A Weekend at the Cabin

The good times just keep coming for the Griffin family.  Jeri and Scott invited us up to the cabin last weekend and I'm so glad they did.  It is absolutely beautiful up there and the perfect place for some quality family bonding time.  We brought our 4-wheelers and that's pretty much all the boys wanted to do.

The kids quickly took time to eat some pizza and then it was out on the wheelers.

Hank is getting more confident on his little 4-wheeler.  I can't believe the difference from last year.  He was so sweet to take turns with Max and Colby all weekend.  I can't believe how well Max can drive it as well!  His driving usually ended quickly because he said his thumb was sore from pushing the gas.  I was fine with that because then he got to ride with me.

I love riding with Max.  He provides commentary the entire ride.

Lennon and Sam provided so much entertainment.  I could watch those two interact all day.  They are hilarious.

They loved to fight over the Kindle.

They got along as long as Lennon was holding it!

Jeri introduced us to a fun game called "Suspension".  Max was so good at it.

He came up with the most creative ways to hang his sticks.

Hank managed to get dirtier than everyone else while he was riding.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Exhibit C

While the boys were riding, Lennon and Sam were wrestling.

Sam had lots of time to cuddle with Grandma.

We also had a serious family arm wrestling tournament.

Kunz was so proud she could beat Dyson.

After all that arm wrestling, it was time for smores.

While we enjoyed smores, Sam enjoyed the dirt.

What mom?  Can't a boy play in the dirt?

Jeri snapped this cute picture of my family.

Then it was time for a sink tub for Sammy-boy.

I couldn't stop taking pictures of him.  His expressions are priceless.

Not to mention he looked way to big to be in that sink!

Later that evening, the boys were all playing the Wii downstairs and everyone else was upstairs watching a movie.  Suddenly I heard Max scream and start running up the stairs.  He had been running around like a mad man and fell off the air mattress and hit his head on the floor.  There was no blood so after a kiss I sent him back downstairs and told him to settle down.  Not 5 minutes later, I heard another scream from Max, this time louder and noticed a trail of blood behind him.  Oh crap, I am not very good in situations like this.  I could barely look, fearing the worst.  The blood was coming from his foot and after Scott, Randy and I looked at it we decided we better take a trip to the ER in Park City.  Poor Max, he was really hurting.  Randy and Scott loaded him in the car and I stayed back at the cabin with Hank and Sam.

Of course, Randy said Max was so tough and brave.  The ER doctor examined him and decided that since the cut was on his foot they would hold off on stitches.  Had it been anywhere else on his body it would've required stitches.  Max came back to the cabin in good spirits and out of pain.  He insisted I instagram his bloody towel.  I swear this kid always has me on my toes.  He is so accident prone.

Here's a look at the wound up close.

He slept in until 10 the next morning and was ready to get out on the 4 wheeler like nothing had happened.

I have to document Sam's obsession with the "gycles".  Every time he heard them start up, he ran to the door screaming "gycle!".  He rode for hours without a single complaint.  He fits in quite nicely with our family of wheeler riders!

Cousin Teamwork

This picture was taken before one of our last rides of the trip.

It ended up going a little longer than we planned.

Sam switched from from Randy's wheeler to mine half way through.

It must be the mothers touch.  He couldn't stay awake a minute more.  Driving with a sleeping toddler is a bit of a challenge but I loved having him snuggle up to me like that.

These boys are troopers.  They are always down for a good time and they love to go go go!

Other than Max's mishap it was such a great weekend.  I went on a little hike one afternoon by myself and I couldn't help but reflect on the last time we were at the cabin.  It was just weeks before Jeri's major surgery and breast cancer treatment.  It was on that trip we told Hank Grandma had cancer.  There was so much uncertainty and fear surrounding us.  I'm so happy to be here a year later with Jeri.  She is such an incredible woman and the way she handled everything she went through last year is so inspirational to me.  I'm so grateful to have her in my life and in my children's lives.   

Silver Lake on the 24th

I've had the itch to go up to Silver Lake all summer.  The 24th of July seemed to be the perfect time for such an outing.  My mom and dad, as well as Kate and Sarah and their families all came up.  Grandpa Curt surprised Hank with a new fishing pole and promptly showed him how to use it.

It just does my heart good to see my dad teaching Hank how to fish.  He also did a fair amount of teaching me and Randy how to fish as well.

That's my man!

Max had the magic touch.  I think he caught more fish than anyone.

Such an adorable little fisherman.

Hank's best friend is quite the hunter and fisher so he really listened as my dad taught him what to do.  I spent most of our time up there fishing as well.  I really enjoy it.

It felt so good to be up in the mountains with the whole family.  We live in such an incredibly beautiful place and I love exposing my children to that.  The party didn't end in the canyon.  We cleaned up and everyone came to our house for a BBQ and fireworks show.  I must have been really exhausted because I don't have one picture to prove that party even happened.  You're just going to have to trust me on this one.  I have the mosquito bites to prove it!  It was such a fun day.

July Fun!

July, please don't be over already!  This has been one of the most fun summers I can remember.  It's been so fun that I'm really struggling to keep my blog up to date. Here are some random pictures from the month of July.

Sam has turned into a little boy, no more baby here.  Other than the fact he still has a newborn binky.  We had some rainy days towards the first part of the month and he took full advantage of the puddles.

He simply adores Kennedy! 

Sam loves baseball and it's a good thing since we spent the majority of July at a ball park.

Thumbs up for Hank's team! I don't know what I would've done with out his grandmas at all of Hank's games.  He loves to sit by "bampa".

  

We also had plenty of fun at home on the tramp with the hose.

Randy really took his hosing duties seriously!

Max may have a future in the rodeo.  He held on forever while Randy was trying to buck him off.

No summer would be complete without some slip n' slidin'.

Sam even got tossed down the slide.

Who says only kids can enjoy it?  Randy and I both had turns sliding and I have to admit, it's really fun!

I also had a fantastic night out with a few of my girlfriends at the Indigo Girls concert in Deer Valley.

There's just nothing like hanging out with girls who have been your friends since childhood.

I even spent the night in Park City.  It was such a great time and just the break I needed.

We took Jeri and Scott out on the boat one Sunday afternoon and the tube got quite the work out!

The kids loved riding next to Grandma Jeri.

Family Tube!  Sam was safe and sound on the boat with Grandma.

I think Randy might be smacking his booty here? 

The boys spent a few afternoons at the batting cages practicing before Hank's state tournament.  All that practice paid off!

Kate's birthday gave us a great excuse to have a girls night shopping and eating!  I love this tradition and I love these ladies.  We had such a great time at City Creek and found Kate some darling back to school clothes.

On Kate's actual birthday we got our bowl on at Jack and Jill's.  Look at my beautiful sisters! 

July has been non-stop action, I still have two posts to go.  Up next is my 24th recap and our weekend at the cabin.

Hank's Pitching Debut and an Important Announcement

The Cardinals played in the State Tournament earlier this month and gave it their all.  They won their first game in dramatic style.  After being behind the entire game, the come back kids rallied and Hank found himself up to bat at a critical moment.  The tying run was on third and Hank's hit got him home!  It was so exciting I could hardly wait for the next game.  

Unfortunately the team they played had a bit more luck with the bat than we did.  It wasn't a must win game and we needed to save our pitchers for the next day so they called Hank in to pitch!

He looked so little up there.  I watched in amazement as he walked up to the mound, full of confidence.  He struck the first two batters out!  I'm so glad my dad was there to see it.

It was extremely emotional for me to watch.  About halfway through the inning he was holding his side in pain.  I asked him what was wrong and he told me his pump site was digging into him.  Randy called timeout and ran onto the field, pulled out his site, and he continued pitching.  That is the worst part of being a Type 1 diabetic.  Diabetes is always present, always a factor, always trying to mess up my darling little Hank's life and I hate it! Bless his little heart, he finished the inning.  I really couldn't have been more proud in that moment. They ended up taking 5th overall in the tournament and Hank played the best he's played all season. 

While I'm on the topic of how amazing Hank is and how awful diabetes is, it's time for our Team Hank fundraiser for JDRF.  I've really involved myself this year and I'm inspired by the incredible people I've met.  The Juvenille Diabetes Research Fund is doing more to find a cure for this terrible disease than any other organization.  The following is the letter I e-mailed to friends and family and put on facebook.  Here is the link to our Team Hank page http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/teamhank

Family and Friends-

I must begin this letter by expressing my profound gratitude and love to everyone who supported Hank and our little family last year in the American Diabetes Association's walk.  Team Hank raised 2.875.00, surpassing our goal of 2,000.00!  This year, our fundraising efforts are being directed to the JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes. Since Hank has Type 1 or juvenile diabetes, that is where I want our money to go.  Type 1 diabetes is a life-threatening autoimmune disease in which a person's pancreas stops producing insulin - a hormone essential to the ability to get energy from food. It strikes both children and adults suddenly and changes life as they know it forever. It cannot be prevented and there is no cure.

JDRF is the largest nongovernmental funder of T1D research and the only global organization with a strategic research plan to fight T1D. This science is complex and costly, and every dollar JDRF is able to direct toward research comes from donors like you.  

Hank was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on March 28. 2011.  Our life as we new it changed drastically in that very instant.  Randy and I decided early on that we would do whatever it took to make sure this disease didn't stop Hank from doing everything he wanted to do.  I'm happy to say we've been able to make good on that promise.  However, there is an insane amount of planning, sleepless nights, and hard work going on behind the scenes to make that happen.  I also rely on Hank to be more responsible and brave than any 8 year should ever have to be.  He is poking his finger at least 10 times a day, enduring countless shots and site changes, and counting every carb that passes his lips.  Unfortunately he's had to grow up a little faster than most kids his age and realize just how fragile his health can be.  There isn't a moment in the day when I'm not thinking or worried about Hank's diabetes.  I worry for my other children all the time, as their risk of developing this disease is also high.  

I wish so badly I could take this burden from Hank.  Raising money for JDRF makes me feel like I'm doing something to find a cure for this awful disease.  Randy and I are committed to keeping Hank healthy and free from all the possible side effects that come with diabetes until that cure becomes a reality. 

Please donate as generously as you can.  I've increased our team goal to 3,500.00 this year and I just know with all your help we can meet that goal and do our part.  The walk this year is going to be in Provo at the Riverwoods and it will be a lot of fun for the whole family.  Please join Team Hank as we Walk to a Cure!

We couldn't do all we do without all your love and support.  We are surrounded by so many incredible people.

Thank you and much love!

Randy and Annie Griffin