Family Camp Out!

Ben cleaning up before the rain really got going.
Mace being so shy, he did not want his picture taken.

Before he got hurt. He had so much fun just eating licorice and walking around.

Sammy had a blast playing mom, and carrying around a basket with a baby in it, and a blanket to cover the baby. She is so cute.

Joanne had a great idea to camp out in her backyard. I think that is the way to camp, you still have the house to go to if there is a need; and you don't have the dirty dirty part. So we all got there, had a yummy dutch oven dinner and started to set up camp. Yes, it was sprinkling a little. But that didn't stop us. There were a few tents, and then Ben jimmy rigged this awesome lean to. More like a lean to a thousand pieces. It was quite the sight. But it was so fun to get it all set up and hang out and talk. The kids had a blast, except Mason who always manages to get hurt.

I heard a little boy crying and knew that he'd probably burned his hand or something. Well, had had touched one of those propane lanterns with both hands. It was the saddest thing. He just balled and balled. He held onto a little bag of ice cubes, and then he finally (around 11:30) fell asleep in my arms on the air mattress under the lean to. And that is where he slept the whole night, right in my arms. Samantha slept in the tent with Poppy and Honey, who apparently gave up and went inside.

And in the morning right before it really started to down poor, we all got up and headed inside for a tasty breakfast. It was so much fun, I'm sure there will be many more camp outs to come.

Thanks Jim and Jo for hosting!!!

lost and FOUND!!!!!!!

Above is where I found her blanket.

Below is how happy she was when she found it.

But here she is so, so happy with her new blanket. Sleeping so peacefully.

Well, you can guess that this is going to be quite the story because . . . . . we found the blanket! I'l try to make it brief but the details are the best part. So, since the blanket was lost I was really sad about it. Samantha was starting to ask for it, and that make me even more sad. I had a little cry over it, or maybe two (it is her baby blanket). I said a few little prayers and was really trying to find it. I think Ben thought I was a bit crazy. But, he wasn't even looking and not praying that we would find it. He thought this would be a good time for Samantha to "grow up".

Sunday we were driving home and I just mentioned to Ben that maybe if he had a little faith and prayed for the blanket, just maybe we would find it! So that night, he did pray for it (I don't know if it was just to please me, but he did it). I had also talked to a cousin of mine whom I had traded blankets with around Christmas time. (I had the purple one and she had a pink and we swapped) I called her to find out where she ordered hers so that I could possibly order another purple one for Sam. She asked why I needed the new one, and I told her that we had lost it. Heather was such a lifesaver and said that Sam could just have the purple one that she had. She said her daughter had no attachment to it. Oh my heck, it was so sweet and such a relief.

Especially since that night Samantha was asking for it before she went to bed and the next day she and Mason got in a fight and after Mason won (Mason scratched her under the eye and on the cheek), she was so sad and just wanted her blankie. Well, to save the day Heather and her daughter Ali came gave her the new balnkie. Happy Birthday to Samantha from Ali.

Well, Samantha was thrilled (it was alot softer and prettier than hers was). She loved it.

I was just cleaning and putting things away. Well, as I was sorting through drawers in the laundry room I opened one and there lay Samantha's well loved purple blankie. I just couldn't even believe it. I said a little prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for answering our prayers. I then brought Samantha down and opened the drawer to show her and she grabbed it and gave it a big hug! She was happy to see it.

I called Ben and told him we had found it and joked that if he had had faith a bit sooner then we would have found it a bit sooner. But we did find it!!!

Well, after all that was said and done . . . . . Samantha didn't really want her "old" blankie. It was worn, and discolored, and stretched out. She handed it back to me and only wanted the new one that Ali had given her. So, I tucked the "old" one away, and gave her the "new" fresh one, and when I went in to shut her door after she had gone to bed, she looked so happy with her "new" blankie, but her blankie just the same right under her head as she slept.

Seriously, a huge thanks the Heather and Ali for saving the day and giving her the new blanket. And I am so grateful that we can pray for small and stupid (or what might seem stupid to some people) things and our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayer!!!!!

Oh and by the way, Samantha now knows that there is a specific drawer in her closet that the blanket goes in when she is not holding it. Hopefully that will clear up alot more confusion.

Boys will be Boys

Seriously, boys are so different than girls. Samantha is a girl through and through. She always wants to dress up, change clothes a million times a day, paint nails, put on make up, have girl time, sing, and lots more girly things. When she get mad or sad, she holds onto it for a long time, she is a lot more dramatic, doesn't horse around as much (well she horses around but it isn't dangerous enough to where she would get hurt). Mason on the other hand loves anything with sports (he is constantly throwing something or holding something in his hands that he can throw), doesn't care if he gets totally dirty or wet, smells like a little puppy dog after he comes in from playing outside, and much more. When Mason gets mad or sad it is usually just for a second and then he gets over it, when he horses around he usually get hurt, and in general he just plays a little rougher than Sam.
Well, it is a miracle that he still has all of his teeth. He has jumped off of things, fallen from things and tripped over himself and other objects so much. On Saturday ben was off golfing and Samantha, Mason and I were heading downstairs to clean up the basement. Well, Sam and Mason got sidetracked along the way (they were jumping from the stairs onto the basement floor), when Mason started crying. Normally he would just get up and go, but Sam said "mom, he is bleeding" I went over and he wasn't just bleeding, his mouth was spewing with blood. I didn't see it but I am assuming he jumped from the stairs and landed on his face, his teeth to be more exact. When I could finally see what happened, he bit into his lip with his two front teeth and cut up his gums pretty bad. It was so sad, he wouldn't stop crying for the longest time. Of course he wanted his "be be" and "anket" and his daddy. Well, since Ben was golfing Mom had to do. We sat and rocked and snuggled for the longest time.
Even still today he told me that his teeth hurt. I just can't believe how many times he get hurt. And yet he still has all of his teeth and he has only fractured one bone (knock on wood).
He is just such a boy, and makes me crazy with how wild he is; but he is my little boyfriend and I love him so much!!!

Lost Blanket

So I am sitting here just wondering where in the heck this blanket could be. But the sad thing is, that I think I am the only one looking or worrying about it.
Yesterday Samantha woke up with her blanket and last night went to bed without it. Somewhere inbetween . . . . I don't know. It could be outside (in which it may have blown away because it was seriously the windiest day ever yesterday), or it could be hidden somewhere that we will find in the house at a later time.
I think I am more devastated than Sam or even Ben. It's just that there are so many memories with that little blanket. So many times when she was hurt or sad or sick that that is one of the things that she wanted because she knew it would make her feel better . . . instantly. Yesterday Ben said that he thinks that our kids love their blankies so much because they know that it is the one thing that is theirs, only thiers.
This is not the first time we have lost it. When we lived in Lehi we went out on a walk and when we got home it wasn't there. Well, I asked Ben if we should say a little prayer? He said no, but I did anyways and we went back out to retrace our steps and found it along out path. Then when we lived at my mother in laws we couldn't find it for days, so I decided to order a new one to replace it. The new blanket got here and before we even opened it, the snow melted and underneath was a frozen wet blanket. (and I returned the extra, so no I can't just give her the extra)
See what I mean, how it has been through alot. So this morning when Mason asked to have his be be and anket (binki and blanket) I told him NO. I don't want to have another one go missing.
So I have checked online and maybe found a place to order another purple blanket for Samantha, or maybe just for my sake because I would be so sad to not have it to give to her when she is older. So maybe it will come in the mail and then we will find the old one. Or my little prayer will be answered that we find it somewhere in this house.
And then it will be a new rule to leave them in their rooms and only to have them during naps and bedtime, so for my sake I don't have to go through this anymore.
Wish me luck on my search for the dang blanket that is the bane of mine and bens days!!!