Family fun

The past month or two has sure helped me better appreciate my family.  Not that I didn't appreciate them, but I love and appreciate them now more than ever.  I try to treasure each moment with them, because it feels like those moments come way too infrequently now that I've started working.  

Even moments like this make me smile...

Yes.  Yes.  That is gum smashed all across my one-year old's head.  Logan got a hair cut after that one.  This little incident was courtesy of Dallin.  

Also, John has now left for TX.  One more thing to help me treasure the time we have together.   His job here was breaking his back, and not paying a whole lot, so after a lot of thought/prayer/stress we've decided to send him to find a job in TX.  He doesn't officially have the job, but has been told the next job opening will be his, so here's hoping...!!  Meanwhile, I will stay behind and work and get the house ready to sell.  The kids and I will be moving in with my parents.  I have to be to work by 4am (sometimes earlier), and getting them up between 3-3:30 am on a school morning just didn't make sense.  And this way, they can have the stability of a constant routine.  On nights that I work late, they will still have dinner at the same time and with the same people.  I appreciate my parents for helping us so much.  

The day before he left I was determined to have some family fun.  We pulled the kids out of school for the day, and just ran errands as a family.  Then, in the afternoon, I dragged a family full of grumpy boys to the county fair.  Once we got there they all cheered up, and we had a blast.  Cory was excited to go on some of the bigger rides with daddy, including the Gravatron!!  Here they are on the ferris wheel, although you can't really see them.  

Dallin and Bryson decided to play it a little safer, and had some fun riding the smaller rides.  

I love this shot!  Brothers having FUN!

My handsome boys!!

The next morning John headed off to TX at 4am.  Dallin woke up first.  He grabbed his little orange blanket, and followed Daddy into the car, assuming he was going too.  We had to tell him he couldn't go.  He went back to bed, and then the older boys woke up in time to all give Daddy a hug before we sent him off to the great unknown.  We'll miss you, Daddy!