Category: Family Time

Conference Memories

What a memorable General Conference. I sobbed when I heard the announcement for a Tucson temple. We are thrilled about lowering the age for missionaries to serve. I loved Elder Holland’s talk.

Richard and Daniel were able to attend the General Priesthood meeting. I’m having technical difficulties with the annual father-son photo, but when I get that worked out, I’ll post Daniel and Richard standing beside one another in front of our house, Daniel’s limbs creeping out of bounds on the hems of last year’s suit.

Richard and Daniel rode Trax to downtown Salt Lake to avoid having to park.

We watched conference at home and one session at my parents’ mountain retreat. The little boys played with blocks and Lego Mindstorms as they listened to the speakers.

I just noticed Timothy’s awesome foundation.

 

Our Piano Guy

Daniel is a big fan of the Piano Guys so we got him tickets to an outdoor Piano Guys concert for his birthday. He and Richard had a great time.

Daniel continues to play the piano and has recently started playing the cello. I love having another string player in the family.

If you don’t know the Piano Guys, here are a few of Daniel’s favorite songs.

httpv://youtu.be/BgAlQuqzl8o

httpv://youtu.be/0VqTwnAuHws

httpv://youtu.be/NzGgX1DihPw

Autumn joys

The familiar back-to-school feeling with its gold-toned memories and crisp air is all around us. I can’t keep my eyes off the mountains above our house. The red maples have been brilliant for a few weeks, but this weekend, the aspen trees erupted into bright yellow color. My autumn heart is satisfied and happy.

Over the weekend we opened up our bed and breakfast to some cousins. Some of our activities included playing with Legos, Styrofoam, cars, planes, remote controlled vehicles, board games, markers, Sparky, Polly Pockets, and Ellos. We played basketball, painted the girls’ nails, gave jeep rides, slid down the banister, watched Scooby Doo, and invited my aunt and her family to join us for dinner. Nine house guests at once made me smile. That’s the total we would accumulate in 2 or 3 years in Arizona.

Fish Creek

Another benefit from living in Utah is we can tag along on family gatherings without having to buy a plane ticket or take time off from work. Richard goes to Fish Creek faithfully… probably once a year, but it has always meant that he leaves our family behind.

Well, not this year. The kids and I were able to go this weekend. I have been to Fish Creek a few times before, but Mark and Timothy had never been. It’s pretty much a land of enchantment. Let me tell you what I mean.

Fish Creek is the only place in the universe where we ride in the back of a pickup truck. I told Mark that it’s the only place he will ever be allowed to do this, even after he becomes an adult. Some rules just have to remain eternal or I won’t be able to sleep at night.

Fish Creek is the only place in which we use the pronunciation, “crick”.

Fish Creek (are you saying “crick” in your mind?) is the only place where I loosen up enough to ride a motorcycle.

Fish Creek is a place where you fit 16 people and two dogs in a pickup truck. You eat fried chicken, cheese curds from Beaver, eggs from the Russ and Nancy farm, and licorice in all its varieties.

It’s history, it’s cousins, it’s dirt roads and mining cabins, leaves changing color, big sky and peace. We had a great time.

And here is the outtake of the day:

Here’s a closeup of the best part. I call it “Sparky’s worldview.”

 

Courageous at the Core

I love my Markie. He’s feeling the separation from me at school very deeply. Instead of allowing him to complain aloud so often, we came up with a sign that he can give when he feels upset. It means, “I need a hug.” We do a lot of hugging these days.

I pray a lot for my kids. I also pray for their teachers to have an extra measure of empathy and love.

I believe that everyone is adventurous and courageous at the core. I believe that that every person had a choice whether or not they came to earth. We showed courage to come here for experience and growth. I reminded the kids about that the other day as we walked to school. We talked about life being full of adventures and that we chose this life, full of challenges because we are brave and we need to learn.

I also believe that when we made the decision to come to earth, it was an informed decision. We didn’t know what our lives would bring, but we knew our Father and we understood that life on earth was an essential step to becoming like Him. We knew there would be a Savior and we knew Him better then, too. We knew that we could trust Him.

I really can’t remember these events, but I know they happened. While my mind can’t remember them, somehow my spirit does, and this brings comfort. It’s a comfort to me to know that I had a home I loved before I came here and to which I can return. It’s a comfort to understand that it’s not important to know the outcome of everything. It’s just important to trust in a God who knows us, loves us, and provides a way for us to face our challenges with courage.

Now, let’s go take on the day.

Perfect

On Friday evening I took the kids out to dinner. It was a reward to Mark for good behavior in school. We sat out on the patio of the restaurant. Orange, red, and green trees dotted the mountains behind us. The temperature was perfect and the insects stayed away.

The new fountain drink dispenser-turned-constantly-flowing-water-feature entertained us as employees tried to fix it while still serving drinks.

We talked about the new piano teacher, ballet classes, and friends at church. I searched my purse for some cash to buy ice cream for dessert.

I looked at each of the kids, smiling and relaxed together. Paige shared a chair with Mark, Timothy curled up on his chair, and Daniel occasionally waved at friends who were inside the restaurant.

I said, “This feels perfect, just like the old days when we used to spend all day together.”

I have made it a point not to pine over the old days, so I added, “But even though things have changed, it’s a new kind of perfect.”

And it is.

The new kind of perfect is being able to sit outside at a restaurant for an evening meal. It’s classrooms and lockers, recess and cafeterias. It’s repairing old pipes and fixtures in our free time, enjoying our season tickets to BYU football games and gorging on Cougar tails. It’s falling asleep early each night because we’re so tired from all the new people and surroundings. It’s enjoying a backyard with shade, open windows in the house, and a sunny mudroom for laundry and lockers holding backpacks bulging with homework. It’s seeing family and feeling like we’re in the loop again with family news and events. It’s tears and fear, insecurities and new experiences, my mouth full of canker sores from the stress, all while being sheltered by a good house that creaks in the night. Of course it’s a mixture of emotions and reactions, but I know that perfection is something you create, not something that is handed to you. We’re making things work, just as we would anywhere. It does help that we feel like we’re “home,” though.

Snippets

We have some lovely grapes in the backyard which the kids have enjoyed eating.

Richard has a new lawn edger.

All of the kids are registered for school. Yes, this was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I know it’s the right thing to do, but I’m not talking about it, so please don’t ask.

Most of the boxes are unpacked, but we don’t have many pictures hung.

My favorite parts of our house are the kitchen, mudroom, backyard, and the basement library.

We have had different neighbors stop by nearly every single night to bring us goodies to welcome us.

Daniel is part of a thriving scout troop and Deacon’s quorum.

When you walk out of Paige’s school, three temples are in view.

Yesterday Paige and I filled two five-gallon buckets with therapeutic weeds.

ALL people want to talk about here is education. They ask our name and then they ask the names of our children’s teachers. Pretty much. I think it’s a good sign that the community is so invested in their schools.

I discovered someone with whom I can quote Shakespeare.

The neighbors said that a general authority lived in this house 10 years ago.

Our closets are improving, thanks to help from my parents and Joe.

Life is much easier with good shopping nearby.

I love the evenings here.

I am very grateful to be here. The timing was perfect for our family.

Daniel starts school tomorrow. The rest of the kids begin on Monday.

If you wonder what we are doing, we are either playing in the backyard, playing with boxes and styrofoam, organizing, or eating goodies from the neighbors.

 

We celebrated our girl and our house

We enjoyed some family time to celebrate Paige’s Sweet 16. Everyone signed a book for Paige and she received many thoughtful gifts. We filled the house with people who love her. Aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, parents, and grandparents were all there to cheer as she reached this milestone.

For entertainment, we gave house tours and the girl cousins tried on Paige’s ballet costumes. The boy cousins played in the moving boxes.

Paige’s license will be delayed a bit because of our move, but at least somebody can drive around in our yard. These are some of Paige’s cousins. Too cute.

Wrap-up

Mark jumped from this ledge over and over, landing in the sand in a heap. Our eventful summer continues to demand our biggest efforts and some adventurous spirit.

Last night was the first time in a month that we were all home together (in Arizona). Its normalcy was soothing, although it’s really not normal for all of us to be home together. We let the dishes sit in the sink and we watched the Olympics and forgot about bedtime.

We’ve learned some things this summer living in two different states, not the least of which is how to text. We’re high-tech, but until now, we haven’t seen the need to type with our thumbs. Who knew how comforting this little exchange could be?

Are you there?

Yes.

and,

Good morning, Beautiful!

(That was from Richard.) 😉

When we need a break, Richard and I list good things that we know will come and good things that we hope will come with our move. Proximity to family and the temple rank very high, of course, but I’ll just share some light-minded ones with you:

  • Restaurants!
  • BYU football tickets
  • grass
  • trees
  • fireworks
  • seasons
  • food storage items in grocery stores
  • fry sauce
  • parades
  • Utah peaches
  • that General Conference feeling as it plays in almost every home in the neighborhood
  • Western Family brand
  • KSL radio
  • the lights at Temple Square

Arizona will always be with us, just as Texas is. Yesterday I had my first Sonoran hot dog and that will be something I’ll work to replicate all the rest of my life.

Hey, Utahns, what other (positive) little things do we have to look forward to? And no teasing about the cold, please. I know that 15 years living in cauldron states leaves me ill-equipped to handle the cold. Comment! Comment! I need company during these last days in the desert.