Christmas Morning

This year was just fun, and nice, and relaxing! I love Christmas more and more as the kids get older, they are so laid back about the whole thing. We got up at 5 ish and opened stockings and Santa stuff. Then we went back to bed and they played with that stuff. We got back up around 7:30 and opened their presents from us and Brian's parents while we opened our presents. Then we made breakfast and ate and after that opened presents from my parents.

It was really nice spreading things out. I think it made the kids feel more grateful for what they got since they weren't bored of opening presents by the last few gifts. Everyone got pretty much what they wanted and I got...wait for it.....tickets to Sarah Mclachlan!!!! My sneaky Brian got the very things I would have wanted the most in the whole world without me even telling him I wanted them!!! (I really don't have enough space for all the exclamation points I would like to add there so three should help you get the drift).

Not leaving out of course my second most wanted/least asked for thing in the whole world, my boy chipped in their spending money(since they had already both chosen a gift for me with their allotted Christmas budget) and bought their mommy an electric blanket. I use this blanket at LEAST once a day, usually twice since I have started to bring it out to the couch for movies and reading. It was the sweetest, most thoughtful gift two little kids could have gotten me, and with their hard earned spending money! I cried over that one.

Brian's gift of the year was a beautiful pair of snowshoes, made by his dad. I think he knew I was giving him a watch, but our given budget wouldn't allow for both and I could tell he was a little disappointed I had chosen the watch instead of a pair of snowshoes. Well my wonderful father-in-law makes snowshoes and when I called to ask for advice on how to pick Brian a pair, he offered to send a pair he had made. I was thrilled! I had a devil of a time hiding them from Brian, but on Christmas morning when he was opening a Thermos and little hand warmer packets, I think he started to suspect. It was a great surprise for him so I felt like we were even on the cool gifts list this year!

Christmas Eve disaster...averted!

It was really a wonderful Christmas. My brother and his kids came and it was just nice. We prepared a really great spread of food and just as the conversation started to get going over dinner my dear sweet Tyler comes over and whispers in my ear those dreaded words..."mom, have you heard of the mom and dad Santa trick?" Well, since I am just a dumb mom I said in a very shocked voice "No?! What in the world is the mom and dad Santa trick?" Yes, you can guess what comes next, the truth. On Christmas Eve. During dinner. I'd like to thank the stars for aligning with such bad timing for this moment to occur. So Tyler and I went for a little walk and had a very big talk.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm actually pretty thrilled to have this chat done with. Honestly the Santa chat was harder than the where do babies come from chat. It meant the death of his little imagination and believe in magic. I asked what he thought. If he though it was real and you know what my little man said? "I'm 50/50 mom, but just for tonight, I'd like to believe in Santa" and I felt a little humbled. For all the hours I spend in meditation, I don't think I've ever been able to be so easy with the idea of just listening to my heart, despite what reality might be and just rolling with it. Tonight, just over a week later he told Brian that it was ok now, he knew Santa wasn't real and that was ok. I asked if he was sad, he said not anymore. I can only imagine what's been running through his head the last week or so.

In hindsight, I'm not sure I would have even brought Santa into Christmas. I've gone back and forth, it's sweet for kids to believe in something so crazy, but it has been a great challenge to remind them, this holiday isn't for their monetary gain but their spiritual gain. I have to admit though, I did threaten Ty with his life if he told his brother. He is actually pretty excited to help Jake believe and I think Jake will go on believing in magic for a long time to come.

So here's my two cuties in their Christmas eve pj's goofing around. Tyler has been wanting a robe for a couple years now and I just didn't see why in the world he would want one so I never got him one. This year I figured, what the heck? I don't want to go down in history as having given my child a complex because he never got a robe. So when I saw this robe I knew it was the year for it. He loved it! He has worn it every minute (literally) of the last few days. I have no doubt it will continue to be worn for the next few years until I make him give it up. Who said big kids don't have security blankies? They obviously never gave their kid a soft robe for Christmas!

Just dang cute

I went in to make sure everyone had a blanket on before I went to bed and Jake just looked so dang cute I couldn't help but take a photo!

That cozy little penguin you see is named ice cap. Brian and the kids love to garage sale in the summer and Jake just fell in love with Ice cap at a yard sale. A Teenage girl that was so cute with Jake, she told him the penguin's name was Ice cap, but he could call him whatever he wanted. So Jake continued to call him Ice cap and now we can't live without him! It has started a love for penguins that even after a year hasn't slowed down at all. If you look close at Jake's Christmas PJ's picture this year, you will see, they are penguin pajamas!

Santa Visit

I've had all these Christmas blogs written, but was too lazy to find the camera and add the pictures!

This years trip to Santa went about like usual, although I didn't make them wear co-ordinating clothes, and I didn't stress about the photos. And of course, Tyler changed what he wanted from Santa when he actually got up to the big guy.

Brian and I went out on Thanksgiving night to the 10pm Toys R Us sale and got everything. Everything. We were done, we were proud, we were relieved. We were stupid. Tyler as par usual tradition hops up on Santa's lap and says "The Lego World racer command base with the red and green cars that come with it." Houston, we have a problem. What is the Lego world racer thingamajingy?! This little scenario dates back to age 3 when all year all we heard about was..well, I can't even remember now. But what Santa got asked for was a rocket. A rocket folks. Before rockets were even in toy stores, they weren't cool yet. And that time, Houston really did have a problem! We took little Ty straight to the toy store and said, "show us a rocket" He couldn't find one but had perfect faith that Santa would. Every year since that moment, this has been Tyler's signature. It just isn't a trip to Santa without completely throwing your parents off track in mid stride.

1987

That was a good year. At least if I could remember it, I'm sure I would think so. I was 7. The car Brian calls his was just coming off the assembly line. Which leads me to this post. That blasted Blazer is the car I love and hate all at once. I love the junky look, the bold and unwavering way it drives, the red fake velvet seats with red leather. I hate that it is now requiring a large sum of money to keep it running safely and legally. We are today replacing the blower so that the heater will work. Next week we will be adding a new muffler and exhaust system then registering it. As this has started to become a burr in my boot I realized something. This car is younger than I am, would I begrudge something the chance to keep on going a few more years? Would I be very happy if someone told me I was too expensive to keep running? I know this is silly comparing my life to a cars, but let's take a moment and think of all the silly things we do in a day.

Did you have a freak out moment today because you were too generous this Christmas? I did. Did you stress out about making a nice dinner for you family even though they would have been just fine with peanut butter and soup? Basically what I'm getting at here is, let's try to have a little more perspective this holiday season and if we can swing it, for the rest of our lives. What do I care that the car we're about to plug $500 into is 23 years old? At least it runs! I wouldn't blink an eye putting that into my explorer. Our families will not only survive, but be very happy to have a casual, very "kid friendly" dinner tonight! So whip out the Lucky Charms baby, mom's taking a night off! Christmas will be here in 10 days, does it matter if you bought the perfect thing for each person you know? NO! Everyone will survive without everything they want, and probably be the better for it. I did not make Christmas cards this year, I figure those of you who know me read my blog. If you don't read my blog, then you didn't need a Christmas card anyways! And frankly, our 2010 sounds a little depressing if you don't personally know us and have the joy of partaking of our sense of humor over the whole thing.

What can you do for you tonight to keep you running? I bet it won't cost $500. I bet it's simpler than a muffler and ever better than a blower. Let go and keep yourself running smoothly. You're worth it even if my 1987 Blazer isn't.

What does chocolate mean to you?

I would really like to know. I knew I liked chocolate, maybe a little more than the average Joe, especially given my family history with amazing chocolate makers. I didn't realize it, or the lack thereof, could leave me completely befuddled, confused, and un-motivated to even go to yoga, which BTW is the only non-human thing I love more than chocolate to give you perspective.

Yesterday I went to the sunflower market to get my supply of grain sweetened chocolate. You read that right, it's raw chocolate made sweeter by malted barely. It's pretty dang good, or was, until I discovered they stopped selling it in that store. I tell you what, I've never felt the urge to throw a tantrum like that moment! I wanted to seriously pick up all those normal, sugar filled chocolate chips and pour them all over the floor and jump up and down on them. Since I'm a grown up, I just left quietly and came home, wrapped myself in a big furry blankey and sat on Brian's lap for an hour.

Then I hopped online and paid $65.47 to have a case of these chocolate chips shipped to me. I changed my clothes and went to yoga, where sweet Abbey provided me with a class that was not only healing, but inspiring and by the end of the class I found myself sending out very positive energy to those I love instead of just trying to receive some positive. So that's how much chocolate means to me. I would pay $65.47 to have some in time for Christmas. Sad isn't it? Oh well, if I can't eat potatoes, cheese, tomatoes, yeast, sugar, fruit, etc. etc. etc. I should get my little indulgence. Next time you stop by the gas station or the grocery store, look at all those little bars and send out some gratitude for the abundance of chocolate!

BABFF

Brothers And Best Friends Forever...The other night we realized that there could possibly be a point in time that Jake and Tyler will go 4 years without seeing each other and that was a really sad thought. For two boys, spaced two years apart means things like college and missions and never seeing your brother. I don't know how they will handle that moment in their lives, but fortunatly it's a while yet to come. For now they are just the perfect pair. They have just enough fights to keep them friends with other people and enough love to keep them more than happy when other friends aren't available.

Good or bad, I love how at the end of the day they are always best friends, co-conspirators, and a loving set of brothers. Only a brother would play games like webkins, Ben 10, and GI Joe that all your friends think you're too old to play. I love the sound of my little Jake saying Tyler's name. I remember when instead of a clear "Tyler" it was "Tyder" and I miss that. Jake doesn't seem to be into using nicknames with other people although he loves his own (bowbow, like bow wow, but not) but the other day he was laughing so hard he could barely talk and he called Tyler Ty. It was adorable, Tyler was a little confused by it for a moment, then they moved on with playing. I just can't imagine a life without the terrific two teaming up together. There's the nights when Jake can't sleep because his brother isn't right next to him, and the fact that Tyler won't go into a dark room or downstairs without Jake. There are too many moments to list, so here are some photos to honor this relationship.

An un-traditional Thanksgiving

We broke the mold this year and went to Madeline's steak house for Thanksgiving. It was absolutly delicious and more importantly, provided some of the most delicious asparagus I've ever had. This is important when everyone around you is eating pie, cookies, brownies and cream puffs you can't eat. Having something like delicious asparagus makes it all ok. Well, not quite, but I felt a little better. Brian and I decided that with how crazy the year has been and how much he's been working lately, that we just wanted a really relaxing day, with no driving, cooking, cleaning and stress. So about a week ago we made a reservation for my whole family at Madelines for their buffet. It was amazing food and we loved that it was 5 minutes from home and we didn't have to do any dishes!

My parents and grandpa decided to join us, my brother and his family decided to not and we missed them. I don't think this will be a long standing tradition but it was a nice mix up for a year. Brian and I didn't really do the black friday thing this year, we did the 10pm toys r us sale and called it good. We got everything on our list and a few things we didn't know were on sale when we went. It was nice to sleep in on Friday morning.

Family Pictures

Well some of them anyways! Our photographer was wonderful! If you're looking for a good one, www.photographybybree.blogspot.com. Here's a few of the favorites!

She also took some really amazing ones of the boys, I'll stick those up later.

Somebody's hero

If I was asked by the astute thinkers of the world a good title for a darn good dad, that's what I'd pick. "Somebody's Hero". This opinion of mine has formed over countless days, nights and everything in between on the lovely occasions I've gotten to hear my husband come home from work and be greeted like he is a king. Don't get me wrong, they like me, and most importantly, love me. Someday when they grow up and fly the coop they will call home and after a quick greeting will give my husband a "so...is mom there?" However, when I walk through the door I'm pretty lucky if anyone notices, unless of course it's meal time. When Brian walks in the door, the world stops spinning and little people shout his name and run to him and hug him like a soldier returning from battle.

The motivation for them to do that comes from something I like to call hero worship. Because he is their hero, in so many ways. From the moment he first looked at a little toddler who was barely eating solid foods and gave them a bite of his ice cream to that adorable day on the golf course last summer when he taught an eight year old about visualization. That eight year old hit that golf ball over a very large lake, landing it in the perfect position for his next shot. Daddy is the guy who made up games like "Mr. Tickle guy" and spends his only night off taking two wiggly dudes swimming and for ice cream at Arctic Circle. And Dad is the man who, when after repeated warnings about some form of rule breaking, will still with complete gentleness, reprimand a child in the most loving way I've ever seen done. Letting them know that their feelings are more important than any rule.

Someday he will be the guy they go to for advice, and yes, I'm sure there will be days when he is no longer the hero, but the person taking away all their fun and freedom and "ruining their social lives". What it will all come around to at the end of it all, he will be their hero. Immortalized in their little minds like a modern day Hercules (without the muscles of course). So in honor of the greatest hero Tyler and Jake Gough will ever know, here is a portrait of this wonderful man.

Did I forget Halloween?!

I think I did! I was so busy trying to get the blog caught up, I've forgotten to remember the moment!

This was a fun year. We don't have to worry about little toddlers getting cold or dirty. Or kids who don't want to wear the hats or masks that make their costumes awesome. We went all out!

Behold: Jack Sparrow and Indiana Jones

Does it get any better?!

Ok, tribute to mommy-hood time. I had the pleasure of spending an evening recently lying next to a 6 year old while holding the hand of an eight year old that was dangling down from the bunk above me. And no, there was no feeling in my fingers by the time I let go in case that was on your mind.

My kids wanted me to sing to them before bed. It has been years since anyone has wanted me to sing to them. I forgot how much I loved doing it. They had forgotten how much they loved hearing it. I sang a few songs and Tyler asked if I knew any more songs. If that doesn't make a mommy who is now known strictly as "mom" cry, I don't know what would. Tyler my dear, I know a million songs more if you'll lay in your bed, hold my hand and listen to me sing.

They fell asleep that way. One tangled up in my left arm all cozy next to me, the other one dangling his arm over the side of the bunk holding my hand. I pulled myself away and found myself just wanting to stare at them. These are the kids who barely have time for a snack after school before they play. The same kids who look at me like I'm an idiot when I tell them to wear a coat because it's cold outside. The kids who every morning without fail remind me to sign their planners and pack them a snack...because I've forgotten ...oh wait, I've never forgotten! In the 4 years I've been sending children to school, I've never forgotten!! But just in case, they remind me. Because we are approaching that fabulous stage of "I know more than you mom!" and I dread it and am slightly amused by the idea of it.

So as I look at these little faces who begged for more songs before bed I just wished for a minute that if there is a big camera or video recorder in Heaven that documents all the "big" moments in our lives, that this one would qualify. Maybe not as a big moment, but the kind that if you were to review the whole dang thing with it's ups and downs and sideways, that this moment would show something to whoever was watching. That the story of my life was a fabulous, crazy, messy, silly, love filled story. That little children wanted to hear me sing as the last sound in their ears before they slept. That has to mean a lot more than all the money I didn't make in my lifetime. Or all the degrees I didn't finish. Or the toilets I didn't scrub....no toilet has ever wanted to hear me sing. Mommyhood, it ain't for sissys, but it's also not for the hard of heart is it?

Would you marry me...again?

Last night was a very special night. It has no significance in our world (and believe me, I would know with all those journals from when Brian and I met) but it felt significant. Last year about this time Brian sold his wedding ring. He had never liked it much and kept threatening to do it. I kept saying "wait until we have a replacement". I think just doing it was his way of motivating me. For this whole year he's missed having a ring and I've missed the world knowing he's taken. ;)

So about a week ago I found the perfect ring for more than the perfect price and ordered it. It arrived yesterday! It was just as perfect as it looked! So I asked him on a date, we dressed up and headed to Madeline's, our favorite steakhouse. (Which BTW carries a wide selection of "Kelly friendly" sides). I wrote the prettiest little love letter you've ever read, and presented him with a beautiful box, containing a brand-spakin' new wedding ring. So in honor of this occasion, the occasion being Brian deciding he does still want to be married to me by wearing a wedding ring I gave him, I've decided to post a few gems from our recent family pictures. Let's consider them 10 year milestone photos!

Stripped down to Gratitude

I think it's funny how this post, and the moments attached to it just happened to be during the month of Thanksgiving. Usually for me, for whatever reason, I find myself struggling to be grateful at Thanksgiving. I think it has something to do with the fact that I've never understood why we continue to celebrate this holiday by making some poor woman slave in a kitchen to provide a meal that really is no different than the others and which will be devoured in 20 minutes.

All the eaters of this meal will proceed to forget all about it, except for everyone complaining all night about how full they feel and how much time it will take to work off the calories. Why do we do this? I still have no answer. I think our ancestors would laugh at our sillyness if they could give some input and say to us...how about doing something that reflects what YOU are grateful for, not what WE were grateful for.

So in that spirit, and after the day I've had, I'd like to offer up my own corn for the feast of gratitude. Where do I start....

Let's start with 3 years ago. Flashback to Brian standing up 8 hours after a major and life changing surgery that would forever alter his back, and walking, pain free for the first time in months. At the time, I was grateful for that surgery. Grateful to have my husband working, functioning, and on the road to "normal". Months and years later I would come to curse that surgery. It has been the bane of my existence for as long as it's been part of our lives because of the long reaching affects a $55,000 surgery has on folks.

Flash forward. I now live in my parents basement, which although nicer and larger than my entire house was, still my parents basement. There are so many reasons for this change but if we wanted to get down to the brass tacks of it, the back surgery would be the biggest tack. Yes, Brian is in a masters program. Yes, we are moving to Kansas in 8 months. Yes, we wanted a new "UT" experience in a different area, with new faces. But the driving factor in this move is the need to be out from under owing ANYONE ANYTHING. In 16 months we will be done paying off a back surgery and we will have paid for a masters program, and a 500 hour yoga certification in cash. Does knowing all the "good reasons" for this move make me feel positive about it? Not until today.

I don't know what changed my outlook, the everyday factors are all the same. My morning looked like this:

7:23am-Shoot the alarm didn't go off...."KIDS!!!"

8:01am-Ahh...they are out the door

8:52am-Hey there's a yoga class at Soda row at 9...I'll ride my bike

......Wait! This is where it started. I got into my yoga clothes, grabbed a bag of carrots and pecans and rode my bike to yoga in the crisp, beautiful fall day. Unless you've been part of my everyday life for the last 6 months, you don't have any idea what that means to me, so here comes the gratitude.

Until 1 month ago I spent every morning of the last 8 months of my life feeling nauseous, dizzy, vertigo, and in mass amounts of pain. With no answers from anyone as to why. A few speculations...gallbladder needs to come out, too much acid....blah blah blah. After a couple thousand dollars worth of tests, the answer was, let's try taking the gallbladder out. Easy for them to say, they don't have to pay for it or go through it! I decided to avoid surgery as long as possible. I began to starve myself because every bite of food I took was a pain I hope to someday forget. Around the time I was down to about 500 calories a day a remarkable woman named D'ana suggested I see her doctor. At this point I had lost a large part of my muscle, eliciting a look of horror from my trainer during body mass testing, accompanied by "what have you done to yourself?!" I was barely finding the energy to shower everyday, much less do anything else like resistance training. Enter my hero.

I'll shorten this up, since it's getting long, honestly it's mostly for me and posterity, but don't let that stop you ;). Dr. Remington had the answers and they didn't have anything to do with surgery. I eat only meat, veggies, whole grains, milk, and cottage cheese. And I am healed. I take Probiotics, and an antigen everyday three times a day, and hopefully in my lifetime I will never experience this again. The problem boiled down to a Candida overgrowth whose bi-products produced a toxin that fried the inside of my large intestine. This all was a big deal for someone who is supposed to be prepping her body for an intensive training program that she will have paid A LOT of money for in January. It's also a big deal for a mommy, who keeps having to tell her kids, not today, mommy hurts too bad.

Today I rode my bike to yoga. Read that again. Then I sweat, and pushed my self to the limits of my breath and posture and found my heels so close to touching the ground at the same time my head brushed my mat in a downward dog. I was overcome with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for this beautiful, strong, soon to be totally healthy body I have a second opportunity to take care of. I have re-built most of the muscle I lost, I have gained ground faster than I could have hoped for. I feel GOOD. I rode my bike to yoga.

I then ran errands, mostly grocery shopping. I went to the sunflower market where I find most of the foods I can eat. Every time I go there it's exciting as I find some new treasure. Last time it was dill dip and grain sweetened cocoa chips. Today it was chicken noodle soup. Not from a can, but the kind in those big vats they keep by the salad bar. I bought all they had. It was delicious. You see, I have been nursing a cold for a week now and the deepest desire of my heart was some chicken noodle soup, but finding a yeast free, sugar/sweetener free, whole grain soup is nigh impossible. When I read and re-read the ingredients I cried. Before you laugh, think about what you eat everyday, and tell me if you wouldn't cry too if you found something that tasted good that fit into this "lifestyle".

As I sat in my car crying, eating my soup and looking at the beautiful day and the trees I realized every little thing has brought me to where I am, and I wouldn't change where I am for anything. I became grateful for Brian's back surgery and all the struggle it's brought us. I am stronger for the struggle. Just to say that again, I am grateful for the struggle. All of it. The back surgery, the job losses, giving up our house, living in a basement, the moments I lay in bed wondering if I would ever eat without pain again and on and on....

I am grateful to be alive and to have my husband who brings me a bouquet of beets in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. I am grateful for my little Jake who for no apparent reason in a very Jake-like way, wrapped his arms around my neck tonight and gave me the fiercest hug I've ever received and wouldn't let go. I could feel his little energy flowing out to say "I love you" in the sweetest way he knows how. I'm grateful for Tyler who always has an arm to put around my waist(or shoulder if he's having an extra tall day) and the way he makes sure I have all my pills and drops by my dinner plate every night and a glass of water to take them with. Because I know that is his most special way of showing me I'm front on his mind when he walks in from playing.

I'm grateful for my parents, who allowed us to clog up their empty nest with noise, dirt, tears, and basic chaos and the love they have shown us. I'm grateful for my in-laws and all they did to raise such a wonderful man, there are no words for how I feel about him.

Most importantly, I'm grateful for a God that loves us enough to make this beautiful world and who loves me enough to keep loving me through all my stupidity and ingratitude. I would like to promise I will never be ungrateful again, but let's not muss it up with a lie.

I will have my moments, but I wanted to write down this moment, so that the record shows, there was a Thanksgiving season that I was filled with gratitude for all I have been given.

Gough Family Pictures

A cute picture of the grandkids heading to the boat and the deer we saw everyday eating grandma's flowers.




With everyone together we took a bunch of pictures. Here's a few of the good ones....

More Reunion pictures

Water seemed to be the theme of this reunion! We spent a lot of time at the lake and playing with these really fun water guns grandpa got. That picture of Ty was during an all out assault on grandpa after he snuck up and stole the hose from Blake and proceeded to drench the boys!

Jake is an amazing wake-boarder. Those buff little shoulders sure come in handy when you're kneeling on a little board being pulled behind a boat going 25mph! He was so cute out there, he would just sing to himself as we went around the lake with the huge smile on his face.

The only downside of it all is that it was still Washington, which means you get cold pretty fast in that water, so about when his lips started to turn blue, we'd pull him out and wrap him up.

An impromptu decision on my part, the three of us hopped into the inter-tube for a spin around the lake, I was still in my clothes! Lucky for me Grandpa was nice and didn't tip us over!

The Gough Family Reunion 2010

Three weeks after our trip to Washington was the Gough family reunion. So we packed up our bags and headed northwest...again. We had a great trip up and a ton of fun while we were there! Everyone of Brian's siblings came which was really nice and we had visits from both Grandma Marge and Grandpa and Syble. We stayed in a tent trailer on their property, while others bunked up in the house, the garage, a 5th wheeler, tents and even cars. We boated, tubed, swam, played, ate...a lot... and just had a darn good time.

On the way there we stopped at Snoqualmie falls. The boys were less impressed with it than we thought they would be.

We had a good time getting out of the car and playing a little football, getting cocoa, and picking up a postcard for Jake's class, which was his homework. The last part of the drive went quicker than usual, probably because we had just made the same drive barely a few weeks ago.

The boys had a great time playing with their cousins. I spent most of the time in pain and sick from what I thought was my gallbladder (more on that later). Brian had a great time seeing everyone in his family. The weather was really great for all but two of the days so we were thrilled!

We went on the intertube, knee boarded, swam, played on the fun island, ate, played track ball, water fights, and a lot of hanging out. It was really fun. I'll post some more pictures in the next one.

And he's off and riding!

With the older kids riding their bikes to school, Jake was on a bit of a deadline to learn to ride a two wheeler. From the day school started, there was only 2 weeks until Claire got her cast off and then Jake would be expected to ride his bike with the big kids. So, we went to the old house and performed that age old rite of passage of learning to ride a bike.

Jake was amazing! After we got past the initial fear of falling, he was a champ about trying it himself. We didn't have to do any of the run along beside the bike for hours stuff, which is good since I don't think Brian's back could have handled that!

He picked it up quick and soon enough was racing Tyler around the cul-de-sac. Just look at that big smile!

Walking to school study

So my neighbor works for the land developer that build Daybreak and they wanted a photo shoot of kids walking to school, so a camera man followed us all to school one day and this is the cover photo of the article that was published in the Daybreak Paper and the website. I included the study they were trying to illustrate below. Tyler's arms are behind Eric's head.

August 11, 2010 – SALT LAKE CITY – Walking to school is as natural as gravity, right?

An individual’s decision to walk to school is actually quite complex. It is influenced—perhaps—by distance and an attractive walkable environment, but also by intertwined social, psychological and environmental perceptions that sometimes differ between parent and child.

Because walking has important health consequences, researchers at the University of Utah set out to learn how the interplay of factors can help reclaim the walk to school and promote a healthy physical and environmental lifestyle.

“In the last 50 years, the prevalence of youth obesity nationwide has tripled,” says Melissa Napier, the study’s lead author. “Coincidentally, the number of kids walking to school declined 68 percent from 1969 to 2001. We wanted to explore the confluence of psychology and design that keeps kids from engaging in an easy, social and healthy form of physical activity.”

What they learned from the study, to be published this fall in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, is that walkable design results in a vastly higher number of walks by students living in Daybreak which was designed to be walkable, than in a community with a peripherally-sited school, a street system of cul-de-sacs and larger lots.

In the planned community, 88 percent of students reported walking to school in a week, compared to 17 percent in a similar, less walkable neighborhood.

In addition, the study shows how other factors also influence the decision to walk or ride, which led researchers to conclude that understanding perceptions can be as important as designing walkable communities.

Researchers found that parents living in the less walkable community agreed that more barriers to walking existed than their own children did. These barriers included perceptions of unsafe traffic, street crossing danger and crime.

“Parents’ perceptions are key because it is they who decide how to get their kids to school,” says Napier. “Changing their perceptions—by mapping out walking routes, adding crosswalks and walking school buses for example—can go a long way in creating a supportive walking environment in any community.”

“Further, get children actively involved in making changes to their satisfaction. Children who perceive fewer barriers to walking—regardless of what their parents think—were more likely to walk to school in my study. Both children and parents have to agree that the environment supports walking in order to maximize the number of children who will walk to school,” Napier continues.

Researchers polled 193 fifth-graders in two schools in South Jordan, Utah. The study was designed to compare Daybreak, a neighborhood designed along “new urbanist” principles, with a standard suburban school. Daybreak’s design places the school in the heart of the community with well-connected streets, walking paths, sidewalks on both sides, small lots and multiple front porches, all of which have shown to support greater pedestrian activity.

“This is an early indicator of success of the design goals at Daybreak,” says Stephen James, manager of planning and community design for Daybreak’s developer, Kennecott Land. “Daybreak villages are scaled to the human pace and provide a diverse set of every day destinations such as parks, schools, churches, shops, offices and community centers interwoven with the homes. The routes must be safe and direct, conveniently connecting everything via paths, trails and sidewalks that are buffered from traffic and shaded from the hot summer sun. At Daybreak the car is not central to experiencing life. It is just one of the many ways to get around,” James concludes.

The students in the study were divided into three groups. Students in the “walkable community” group lived within Daybreak and within a mile of school. The “mixed community” group attended the same school, but lived in an area with larger lots and cul-de-sacs. Three-quarters of the students still lived within a mile of school. The third, “less walkable community” group attended a different school in a nearby area. That school is on a busy street with a single sidewalk. The area, a more typical suburb, has homes on larger lots, many circuitous cul-de-sacs, and fewer walkable features. Over two-thirds of students lived farther than a mile from school.

The study was conducted by Melissa Napier for her master’s degree in the Department of Family and Consumer Studies at the University of Utah with funding from a University of Utah Synergy seed grant for interdisciplinary urban systems research.

Digging our way out

So in an effort to get ready for all this moving we've got coming up in the future, which I probably should talk about a little more, I decided that it was time for a huge purge of all our worldly possesions. When I say all, think big scale. We kept a few pieces of furniture that we love, our clothes, toys, holiday decorations, books, and computer and that's all folks. I didn't want to store stuff and we didn't want to move it every year for three years.

Here's our plan:

Move in with mom and dad, sell our house, save money, and Brian start a Master's program in Coucneling

In August 2011 move to Ft. Leavenworth, KS to live with Jim's kids while he deploys to Afghanistan. Jim will be gone a year so we'll be there for about a year so the kids don't have to have their lives too shifted in the process. Our kids get an adventure out of it so everyone wins.

Around August 2012 move back to UT to continue the Masters program at which point I might start a Yoga therapy training course, we'll see how the 500 hour certification goes.

Back to the post...I cleaned out the garage and here's what 10 years of stuff looks like.