July 4th, A Happy Independence Day

      

We had a very happy 4th of July spent with family, friends, and fireworks. Of the three, I have to say the family part was my favorite. You probably already knew that though. Anyways, we had quite a load of people around for Independence Day this year. Aunts, uncles, cousins were all close by and spending time with us. It was crazy at times, crowded always, but so good to see everyone. 

After breakfast and lunch some of my Mom's family dispersed and that left us to go and stake out some turf for the Stadium of Fire. I LOVE FIREWORKS! I really, really do. Some people don't like the noise and the crowds. Some people don't like the streets being blocked off. Some people don't like all the boisterous hubbub. I like it all! 

We found a nice spot with neighboring grocery store, dollar store, and restaurants for food. We ate, we talked, and when the glow sticks came out we goofed around. I had such a fun time and K.B. really enjoyed it. He was able to see motor cycles, cars, and even a helicopter while we sat waiting for the fireworks to start. I tell you, in our world that is better than any parade any day. Then we all watched the fireworks together. I love you America! I am so grateful to live in this country with these freedoms and the people I love most. Happy Independence Day! 

     

Scenes from Our Memorial Weekend

Well folks, we did it. We accomplished pretty much everything on our list for this Memorial Day weekend and then some. The only thing to be sad about was our missing family; the ones who are vacationing in AZ without us, as well as the ones who have moved on from this life.

This memorial day I am particularly missing my grandparents. Blake will never get to know them in this life, and it breaks my heart every time we gather as a family and they are absent. My grandmother died little over a month before Blake was born. My family used to say she was up there making sure we were getting a good one, or maybe she was telling him to give us some trouble. Either way, I really hope he had a little chat with his relatives before coming down. They are some pretty spectacular people and are missed every day, not just on Memorial Day.

I think about my grandma when I am trimming roses or clipping lilies of the valley. I remember my grandpa when I hear George Straight or go out to eat at Sizzler. My grandmother is brought to mind when I pull one of her crocheted blankets over my cold feet. And I can almost catch glimpses of my grandfather every time I see an elderly crossing guard smiling while kids cross his street. My heart melts during these moments and sometimes a tear or two will leak out. I have so many good memories of my grandparents and would love to spend another weekend lunch with them sitting happily around the table with our family.

I don't need Memorial Day to be reminded and to honor them, but it sure is nice to have a day to look back and really dedicate some time to their memory. I didn't visit any graves on Memorial Day. It isn't something I would do without my mom and dad here. That really isn't where they are anyway. They are in my parents' backyard, lounging on the lawn chair or pestering the dog. They are saving a table at Chuck-a-Rama. They are out tending to the yard, or knitting a new sweater on the couch. They are in my memories as well as at my side in those quiet moments of missing. I love them so much, and look forward to seeing them again.

Anyways, here is what our weekend pretty much looked like.



1. Hitting up the splash pad party. K.B. wanted nothing to do with the water and everything to do with the beach balls. He compromised by running in to get the ball and running out to kick it all over the sidewalk.



2. Then we spent much of Saturday and Sunday getting chores done and kicking the same said beach ball all around the house and yard. My little brother also came by and rescued us on Saturday so we could get lunch and run a few errands.



3. Then came our Memorial Day BBQ. We took the lazy way out and went to Tucanos. I mean, it is my birthday month after all, and who can pass up getting a free meal? Not us. So we went and we ate--we ate way too much.



4. And last but not least, what is Memorial Day without some flowers. My green thumb and I ended up helping my MIL plant the flowers, herbs, and vegetables in her yard. Nothing can quite top the smell of peonies and lemon-basil. 

Memorial Weekend

I cannot believe my family is leaving me for this Memorial Day weekend. They are, all of them, taking a 10 day trip to Arizona, and I couldn't go because I would be leaving for Girls Camp only one day after their return. So, sheesh! I don't know what I am going to do with myself. My hubby is working and will have the car Saturday and Sunday. So it looks like Friday and Monday are going to be my big days to celebrate. Here is what I have planned. 

Friday includes: 

grocery shopping

naps

a visit to the splash pad party

sending my family off on their glorious vacation

be jealous they all get to go

Saturday will be: 

house cleaning

yard work

endless episodes of Bones or Castle

maybe a bike ride

Sunday is: 

the usual craziness of getting up

getting ready for church

getting home from church

resting

baking

Monday celebrations are: 

going to the Memorial Day Breakfast

 a trip to the local thrift shop

maybe visiting some family graves

 spending the afternoon and evening enjoying time with my boys

Hope all of your Memorial Day celebrations are grand. I know I will be smelling many BBQs and seeing more and more kids playing outside this weekend. I am looking forward to it! And so is Littleman. Look at that face!

My Mother's Day Outing

I am so grateful to be a mom. It has really shaped my character and grown my strength in ways I never thought possible. My every day, my every thought is wrapped up in this Littleman and his Papa, and I am so grateful to my little family for giving me such an honorary title as Mama. I love them beyond the ends of the earth and would do anything for their happiness. I try every day to do better, to be better, to care for them more wholly. It is such a hard job sometimes, but one of the most fulfilling. I don't need cards or presents. I don't need a day of dedication to feel special. I feel it every time I get a hug or kiss from my boys. I feel it when we spend time all together. 

I truly loved sharing this Mother's Day with people I love. I attended church meetings and exchanged hugs with some of the best women I know and wished them a beautiful day. I taught a lesson to some of the most incredible young women who I know will have incredible influence on others. I even had a grumpy baby all through church, but was able to put him to sleep and pass him off to a lovely friend who held him for the last hour. After church meetings I got to spend time with my family. We took a picnic up the canyon and the only thing that could have made it better would have been sharing it with my husband who was working some overtime. But eventually he joined in the beautiful day and we made a quick visit to his mom with our card and love. All in all, a pretty perfect Mother's Day. 

Appreciation of Influential Women Day

What you have known as Mother's Day I have long known as Appreciation of Influential Women Day. My name for the day is perhaps not quite as easy to fit on a card, but the meaning is something I have honored for years. Every Mother's Day I feel pressed to express my appreciation for not only my life and blood mother, who is amazing and exactly the kind of mother I want to be, but also to all of the women who have influenced my life. They are my honorary mothers in many ways. They teach me good values. They are wonderful examples of light and faith. They work hard. They love. They cry. The have significance. They are all celebrated and cherished on this day. 

So I just want to do a little shout out to all those women. Thank you for being excellent neighbors and babysitters. Thank you for being stalwart, uncompromising friends. Thank you for being welcoming and fun aunts. Thank you for being supportive grandmothers. Thank you for being kind and sincere teachers. Thank you for being the best mom ever. I hope to emulate you. I hope to live up to those shining examples. I hope you know how important you are in my life. 

A Happy Earth Day

I sit here, in my kitchen, listening to the wind whip across the panes. The sun is shining in slashed rows, warming feet on the floor. The mountains outside my window are bright and white against a true blue sky. There are a few clouds casting shadows on hills that will soon be turning very, very green. Blossoms have started popping on the neighborhood trees, yes, just like popcorn. 

In my own yard even Spring is starting to take hold. The plot for my little garden is freshly churned and looking deliciously dark, ready for tomato and cucumber plants. My grass, admittedly, is a little out of control. Along the warm edges near the sidewalk it grows wild and thick while in the middle is is trodden, squashed, and mostly still asleep. Or maybe dead. 

All of this to say I am thankful for this beautiful land. I am thankful for this place where my feet can be grounded and take root. I am thankful for the way things grow and renew. I am grateful for trees, and grass, and sky. I am thankful for a loving God who gave us his creation. It is a beautiful, generous earth. I need to treat it better. 

In honor of earth day I am leaving all of the lights off and letting the sun shine through my windows and light up our house. I am using my tote bags for shopping. I am walking/riding my bike today where possible. I also made cookies, but that probably doesn't count. I just wanted cookies. 

I know they are small and simple things, these little efforts at being green, and I am certainly going to try and do better and do more here and there. I love my earthly home. I really, really do. I would like to do what I can to keep it pretty and clean.

Easter Eggs on a Girls Night Out

I love dying Easter eggs and I cannot wait to make it a family tradition. But I have to say, this year any efforts at coloring eggs with my Littleman would have resulted in disaster. He is so enthusiastic about everything he does which often results in a lot of cleaning up on my part. Eating is a mess. Playing is a mess. Taking a walk to the mailbox is a mess. So last night, instead of dying eggs together this year I decided to take up an Instagram offer for a GNO specifically set aside for decorating Easter eggs. And can I just say, it was AWESOME! I had so much fun coloring eggs, watching different techniques, and talking with some new friends.

I didn't know anyone else who was there aside from a few I follow on Instagram, yet, it was still so much fun. We gabbed and ate while our fingers turned all kinds of different, disturbing colors. There was modge podge and glitter, there was gold leafing, there was vinegar in the air. It was heaven on earth for any egg dying enthusiast. Turns out we all needed a little break from curious, disruptive hands that would certainly ruin our perfectly beautiful eggs.

Hard boiling the eggs was something I could not accomplish without the advice of Pinterest. I mean, does anybody like the yolks to turn out grey? I know I don't. So I brought water and eggs to a boil, removed pot from the heat and let sit for 15 mins, then rapidly cooled the eggs in ice cold water. Oh the things you can learn, even after years of egg boiling.

Then it was time to take them and color them. If I thought boiling was tricky, deciding on an egg decorating method was just as overwhelming. I mean, there are so many cute ideas out there. Too busy to pick something else I just decided to grab two coloring kits from Walmart. Personally I experimented with all vinegar dyes that speckle and marble. Then I used metallic sharpies to write Easter words and phrases on my eggs. I LOVE THEM! And guess what, all of them have perfectly golden yolks! Pinterest for the win!

Some Bunny is Getting Excited for Easter

We had so much fun at a little Mommy and Me even thrown by Dream Catcher Baby and Kinder. I met up and talked with some great women I truly admire. We decided we need to get together for play dates a little more often to unwind some of our kids pent up, springy energy. I watched my little Blakie watch all of the little kiddies running around (he still doesn't really get co-playing). We ate some pretty good food from Awful Waffle. We made a little craft. We hunted eggs. We took some pics. We had an all-around grand time. Thank you beautiful ladies for all your work as sponsors for this event. We loved it so, so much and had a wonderful time with all of you.

yup, already super expert at embarrassing my lil' man

Good Tidings

We hope all of you have the best Christmas. For our holiday festivities we plan to spend as much time with family and friends as possible. Tis the season for those close relationships and we are really looking forward to it. Be safe, be healthy, and be merry!

       

Pioneer Day

I love when a local Holiday also falls on a day that my hubby has off. This was the case for Utah's Pioneer day and we were able to spend time together and time with family. We ate, we played, we saw a beautiful rainbow. Also, I am severely jealous of the green growing grass at my parent's yard. It is lush and long, a blanket of green downy softness. Baby K.B. is not so sure about it, holding his hands in the air and curling his little toes in revulsion, but I am in love. We sat out on the grass, baby on his little blanket, and gazed up at the clouds coming in. It was a happy Pioneer Day well spent. One of my favorite parts? Red velvet cupcake. I am all about the red velvet, regardless of the holiday. 

There is something about having a heritage, having a distinctive place in a long lineage of past and present. This is always something I think about on Pioneer Day. What is my personal pioneer experience? What groundwork am I laying for the future generations? These are all questions I cannot yet answer, but as my Littleman keeps growing and learning there will be many things I will leave behind through him. I want to teach him about hard work and humility. I want him to know compassion and service. How do I go about leaving all of these behind for him? Living them, living them every day just like my parents have done for me, and my grandparents, and great-grandparents. Wish me luck on leaving a heritage.