First Trip to the Lake:)

So on a whim we decided to take Matthew down to the Butte for a few days since Kurt had some much needed time off. I knew he loved water but the look on his face when he saw this much was pretty dang cute. He wouldn't even wait for me to get his suit on so clothes and shoes went right in:) OH WELL life is too short:) He got such a kick out of throwing rocks in the water with his dad and we had a great time. The water is a little nasty but you get past it pretty fast and we had a great time:)

When we finally changed into our swim jazz we just took a blanket and all the toys and set up on the bank and let Matthew at it......the kid has no fear and just kept trying to walk all the way in it was a riot:) I had to tell Kurt at one point that I was probably having the most fun I'd had in a long time just sitting there watching the two of them laugh and splash and play. Moments like that make me feel like parenthood is the best thing in the world....since there are for sures moments that don't lol but I still wouldn't trade it for anything. I am so grateful for the time Kurt had off we really got to enjoy parenthood and family:)

SAVE ME MOM!!!!!!!!

K so this probably wasn't our brightest parenthood moment but Matthew is normally so daring and fearless........He hates boats and so the whole dragging behind one on an inter tube didn't go so well but....... maybe next time? lol Oh well he cheered right up after when dad threw him in the air and I let him jump off the back of the boat over and over:) I find it crazy that he'll jump right off and under water no problem and laugh and squeal but a ride on a boat is like torture:)

AAHH....the car ride home....not the most pleasant experience as you can see from the expressions on the boys faces but we survived:)

I swear I am not tired MOM .....uh huh right we believe you bubby:)
not tired just severely pissed off:)

What a stud with his Sunglasses......He even posses with them down over his nose it is so funny! He has such a huge personality in his itty bitty man body and I just can't get enough of it:) all in all the lake trip was a big success and i would for sures do it again:)

Ritchie Family Reunion

heading up the mountain for a famous Grandma Ritchie hike

Cute Blair family:)

Uncle Gabe and Matthew:)

Matthew has a new obsession with cars so he always lets me know when he sees one

Bapa and Matthew heading up the trail:)

Matthew was pretty excited about all the fun things he could touch and not get in trouble for
I just love his chubby little hands:)

here come those Ritchie boys Kaiden and Ashton.....super fast:)

found along stick to play with then spotted a bug and was pretty mesmerized for about 5 minutes

This is beautiful Gabrielle ...watch out Dave and Tiff :)

Matthew and his great Uncle Kent He was showing him how to hit the water with a stick:)and was sharing his mud with him.

and anyone else who was within reach:)

Amandalynn and Hyrum sharing in the fun....the water was ice cold though so the adults didn't get too close.

cutie face Hyrum with a hand full of mud:)

We found a stick and went downhill from there lol:)

then came the rocks and I finally gave up on the clothing thing after Matthew dove in so he's lobster red form the cold water but still having a blast.

We miss you cousins:)

Reagan and Matthew having a very intense adult conversation:) I'm sure:)I know this post is a little late but we loved the time we spent with jeremiah and carrie and their cutie face kids:) we love you guys and can't wait to see you.

Bath time fun with a little surprise:)

Matthew surprised me the other day with his ability to climb into the tub only he was fully dressed. It was a funny day and he sure enjoyed making me laugh. I love mommy hood:)

THE JOYS OF MOTHERHOOD

So my brother sent me this hilarious e-mail and I couldn't stop laughing so I thought I would share the joy and remind all the moms out there how fun motherhood is and well the sacrifices we make and how only another mom could understand:) ENJOY!!!!!

A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall.By Shannon PopkinMy little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and doesit quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we are in thelibrary, the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People oftencomment on how clearly he speaks for a just-turned-3-year-old. And younever have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked.There have been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaningof his words would have been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but neverhave I wished this more than last week at Costco.
Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade withme into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroomthat evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the secondto the last stall: ''Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper onthe potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper now?Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?'' At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in thebathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5? Maybe wecould wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of thisstall and reveal my identity. Cade continued: ''Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats agood girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on thepotty? Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh...Mommy! I'm trying to see Indere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna getsome candy!''I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side ofme. Where is a screaming newborn when you need her? Good grief. Thiswas really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long timebefore exiting. Trying to divert him, I said, ''Why don't you look inMommy's purse and see if you can find some candy. We'll both havesome!'' ''No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies...Oh! Mommy!'' He started to gag at this point. ''Uh - oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies aremaking me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!''
As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall.. Iquickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject.. I beganto reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I countfour flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard thisembarrassing monologue will be long gone. ''Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done goingstinkies! Get up! Get up!''
He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blownlaughter. I bent down to count the feet outside my door. ''Oh, are youwooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under da door? What were youwooking at? Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?'' More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess thesituation.''Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now,Mommy.'' He started pounding on the door. ''Mommy, don't you want towash your hands? I want to go out!!''I saw that my wait 'em out' plan was unraveling. I sheepishly opened thedoor, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladiescrowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, where's thefine print on the 'motherhood contract' where I signed away every bit ofmy dignity and privacy? But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grinwhile he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought,I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this littlefellow.