Left behind...

So, it seems that the longer I am a mother, the more hidden truths I discover, and it seems that none of them are easy, which is why maybe no mom ever talks about them. Celine got home from EFY today. I picked her up this morning and as we were driving home, her and her friend were talking and talking about events, people, inside jokes, and experiences of their week. And I had this thought, I don't know any of these people, I don't know any of the places celine went too, I wasn't there for any of the activities or experiences or moments. She can tell me about them, but I will never really be apart of them. She met all of these new people, who I will probably never meet, I will never know. And they don't know me. They don't know celines mom, and how cool I am ;), and how much I love celine. And then it occurred to me that this is what is in store for me in just a few years. Celine will be going off to college, or working, or marrying, or whatever, and she will meet new people, people I may never know or meet, and she will have a whole life without me. Sure, she will tell me all about it, but I won't really be apart of it. I will be left behind while she grows up and creates her own life. And yes, I know its normal and necessary and important and all that stuff, and she will always be my daughter and I will always be her mom, but I don't like it. I don't like to think of her not living under our roof and me knowing every minute of the day where she is and what she is doing.  Maybe I am not a normal mom, I don't know. But, the thought hit me hard this morning, and made me sad. I know I don't need to be sad, but when the day comes, I also know I will be.

June is over!!!

Oh crazy that there is 1 more day of june. How fast it flies by.

here is my girlies in curlies. :) I wanted to try this out on celines hair before she left to EFY so aliah had to have curlers too.

 after result. so beautiful! :)

 Monday morning celine left to EFY. She has looked forward to this for a year, since last year when she went. :) I know she is having the most amazing time, but I miss her and I am glad she is coming home tomorrow. What an amazing experience for her to have.
Monday we had cooking day but instead of cooking we had lunch at carls jr. :) It was easy and fun. the weather has turned super hot, I am even having a hard time being in it in the middle of the day!

 Trying to keep our tradition of family day on tuesdays. We went swimming for a couple of hours with a bunch of friends, then took tage and aliah to zupas for lunch. yes we love zupas. :) We were going to go to classic skating after but it wasn't opened til 4. So we headed home. That night for YW we took the mia maids swimming at my parents house. They had a blast!

 Wednesday was another swimming day with friends at my parents pool. We had such a perfect day. Perfect weather, awesome friends, the kids played great. I love days like these.

 Thursday I wasn't feeling to hot and had an eye infection to boot. So, I wanted it to be a lazy day, but ended up being a day where I got ready for girls camp, which we leave on the 9th for. I am so excited, but feeling a tad unprepared.
Friday I finally took aliah to classic skating and helped her start to learn to roller blade. It is not an easy thing! We got a family summer pass and tage has been making the most of it going with his friend carter and picking up on girls. Yeah. I know. My boy is growing up. :)

 Oh wow. I look so awful in this picture. My hair is yuck, my skin looks yuck, I think I feel yuck too. But, it was worth it to go out in public like this to make aliah happy. :)

I was thinking the other day how happy I have been feeling. I love it. I think back to january, february and march when I felt so low, and now I just feel happy. I love the sun, I love the warm weather, I love most of the time I get to spend with my kids. :) I feel like me again. So much more of summer left to enjoy.

Summer: week 3

See, I knew it. I just knew it. That summer was going to fly by. Here it is, the 22nd of june, the month is almost over!!! Slow down summer, please! I am enjoying you!

This week started out with Fathers Day. Yes, Kaleb has influenced our kids so that they can't take normal pictures anymore, except celine. ;) We think kaleb is just about the best dad around. We had dinner at his parents house and enjoyed a pretty relaxing day.

 This is a present aliah made in school and has been waiting patiently for fathers day!

Monday we had cooking day at my house, I wish I remembered to get pictures of everything that we do, but, I am not that good.  It is so fun to have Jamie and Laura and their kids and me and my kids do this every monday. I think we have all thoroughly enjoyed it. We made home made mac and cheese and cinnamon rolls. I think it was a success.
 Tuesday was our family day. We took it easy this day and just went out to lunch at Zupas, which is one of our favorite places. Its so funny the conversations we end up having. I have enjoyed having these times with just my kids, the only thing that would make it better is if Kaleb could be there with us.

 Wednesday tage went over to a friends house all day, and celine had some friends over to swim at my mom and dads, and me and aliah swam too. Or, I should say, aliah swam and I sat and read a book. Heaven. :) Her friends were doing these crazy things with the soda cans, and they still had soda in them!!! It was a beautiful day, my favorite kind.

 Thursday celine left to cedar city with my mom and dad and her cousin troy to go see the play "To kill a mockingbird". This was their reward for celine getting her YW personal progress and troy getting his eagle. So my sister camille took tage back up to bountiful with her to play with his cousin ryan so it was just me and aliah. We met some friends at the splash pad in Highland, and it was blazing hot!!! I forgot to bring my swimsuit and I was melting. But we had a great time there. Then afterwards, since it was just the two of us, I decided to take her shopping for her first day of school outfit. Not really ready to think about school yet, but, picking out her outfit was not a big deal. So I thought. 3 hours later she still can't decide what she wants to get.

 We ate dinner in the middle of shopping because I was starving and my patience with her was wearing thin!! So aliah got pretzel maker and I got chick fil a and we enjoyed some yummy food. Then I felt ready to shop again.

 We ended up at the store we had started at, Macys, and she found a really cute shirt that she loved. Finally!!!! I am glad we have this tradition, its one of my favorites.

 Friday morning I went to cross fit and when I got done I was starving! So I called aliah and told her we were going to Maglebys for some french toast. I know I look scary. I had just ran a mile (ok, walked and ran.) You can still see the sweat. ;)

 

 Seriously, best french toast on earth. It was so yummy. After that we went and met some friends at Lindon pool. Again, I forgot to take any pictures. But we were there for about 5 hours and had a great time. Aliah is my fish and she is happiest in the water. So, another great summer day.

I realize how blessed I am to be able to stay home with my kids and do all these fun things. I feel like I appreciate it even more now that most of the year they are in school. Yes, there are definitely times I yearn for the peace and quiet and a moment to myself. But, mostly I am enjoying all the time I get to spend with my kids and I am so grateful for kaleb making it possible for me to be a stay at home mom, especially in the summer. I wish that he could experience some of these things with us, but I hope he knows how grateful we are for him and what a hard worker he is. And that if we had a choice, we would have him with us all the time.

Our 2nd week of summer...

Well, we are definitely staying plenty busy. I am missing some of the alone time I used to have, :) and yet I love having my kids home and around. I feel like a full time mom again and it is great. 

Monday was celines good friend blakes birthday so she had everyone over to celebrate that night with cupcakes and sherbet floats. 

 Tuesday I got to go to cheesecake factory at the city creek mall with some of my besties to celebrate their birthdays. It was so nice to get to sit and chat for a few hours and then we hit 2 stores and headed home.

 Wednesday was our family day, so we went to The Pizza Factory for lunch, then did a little shopping, and then headed to my mom and dads to swim. My kids have been taking care of my parents yard for about 5 days while they were out of town to earn some money. they did a good job and were all happy to earn some $$$. Wednesday night aliah got to have some friends over for a movie night in the pajamas with treats. She thought that was wonderful.

Today my good friend laraleigh came over with her kids and we had pizza and talked and talked while the kids played. It was so beautiful outside and so nice to sit and relax for a while. I feel like we are so busy every day, and yet when I try to think back on what we have done I can't remember. But I know the kids are spending lots of time playing with friends  and I feel like we are also spending lots of time together as a family. I love the hot summer days and there is nothing I love more than laying by the pool and soaking up the sun. So far, so good. :)

Our first week of summer...

I can't believe a whole week has gone since school got out. I feel like we are enjoying every day and I love it!!!

 Here is what we have been up too...

Here is tage and aliah on their last day of school. When they got home tage was jumping for joy, and aliah was crying. :) it was a great school year, but we are glad for the break!! Celine didn't even go on the last day, choosing to sleep in for the first time in forever. :) The kids played with friends all day. it was great.

 Celine had a bunch of friends over that night, where they proceeded to all ride the mattress down the stairs over and over. It was pretty hilarious.

 Me and celine spent two days at our Young woman's yard sale. Here is celine sampling some of the donations. It was hot and busy, and we made a lot of money!!! Friday we went to the scera pool with some friends for our first summer day by the pool. It was perfect.

 here is aliah enjoying a rare bubble bath in my tub after a day of swimming.

 Tuesdays I have declared as family day, so every tuesday me and the kids will go do something fun together.  Tage started his soccer camp which he will go to on tuesdays and thursdays. For our first tuesday we went to color me mine to make kaleb a fathers day gift. after that we went to the mall for some lunch. It was fun to spend time with the kids.

 Tuesday night we had young woman's where celine had a daddy/daughter activity. tage and aliah went and spent the night with hunter at grandma and grandpa gillmans and had a great time.  After YW celines friends came back over for some cake and ice-cream for kaylenes birthday. Then they watched a scary movie.

 Thursday we spent the day at my moms and dads pool. It was the most perfect day, not a cloud in the sky. The kids all invited a friend and I got to lay by the pool and read for hours.

We are enjoying every minute of summer and the beautiful, hot weather!!! The kids have been pretty good and for the most part I am glad to have them around. :) I luuuuuuuuuuuv summer!!!!