Our "Rockin'" Spring Break

After years of being held hostage at home by Jacob's passionate hatred of camping, we finally got to sleep in a tent again-- thanks to Grandma Dastrup. Jacob stayed home with Grandma and had a fun time going to the children's museum, Wheeler Farm, the library and just enjoying some one-on-one time. We took the other monkeys camping at Goblin Valley. It was awesome! Talk about a little boy's paradise: tons of dirt to play in, rocks to climb, and hills to run up and down. Ty and Benjmain were in heaven. We had a great time playing hide-and-seek games in Goblin Valley, making tinfoil dinners, roasting marshmallows and eating s'mores, telling "ghost stories" around the campfire, and hiking at Capitol Reef. I was worried that maybe our family just wasn't a camping family, but to my relief I learned that the only non-camper is Jacob. It was glorious to be out in nature again! But I must admit the trip was a little bitter-sweet. (Those who are only here for light reading should stop reading at this point because I'm about to bare a part of my soul which can get a little awkward.) It was so incredibly liberating to not have to worry about keeping Jacob from trying to vomit in the car every 10 minutes. We didn't even take our portable DVD player on our trip! And it was EASY and FUN without it! It was great to be able to particpate in whatever was going on instead of trying to keep Jacob happy. But whenever I found myself feeling free and like we were enjoying ourselves as a "normal" family, I'd quickly be struck down by feelings of guilt. I mean, what kind of parents take a family vacation and leave one of their children behind? I know he would have HATED every moment and that we couldn't have done it with him, but still... What kind of mother enjoys the absence of one of her children? I fervently wish that Jacob loved camping as much as the rest of us, but he just doesn't. It's sad to know that we may never enjoy camping as a whole family in this life, and that any time we want to let our other kids experience the joy of camping that we must impose on someone else to care for Jacob for us. But I guess that it is just all part of the package that comes with Jacob. I guess we have to pay for that unconditional love and those endless hugs somehow. We wouldn't trade our Jacob for any number of camping trips!

Viva Hogwarts!

This gave me a good laugh. I hope it can do the same for you. http://youtu.be/ySN8Q4U6wys

J-A-C-O-B

For all those of you who may not be abreast of the latest Facebook headlines (and those who have simply blocked me), the big news to come out of this week is that Jacob is writing his name independently! Yes, it is true! His teacher called me early in the week and said that while one of her assistants was working with him on a whiteboard he just wrote his name. She wasn't expecting him to do it, so when she recognized what he had done, she called to Mrs. Wally to come see quickly. Mrs. Wally picked up the child she was working with and carried him with her to try to see, but Jacob dutifully erased the whiteboard like he has been taught to do when he is done using it. They gave him the marker, and he wrote his name again! Mrs. Wally screamed with excitement, which made Jacob cry. She quickly gave him some gummy worms to assure him that it was a good thing, and he was pacified. Of course I immediately got Jacob and gave him a marker and a whiteboard, and he did it! J-a-c-o-b! The 'J' was pretty good, but none of the other letters lined up with it, and the rest were a little shaky, so the untrained eye might have a bit of a hard time recognizing it for what it was, but it was definitely his name. I am thrilled! For some time now I could tell that when I helped him write his name that a lot of the motion came from him, but when I'd let go he'd just start scribbling. But this time he truly did it all by himself! I tried to get him to do it for Brigham and for my parents, but he wouldn't do it either time. Perhaps he's realized the marketability of his new skill and is holding out for more gummy worms. But I've seen it with my own eyes, and I'm so proud of my Jacob. It makes me wonder what other things he will surprise us with in the future!