Memorial Day, City Creek 2010

The Wilding's have an awesome family tradition, we celebrate Memorial Day up City Creek Canyon. We have done this my whole life, in fact I learned yesterday that the Wilding's have been going to City Creek every year for the past 38 years. It is always so much fun and a good time to see all of the family and be reminded of everyone's names. Not really, but almost. There are a ton of us. My grandparents had nine children. Most of those nine had quite a few children themselves...Actually let me count. Dave had six, Dan had four, Tom had three, Wade had four, Steve had two, Shirley had four, Collette had six, Karen had five, and Wendy had five. So that is 39 first cousins. We are all growing up now and having children of our own. Much to say the least the Wilding's are procreating faster than we are dying off. So it is a lot of people but a lot of fun!

Tommy had a blast! He is such a boy...He loves anything and everything that makes him dirty or stinky. He actually caught his first two fish ever and was absolutely ecstatic! In fact he loved those fish so much that he said he wanted to hang them on his wall. Oh boy...that would look really nice. We actually ended up with a lot of tears as we cooked up those trout for dinner. We did make a compromise though and told him we would hang a picture of him with his fish on his wall. So hopefully that satisfies him for the time being. Unfortunately it appears that Brayten has done irreparable damage to our little guy and he will inevitably be a hill-billy.

Anyway, City Creek was a blast... I'm already looking forward to next year.

Looking for something...

So here we are...home again! Back to just two kids, my own house, no van. Life is good. However, I am finding that I enjoy my life a bit more when I am running around busy, busy, busy. I'm not sure what I should do but I am finding that facing the same tasks day after day gets a bit, well, boring.

Brayten asks me each day, "What are you going to do today?" Often it is the same answer. We find ourselves cleaning the house, laundry, playing, dishes, and playing again. Mix in a few diaper changes, a bit of crying, possible whining, and that is my day.

Now I don't want you to think that I do not enjoy myself as a mom, I absolutely love it! But I feel a bit stagnant. My brain is on vacation and is ready to get back to work. I don't know what to do. I need to make the opportunity to occupy myself with something every once in a while and I am not sure what to do.

So for the time being I will keep looking...I'll let you know when I find it.

Boise Blast!

A couple of months ago my brother called me and asked a big favor. Would I mind coming to his house and watching his girls while he and his wife went on a trip to Israel? Of course he gave me time to think about my decision...and of course I said yes. I actually have a fatal flaw, an inability to say no to much of anything. So I said yes... As I was preparing for this adventure I was a bit apprehensive, well more than a bit I was extremely nervous. Five children...one adult...I knew I would be a bit out numbered.

But alas we've now been here a week with one week to go. And while I miss my hubby, like crazy, I'm glad I said yes. We are having a great time and Tommy is loving his cousins, a bit too much sometimes (they are starting to act like siblings). But all in all it has been successful.

I have learned one thing though with five women in the house it is kind of like an extended session of beauty parlor. I've had to watch You Tube to learn how to do hair, it has been way fun. I find that I love it when a six year old thinks her hair is, "way, way, way cute!" I get self esteem when my twelve year old neice comes home from school and said, "Even the adults commented on my hair today and how cool it was!" I have also learned that I am more adept at creating mohawks than pig tails but I need the practice, eventually Maddie will need a stylist, but for now she is a member of the bald club.

Well it has been a lot of fun and unfortunately for my neices I've had to corrupt them with my obsession with American Idol...I love it, I admit it...too much. It was cute though my twelve year old neice said last night as we were engulfed with AI, "Hey that lady sounds like Dori." I thought it was great that I could say, "That is Dori!" They were all so excited. Then my six year old neice said, "Steph you can sing really good probably because you watch this show all the time." Well...hmmmm...I'm not totally sure American Idol has helped me that much with my singing but I love it, I love it, I love it.

Anyway, for now, all is well in Boise...I did have my brother write down the address to the emergency room just in case though...We are all Wilding's here (even the McGee's have a bit in them) you never know what could happen!

Self Portraits

Being a photographer I have loved as my little guy has been experimenting with a camera for the past year. I have watched as he has taken some pretty remarkable, funny pictures. It is interesting to see the world from a three year old's perspective. Well he has hit a new milestone...he has found the art of self portraiture and wow is he good...

I have about two dozen of these...thank goodness they're digital!

Tommy's First Dentist Appointment

Whoa I can't even believe how fast Tommy is growing up, it makes my heart ache, it is too fast. Slow down little dude! Well another stepping stone of aging...his first dentist appointment on Wednesday, February 17th. He was a brave, stellar stud and survived. He was all smiles throughout the whole appointment and especially when he got a new tooth brush and a prize! But alas, I asked him after how he liked the dentist, he didn't like it, at all. Well at least he can wear a smile all through his trials and luckily no cavities.

Madison's Blessing Day-February 14, 2010

I can't believe that it has already been two months since we had our little Madison. Already I am forgetting what life was like without her. We were able to have her blessed on February 14th. Thanks so much to all of our family and friends for supporting us on this special day. A special thanks to Brayten, I love you babe! Thanks for holding the priesthood, honoring it, and giving Maddie such an amazing blessing.

Lady Gaga???

So you may ask..."Hmmm, why does Steph have Poker Face on her family blog playlist?" Well for an explanation, Poker Face happens to be Tommy's favorite song. He breaks into a frenzied excitement the moment it begins. So everytime I open our blog I get to do a Poker Face dance with Tom, it's so funny. He comes running from where ever he is in the house yelling, "Poker Face, it's Poker Face mom!!!"

I know, I know, what kind of a parent am I?