Losing Track of Time

August left me completely behind and I'm still bewildered as to where the time went. We've had the chance to do some fun things in the last few weeks so here are some photos to document our doings:

Monday I took Mallorie out for a date. She needed things for her upcoming dance class, a new outfit for preschool, and I had to hit Target for some other items. She chose Chick-fil-A for lunch and we got to eat outside. She's such a funny little person with big thoughts, fabulous facial expressions, and a smile that lights up the room. She wanted to do a funny face selfie and then one where we were angry. Side note: we picked up a black leotard with sparkling letters. She proudly shows off her "leotart" to guests in our home.

Spencer loves to help. And organize. And re-organize. He can hear the door to the dishwasher open from across the house and will coming running into the kitchen hollering "Uh! Uh!" to unload the plastic plates. On this particular evening, I had left him happily playing with the plastic plates to supervise pjs for the girls. This is what greeted me as I rounded the corner into the kitchen - he had unloaded pretty much every dish and most of the silverware on the bottom rack. As I watched, he would pick up an item and relocate it in a different spot on the floor, shuffling plates and knives and forks in an order known only to him. He was content to help me load the dishes back into their proper spot and then turned into a puddle when I shut the dishwasher door.

How could I not share this adorable-ness? I took the younger kids for a walk to get Morgan from the bus stop - Luna and Perry were at our house for a while. I wish I could tape the sounds of these two jabbering as we were walking. Brings a smile to my face!

The Spirit of Boise Balloon Classic is a mini hot air balloon festival (think about 45 balloons) which began in 1991 as a part of the Boise River Festival. While by no means the spectacular spread of colors, people, vendors, and balloons of the Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque, I was so excited to have found out about the event before it took place! I spent several birthdays in my childhood attending fiesta events in October and want to make this part of the birthday weekend for Mallorie in the future. Chadwick got stuck at the clinic working on a dog who had ingested a foreign body so I loaded up the kids, hit the drive thru at Wendy's, and made my way to Ann Morrison park downtown Boise for the balloon glow. We got there early enough for a decent parking spot and had way too much time on our hands. Especially since I neglected to bring coloring books, balls, or any other form of entertainment for the littles to do while impatiently waiting for the sun to set. Despite the whining, the kids seemed to enjoy the time out and I was rewarded with a squeal of glee when the night sky was brightly lit with 25 balloons. The announcer would count down and the pilots would give a massive pull on their ignitor to set the balloon aglow with light. Pause. Countdown and glow. Repeat.

We did some dancing. And wrestling. Then some singing as Spencer was starting to melt down with exhaustion.

The girls started collecting...plant material....they called cricket eggs.

Getting darker! And a little colder. Morgan has her sweater on backward and is holding the hood in her hand to protect the "cricket eggs" from the storm.

Three....two....one....GLOW!

The view in my backseat as we got into the driveway.

Glee

Chadwick has a green thumb. A thumb he inherited not only from his mother and father, but also his Nana, who had amazing gardens of both the vegetable and flower variety. Despite this tendency toward healthy plants, he has not mastered the art of caring for cacti. It is something he has always wanted - a healthy, indoor cactus plant. We have tried many over the years, usually in the base of a main gun round from his Marine Corps days, and none have lived for more than a few weeks. Maybe a couple of months.

With the creation of our den, he now has the opportunity for his jardin de cacti, which of course fits nicely with the southwest theme we have already set in motion. I want to add that Chadwick doesn't get outwardly gleeful very often (unlike our daughters whose faces and eyes shine with excitement). On two occasions this summer, I have seen "glee" written all over his face. The first was while building a city out of cereal boxes for the bi-annual Hunt Cereal Box Battle (more on that later). The second was Friday evening while potting one of his four cactus plants. He returned home from Lowe's with four different varieties of cactus and four beautiful ceramic pots. A real cactus garden in the making. When I mentioned the fun of actually having more than one cactus in the house, his face lit up and he shot me a smile that melted my heart.

I hope they make it this time.

Which Hat to Wear Today?

There are so many hats to wear - daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend, veterinarian. And not all hats are created equal. For example, the Mom hat has subcategories such as teacher, chef, wiper, disciplinarian, boo-boo kisser, cleaning lady, story teller, alarm clock, and taxi. My Veterinarian hat has fewer subcategories but carries with it the responsibility of my veterinary Oath and all that implies. Most days, I find myself with most of them on at the same time, perched precariously on top of my head like the leaning tower of Pisa.

I always knew that I wanted to be at home with my children, or at least to be home when they arrived from school. I didn't want latch-key kids. My mom stayed at home, working during the early hours of the morning or while we were at school. I loved knowing that she was there for us, to kick us into gear and send us out the door with a hug in the morning and to greet us with a hug when we came home from school, Yet I never stopped to think of how this would work in real life, in my life. 

Chadwick and I spent hours talking about the kind of family we wanted to raise - daycare vs. stay-at-home parent, how many children, what kind of home environment we desired. By the time Morgan was born, I was settled on working part-time as a veterinarian 8-12 hours per week. I remember being pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed staying home with our daughter and how those hours in the clinic were a nice change of pace from life at home. After Mallorie was born, I switched to working a few days per month and have continued "relief" work since that time. 

Being at home full time is stressful. Balancing at-home responsibilities and working at the clinic is stressful. (Take home message: life can be stressful.) I have struggled, especially these last six-eight months, with the intense desire to quit my job as a veterinarian against the knowledge that working 2-3 days per month could be beneficial to my future career, should I choose or need to pick it up again. Ultimately, it came down to the fact that I took an oath to do no harm. And working minimal hours, while a nice change of scenery, is not enough to keep my skills sharp and my veterinary information present in my head. I worry about missing a diagnosis, about freezing in a moment of need with a patient under anesthesia, of leading a client astray. I worry about who will leave work to pick up a sick child from school, who will care for our young children while I'm gone 10-11 hours, and the milestones I will miss. 

Staying at home with our children is the hardest thing I have ever done. And it is the place to which I feel called to remain. Earlier this summer, the battle of "to quit or not to quit" felt like an ever present weight on my shoulders. Nothing, barring sleep, could shake it off. I spent time researching child care facilities and was unable to ignore the visceral pit created in my stomach as I explored this option. I decided to pray and fast to receive help in my decision. The morning of my fast, I felt impressed to pursue other options for my career - once a month vaccine clinics or working one Saturday at the clinic or to be done in general (scary as this sounds). The weight was removed and I felt light again. That impression was confirmed after attending the Temple a few weeks later. 

While I have continued to go back and forth in my head, my heart has remained steady that my work needs to be at home with the children, dog, cat, and lambs. When life gets hectic and I'm ready to put the kids on Craigslist, I remind myself that this is the path I have chosen. LDS President Harold B. Lee stated that "the most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home" and I believe that to my core. I need to have faith that good things will come of this work, that my reward will be watching our children grow to be "independent individuals, capable of interdependent relationships" (our family mission statement). 

My boss has given me October and November off work to think about it and make sure this is what I want.

I'm looking forward to wearing one less hat on a regular basis. I'm looking forward to the daily challenges, the smiles, giggles, and hugs. Of creating times of work and play, of helping Morgan with homework and Mallorie discover her more confident self. Of chasing Spencer around the house as he thoroughly explores, removes, and relocates any object that isn't bolted to the floor. Of not having to worry about who will pick Morgan up from school, whether or not I forgot something in the diaper bag, and who to call if my primary childcare person is unavailable. 

I'm looking forward to the teaching moments, the growth of my own patience and testimony as I nurture our children, and the chance to create memories. It won't be all sunshine and roses, but the rays of light that peek through the piles of dishes and laundry are enough to keep me moving forward.

I am proud of each of the hats on my head. And grateful for a wonderful mother and mother-in-law who set examples of what stay-at-home moms can accomplish. 

Bring it on!

Not Where I Left You?

There is so much I forget about little people in between having children. Like the fact that they tend to carry things around the house...and leave them in a random spot. Perhaps this wasn't as much of a problem with Morgan, as she was the oldest and the house was the most babyproof. When older children are around, things tend to either get left out or never quite put away, thus providing access to more "stuff" to cart around.

Case in point - while on a trip for the Hunt family reunion in Utah, Spencer discovered that the drawers to the dresser were empty and easily pulled open. While we unpacked and got ready for bed, he was busy carrying our shoes from one drawer to another, opening and closing said drawers happily unobserved. I was content to let him have at it, though it made for some frustration the next morning as we were attempting to get out the door for breakfast. None of us had a match to our shoes and many minutes were spent opening and closing drawers, looking under the sink and blankets to located the second of 5 pairs of shoes.

Household items also get "misplaced" by our little sticky fingered man. The latest example:

Right where I left you.

Not where I left you.

He sneaks out to the blackberry patch to stuff the juicy berries into his mouth. It's never hard to determine what he's been up to when he comes to the back door looking like this!

Unfortunately, the berry juice never quite comes out of his clothes....
Enjoying a game of peek-a-boo.

This little man keeps us on our toes for sure! I love his smile, his giggles, and watching him explore his environment.

Una Caballera

Papa Steve took Mallorie with him as he worked with the horses the other afternoon. She spent quite a bit of time on DD by herself in the saddle with Steve leading her around the corral. When he complimented her on her work, telling her she was doing great as a cowgirl, Mallorie was silent for a moment. Then she asked (and I can imagine the furrowed eyebrows and look on her face), "Papa, why are you calling me a cowgirl if I'm riding a horse??"

Corrected and laughing, Steve replied that she was more of a caballera than a cowgirl since she was, indeed, riding a horse.

I love the thought processes of young children. I love that she is catching onto the meaning of words and questioning the names behind them. I love that she enjoyed her riding lesson and that Steve is willing to spend time with her (and the other grandchildren) sharing his equine passion.

First Grade!

On Monday, Morgan started first grade. All day school. New teacher. Different classmates. Three recesses and lunch in the cafeteria. Homework each day.

We were excited to see our bus driver from last year sitting in the seat of her bus first thing in the morning. Morgan has made a few friends on the bus and on the playground. Getting her up in the morning is still a bit of a challenge....but she likes school and bounds off the bus each afternoon. 

Now to figure out the "new" routine after she gets home - Mallorie is super excited to see her, Spencer runs for a hug, and she likes time to unwind. 

I can't wait to see what she learns, to meet her new friends, and see how she grows throughout this coming year. We love you, Magoo!

Things That Melt My Heart

1. The thump-thump-thump of little bare feet running across the kitchen floor.

2. The soft "bleh" of the lambs as they race across the pasture for a handful of grain and ear rub.

3. This face:

4. Listening to Morgan read her siblings a story.

5. The sounds of Mallorie talking and singing to herself while playing.

6. Giggling and silliness with my hubs.

7. Thyme posing for a selfie:

8. Spencer leaning in close for a kiss.

9. An unexpected visit on my lap from a purring Cleo.

10. Morning cuddles with Mallorie J. 

11. Finding Morgan curled up in a chair reading The Book of Mormon.

12. The feel of little hands clasping mine and the feeling of trust it creates.

13. Unrestrained laughter of my daughters.

14. The view from my kitchen window.