Life is Sweet

Monday, June 27, 2011

Miss Me?

This has been SOME week.

Road trips. Family. Campfires. Change.

Today I'll be catching up. Tomorrow, I'll start catching YOU up.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Hello, Good-bye

A quick shout-out to my main squeeze.

Happy Father's Day!

You are the BEST.

I am heading out tomorrow for Utah.

Yes, I just got back from girls camp. At 2:30 am Saturday morning. After a quick 3 hours of shut-eye, I had a full day of swim-meeting, party-carpooling, laundering, cleaning, and shopping.

And tomorrow I'll be driving, apparently through some rain.

Here's an ever-so-brief run-down of the stuff I've missed posting about:

EFY.

And the Provo boys (yes, they're from Provo) the girls met there.

(These boys are all brothers. We have been referring to them as "the twins" and "the short red-headed ladies' man." I'm sure shorty will hit his growth spurt any day now.)

Despite being sick, Lex DID have a good time.

Girls Camp.

Which could also be called Attack of the Swarming Moths. The first two nights the moths were ridiculous. And disgusting.

Being the camp cook was hard work. But I truly appreciated when Bill and Brother Willis came for the day on Thursday, fulfilling their priesthood assignment. They helped in a variety of ways, including serving dinner. Nice.

Shilo and Cheyenne survived their 4th year hike. Three days, two nights, with everything they would need on their backs.

It is a ward tradition for a younger camper to take the girls' packs once they have arrived in camp.
A big thank you to Celeste.

Then those 4th years are treated like gold.
Hair washing, back-rubs, and foot massages were the order of the day.
Sorry, no pics. I was cooking, cleaning, and packing up.

Did I mention the bear?

See that brown figure behind the trees in the upper center of this picture??

YES. That is a bear.

He seemed much closer to me than that at the time. The final evening of camp, the bears were enough of a concern to have the girls congregate in the large, central pavilion to sleep, guarded by vigilant priesthood brothers who stayed up all night to keep them safe. That was the night I headed back home with Shilo, so she could make the swim meet the next morning. But before we headed out, we stayed for the testimony meeting.

This was the brain child of my cooking assistant and me. A fire ban prevented the usual campfire, so we came up with this ingenious idea. It worked perfectly. Just enough light to see everyone's faces. The only thing that could have made it better would be to have one of those relaxing soundscape CDs with the crackling fire track playing. And a heater.

Now I am off to Utah for a week of visiting family and camping (again!). My 1 1/2 days of prep time is rapidly diminishing.
I need to go pack.

But not before I give a big Happy Birthday wish to my only follower (not that I'm counting): my nephew Josh. I hope your 22nd birthday was awesome!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

No Time to Post - 2nd Edition

I'm really, really, really busy. I am in that frenzied state of having so much to do that I can't wrap my mind around it all, and it's buzzing around like a bee on an energy-drink-high in my head.
Maybe a quick post will help me get it all in perspective and order. (Or it will just put me way behind.)

(I have the BEE theme buzzing around due to girls camp.)

I pulled off the 340-ish cupcakes, thanks to the assistance of these fine people:

AND this:

Part of my stress TODAY is a result of yesterday.

Shilo and I spent 5 hours (FIVE HOURS!) at the DMV. Jealous?

It's such a long, long story, I will spare you the ridiculous details. Let me just say that it was an exercise in inefficiency. Babies crying, spilled food on the floor, people everywhere, the smell of heavy smokers abounding. In such ludicrous circumstances, I would expect frustration and unpleasantness from everyone, but instead found patience, conversation, and pleasant, calm (maybe too calm... certainly in no hurry) workers.

But Shi got her learner's permit. Hallelujah.

My living/dining room has become the staging area for camp.

Today I will pull it all together, and be completely and utterly prepared by tomorrow morning at 6 am.

Wish me luck, I need it!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Fifteen

Dear Shilo,

The entire week before you were born, I sat for hours on end in front of a computer playing Solitaire. Anxiously waiting. I would stop, but only when necessary, to take care of the other three CRAZIES running around the house. It was an eternal non-solitary week of gaming. My self-soothing solution to pre-partum nervousness.

When the scheduled date arrived, you arrived, right on schedule. A beautiful baby girl with lots of dark hair.
I was thrilled to add another sweet daughter to our family.

You were an easy baby (much like your big brother), the BEST nurser (that's a real claim to fame -- something to brag about to your friends -- wink, wink), and a fun toddler. And despite your sweet, easy-going nature, you had some B.I.G. trials to endure. A broken leg at 15 months. Ingesting a "harmful or fatal if swallowed" cleaning solution at 18 months. A head-injury-producing car accident at 4 years old. Spiral fracture and resulting surgery of both bones in your forearm at age 9. And who can forget the rope burn from last summer?

Enough, already!

But you have handled your challenges with grace.

One of my favorite quotes from your younger years: "Yeah, mom, you're doing it right."

(As you would sit on the couch and watch me do my Denise Austin workout each day.)

I appreciated your encouragement more than you will know, as I attempted to work through the post-partum emotions and baby fat I accumulated with your little sister Mar.

You are blessed with amazing talents and abilities.

You set goals and expectations, then work hard to achieve them.

You TALK to me. I love to hear your thoughts and feelings about things. Thank you for letting me in.

You are a wonderful help around home. A peacemaker. A great sister.

You have a willing and obedient heart. A true desire to be good.

You are beautiful, inside and out. I am so blessed to be your mother.

Happy 15th Birthday, Shilo!

Love, Mom

Friday, June 10, 2011

Camp, Cupcakes, and Concern

This is what my dining room table looks like today:

I am trying to get ready for GIRLS CAMP next week (I'm the cook, remember), and spent yesterday going through camp supply bins, washing the dirt from camps-gone-by off of dishes, laundering dirty dishtowels and dishcloths that had been stashed, forgotten, and stored that way (seriously!), sorting through smashed boxes of random utensils, and doing the Walmart run. Today I am going to try and get everything else EXCEPT the produce. But first I have to find refrigerator/freezer space. AND make sure I stay in budget. Wish me luck.

This is on my kitchen counter:

Did I mention that I agreed (I know, what was I thinking?) to make 300 cupcakes for the Stake Girls Camp fireside Sunday evening? The good thing is, I am just purchasing the frosting from Sam's Club. Did you know they do that? You can buy JUST their frosting. I know it's not like homemade, but it's pretty darn good, and comes in a variety of colors. I need a sunny yellow. And when you have to make 300 cupcakes, it's a lifesaver. Besides, mixing up frosting is my least favorite part of making cupcakes.

(Kind of like scouring the shower is my least favorite part of cleaning the bathroom, so I've arranged with Bill to have that be his job. I'm happy to do the rest, including the toilet.)

Lex has been sick, sick, sick this week at EFY. Poor girl. It stresses me out that she hasn't been eating, and that she's thrown up a time or two. I'm a little worried about the trip home tomorrow. I hope they bring along some barf bags, Lex is prone to car-sickness anyway.

I can't wait to see her and Shi tomorrow night... I have missed them!

Thursday, June 9, 2011

XXII

Dear Taylor,

Twenty-two years ago today, we both went through some stress. I gave birth for the first time (to my largest baby, might I add), and you were yanked from the only comfort you had known, by what, to me, looked like large salad tongs, and struggled for your first breath. Then you had a long tube inserted into your nose and down your throat to suction your lungs, which, on top of that pounding headache you surely had, and your swollen eye, must have been a rude awakening into the world. The good thing is that you don't remember a bit of it.

In the years since, it has been nothing less than a joy to watch you grow.

Lucky me, you were an easy baby.

You loved being in the car. You loved to be held - by everyone. You slept a lot.

A first time mom couldn't ask for more.

When your sisters joined the family, you were loving, helpful, and kind.

You have taken the ~~burden~~ blessing of being the first child

- the parental experiment -

- the learning curve -

- the beneficiary of lack-of-experience -

amazingly well.

I truly appreciate your patience and forgiveness.

You have always been able to make friends easily... anywhere you go.

You dislike conflict, and although you enjoyed any and all sports you've tried:

T-ball, Baseball, Karate, Soccer, Basketball, Football, and Swimming,

you've never had a very competitive nature.

You would participate simply for the enjoyment, fun, and friendship.

(My favorite of your sports quotes: "I hate it when they give me the ball. Guys try to tackle you when you have the ball.")

You are a great musician. Highly skilled. Saxophone, guitar... I got my first initiation into the world of high school activities through marching band. I still remember how awesome it was to watch you march in your first parade, even if you were in full marching band dress (a dark navy blue) and it was a 100-degree day. It was so fun to go to sporting events and competitions to watch you play. Then you put down the sax and picked up a guitar. You even started to sing a little, behind closed doors. I love, love, love hearing you sing.

(My favorite of your music quotes: "I wish I had taken more piano lessons.")

You were willing to lay aside two years of your life to serve a mission. To share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. This week, as we were talking on the phone, you said, "It's so weird. It feels like I was on my mission just the other day. It still feels like who I am." Can I just say, I love that?

Happy Birthday, Taylor!

I am so wonderfully blessed to have you for my son.

Love, Mom

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Growing Season

I can grow hostas.

They were really just an afterthought, a few years back when we were landscaping our front yard. I didn't even know what they were, just that they liked shade. And, having a north-facing house, I've got boatloads of shade in the front. We plopped them next to the front door as a filler. They have been very happy there, away from the borders that tempt wandering deer. They are so big now, they almost look a little ridiculous.

The things planted intentionally have not done so well. All I want is two large, flowering bushes that grow past the base of the front window. I don't think I'm asking for much. Two bushes, that is all.

This lonely bush is the result of two attempts. It's supposed to grow big... up to 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide. This is it's third summer season. I don't think it's reaching it's full potential. This is, however, the first time it has actually bloomed.

This is one tough little bush, not giving in to the winter-kill of the off-season. Growing in what is most likely a foot of rock (shout-out to Bill, the rock king). Never feeling the warmth of direct sunlight.

I've got to respect the bush.

But I can't help wishing it's twin hadn't died out the first winter, and that it would have a sudden growth spurt.

The peonies look good again this year. Barring hail, a deep freeze, or tornados, they should be blooming pretty soon. I can't wait. They are my favorite.

The house I grew up in had lovely peonies, and a beautiful lilac bush. Just the other day, I walked up to my neighbor's door... her lilac bush is blooming, and smelled so amazing, I determined that I must have one myself. So my gardening goals this year are:

plant more peonies

plant a lilac bush (or two, just in case one doesn't make it)

keep the weeds down in the unplanted garden area.

(Although Bill is determined to till the garden, then "throw in some seeds." Maybe the after-thoughtful, casual, unintentional approach will work??? It can't be worse than last year.)