Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Bar-Bie Girl

Who would have thought! I have a "Bar-bie" girl. Susie is learning new words every day. Today is is excited with the words: up, Barbie, hot, baby, t.v. and guck! She makes us smile because she says "Barbie" so loud and proud. (Guess when you have two other girls and a cousin who gives you old Barbies...we were bound to have one who likes 'em). The particular one she found has a bungee cord made of rubber bands around her ankle and was launched off the upper balcony with Jonathan's parachute man. She gets extremely excited for "My Mama's a Lama" scholastic video! She calls it "Mama" and races to the video cupboard when it is opened and grabs it. "I poopy!" she informs me. Okay gotta go. (Susie is eighteen months and eight days)

Fish Lake Camp Trip

When I think of fish, I think of perch. Growing up, we always caught a lot of perch on fishing trips, but rarely any "game" fish like trout. So it was fun to hear about Dad's trip to Fish Lake and his 50 odd perch that they caught. There is a certain excitement in the air when the fish start biting.
And so almost at the end of our own trip, when Rebekah said, "you are the best dad ever; I love fishing!" I knew that a little of the old bug had caught me again. I really didn't mind rowing out to the middle of the lake 4 times, only to row back in. It was all part of the hunt. Or the Fish? Hmmm.
Well, I enjoyed other things at Fish Lake as well, such as the early mornings, still mountain-fresh and cold. And the welcome heat when the fire first flared up. And the beauty of seeing the sky all through the day, a wonderful backdrop to the rustling of the aspen trees and the trickling of icy stream water.
Nature was a beautiful setting for some fun times, singing around the campfire "The Cannibal King" and other such songs. But mostly the Cannibal King song, again and again, until the older kids had it memorized. And then they sang it for fun. The campfire was a source of good things, besides the heat and light it produced marvelously toasted marshmallows for s'mores, and "oh so smoky" hot dogs.
Beth was the Camp director. She had great ideas for us, but was also willing to go along with our crazy ideas. She put up with her tent being on some of the rockiest ground ever slept upon. She was the watcher of children, and made sure that someone always stood between Suzie and the fire.
Julie was the spirit of the Camp. She kept us focused on what was important, and she gave gentle guidance to children. She made our meals special with her flourishing touches, and with her artistic eye added to the beauty of the place by letting us in on the details she could see.
Joe was the muscles. Uprooting trees singlehandedly, pulling vehicles by hand across rock strewn -- well ok, across flat paved expanses. But we got the camp set up just right.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

200 Things to Do--or Not

I took this idea from Shalyses' Blog and modified it for us (deleting the entries we didn't want to do--like "get in a hockey fight" and adding the ones we did want to do or have done). In bold are the things Julie has done. In italics are the things Joe has done. 1. Touched an iceberg (a glacier?) 2. Slept under the stars 3. Danced on a cruise line 4. Changed a baby’s diaper 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Swam with wild dolphins 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a tarantula 10. Said “I love you” and meant it 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Published Joe's poetry 14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise 15. Seen the Northern Lights 16. Gone to a professional sports game 17. Been to the top of the Sears Tower 18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables 19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope 20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Rode in a hot air balloon 23. Published a book for children 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Taken an bath in a hole in the ice (Avanto) 28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Ridden a roller coaster 31. Hit a home run 32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking 33. Adopted an accent for fun (People think Julie has an accent!) 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment 36. Loved your job 90% of the time (Joe says for at least an hour) 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (Joe says "doesn't take much.") 38. Watched wild whales 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach 41. Gone sky diving 42. Visited England (Clayton Manor) 43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited India 45. Visited Prince Edward's Island (Canada) 46. Milked a cow 47. Catch up my personal journal 48. Ever worn a superhero costume (Leah from Star Wars?) 49. Sung karaoke 50. Lounged around in bed all day 51. Gone snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain (Joe is sure we've done this one!) 53. Played in the mud (Dead Sea mud no less!) 54. Gone to a drive-in theater (Miss those around here) 55. Made my own chocolate 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Won an art contest 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Sung on a CD 60. Gone without food and learned appreciation for it (Russia, 1990) 61. Made cookies from scratch 62. Won first prize in a costume contest 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Ridden the Trans-siberian Night Railway 65. Spoken more than one language fluently (speak German, Russian, Finnish "fluently?" hmm). 66. Caught a fish 67. Can touch your nose with your tongue (Joe says I can't do this). 68. Read and understood your credit report 69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy 70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did (William Clayton, "Come, Come, Ye Saints") 71. Called or written your Congress person 72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over 73. Seen the Golden Gate Bridge 74. Helped a friend give birth 75. Won something in a raffle 76. Won money 77. Broken a bone 78. Ridden a motorcycle 79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph 80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing 82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 83. Eaten sushi 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read The Bible cover to cover 86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about 87. Helped someone change his/her life 88. Gone back to school for a Master's degree 89. Changed your name 90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands 91. Eaten calamari (squid) 92. Read The Iliad 93. Taught yourself an art from scratch 94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (fish?) 95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt 96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language 97. Visited the North and South Poles 98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream 99. Had to see someone you love in hospice care 100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you 101. Had a booth at a street fair 102. Dyed your hair 103. Driven a professional truck (Joe says "moving van" counts!) 104. Rocked a baby to sleep (4 actually!) 105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours 106. Raked your carpet 107. Brought out the best in people 108. Brought out the worst in people 109. Worn a mood ring 110. Ridden a horse (now Julie is highly allergic) 111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap 112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe 113. Buried a child (miscarriage, infant) 114. Gone to a Broadway play on Broadway 115. Been inside the pyramids 116. Shot a basketball into a basket 117. Danced at a disco 118. Played piano concerto 119. Shot a gun 120. Gone to an arboretum 121. Tutored someone 122. Ridden a train 123. Brought an old fad back into style (Hmm?) 124. Eaten caviar 125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need (Hate that!) 126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant 127. Published a book (Would love to!) 128. Pieced a quilt (Tying quilts?) 129. Lived in an historic place 130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage 131. Asked for a raise 132. Made a hole-in-one (Does miniature golf count?) 133. Gone deep sea fishing (Julie was "sick as a dog!") 134. Gone roller skating 135. Run a marathon 136. Learned to surf 137. Invented something 138. Flown first class (and didn't pay for it!) 139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite 140. Flown in a helicopter 141. Visited Africa (Egypt?) 142. Sang a solo 143. Gone spelunking 144. Learned how to take a compliment 145. Written a love-story 146. Seen Michelangelo’s David 147. Had your portrait painted (drawn?) 148. Written a fan letter 149. Spent the night in something haunted 150. Owned a Siamese Fighting Fish 151. Ran away 152. Learned to juggle 153. Been a boss 154. Sat on a jury (Called, never sat) 155. Ate cloudberries and Reindeer cheese 156. Gone on a diet 157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget 158. Written a poem 159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox 160. Gotten food poisoning 161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission 162. Hiked the Grand Canyon 163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks 164. Gone to the opera 165. Gotten a letter from someone famous 166. Worn knickers 167. Ridden in a limousine 168. Attended the Olympics 169. Can hula or waltz (both) 170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books 171. Been stuck in an elevator 172. Had a revelatory dream 173. Thought you might crash in an airplane 174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert 175. Saved someone’s life 176. Eaten raw salmon 177. Know how to sew 178. Laughed till your side hurt 179. Straddled the equator 180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing 181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival 182. Sent a message in a bottle 183. Spent the night in a hostel 184. Been a cashier 185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 186. Joined a union 187. Donated blood or plasma 188. Built a campfire 189. Kept a blog (DUH...) 190. Had chicken pox 191. Worn custom made shoes or boots 192. Made a PowerPoint presentation 193. Served a mission with my companion 194. Served at a soup kitchen 195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube 196. Know CPR 197. Ridden in or owned a convertible 198. Found a long lost friend 199. Helped solve a crime 200. Received a professional massage (Sis-in-law)

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Jonathan's Fifth Birthday

Jonathan celebrated his fifth birthday today! (He is still celebrating with "I, Spy" as I type this). I stayed up (too late) and put out some presents and balloons for him to wake up and discover. Also, some raspberry filled doughnuts for breakfast--a special treat! We met Grandma Clayton for a picnic of "Happy Meals" from Wendy's with cousins at Aunt Lisa's house...(She was at the dentist--none too happy either). He watched Dora the Explorer's new movie (thanks library) with Lucy, etc. and I helped out. On the way home, Jonathan and Susie fell asleep and so Miss H and friend waited in the a/c car and I bought all J's favorites for dinner: Oscar Meyer cheese dogs, watermelon, Sun chips, Gummy Lifesaver's (flubber gummies), fesh blueberries and stawberries, cream and angel food cake. I went back to get a thank you treat for a boy up the street that helped shovel out snow last winter and broke down and got some soda "in cans" as Miss H had suggested. Putting it up on the counter, one can fell on the floor and instantly busted open and began spraying me...on the legs, shirt, stomach, etc. The cashier stopped checking the next aisle and said," Ohh, ohh, ohh...I have never seen anything like that!" I had trouble stopping to laugh (blushing) and scoop up the spitting can to find a garbage before I was showered in Raspberry cream soda! Murphey's Law. Found a deal on "Jimmy Neutron". Jonathan was happy Jimmy and friends outwitted the aliens in the end. (This movie is on a five year old level or so). A Great Day for a great guy!

No(wh)!

Susie has discovered the power of words! It is hard not to gigle when she repeats "No(wh)!" over and over again. (Sometimes she will say this and then do or want what she just rejected. She is almost 18 months and seems to like these words: uh oh! No! car, go, pleez (please), Han-nah, Dad, Mom, es (yes--said very rarely), hi, ahlo (hello), coo-kie (means any treat, cake, candy...said very often, hmm. She must be a fourth child!), baby, ouch, and drink. Yesterday she threw a fit (also new for our mellow girl) because she could not go with her Aunt Beth in the car. She said, "pleez...go car, go, go car, pleez!" This was her longest phrase to date. Tonight, she looked up at Joe and I, laying on on bed and took her own hair in both hands and pulled...Nice. She stopped and looked at us quizzically. Did that help baby-girl?

Friday, July 11, 2008

New Critters at Our House

Aunt Beth has pictures of our new pals and has left for Fish Lake. (I will post them later). Rebekah got an early birthday surprise! She received two new-to-us male (boars), long haired, a year and a half old, guinea pigs. One has hair growing away from his eyes. The other has hair growing backwards into his eyes and their hair must be trimmed on a regular basis! So cute! They are still very quiet around us. Along with the new critters came a new, two level cage. Will Miss R really take care of them as promised?

Friday, July 4, 2008

Happy Independence Day! ("Off" does wash out of the eye)

We had an enjoyable Independence Holiday with a BBQ on the 3rd with Joe's family with fireworks and glow sticks. On July 4th, the Freedom Festival Parade followed by a swimming picnic party with my family. The girls had their pictures taken by Miss Provo. Jonathan and Susie were wiggly during the fireworks and towards the end of the evening Jonathan spied Amy's "Deep Woods Off" mosquito repellent under a chair. He squirted his eye, point blank range, and began to scream. When I asked him why he did this he mentioned, "Doesn't it make the air smell good (Air freshner=good smelling eye ball?). The package said to run a steady stream of water over it for 15-20 minutes, then call 911, then a doctor. We went home and Jonathan was patient in the tub while I ran water through his eyes with a cup...he felt better. Stories and bed, midnight. We feel very lucky to live in this wonderful country and pray for peace everywhere.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Time Tested Beauty Tips

Time Tested Beauty Tips

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!

Sam Levenson

**Contrary to certain rumors, Audrey Hepburn did not write this beautiful poem, Sam Levenson did. Levenson wrote "Time Tested Beauty Tips" for his grandchild, and it just so happened to be one of Audrey's favorite poems. She read it to her children on several occasions and sometimes referred to it in public (always crediting Mr. Levenson for having written it).