My super amazing Mum has come out to our house two times now to babysit the boys ALL Day while I do some much needed deep packing.

 Heath has loved this just as much as I have. They've played play dough, read lots of stories, eaten "chocket" together, colored pictures, and worn each other out talking. Both times she's come Heath asks where Gama is for a few days following. Ill say, "She went to her house." and he'll respond, "No she come to Heath's house." He hates to see her go.

I had no idea how interrupted my days are until I had her help. I got more accomplished in one of the days she came, than I had the whole time I'd been trying to pack.  I'm feeling so much less stressed about this move now that I know how much really can be done in one day without interruptions. If things get hairy... we'll just get a babysitter.

Dad came to treat us all to LaiLai's for dinner after one of these "packing days". It was sure delicious! 

We went up to Spfld last Sunday to visit. Sterling & Dallin were showing Heath a show. He sure loves his Uncles!

 Aunt Kayla went to Florida to do some training for her new job and sent us this picture while they were out seeing some of the sights. Heath asks to look at it all the time (so I changed it to my background on my phone) He loves "Aunt Keela and Rella!"

“And this mess is so big 

 And so deep and so tall, 

 We cannot pick it up. 

 There is no way at all!” 

                                                                    ― Dr. Seuss, The Cat in the Hat

It seems like it hasn't rained here in months. I'm sure it has, but it's really really dry.

 Because of that the grass hoppers are everywhere. Houston loves to chase and catch them and is really pretty good at it.

 Heath is a little chicken he watches Houston go after them and will get up close too but when it comes to actually touching them he won't do it. He just sits by and says, "Get it Houten, don't squish it Houten, don't eat it Houten." (don't worry I get them away from Houston before they get to the mouth...usually)

 We have a bunch of lizards that are living in our cellar right now. The door to the cellar is right by the window in our living room and more often than not when you look out the window there is a lizard sunbathing on the cellar door. Usually it's a Prarie Lizard, but sometimes it's a five lined skink.(the ones with a blue tail)   

There are several pictures of me as a little girl smiling in this very fashion. 

 While my wonderful neighbor was over one day she felt something touch her shoulder and looked and there was a humming bird humming right in her face. He just sat there and looked at her for a minute, then went on his way. (She was wearing a bright red shirt.)

 We had a nest of meadowlarks grow up and take off. The other day they were all over the yard I guess figuring out what to do with themselves with their new found freedom. They are so beautiful with their bright yellow bellies. It was sure fun to watch.

Heath has figured out how to unlock and open the front door : (   Sunday we were in the kitchen while the boys were playing in the living room and we heard a clank. So we went to investigate and Heath was sitting on a chair on the porch and Houston was trying to negotiate the screen door to get out there too. 

We had a good talk about how you can't go outside without Mommy or Daddy and a timeout, but today while I was in the kitchen I heard him messing with the door again, so I ran in there and caught him just as he was opening up the screen door. (the door had been locked this time too) So as a quick fix we put one of those "childproof" doorknob covers on, but Heath can get those off and open the door to the bedrooms, it just takes him a bit longer. So... we're trying to figure out what to do now... I worry about living in St Louis soon and him being able to open doors. We're going to have to put another lock on our doors up high I guess. 

We sure are going to miss our great outdoors.  

Last week we put most things aside and enjoyed ourselves at the Bennion Family Reunion. 

 We played with toy boats and crawdad's at Jolly Mill

And ate lots of yummy food.

And had tons of fun with all our cousins, Daddy's cousins, Aunts, Uncles and Grandma.
 Houston 9mo, Owen 13mo, Isla 6mo, Memphis 12mo

Heath & Julia

 Bertie & Heath

Sleeping Grandpa's make the best horsies since they have all kinds of Tools in their pocket.

 The Reunion theme was Redneck. They had so many fun games for the little kids to play.

Maren, Bertie,Heath, Hayden, Toshi, Calvin, Renata, Gwen, Porter, Jeddi

Heath waited so patiently for his turn at ring the toilet seat. It helped that he had such good cousin examples.

Grandpa found the best seat in the house.

Grandma & Isla

 I sure love these little guys!

Then they played throw the noodle javelin through the noodle holes. Which Heath renamed "Hit the target as hard as you possibly can." 

Then  "Slingshot your favorite Great Uncle with Saltwater Taffy"

 Great Uncle Howard was a pro

Then "Stick the Cheeto's on the shower cap"

Lily & Gwen

Heath made his own game of throwing the cheeto's on the ground and stomping on them. 

Bertie had a little Caterpillar that she let Heath hold. He dropped it on the ground and stomped it splatting Caterpillar guts everywhere. Bertie just laughed, so did Heath. Then he realized some of the guts splatted onto his leg and started crying. 

After 3 days of no naps we took a drive in the car to pick up dad for dinner, who was home working on the house. They were all asleep before we'd been driving 1 minute, so tired!

We had such a wonderful time!

We didn't shoot off any fireworks this year for the 4th. Just ate good food and played games with family. It was probably the best 4th I've had. No worrying about who's going to get shot by this or that. It was so relaxing and enjoyable.

 It allowed me to reflect a bit on my feelings about America.

"My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims' pride, From every mountain side Let freedom ring!

My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, thy name I love; I love they rocks and rills, They woods and templed hills. My heart with rapture thrills Like that above.

Let music swell the breeze and ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song; Let mortal tongues awake; let all the breathe partake Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong.

Our father's God, to thee, Author of liberty, to thee we sing; Long may our land be bright With freedom's holy light. Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King!"   

- My Country, 'Tis of Thee  text:Samuel F Smith.

I remember standing and singing this as a young girl in church with my Grandma Forsyth. That was probably the first time I remember witnessing patriot love. I remember the joy and love expressed in my Grandma's tone and face. I didn't understand then, and I probably don't fully understand now, just how much she loved this country. I just knew at the time that there was something special about this country and the my Grandma loved it very much.   

Since then I have learned much more about patriotism. I am so grateful for the sacrifices she and other family members have made to teach me these valuable lessons. Learning their stories, as well as others experiences, has taught me so much more to value this Beautiful Country we have been blessed with. 

 Now that I am a mother of two little boys I can't help but think what a sacrifice it was for so many mothers to stand and watch their young sons leave home and go far away to fight. Many of them knowing they would never see their son's again. Watching their sweet baby boys (since that's the only way you can ever think of your boys) sent into such horrible conditions to fight and kill and die. And if they weren't killed, their sweet sons witnessed unthinkable situations, stretching themselves almost to mental destruction.

Today we know so many that serve and sacrifice. They do it all voluntarily, out of love for their country. They sacrifice so much, so that others don't have to.

So many have sacrificed so much! I will be forever grateful. 

"Protect us by thy might, Great God, our King!"