The "big" parade!

Is it really the 4th of July? Could it be that the hard to score spots on the parade route are the ones in the SUN instead of the shade? Utah weather is so weird. I will never adjust to it totally. At least I'll never be lacking for something to complain about!

We dropped Nate at the band gathering spot, and headed in to Provo...we got there at about 7am, and there were NO spots on the curb. People camp out on the street starting the day before! This is PROVO people! Not the Rose Parade! (Guess they didn't get the memo)

Being the happy housewife that I am, and being uber talented and organized (tooting my horn), I packed us breakfast to go; homemade cinnamon rolls and juice.
Teenagers are always so happy to get up early in the summer...see? Isn't he cheerful looking? Have another cinnamon roll sweetie!

It was fun to have Grandpa Bill with us this year. He grew up here, and even marched in the band once upon a time...he enjoyed the flashbacks downtown Provo provided.
Yay for the sun! Eventually we took off the hoodies, and enjoyed more summer-like weather.

Flashback Friday

HALLOWEEN 2008


It's been forever since I did a flashback post (it's been a long time since doing a "regular" post). With Halloween fast approaching the kids are looking forward to one of their favorite holidays! Lyndie was sure she was going to be Batman or Spiderman. All my dreams of sweet princesses and fairies were fading fast...until we found a compromise with an adorable "cupcake" costume. Noah and Gavin have found what they wanted in our Halloween box, so they will unveil their picks in a few weeks! Sometimes I really miss the days of LONG ago, when I picked (or directed) my 2 boys in a direction that involved matching costumes. Then we'd head over to the mall for pictures so I had a great photo of them in clean costumes! Sometimes life is simpler when you (the kids) have fewer choices...

Here are a few from recent years:

kodak moments

I am so excited to see all the pictures that D'Arcy took for us at the Ranch last month! She has posted a few samples on Facebook, and they are all great! Some are cute, others are beautiful, and some are silly. I love this one of my kids...but my first reaction was to be bugged by Noah and his obvious displeasure at being hugged tightly (she told them all to do that). After thinking on it for a while, I decided his expression doesn't ruin the photo, but will only be a reminder of part of his personality! This photo shoot could have easily turned ugly and painful...all those kids and grandkids! But D'Arcy was incredible, very professional, organized and quick! I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for a photographer!

I'll never forget

As the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 approaches this weekend, I've been reflecting on that day. I've been watching the specials on TV this week...I can't help myself. I am constantly amazed at the resilience of the human spirit. The fight to live and the desire to help others even in the face of such terror is inspiring to me. The accounts that impress me the most are from those people in the towers that searched from room to room and floor to floor to evacuate anyone still there. Also in these cases the rescuers saved countless lives, while sacrificing their own.

Usually my memory is pretty poor. But I can remember very clearly where I was and what I was doing on September 11, 2001. We lived in Costa Mesa at the time, and I had gone walking early that morning like I did most days. I drove about a mile to my friend Tyna Call's house, and we walked for about an hour. When we returned to her house, her husband was watching for us and stuck his head out the door. He told us a plane had run into one of the WTC buildings in New York. We weren't alarmed initially, assuming it was a freak accident. Of course that all changed when I got home and started to watch the live coverage with Matt on television.

I was horrified, as was the world, to watch the second plane hit the tower. I was grateful my boys were little enough that they didn't pay much attention as I watched. I also remember feeling really scared once the Pentagon was hit. I wondered where it would end! Reports and rumors were passed around the local news identifying Long Beach and other southern California spots as possible targets for terrorism. It was one of the most frightening and surreal days in my life.

I worried that day for my brother in law Glenn, who I thought might be working in the city that day. Fortunately he and my brother Bernie were safe with little Abby in their home in New Jersey.

We also worried for my brother in law, Shaun, who was working for Senator Bennett in Washington DC. He was evacuated that day, and fortunately was also safe and sound!

I had flown 3 times that summer of 2001 from California to Utah to be with my mom during her cancer treatments. I tried to imagine what it would be like to be on one of those planes, but it's unimaginable! We had made the decision to move the family to Utah to be close to mom shortly before 9/11, and had scheduled a trip for Matt to interview for a job in Salt Lake City. His flight was only a week later, and turned out to be a unique trip! The heightened security and required check in times made it a long and grueling affair. However his flight was nearly empty, and the person who checked him in knew him and bumped him to first class.

I hope that I've taught (and will continue to teach) my kids the important lessons we learned that day. The feelings and displays of patriotism immediately following that tragedy was amazing. I want my kids to be proud Americans, to not take for granted the freedoms they share. I want them to be the type of people who come to the aid of another when there is a need, regardless of their color, race, religious beliefs or any other factor. Terrorism is a difficult concept to explain to a child, one that I wish didn't exist.

My heart goes out to all those who are missing their loved ones this weekend! To all of those who lost someone they love on that tragic day, and for those serving in the military to keep us safe!

FINALLY!

It's Lyndie's turn for school (FINALLY!), and she couldn't be happier! She has been looking forward to another year at Miss Kelly's all summer long.

It's hard on the littles when the siblings all head back to school, and she has to wait another week...so not fair! We're happy to have pre-school close enough to walk. Last year Lyndie wanted to walk every day, but usually I was in a hurry to get to work, and had to say no.

Now we have the time to be leisurely about getting to school, and I'm going to enjoy every step!

intentions

I had really good intentions of teaching Gavin how to tie his shoes this summer. Matt and I had both taken turns showing him how, but he wasn't catching on. Then we got caught up in the frenzy and fun of summer, and forgot about those shoes (after all, we spent everyday in flip flops). When it was time to hit the shoe store just before the start of school, we remembered our goal, and how we let it go...and Gavin was sure he should get velcro shoes to avoid the whole matter!

Lucky for me he fell in LOVE with these awesome DC's and decided to give tieing another shot. 48 hours later, he burst in the door after school, excited to show off his new skill! We're so proud of you Bubby! Now you're ready to conquer 2nd grade!

the ranch...part 2

I really enjoyed the week in southern Utah at the Rockin R Ranch! I came away with a greater appreciation for family members, and a renewed appreciation for the chance to get away from it all for a few days. I thought I would miss my "shows" and checking in on Facebook several times a day, the evening news, etc...but I really didn't miss them at all! I don't think I could live in such a small quiet town permanently (Matt would move there in a heartbeat), but it sure was nice to visit for a few days and put life in perspective.

Some of the things I brought home from the Ranch were:

-gratitude for 3 square meals a day! (especially nice when you don't have to cook or clean up!)-a large group to share cake and celebrations with! We had birthday cake for Steven, and anniversary cake for Jeni & Ryan (12th), Matt & I (18th)!-love of the outdoors, and riding a SLOW horse along a beautiful trail.-someday I'll have Matt make me a fabulous swing like the one near the pond where I read in-between activities.-archery is fun, and sometimes you get lucky! Lesson learned by Lyndie: long hair sometimes gets caught in the bow...better to tie it back!-awe for the bravery displayed by all the rodeo participants, but especially the little kids that rode "Pancake" the sheep! The teens (and Josh) were pretty darn impressive with their bull (cow) riding too!-love for tubing down a river! (we need to buy us some tubes!). Also grateful I can swim after I completely embarrassed myself the 1st trip down...stuck in the reeds, flipped over in the water, chased down my shoe that came off in the mud (thank you nice stranger from France that spoke zero English but helped me anyway!), and getting stuck behind the log the guides warned us all about! My next 2 trips down went off without a hitch, and I wish we could have gone more!
-line dancing is a blast! I've never been a country music fan, but the dances they taught us were a blast (even if I forgot most of them). Saturday night we enjoyed a live band and dancing. The band acknowledged the anniversaries in our group, and played a few songs the couples could dance to.- deeper love for my nieces and nephews. On Sunday we started the day with a HUGE family photo shoot (thank goodness we hired a pro - thanks Amy!), then we attended sacrament mtg in town, followed by lunch and a family fireside. It was during this meeting that I had the opportunity to hear several people share their testimonies. Sonja shared a song she and the boys sing when they read scriptures, and those little spirits were so strong, and so pure! I've never seen Jared & Sonja's boys in that way before, it was like seeing them in a whole new light.

Emily shared a sweet testimony, and really helped to invite a nice spirit to the room.We also heard from Steven who recently returned home from his mission in CA. I love how much he LOVED his mission, and how he tries to convey how important it is to prepare to serve a mission and just "do it"! He told all the nieces and nephews in the room that they needed to start today to plan to go on a mission.

Andrew is preparing to serve a mission in the next year or so, and he shared his testimony, and what he's been doing to prepare to go. He talked about taking advantage of EFY and any other youth activity to plan spiritually for a mission. Andrew will make a fantastic missionary!

Shaun shared his testimony of the gospel. He said we need to not let one small thing we are struggling with diminish the things we know to be true! He expressed his love of mom and dad and of their example to all of us.

Finally mom and dad spoke to us. They both talked so lovingly about spending 50 years together, how much they have enjoyed working in the temple, and what their next calling in life might be. They have always been a wonderful example to me! I'm grateful for the things they have taught me about being a loving spouse, and how to live a righteous life.We had to hit the road for home Sunday evening, as Monday morning was back to work for Matt, back to school for Austin, and band camp for Nate. It was a rough week back, as we all were missing the fun and slow pace of the ranch. Not to mention missing family, and having a big group to do things with.

Now we're all back into the thick of things, like school and work. I'm back to cooking meals and wearing makeup...and still longing for another ride down the river on a tube!