The Zoo and Bear Lake

My picture rule is not to take pictures without somebody in them, but I was just awed by this siberian tiger, the biggest cat in the world, it came real close to us, and it was so big and furry and scary looking............



Most endangered cat in the world.








Their mouths were open because they wanted the mommy bird to feed them. I did eventually, we went to Panda Express. I recommend their orange chicken. Mmmmm.



Ellie and her cousin Hannah, at the American West Heritage Center.



Before I met Barry he volunterred at the AWHC and they wanted him to build a cabin. So he began, all by himself and it was very hard work. One hot day he found out everyone else there (the people just sitting around), were all getting paid to work. So he quit. Here stands the cabin that Barry built .....well started to build.
Hey at least I know he can do it, and the one thing I made Barry promise me before we got married was that he'd build me a cabin in the mountains. (A finished cabin.)

We took a quick trip to Bear Lake last week. Ellie and Natalie spent most of the time out in the lake and I couldn't get a good pictures of them, but James loved the sand and the seagulls.

Jogging with Daddy

Monday through Friday, James and Barry get up early and go jogging together. James love its. He's ready to go from the moment he sits up in bed. He was sick a few days last week so Barry left him home. James was so sad, wandering around the house saying Dad, Dad, and trying to open the doors. Barry says sometimes he just jabbers the whole way. When they get home, James comes and finds me, gives me a hug and tries to tell me all about their run.(Mostly gibberish) Then he sits down by Daddy and they do their stretches together. It's very endearing to watch as he tries to copy the Daddy he loves so much.

This day James was so tired that before Barry could even finish his stretches he curled up on his legs and went right to sleep.

Washington!!!

This weekend we drove up to Washington to pick up Natalie. We drove and drove and drove. We decided to take a new route to see the sites, .....we saw them for 12 hours. Ugh! We stopped in Cambridge on the way up and stayed in a delightful little motel there, with a pool. Barry's student owns the place so we were treated to a free night's stay, a barbecue dinner, and some sightseeing. We even toured the local grocery store which they just had purchased. Sorry we have no pictures, I was feeling pretty rotten, well actually super-duper rotten by then.





On the way there, we got out of the car because Ellie puked. It's always good to get some fresh air after that. I believe this picture is .........in the middle of nowhere.



James tired and dirty







Ellie going crazy



Seriously crazy



Camping lite. Barry thought we didn't even need ketchup for the dogs. I insisted. We had no plates or anything. I didn't pay much attention to the packing of the camping stuff because I planned the whole time to talk Barry out of camping and stay at a motel somewhere along the way. I lost out, due to shear lack of effort due to intense car sickness. Things were okay though, and I got to try out our brand-b-new tent. It arrived in the mail last week. Barry said it was hand sewn just for us.(big yea) The other campers thought it was a Tee-pee.



James rejecting snacks. Pretty sad day.






James puzzled. After yelling STOP DAD! STOP over and over, Dad would just keep on driving, and driving and driving. (Can you tell I don't travel well)



A smile from my boy.



Kids going crazy.



Last half and hour I pulled out all the stops, and broke out the suckers. They were a lifesaver. Truly.



My favorite picture from our adventure. I love my sweet family.

Perfection

I've always been paralyzed by the need for perfection, never starting a task, goal, relationship, or anything that couldn't be perfect was my way of dealing with my inability to succeed perfectly.
So I have ended up a person with a life filled with few experiences, few great relationships and many underdeveloped talents.

Fortunately, God lead me to a man who will try anything, work towards any skill, no matter the difficulty, take on huge tasks with little hope for perfection and sometimes even completion. Yet after ripping my hair out from stress from watching such craziness, I have seen so many great things accomplished. Things I would have never thought possible. I have seen miracles falling into place because of his mere exercise of faith in stepping out into the dark realm of trying with the possible risk of failure. I have been inspired by the immense growth of a man who is not afraid to run in the race of life, and though he trips and falls, he's setting his stride, smoothing his gait and getting faster every day. While I'm still standing there at the starting line debating if the race is worth the entrance fee, for I know I can't possibly win, nor even finish on my own.

Yet, for the first time in my life, I want IN on the race anyway, I want IN for the journey, for the experiences I will have along the way. So with my crooked legs and knock-knees I've decided to start jogging and see where I can go.

My husband is an amazing person. In fact, hands down the most amazing person I've ever met. He is brilliant, but still interesting to talk to. He is good at a million things, but yet still humble. He is my best friend, and my forever sweetheart.

But above all, Barry is an extraordinary father. I couldn't be more blessed and pleased than to have him be the father of my children.







......So why not add another.


We're excited to welcome Baby #3 in January, on Barry's birthday.



P.S A few of you know this pregnancy has been a rough road, but the doctor thinks we're in the clear, so a big thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, and small kindnesses they have been much appreciated.

Lately I've been struggling with insomnia. Usually when I can't sleep it's because I'm worried about something, health, money, kids, animals. Lately though, it hasn't been that at all.

I lie awake in bed with random questions turning over and over in my head until I can't stand it anymore, I find with a small poke, a yank of the covers and a well placed ice cold foot though, Barry is also conveniently awake to ask my all important questions to. "What is pewter made of? What do you think the room temperature is ...in Calvin? etc."

Last week Barry started sleeping downstairs. He claims it's just too hot upstairs.

Currently I don't mind.

Now there is more room for the laptop on the bed, which I can consult at all hours of the night to find answers, more thorough answers then "Hmmphm lead and tin I think, maybe in the 300's or something..... snore".

Tonight I tried a sleeping pill. Now my heart is a racing, and I'm not feeling the least bit drowsy.

Why would a sleeping pill make your heart race?, Barry wants to know.

I want to know too ...I think I'll look it up.

In the mean time my little family has decided to camp out in the yard tonight.

I wasn't invited.

but I don't mind, what's a better gift to a mom, than an empty house, fresh popped buttery popcorn and an endless streaming of undisturbed movies from Netflixs

With just a few slight guilty glances out my window at a snug little tent. I'm settling down for a long summers night.