I love fall!!

I marvel at how fast time flies, & the beauty of each passing season! Five years ago seems so long ago, yet so short... Reid & I just celebrated our 5th anniversary! I am Thankful to have that time behind us & look forward to the many adventures that lie ahead! I knew then that being married to Reid would be, an adventure! I am certainly Thankful for the many experiences we have had, the challenges & trials, the love & friendship that have blossomed beautifully with time. Though any who observe will know we are not perfect, nor do we try to put on that facade! For me, being a step-mom has been heart breaking, enjoyable, & a life changing experience! I enjoy the slamming door, then hearing Amira's loud 'Hi Peoples' (she is always the first through the door) on the nights they come home, of course I dont wait for that, I am watching the clock, watching for the bus, or listening for the sounds that go on outside while they walk to our home. (the goats go crazy, so I know that they are home!)

I have made a lot of mistakes in these last five years! But I am Thankful to say I have the Lord on my side & I know he is leading me in this rough parenting. I am not sure if I can teach the kids to overcome how I have spoiled them, but I am confident that we are leading them in such a way, that they will overcome the stigma of the divorce & all (or most) the challenges that come with that. We have faced some crazy moments! Though I would like my focus to be on all the wonderful things, such is not life. I try to find the positive in all things, the lesson to be learned, The Adventure!

Check out my Slide Show!

Oh what do you do in the Summertime...

Well I have to admit the kids have kept me really busy! It has been exhausting, yet a lot of fun!
Besides swimming an awful lot we have been exploring Zoo's, we have such a love for animals, & we all enjoy spending time with animals that we dont have to care for all the time... There is a small zoo here in Logan that I have been wanting to go to, it was really neat... It is not huge, nor anything spectacular, however it was amazing! The animals there were not uprooted from their homes, they were injured in the wild, then placed there to be cared for. They had two bald Eagles that, though they will never soar again, were very majestic! I have seen Bald Eagles in the wild up close & I marvel at their beauty!

They had a large variety of Ducks, there was one kind with a blue bill, & another with bright yellow eyes. They had a place to feed them too, however the ducks were lucky to get a nibble before really large fish jump out and snagged it first!

We have spent a lot of our summer with the kids taking Richard to summer school, & Karate. The kids are both in Karate & loving it, I love it too, because they teach the kids to "listen to your parents" that is very important! So when they dont listen, I just have them repeat the 3 rules of Karate! & then they happily comply (Right, well most of the time huh!).

The kids Mom started Richard in Karate, & then could not afford Amira, so we enrolled her, she had been watching Richard & is very good at mostly everything. From the first time we watched Richard we were thrilled with the way the instructor handles the childred, even the ones not listening so well. They are very patient! Sometimes I wonder why these two children need 4 parents, really. I suppose the reality is that these 4 parents need these two children. Reid and I will often joke that they are raising us!

Yesterday we went to Salt Lake & went to the Hogle Zoo, on our way south I called Paul & his family & they came even on short notice & we all had a great time! They had this real interesting kritter, it was a monkey of some sort, he was just teeny, & he looked like they gave him way too much cafine, or maybe just too many people & way too loud, his head was practically spinning, it was too funny.

& this guy was really interesting, he did not move one little bit while we were there, not even his eyes moved... they said he only moves if he is scared, or for food.

On the 4th we purchased our first video camera! & so Reid walked all over the Zoo as if he were making his very own movie, narating and all! I thought that was funny, because he loves to narate movies he has seen that I have not. He says, well I am not a steady camera man, you may get sea sick!

Well, I will try not to make this a novel, I will post some other pics... and not so many words!