Four Down. Eternity to Go.

Number 4 has come and gone and I feel like I just blogged about our 3rd anniversary. I remember my Young Women leaders always telling me the older you get the faster times goes by. Each year I understand a bit better what they meant. Which is why I'm still blogging about May and its August...

We both admitted this last year of our marriage has been our favorite. Not that we have many years to choose from, but I think we're finally starting to figure out what marriage is all about. We still have innumerable more things to learn and thankfully an eternity to do so. John Lennon says it best in one of his songs, "Grow old along with me. The best is yet to be. When our time has come, we will be as one..." It takes hard work, forgiveness, humility, charity, and in our case, graham crackers and milk to become one. Maybe one day I'll be able to share my milk with Heath...I'm still working on that. I'm so grateful I am married to a man who is determined to have a celestial marriage. I love you Guap.

To celebrate our love for each other, Heath and I took on a ropes course 50 ft above the ground at Utah Olympic Park. We loved it! Thanks to my parents for watching our little munchkins.

Happy 4th To Us!

It Takes A Village

After fun get togethers with family and friends, I'm reminded of how blessed we are to have such wonderful people in our life. One of the promises in my patriarchal blessing says just that too. I'm grateful for that blessing in my life, especially for the influence it has and will continue to have on our boys. Jack and Brock have the best grandparents in the world, the saltiest aunties, cool uncles, fun friends, and great parents of those friends. Jack especially shows how much he loves these people by the way he greets them. "Graw-ma!!!" he will yell while running toward one of his loving Gma's.

I believe there is a lot of truth in the statement 'it takes a village to raise a child'. My kiddos have an amazing village of family and friends behind them. As a parent, its comforting to know we are surrounded by good people, who love and try teach my kiddos right from wrong, and are willing to give this mama a break every now and then from her Mowglies.

I'm especially grateful Jack and Brock have great cousins. Cousins who are becoming their best friends and are good examples to follow. Jack LOVES his cousins. He talks about them nearly every day. If I tell him we will be going to see any of them, he reminds and asks me about it until we are actually in their presence.

Here are just some of the village-raising moments I'm grateful for.

Hugs and Backrubs for Aunt Kristi...

Hanging out with Jake...

 and Easton...

A little baseball with Tanner...

 and soccer...

Swinging in the hammock with Madi...

All time favorite tractor rides with Gpa...

Watching 'Let it Go' with Aunt Kristi and the Hatchs...

Airplane rides with best friend and worst enemy Emily...

 I can't forget about dirt angels with Em either....

Air toss with Jake...

Digging with Gma Kristy...

Horse rides with Jax

Pitches from Great-Gma Bonnie...

Best friend fun with Kason...

Coldstone with Hunter...

Car rides with Logan...

Trucks with Hunter...

Brock Kerry chillin with Gpa Kerry...

Swinging with future in-laws...

 

Papa Nate...

 Easter crafting with Kason, Demi, Kennedy, Kloe, and Karter...

Silliness with Demi...

Hanging with Little L-Man...

and Brayden...

The Twinsies B & Z...

 

Doing tricks with Aunt Jame...

Naps with Gpa...

Blessed with wonderful grandparents...

I wish I had a picture of every single person that is part of my boys 'village'.
To all of you thanks! 

We love you.

A Little Dose of My Favorite Medicine

The track season came and went too fast. I loved every minute of it. I didn't just love getting outside and being around a sport I love, but I learned to love the kids I coached as well. I started calling them 'my hurdlers' because they quickly felt like little brothers and sisters to me. I would say they felt like my kids, but I just don't feel old enough to say that... I couldn't have asked for a better group of kids. 

They came to practice wanting to improve and succeed. We were the last ones to leave the track most practices and they often did two workouts- one with the sprinters and one with hurdles. My two little assistant hurdle coaches, also liked practice most days. Jack made two buddies, Hunter and Brooklyn, who he loved getting attention from. He also loved helping me call them to the blocks and nearly perfected his own start. My best babysitters for Brockster was surprisingly a couple of junior boys. I would often see them trying to entertain him on the grass while I was working technique with other kids. 

I had butterflies at our region meet just like I would get on my own race days years ago. It was an exciting meet; so many of my hurdlers improved. In the 110m Hurdlers our boys placed 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th.

We dominated the medal stand in the Boys 300m Hurdles as well, placing 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. 

Those boys helped our men's team take home the region trophy. So proud of them!

Even though they didn't make the medal stand, I still have much to say about my dear hurdlerite girlies. I could use many words to describe them. Determined? Yes. Hard working? Yes. Persevering? Yes. Optimistic? Yes. Silly? Double yes. If I ever have a girl, I hope she grows up to be like these awesome chicas. Despite ongoing injuries, they didn't give up and they brought laughter and smiles to every practice. I'm not sure exactly why, but they started calling me, Jack, and Brock 'Lady Bleazardereth and thine seed'. ...goofs. Sadly I didn't get pictures of them, probably because when I would watch them I usually ended up laughing. 

My knees keep me from running and racing much, but coaching has given my heart and mind a little dose of the rush I miss like crazy, just without the sweating. I truly enjoy watching these kids work hard to improve and succeed. Go Stallions!