It’s a Small Small World

A small project I finished and gifted forever ago but never shared pictures of. I was so pleased with how it turned out and It was such a delightfully fun piece to paint. It was fun to try and capture the whimsy of the ride and put it into my own artwork. Yes, it’s a cliché phrase. And yes it’s a silly song that is IMPOSSIBLE to get out of your head once it gets stuck there. But I think the sentiment is true. Emotions are universal. People are people. There is so much that connects us, despite the things or situations that make us feel so different or out of place. It’s a comforting thought that, in a way, the world is smaller than we think sometimes.

Hot Air Balloon Festival

One of the highlights of our year is the "balloon festibal" (according to Mason who also says words like "hosbibal" and "capibal"). We had to wake the boys and leave the house when it was dark out to get there in time, but it was totally worth it. Because it was so early, it was pretty cold out and we bundled the boys in blankets in the stroller. I told Spencer that the balloon festival is perhaps my favorite event that we have ever attended in Boise. I love love love it! It's so cool because you get to go right on the field in the middle of the balloons and watch while they are unloaded from their trailers and then filled with air. They slightly stagger their launching times, and you get to watch the whole sky fill with balloons as they play festive music. It is so beautiful and so amazing to watch. Especially because the event takes place at dawn and the sunrise is the backdrop behind all those colorful balloons. The boys were totally enthralled. Kellen's little eyes were wide with amazement and he kept pointing out his favorites. Mason told everyone we saw that day about the festibal and the fire in the balloons that makes them go high in the sky. I kept telling Spencer, "This is so amazing. I WILL NOT get over it." Ah, I know I'm gushing, but it really was one of those adventures that truly was THAT spectacular.

Create a Book About Your Child’s Favorite Stuffed Animal

I have made lots of little books for our boys with pictures of and stories about them. They love flipping through them. Not to mention, they make great gifts for grandparents and birth families.

This book, however, is one of Mason’s favorites. Not surprising when you consider the subject matter: Monkey. Mason’s very best pal. He still takes him everywhere and I joke that Monkey’s pretty much my third child. It’s almost true though, I have to keep careful track of that primate or come bedtime there’s lots of weeping and wailing. He truly can’t sleep without him This is why we actually have a Monkey back up, just in case. Mason does not know about this clone hiding in the closet. There was this unfortunate incident where Monkey went missing and after a couple of nights of Mason sobbing himself to sleep, Monkey finally made his way back to us. Only he was newer and fluffier and less misshapen. We wondered if Mason would accept him, but he cuddled him in without comment so…phew. We all could sleep at night again. And the spare Monkey is safely stored and ready for an emergency. But I hope it will never come to that.

Anyway, here’s a peek at a few pictures that I took for the book. I decided to leave out the words since they were written just for Mason.
 
There you have it. A fun idea for a gift for the kiddo in your life! Ours has been a big hit and is one of the most requested stories in our home. In case your curious, I printed mine at Shutterfly. They always have good coupons and I was able to make this book for just the cost of shipping. 

I want to make one for Kellen too, but so far he doesn’t have a very strong attachment to any particular toy. But I am planning on making books for both boys for Christmas this year. I’ll have to share what I come up with at some point.

To Market To Market

A little something I finished up recently. It was a fun project because I got to paint and sculpt, two of my favorite things. I realized it had been forever since I’d sculpted! Unless you’re counting Play-Doh, which I play with multiple times a week with the boys. Haha. They are big fans of Play-Doh. I enjoyed making all the tiny food but was especially pleased with how the little loaves of French bread turned out. But my favorite part of the process was the wall. I painted wooden tiles to look like brick and then laid all the brickwork. It was strangely therapeutic. 

One of my favorite things about Paris was how pedestrian it was. I loved all the little bakeries, corner shops, and markets. It was fun to do a project modeled after a place I love so much.

Trippin

We decided to make a road trip to Utah for the Fourth of July. We were really glad we went because the Fourth is such a big affair in Provo. The boys LOVED the parade. They proudly held their flags high, waved at all the “princesses,” clapped for the fire trucks, and got all sticky eating suckers.

We got to spend time with family. Aside from the holiday festivities, we went with my parents and sister to the Provo Rec Center to play for a day. Oh my goodness we were blown away with how wonderful that facility is. The boys so enjoyed splashing in the kid pools and going down the water slides on our lap. They had such a ball! Just as good as Seven Peaks if you’re entertaining little kiddos I think. Maybe even better because the prices were so reasonable.


On the way back we had to make a potty stop on the side of the road because someone couldn’t wait one second longer (I’ll let you guess who. Here’s a hint: it wasn’t the one wearing a diaper.). What better time to take pictures than when everyone is all rumpled from sitting in the car for four hours?
We’re actually lucky because our boys are the best little travelers. We’ve always taken lots of road trips, even from the time they were tiny and they are just used to long car rides I guess. We have lots of snacks and listen to lots of Scripture Scouts, and just enjoy talking and looking out the window. I always loved long car rides, even when I was a little girl. There’s so many good chances to make memories. Traveling with kiddos can be its own kind of challenging for sure. But I sure do love it. Listening to Mason sing, “This is My Fight Song” from the backseat or hearing the boys giggle as they hold hands while we fly down the road… such good memories in the making.

Our next adventure is already planned. We can’t wait to hit the road again!

Roller Coaster

When I re-read my weekly journal a the end of the week, I am always surprised at what a roller coaster the week seems. There are so many highs and lows and ups and downs that sometimes I feel silly and a little dramatic. But I think parenthood has a way of polarizing your emotions. The goods are REALLY good and the hard times are EXTRA hard. I've found that because I invest so much time and effort into raising these little people and because I love them so deeply, their struggles and successes impact me even more than my own challenges or joys. Being a Mom is the best AND hardest thing I have ever done. It is both. Sometimes both in the same day, sometimes both in the same minute. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am so blessed to be these sweet boys mommy.

I Will Save the Day

This kid has a thing for superheroes. Which is funny because aside from his Superman nammies he really hasn’t had much exposure to anything related to superheroes. No shows, games, books… so we’re totally baffled where he acquired his extensive Batman, Superman, and Spiderman knowledge. He charges through the house, cape billowing behind him, as he hollers, “I will save the day! I will stop the bad guys! Don’t worry Mom I will save you!” Thank goodness I’m in such good hands :). 

Disneyland

As part of our White family reunion, we went to Disneyland and California Adventure. I have always enjoyed those places, but going with the boys is just so special. This year was especially fun because Kellen was able to do so much. He loved the carousal, ate snacks non-stop in the stroller (all that excitement made him hungry!), and was scared of Mickey. Mason, unsurprisingly, adored Cars Land and could have spent all day there. He rode the “Mater tractors” several times.

We had a grand day and I could go on and on, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking. I will say that looking through all these photos again makes we want to go back ASAP!