enough i decided to take a stand. Granted, it isn't much of a stand, but it is what i can do. 

In case you don't know, feel free to read the links i have above. My take home message is as follows: the president of chick-fil-a is a  devout christian, family man. So much so, chick-fil-a as a chain, is closed on sundays. He made a few statements about his thoughts on marriage and such and angered the chicago mayer enough he said they couldn't build a restaurant in their city. 

I told my husband, i am going to eat at chick-fil-a as a personal/financial statement against the mayer of chicago. 

he wants to throw a hissy fit because a business took a stand. 

my buck stays with them 

and i like their fries. 

I am a christian woman. 

I support those who hold fast to their beliefs, even if they don't mesh with mine. 

but don't hate me and those like me because we believe differently than you. 

I don't hate. I get irritated that personal belief and opinion have become such....fighting words. 

if we all agreed on everythin, our world would be totally boring. 

Read the declaration of independence or the constitution of the united states

Our country was never intended to be a homogenous mass of non-thinking people blindly following a government. 

Government should follow the peoples lead. 

so we went to chick-fil-a

Photo Update

 4th birthday cake: clifford. I had so much fun making this cake! And he still remembers it. Talk about hard work paying off. (really it wasn't hard at all! Thanks to my moms example in doing these types of cakes for us every year for our whole childhood.)

 Silver Lake in june

 Mighty hunter

 Mighty fix-it man

 First pie with a crust made exclusively from butter. I might be saying goodbye to crisco, it was that good. It was a fresh cherry pie (cherries courtesy our neighbor) with some strawberries and blueberries thrown in. 

Seriously...one of my best. 

 My munchkins post grandma hakes chocolate cake

 Halloween Costume on a hot day in june. I think he wanted to eat a banana looking like Curious George (his favorite show)

 Bath boy. 

Oh my...we say "colton do you want a bath" and he tears off running crookedly towards the bathroom. After every bath (courtesy daddy) he comes to find me cooing like a dove, and is so happy! 

he coos like a dove (always has)  when he gets particularly excited.

 My mighty protectors in matching red shirts, no pants and ski goggles. 

 I took this picture because colton climbs onto the chair all by himself and was eating lunch like such a big boy. 17 months

Stunning face hun? Really it was just to show the front of this hairstyle. Having such long hair in the summer is very hot so i am trying to find attractive styles to get my hair pulled up sans boring ponytails. 

 

I hope to blog more. It is beneficial for our family to document ourselves. Someday, when this is in a book format, the kids will love it (so i tell myself). 

Nauseous

i read this article

quick summary: syria, egypt, russia and china are amassing 90,000 troops, 400 planes and 1000 tanks for "war-games".

i feel sick. 

profession or calling?

Colt has some weird disease that has made him a whiney mess. Caleb had decided he needs to follow suit to get the same amount of attention as colt. Rob was sick in bed for saturday and sunday. 

you need this background information to understand my next statement. 

today motherhood has felt like more of a job than my calling. 

a job is something we push through to get to the next break, lunch and finally the end of the day when we bolt to our car to be spared further torture.

a calling is something inspiring, that makes us smile when things are particularly ugly. 

Motherhood truly is my calling in life. It does make me smile. When things are hard and i am complaining i glance at my beloved boys and the difficulty dissipates. When they are driving me nuts, i tell them how i feel and why and magically i can breathe deep and move on. 

but today....ah today. 

but you know what...when caleb has come to me crying about falling on something, i have enjoyed being needed and giving reassurance. when colton just wanted to be held, i managed to enjoy rocking in the rocking-chair with him feeding him fruit loops. 

so yes, this morning, motherhood was definitely a job. Time and perspective help restore it to it's rightful place as my calling. 

Diaper Comparisons

I have three different kids of diapers at my house and since i always like comparisons on performance i thought i'd share. 

On the left is a Huggies size three

Middle is Pampers size three

Right is Kirkland Signature size three

Notice the thickness differences in the next two pictures.

Huggies on the right. Pampers in the middle. Kirkland Signature on the right. 

Pampers has a mesh thingy in it to help keep moisture off babies bum.

It totally works too.

This is to show length  and top differences. Unfortunately to make the diapers all fit in the picture the pampers one had to get scooted down. It is the same length as huggies. Kirkland is a bit shorter. Notice the same bands on huggies and kirkland while pampers doesn't have a 'band' around the back. 

This leads my theory that Huggies makes and packages for kirkland.

Another shot on the back as well as another view of the length differences. Kirkland is the smallest.

Front shot. 

The little man in charge of testing. 

So far, all of them work just great for Colton. He is on the small side though so that is a big difference. For caleb i always had to make sure i was getting the longest ones i could for my buck because he ran big. 

I have no loyalties on brand because they all work. I buy what is on sale.

i don't want to forget...

Caleb had his first run-in with the law today:

we were at Overstock.com outlet store on 1300th E and 7800so. We had seen a stroller for dogs (i know, rediculous) andy had put caleb in it, being silly and exploratory. We thought it was funny and moved on. Later  He was sorta running around, i had colton in our stroller with me looking at purses (of course). All of a sudden i heard a crash. I knew it was caleb. I wander over from behind some stuff and see the dog stroller on its side, missing a wheel with caleb sprawled on top. The security female officer wanders over, stares him down and asks "where's mom?" "right here" i cheerily replied. Of course nothing could make me happier than someone else laying down the law in the store. So she scolded him, while putting on the missing wheel. He looked so...embarassed but also serious. He knew he was in trouble and mom wasn't gonna do anything about it.
dang straight!
my power of seriousness with consequences only goes so far. And lets face it, i would have laughed, picked up the stroller and moved on if i had seen the whole incident.

Story two
We were working in the yard and caleb had a bucket that was a worm farm for when he and rob go fishing. The dirt looked wet and rob sniffed it (he sniffs everything! all Hakes' do). Then he swiftly and sternly asked caleb "did you pee in this today?" Caleb denied it at first but when asked again, he told the truth and said "yes." I swear, this boy pees on everything outside. Drives me nuts! Our bathroom is not that far! So if you see him peeing outside somewhere know three things
1. I am mortified and always worried he will do it even though i have taught him to do better.
2. if he is a bad influence on your children, i am so so so so sorry. Really, i want and expect better from him.
3. I am being worn down and am learning to pick my battles carefully. 

Hilarious Happenings

I was enjoying my recorded show and i knew my angel baby was playing in the pantry. Probably in the cans i thought. Then he came to me tired-crying a bit. I look over my shoulder to see him carrying one of the screw-off lids of my flour bucket. 

Too cute to pass up. 

Then i ventured to see what he had been doing... looks like he was cooking up dinner. It is amazon to me to see how quickly the children pick up on familial habits. They are so used to me using this bucket for our food they just can't wait to hep out. 

and i love it. 

ps yesterday colton gave me my first real kiss on the cheek, caleb picked me flowers and volunteered "i love you mommy". 

These are the good times!

interesting video

Watch this movie

it is about food shortages and points out some unique points of view about the supposed ending of the world in december 2012. The point that hit home the most is even if the world doesn't implode, the food will still be gone.

what then?

i thought it was a compelling question. 

what Thursdsays sunshine brought

 we made a lake with an underground tunnel leading to another lake which had a river and an island. 

We learned about erosion.

I got sunburned

Colton ate dirt

Caleb put dirt on his face to be like his little brother

My wonderful friend living in our basement took these pictures because i was too muddy to go inside and get my camera. 

thank you melissa!!

 yummy dirt

bliss

i am so excited for summer!

essential oils

You may or may not know i am really getting into essential oils. I didn't know anything about them until two years ago and now i can't get enough information. 

I found this website if you are curious enough to look around. 

of course, i am always up for friendly conversations about it too!! 

I get my oils from forever green. 

Mothers for freedom update

Hey everyone we just had our april mothers for freedom meeting. We talked about education, virtue, and laws and how these intersect. Check out our blog for more mothersforfreedoms.blogspot.com

our next meeting will be second saturday in may. 10 am #15 at braewood apartments
We stick rigidly to one hour meetings because we know saturdays are precious. 

New Skin Care Regimen

I went to an essential oil class a couple of weeks ago. It was fabulous! one thing briefly mentioned was using oil to clean your face. I was totally skeptical as when my friend melissa mentioned the same thing. But after hearing the idea from these two sources i decided to look into it more.

Here is what i found: http://simplemom.net/oil-cleansing-method/

So i mixed myself up a bottle using  2 parts almond oil (sunflower market) and 1 part castor oil (walgreens) and 2 drops of lavender (truessence).

I. am. in. love.

my skin is clearer. I have scars fading much faster than normal. My skin looks dewey. The pores on my nose are getting cleaner and perceptibly smaller. and every night washing my face is relaxing!

Let me just say i have been on acne medications starting when i was 14. Topical medicine as well as the heavy hitter, acutane. I still break out and have issues so if my skin loves it so much....something has to be going right.  :)

Happy Hunger Games

I saw this movie last night. 

Have you read the book? Well if you haven't it is quite the read and well worth your time, in my opinion. 

If you let it, it will make you think-a quality i relish in my literature. 

As to the movie...i enjoyed it. I cannot say i loved it and here is why. 

It is...sobering. 

I am not a flippiant creature when it comes to death. I take it seriously and because i have read this book a few times and loved it i have tried to find parallels with Katniss. Consequently i have wondered what it would mean to me to fight to the death. 

Thus having this book put to screen, for me, is more difficult than i would have liked it to be. 

In a book i can not conjure the meaning of the word "screaming" if i don't want to. 

I can overlook the meaning of "starvation"

I can buffer the heart wrenching innocence of the young.

Not in a movie.

 My mind doesn't have the same opportunity because it is there, on a screen in front of my face, impossible to overlook. 

So it was hard for me.

However.....

The garishness of the capitol citizens was even funnier than in the book. 

Their simplemindedness was astounding. 

Haymitch was far more real and human to me than in a book. The man who played him (i have no idea who he is) did a wonderful job!!

I loved katniss and peta and gale and cenna.

So, go see it. 

It is worth it. 

Anything that has the power to make me think so dang hard is always worth it and that is why i recommend it. Not because it will do the same thing to you, but because i got something out of it i feel it is worthy of recommendation. 

****************************************************

On a philosophical level:

As i walked out of the theatre a question popped into my mind and has haunted me:

Are we (the audience) any better than the people at the capitol? 

reading/watching the story of children fight to the death, are we just as simpleminded and dulled?

Are we so driven by entertainment that we are no better than the citizens of ancient rome cheering on the gladiators to their impending doom?

Like i said...it made me think hard. 

Will this happen to you? Who knows. 

Do not let my thinking reaction shy you away. 

Mothers for Freedom Plug

Mothers for Freedom had their march meeting on the 10. Click here for the redux of the meeting as well as the next reading assignment.

love to all

Sundays are agonizing

We are that family.

As Rob put it yesterday, we are the family everyone likes to watch because we are entertaining and our kids make their kids look like angels.

Our church is three hours long. I work with the children so i am with them for two hours where we have classes, group singing time and group learning time then onto the congregational meeting where the real fun begins. 

All the kids become a herd running (even though they know to be reverent in the church) from their primary classes  to find their long-lost-parents, get seats and treats in the chapel. 

Parents pass children and babies around and taking care of last minute business while passing knowing looks of empathy to each other: gird up your loins the meeting is about to begin.

I begin to deal with Caleb because by now he has figured out which friends are on the nearby pews, who has what toys, if our snacks are worth paying attention to or better to barter with. My favorite parts--the songs--happen if i am not holding colton or if he is eating. Caleb is usually busy eating and drinking--preparing for his mid-meeting bolt to the bathrooms.

Usually we manage to make it through The Sacrament: the most important part of church because the whole meeting is quite. The kids, on penalty of death or perpetual practice of reverence at home are momentarily quiet. 

As soon as the deacons are sitting with their families the motherly pilgrimage of screaming tired babies begins. Usually i am in that group. By this time Colt has had it with the toys, treats and other distractions we try to use to convince him to sit on our laps for three hour straight and is ready to move. I try to listen in the foyer but chasing him so he doesn't crawl through the chapel, not kill himself on the stool for the drinking fountain, working to prevent screaming or tackling of other children usually keeps me distracted. 

It is at this time, i am told by my husband, Caleb really puts on a show. 

"Sharing" snacks with other children

hiding under the pew eating treats with his newest girlfriend

making faces at people around us

pestering colton (if he is there)

needing more water

figuring which friend is nearest to play with

NOT playing with any of the toys he has brought for himself.

At least once in the meeting he attempts to come for me wanting to "be by mom and colton". He usually bolts out twice to "go potty". I swear he goes potty enough just during Sacrament meeting to last the rest of the day. 

And then the organ starts to play the closing song and i go in and attempt to sing the closing song pretending i have just had all kinds of upliftment from wrestling children for the past three hours. 

Exhausted Rob and i get to the car, belt the children in and pause to take a deep breath before getting in the car to head home where upon penalty of death caleb will sit in an uncomfortable chair and irritate us while he attempts to 'practice' being reverent. 

"you can't be reverent in church? you will be reverent at home" we tell him

then we go to grandmas for dinner. 

Phew.

Thankfully i do find moments of upliftment. 

i love the children i work with 

i usually get to sing the songs

The Lord has helped me learn to find joy and humor in the chaos that is church.

Picture Update

Caleb was inspired by Puss in Boots to be a cowboy. 

my hat

his boots

dads lotion pump lid as the sword

He rode his rocking horse, Thunder to fight the bad guys. 

I got them matching pajamas for football season. They get new football gear every year at the start of college football. Isn't this smile from colton adorable?! 

Colt's two new favorite pastimes: Getting in the fridge and playing in posts and pans

combined!

Just love the hats!

My attempt at glamor

makeup and hair