determination

I love how this boy is determined to try and climb the stairs or stand, even though he’s in a body cast. Someday Carter, you will climb those stairs, crawl, stand and walk…all cast free!

The Quarry and BYU Creamery

Porter wanted to go to the Quarry (a rock climbing place in Provo) for his birthday. Monday nights are half off, so we waited till tonight to go. Laun stayed home with our little ones and I took Clayton, Porter and his friend Daxton. Clayton is the only one who has ever gone there, so it was fun to try out and I’d love to go back.

They have an ABC wall for kids or beginners to climb (attached to a rope).

Clayton

Porter (and me- I was the belay for the boys)

On Porter’s first attempt he was too scared to climb up the whole alphabet wall and I think he only got to letter I. Then on his next turn I bribed him with ice cream from BYU Creamery and with a lot of encouragement from us he did it!

Porter went up the whole alphabet wall! I was so proud of him. Something I really love about Porter is that no matter how nervous he is to do something, he will usually end up doing it.

the climbers

The sweet reward- ice cream at BYU Creamery. And of course we took a container home to share.

memories

This morning as I was giving Carter a bath (“sponge bath”) it reminded me of a picture I have. 

Here’s me as probably a 4 year old with my mother, who is “bathing” me at the sink and now I’m doing the same thing! Cuteness and hip problems must be genetic;)

I love having older kids who can and will help out. As I was busy this morning, Porter helped Marlee with her church talk for primary. He had it all written out and even helped her give it.

Yesterday was not only Cooper’s birthday, it was Grandpa Mike’s birthday, too. Mike loved blueberry pie, so that’s what I made. I used a cow cookie cutter for the top crust since Mike loved cows and so does Laun:)

Thank you Mike for having such a wonderful son, I am forever thankful to you!

we miss you Cooper

Today is Cooper’s birthday. He would have turned 8 and we should be busy with all his baptism stuff, but we aren’t. Instead we are missing him and counting another year that he’s been gone. Although it is sad, we also have much to rejoice about. He is in heaven, what better place is there to be? And we have an eternal family and I know that through our temple sealing we are able to be together again someday.  As we do every year, we celebrated your birthday with sadness and happiness. We miss you Cooper and love you always.                  

My brother Andy and his wife Elizabeth sent us something to remember Cooper. It is a beautiful jewelry box that is engraved with the words: Brightness of Hope. Those words can also be found on Cooper’s headstone and in the scriptures.

They also gave us a boys silhouette charm that says Cooper on one side…

…and his birthdate on the other side.

I can’t wait to buy a necklace-chain, so that I can wear this charm, but I will probably wait to where it until Carter is a little older and not tugging at my jewelry anymore. This is by far one of the most special gifts I have received, thank you guys and love you all!

Each year my parents send us some money for us to use for celebrating his birthday.

We try to do fun stuff on this day.

Porter went with the Cub Scouts to the gem show and brought home some treasures.

Then I took Porter and Carter to the aquarium and Carter loved the fish. I’m telling you, having another baby boy since losing Cooper has been great for my Spirit. I just soak this baby in.

The penguins were awesome.

I love how Carter kept pointing his little index finger at all he saw. Here’s Porter touching a ray.

Then we watched a 4D movie about sea life, but we had to leave early since Carter screamed when the sea creature popped out of the water! It was funny and sad at the same time how scared he got.

shark tank

Checking out all the sea creatures…

pointing fingers

The rainforest room is hot!

When he wasn’t being toted around we laid him in the wagon.

 

Then we met up with Laun, Clayton and Marlee who had all the stuff for Cooper’s birthday celebration.

Each year we release balloons for how many years old Cooper would be, so this year was 8!

My goal was to get pictures as we were releasing the balloons in the air, but the timer on my camera caught this:

 

And the next picture was this (you can barely see a string from a balloon in the far right, middle corner):

Here the kids are watching the balloons fly away and I’m walking back to the camera. Darn it! I needed a faster setting I guess!

We had our traditional flavored milks. We do this because when Clayton and Porter were young and they’d come to the hospital (while Cooper and I were patients) Laun would let them get flavored milks in the cafeteria. I love this tradition.

Cheers to Cooper! Happy Birthday Buddy!

Laun got everything all set up for a cookout and gun shooting.

Carter liked the chili dog.

Target shooting, I’m much better at this than clay pigeon shooting!

Clay pigeon shooting- these boys are good shots!

I love how these two are buddies. I can’t help but wonder what Cooper would be like with each of us.

Porter was excited when we came home to find some birthday money from his Great Turley Grandparents!