Sometimes I wonder about Cole....

Mind you it's 75 degrees outside and probably the most amazing day that we have had so far this year... and this is how Cole decided to dress to go outside because apparently... "It's Told outside" (In Cole Speak, as we call it). He did put on a bathing suit though.

Craziness....

Do you see a problem here?

A humbling morning....

I think that I might have needed to be brought down a notch. I find it amazing that there are examples daily of why we need to be reminded of what we have. This morning Carson had assessments for Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. The good news is that he does not require Occupational Therapy and is where he should be at age wise... BUT he will require Physical Therapy about twice weekly. He is at about the 18 month range for movement and such. That's cool, I'm OK with that. I will take all the help I can get. They were really nice there and after he warmed up he actually enjoyed himself (from what I heard as I was not allowed to be there, which is fine with me because kids always act different around their parents). As I waited for him to be done with his appointments I had to sit out in the waiting room or hallway actually and was able to view the other people that were doing therapy. I was almost brought to tears several times, which lately seems really easy to do. These people were here because some injury or disability. One man had a shunt in his head, another girl had an obvious disability, another woman had Knee Surgery and they were all there, happy, smiling, doing what they needed to do. They don't know if doing this will ever make a difference, if they will ever be able to walk again without a cane, not have to have a shunt or be able to be 21 and not have a walker. I take advantage of the fact that I can dance, go to the parks pain free with my kids, drive my own car (as the younger girl with the walker had to wait outside for her ride, which broke my heart) make dinner, play with my dogs, hug my husband, carry my baby, the list could go on forever. We all have been extremely sick here this week but we will survive, we will get better and be back to our normal selves. Sometimes we seem to get wrapped up in our own lives and forget that some people would kill to have some of the problems that we complain about. I learned today that I need to be reminded once in a while that in the grand scheme of things I live an amazing life. I have a healthy family, a home, wonderful friends. Do I need anything else? I learned a valuable lesson in gratitude today. Wonder what the next slap in the face will be?

Beauty in our own backyard...

I have learned to look at the beauty all around.... Living in the desert all of my life like I have sometimes you forget that it too can be a beautiful place. I have to say that we have kickin' sunrises and sunsets, beautiful spring and fall days, clean air, and wonderful places to explore. Recently we went to Afton Canyon outside of Barstow (that's right, I said BARSTOW) with Aaron, Jennifer and the twins, Kyla, and some friends from work and we had an amazing time exploring this beautiful place... makes me wanna go out and do this more often. Jayden hanging out by the train tracks

Soooo illegal yet so fun... (And Cole LOVES trains)

Kyla and Haylie... Same eyes...

This was one of the first times we went somewhere where Carson actually wanted to walk around by himself.. great progress for him

Aaron climbing the rope lines in "Cave Wall"

View from the top of the hike... Amazing

Kyla at the mine...

Cole and Daddy hiking the "crazy hike"...

Another top view...

"Crazy Hike"... Again...

All the kids got help crossing the rickety bridge.

Cole "hiking"

Carson "hiking"... Carson style

I wonder about Jayden... He's crazy.

We had a great time... Hope to do it again sometime soon.

Jumping Bean...

She's crazy.