bumpy beds

Kaden has been asking for a "bumpy bed" for the longest time. We decided to try it out and those boys are beyond excited. I thought Beckham might be too small to be in a big boy bed, but he is in Heaven. They were giddy and hysterical as my dad and I put this together. They have loved it. Kaden thinks he is the luckiest boy with a jungle gym in his room. He is crazy. I couldn't get a good picture of the kid because he is constantly flying off the top bunk.

Beckham didn't get out on his own for about a week. The he figured it out and felt so proud. Matt and I were watching movie and here he comes. He had the hugest smile on his face and said HI! Then he made a loop around the kitchen and said see ya and trotted back to his room. He came back out and repeated the same thing about 5 times. It was too cute. Kaden was yelling from his bed, tattling, mama! Beckham is out of his bed! Later when I got Beckham to settle down Kaden said, Mama, I am so happy you are proud of me for staying in my bed. He is silly.

Those are some seriously kissable lips right there. And that belly?!?!

That little monkey is so loved.

little hiking buddy

Last weekend after our little lake day I took the boys up my favorite trail. I carried Becks in the backpack and Kaden hiked all by himself. It was his first official hike. He is so cute and funny. He loved every single second and was so proud of himself. It was like hiking with a dog. He was running ahead, jumping off the trail, climbing on rocks, and checking out every single thing. He was noticing things and paying attention to what he saw, the things he heard, and really soaking everything in. I was filled with joy watching him explore. That kid has so much energy. We went over two miles, a lot of it uphill and rocky, and he kept right up. He ran most of the way, back and forth, up and down, and never seemed to tire. He kept saying, Mama! I'm such a good little hiker man! ... I am so fast and strong...I'm not even tired, Mama!


On our drive back we stopped at a natural spring and filled water bottles. Kaden thought that was the coolest thing. The water comes right out of the rock and tastes SO good. Clean and pure. When we got back to my parent's house, where Matt had been helping with kitchen remodel, Kaden was so excited to tell Daddy, Nana, and Papa all about his hiking adventures. He was so proud of himself. I am going to love having him as a little hiking buddy.

it's official!

We are so proud--beyond proud. We are celebrating like no child has ever learned to walk before.

lake day

On Saturday we decided to head up to the lake for a picnic and some splashing around. Kaden was so excited to play he didn't even want to eat his lunch. The place I wanted to go was a little crowded, but we found a pretty good spot. The water was a bit murky and there was tons of mud, but the boys were in Heaven. Toby was so happy. Matt and I loved sitting on the beach watching everyone running around so happy and free. The perfect little family outing on a Saturday afternoon.

Beckham and Matt sat on the shore forever just throwing rocks and splashing. Beckham was giggling uncontrollably. He never got tired of throwing rocks and watching them splash. Even when the water got him right on the face he thought it was hilarious. Kaden floated around in a little raft for almost the entire time. It has leg holes, so he just waded around where he could touch. I had to practically force him out of it when it was time to go.

I love impromptu stuff like this. We just decided to go and went. It wasn't that much work and the fun we had together was perfect. The weather was perfect, the water felt great, and it was so fun to be together, just us. I need to do more of the last minute stuff that I sometimes dismiss because it seems like too much work and I don't feel like I have the energy for it. Stuff like this gives me more energy because seeing my husband and kids happy, feeling sun on my face, and being carefree is always worth the hassle, and in the end wasn't a hassle at all. It's always worth it. It's almost always refreshing and energizing.

a boy and his critters

Kaden loves searching for critters, bugs, or anything that moves. We have found toads bigger than my fists, but the other day we found a tiny little frog. Kaden was so excited about it, thrilled to pieces watching it jump through the grass. Boys will be boys.

maybe he can't jump, but...

Sometimes I feel a little sad and wonder, who's going to teach the kids to throw a ball? Who's going to take them on manly camping adventures? Who is going to throw them around and make them tough? Then I realize that maybe that stuff isn't really that important. They will learn how to do all of that, and more, and it doesn't really matter that much that Matt might not be the one that helps them conquer those things. I wish he could be the one, but when I think about what he is capable of, and very involved in, those things almost seem inconsequential.

Matt loves to teach our kids things. Sometimes I find myself saying, Babe, he's only 4! when Matt is teaching Kaden about how a light bulb or battery works, or the complete detailed inner workings of a car--the engine, pistons, etc. He loves to teach them about the gospel, about how to be a good and honest person, about anything he thinks about. He reads to them, plays with them the best he can, loves them unconditionally, and tries his hardest to do whatever they (or I) need help with. He talks to them openly and honestly and they idolize him.

He lays on the floor and lets them climb all over him. He does wrestle with them in his own way. It's so fun to see them interact. On Sunday while I was working on dinner, he took them out to the trampoline. I heard so much laughter out there. I peeked out and it was one of the cutest scenes. A daddy with his boys, giggling and playing. My heart melted. He was bouncing them, they were bouncing him, Beckham was climbing all over him; it was precious. I hurried and grabbed my camera and attempted to capture a piece of the magic. I would have never dreamed 6 years ago that this scene would be a very real thing in our life. I never would have anticipated such a full and joyful time with my husband and kids. It's okay that he can't chase them full speed, that he can't throw a ball straight, that he can't hike a 14er with them. The things he can do are more amazing, still so special to our kids and to me, and I consider it a privilege to get to spend this life with this man, to see his incredible influence and humble teaching of our children. Who cares if he can jump?