Summer of Love

Other than remembering our loved ones that have passed on, Memorial Day officially welcomes summer. what does #summeroflove mean?... It means flowers in the garden. It means long blond toddler hair that curls around the ears. It means bare feet at the park and long summer days. It means a Grateful Dead t-shirt and tie-dye. It means being outside and carefree. It means bike rides and homemade banana ice cream. Here's to love and summer.

And here are a few photos from the end of April and most of May. 

The sometimes inconvenient gentleman. 

Nate has spent his evenings and Saturdays on the front yard this spring. It looks better this year than it has since we moved in. Most of the time Nathan is there "helping". I'm finally more proud than embarrassed of our yard. It really is beautiful. 

April showers. 

another one with a fun friend

This is about 11.5 hours into our 13 hour road trip to Salt Lake. As you can see, he did really well. 

We went to Utah at the end of April to attend our neice's wedding. I liked seeing Little N's dress clothes hanging next to his dad's. 

We bought a toddler air mattress for this trip. Little N was still mostly sleeping in a crib at home. After a few trial sleeps on the air mattress at home, I thought it would work for the trip. So... guess who didn't get a good night's sleep the night before the wedding? All three of us. Little N spent the night displacing me, and then waking up crying when he discovered me missing. It wasn't enough for him to sleep with his dad, he needed to not just sleep with me, but take over my pillow. We spent the night playing musical beds. It was sweet to cuddle with him for about an hour... and after that it was just annoying. The next night we set up grandma's play pen, and he slept in that the rest of our stay.  Since we have been home (about 2 weeks), he has been sleeping in a tent that my parents left with us last spring. I guess that is my way of transitioning him out of the crib. He knows he has to stay in the tent, because the only alternative is his crib. He's actually excited to go to sleep in his tent and sometimes forgoes story time... and... to top it off, he hasn't discovered that he can get out when ever he wants. He doesn't leave his tent until we "wake" him up in the morning. I hope this lasts.

Playing with his cousin W at the wedding. His cousin was so nice to him. He's a really good little boy. 

Outside the SLC temple with Nana, Papa and a few cousins.

Hanging out at the reflective pool in front of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.

This is the first picture I have taken with little N and my grandma Betty Wickham. I explained to N that she was my Nana. He asked, "and  Papa?". Grandma and I explained to him that my Papa is dead, but it is ok because he is happy. Little N just looked at us and seemed satisfied with our explanation. When we got back to Nate's parents house he heard his Papa in the back room. He ran down the hall yelling, "He's alive. He's not dead. Papa's alive!"

Throwing rocks up City Creek. 

Hanging out with Nana and Papa at Sugar House Park. 

Playing in the sand with my dear friend Amy Nelson's son. She writes a weekly article for the Deseret News. She teaches yoga. She mountain bikes and hikes. We lived together in 4 houses... including one in Taiwan. We traveled to SE Asia together. Her son's name is my maiden name. It is an old family name of hers. Amy asked me if I think of my maiden name when I hear his name... and I thought, ya I do actually. I sometimes forget about my maiden name until I hear it again. Amy said that she thinks of me when she says her son's name. That makes me feel good. 

Nana Saundra taught little N to pick me flowers. He picks me flowers almost daily now. 

Silver Lake. 

My handsome husband. 

My handsome boy. 

Just a couple of goofs throwing rocks in a mountain lake. 

Nate hanging out with his childhood friend.

A family picture in Bell's Canyon... that I actually hate of myself. After all of that complaining last year about being too skinny... I've finally gained all my weight back, and now I think my face looks too chubby. I sort of miss the me that was about 5-10 pounds lighter. 

Night before my birthday Nate's parents gave us their symphony tickets. I have never been to the symphony before. It was really cool.

The night of the Maeser monthly Sunday dinner party. Little N's cousins are really nice playmates. Everyones doing the chicken dance. 

Such a fun new born to hold. This is Suzanne's 2 month old baby James. He's really solid and sweet. By the time I get to cuddle him again, he will probably be too old to cuddle. 

Looking great at 38

So... these are the notes that my homeopath took during our 2 appointments, while I was in SLC. He's helping my brain heal from the intense chemo that killed brain stem cells. The brain cells that were killed are the stem cells that control my glands that tell my hormones to work. When I first went in those different stem cells were operating at 6% and 2%. Two weeks later they were at 9% and 12%. Now they are doing even better. He said once those brain cells are functioning again they will trigger my glands to work that tell my hormones to work.  He expects that in less than 5 months, my body will be able to conceive. This is a huge miracle, and I have complete confidence in the process. He knows what he is doing. The proof will be in the baby pudding sometime next year. It will be so nice to not feel like I have to defend myself every time I talk about my witch doctor. 

Speaking of babies... We left Nate's parents house Tuesday morning at 6:30 a.m. It took a ton of work to get out the door that early, but we did it! As we filled up the gas tank before leaving town, this little family crossed our path... and I thought, "there go some ugly ducklings". 

Nathan loving his activity book that Aunt Merrie sent him. 

Our yard looking beautiful. I wish I had a good enough camera to get a better shot. The right side of the garage is full of irises and tulips. 

Another HOAA play group. He loved that barn yard cat. 

#summeroflove

#summeroflove

flowers, long hair, The Grateful Dead... and a horse

Omaha Zoo

just an old jungle swing

he made his own pizza at Old Chicago Pizza

A stranger who became a friend. This little girl shared her babies and was such a fun playmate for little N. He still talks about her. 

His first time to play with a barbie. 

We don't encourage it... but we are starting to realize he's kind of a non-conformist. This is how he is in most group settings. If the group is posing for a birthday party photo, he stands in the background. Anytime he is supposed to be one way, he does the opposite. I am happy he is who he is. I won't try to change him.... but believe me, I do try to convince him to go along with the group... but the boy will not be forced. 

His rock and pinecone collection. Every time we leave the house, he comes home with a new addition to his pile of treasures. 

some of my treasures... sort of like his, just more organized.