Father's Weekend 2013

I wouldn't be a mother without the father of my children.  And somehow I got lucky enough to get the BEST father-of-my-children a girl could ask for.  You wouldn't argue with that statement if you saw him in action...fathering.  Don't think I don't realize how rare it is to find a man who is 100% committed to fatherhood, to sharing in the everyday minutia of rearing two boys, to taking the "equal partners" thing seriously, to rough-housing, cleaning out curdled milk bottles, changing blowout diapers, rocking sick babies all hours of the night and showing an enormous capacity for love.  I really scored.  And the boys may not know it, but they did too.  Happy late Father's Day, my love!  Fatherhood suits you.  

We turned Father's Day into Father's Weekend since there are just so many dads to celebrate in the near vicinity.  We spent a good part of Saturday at Canyon Trails celebrating the Charles/Wilton dads.  (Now I know where Wes got his high-white-sock-wearing... The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, at least when it comes to fatherly fashion.)  

Oh, and there were cute mamas and future-mamas there too!  Because let's face it; every day is Mother's Day.

Fatherhood is exhausting.

That right there is a sandbox full of boys.  

I cannot handle this picture.  It's like Christmas every time I see this smile.  LOVE!

I hogged the baby a little.  I mean, look at her.  Stop the insanity!  

I love outdoor meals in the summertime.  A little watermelon, a little soccer...it's the American dream.

After church on Sunday, Wes opened his Father's Day gifts in style.  

Favorite picture ever?  I love the men in my life, big and small.

You may have noticed that most of the pictures I've posted are contraband from Tracie.  I went on camera strike at the Father's Day dinners, both Charles and Rawson, because I just wanted to...live, you know?  Suffice to say, I didn't get one non-iphone picture at the Rawson event and no one else documented.  I'm here as a witness to say that it really happened, it was fun, and I love my dad!  My favorite part of the Rawson dinner was sitting around the table listening to my dad tell stories of his childhood; he described his parents' core goodness but their weaknesses in showing encouragement and affection.  My dad learned all of that on the job.  It was just amazing to hear that someone's roots do not necessarily determine one's future.  My dad is my hero, period.

Donut Falls Hike

There is a neat little hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon to Donut Falls.  At the end of the hike, you get to a waterfall where one will find a hole in a huge rock letting water and sunlight fall through, spilling into a pool below.  I was SUPER excited about seeing this wonder of nature.  It would've been nice of the reviewers on the websites we checked out to warn us that the actual donut is inaccessible if you have little munchkins in tow!  Guess who's planning the next date activity...

Despite the disappointment at the end of the trail, it was still gorgeous and we had a fantastic time, as we always do on family hikes.

Wes likes to run up ahead on the trail and hide in the bushes to scare Liam.  Works every time (almost.)

Aiden is getting the hang of hiking.  He sings the entire time.

Look at my cute family!

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on a huge flat rock in the middle of the stream.  Got a little technical getting to and from that rock, but we're all here to talk about it.

Liam is always covered in dirt at the end of a hike and I LOVE it.  Boys get dirty!