It Might Seem Crazy What I'm Bout to Say

We haven't taken a spontaneous trip in a long time, but when the sun starts shining and the weather man tells you that it's gonna be 61 degrees and sunny in Washington in February you make for the ocean like it's nobodies business. 

We packed hardly anything, lived off of chips and hummus and yogurt and bananas for almost a day, and it was wonderful. 

I'm normally not a fan of spontaneity, because lets face it, who on earth can be spontaneous with kids? You just can't. They have to be fed, and clothed, and cared for, and that usually takes planning, but for some reason, the stars aligned, and we were actually able to pull this one off. We were able to pack up in an hour (which is unheard of for me, it usually takes at least a day) and unpack in 30 minutes. 

Ahh. And to have to take out my sunglasses and put them on was so glorious. I didn't realize how much I had missed the sun. 

We spent the first day at the beach. The J man set up a nice little temporary home for us for the day with a half tent, food, blankets, sand toys, kites, and balls, and we just played for like 6 hours. 

The sight of my kids running on the sand, finding forts, and sea shells, and running in the waves and away from the waves, made me so happy. 

This world is beautiful. The sandy bums, the blue sky, the wispy white clouds, the rushing waves over the black rocks, the diamond like shimmer that happens when the sun hits the sand, the kite that flies up and makes you feel like just for a moment it's you up there in that beautiful sky. The little bubbles that pop up in the wet tide. The birds that run faster than the eye can watch with their shadows behind them. The little legs of Buster running as fast as he can away from the incoming waves, with his head cocked back, and a cackle in his throat. The picture of my husband hand in hand with our daughter as they walk towards the waves for a surf session (which didn't happen because it was too cold, but it doesn't matter it was still a darling picture). The picture of Liv gathering sea rope to decorate a fort that she found on the beach and make it look "homey". The view of the War-bird's bare abdomen, as he quenches his thirst after not stopping for hours of fun in that same spot in the ocean where the waves kept hitting his legs. And of course the image of our little sand puppy, Ruby, who is noticeably the fourth child, as clearly evidenced by the sand in her mouth, up her nose, and everywhere in between. 

I'm being sappy, but something about the beach just brings out the sentimental in me. I guess because it's a complete moment of happiness. There's nothing  you need to do at the beach. You CAN do things at the beach, but you don't have to. You can just sit for hours and watch the waves crash onto the sand over and over and over and over. All the while feeling the soft rumble underneath your body, while your senses take in the salty smell, and the soothing sounds of birds and waves and wind. Or you can build a sand castle, or fly a kite, or run in the waves, or surf, or run along the water, or explore, or find shells and drifted treasures. Or. Or. Or. So many options at the beach. Do I sound like a used car salesman or a hippie? Maybe both?  Alright. I'll stop. 

Here's some pics from our Spontaneous Long Beach Trip. 

As always, my minion, looking right at home at the beach. 

Our little sand puppy. 

Liv making her fort "homey"

The War-bird coming in from a body womp

Fourth Child

Liv- making the death walk to the cold water J-Man- trying to convince her that it's not that bad. 

That happy face is a result of being told "Don't worry, it's your choice, you don't have to try surfing if you don't want to". 

Gulp Gulp

 I call this next one : FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS

Nap time for Ruby

Making do without the tripod

Star Fish Time! 

Ripples in the sand

My favorite 8 year old

What the waves looked like that day

Plovers at twilight

Sunset on the water

Cozy in the hotel room 

The Rubles playin in the water

Layin out with my favorite peeps

Driving on the beach

Me and my sweet man with our sweet van 

And I only yelled once while trying to take a picture of all four of them, ok maybe twice. 

It might seem crazy what I'm about to say
Sunshine she's here, you can take a break
I'm a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don't care baby by the way

{Uh}

[Chorus:]
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I'm happy
Clap along if you feel like that's what you wanna do

I call these series of pictures: Naked as a J Bird

Remember when Mel Gibson, playing the brave William Wallace in Braveheart screamed "Freeeeeeedommm!!" 

Yup. 

If Ruby could talk,

I think that's what she would've been screaming,

 after we took her out of the car and let her roam around free in the warm sand. 

in 

the 

buff.

YOLO

More Busterisms

Now I'm not the selfie type, but I like this picture of Buster and I'm making a hideous face so I figured it's ok.

I promise I love my other children too. It's just that Buster is at such a fun age. He is growing and changing, and I just love how his personality is coming out. He is our family clown, though unintentionally.

The other day we were at a park and Buster was on the merry-go-round with a few boys, one of whom was a teenager with braces on his teeth. Buster was standing adjacent to him and was staring up at the teenagers open mouth, teeth aglow with medal. Buster's own mouth was open for so long whilst staring that I was sure he was going to swallow a fly.  Pretty soon the teenage boy felt his gaze, and decided to stare directly back, at which point Buster exclaimed "WHY do you have NECKLACES on your teeth!!??"  That got the teenager to change his open mouth to a chagrin, and I even heard a little snort escape his throat. Too funny.

Recently Buster was out in the garage waving goodbye to Jaron leaving for work, when he accidentally stepped on our de-thatching rake. It was a bloody site. The wound was not deep enough for stitches, but left his toe print completely scalped.  It was so sad. Jaron came back into the house to attend to the wounded.  We had a pretty chill morning luckily with nowhere to go, so I propped Buster up on the couch with his teddy and blankie and a few books while I finished the morning dishes. I kept peaking around the corner to see how he was doing, and I would see him return my peak with a woeful gaze.  After my third or fourth time peaking in on him, while doing the dishes he finally said with his head bowed, eyes dropped, lips curled down into an almost-frown "Mom, can you just take care of me for a little while?".  It melted my heart, and I seriously couldn't resist going in and giving him a good snuggle followed by some reading aloud.  I'm sad he's wounded, but glad it provided this opportunity.

Buster is very verbal. He knows how to communicate exactly what he's feeling.  Sometimes after being really disappointed that he can't have something he wants he will cry and pout.  If I ever try to stop him, he will exclaim "Mom! I just need to cry! Just let me cry ok", Then he will continue wailing for a few more minutes until he's got it all out. He's right. It's ok that he cries even if he doesn't get the thing he wants. . . like cake right before dinner or getting out of bed for the umpteenth time. He still can't have the thing he wants, but he's aloud to be sad about it.

It's so great that he knows how to communicate exactly what he's feeling or what he needs.  When he was 2 he walked up to my legs, grabbed a hold of them, clenched his fists and said "Mom! I'm HUNGRY! You need to feed me".  It was so hilarious.  Like a little mini monster.

That's all I can think of for now, but I really want to remember these things. When I look at my kids I'm reminded that God must have a great sense of humor to create these little funny human's with huge heads walking around.  

Buster's Medley

While I was making lunch, Buster was singing this song:

"And that the earth will be reviewed and receieve it's. . . gloo aaaaa ooo aaaa ooo aaaa ooo ria, we shall be extended. . . he know's when you are buckled, he knows when you do a toot. The cold never bothered me anyway. Glooo aaa ooo aaa ooo aaa oo ria. I know nobodies father's would be good. Good ".

Our newest primary goer

Yesterday (the day before Buster was to attend his first day of primary) Jaron said excitedly "Buster, did you know you are going to be a sunbeam tomorrow?!" To which Buster replied face alive and excited with a gasp "in the sky?!!"  Then later he said to me with an empathetic look on his face whilst nodding "mom are you gunna miss me when I go up in the sky tomorrow?" 

I'm pretty sure he thought his little body was going to be transformed into a little beam of light in outer space. 

Unfortunately it was way less climatic than that, but he was a good boy nonetheless. Can't believe my baby's already a sunbeam. Heaven help us. 

And then there was that one time, when we spontaneously decided to make over our fan. When we painstakingly spent two hours, sanding, spraying, cleaning, and painting it, only to see the rope that we had ever so carefully, tied to the motor, to hang it from our garage ceiling, so as to enable easy access to all sides for spraying with the rustoleum, break and send our motor crashing into our concrete, garage floor. I.e. that was two hours spent in vain.

Me and My Girls

My heart is full this holiday season. I have been doing a Christmas countdown of sorts with my kids that my Mom sent me. It has been so great to turn the focus everyday back to Christ and to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. It's so easy to get lost in the celebrating. It's ironic that even trying our best to celebrate and create Christmas traditions can bring us stress. Especially as mother's. This year I have tried my best, to let the unimportant things go, and cling to the important. This scripture read, with an added act of service (which I added to my Mom's list, and which is our gift to Christ everyday) has really brought the meaning home for us. 

My heart is very full this Christmas Season. I'm feeling very blessed for my situation in life. Blessed to have family that loves me and cares about me. Blessed to have four beautiful children who are thriving and growing and rambunctious, even though sometimes they drive me crazy.  Grateful for a husband who loves me and the kids and works so hard for us so that I can stay home and raise my minions.  Grateful for good friends who inspire me and make me a better person. Grateful for my health and my mind. My testimony, and my spirit. I'm grateful for good books, and cozy fires. I'm grateful for a warm, beautiful house, ,that is filled with memories, both good and bad. Grateful for the bad, because they make me stronger. Grateful for the good, because it gives me hope. 

But mostly I'm grateful for that sacred day so long ago, in Bethlehem, When the Savior of the world, was born in a humble stable. How much love must have been there on that night, with his beautiful, and faithful Mother Mary, and patient, and obedient Joseph.  I love thinking of the birth. I love imagining what I would bring the savior if I were a wise man. This year my gift to him, is an added measure of patience with my children. It's a goal to show my husband more love on a daily basis by doing random acts of service, it is to reach out to a widow, who I have not spoken to in over five years. It is to spend time in sincere prayer every day. It is to fulfill my callings in the church, and do my best to be spiritually guided by them. Really these gifts are not for him, but I know that by doing them, they make Him happy. He really is the gift, and I am forever blessed by His gift. 

I learn more about the atonement every time I stumble. Just when I think I have something figured out, I am humbled yet again to realize I am so far from perfect. I'm so grateful for repentance. For forgiveness. I know that I can be as close to my Savior as I will let myself. I know he is constantly inviting. Inviting all to come unto him. Inviting us to repent. To pray. To ask. To recieve his blessings. It's up to me to come unto him.  And this Christmas Season I will do my best to do just that. 

Happy Holidays Friends. You are loved.