Happy Birthday Carleton!

I feel so lucky to be married to Carleton. He makes me feel like a million bucks every day. He keeps me laughing all day long. My favorite part of the day (for the kids too) is when he comes through the door from work. Carleton is smart, funny, fun, a great dad, happy, athletic, honest, spiritual, ambitious, calm (as in doesn't stress out), and my best friend.

Carleton is always planning amazing things for birthdays and anniversaries so I wanted to surprise him with his perfect day- starting off mountain biking with his buddies, playing racquetball with Craig, and going out on a date at night. Thanks Craig, Kimberly, James, and Brad for all your help planning. I was bummed when it rained...change of plans. We last minute went with some friends for breakfast, he still played racquetball, and we still went out. Fun day for both of us.





Here's a ride he did earlier in the week.


We went to "The Lovely Bones" for our movie last night. It made me so thankful to be a full time mom. Carleton told me once that he would work three jobs before I would have to go to work. Even though we live in a small 2 bedroom apt. (and pay more than most people do for their mortgages in other states), I couldn't be happier. I really enjoy being with Apollo and Annie and I know there is a short window of time that I get them to myself. Apollo had on a backpack the other day and looked like a school boy. I know that day will come too soon. I am thankful for my education...very thankful I got to teach for four years...thankful I got to speak at parent and high school camps during the summers (and absolutely loved it). It's not that motherhood is easy-quite the opposite. But I think if it were easy (and didn't take a lot of my brain power to think how I can best raise them and be purposeful) I would feel like there is more I could be doing. I love that Apollo and I watched the tractors work on our potholes for an hour and not have to rush (this is not always true-we are still on the go a lot). I could freeze Apollo at this age and be happy. He always says the funniest things, is so thoughtful, loves to snuggle, has an easy smile and laugh, is so good to his sister, and is at an age where he can do a lot of "normal" stuff with me like cook, clean, play ball, and ride a bike. I love that Annie likes to "entertain us", snuggle, smile, make funny scrunched up faces, and adores her older brother. I love to wake up with a little Apollo coming into our room. I get Annie up and I feed her in bed while Carleton starts breakfast. I love learning how I can be a better mom through prayer, books, the internet, and others. I am learning more and more every day that Heavenly Father loves mothers too by how He answers my simple requests. I love the quote by Elder Faust, "You need not sing all the verses of your song at the same time." I feel like much of my life has been about studying, studying science, playing sports, hanging out with my friends, etc. I feel like these last few years are another verse of my song. For the first 5 years of our marriage I never cooked. We always ate simple things like salad, cereal etc. I'm having fun cooking, starting my own teacher-training business, managing a household, learning to sew, crochet, and craft. I'm enjoying this "domestic" time. I enjoy being creative and thinking about how I can be a better person, wife, and mother. I enjoy all the dates we go on and Apollo's playgroup. Sometimes I have felt defensive with comments that have been made to Carleton or me about being a stay-at-home mom and I think sometimes this has made me feel like I need to prove myself and show all that I'm doing as a mom. But, I decided to just let it go (easier said than done) and I have enjoyed just being with the kids and being present with them. Of course I love doing my own things too. I need my girl time. I like to set and achieve goals. I want my kids to know that becoming a mom doesn't mean you give up your dreams and hobbies. I enjoy the kids' bedtime so I can hang out with Carleton. Wow. I wrote a lot. The movie just really got to me. I feel so blessed...so so thankful.





Here's Apollo doing putting dye in the water. I asked him what we could do to make the red spread out faster. I talked to him about molecules. How if we stirred it, heated the water, or added a catalyst, that the molecules would move faster.




We're always having dance parties around here.




Apollo's been helping me get ready for Annie's birthday party. He's covering the beads with glue and glitter. He doesn't stick with it for too long. He'd rather play with cars or with Annie.