Sunset Over the Tetons

This summer we were looking for new furniture for our living room after finishing our remodel. We found an amazing deal on a practically brand new chocolate brown leather set on Craigs List. The seller happened to live in Jackson Hole, WY. We realized we hadn't ever taken the kids over there, so we all loaded up and went over the pass to Jackson. We had a great time. It had been raining much of the day, so I was unsure if we would be able to get any good shots of the Tetons at all, but I took my camera along just in case. We got out of town where we could see the Tetons well, just as the sun was setting. I convinced Jeff to wait around a bit for sunset and low and behold, we got to witness one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen over those grand mountains. Wow! We couldn't believe it. Some really nice people stopped while we were gaping in awe at the beauty and asked us if we wanted our picture taken. We rarely get many family shots, so here is an attempt at a family photo.

It reminds me of something Jaden said last night. (I think he's inherited my love of sunsets!). "Jesus paints us a new sunset every day just to make us happy."

More Jadenisms

Jaden just cracks me up with his off the wall observations, usually involving some "friend" of his with the weirdest made up names. This morning he says to me, "Mom, did you know Mexico is a store now?" So I said, "Oh really, are you sure?" "Yes of course my friend TooGoo told me. Mexico is a store now." (very matter of factly!)
Ha Ha. He makes me laugh. I know all too soon he'll lose that fun innocence. I'm glad we still have it for a little while.

Whiskers

We'd been camping all weekend and everyone was dirty & tired. Jeff & I were sitting at the counter talking to Jaden. I told Jaden that he had whisker burns on his cheeks and that obviously Dad had been "whiskering" him. He turned to Jeff, lifted up his arm and said, "Yeah, I'm just like mom I have whiskers in my arm pits." .... I guess its time to shave!

Making Bread

You may or may not get this post. If not just ignore it.
I am so proud of myself. I learned how to make bread! The other day I made bread and was filling so fulfilled and happy that I had to take some pictures. It was probably my best batch ever. My mother always made bread. Some of my fondest child hood memories was coming home from school to the smell of fresh baked bread. My mom tried to time her bread so she pulled it out of the oven just as we were coming home. She'd cut a great big thick piece that was a little crunchy on the out side and soft, warm and dreamy on the inside. I loved it with butter & honey melting and dripping all over my fingers. The smell of fresh bread never fails to bring me memories of my mother. I never really thought with my crazy schedule, I'd ever find myself taking time to make bread. It seemed that when my mom did it, it took all day and I just didn't think I could commit to that kind of time. It really seemed that it would be hard to do. I really think there is an art to making bread. This last year I've been contemplating more ways I can be self sufficient. I love that I know how to sew, cook, garden, can etc. It feels so good to know I have the skills that I can take care of my family. There's just an odd sense of satisfaction to it all. We had a lot of wheat in our food storage, but I didn't even own a wheat grinder. I thought it was ridiculous that I couldn't really even use the wheat. Taking wheat to my moms to use her grinder wasn't really a great option either. You can't really grind a lot in advance unless you keep it in the fridge so it doesn't lose its nutritional value. So you can see it really wasn't working for me. I'd been telling Jeff I'd like a wheat grinder for Christmas so I could actually use the wheat we had. In the fall a good friend of mine convinced me to attend a bread making class she was giving. I went eager to see if I could figure out this bread making mystery and find a better faster way to do it. She was great. She teamed up with Jeff and I got a new wheat grinder and a bosch mixer for Christmas! A couple of lame attempts later and I'm starting to really get the hang of this bread thing. The bosch makes it fast and easy and Jamie's instructions and recipe has really helped me out. We are now loving and eating my bread regularly. Today, I almost botched it and left out the salt, but I got it in there last minute and it turned out teriffic! Thanks Jamie for your patience in helping me learn. Thanks mom for the thousands of loaves of bread you made with love for me and for instilling the desire to learn this skill so I can make it for my family. Bread...truly a comfort food.

My mother's day photo

I hardly ever get a picture with me and my boys. So, for several years, I have tried to keep up a tradition of having Jeff take a picture of me with my boys on Mother's Day. So at least yearly I have one. After church is usually a good time since we're all in nice clothes. I love these 3 rowdy boys. They keep me smiling with all their antics. So even though its a late post. I had a wonderful mother's day. Zack made me breakfast (broke the knob to the stove off in the process, but it was good.) He made me a coupon book with a whole bunch of chores he's willing to do to help out. I'm going to hold him to it too. I can always use more help. I got lots of hugs and kisses too. Jeff had my car detailed! That was wonderful. Those 3 sure mess it up pretty fast, so have a clean car is quite a luxury these days. It looked fantastic. I love all these boys in my life Jeff included. Thanks for loving me so good!
Mom

Remember...and write it down.

God really moves in mysterious ways. I am so grateful for the firends and family that I have in my life. He blesses me greatly through others around me. I know he works small miracles in my life every day.

Baby Moose Twins play in the Sprinkler

Check out this cute video of twin baby moose playing in the sprinkler!
(You can pause the website music @ the very bottom of the page)

Aren't Dad's Great!

Jeff is such a good father. As I tuck my exhausted boys into bed tonight I am so grateful to be married to a man who loves his boys as much as he does and takes the time from his busy life to make memories with them. This afternoon, they saddled up the horses and spent several hours going for a horse ride. When they got done, they put the horses away came in the house long enough to get jackets and fishing gear and then they were off to go fishing. He took them out to our property on the South Fork of the Snake River and they fished until 11p.m. where they staggered in and dropped in bed but not before sitting up out an almost dead sleep to exclaim exitedly about all the fish they caught. They release several, but kept 3 to bring home for dinner. They couldn't harldy keep their eyes open, but their mouths were all yacking at once tyring to explain their night. As soon as I kissed sunburned cheeks that smelled like fish and listened to prayers, they were almost instantly asleep again. I missed being there to take pictures of it all, but I was happy to catch up on several much needed projects and got the whole house clean and the laundry all done. Thanks Jeff for giving me a break and making memories to last a lifetime with your boys. I love you!!

Funny Conversation For the Day

Ok time to tell another funny comment by Jaden. So today I'm paying bills at the computer and out of the blue, Jaden walks up and says:
Jaden: "Mom, I'm a boy."
Me: "Yes, you're right you're a boy."
Jaden: "I like boys Mom they're cool."
Me: "Yep"
(pause)
Jaden: "Dad didn't marry a dophin or a penguin..."
Me laughing: "No he didn't marry a dolphin."
Jaden: "...Nope he married a Mom!"

Well good thing Jeff has better taste than arctic or marine animals. *grin*

Impromptu Recital

Here's something to make you smile today! (you can pause my blog music at the bottom of the page so you're not hearing both.) This is Fran & Marlo Cowan (married 62 years) playing an impromptu recital together in the atrium of the Mayo Clinic. He turned 90 in February.

Conversations with a 3 Year Old

Jaden always makes me laugh. Sometimes conversations with him are so off the wall. You wonder where his mind is. Today in the car on the way home from taking Payton to preschool, here is our conversation:
"Mom, is today square pants day?"
"What?"
"Is today square pants day?"
"What is square pants day?"
"You know its like Christmas."
"I don't know for sure, I've never heard of square pants day."
"Well it must be, because the stickers are on the cars."

Hmmmmmm I wonder about that kid some times.

Saying Goodbye to the Arnolds

Wow, we can’t believe the time has finally come to say goodbye to our good friends Clinton and Rochelle Arnold. In thinking back over the memories we’ve shared together, they’re probably too many to list, but we’re going to give it a shot. There were snow machine trips with a few wrecks we'd all like to forget, 4-wheeler rides, nights at the cabin, the annual Halloween party in fantastic costumes, the Night Owl Bowling League (even though we weren’t any good, the socializing was fun), dinners, movies, Super Bowl Parties and New Years Eve bashes, many card nights playing Barnyard Rummy, campouts, horse rides, hunting trips, water skiing on the lake, a trip to Lake Powell to stay in the house boat with Ken & Margaret, monthly book club with Rochelle, visiting teaching together (especially having lemonade on the back porch with Lela), scrapbooking, trips to the Stillwater Mansion for tea spring tea parties, weddings, baby blessings, funerals, missions, listening and watching the elk bugle, Clinton’s fantastic cooking, birthday parties, a trip to the New England states to see the fall colors, the best cruise we have ever been on to the Southern Carribean, laughing until it hurt to breathe, sharing tears, frustrations, and joys, and never ending trust and companionship.
There are so many fun memories, how do you choose a favorite. One that sticks out though, is going to Jackson Lake for Clinton’s Birthday with Melvin & Gailiene. We stayed overnight in Jackson Hole and went waterskiing on the lake. I’m not sure I’ve ever been that cold waterskiing. The 3 girls wrapped up in towels for blankets in the back of the boat while laughing until they were almost sick at Jeff, Clinton & Melvin riding the banana boat. That has to be one of the greatest pictures of the 3 amigos on the banana grinning from ear to ear.
With Clinton and Rochelle, we have such a dependable friendship. We know they will be there for us no matter what. We are so glad we got to do so many fun things together and make so many outstanding memories. We are sad to see you go, but can’t wait to hear about all your new adventures in Arizona. We love you no matter where you are.
Jeff & Alana

Face Dancing

Today I was playing some music and trying to find some to put on another blog I was working on and the kids were playing by my desk. Payton starts laughing, so I turned to look and he was distorting his face all kinds of ways to the beat of the music. His eyebrows were going up and down, his nose was scruntching up and down lips were moving. It was hillarious and he said, "Look mom, my face is dancing!" We all had a great laugh. This isn't the first time either. Here's a picture to show you what I mean.

Funny Pretend Play- "The Christmas Dinner"

Ok, so listening to my little boys play absolutely cracks me up. This morning, Payton and Jaden were outside playing an imaginary game after Zack left for school. It was still a little cold outside and they came in a little chilled talking about their "game" they were playing. They do a lot of imaginary play, but its usually in narration form. The process of the game is to just go around and tell 3rd party what they are doing. So instead of actually being the characters, thye tell each other what they are imagining they are doing. Anyway its a funny odd way of playing I think. They came in the house and proceeded to explain that they are playing Christmas dinner (no concern that its the 16th of May). They both had different names: Justin and Jaxton and I'm the Mom and Justin (Payton) had invited Jaxton (Jaden) over for Christmas Dinner. :) They even came in and pretended to put up the Christmas tree. Then "Jaxton" told me that they were going to serve hamburgers and french fries with ketchup for dinner. they went out for a bit and came back in & "Justin" told me they were waiting for "Jaxton's" mom & dad and brothers and sisters to get here for the dinner. Justin then preceeded to introduce "Jaxton" to his sister (our new kitten named Cindy). "Mom, Cindy can be my sister." Needless to say I've been laughing all morning. I just had to share and write it down so I don't forget these fun moments.
Alana

The Many Faces of a Lerwill Boy!

One of our favorite things is to spend time with family and friends at our cabin. In early January, we invited Gailiene & Melvin Rudd and Jeff's brother Ryan and his wife Kalle. We all brought our kids and had a great weekend of doing nothing but snowmachining and playing. This game is called dog pile on uncle Jeff! He loves to lay on the floor and invariably as soon as he lays down there's kids on top. He's kind of a kid magnet.

When Ryan and his kids get together with our kids we have a whole bunch of boys. (They do have one wonderful girl Anyia who is terribly outnumbered.) So here are the Lerwill boys:

Logan, Skyler, Zack, Tukker, Payton, Jaden & Dillon. Jeff's sister Lisa also has a boy the same age as Payton so when we're all together at Grandma's its a whole passle of boys all under the age of 8! But they don't stay calm for very long...

They are usually running, showing off, and being totally crazy. Look at those muscles!! I'm so thankful for Ryan & Kalle and their kids. Its been great raising all these boys near each other. They always have so much fun playing together. They're going to have years of memories ahead of them. I hope they always stay close. Thanks guys for the friendship!

Come with us as we enjoy the journey...

I've been wanting to do a family blog for quite a while, but have struggled with knowing whether I wanted one more thing to try to keep up. The problem is, many things in my young kids life are going by without being documented because I'm not good at writing in my journal and I'm honestly so far behind on my scrapbooking, it feels like I'll never catch up. I have been very inspired as of late through several friends who are quite good at keeping up on blogging their family life. I find myself jealous of the record they are creating about their families and wishing I would do the same. Doing better at recording my family events is part of my new years resolution anyway, so I think I will get this up and running. Life is so rushed, I constantly feel pulled in directions that are often a distraction from the things I feel are important and away from where I want to spend my time. My kids are growing so fast that I'm starting to feel like I'm missing it. Right now, Zackrey is 7, Payton is 4 and Jaden is 3. I just want to keep them young a little longer, but they vehemently rebut any argument that I make for keeping them young. I know I need to really take the time to enjoy this journey we are on. "Take time to smell the roses", so to speak. So come with me as we take some time out to share our journey with you. I hope this will help us all stay in touch a little bit better so check back often and be ready for some crazy times.
~Alana