Weirdness in Utah

So the other day I was feeling board, and had been in the house to long. So I packed to boys up to go and find something.

Boy oh boy.... find something we did! We found a funny little park in the middle of Salt Lake. Really, it was tucked behind a bread store and a couple of houses.

It was a park that was full of sculptures... Kinda odd ones. It was the Gilgal Gardens. I took a couple pictures but the boys took my camera and took the rest.... they did a pretty good job.

 The boys next to a sculpture of some books.... the Standard Works I guess

Ok... so I'm really bad with symbolism so I have no idea what is going on or what it means...

 Joseph Smith's head on a Sphinx {taken my James}

 Two hands and two hearts {taken by James}

 I have no idea {taken by James}

 The keystone {there is also a bird house} {taken by James}

 A bird of some sort.... I didn't notice it until I saw the picture {taken by Tommy}

 An anvil.... seriously no idea. {taken by Tommy}

 A self sculpture of the artist Thomas Childs {Tim took this picture and I think it looks really cool with the leaves in front of it}

 Tommy took this one.

 Tim took this of his brother.

 And one of some of the boys and I

 And he wanted a funny one.

Tim also took this one of Benji. Poor Benji really wanted to use the camera too.... he has a year or two before I'm going to let him loose with my camera.

It was a fun day and we hit a GeoCache. We found a funny little park and spent the day outside.

Here's to weirdness in the city.

Where is the Duncan Clan??

We went out to Payson.

It's a small little town and we went because of the Scottish festival.

My mother in law is from Scotland. She emigrated here to America when she was 19.

So the Scottish blood runs thick through Steve and the boys are happy to claim that they are 1/4 Scottish, although I really don't think they know what that means.

 This is the kilt that James was blessed in

This is the kilt that Tim wore for Benji's funeral {Steve's brother}

And now it fits our little Benji

So we hit the Scottish festivals when ever we have the chance. {you might remember this}

We were going to Payson to drop the boys off for the night and since this festival was going on we made time to go.

This was a small festival. They had a few events where Scots can come and see who can throw things the farthest, and the bag pipes playing.

And they have clan tents everywhere. All the clans are set up and you can go and talk to those that are in your clan and see your heritage in action.

All the clans except for the Duncan clan.

All the tents are in their neat rows and we walk by each one, but the Duncans are no where to be found.

So we have decided that we are going to registrar and be the official Duncan clan representative for all the festivals that are around.

And because we can really clam to have Scottish heritage we are going to all get kilts... well the boys will, I'll get a skirt. And here is something interesting that you might not know. A woman is suppose to claim the clan that she was born into as her clan. So even though she may marry someone from another clan she is to keep the kilt and clan she was born with. {if she's not scottish she can then take her husbands clan.}

And I love the Duncan motto.... "Savour the Moment"

To School we go

This has been a really hard summer for me. Besides the move, and helping Steve start his practice, I have known for a while now that the boys would be actually be going to school this year.

I have always said that I would homeschool the boys until I was directed to something else. I was never one that was dead set on homeschooling from birth to graduation, although I want too. I counsel with Steve and the Lord often about teaching the boys. It would be a year by year thing.

Back in March, before our life was turned upside down, I had the impression that the boys needed to be registered for school. While we were in North Carolina I actually put them in the lottery for a really good Charter school and while they were on the waiting list, they were on the wait list and had a good chance of getting in.

Before we left North Carolina I prayed some more and got the same answer, so I consigned all my homeschool stuff except what we are working on. That was really hard to walk away from that store, feeling like I was walking away from 4 years of my life.

Then our world was turned upside down with a major move. All through this we schooled as best we could and tried to stay on top of everything.

Being here I prayed some more, and still had the impression that they needed to be in school.

Honestly it breaks my heart.

I am so nervous. My oldest is going to school for the first time.... at 4th grade.

I am nervous for them. I am also nervous to have my faults laid out. What if they fail at math?? That would be my fault. What if I totally screwed up on science?? And I never did teach spelling.

I worry about bad habits... I worry about friends... I worry about bullying.... I worry about their education.

I know what is going on with the public schools and the changes that are happening, and I have prayed and still the answer is they need to be in school.

And I worry that they will love it so much and never want to come home. I worry that their teachers will do a better.... funner job than me.

But I know that the Lord knows these boys better than I do. I know that He has their best interest at heart. I know that He is looking out for our family. I know that He knows the desires of my heart, and that He has taken that into consideration, but ultimately He has the final say and I try hard to do His will.

When I knew they were to go to school this next year I had no idea what was in store for me. But it looks like I will be working at the office for a while until we can afford to hire someone. The Lord know me. He knows what is in store for me and what is the best road for me to walk. I think I would have fought sending the kids to school for me to go to work a lot more had I not known for as long as I have.

So while this is not what I would have picked, we are going to embrace it. The boys are starting to get a little more excited. I am trying to prepare them as best I can and have a positive attitude.

I will miss my boys during the day. I will miss the crazy and the loud and the fun. And yes... I will even miss the not so happy days.

I hope this is only for a year or two. And then I can bring them back home. But really it's not up to me. I don't know what the future holds {I wish I did} But I will do the best I can.

Lets back up a bit.

Man... life is passing faster than what I would like. It seems that I blink and two or three weeks have passed by.


Here is a quick glance at what has happened....

For Memorial Day we went to the Orem cemetery to see Benji's grave. The boys had been there before but it had been a while so it was nice to go back. I really like doing things like this for Memorial Day. In the past we had gone to a military cemetery, and put flags on the the grave sites. This time it was nice to go and honor someone that we knew.

We went out one day to the Fort Douglas Museum. It's an old Army fort in Salt Lake. They had a bunch of military vehicles that were out side that the boys could play on {I guess....} It was fun seeing all the big stuff. And then we went inside and saw a bunch of old artifacts that were found around the area.

A picture of James and Benji together. Sitting on an old cannon. I'm not sure if they were allowed, but there wasn't a sign saying they couldn't... so up they climbed.

{the seriously cute baby!!} { I love that my boys all have killer eyes!}

Up against a tank. You see them in movies, but I don't think I have ever really realized how big they are!

After the military museum we went to Liberty Park to play. There was a splash pad, so the boys do what any child would do.... they all stripped down to go get wet.

 {Really.... this baby can sleep anywhere! This time is on the grass at the {noisy} park}

My Benji....

Tommy is funny. He is very cautious to get wet, so it was fun to watch him enjoy the splash pad. {He wouldn't take his shirt off}

Tim and Tommy together. If anyone knows them well knows that they can be best friends or arch nemesis! Today it was best friends. It was a good day.

And here is my James.... yes.. he is very confident. I love that about him. This was a fun picture with the water spraying.

We took a trip down town, and Benji was in HEAVEN because we took the 'train' {trax}. He made every single person on the train smile with how excited he was about it. He was singing about trains, and making train noises, and telling every person who got on "I'M RIDING THE TRAIN!"

We met some friends down town to see the Church History Museum, Temple Square, and to have a tour of the Assembly Hall. It was really cool to go on the roof and see the garden up there.

Then we went camping....

First let me tell you. I have been camping before. I love camping.... at least I love it as a kid that can just go play.

Camping is a lot of work!! A lot more than I ever thought it was. I was not prepared for camping. We had chaos 10 minutes after we turned the boys loose.

Do you see the problem??

Did you notice it?? Here is a closer look

James jumped out of the car and took off to play. Totally fine, I was happy for him. But... he found the biggest mud hole and ended up in it.

He loss a shoe.

Fortunately, Steve found it... in the mud...I can't believe it!

We stripped the boys down. {Because Tim stepped in the mud too}

I learned that clearly 2 pairs of clothes for ONE day is not enough.

Steve and the boys caught crawfish. They look like tiny lobsters. And the boys caught quite a few of them.

They were kept in a bucket, and Benji was fascinated by them. He loved watching them crawl around in the bucket of water. {before they died} 

Tim had a great time. He loves nature and being out in the dirt....

Until he tries to jump the small stream and doesn't quite make it.

I had a little time with Swim and he decided that he loved the camera.

Odd that I didn't get any pictures of Tommy on our camping trip, but he was there. He was running crazy with his cousin Max.

I took the boys up to Brighton. We walked the loop around the small lake. We tried finding a GeoCache. Sadly we didn't find it. But the boys had a great time anyway looking at all the trees the beavers chewed down.

They found a rock to conquer... 

 And conquer they did! They loved climbing up the side of the rock and seeing me way down low.

Benji thought he would try to climb.... he tried hard.

Here are the small boys and I down on the ground.

Ok... that caught me a up a little.

We are working on getting the Chiropractic office up and running so that is what we..I .. have been doing. We have been working crazy on that. {and I have a project that I have been working on that I hope to share soon}

Happy Birthday America

Our Fourth of July started out with sleeping in. And they Steve taking the big boys to see a movie... Despicable Me 2.

Then we made our way up to North Ogden to spend the day with our other family... the family that we collected on our journeys.

We had dinner with and let all the kids run crazy.... and they did.

And then we made our way to the park for music and fireworks.

First thing we did was to find Benji.

He got lost.

You would think with 4 sets of adults we would be able to keep track of every one.... nope. Between the 4 families there are 16 kids and only 2 of them are girls.

That's a lot of boys to keep track of!!

After a quick announcement from the man on the stage with the microphone he was brought back to me.

{so todate.... we have lost James, Tim and now Benji.... and people wonder why I leash my children....}

 Nothing says summer fun like rolling down the hills!

 Tommy

 This is Davy....

EmilieAn and Brian..... just in case you missed him that's Adam down in the corner.

Benji made a new friend. This is after he got taken off the playground for hitting and spitting.... I can't take my eye off this one!

James is down near the stage. He loves music so he was down rockin' out to the band. {which was horrible!! They murdered the songs they sung!!} James loved it and that made me happy!

 A photo bombing child.... it is not mine.

This was Swim's first 4th of July! And other than being upset about not being able to sit straight on a hill he was a happy baby.

 Friends.... kids.... crazy.... fireworks....

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who ends up with pictures like this!

 While everyone Ooooo and Ahhhhhh-ed

Benji was telling yelling at everyone to watch the fireworks. Making sure everyone saw how pretty they were.

He was quite excited about the fireworks!

So if this doesn't say "Happy Fourth of July" I don't know what does!!