Mother's Day and more...

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful ladies; we love and cherish each and everyone of the beautiful mothers & mothers-to-be in our lives!!  While we may not all be able to physically share the day with our mothers; we can cherish memories, be thankful for the time & energy they poured into us, and never forget our Mother's Love!  I am blessed to have had 2 moms in my life!! 

My biological mother passed away when I was a teenager.  She lived her life in Colorado.  I moved to Arizona when I was two, but I flew out to see mom on a fairly regular basis growing up, until I was about 12 which was the last time I ever got to spend time with her.  She was sick & I was too young to understand.  It was one of the hardest times in my life (thus far) for me to learn that she had passed away when I hadn't gotten a chance to say Goodbye!  She knows I love her & I know she loved me too!! 

My step mom raised me in Arizona from the time I was 3 and did a pretty darn good job if I say so myself!  She loved and supported me throughout my life & always encouraged a strong relationship with my real mom!  She and I have become the greatest friends in my adult life!

This is the third year I have been a mommy on Mother's Day.  This year Phil & I decided to take the boys up to Woods Canyon Lake just North of Payson for a camping and fishing trip.  Phil found a great tent for us on Craigslist since we didn't all fit into the old one.  I picked up a new air-bed & pump.  We packed the van and after Phil got off work on Saturday we hauled up.  After several pit stops we managed to get there before the sunset.  We met Pam and her family up there! After we got camp set up we let Parker roast his hotdogs over the camp fire for dinner and Brad (Pam's better half) made Smores! yummy!!  Parker just liked roasting his marshmallows.  We really had a great night hanging out with the Pam's family.  

The fun of the trip was pretty much over once Phil & I climbed into the tent with the boys who were sleeping.  We all got snuggled in, and just after Phil & I fell asleep Braden started crying.  We pulled him closer thinking he was cold, and he puked on us.  Phil went to clean it up, and Parker woke up and puked too.  ALL OVER EVERYTHING: the new tent, the new air-bed, our ONLY sleeping bags, and US.  It was a nightmare.  Braden wouldn't stop crying so I had to take him into the van since we were camping in a crowded camp site.  shortly after, Phil joined us with Parker and Bozlee.  We were crammed into the back of the van trying to keep the boys as comfortable as possible in effort to get a little bit of sleep.  By the next morning Phil & I had both been sick.  The stomach bug moved through all four of us in a matter of hours - NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT! 

We had planned on spending the day fishing & enjoying Mother's Day on the lake, but without any sleep or energy there was no way!  It was a miracle to muster the energy to breakdown camp and load the van back up.  Phil drove us home and we spent most of the afternoon sleeping.  The boys took me to Ihop for Mother's Day 'breakfast' around 6 at night!  None of us hardly ate.  We rented a movie and laid in bed all night.  It will be hard to forget this Mother's Day that's for sure!!