Build and Grow Workshop

Saturday morning we took the boys to Lowe's and they built biplanes. This was our fifth workshop and the boys love it. This time our cousins Ryker and Pierce came too. So much fun. The workshops happen twice a month on Saturday mornings at 10 am. You can pre-register online HERE.  

10 Weeks

Springtime In Portage

I got a new lens during the winter and wanted to try it outside. I took the following pictures in my parent's yard in Portage Utah. 

Cry Me A River..

I have so much on my mind today..I figure blogging might help me to release it. We had  kind of a...stressful week. As you know, David started school and work and I got really sick. I think it reached a climatic breaking point last night, as we were all really tired and I was feeling pretty sick. Jared has pink eye and a horrible cough. Pepper does this nightly ritual of crying from about 7 to 11, which we are used to, but last night it was a little bit more difficult to deal with. I have been trying to control everything, house, kids, Dave, finances etc and it was just making matters worse. I have been SO concerned about Pepper catching something and ending up back in the hospital that I've gotten myself all worked up into a frenzy. So last night I had a good cry and fell asleep on my bed. David took care of Pepper all night so I could rest. I was finally able to let go of everything. I realized that I am making my sickness worse by stressing out, so I decided that I'm doing everything that I can do, and left the rest to God. I think sometimes we try too hard to do everything ourselves instead of doing what we can and leaving the rest up to the Lord. I do it a lot and it never gets me anywhere. I woke up around 4:30am with my throat completely swollen shut and a crazy pain in my side. Ended up going over to the specialty hospital at 6am to get checked out. I felt pretty stupid going to the ER for a cold, but I felt strongly that I needed to go. I was actually very glad that I did because it turns out that I have a raging kidney infection, and not being able to get any fluids down my swollen throat was making me dehydrated. So, anyways, I got all taken care of and was home by 8, and slept until about an hour ago. I'm thinking this week is going to be a lot better. Even if all hell breaks lose, at least I can deal with it if I'm over this wretched virus. Pepper has been lethargic all day and now she's wheezing when she cries, I'm still worried about her but we'll be watching her closely and taking her to the Dr. tomorrow. 

So anyways, that's my poor me story of the month..what's yours? I don't really love complaining on my blog because #1 The only people that want to hear about your poor health is your doctor, and your mortician(and maybe your Mother, mine is very caring) and #2 There is ALWAYS someone way way worse off than me. ALWAYS.  And somehow I manage to find them in time to realize what a boob I'm being. 

Ok, so moving forward. Here are some pictures from the week. 

This is a common sight at our house, snuggles with Daddy.  

Here is Jared being an "Alien".

Here are some better photos of the camera strap I made.

Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows

I've been so sick this week. It's like a horrible cold..or something. I really think that we women should get a free pass from one sickness after having a child. Especially those of us who throw up our entire pregnancy. Who's with me on this? I think we should petition. 

I guess the hard part about being sick is trying to take care of the kids. Mom to mom, I really respect you all right now. I usually have Dave around when I get sick, but now he's in school and I don't want him to miss any. It's quite an effort just getting the boys fed, getting Jared ready for school, and taking care of Pepper, who wants me constantly. I'm really grateful for my next door neighbors. They've been taking Jared to school for me quite a bit lately and it really is a blessing. 

I'm feeling a little better today, now I'm just coughing, and trying my best not to pass this stuff on to Pepper. I've been watching her like a 'hawk'. (haha get it, "hawk" cuz we're Hawkes?) Sanitizer is my best friend this week. Still too fashionable to break out a face mask. At least I'm honest.

On a positive note, it is gorgeous outside today. Ahhh, the birds are singing, the sun is shining, and it feels like a brand new beginning. I took Pepper outside and we sat under the big apple tree out front..she got to hear birds singing for her first time. This is what I daydreamed about during my pregnancy. This is what got me through the down moments. I daydreamed about spring, sunshine, sitting in the grass with my baby girl, and listening to birds sing. 

On a side note: Thank you so much to all family who actually read my blog! I mostly blog for myself and our little family as a way to document things, but I love sharing our lives with everyone. I discovered a couple of new family members have been reading this week and I was so excited to hear that! It really means a lot to me that you are interested in what I have to say, and all the shenanigans we're up to! Sometimes I really feel like I'm blogging to a void so it's nice to know that the people I most respect and love are reading all my nonsense. ;) Thanks also to all strangers and friends who read as well, especially those who comment either here or on FB. I love comments..*sigh*. Oh and I love friends. (I would love strangers too if I knew who they were)

I have a lot of pictures to post, but since I'm laying on the couch with my laptop and don't have them here, I will post some cell phone pictures. The quality is exceptional.

 Jared is becoming quite the little artist. I'm loving his imagination. If you can't guess what this is then I don't know what to tell you.

 Another sewing project using only scraps. I didn't use fusible fleece for the inside, so the fleece kind of bunched up in there, but it's acceptable for a first. It's a camera strap, in case you were wondering. I love the pocket, since I'm constantly losing my lens cap! Tutorial is HERE.

And this is Ashton the other day while I was sick. He told me he DID NOT like Sesame Street about 10 minutes before. Thank goodness for netflix! I know you're SO jealous of our TV. You'll get over it.

2 Months

Yesterday I was watching a bit on the news about Natalie Norton who lost her 10 week old son, Gavin, to pertussis. It hit me especially hard because I have an online friend who also lost her son to Pertussis last year and I only saw a glimpse of how hard it was for her, I can't imagine how she was and is hurting over it. I was in Jonathon Canlas' photography class last year at WPPI, he took the photographs at little Gavin Norton's funeral, merely two months after his passing. Natalie, his mother, was in the room as well, seeing the images for the first time. There was not a dry eye in there as a slideshow was played of the funeral...so, rehashing that yesterday really made me appreciate my babies, especially Pepper, and the fragile age she is right now. I realized then that I need to spend more time with her, taking her in, memorizing her every detail, and just enjoying the stage she's in NOW.  Lately I find myself thinking too far into the future, thinking "It's going to be so great when she's finally laughing...when she's crawling...when she's 4.." instead of just relishing in the NOW. Here are some images I took of all her little details and 'isms' at 2 moths old. Enjoy.