Corey's Birthday

Today is my better half's happy birthday. "Happy Birthday Corey!!" Here's to you being born! ...Although your mother did most of the work that day. And the 9 months prior... and the years that followed, so yay for you but a bigger heap of gratitude to JeNeal for bringing this amazing human into the world. Well, maybe Corey gets a little bit of credit for being and becoming that amazing human. Ok, we'll still celebrate you. How did we celebrate? It was mostly normal stuff - exercise in the morning and a full day of "provider of the family" work. Corey and I took a ride to the ruins. The water on the trail is mostly gone (finally) so that was nice to not get as muddy as usual. We made it back home in 90 minutes, so that was a pretty good time for us two old people. I took Owen to a playdate around 2 and decided to surprise Corey with lunch. I let him in on my surprise (so that I could order some takeout that he wanted) and he said he'd come with me, yay. So we went out on a date! We went out to Aubergine cause it is our new favorite. Goodness bowl for me and Corey got an Ahi Tuna bowl. 

We ordered some Brownie layers to finish it off. A very yummy meal that doesn't make us feel sick after!

Before I picked him up, my mom had brought over a dozen Crumbl Cookies and at home we all ate enough of that to make each of us sick, so then I took those to work for Wes and other Salt Mine people. There was still some when I took him back. Good thing most adults know that their bodies don't want to eat too much of those. One thing I got for him today, as part of a b-day present, was movie tickets for he and I to see Sound of Freedom. We're going July 4th. I've been hearing about this movie for years, I don't know what the hold up has been. I'm glad it's finally coming out! It's such an important topic. (Tim Ballard is a hero. He's gotten a lot more press, I probably need to make a new master list.) Corey stayed a bit later working (and helping Joseph again with his med school application essays) and here at home the other gift hat we gave him is the gift all parents of toddlers want: a clean house. I wrote out tasks on the mirror with an expo marker and so it was visible for the kids to see, and we went to work checking the boxes. After I got kids outta their pajamas... 

Acutally these pics were of yesterday. Kids were feeling sick. Lily started it off by throwing up in the bathroom sink. Super nasty. Comparable to her March 2022 episode in color and quantity. Wish she could have made it to the toilet, but we'll count it as a win since it wasn't on the carpet. So now the bug is making the rounds and we're watching tv and keeping bowls on hand. It allowed the setting for this sweetest photo of Katharine asleep on Natalie's lap. 

She looked like an angel!

So peaceful!

And that cute little arm and fist. Love <3

One more pic from yesterday - Natalie helping Daniel and a friend playing "keepy uppy" (the name of the game on Bluey). I liked the lighting on the balloon - 

Today most everyone was feeling better. After we cleaned, the kids played legos, the girls did some dress up with Katharine - it was her "first day of school" (Natalie has enrolled her in summer school) 

...and I made this today (oh yeah) after seeing a similar summer calendar at the house where Owen went for a playdate.

Three months - summer is all on the wall, and it will be over in a blink. But by the time we're in August, Hyrum will be home! So we're ok with time passing. 

Corey and I went on a ride yesterday too. We tried going from Hidden Valley Park along the BST to Corner Canyon. It was our first time starting at that trailhead and taking this trail.

My dropper post was stuck in the "move" position though, so it kept pushing me up and if I stood it did go up all the way... I was getting so frustrated I could have cried. But Corey got it tuned and fixed yesterday evening (neighbor Harrison who worked at Scheels now does home visit bike tune ups - works great for us rather than having to bring all the bikes in!) so yay dropper post problem was solved for this morning's ride. We really enjoy being in the mountains. It's so pretty! And, speaking of pretty, I am obsessing over the roses in our front yard. I know I already went off about these, but I can't help it! We have so many right now! After we got back from our ride - 

He bought me a rose for my birthday, and I took a photo of a rose for him on his. With a sprinkling of raindrops -  

I'd be mistaken to say "my" roses or "our" roses, cause we do nothing to make these roses happen. We do nothing in our yard except maybe mow it in the summer. Oh, and rake pine needles. I think the last time I did any weed pulling was in preparation for Joseph's farewell. But I'm happy to look at and be in awe of these roses and take pictures of them! I think I've found something that I could do for the rest of my life - I'll do watercolor paintings of roses! More pictures taken this evening ~

So so so pretty.

Corey says I'd get sick of it, but I don't think I could... like, does anyone get sick of sunsets? Or of fall leaves? Or of the full moon? NO! And sure, maybe that's just because they are so short and fleeting and you know you have to soak it up before they slip away... 

 

...but all artists know you can draw for hours without a problem. My studio art classes at Snow College back in the day were 2.5 hours and that time flew by. So, we'll see. I'm exciting to try and make time to do some watercoloring or colored pencil sketches of these roses! 

And goodness knows I have plenty of photographs to work from!

Ok, sorry, I went a bit crazy... I usually don't let myself post that many here (which is why I made my nature blog) but we'll leave them. It's good I kept it to 7. It could have been 50. Corey probably didn't want roses for his b-day but that's ok.