20 years ago:
1. I was 13 years old and we had just moved to a new town in Michigan.
2. I made my first (and best, for that year) friend at the new school because she and I both had red hair and freckles. Everyone kept calling me by her name, mistaking me for her.
3. That summer my parents had to come pick me up from Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp because I was so homesick that I literally got physically sick and fainted. It was my first time away from home for so long.
10 years ago:
1. I returned home, well, to Utah (not back to Michigan) from my mission in California.
2. I started a new job at Nordstrom in downtown Salt Lake City, working in the Holiday department.
3. I got an apartment in Provo and prepared for Spring semester at UVSC.
5 years ago:
1. Chris and I were living in Utah. Chris was back in school.
2. I gave birth to our one and only daughter, Sophia Lyn and had surgery on my ankle when she was only an infant. You should have seen me, sometimes crawling to get around to take care of three kids with a cast on my leg! Ugh.
3. We bought our first mini-van. It was a big step towards acknowledging we were a growing family; we had to let go of the idea of ever having a "cool" car! We also gave up drinking regular pop and switched to diet, it was a big year for us! Hee, hee :)
3 years ago:
1. Chris graduated from ISP academy and we were finally living in our first home!
2. We went to Disneyland for the first time.
3. That summer I was pregnant (barely) with Nicolas, and sicker than a dog.
4. Our oldest child, Noah, started Kindergarten. Another life-altering moment because once the kids start going to school, life as you know it is never the same.
1 year ago:
1. I reconnected with my dad after over 10 years of missing him.
2. We bought our camp trailer and spent a lot of the summer breaking it in!
3. Sammy started Kindergarten - two down, two to go (kids in school, that is)!!
Yesterday:
1. We woke up to the quiet and beauty of the mountains and had breakfast by the campfire.
2. I did laundry after coming home from camping.
3. I washed and vacuumed the Durango.
Today:
1. I just finished my daily workout, and doing more laundry.
2. It's Chris' last day off this week, so we'll probably take the kids to the park to ride bikes.
3. Then again, it's going to be 95 degrees, maybe we'll run through the sprinkler!
Tomorrow:
1. It's Friday, so I'll take Noah to Scouts in the morning.
2. It's time to repaint a bedroom and move some furniture around, maybe I'll get started on that project.
One year from now:
1. Anyone want to hedge bets on whether or not Nicolas has started talking by then??
2. Sophie will have finished her first year of school, and that means 3 of 4 kids in school full-time.
3. Who knows? Probably more of the same, or maybe Chris and I can run our first 10K together?? :)
I tag: Elizabeth, Annjilla, Lindsay and Katee. Good luck, ladies! It's actually harder than you'd think to remember back that far, it was for me, at least! I kept having to ask Chris "Now what year was it when..." Does this mean I'm getting old?
There are days when I feel like my life is passing by so quickly, and I haven't contributed much, if anything, to the world around me. I mindlessly multi-task, cutting the crust off a PB&J, attempting to answer a barrage of questions about life's mysteries from one child, mediating sibling tiffs between two others, all while the fourth clings to my leg making a whining noise that resonates and agitates, pushing me that much closer to insanity. Today I felt encouraged while reading a couple of articles in this month's Ensign. If nothing else, I have the most lofty responsibility of helping build the character and laying the foundation for the future lives of four little souls with which I have been entrusted. Reminding me that the legacy that I am creating with my life, is directly affected by how I react in those moments of near insanity. When I go to bed at night, do I feel guilty for how hard I was on the kids that day, or do I sleep easy knowing I was as patient and loving as I am capable of being? Honestly, most of the time I feel like I fall short of what is expected of me, but I resolve to wake up the next day and do better. When I try to keep in perspective what I want my children to feel - loved, respected, encouraged, trusted - then it's a little easier to be the mom I want to be. Note I said easier, not easy.
From the mind of a 5 year old...(The original post only asked the questions about the mom, but I though it would be amusing to see what her answers would be about her dad, too.)
Last night we camped at a campground about 15 miles from our home, but up in the mountains. (I know, we went camping - shocking! We've become that family that camps all summer.) It's a perfect spot for a fun activity on Chris' midweek days off, because there aren't many people that camp during the week, and the paths around the campground are paved, so the kids can ride their bikes. Nicolas had a great time, he never seems to tire of paddling his little feet on his trike (he can't quite reach the pedals), he looks like he belongs on the Flintstones. (Press "Play" to watch him in action!)
Yesterday we were able to visit Chris' brother and his family and attend their new daughter's blessing. Welcome to the 4-kid club, you guys! Brooklyn Paige is one of several babies born on the Bake side of the family this year. I thought I'd post a few pictures from the day, so those of you who couldn't be there, or just don't get to see enough of their cute family, could sneak a peek. (Posted on our blog, because they don't have a blog or web page - yet...hint!)
Stacy with Brooklyn.
Allie on the back patio.
MaKenzie and Sophie.
Nicolas, Sam and MaKenzie.
Stacy with Nicolas in their backyard.
Isn't summer the best? Chris and I are always searching for new and exciting ways to entertain and amuse our kids. Most of the time it seems like he and I are the ones most entertained, while at least one of the kids inevitably ends up crying or fighting with the others. Still, it usually ends up being worth enduring those momentary lapses to be able to enjoy these little experiences with our children. Not surprisingly, it tends to be the simplest activities that are the most fun. Here's some pictures from a few hours at the park today.
