Lake Powell

This past weekend we took a quick trip to Lake Powell (Wednesday afternoon to Friday evening). We pulled our old tent trailer and brought some 3 man rafts with oars (in place of our inherited '76 Bellboy heavy boat and paying for gas). The weather was (upper 90's) warm and we enjoyed the sun, water, and time together. The children enjoyed rafting out to a rock on a pinnacle (also coined "Bird Poop Island" because the raven's roost there). We listened to dad's memories of Powell as a child and the silly dives they used to do in the name of a made up diver "Fred Louganis," not to be confused with Greg Louganis. We ate instant oatmeal, roasted marshmallows and roasted hot dogs over a fire with willow branches...(Okay, actually mom roasted all the hot dogs on the "wow this is way too hot and too much work for food" bonfire), learned Chinese Checkers, scrambled after "speedy green lizards" (whip tail skinks) and read Angie Sages fourth book, Queste and Clare B. Dunkles' The Sky Inside. Even with car treats and DVDs, Miss R declared that the five hour ride was "boring!" I guess childhood road trips, with or without technology, seem too long and to adults the vacation is too short!

Muddling Along Article

Read a great post from an author I've enjoyed reading before, Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard entitled,"Muddling Along." Hope you enjoy the message and muddle along with those of us who have been muddleing for sometime now and have found joy along the way! I am copying the article because I can not figure out the "link" button: LDS LIVING

Muddling Along by Janene Wolsey Baadsgaard Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Have you ever had one of those days where you wish you’d stayed in bed? I remember a day like that.

---

The dishwasher had malfunctioned, flooding our house all night as we slept. We didn’t know until one of our sleepy-eyed children came into our bedroom early in the morning and said, “Mom and Dad! It’s raining in the basement!”

The room that was hardest hit was the storage room where we’d recently carefully stacked and dated our pride and joy, a two-year supply of food. In a mad dash to save anything we could, every member of our family hauled each bucket and box out into the back yard to dry out. It took hours.

Just when we finished, we heard a clap of thunder, looked up, and felt several drops splash in our eyes. Then the heavens were opened and the few drops immediately became a downpour. We regrouped and quickly hauled our soggy mess into the garage.

When we finally got every box and bucket into the garage, my son came running to me in tears, informing me his pet rabbit was dead. After finally getting the children off to school, my daughter called from campus saying she couldn’t remember where she’d parked the car at BYU. Then my other first-grader had an accident that required a change of clothing. You get the picture.

“I can’t handle any more,” I said to my husband.

“You don’t have to handle it,” my husband replied. “There’s no rule book somewhere that says you have to go through life handling everything. Just muddle, Jan. I’ve been muddling for years and no one can tell the difference.”

Muddle, I thought. I think I can muddle.

Now every time I’m feeling overwhelmed, I remember my husband’s timely advice. Frankly, I’ve been muddling ever since and so far no one can tell the difference, just like he promised.

I remember a day when I walked into the kitchen to find my young son surrounded by the large white buckets where I stored our flour, sugar, and pasta. He was busy scooping— sugar into the flour—rice into the sugar—pasta into the rice. The whole kitchen looked like a white billowing cloud except for my son’s innocent grin and two large blue eyes staring up at me. “Look, Mom. I’m the bread maker!” my young son said as he looked up at me.

Suddenly it dawned on me that whenever I made bread I pulled out all the white buckets and started scooping. He was trying to be like me.

My feelings of frustration melted into love. I was so proud of him for trying. As we got busy cleaning the kitchen, I realized God loves us like that. No matter how big the mess or mistake we’ve made, God provides us with a Savior to help us clean it up. That is the essence of muddling.

Muddling is not mediocrity. Muddling allows us to stop keeping up appearances or worrying that we’ll never measure up. Muddling is accepting our humanness and inadequacies. Muddling is realizing there are some messes only Christ can clean up. And muddling is seeing our worth through God’s eyes and never giving up hope that things will work out.

Nature and Lessons on Death

It is with sadness, I regret to relate the death of our guinea pigs, Bowie (4 yrs.) and Fruma Sarah (2 yrs). The girls discovered the hairs and some blood on the backyard staircase (near their outdoor cage) and came and got us for the recovery mission. We suspect raccoon or skunk. Aunt Lavon Alise was kind enough to come over for support and get right down on grieving Miss R's level and explain the cycle of nature. Miss R is learning about feeling the spirit and praying and listening to Heavenly Father. God bless sweet little soft creatures we call pets.

Sick!

The baby slept almost the entire three hour block we were at church on Sunday. I hoped it was due to a late night and mono. Monday morning she spit up several times, tired, I hoped it was a reflex. I can not deny the many smelly diapers of late and realized after working very hard outside and coming in yesterday afternoon, I am sick! Staying near to the bathroom, I was sick the rest of the day and all night long and into today. Tomatoes? Maybe. With the sickness came a realization that "Ahhah! There is a reason my mood has been depressed! This too shall pass..." Thanks to all for putting up with the serious, more grumpy posts of late. (Fortunately, stomach bugs do not pass over computer wires).

Happy 35th Birthday

A very happy birthday. Thanks all for helping feel better at being mid-thirty! This morning I woke up to a beautiful bouquet of irises (a favorite flower) picked by Joe and left in a vase for me, along with a poem. He had left some presents for me with instructions to open one an hour until he got home. (He spoils me...and Russell Stover's chocolates were on a great sale at Shopko, apparently.) I was excited to receive some books that I had on a wish list. He also brought hair accessories for me to "change it up" occasionally. The children made me presents. Miss R wrapped up pipe cleaners, a baby blanket, and candles (re-gifted) from our gift box that she hand selected. Miss H made a pretty picture/card for me with a drawing of her, Miss R and Me! Joe's mother surprised me with a fun Remembering Gordon B. Hinckly DVD and offered to take the children while I did something for me. I took a long bath and blow dried my hair (what a luxury!) Miss R asked me if I really wanted to take a long bath as something special on my birthday. I tried to explain that with three wily children and a toddler, a bath by myself was a luxury. (What once took me one hour to shower, lotion, dress, and do hair and makeup--I now can do in fifteen minutes). My good friend Cassy Dickerson called to chat from Las Veags, Nevada. I also had birthday well wishes from sisters Hyea Won and Amy. My sister called and was going to bring me lunch but than rethought that and rescheduled for tomorrow. (Fingers crossed for a fun picnic to the park with company!?) Sis-in-law Beth brought a cupcake pyramid with homemade cupcakes from Anne's Cake Creations...they were delicious and so was the company, thanks ladies! Joe and I went to Macaroni Grill tonight and the movie Iron Man. (Our waiter guessed I was 38! Hmm, he must not know the cardinal rule to guess young and never age a woman! :( ).

Keepin' It Real

Tagged by Jamie Keepin' It Real The Rules are no straightening, cleaning, or wiping your child's nose! Right away, take pictures of the following things: 1) The Refrigerator 2) My Closet 3) Kitchen Sink 4) Toilet I have five bathrooms (and a sixth in an adjoining old jacuzzi house) to choose from...I cleaned all the house toilets in a post midnight frenzy last week after Susie showed an interest in playing in the toilets. 5) My Favorite Shoes Quick to throw on and chase children...They sometimes mysteriously disappear and end up by the backyard trampoline! (Miss H? Miss R?) 6) My Favorite Room I like the way the sun in the late afternoon plays across the floor. We have wooden blinds ordered for the window in the left corner and upstairs in the newly built front entryway. 7) What my Children are Doing right Now Jonathan and (library copy of) The Backyardigans! (He was playing Ollo on the computer earlier and learning to clean the kids' bathroom earlier with mom). Susie is napping in her sidecar. Ahh, no toilet playing, cupboard exploring, wet wipe stealing, hiding, little lady right now! I know exactly where she is during her hour long afternoon nap! Miss H and Miss R are jumping on the trampoline...waiting for mom to take them to the library. 8) Laundry Pile Like I wrote about earlier, Joe calls this room (the laundry room) the "Room of Depression" and does his best to avoid it completely lately...Anyone have Troll Helga's Magic iron wax and laundry soap? (We have been behind since baby four, fifth pregnancy...) 9) Self Portrait Not a self portrait...Can't find where I put it in Adobe. Miss R took this one of me holding her Mother's Day present (after finding it). It was a bundle of sweet smelling flowers she had collected for me and a card she made for me at school. 10) Dream Vacation I have many "dream" vacations...This is one Joe and I took from a yacht in Bora Bora. Would love to take my family and go back! I would also love to return to Finland, or see England, Prince Edward's Island, more of Scandinavia, etc. I Tag Melissa, Jenny, Rachel, and Andrea.

Keepin' It Real, Not Yet!

Last night, I sat down to my computer to do the Keepin' It Real Tag and felt my life was a little "too real." No camera. I walked through the rooms looking for my camera (which mysteriously kept disappearing) and soon felt discouraged by four children's undoings faster than one slow momma can do. I have had to make a conscious choice to allow some clutter and mess to not detract from being "a joyful mother of children." In my heart is still the adage "cleanliness is next toGodliness" or some such notion. It sure is easier to be a joyful mother of children when the house is not coming apart at the seams! Later in the evening, when it looked like no one would be coming to join us for games, we sat down as a family and enjoyed our secret Fun Popcorn treat (chopped nuts, M&Ms, marshmallows, caramel sauce, etc.) and a game of Ticket to Ride. Miss H and Miss R played along with Mom and Dad. Jonathan and Susie slowly destructed what was left of an orderly living room and I tried to relax and enjoy my family time together.

I'm probably in trouble!!!!!

Mom, I love you, and wanted to put up some cute pictures. -YOU KNOW WHO DANG IT!!!! I CAN'T FIND THE CAMERA...OH NO!!! IT'S MOM !!!!

Georgian Peaches

Clarification for the accused--just in case anyone asks, Joe and I do not live on a peach farm in Georgia! There are probably days when I could use Joe "home on the farm", or orchard as it may be...but we have not, as yet, bought a peach orchard in Georgia.

Thoughts to Change Your Life

I subscribed to the Daily Herald because a young man from the Boys Club was selling subscriptions for his college fund. I found this article by Harvey Mackay which makes putting up with the paper recycling all worth it (right Joe?). For an thoughtful read, I've included the link below to the article "Change your thoughts, change your life." Link to Harvey Mackay Article

I was There!

Last Tuesday, I got a call from my sister who lives across town. Her husband had left that morning on a business trip and she has three children (4, 2, and 10 mos.). She needed help running errands (picking up a Rx from her doctor, filling the medicine at the pharmacy, going to the hospital labs to drop off tests and get some blood work done, etc.) Taking my two (4 and 16 mos.) during what would be their nap time, I left to get some parts to a vacuum I hoped I could fix at home and to help my sister with her little ones. My baby napped in the car. I got to my sisters and by then she felt too sick to travel in a car and had just put her baby down for a nap. I went to fill the Rx, when she called because her baby was up and so I returned and we all went together to the doctors', hospital, library, pharmacy, and grocery store. For those with children, running this many errands with two adults and five children four and under is a bit like watching a comedy and a Survivor episode. (Meanwhile, my two grade schoolers were out of school and off to piano lessons on their own and then to their cousins house until I could get home and make dinner, help with homework, etc. Yes, my Second Grader had homework even though school was out for Summer Break in three days!) When all the errands were accomplished, I arrived at Joe's parents home (where cousins live) at 6:30 p.m. The baby had just fallen asleep in the car, again. Fortunately, Aunt Beth had made taco salad and invited us for dinner. At home, we finished up homework and got ready for bed when my two daughters came to me and reminded me of Field Day (9:30 a.m.) and an Awards Ceremony the next day. "Oh, Rebekah, is it really important for me to come to your Field Day tomorrow?" "Mommy is so tired!" Tears run down Rebekah's face. "Okay, honey, we'll come." The next morning, I hurried to get girls to school, come home and dress preschooler and toddler and get back to school with snacks and camera in tow. A quick break for lunch and we hurry back to the school to try and get chairs for the awards assembly for my other daughter with brief nap for our toddler and a bag of books and snacks to entertain the little ones. I left the camera in car in a rush to make it to the school "in time." After a day like this, All I can say is "I was there!" I was present to see you, my child, in your life.

Go Fish!

Some days are sunny, bright and filled with summer warmth. On days like these, you can't help but get out and go someplace fun. We went Fishing! I wrote a poem so you can guess who ate the fish.

A fish. Shining water. Darting Shadows. Bob, splash. Clicking reel. Rebekah's Squeal. Laughing children. Smiling Grandpa. Grandpa's dish. A fish.

Teaching Rebekah how to cast.

Duck, Daddy! I guess it worked, she caught a fish!

Grandpa caught one, two!

Hannah had a lot of fun... Jonathan and Lauren socialized more than they fished. The people next to us caught like 7 fish. What did Dad do? He got sunburned. :)