Family Time – Page 61 – Letters from Home

San Bernardino

Redlands Temple

San Bernardino was the beginning and the end of our long vacation. We stayed with Mom and Dad (President and Sister S.) over the first weekend and again on our way home. Sister S. commented that the kids seemed just as happy at the end of the trip as the beginning. No wonder. They spent 2 weeks being loved by parents of the grand and great-grand variety.

California 454

We met a charming balloon artist at the Rainforest Cafe. Mark loves his new bunny, Chatter.

California 535

We loved the handcart rides. So did the neighbor kids who hopped in to join us.

Valley boys and girl

Darling, yes?

Timothy

Timothy tried out the little pool.

Daniel

Nice one, Daniel!

Mark

And of course, little brother joined in the fun. Meanwhile, Paige was upstairs sketching and making a beaded bracelet.

MP and SS

We love you all the way to the moon!

And thank you for the doughnut tip: Tailor Maid doughnuts are superb. Thanks for the nice visit.

We are so amazed at all you do. We think you are doing A Great Work.

Lessons in Simplicity

It’s our first day home from vacation. I’ve spent all my time today doing laundry, answering e-mails and making decisions my vacation-paced brain is not ready to accomplish. While on my trip I wrote a few journal entries about things I had learned on a two week vacation at the beach and on the road (2500 miles). Tonight I think I’ll share one of these thoughts with you.

One lesson from the trip was Simplicity. There is something to be said about keeping our belongings and distractions to a minimum. I spent a lot of time with Mark with waves and gulls as our only entertainment. I walked and ran up and down the beach with that boy until my feet were calloused from the sand. My thoughts didn’t stray to other things when I was with him; I was all his, and we let hundreds of waves lap at our feet and we sank into the sand as the water washed away.

Our beach house was equipped with only a few dishes. And how nice; it meant just a few dishes to wash. I decided that my house feels decadent after such a simple week. The closets full of sheets and blankets seem excessive; the multiple sets of towels: an indulgence that weighs me down and makes me more busy than I need to be.

So, tonight I am too tired to post more pictures, but I want it to be said that I want to be more like I was on the beach; accessible, unfettered by excess, not unnecessarily burdened with worries.

My house is still a joy to me. We walked in and the familiar paintings and belongings are here and it feels good. But after a few weeks of living out of a suitcase, I find myself more aware of and impatient with all the THINGS I lift around the house all day. It’s kind of like I’m living a farcical tale about a person who spends her days shuffling objects from room to room and thinks that the organization and neatness of those objects will make her happy. I took a step away from that life and I’ve come back disenchanted with it.

These thoughts are certainly not as profound as Anne Lindbergh’s Gift from the Sea, but I think they are worthy of some action… Like a good trip to the donations bin at the church.

Thinking of You

Yes, dear reader (family & friends), I am thinking of you on our vacation and I will be posting again soon. But this vacation I have sworn off blog work. I’m off to play at Grandma Ruth’s today with family heirlooms and photos and memories.

Family Tree

Our tree

Richard comes home from work most evenings and looks immediately out the back window and makes a comment about the state of our crape myrtle tree.

This little tree has weeks when the blossoms wane and it looks more like a spent dandelion that has lost its fuzz. That little trunk and my thumb share the same diameter. But despite its small size, this tree can blossom like there’s a party going on. And for some reason, Richard follows the ebb and flow of our tree with great interest.

I think it has a lot to do with the investment of time he puts into our back yard. After checking the tree each evening, he takes a walk out to the tomato plants, surveys the strawberry patch, adjusts sprinklers, and takes an inventory of his kingdom.

Are you ready for my simile or metaphor? Faithful readers, surely you were expecting it.

And so it goes. Some weeks our family seems to be in sync with our moods and schedules and we’re in full bloom. Other weeks, we are stretched to the limit by our outside commitments and we feel like spent dandelions.

We’ve had a spent dandelion week. Even trying to pace ourselves, the stress of life has crept in a little and I am ready for a weekend break. We look forward to a week of full-bloom soon… despite missing out on a Stewart reunion at the Weber.

Dear Weber family

A Good Idea

Richard and I decided to have the kids help teach Family Home Evening last night. We split into two groups and practiced telling a stories from the scriptures. Then we met back together to present our work and talk about applications.

Mark tells the story of Joseph

Mark and Paige told the story of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. Then we talked about things we can learn from the story. Here are some of the responses:

You should be nice to your brothers (and sister).
It’s a good idea to have some food storage.
Even though bad things happen to good people sometimes, Heavenly Father still loves them and has a plan.
We should forgive others.

Timothy tells the story of Lehi

Timothy told the beginning of the story of Lehi and his family who left Jerusalem.

Daniel tells the story of Nephi and Laban

Daniel finished the story of Nephi getting the brass plates. When we talked about what we could learn from the story, Timothy summarized, “You should obey Heavenly Father and He will help you to do it.” Daniel said, “If Heavenly Father asks you to do something, He will provide a way for you to do it.”

Yes!

Spring Lake ramblings

Round House

I’ve allowed myself to slip into a deep summer reverie; I’m working (yes, it takes work for me) to enjoy every minute of summertime. I work too hard and enjoy too little most of the time. Silly me.

Our stay at Spring Lake was so brief, but very special.

Sunday was our last day at the Round House. After church, the kids enjoyed a quiet afternoon at the frog pond. Richard read a book; I walked around the property, taking photos. I wanted to remember the feelings of the day and I hoped pictures would help. Aunt Susan was in my thoughts all day. I looked down the road where she grew up and took time to think of her as a young girl, running around this little town.

Secret Garden

The Secret Garden, always such a special place, with its places to sit and rest and bits of interest like the Thinking Rock, tiger lilies, yellow brick pathway, money bushes, and more remains true to its name.

Pathway

I love a good, rustic pathway and the rustle of leaves as I move down the lane.

New Oak trees

New oaks at my feet and a canopy of tall oaks over my head taught me new life lessons simple and profound and not easily expressed.

2009-07-05 4th of July 166

I studied the tiles for an extra long time, smiling at the thought of a young Aunt Susan not being able to resist taking a pretty tile home many years ago.

restful spot

On the deck, the usual restful spot awaited me, bathed in green light filtered through the trees. I found a plaster of paris mold that Dad made in 1961 of a seahorse sitting on a table there. I smiled, picturing Dad just a little older than Daniel.

Enchantment at the Frog Pond

Echoing through the property was the sound of my children laughing and splashing together at the frog pond, enjoying the details so carefully created by Dad. This may be one of his most powerful lessons: children need rocks, dirt, and water to be happy.

Explorer

And here, these things are in abundance.

Ross children

The kids sought me out and asked me to take a picture of them on Grandma’s swing. Pow! I felt so much gratitude for them…

Timpanogos

My wanderings took me up the road, to the spot that was burned last summer. The foreground still looks marred, but the view had the same effect that it always has on me. I had the usual sharp intake of breath as I tried to comprehend it all. I’ve never felt this powerfully about any other place. And again the view taught me quiet and powerful lessons impossible to describe.

And there was healing in the thoughts of family, home, heritage, and a loving Creator.

And then I walked down the hill and we drove away from my own personal Walden Pond, resolved to live with more simplicity, more faith, and greater effort to find joy.

Tanks Ablaze

The competitors

As a warm-up for July 4th the next day, Paul and Care invited us to Tank Wars at their house. After dinner, Paul shared his fireworks and we doctored up some tanks so they had some real power. Here, the competitors assembled for the carnage…

Timothy and Mark's tanks

They proudly displayed their arsenals.

Paige and Mom's arsenal

Paige and I even prepared some Barbie Carnage Tanks.

Timothy reacts

It was dearly entertaining to watch the reactions of the kids…

Mark reacts

This was Mark’s first experience with fireworks. He was mesmerized.

Ruby and Timothy react

It was loud, but most of the kids watched from the edge of the curb, which is as close as we would let them sit.

Solomon reacts

Cutie Solomon was amazed.

Paige and Ruby

Ruby and Paige were less impressed, but found some things to chat about.

Isaac "likes smoke"

Isaac confessed, “I like smoke!” as he chased it down the street.

Ammon reacts

Ammon was just happy to be there.

Charlotte reacts

Charlotte blew patriotic bubbles since she was too young to make a tank.

Tank Carnage

Tank Wars Day 1 was a fiery success. Tank Wars Day 2 took place at the Round House with even more competitors with a larger army of tanks. Installing that hornet rocket on my Big Mama Tank was definitely against my better judgment a great idea!

Hip, hip, Parade!

Parade 1

We drove 14 hours to attend Provo’s July 4th parade with cousins and family. You can’t beat a really good parade. Mom always loved the parade more than the kids. I’m finally getting it and I’m pretty sure I loved it more this year than I ever did before. Why?

Daniel in tree

…Because the parade gave Daniel a chance to climb a tree;

4th of July 013

I got to sit with my siblings and their families at the old TPM homestead on University Avenue, in a place so traditional that even Mayor Billings searched the crowd, mouthing the word, “Sanchez” to his daughters trying to find us from the convertible in which he sat for the parade.

4th of July Tank

We saw a tank in action. Now when do you ever get to see a tank rumbling down the road?

4th of July Missionary standing ovation

There was the standing ovation for the LDS Missionary float. I lifted Mark on my shoulders and he caught the excitement and waved to the missionaries with all his might.

Henry

Our nephew, Henry was in a band in the parade. So was his sister, Katie.

Why do I love a parade more than ever? Well, it’s all about beautiful things; it celebrates youth, honors old age, and makes me feel patriotic and reminds me of my childhood. That’s something to get excited about.

Wondershirts

4th of July shirts 003

So, I have this embroidery machine that really makes me happy and Michael’s had t-shirts on sale for $2.50 so it was determined that we will have Embroidered Wondershirts for the 4th of July parade. (The parade, by the way, that we are driving 14 hours to see…and it had better just be “partly cloudy” as forecasted.)

4th of July shirts 007

Luckily, Michael’s also had the essential Pop Rocks available, too. Ahh, the simple pleasures of July 4th traditions!

Sarah Sees Sahuarita

Bryan and Sarah at the lake

Yesterday, Sarah and Bryan had a Sahuarita experience. We took them sight-seeing at the lake.

water lily blossom

We showed them “our” pond where a water lily was in bloom for the occasion.

tortoise ride

Daniel and Mark showed off the tortoises.

Mark runs free

And Mark enjoyed some freedom.

Daniel and Timothy puppeteers

In the evening after a meal of fajitas and watermelon, we embarked on adventures in entertainment. Audience admission was a slot to perform in our talent show. Richard played piano, Paige danced (on film), Daniel played piano, Timothy produced, directed, and acted in a Potato Head Puppet Show, Sarah sang an awesome solo, and I played the guitar and as we all sang together.

Bryan on the harmonica