I was looking through our photos today and found these from a trip to Arches a few years ago.  Eric and I drove out there and spent a few days with Eric's brother Danny and his then-girlfriend Shelby (they are now married).

I was just 2 months pregnant with Birch, and not feeling great.  But it was such a fun trip, and I'm so glad we did it.

 One day, it started snowing.

The contrast of the white against the red rock was breathtaking!  One of God's beautiful creations.

Can't wait to get back there ;)

Well Eric and I took Aspen to her first day of first grade today. She could. not. wait. and wanted to wear her "flakey shirt" that I found and knew she just had to have (it's sequined). I feel like I wrapped her in a hug, patted her little behind and sent her out the door.  Feelings of guilt and motherly self reflection have plagued me for weeks. Have I done all I can? Taught her all I should have? Will I still have as much influence in her as I have in the past? Etcetera, etc. Seven hours is way too long for her to be gone.

After we dropped her off Oakley wanted a ride in the trailer so Eric hitched it up for me and the boys and I rode around for a bit before Birch's nap. Today has been a cloudy, cooler, gorgeous day so it was marvelous. I'd love to do that every morning. I don't ride my bike a fraction of the amount I used to!

We spent the past 10 days in Washington. It was perfect and wonderful, which is good and bad. Good for obvious reasons and bad because it makes coming back to reality difficult. What can I say, I've still got Washington on the brain. Maybe blogging about it will help.

My brother Ian was married on the 8th to a wonderful girl in the Seattle temple, and I'm kicking myself I don't have a photo of them to post! Just imagine two beautiful, hilarious and incredibly happy people. In love.

I got to see some amazingly wonderful family and friends that day, and loved every minute. At the end of the day I thought to myself, "I knew today was going to be amazing, but that was even more fun than I could have imagined." We spent the following day with my Dad and stepmom Lisa, my sisters Sasha and Demri and their families, and our cousin Bethany, her husband Josh and their beautiful children. It was such a fun day and so great to catch up and make new memories.

After Seattle we went over to Fidalgo Island and spent a week in Anacortes with family. We went to Rosario Beach one day and it was breathtaking! I couldn't believe how gorgeous it was. Eric said, "this looks like a scene from Peter Pan." And I agreed (see below).

My dad and Lisa were wonderful hosts! I gained 5 pounds while we were there and it was soooo worth it!  One day we made my grandmother's white cake. Mmmmmmmmmm.........

We spent lots of time at the beach, but it still wasn't enough ;)

Here's Dad collecting rocks with the kids. My dad loves to collect rocks and polish them. The last time we were there the kids had found some pretty rocks and Dad sent them to us weeks later, all polished and perfect.

We picked lots of wild blackberries, something I did a lot growing up. I remember the first time I saw blackberries for sale at the grocery store in college. $4 for 6 ounces?! I couldn't believe it! Hence I don't buy blackberries, so picking and feasting on so many was a treat.

Me and my baby who decided to finally start walking on his own while we were on our trip. He calls every animal a "woof," or a "woof woof". But he says it like it's always a question. "Woof woof"? So cute.

Sash and James, trying to stay warm. Sasha always owns the cutest sunglasses. I especially liked these ones.

Oaks fortifying a wooden structure the kids found on the beach with sand. They were so excited about it, and they worked on it the whole time we were there that day.

Tidepoolin'

We found hermit crabs. Lots of hermit crabs. Need hermit crabs? Washington Park's got 'em.

Not the best family photo, but you get the idea ;)

Here's another one minus Oakley, who's running around somewhere up ahead ;) Good night!

Well it's past 3:30 in the morning with little chance of sleep for me so here I am. The mommy inside me is keeping me awake because Birch woke up an hour ago having spit up a good deal of last night's milk, twice, and I'm thinking he probably needs a higher dose of Xantac. Which I had a feeling we needed to take care of before we left on our trip to Washington, but that was Tuesday afternoon and we left on Wednesday and there just wasn't time. So my eyes want to shut but my brain won't turn off in the case he spits up again. 

I'm the kind of mother that wants to give my child some kind of relief when they're suffering, any kind if I can get it. I'm "that mom" that the doctor gives a prescription of antibiotics to just to appease, knowing it won't really help my kid, just my nerves. Eric is really good about looking at all options and waiting things out a bit when one of the kids are sick, which is good. 

Each of my kids has had reflux. For quite a long time. Aspen had it for a year before it went away on its own, and Oakley had to visit an ENT, who finally cured him of it when he was two. Each has had jaundice to varying degrees, as well as digestion issues. 

Signing off...going to try sleeping again....

 

Why will this child refuse to eat actual food and yet ingest every inedible morsel he can find??