This is real (good).

First run postpartum to Morning Glory arch. 

Fisher Towers with the girls. 

The constant yin-yang of siblings. Liesel helping Hannah down from the rock and being oh-so-cute. 

This right here is why I buy clothes from Walmart. I've figured out a new technique. I can't get the kids to wear what I want them to while we are home. I'm tired of all of their regular stuff getting destroyed. So I let the wear whatever they want in the car and throw everything I want in a bag and change them at the trailhead. It sounds like more work, but believe me, it's less. 

I love the Chariot stroller. And I especially love this sleep inducing hammock that can hold even the tiniest little baby. 

Hannah looking like a giant next to Felicity. And to think I thought she was still a baby. . . ;)

She's been sleeping in the car a lot lately taking naps. We've converted to this more as summer approaches and days get longer. Naps again, and more staying up in the evenings. 

Changing diapers on the front seat and a pile of junk on the passenger seat. Pretty typical. 

Brian biked the White Rim in two days Fri-Sat- 80 miles of mountain biking in 24 hours. He got home yesterday afternoon to a house full of women and kids. 5 adult women and 9 kids. I cleaned up a little and made pizzas. That took most of the afternoon.

While he was gone I was having a crisis day on Friday. Feeling lonely and weird. I invited several friends to go hiking in Fisher Towers and luckily my friend Kerri could make it. She doesn't have kids, which is nice sometimes. I could have company on the somewhat long drive and we didn't just deal with or talk abut kids the entire time. 

We went to Lops afterward for ice cream, which didn't hold a candle to creamy McD's soft serve. 

When I got home, Heidi and Tami walked by. They were heading to the elementary school to play at the park. The kids and I had only eaten ice cream since lunch, but I felt like blowing off the routine and embracing the summertime carefree attitude a little. It was glorious. The kids played so well and I got to talk to other adults. Felicity slept on and off in the hammock in the stroller. The sun was setting as we walked back and there was a hint of the sweet Russian Olive smell in the air. The kids were absolutely filthy. Like, honestly black and brown all over between the hike earlier and playing on the rubber bits that fill the bottom of the playground. But they were so tired that I didn't bathe them until the following morning. 

Why am I writing about this? Something so mundane as walking to the park in the evening? Probably because I felt free and light. A feeling that is rare these days. It was one of the highlights of my week. 

Then I got home and frantically made eggs for dinner. The kids found the salt shaker when I was upstairs getting Felicity down and dumped it on their eggs. The eggs didn't get eaten, but at least they had toast. I finally got them down by 8:45 or 9pm. 

On my 2nd round of nursing Felicity at 4am, I was listening to it rain and thinking/worrying about Brian down on the White Rim. Liesel started to call my name and complained her ear was hurting. She ended up coming in my bed and fell asleep. Then snored. I never fell asleep again, because she woke up and started crying and then everyone woke up and was crying. It was ultra-rainy outside. 

Lindsey was camping with some friends. Texted her to come over and dry out and make breakfast. I put the kids in the tub to get clean (finally) and Lindsey and Co showed up at 6:30am. They stayed for about 15 mins and then went to Denny's. 

Picked up Bountiful Basket, watched Leslie's kiddos for a bit and then Heidi came over to play also. Then Kerri and Kelly showed up. 

And Brian came home to the house full of women and children and we are now full circle. 

Two days in my life.