Don't give up on me yet

Can you say Craziness with a capital C? I haven't had two minutes to pluck my eyebrows let alone write something about Cedar City. Plus I have a cold (can you hear the violins playing behind my whining) so I feel like crap except we don't say that word. Rich is living at his job again (what's new) and we have baseball soccer choir piano scouts about 30 times a week. But never fear! Life is either bound to slow down or I will finally get put on that medication I've been needing! Wish me luck!

King Family Spring Vacation

Whew! We are back from a whirlwind Southern Utah trip that included Snow Canyon, Zion National Park, Quail Creek Reservoir, Cove Fort and several dozen potty stops between here and there. We camped at Quail Creek Reservoir just outside of Hurricane. We got off to a rocky start when we arrived on Wednesday with 50 mph winds and temps hovering in the 40s! It was a rough (albeit comical) night spent sleeping in our van hoping our tent outside didn't blow away! But the morning brought blue skies and WARM temperatures and most importantly, no wind. Thursday we spent at Snow Canyon, playing in the sand dunes, looking for tortoises (never found one) and hiking almost every trail there! The kids' favorites were the lava caves--we even remembered to bring flashlights and the cool air in the caves was so refreshing! The kids could not get enough of climbing rocks! The steeper and scarier, the better, as far as they were concerned. And Garrett was amazing hiking all those trails, never once having to be carried. We were all exhausted at the end of the day but we made such fun memories

Friday we spent at Zion. We were completely amazed by the beauty of it all. We took about a million pictures and especially enjoyed hiking to water in the rock and the Virgin River narrows. It was a picture perfect day, blue skies and sunshine and around 75 degrees. Again the kids loved all of the trails and especially climbing rocks and throwing rocks in the river. Another highlight was the squirrles which are completely not afraid of people! We were amazed at the majesty of the landscape and we hope to go back there soon.

On our way down on Wednesday we also stopped at Cove Fort. Garrett was way impressed with the shotgun on the wall in one of the rooms, and I think everyone else would have enjoyed it more if the wind hadn't been so gusty. Our car thermometer read 38 degrees when we stopped there in the late afternoon. But it was still neat to be reminded of the wonderful history of this fort.

As always, every camping trip our family takes is filled with quirky things that make it a trip to never be forgotten. What will we laugh about most from this trip? Rich's parents forgetting their tent and having to spend the first night at a hotel in St. George.....Cassidy getting locked in her stall in the bathroom and me having to climb under the door to let her out...Garrett spilling his drink at every meal....Us sleeping (trying to, at least) in the car the first night during hurricane force winds...Garrett telling his Dad "I'm gonna punch you in the nose, hopscotch"....Garrett snoring in the tent....
I do have to say that we have amazing kids who are great campers and had great attitudes the whole time. It was such a fun trip.

As someone once said, we may not have it all together, but together we have it all. Here's to you, King Family!

Sundaes on Sunday?

Does anyone out there struggle with the do's and don'ts of Sunday activities? I mean, I know all of the Sunday school answers and I think I understand the purpose of the Sabbath day. And in my mind I do want to spend my time pondering the scriptures, having family scripture study, writing in my journal, writing letters to far-away family and friends, doing geneaology, etc. But I guess I just never make it happen. Sometimes we do get a few of those things done, but most of our time is spent preparing for and recovering from church, family nap time (which is sacred), and preparing for and recovering from Sunday dinner with extended family. I always kind of feel like someday I will get it all together and do everything right, but that day is certainly not now. I really, really hope in the end we get judged on our intentions and not what we actually accomplished.
And what restrictions do you place on what you let the kids do? I do try and focus them on what they can do and not what they can't do, but do you let them shoot hoops if they want, or watch TV?
Today I sat outside in the beautiful sunshine and read scriptures. Of course, it was only a few minutes before two of the three were climbing (and fighting) on my lap, but when all is said and done, I wouldn't have it any other way. I love that no matter how lacking a parent I may be, at the end of the day I have three amazing people who still want to sit on my lap. Kind of makes it all worth it.

On why you should never argue with a three year old

Garrett: I want to put my swim suit on and you set up the pool in the backyard.
Me: It's 40 degrees outside.
Garrett: Yeah. 44.
Me:It's too cold.
Garrett: Yeah. My swim suit.
Me: When it gets warm we will set up the pool and you can swim them.
Garrett: It's warm, mom.
Me: No.
Garrett:BUT I WANT TO.
Me: No.
Garrett: BUT I AM.
Me: No
Garrett: (He has gone down to the basement and retrieved his swim shorts by digging through last year's clothes and throwing them pell-mell around the storage room).BUT I WANT TO.
Me: Fine. But just put the shorts on and leave your shirt on. (I'm such a consistent mom who never gives in)
Garrett: Moooommm, I don't want to get my shirt wet.
Me: You are not going to get anything wet because you are not swimming today.
Garrett: BUT I WANT TO!!
Me: How about a cookie instead?
Garrett: Okay, I will have a cookie if you let me take my shirt off and go swimming.
Me: You are not taking your shirt off nor going swimming.
Garrett: But you said I could!!!!

Anyone want a three year old?

On why snow in April is wrong

I hate the cold. I have always hated the cold. Perhaps growing up in that perfect weather paradise called Southern California has ruined my toleration for anything other than a moderate breeze and sunny skies. For those "snow bunnies" out there, I assure you that nothing is more exciting than getting a shiny new bicycle (mine was a blue Beach Cruiser with coordinating pale blue tires and a white wicker basket on front) on Christmas morning and actually riding it that very same day to the backyard Christmas barbeque! It does something wonderful to the soul to live in a place where the grass is always green, you can start a garden any month you choose, and riots and earthquakes take place on a regular basis. Okay, maybe a small part of me does love Utah, does love to see my pink-cheeked children playing in the snow. But really, snow in April? Sunshine and blue skies, where are you? With the riots and earthquakes, that's where. Maybe Bing had it right after all.