Family Time

Have I mentioned lately that I am crazy about this guy?

Okay, I know the photo is blurry, but I still like it because his blue eyes sparkle and he is so ruggedly handsome!!!

Well, I AM crazy about him!  And for the last few years, we simply haven't been able to spend as much time with him as we all would have liked.  Self-employment is BRUTAL that way!  Therefore, whenever we can, we try to plan family activities that include all of us, so that we can get some much-needed Daddy time.  Studies show that this is vital for the strength of a family and the well-being of the children.  And studies aside--duh!  I could have told you that without the cost of whatever went into those surveys.  We all just feel more complete and whole (me, in particular) when we are together.  So, here's to more family time that includes our most excellent Daddy-oo!

For example:  The Circus!

We were blessed with the opportunity to go to the Circus when it was in town.  Everyone was excited; not one of us had ever been to a real circus performance before.  The Animal Rights Activists camped out at the entrance to the Pepsi Center *almost* shamed us out of it, with their posters claiming elephant cruelty and animal slavery on the part of the Circus owners, but we chose to march right on by them and enjoy the show.

The opening number:  lots of dancers, acrobats, clowns, and elephants!

The "Lion-Tamer" (or Tiger-Tamer, as the case may be)

Here's the crew at intermission enjoying a little popcorn and soda.

Truthfully, it was a fun show, but a little loud and flashy for our taste.  Our little family tends to get overstimulated in that kind of environment, and by about halfway through the show, Trey was clearly tired of it.  BUT, the animals were fascinating and the acrobatics were CRAZY and amazing!  The dancing and loud music and bright lights were just distracting extras, in my opinion.  And, hey!  We can all say now that we have been to a real, live circus.  Fun family time!

Another example: An evening at the Denver Temple grounds!

The pictures here are terrible, because we were there in the evening after dark, but you can get the general idea.  We decided to go down one evening and kidnap Daddy from his office and go have a picnic dinner on the lawn by the temple.  Trey had recently been fascinated by a book we read at bedtime called, "I Love to See the Temple," and I wanted to take him to see the real thing.  Plus, Daddy had been having a rough day at work and I thought it would do him some good to spend a little time with us in a peaceful place.

Here's the gang in front of the temple looking at the fountain.  Trey is in there, behind Avery, although you can barely see him.

Admiring the pretty fountain in front of the temple.

In Trey's book about the temple, there is a page about the Cornerstone.  So, we wanted a picture of him touching the cornerstone on the Denver Temple.

It really is lovely, even though this picture is so poor.  This was our view while we had our picnic dinner on the lawn below the temple.

One last picture before I wrap up this post.  And really, it's just a screen shot.  We sometimes are out of luck when it comes to family time because Daddy is up against a deadline and can't break away.  During those times, I am thankful that we can call or email or text throughout the day to stay in touch.  Recently, Nathan was quite occupied at work as he approached a tax filing deadline.  I texted him to wish him well, and I got a reply that cracked me up:

Do you get it?  His text includes a typo that reveals his state of mind that day.  So funny!  Some days, you just take whatever you can get when it comes to being together.  We love you, Daddy!