It's Great to be 8...

What can I say about the little boy who makes my heart melt...daily?  Jackie boy turned 8 and according to him, it really is so GREAT to be EIGHT!!  This little man stretches me, causes me heartache, stress and frustration.  But with the bitter comes the sweet and it is OH SO SWEET!  Out of everyone in my life, he also brings me THE MOST laughter, the most joy, the most compassion and so much pride.  This kid just has a gift.  Just last night, he was crying with frustration that he couldn't catch the football every time it was passed to him.  Not even one minute later, I see him laughing with pure joy while he is playing with Doug.  He has a way of expressing his emotions so simply and so pure and raw.  He doesn't put on a filter.  Jack is my buddy, my biggest fan, and no one will ever give me the opportunity to fulfill my role as a mother more that he does.  He still, everyday, runs up to me after school and gives me the biggest and best hug his little body can muster and yells, "MOMMY!!!!" Then he wraps his arms and legs around my leg and hangs on me, like a monkey.  He's my little monkey boy.  Oh how I love those sweet moments.  

Eight is a BIG birthday in our family.  He will have the opportunity to be baptized!  He wants to wait until his Uncle Jesse is home from his mission, so his baptism will be November 23rd.  (invites coming soon) He is very excited!  

For his big day, he decided that the thing he wanted to do most was to go camping.  So, camping it was.  We found a tiny, rustic, primitive cabin to stay in for the long Labor Day weekend.  It was a fantastic weekend, almost magical.  No electronics, no phones, no TV or video games. We were completely 'un-plugged' from the world and just enjoyed being with each other.  We played card games, took hikes, played on the 4-wheeler, played in the lake, the kids dug in the dirt and in the sand, we jumped off rock cliffs in to the river, enjoyed some hot springs, had simple meals, s'mores and a birthday celebration!  We counted our weekend as a complete success, even if we did have a couple bats find their way in to our cabin one night.  (That was a hilarious sight watching my family squeal and try to get them to fly out the door with broomsticks) 

Olivia made a dinner for the squirrels and chipmunks that were running around our campsite.  

The berries were gone a couple hours later.  :) 

 Lake Alturas was still so beautiful even with all the smoke from the wild fires. 

Out of all the camping places in Idaho, how crazy is it that we picked the camp site only a mile or so away from where my Nana and Pops were camping?!  This was not planned!  I say it was fate.  Anyway, it was fun to have them be able to come for Jack's little birthday celebration!

He wanted a minion birthday cake, and this was the best I could do for camping. 

 He still thought it was perfect. It doesn't take much to impress him. 

We had a family birthday dinner when we got back, at none other than Red Robin.  His favorite place. 

Oh how I love this sweet boy.  

I hope he has a great year being eight.  

XOXO