August, and the Endings of Summer

My goodness have we had the busiest most wonderful summer! I must say it tops last summer by a whole bunch! We’ve really enjoyed running around, being super busy, getting sick of seeing family (ha ha, we could never see them enough), and the best thing ever… creating wonderful memories!

How we feel about summer!

To start off our rockin’ month of August, Jason and I were able to attend the temple with my awesome cousin Benjamin. He was recently called to serve a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Sacramento California! It has been a while since we were able to attend a session, and we were so thankful for the wonderful opportunity to see my cousin go through the house of the Lord. He was smiling a mile wide, and let me tell ya, that smile is super contagious! After the session we were able to eat lunch at a cute little café at Thanksgiving Point. Carter was at my Aunts house having a blast with my other cousins, and was not very happy to see us. He could just feel that the fun was coming to an end. Silly boy, you’d think about 5 hours he’d miss us right?

The temple was a wonderful thing to start off a full week of being a single mom. Jason went on a business trip to big Jonesboro Arkansas. He was gone for a full week, and was stuck at work pretty much the whole time poor kid. On Monday when he got to Memphis Tennessee, he only had a quick trip to Graceland for some Joy vacationing. Carter and I made the most of our time together however, and we went to the splash pad, the rec center in Provo for some much needed swimming, The Museum of Natural Curiosity, playing with his fave cousin, and getting watched by his fave aunt. He sure did miss his daddy though.

The Museum of Natural Curiosity

Carmen loved the animal hospital in Kidopolis :)

Carter's favorite part, the water room!

The wind tunnel!

Eating lunch after the museum.

All of us together :)

That same week I was a single mama, I got some really awesome news! I had a 3 hour MRI, yes 3 hours!!! It was totally worth it to find out that I am still TUMOR FREE! This girl has kicked that cancer to the curb (knock on wood), at least I really hope so J 3 hour MRIs…. You are missing out! Who doesn’t want to lay completely still in a tube of noise for 3 hours with your head strapped down?! I sure do! It was totally worth it to see that those nasty tumors were still completely gone! The miracles I have seen in my life… Best thing ever too, was that that same day Jason came home and we got our house ready for some guests. My cousin who I haven’t seen in over 10 years moved to Idaho from New York and decided to stop and see me on her way!!!! It was so awesome!!

My cousin Tressa and I used to be so close. We even made up our own language once, and to this day she still remembers some of it! I loved their family so very much and was able to see them all the time, until they decided to move to New York. After that we talked every once in a long while, but never saw each other. It was so wonderful to meet her hubby and hold her precious little baby. It also reminded me of how much time had passed and how much I would pray that she’d move back. Not to mention, it totally reminded me of my age and how much time has passed in the blink of an eye.

All of us at breakfast! Kneader's is the BEST!

We made a trip to Costco after. I love these cuties!

My cousin visiting was just the opening ceremonies to a fantastic week with my mom! She came to spend a week with her kiddos and brought her awesome friend with her too! I loved having her here, and it was really nice to be able to spend time with my extended family too! We rode the train to City Creek one day (Carter thought it was the coolest to ride a cho cho train) and walked around Temple Square after. Went to the zoo, threw a little surprise party for my mom’s birthday (it’s in August), and attended my little cousins baptism. Each night was filled with laughter, movies, and fun as we made some pretty awesome memories. I’m sure we caught a few of them on video. My mom’s friend Heidi has always been someone we loved, but now we decided to adopt her! She is awesome!

My cousin Emma's baptism.

Riding the train!

They love their grandma!

The Salt Lake Temple

All of us infront of the Salt Lake Temple. We're missing Heidi.

We convinced Heidi that she had to be in the picture :)

Salt Lake City

Carter's fave aunt <3

The visitor's center on temple square

Carter and Taylor at the zoo.

Our week started off with a big hug goodbye to my mom and Heidi, and a missionary farewell for Elder Lee (my cousin Benjamin who actually left on 8/26!), and being surrounded by yet more family. I absolutely LOVE it when our family gets together and I am reminded of how much my Heavenly Father loves me. There will be another “reunion” in a couple of weeks for a very exciting wedding! We’re finally not the only cousins in the fam tying the knot! With all my cousins getting married, going on missions, and being baptized, I am starting to feel my age ha ha. It is so amazing how time works sometimes. There are times when it seems it never passes, and times when you blink and a huge chunk of it has suddenly passed you by. My life revolves around time so much, and I wish it didn’t.

Off to Benjamin's fare well!

Carter love riding with aunt Kira (aka Teeda)

My handsome little boy <3

Jason worked nights in August, and so we were able to do lots of fun things with him before he left (that is when he was home ha ha). We were able to go to the Museum of Ancient Life last Tuesday, and Carter wouldn’t stop talking about it. He was so excited to see Dinosaurs and see his cousin Carmen. Well, it wasn’t what we expected, but we loved spending time together as a family and being able to experience new things. Families are the greatest thing ever!

Daddy and Carter at the Museum of Ancient Life

Carter loved digging in the sand.

Carter thought the big dinosaur bones were really cool

Group selfie!

My sisters!

Cutie Carmen and her mom.

This dinosaur is pretty cool.

This past week I have really been thinking about how wonderful it is to be a mother and how much of a miracle it is. I love being able to take care of a sweet little human being all day. It especially helps that he is extremely cute and melts my heart. It is truly a miracle that we are able to be parents on this earth. It teaches us the hardest and most rewarding lessons, and helps us to be so much better. I have really tried hard to love Carter every minute of every day because I am simply so thankful to have the opportunity to have him in my life. What a difference that has made, to even react in love when he isn’t doing quite what I asked. It is incredible to think that that is how the savior taught. He loved everyone unconditionally and showed that love each minute he was given here on earth. I hope if you are a parent, you truly realize the great blessing you have, to take care of one of Heavenly Father’s children. They may drive us crazy and cause us to act in anger, but just remember what it was like not to have those cuties in your life and all those who struggle to get one of the angels as their own. Here’s to an adventurous August and superb September! Happy reading!

I love this little boy!

I can't believe I get to be this cuties mother!