Oh, what a pain!

So I get it now...when you tweak your back you have to take it easy for a while if you don't want to really go down for the count. But what is a mom of 4 boys, with a yard that needs weeding, a trampoline that needs to be set up and moved 4 times because of crabby neighbors, a bathroom that needs to be painted and plastered, a race this summer to train for and a baseball party that needs to be hosted to do? Now I'm paying for it and oh, what a pain! I have been forced out of commission and put on "light duty" by my boys and loving mother until I can get healed up. I've never had back problems before (even through all my years of gymnastics) and yikes, does it stink! Physical therapy starts Thursday and with a little more time this sacral/ileac joint dysfunction will be a fleeting memory I hope. Until then, I have all this time to rest and think up more projects and things to add to my "to-do" list - to do with patience and caution of course.

Open Wide

It seems hard to believe that it's already
that time...time for solid foods for Cole.
We tried out rice cereal this past week.
After only a few bites, he caught right on
was opening wide for more.














I couldn't stop for a picture until lunch was
about done since he would cry when the
spoonfuls where to infrequent. Once he had
a full tummy, he was ready to show off
his messy smile.




















What's for dinner?

Happy 6th Birthday Ty

Tyler celebrated his 6th Birthday at Bullwinkles
Family Fun Center with cousins and friends. Tyler
is our social goofball. He loves to be silly and make
people laugh. He is so thoughtful of others and truly
values people and relationships. He had so much
fun being the "Birthday Boy" and having his best-loved
people party with him. Friends, Pizza, Sundaes,
Presents, what more could a 6 yr old boy ask for?

I loved having 9 kids come, play, eat and then
leave the mess to the friendly staff to return to a quiet,
clean house for a relaxing evening. Since Ty and I share
a birthday, this is how I treat myself! Happy Birthday to me!

Triathletes Big and Little

Bart finished his 3rd sprint triathalon over Memorial
Day Weekend. He doesn't have the time to train as
much anymore, and the swim and bike were much longer
and harder in this race, but he pulled out a 1st place
win for his division - would we expect anything less
of this ultra competetor?! Go Dad!

Caden got in on the fun and entered the IronKids race.
Can you pick him out in the picture above? He's the
shrimpy, skinny one in the middle!
We didn't help him prepare enough for the swim, but we
were so proud, he never gave up...and better yet, he made
up so much time on the bike and run that he finished 4th
overall! His father's competetive gene definitely found it's
way to him. He had a lot of fun and wrote about it in his
school journal saying "I loved it!" A funny sidenote - He
insisted on wearing shorts to school the next day and I kept
telling him I thought it was too cold, but he was persistent.
I soon understood why wearing shorts was so important, when
I noticed him during breakfast looking down at his calves
(which still had his race numbers written on them) to make sure
the evidence of his race and "coolness" was going to be visible
for his classmates at school! What a kid!

Back Where it All Began

The Dicksons, (yes, almost all of us), from both sides of the country made a trip out to Provo, Utah - where Bart and I met (as well as John and Debbie, Bart's parents) where Cade was born and were all things began for our little family. We went for the week to wish Bart's youngest brother Mark off into the Missionary Training Center (MTC). He will be serving a 2 year mission to Colorado Springs and we wanted a chance to see him one last time before he left. All of Bart's family from Florida flew in as well. We had a great time and were so glad we could meet our 3 neices we'd never seen and spent some great time together.


Tyler tracing the letters of the MTC sign.

We were grateful the boys could see Mark
leave into the MTC. We hope it will be an
experience they will never forget and an
example to them through their years ahead





We had fantastic meals together...










and made wonderful memories watching the cousins (and dads) playing at parks, eating candy, swimming in the hotel, watching BYU baseball games and riding the Heber Creeper Railroad...













Thanks for the great time Dickson family!! We already can't wait for next time.

Our Caden

Finally - this tag is about a month old...but Cade is worth the wait!

1.To say that Cade LOVES sports is the understatement of the year. This kid eats, drinks, sleeps and breaths sports - All of them. It's no joke that Cade rarely will watch a cartoon or a movie on TV...if he turn the TV on, he will find a sporting event of some sort any time of the day. He is an amazing athlete - a natural at every sport he tries; baseball, basketball, football, soccer, snow skiing, hockey, bowling, golf, you name it! He is excited to be trying his first triathalon over Memorial Day weekend. His true love is basketball though and this past winter he discovered the NBA!! A Trailblazer fanatic has been born. He has informed me that for every Christmas and birthday from now on he wants a blazer jersey (easy for me!) until he has the whole team. I've tried to ban the blazer jerseys from the "school clothes" rotation, but I find that he just sneaks one into his backpack and changes at school. No joke! This is his first year pitching in baseball and he is incredible...and so stinking cute to watch!

2. Cade is very neat and tidy. Even as a baby he was always clean and hated his hands or face to get dirty. I would say this is a result of my wonderful training, but he has been my only one this way. He takes great care of his things - even when I find little collections of "junk" from a birthday party or day out playing, it is always organized and in some "special" place - it makes me laugh. Babysitters tell me that he reminds THEM that they all need to pick up toys and games before bed! Anyone in my family knows that if you ask Cade if something is clean and he says "yes" that is it spotless. His future wife will either love this or hate it!

3. Cade is a pleaser. He is easy to discipline because he hates getting in trouble. When his teacher told me this year that he was getting a little too "social" and chatty, we had a talk. He was so worried that the teacher had talked to me about this "problem" that she said he didn't talk for weeks! He is so helpful and such a sweet heart. He often asks me (especially when we are having a stressful time getting out the door somewhere) "Mom, is there anything I can do to help?"

4. Cade has a sweet testimony and spirit - his prayers are priceless and so sincere (although he usually prays for sunny weather so that he can play sports outside) and whenever he is sick or has lost something he always tells me that he has prayed on his own and asked Heavenly Father to help. He has been reading the Book of Mormon by himself and is almost through Mosiah! Recently we went to Provo to see Cade's Uncle Mark into the Missionary Training Center for his mission for our Church. At the end of the program they show a very touching video about missionary service. As it ended, I looked down and saw Cade crying in the seat next to me. He said that he didn't know why he was crying, "it just made him feel good, and he was happy for Mark."

5. Cade is an awesome big brother. While he is super competetive and drives Tyler crazy because he is always "keeping score" or racing...he is a great example and cares a lot about his younger brothers. He is so patient with Bo and I often find them playing some made-up game together. He is so sweet with Cole - he holds him, carries him (even at times when I wish he wouldn't) and loves to make him laugh. They look up to him and do everything he does!

Cade is 7 going on 17...oh, how I wish he could stay little forever. But as he grows, I am amazed at his gifts and what an amazing kid he is. I feel so lucky to be his mom and I am grateful daily for the things he teaches me and the ways he makes me better. We LOVE you Caden!

Cole performs "The Trick"

Bart always anxiously anticipates the day that our babies can do the stand up "trick". Cole rivals Caden at being the youngest of our boys (only 3 months old) to perform it. He is not a pro yet, but with a little more practice, he'll be doing it well and Bart will be up to old antics of showing him off this way to EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE!