2013 This is the Place...

Last summer we finally made it to This is the Place State Park, by Hogle Zoo.  I've wanted to take the kids ever since they were little, but.... I'm kinda cheap and that place is a bit pricey when you have a big family.  So.... I waited for the free day.  They have a few each year AND we were even given a ticket for free ice cream.  It is hard to beat FREE!

 

Even though summer around here is pretty dang warm, we braved the dust and heat and found our way to the park.  The kids liked the old houses, petting zoo, the old school house, tee-pee, pioneer towns, and mercantile.  Can I just say once again, I'm so thankful I wasn't a pioneer.  Yes, I know... they didn't have things like pornography, illicit and easy to find drugs, as many social pressures, etc.  But.... they also didn't have great medication and simple things like microwaves and lotion.  I'm thankful I'm a 1973 girl.  Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he sent me to earth at this particular time. :)

 

 

Love this boy.  He is challenged.  For him, every day life is a dichotomy.  He wants to go on outings, but they are challenging.  Outings include lots of people, lots of walking, heat, having to endure siblings for an extended length of time, and so much more.  Life would be easier if we didn't have to do anything and we stayed in pajamas all day.  Some days, I totally agree with him. 

 

 

This picture is so great.  Look how patient he is letting "sister" (love that nick name) kiss him.  This was a good day.  On other days, that would elicit a HUGE ole melt down.

I love all my kids.  Each one is unique.  While the family adapts and finds ways to make peace with Jackson and his constant need for accommodation, they each should be recognized for what they bring to our family.  Alexis is our fashionista with an old soul and caring heart.  While she lives for social opportunities and events, she also values our family and the relationships we're building each day.  I love that some days she'll choose hanging out with me over friends.  How many 15 year old girls will do that? :)

 

Collin is our gentle soul.  While he loves to tease and be a times, a pestering brother to Izzy, he also is sensitive, quiet, and introspective.  He LOVES hanging with his dad, listening to adult conversations, and watching out for our family members.  I can always count on Collin to be helpful, polite, and thoughtful.  Even though he hates to clean his room, we always know that he loves us and would rather spend time with us than friends.

 

Izzy Busy..... what a cherubic end to our family.  My heart hurts for this little one.  She will never have little siblings to hold, but she'll be blessed in other ways.  The other kids are a little jealous of the opportunities she'll have in life because of her placement.  They already talk about their childhood vs hers. :)  Even though she is the first one to give hugs, she also inherited Lexie's swag and sass.  She may be little, but we already know she is mighty.

 

 



 

We have fun adventures.  The only sad part.... dad is at work.  We're grateful that his efforts make our lives possible!  We love ya, Dad!

Summer Camp 2011...

I found these pictures today as I was cleaning off my desk. 

During the summer of 2011, Jackson spent a week at the National Ability Center in Park City.  In the evening and overnight, he was with us.  But, during the day, he was able to participate in all sorts of activities; swimming, hiking, boating, a ropes course, and horseback riding. 

While I think the NAC has great programs, I just don't think this particular camp session was a great fit for Jackson.  I talked to the director about it and she agreed that he would have had a better experience had they placed him in a different group.  The mistake came because of some staff changes that shuffled some of the placement.  Grrr.... at the time, I was kind of mad that their oversight directly impacted Jackson's experience.  I know if we were to return, the program would be fabulous, but.... so far our summers have been too busy.

A few things really struck me when I looked at these pictures.  These pictures are from almost 18 months ago.  In some ways, Jackson has changed quite a bit.  And yet, in other ways... things are just the same.

We took him off his ADHD meds (stimulant medication, side effect - lessens appetite).  You can really tell.  Over the past year in a half, Jackson has really filled out.  At first, it was great.  He was becoming closer to average on the growth charts.  But now, we need to keep an eye on it because of his lack of muscle tone, endurance, and desire, physical activity is a challenge.

The second thing I noticed is how unhappy he looks in most of these pictures.  I'm not sure if he had started on Abilify at this point.  I don't think so.  While we still have challenges, Abilify has helped him quite a bit to be more easy going and talkative.

I also remember he had a hard time during camp because it was so hot.  Jackson is NOT a fan of the heat. It is REALLY taxing on him.  I'm glad he gets to have all of these experiences with professionals who are trained to help him overcome his anxiety.  But... I'm not gonna lie.  It hurts my heart to see his expression so blank.  It is almost like he is tolerating life.  Oftentimes it is like he is asleep in his body and the most common expressions are one of apathy, boredom, frustration, or enduring a moment of time.  Oh how we long for him to be joyous.  Yes, Jackson has joyous moments.  There are things that tickle him and delight his soul.  But, for the most part, those moments are few and far between.

I also have to be careful that I'm not putting my desires on him.  I have to remember that Jackson knows where he is comfortable, what makes him happy, and what he is interested in pursing during his life life.  Yes, I'm here to help him and guide him, but ultimately, this is his life.

It is a fine balance.  Yes, Jackson is different than me, but he is also held hostage in a lot ways by his body and his mind.  I love the quote I just added to my blog side bar.  It says, "Hope never abandons you. You abandon HOPE!"  That is so true.  We all have tough times.  No one is immune.  The key is to KNOW there is a plan for your life and that all aspects of our lives prepare us for our future.  I know in time, all in our lives, both body, mind, and spirit will be made whole.  What a glorious and joyful day that will be!!!



Birds of a Feather...

Another great reason for having a summer fun list is that it makes you do things you wouldn't normally do.  Well, the list can't make you do anything, but it certainly holds you accountable.  That list is staring at me from the fridge and is my mental barometer of how many out of the norm things we did as a family while the kids are home  Summer is tricky.  I love not having to police homework and not having school dictate a good chunk of our day.  But... it can also be taxing to hear the sibling drama, remind kids to complete jobs, and to be out of consistent routine when you are use to the structure of the school year. 

 

So... for us, the summer fun list works.  It helps us go and do things that we might not otherwise make a priority.  On this particular day's agenda, Tracy Aviary and Liberty Park's water feature in SLC.

 

Lex, our resident photog, was able to capture some great shots of the wild life and flowers.



 

 

The only down side to the day was that it was HOTTTT!  So, Jackson was a little more intense than normal.  To be fair, I'm sure we all were.

 

Luckily we found a mister and fan.  We actually had to leave a Bird in Flight show because we couldn't tolerate the heat.  We were in direct sun.  We thought it would be better if we could move around a bit and not be right in the sun.  Luckily these fans and misters were right outside the show.  Not sure why my eye looks so jacked up in this picture.... but, at least we have one of me so the kids knew I took them somewhere.  I think that is a mom's curse.  You do so much for your kids and yet, you sometimes feel like you aren't doing enough or they tell you they never go anywhere fun. :) Love it.

 

Lex's beautiful flower shots.

 

I think this is a great shot.  A black bird in the middle of the pink flamingos.  If I had Circe's literary talents, I could come up with great analogies of how we may feel like we don't belong in the group.  Or I could go on and on about how Jackson is working his way through life against the grain and norms of other children his age.  Or, how as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we must be okay with being different and being a light to others rather than losing our light in the acceptable culture of the world.  Or, how we must stand out and be leaders.  Because I'm feeling under the weather today, I'll let you come up with your own story for this one.  So many possibilities.

 

This one cracks me up.  I had to include it because it so perfectly captures so many moments of our life.  I'm so glad I was able to snap it.  Jackson was DONE.  He was hot, tired of walking, and he was ready to go.  I wanted one last cute picture with the bird on our way out.  So... Jackson let me know he REALLY DIDN'T want to pose for the picture.  When he communicates his frustration, he puts his lips together, his eyes get big, and then he breathes out really hard and loud to let you know he is going to lose it on you. :) 

This is the more composed face of our J Bird.  Miserable, yet composed.  We left right after this was taken. :)

 

 

The next stop... to cool down in the water feature at Liberty Park.  It isn't a secret that I'm kind of a germ o-phobe.  So... seeing the kids go BARE FOOT in this water was a little gross.  But... I know it is treated and monitored and the kids were having fun.

 

After we left Liberty Park, we stopped to get the kids an ice-cream.  On the way there, Collin had some sort of melt down.  I had repeatedly asked him to stop what he was doing and he didn't.  I told him if I asked him again, he wouldn't get a treat.  Well.... he did it again.  So, when we pulled up to get treats, he had to stay in the car and didn't get one.  The whole car was shocked.  It was so hard for me to follow through with the consequence.  Collin was beside himself.  I was actually nervous he was going to jump out of the car and run away.  Collin is very quiet and reserved.  But... when he gets ticked, he is TICKED and has an intensity that you just can't picture coming out of this little guy.

 

But... we made it through.  Collin survived the lesson (so did I and the rest of the car).  I think days like this are great examples of what you can learn by being part of a family.  You can have fun together, you learn from each other, you can be frustrated, you can have consequences when you make mistakes, but you also have joy knowing that no matter what..... FAMILY HAS GOT YOUR BACK.  We are all in this together.  Forever.

Do You Wanna Be our Summer Tour Guide???

Remember our summer fun list?  We are making progress on it.  Last week we hit two items on our list.  We toured the Sweet Candy Company and the LDS Church's Humanitarian Center in SLC.

On this field trip, we went with my SIL, Cami, and her two boys, Aidan and Alex, and Alex's friend Zaydon.

It was a rainy Thursday.  We couldn't have picked a better day for indoor activities.

First stop... the candy factory.

After checking in at the front desk, the kids put on cute little hair nets and watched a movie about the company and how the candy is made.  After a quick orientation on the rules, we headed out on the factory floor.

The factory was hard at work preparing for the Halloween candy season.  Candy corn and candy corn taffy were the target items for the day.

The kids were able to see the storage facility (huge) before we headed off to the taffy room.  We also saw the jelly bean room (it takes a year of training to work in this room - who knew!), the casting room where they make all the gellies and cinnamon bears, and MY FAVORITE..... THE CHOCOLATE ENROBING ROOM.  What a cool name - the chocolate enrobing room!  I love it.  I want to be enrobed in chocolate!  That just sounds delightful!!!  :)

Can you guess what they were making in the room?  Well, Sweets Chocolate Covered Orange / Raspberry Sticks - a family favorite.  Of course, at each stop on the tour, we were able to sample treats.  We could have spent all day at that particular tour stop.

After the tour, we headed into the outlet store.  We scored on a few bags of treats that were seconds.  Luckily a few made it home for Ryan to sample.  We even saw their newest product.  It is in the shape of a cinnamon bear, but it is a Jr. Mint on the inside.  Yum!!! 

I love this little pic of Izzy (her sassy face) and Aidan (his Mr. Innocent look) :)  They were grabbing all sorts of bags of candy and weighing them on the scale. 

At first, Lex was too sure about this adventure.  It sounded kind of babyish.  But afterwards... she said it was really fun and that she was glad she came with us.  Success!

 

Next stop... the humanitarian center.

We had to wait a few minutes for the next tour, but the kids endured.  We passed the time by watching videos of the kids on my phone.  Thank heavens for technology. 

At the first of the tour, the missionaries explained how Christ had helped this man in the picture.  He had been sick for over 30 years.  Jackson..... giggled at that part.  He always has a hard time being serious when illness, danger, or death are discussed.  I haven't quite figured out that part of his 7q.  Even though he is the most cautious thing in the world and wouldn't hurt anyone, he always cackles when those topics are discussed.  One day... we'll figure this boy out. 

The sister missionaries that gave the tour were so nice.  We apologized that our kids were high on sugar. :)  It was great for the kids to see where all the clothes go that we donate to the D.I.  They saw the huge bale of clothes that are sent to the center for processing.  The missionaries let them try and push the bales to see how enormous they were.

We also found out about all the job training that takes place at the center.  People from all over the world are helped because of the center's services.

The kids were extremely reverent as we watched a short movie about the center's projects.  The kids were able to some of the people from around the world that are helped because of donations and services.  It was especially sad to see new moms leaving hospitals in South America with their babies wrapped in newspaper and banana leaves.  It is nice to know that newborn kits at the Humanitarian Center and from other organizations in the world go to help some of our brothers and sisters who truly need it.

(Flags from just some of the countries the church has helped.)

I hope the kids were able to feel of the spirit that was there in the room.  Our Heavenly Father is truly mindful of each of us and our needs.  Usually our needs are met through others. 

Even though it was a busy day, we had fun.  I love being with my kids (as long as they aren't fighting) :)  We are having a busy, but fun summer!

Rock Painting...

As you may recall, my kids and I have a summer list.  At the beginning of the summer, we put together a list of about sixty things we wanted to try and do together.  It has been fun to try and knock a few off the list.  It is now the first of July, and I'm glad / relieved to say we've been somewhat successful.  We're almost 1/2 way there and we still have two full months to go.  That's right.  Two months.  Apparently our summer was extended until after Labor Day!  I'm not complaining - just a little worried.  It only seems natural that school begins after the last summer holiday.  Starting before school and then having a day off for Labor Day is a little annoying.  It's like the universe is saying, "PSYCH - just teasing", to all the moms.  The part that worries me is the entertaining. 

My kids are pretty good about keeping themselves busy, and we try and do fun things.  But they are still kids.  They still fight.  They still get bored.  And, from time to time, I have to pull the mom card and said it is quiet time - I need a minute!  Afterall, I'm not their summer cruise director.

So to take care of the fighting and boredom, we've thrown a few different things into the mix this year.   I found this idea through Circe, who I think found it through Michelle Butler - craft queen extraordinaire. :) 

Anywho.... let's get to it.  The craft is Rock Painting.  I'm sure you've all seen / tried this.  But, if you haven't.  Here is the deal.

1.  Send your kids out into the yard to find rocks.  I had just cleaned out my flower beds and so the pickings were slim.  But... we managed to find a few.  Some were not the best shapes or sizes, but they would do.

2.  Clean off the rocks and pat dry.

3.  Put the rocks in your oven on a cookie sheet at.... I think 425.  You'll have to Google it if you want precise info.  At this point, I'm just glad to get it on the blog.

4.  After about 15 minutes, splash a few drops of water on the rocks to see if they are nice and hot.

5.  Carefully remove a few rocks from the tray and place them on sheets of tin foil in front of each child.  Now... here is the disclaimer.  This would not be a good craft for the youngsters.  The rocks are HOT to the touch.  You will not want to handle the rocks at all until they are cool.  So... I would say age 5 and up on this activity.

6.  Now... have your crayons ready.  We have a marvelous box of crayons (as you can see in one of the pictures).  We've been working on this collection since Lex was a wee babe.  I get tired of broken boxes and loose crayons.  So.... all our of our boxes eventually get dumped in here.  Anyway, once you have your rock in front of you, pick a crayon and get to work.  The first time you do this, it is actually quite amazing.  Under the intense heat of the rocks, the crayons turn into the perfect paint.  You'll probably want to peel the paper off the crayon.

7.  Just a tip... the rocks are hot.  So, as you place the rocks in front of the kids, make sure you leave room for the rocks that will be coming out of the oven later.  Believe me, you won't just want to stop with one rock.

I even got in on the action.  However, as you can see.... my cute U of U rock turned into looking like a piece of meat or brains.  NOT so attractive.

Lex - embarrassed I was taking a picture of her looking so ghetto after the gym. :)

Collin was missing from these pictures.  He was at a summer camp.  He was excited to come home and color his rocks later.

After the rocks were cooled, we placed them in our courtyard.  Now, the next time you come to our home for a visit, you can check out our cool art.  Although.... explain to your kids about crayons only being used on paper and for this activity.  The very next week, I found crayon on our back patio cement and driveway.  I guess the kids were really into their rock art and wanted to continue on the cement (Grrrr....)  Anyone know a good way to get crayon off of cement?