Sunday, April 15, 2012

Through the river and over the woods

(aka Rocky Mountain highs and lows)

The mountains along the Wasatch Front are beautiful. They really are something you have to see to believe. So every time we are in Utah, we try to get up in the mountains a bit. On this trip we went twice.

Rob and I finished a date night out for Indian food by taking a drive into Little Cottonwood Canyon. We weren't really dressed for hiking, but we walked around just a little and took a picture. This past week was Rob's birthday and it was also our 6 1/2 year anniversary. I was a smart girl to marry this nerdy wordy man. I love him so! (I don't know why I'm scrunching my face so you can see up my nose. Ah well.)

On another lovely sunny day we took the 3 kids and headed up Big Cottonwood Canyon.
We drove all the way to the top where the road closed because of snow (in the summer you can continue driving up and over to Park City on the other side of the ridge.) There was still significant snow up there and skiers enjoying the runs at Snowbird (I think it was Snowbird anyway.)

Then we drove back down and found a place to park so we could go for a little hike. Jakey however, insisted it was time to eat, so Rob took the big kids off on an adventure and I stayed at the car with the baby man and enjoyed the views.

So amazing.

After we were all back together, I still really wanted to go somewhere, and there was a waterfall not far down the path, so we all headed out again- Rob carrying Jacob. We came to the part of the stream pictured above. And we couldn't see the falls really so we decided to cross.

I told the kids not to worry about getting wet shoes, we'd just go back to Grandma's and change. The water was frigid cold though (snowmelt) so we didn't want to get wet. Rob crossed with Jake and Toby. Then Charlotte and I were crossing. Rob took Charlotte's hand as we approached the other side and pulled her across, then he took my hand. I took one more big step onto a rock and slid right down it and went WAIST DEEP into the water. (Yeah, it doesn't look that deep does it?) Rob tried to pull me up, but only had one hand free and it really hurt as my arm went up while the rest of me went down. So I started to cry and hyperventilate.

***At this point I would like to say 2 things-
1. I know that I should have tested the rock before stepping onto it, I don't know why I didn't.
And 2. Don't hyperventilate at high altitudes.***

I realized I was getting close to fainting at this point (ears ringing, world going black,) so Rob somehow lugged me out of the stream to sit on a rock and breathe deeply with my head between my legs. I really didn't want the kiddos to worry, and I REALLY didn't want to leave Rob on the wrong side of the stream, on the side of a mountain, with 3 little kids and an unconscious freezing wife. But I was okay, I promise.

I pulled it together enough to cross the stream - again - and get to the car where we turned on the heat full blast. Rob wanted to go to the hospital, but it really wasn't necessary. I teased him about ripping my arm right off my body with his massive upper body strength. (He's been working out for a few months now and is quite muscular.) But we got back to Casa Anderson and I took many ibuprofen and a long nap. 3 days later I was fine.

We know we were dumb... and we know we got lucky. I am very thankful it was me and not Rob who slipped. I am thankful none of the kids got hurt and that I didn't get hurt more badly. We'll exercise more caution in the future, k? But I hope that me sharing this story made you laugh maybe a little bit... but not too much! It was kinda traumatic for me! And if you are in Utah, please go see the "hidden falls" in Big Cottonwood Canyon and let me know what they look like. ;)

Over the river and through the woods

We just got home from a nice visit with our Anderson family in Utah. (At 3:45 this morning to be exact. Red eye flights with small children are not for the faint-hearted, but thankfully our kids are pros at that stuff and didn't give us much trouble at all.)

We got to do lots of fun stuff with Grandma Anderson. We went to the Hogle Zoo, the LDS Church History Museum (it's not as dull as it sounds- lots of hands on pioneer stuff to play with,) and Temple Square. We shopped, visited with a few of my friends from college, played many board games and Mahjong, and ate at In-N-Out Burger and Cafe Rio. We dyed eggs, got baskets from the Easter Bunny, went to church, and had a nice Easter dinner. It was busy but laid back. It was great. :)

Toby practices giving a talk at the podium. This is identical to the one in the Conference Center, where General Conference is broadcast from to church members throughout the world. We just watched it a few weeks ago, so the kids totally recognized it.

This is what often happens when you ask an obliging stranger to take a picture of your family in front of the Salt Lake Temple.

Toby and Charlotte dyed eggs with Aunt Becky.
She was so nice to get all of the stuff ready to do that with them. :)

Jacob didn't help dye the eggs, but he was willing to taste test them.

Easter Sunday, just home from church.
Charlotte and Toby got new outfits from the Easter Bunny, and Jakey got a new outfit from my dear friend Suzanne. (Toby got his first tie-- "just like dad's.")

He's not heavy, he's my brother.
(I especially like that the tie is clipped onto his pocket in this photo. Toby also likes to wear his watch on his ankle. He's got his own ideas, that kid.)


Thanks Grandma for letting us come to your house for Easter!

Sunday, April 01, 2012

put a little sole into it

Friday night Toby and Charlotte each had their first soccer games. Rob and I don't have much of a background in team sports (at all,) so the whole family was kind of excited and a bit nervous leading up to these games. They have been enjoying practice, and they both have great volunteer coaches teaching them some basic skills, but we just didn't know what to expect come game time. What happened was NOT surprising, but it was hilarious, and Charlotte and Toby's very different personalities came out full force on the field.



Toby was up first. His team of 3-4 year olds have mostly never played before. He has one little girl on his team that can REALLY play. (Seriously, she is a killer in pigtails.) At this age they allow the coaches to be on the field to help direct the action. There is no ref. It is slightly organized chaos.


In practice, Toby listened very closely to his coach, sometimes, but would get distracted by everything going on around him. There is one little boy on his team though that won't even get on the field yet, so I guess that's normal.

In the game, Toby was awesome.
Whenever the coach would say things like, "Who thinks they can get the ball?" Toby would jump up and yell "I can!!" He was all enthusiasm and joy. He ran up and down that field the whole game. And he kicked the ball like 5 times. Maybe. He was just happy to be there and so proud of himself. It had Rob and I grinning from ear to ear on the sidelines.

Next up was Charlotte's game.
Charlotte has a difficult time listening during practice because she is very busy socializing with the other players and kicking the dirt. She is here for the party! These 5-6 year olds have mostly been playing for a year or two and a few of her teammates seem to be frustrated by her flightiness already, and to them all I can say is, "I feel your pain." ;)

Charlotte's game had a referee... and a VERY particular one at that. He made sure they followed every rule. I realize they have to learn these things at some point, but the very first game for some of them??? I guess it's good to start off on the right foot? Anyway. Charlotte started off strong! She ran hard- for about 3 minutes. Then she got frustrated that she wasn't getting to kick the ball and stood on the field gesturing- Shock! Frustration! Twirling and leaping like a ballerina!

She sat out the second quarter. At the half we asked her how she was feeling and she said, "Oh, the coach just had to talk to me about some stuff." (In a way to suggest that she is the assistant coach and wasn't riding the pine pony.) Even the mom next to us burst out laughing at that one.

In the third quarter Charlotte stumbled upon the idea of defense. (Less running involved.) And she was really pretty good at it! She blocked a goal and LOVED hearing all the parents cheer for her and kicked the ball away from the other team when they would approach. I think she has found her niche. :)

So this is our life for the next couple of months. Like I said, Rob and I had a great time, so I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. Rob was genuinely surprised that he had so much fun watching these pee-wees play. I just hope it doesn't get too dang hot. It's already reached 90 here once, and the temp is bound to be warmer in May!