there was this one time...

ouch.

my heart's been hurting lately.
cameron left for camp yesterday and i can't stop thinking about him. it's not his first time away from home, but first time without the siblings. they are always together. at least him and caleb are.

and so i can't stop wondering about him. looking at the clock and wondering what he's doing. wondering about him at night and hoping he's happy and not homesick. hoping that we did the right thing to send him. hoping that he learns so much and makes so many amazing memories. i don't even care if he forgets to shower. i just want him to remember the chapstick and sunblock. :) and to be very, very happy.
it's not the same without him. when any of our kids is missing, it's never the same. always a little quieter. caleb cried and cried last night for cam. broke my heart. but at the same time, i am so glad they have that bond.

i know it's good for him. i know this is one of many times he'll be away. i know i should be happy for him. but inside i am just a mom who loves her boy and thinks he should be home with her. if this is a tiny glimpse of what it feels like when your child goes off to college, i am going to be a wreck.

im slacking

in the camera dept. chris took waaaay more pics than i did during the road trip! and now.. we had another function and i took one picture. and i am too lazy to even upload it. i had to steal these off my cousin's blog. :)

my 2 cousins and my sister in law....a good day at the park.. they had a sprinkler play area and the kids had a blast. they all work but took the day off to hang out.. such a pity.. i wish at least one of them was a stay at home mom so we could hang out everyday. although that would be dangerous.. we'd drink lots of coffee, eat lots of food and get nothing else done. :) i love these girls. they are the closest i have to sisters.

home

is a lovely place. elsie walked into each room, pleasantly reunited with each toy. so sweet. this was the last photo taken of me... she who had had it with nature LOL. she was DONE and ready for air condition and a nice comfy couch. :)

love this shot that chris got while setting up for a family shot:

and one of my troopers on our last hike:

and my man with his girls. such a beautiful spot!

this morning we woke up in our bed... happy to be there.. but sad the trip was over. how could it all go by so quick? what a blur. i'm super thankful chris pulled over the many times he did... dragged us all out of the car, set up the tripod for the gazillion family photos :) all in all- great memories were made... despite all the hiking. :)

oh and THIS.  totally excited and giddy about that. :) i've missed scrapping. sometimes, i would get bored in the car so i told chris next time we go on a road trip, i am going to scrap while he drives. :) fuuuuun!

icy hot

yesterday, we had the pleasure of meeting up with my good friend jessi and her two gorgeous boys, and what better to do on a 100+degree day than go ice skating at the Olympic Oval, home of "the fastest ice on earth."  Kira sped around the track, and daddy, cam and caleb managed not to break any bones.

after a few hours we were all ready to thaw out in the late afternoon sun. while the big kids swam, elsie and jessi's youngest, grant, posed for pictures!  they are only a few days apart...jessi and i have kept up with each other's blogs since we both had them so it was so cute to watch them interact. so neat to see the stringhams in real life. :)

after swimming, it was back to provo for a date!  we joined chris's long time friend, ethan and his wife for brazillian bbq at tucano's.  yummy for all us carnivores! 

on the way home, chris broke out the tripod and tried to catch the setting sun as a backdrop for a family pic, but the sun wouldn't cooperate.  i still love how this one turned out though.

when we got back to the cabin we popped over to watch some local artisans make some cool looking glassware.  caleb was particularly enthralled with the proceedings and has decided that this is what he wants to do for a living. 

another fun day planned, we're visiting the american crafts headquarters (one of my very fave companies!!) and then heading off to park city to meet up with jessi and family.  here's the last pic chris took yesterday, with elsie in her favorite position, my arms!

she's been such a trooper with our erratic schedule... i can't wait to see her expression once we get home. :)

and off we go!

the first day of our road trip...elsie's nap didn't go as planned.. so she was a bit of a grumpy traveler.. i didn't get this in focus but it cracks me UP!

first stop- vegas to see elsie's new BFF! we went up to the mountains to escape the heat... it was gorgeous up there. look at els swiping her friend's cookies! what a rascal!

caleb is always up to strike a pose for us. :)

a few days after vegas, we arrive in utah. fellow utah friends, you may spot our giant clan with our big tripod posing around your beautiful state. :)

kicking the kids out to burn off some energy after long hours in the car:

first stop in utah: starbucks :)
second stop in utah: ZION... we thought we would drive through and see bits and pieces.. then we decided to get out of the car and walk around a bit...the ever outdoorsy dad decided to take us on a hike.. we think, ok, a little hike to splash in the water a bit... i should have turned around when i saw this:

LOL i barely made it. i always think i am up for a hike but 1/4 way through it i am ready to curse everything around me. :) we were so unprepared for a hike. but we did it. :) :) :) even miss els. who was carried around for most of it.. was such a little trooper.

finally at the bottom of the hike.. the reward.. the river. :) looove how elsie sees everyone and dashes off to join them.

after zion, we head to sundance. we take the ski lift up and today i am prepared to say NO HIKING. :) i could NOT BELIEVE how carefree elsie was in the lift. it gave me the heebie jeebies to be up there with them all. scaaary!

and this is what we get to come home to for the rest of the week. so gorgeous!!!!

i went to my first archivers today! what a wonderful scrap shop that is!!!! :) we may not have AC here in the cabin, but at least we have internet. :) there may be thunderstorms for the next few days.. oh well.. at least we won't be hiking! :)

makes me proud!

what do they want to do during their summer break?? go to the zoo? beach? park? no! they want to scrapbook. :)

someone has been very happy to have all the kids home.. but in the last few days, hasn't been herself.

not eating much, waking up crying (usually is so pleasant when she wakes up), kinda clingy.. and lots of this:

crawling in bed and just laying around. numerous times throughout the day. thinking maybe she's just getting teeth.. or maybe she's like mommy.. an introvert who needs a break from people every now and then. :) i don't know. i just hope she doesn't get sick during the trip!

lotsa this soon

me, turning around in the car to take pics of the kids. :) we're going on a road trip in a few days...should be interesting since this family can barely make it to san diego without complaining (that's only 3 hours away)

and we are going like 10 hours away! hahahaha! :) and one for my mom.. mama.. the kids miss you! xo

and we start off july rather busy

go go go.. that's what july started like. but now i think we are going to have a bit of downtime before we go on vacation. should be nice. :) first off.. someone turned 18.

someone is still lovely as ever.

we went on a boat with our gracious hosts for the 4th of july.

the fireworks were amazing! elsie fell asleep in my arms before the big finale! and caleb overcame his fear of Jaws. :) such a wonderful night!!!

and one of cam. i was reading through his daily school journal from last year and was so touched by a number of his entries. he is my little writer, just like his daddy. here are a few of my favorites: 'I think boys have it easier than girls because girls have babies.' 'I don't like the McDonald's guy. I only like him because he gives out toys. I don't like him because his food is disgusting.'-- (this opinion doesn't help mom when she's craving some junk food.) 'If I could choose my bedtime for the next year I would choose 7:30 because I get very mad if I don't get enough sleep.' (just like his mom!)


i'm definitely keeping that journal forever!!!!!!!!!! :)

we heart amy tangerine

amy tangerine shirts! :)

 

the girls and i met up with amy last week and picked up some cute new tops! i love her designs... sooo fun and amazing quality. and she gave els those new shoes she's wearing. they squeak and she can't get enough of them! they make her so happy! this girl has a shoe fetish like you wouldn't believe. when we go into a store.. she makes a mad dash for the shoes and wants to try them all on. not kidding. i haven't done anything to provoke this obsession, she just is! we'll be standing next to strangers and if els sees some shoes she likes, she will point to them and examine them and give them an approving nod. funnnny. :)
anyways, my girls. so nice to have kira home for summer. she has been such a great help to me. now that she's 12, i find myself relying on her more. i know she reads my blog, so---i'm so thankful for you, girl! i love you! xo