my cutie bug

What a beautiful day

Sunday is magical day. Don't let me create a false memory here- there is plenty of arguing over toys not shared along with whiny complaints about boredom. But the air smells better, the birds sing louder, and the sun is brighter on Sundays. Brad gets to be ours for the entire day on Sundays, and the boys hang all over him, making sure that they exhaust him before the work week starts again. And best of all, I get to spend 2 hours on sunday with my sweet, sweet primary kids. I love them all so much, and I can't wait to see their smiles every week. Today, my sunday was needed. I just sent Logan off to church with another family, and then watched a very SICK, yet persistent Austin beg and plead in his baby babble words to go "out, out, out, ouuuuuut."Once the shoes were on his fat little feet, he started waddling out the door and up the hill that leads up and then down to the house. After hiking to the tippy top, he plopped himself down on the concrete and gazed up curiously at the birds. He then squealed with excitement over a ground squirrel and ant piles.  I love seeing my children adoring creatures as much as I do. I have really, really grown to love animals. Except the ones that i'm allergic to. (Speaking of loving animals, we have 2 california condoors hanging out here. We also have about 2 gillion birds gracing us with their presence as they make their way toward a more southern exposure. Also, we seem to have a cat who has lived in the backyard on mice for over 4 months. He is u.g.l.y. Last, we saw the cutest racoon on the road yesterday. Dead, but still cute. I'm sure the condoors will appreciate him.) ANYWAY..... 30 minutes later, he was pale and weak, ready for more sleep. I was relieved to get back in the house and ditch the sweats for some cooler clothes. Just when you think it's going to start acting like fall here, the sun keeps singing it's long, hot song. Now i'm laying here imagining how my piano number would have gone if i had shown up to church for it..... ce sera sera, right? My fingers have been misbehaving this weekend anyway. Every time I try to play, they fall over each other like they are drunk. I think i'm just nervous to play in front of anyone. I guess having a sick baby and sleepless nights isn't all bad if it keeps me from some mild embarrassment;)

Brad has been out of town since Thursday. No business this time, just pleasure. To be specific, the pleasure of scoping the mountains in Mcall with Dad and the boys for that perfect deer, and then the perfect elk. Odd, the thought of Brad liking to hunt so much. I wonder how I ever thought that my husband would resist a hobby that is so tightly woven into my genetics.

 The only single thing good about the 8 day predicament is that once the kids are asleep, I can do whatever I want. The piano plays loud. Audrey Hepburn movies come out. I even watched me some Jane Eyre last night. But the cons definitely outweigh the pros. Logan is as stubborn as a bull when dad isn't around. He runs around doing project after project. Yesterday is the perfect example. He helped me with grocery shopping. Then he had to make a recipe with the new goods. Then on to building a fort with the grocery boxes. Next was rearranging all the pumpkins to fit around the fort. After that was a science experiment. Later, after getting home from a soccer game, birthday party, and a snow cone, he wanted to go rent a redbox and go to the park to play baseball. And I did it because I am a pushover with him. Iyiyi. Not only is he exhausting, but that creative little kid can hardly bear his momma telling him what to do. He is his father's son, after all. Trying to help him with the piano is like trying to boss around a bumble bee- its just not going to happen without someone getting stung. So I let him learn on his own, and he does astoundingly well. I've wondered this week what it might be like when he's a teenager. Then my head spins and I move on with my day. I love my boys and all the struggles that come with parenthood. I'm learning a lot about God's love through my experiences with them. I can't imagine who I would be without the direction that they give to me every day.

Today is a good day to start.

I have far too many things happening in my life, too many memories being made, too many lessons being learned to not be keeping up my journal. My boys are growing and changing before my eyes, and life has flooded me with new experiences and insights. Brad's projects continue. And I would like to remember it all. So as is customary to any of my journals, I will follow this apology to self with a renewed commitment to get my rear in gear! My biggest beef with writing down my thoughts is knowing that they will be shared. I want to write for me, not for other people to read it. The accessibility of a blog stops me every time. I need to finally gather email addresses so that I can go private.
In recent news.... We went to Disneyland for fall break! Harwoods and Bergesons came along with us. What a combo, what a trip. The drive down on Wednesday and home on Sunday were as entertaining as every other year has been. The kids waffled between hilarious and horrible. Lily made it clear that she doesn't like babies sitting near her. Austin peed all over me and learned how to screech at the top of his iddie biddie lungs in order to receive giggles from the kids. Logan and Reese were rockstars until a brown crayon was broken and princess movies were voted on. Justin has a bladder the size of a nickel, and like every other trip, relies on his navigation like its his life-force. Steph gets punch drunk and is totally pleasant to travel with. Brayden and Lauren are hyper-focused, motivated drivers. "Serie", our new little apple girl, kept Brad as entertained as a kid in a candy shop. I get easily distracted when I see a mall, and then suddenly "need" a potty break. And tramadol turns me into a chatty Kathy, which is so unlike me:)

We maximized day 1 with a thorough run-through of the entire Disneyland park. Honestly, I can't say that I was a fan of space mountain or the haunted mansion. But the tea cups and Small World rocked me and Austin's world.  The little kids were brave and proudly taller than 2 years ago. Splash mountain was the group favorite. Love. It. We were EXHAUSTED by the end of the night! We started day 2 in California Adventures with zeal, and ended it at Bucca Di Peppo with 5 out of 6 kids sound asleep in various empty booths like wrapped up like little dolls in their dollhouse. Yes, it was Logan that was still buzzing. We had so much fun that day! Lots of Tower of Terror, lots of California Screamer, and a super soak on the Grizz. Aussie slept in his stroller and ran through the park against traffic, tilting his head and jabbering to every stranger he saw. Day 3- all the guys pulled out their rockstars for caffeine, the girls took a lot of motrin, we bought Aussie some shoes that would help the blisters from walking, and off to the beach we went. We showed up to Newport, saw the wave break, and quickly drove on to the State Park beach. Perfect. Huge waves. Lots of sand. The kids had a slice, and so did we. Pics will be inserted tomorrow. Braddo left the memory card at work, darnit. Any regrets? YES. Just one big, fat humungous one. Two words: Primm rollercoaster. Seriously people? Never, NEVER, have I felt that destroyed and injured by a machine. Law suit and migraine were the only things that came to our minds as we walked back to the car with our heads hung low, wondering why stupidity had briefly won over consequential thinking. No fatalities, and we learned our lesson. Here are a few pics from my phone until I download the good stuff.

Today

1. I was told by 2 women at random that life will get really complicated when I raise my boys just to have some girl come and steal them from me. Awesome ladies. Thanks for the pearl. 
2. Past conference talks are like left-over spaghetti. They just get better the more you listen to them. 
3. I still can't make a good coconut Korma curry. 3 hours later, I had enough to feed an army, a nasty smelling house, and a super messy kitchen. And it didn't taste very good to any of us. 
4. Austin can give puckered, legit kisses! And super fish sounds. So sweet. 
5. Brad thinks he might be ADD. News flash? I think not. 
6. I just told a member of the bishopric that I play the organ and can help him out of a pickle. I felt bad for him after all the rejections, what's a girl to do? Oh yeah. Be realistic. Not my forte. In this rare case, faking it until you make it may not pan out. foot. in. mouth. 

Laura Story - Blessings

Happy Mothers Day

I am feeling very grateful for motherhood today. I love being a mother to Logan and Austin more than anything else i've ever done or will do. (Being a wife can be great too, but today isn't wives day!) I love and admire and depend on my mother and mother-in-law and grandmother very much. I love watching the mothering example of all my friends and sisters as I learn the tricky trade. One mother who is special to me down here is a sweet Brazilian woman named Dalva. Every time that I seek her counsel and advice, she says, "My momma always say ......." I would just love to meet this woman who has said something about EVERYTHING! I hope that my mothers also know that I remember what they tell me and what they teach me too, and that I plan on passing it along. Motherhood, in any capacity, is the most gratifying calling to ever exist. (Again, being a spouse is that too, but not today ;)).

Mom is to be celebrated. She is the strongest, toughest, most selfless woman that I know. She is beautiful on the inside and out. She is the most phenomenal grandmother to our children. She taught me how to work hard. She taught me how to cook and keep house. She taught me about priorities as a mother. She taught me, through example, to serve your children without thinking of yourself. She taught me to desire motherhood. She taught me to love my music. She attended every recital, put us in every lesson, and earned every extra penny necessary to support our hobbies. She teaches me that you always move onward and forward. She and Nichole teach me and Rachel and Jesse how to care for our children's health. She is logical, organized, and efficient. Being around her feels like home. Who doesn't need someone like that in their lives?

Val is another woman to be celebrated today. She and mother may be polar opposites on most fronts, but they both have the amazing gift to love and serve their children. Val is the most creative, party-ready, service-oriented woman. She gives, and gives, and serves, and serves all the day long. She observes everything around her. She is sensitive and thoughtful. Everyone is her friend. She loves talking to anyone and everyone. She teaches me perspective. She is the matter-of-fact just when you need it. She teaches me to have patience. Being with Val brings a smile to my face.

 I love that my Austin has been so gracious this Mothers day as to not throw up on me. He is a very sick boy, but he's keeping it clean today:) He even cuddled and slept in my arms all night in peace. I love that my Logan painted my nails, brushed my hair, soaked and rubbed and cleaned my feet, and painted my toes. I love that he made a little book and colored a picture for me. He even set out my church clothes for me, suggesting that maybe I start wearing heels again. I love seeing how much happiness he gets from serving. I love that Brad is being patient with the kids, even though he feels really yucky.

Good times in April!

Austin being very patient while mommy planted flowers

 The boys at the temple grounds on Sunday

We had just shown up to church, not knowing that it was stake conference. So we hit the visitors center on the way home. That way the ironing didn't feel like a complete waste of time!

 These photos were all taken from my phone, so they are pretty fuzzy.

Aussie cruises around in this like he is the energizer bunny. I never thought i'd be so grateful for all the tile in our house! This walker is a true life-saver. Thanks kid-to-kid for the steal. Austin was born to run, we can see this already!

 Waiting in the car while the boys hit balls at the range

 Logan was beaming like the sun when he was awarded student of the month. 

 Last game of the season ended with the Pumas winning 7-0. Logs scored two great goals.

 The annual baby chicks hatched! All four are doing super. 

 Little league is half-way into the season, with the White Sox making a statement. The boys are learning the tackling other fielders and chasing down runners isn't part of the game. 

 Mommy learned that Austin is highly capable of squirming his way to the flat iron in 2 seconds flat. A nasty burn helped her realize that baby is officially mobile. 

The boys eat up every second that they have with dad. Austin is sooo giddy when dad comes home.

 Excuse Austin's nudeness, but it's the only footage I have of his army crawl!

Caribbean Cruise 2011

Eastern Caribbean Cruise 2011

Well, isn’t it interesting that I find myself blogging about last year’s cruise while I’m in my room waiting for this year’s cruise to pull out of port?! I suppose that I just feel like it’s so quiet and peaceful that I may as well journal the missing spots in the last year of our life, so here it goes:

Here was the itinerary:

·      Fly to Puerto Rico, sleep at the Marriott, and board the Carnival ship.

·      St. Thomas: Spent the day at Smuggler’s Cove (same beach as in 2010)

·      Barbados: Chartered a catamaran that supplied us with a really cute group of guys that entertained us with their music and dancing, provided a great lunch, and took us to an amazing snorkeling spot with sea turtles and stingrays. That day was a total blast.

·      St. Lucia: Ziplining at it’s best!! I loved driving through the jungle and seeing the way that the local people lived. Huge reality check. Breathtaking views. The jungle was awe-inspiring to me, as I saw some of my favorite plants and flowers growing out from the sides of trees with effortless beauty. The zipline was complete with 12 lines that took us right over the canopy and canyons. Everyone loved, loved this day.

·      St. Kitts/Nevis: We finally saw all of the monkeys! Some had on diapers and would cuddle in our arms (yes, of course we had to pay someone to hold them), and some that were wild and just wanted our bananas. The day became fascinating as some of us smarter people took a tour through the historical sights of the island. We drove around the hollowed ground of the  “Circus” were the slaves were brought and sold, and then on to the fortress with it’s rich history and beauty at the highest part of the island, overlooking even the clouds with it’s cannons and eerie emptiness.

·      St. Maarten: Yeah, we didn’t stay on either the dutch or british side. We had our sights set on Anguilla, so we took a ferry over to a little-known paradise called little bay. The pictures will do all the explaining. Pristine.

With the exception of the bad service and not so good food on the ship, this was hands-down the very best trip of my entire life. Brad and I thoroughly enjoyed being together, away from the stress of everyday life. It was difficult to leave Austin at only 9 months old, but no one could have done a more magnificent job with a crying, hurting little angel than my mom and dad did. Logan was in hog heaven with his grandparents. We love the Bergeson Family. I love Brad’s dedication in making such an incredible family movie of this vacation. It is one not to be forgotten. 

Christmas Blog Part 2: Picture Time, I mean Christmas Time in Canada!

B and Logan on the plane

LOVE this pic. These two are best friends.

Caroline and Cadrien

Hockey on Christmas Day

All the kids in the bunch

Hockey!!!!Flames, Havs, we honored both

!

FACES OF THE HARKER CHRISTMAS

This holiday proved to be busy during part 1 of the holiday. Parties, school activities, decorating, church programs, all had to get done (see part 1 of the Christmas blog fest:)) But part 2 of the holiday season was quite the opposite! Peaceful, relaxing, and cozy is how I would describe part 2/ Canada. However, getting to the North Pole was an ADVENTURE! Now getting there.... that was another story. I'll try to highlight the holiday, along with the travel upset, and cram in as many pics as possible!!! Now, we know that all passengers flying/driving to CA are required to have passports. But the good law makes an exception for babies under the age of 1, and children who are entering Canada with a parent who is a Canadian citizen. So as we checked out the possibilities for little Aussie, we were feeling pretty good. Then, we called the airline the night before travel just to be safe. They said that ther was no way we would get on the plane without a passport for an infant. Next morning, vital stats for copy of birth cert, walgreens for photo, City office for application, airport. We overnighted the app to a San Fran agency just in case we weren't aloud on the plane....we weren't aloud on the plane. We even had the Canadian consulate and immigration office give the airline permission to let us fly. No go. So we all stay overnight at the.... I can't remember where we stayed. Brad returned to the airport 3 times that night in hopes to persuade the oh-so-coy Ron Burgundy-looking dude at the counter. When the manager lady got up in Brad's face, he reitred his efforts for the night. The next day being the 23rd, we needed to send Logan and Brad on up. Austin and I then moved to the Tropicanna (which we didn't know was in the middle of a remodel) for the rest of the evening. What a special memory- 2 suitcases, a stroller, a carseat, and a diaper bag with no ramps built anywhere in the hotel. Thank goodness that I met a sweet man that next morning who just so happened to own a new attraction about the history of the mafia in Vegas. He whistled for a crew in the lobby and all 4 italian men helped me get to their car. Thanks to Tony and his mafia men!

Meanwhile, the Harkers carried on in their traditional Christmas Eve party. Everyone participated in the bell-ringing, the nativity re-inacting and the soup-eating. But this time, they all looked like Jews as Val brought in many influences that she had aquired while visiting the Holy Land. The star of david flag hung in the kitchen the entire trip. We love you Val! We arrived late, late that night and were all prepped for Christmas morning. The only problem was that some goofball had mistaken my bag for his, and taken my luggage. No biggie, I was only missing all of the relatives' presents and my laptop. This part of the story ends good.... I got my luggage back unscathed. The neatest part of Christmas day was to finally be with everyone and see that the entire family was happy and healthy and together. Not only were we all healthy, but I had an awesome Christmas suprise to learn that Caroline is pregnant!!!!! What a neat suprise that was. And Orin had built the coolest skating rink ever made!! Thank the heavens that Santa made another trip to grandma's house, leaving full pads for Logan so that he and Cam could check themselves to the ground without leaving 1 scratch! All the guys worked without stopping for the entire vacation to Zamboni, water, and shovel that rink. What an amazing source of entertainment. Little Cadrien liked her make-up set and made sure that she spent all of her time making everyone look "beauful". Val spent a lot of time in the kitchen making meals. In fact, we didn't leave the house to eat once. What a nice break to stay inside that cozy house. Lucky us, poor Val! We played games, shared our annual family home evening night, and had photography lessons daily from Mikey. Toph made the most AMAZING FAMILY VIDEO to re-cap 2010. What a sweet and selfless gift he gave us. Watching it was totally priceless. Ben and Brad played a hockey game in town last night, and they both scored amazing goals. THeir sons were beamingly proud. Brad also took Logan to a Flames game one night. I found myself better-slept and more relaxed then i've been since Aussie was born. The boys gave up their rooms for my crew, so that I could enjoy sleeping in bed with Austin right by me every night. He was such a joy to have with me over the holiday. I felt so blessed to be with my boys and know that I have 3 of them. The flight home was something to remember. It was New Years Eve, and we had parked our car at the Tropicanna. The taxi driver couldn't get us to the hotel because Vegas is INSANE on New Years Eve! So by the time we had walked to the parking lot, it was 11:57 and we were just in PERFECT time to see a miraculous firework show that had the appearance of Vegas blowing up from every angle! Wow, it was a sight to behold. All in all, the best Canada trip yet. I miss it. I missed my family too. It was the first year of my life that I had not seen my fam over the holidays. But I know they all had a special holiday filled with babies and eachother. I love my families!!!

Val's influence from her trip to the Holy Land

Best Friends and Best Cousins (and just a little competitive!!)

What the other family was up to.....

Christmas Part 1: Getting ready for Christmas from home

Here are a few pics of Christmas memories at home, before we took off for the holiday. We had a little pre-Christmas Eve that was pretty special. Earlier that day, I tried to get some decent pics of the boys for the Christmas cards. Way to go Ann! That isolated experience wasn't so special. It was rather painful. That evening, Santa came to our house 3 days early to deliver our presents. Logan left cookies and egg nog, and Santa left Logan's original letter in return, with the items that he brought checked off. Way to go Santa! And here are a few pics of Bradley running off to Whistler with some friends right smack dab in the middle of the holiday bustle. Way to go Brad!

Aussie getting ready for our little Christmas Eve party at home!

Santa has kept been great about keeping a Wii away from our home for 2 years in a row! This year, we didn't get so lucky. Let's just say that Logan now has an addiction, and daily time restrictions.

Santa also brought Legos, Legos, Legos!! I think we could build a city twice over. Mom brought a lego sorter, so that the pesky little things could stay organized.

Aww, doesn't Max look sweet?! This was his last night in our home, sob.

Logan's school Christmas party. I planned and delivered the whole thing and will remember to never volunteer to do it again!

Brad and Dave Bauerle at Whistler

Tram Ride

The whole crew ready for an amazing day

Braddo shreddin' it up