Loving little boy

There is one thing about Clayton that is different from most two year olds (soon to be three). He is very loving, and affectionate. What I mean is that the little guy likes to hug, hold hands, and be held. He gives the best hugs and kisses.

He was that way as an infant and hasn't ever changed. Most children are too busy wanting to be held only so they can look around. When Clayton was an infant he liked to study his surroundings, but he was just as often content to put his head on your shoulder and cuddle.

We are some very blessed parents…



HUG!

But he calls me George?

My Dad told me about a talk he had with his granddaughter Jordan a while back. Jordan was telling Grandpa how much she loved her cousin Clayton (my son), and how he was her favorite cousin. The conservation went something like this…

Jordan: “I love Clayton”

Grandpa: “You love Clayton?”

Jordan: “Yes”

Grandpa: “Why do you love Clayton?”

Jordan: “He is fun to play with, he is my favorite cousin”

Of course this gives Grandpa warm fuzzies.

At this point in the conversation Jordan gets a puzzled look on her face. She looks up at Grandpa and says “but he calls me George?”. Of course she manages to say it with the innocence that only a 2.5 year old can. You can read the question in her face, unsure what to feel about being called by the wrong name, and by her favorite cousin no less. Jordan is unsure whether to be hurt, but Clayton is still her favorite cousin. I often am so amazed at these little people, so innocent and wonderful. We big people could take lessons from our little ones on how to love...



Clayton does get lazy sometimes when he calls for Jordan. Her name comes out as "George". He is being a boy and totally oblivious, unconcerned calling his cousin the wrong name (a big no-no in the book of boy-girl relationships, even if you are cousins). Caught up in the moment, toys and playing are what is most important (a boy to the core). He wouldn't give a second thought to Jordan calling him by the wrong name.



Even at that young age boys are boys and girls are girls. I hope he figures out that it is important to call girls by the right name. We might have to work on that one. It is a lesson he needs to learn before he starts dating or there might be trouble...

Home sweet home

I just had to share a few photos of home. We went down over the weekend to visit my parents and to visit Grandma Pedersen. Of course when ever we go down to Sanpete I feel like a big weight has been lifted from my shoulders and a calm peace fills my entire frame. Everything slows down and there is just time, time to think, to enjoy, to talk, to walk, to see, smell, hear, taste and feel the world that we live in. I tweaked a couple of these photos a little to give you a feel for what Sanpete is to me. It is hard to replace a whole array of senses with one (sight).

We spent some time at Grandma's helping her out. We cleaned out her food storage (some of which was older than I am) and preped the old chicken coop for winter by putting plastic. We also looked at the large pine that grows in front that sadly has cracked and is beginning to rot. We talked about how the world is changing and gossiped about the locals.

I took Clayton outside and he played with a strange ball grandma had while I took a few photos. The skys were so blue and the air is so clean. I'm sorry but salt lake city air is so dirty and putrid. The Sanpete smells are of pine and the undergrowth. Not the smells of car exhuast and stagnat salt lake water.

Later we went back to Mt. Pleasant and went for a little walk. Of course I packed along the camera and took a few photos. We stopped along the way to give some of the horses some alphapha. Clayton loved it. You could see his little eyes sparkle with excitment at the adventure of it all.



The mountains are just part of the town. you can walk right up to them and you always feel like you could just reach out and touch them. Once you actually are on the mountain the town disapears as the trees and the terrian block all view of the the valley below. It is not untill you reach the top of the mountain, above the tree line that you are able to see the valley.

The fun begins

I had a few of the goodies uploaded to the website but I have since decided to move all images to a seperate account. If you want a full resolution image just tell Anji and we'll take care of you! So to the goodies:

(disclaimer: be prepared to have your breath taken away by the cuteness of this little boy that will own this website!)

Doesn't he just melt your heart? Look at the face that he is making!