Remembering Him.

Memorial Day for me used to be the "kickoff" weekend for the summer. The extra day off that meant barbeque's in the park, Frisbee games, and dad's racing the kids to the finish line in grass. Occasionally throughout the day my mind would wander and my heart was full of gratitude for my Grandad, Grandpa, and many others who have passed on including soldiers, friends and relatives I have not have the privilege to meet yet.

This year is much different. This day has rung so much closer to home than I want. The day is full of memories of Luke. I feel the pricks in my heart everyday. I never got the chance to kiss those chubby cheeks or to cuddle him as he fell asleep but I know that that day will come.... I can see him kicking in the tub full of fluffy buttermilk bubbles. Tiny Squeals and giggles as he felt the water on those fat little legs. Looking like a furry chicken as Sara would dry his soft baby brown hair. I can smell what he might have smelled like after a bath. Baby lotion with a tinge of powder and lavender to help him relax before bed. I imagine him getting comfy in his footed jammies as he and all his brothers would gather on his mama's bed for a bedtime story. His dad and brothers taking turns trying to get him to smile and the night completed as the corners of his lips crack into a grin as he looks up and smiles. Cuddled and rocked to sleep with his mom, he feels so loved.

I know that he is special and can feel that he is noble. I feel so deeply for Doug and Sara. And on this day I remember.

California Bound!

FHE was a night to remember. All the cousins, Aunts, and Uncles gathered to watch Aunt Pam and Uncle Wes open their mission call! As they opened it up, we sang the song, "Called to Serve" at the top of our lungs. They were called to Fresno, California. They will be AMAZING missionaries! I can't explain the buzz of excitement that was in the air!

OOOOOOO BABY! 18 months of togetherness!

Lazy Evening

Mammy had a treasure hunt for the boys and the treasure... a giant ball! This ball was extraordinary. It was more like a huge wheel for a large hamster only it looked like a juicy pomegranate.

We set out blankets and watched Justin put it on his shoulders transforming it into an extra large head squishing his nose, Papa pushing Nathan and Kendall across the yard, and taking turns getting stuck and fearing for our lives!

Field Day!

Field Day this year was not just about having fun...it was serious! Boy Howdy, I knew Nathan was competitive but I never dreamed it was at the level it was. He was in it to win it! It was so funny to watch the girls daintily glide from here to there not even caring to win the race. Then as the boys had their turn- it was game face only! Nathan would stretch over the finish line and yell, "First place!" The kids had a blast!

I had to pace myself with the pictures. It was my first field day to capture Nathan's moments and after the first few events, I had noticed that I had already taken millions of pictures. Woooo! That plus all the video Justin took, I think we are set!

Kendallisms

Kendall and I were driving back from helping Mammy do some yard work. Kendall was gently protecting a pickle jar full of worms that he had dug up.
From the back seat his tiny voice proudly said,"Mommy, I'm soooo LUCKY!"
"Why?" I asked.
"Because, I got some pets!"

Nathan: Kendall, I love you.
Kendall: I KNOW! I love me too! giggle, giggle!

Going into the store:
Me: MMMM, It sure smells good.
Kendall: Yep! I bet it's samples!

Kendall can be a stinker but he sure knows how to melt me into a giant puddle too. He had just got out of the bath and with his doggy jammies, towel dried hair, and all lotioned up, he came to me dragging his blanket. "Mommy, can you make me all snuggly?"

Kendall had just finished eating some corn on the cob.
"Look! I just gave my corn a haircut!"

At Red Robin: "Did you know that hot dogs live inside corn dogs?"

3 1/2 years old

It's a Maybe.

Oh shoot. I just might cave. For anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not much open to the option of owning any. type. of. creature.

I was going through some of Nathan's papers from school and found this:

Dear Mom and Dad,
Please let me have a crab. I promise I will:

1.Clean his cage and pay for it.
2. I will protect the crab.

Love,
Nathan

One of Our Favs

It's true. Chick-fil-a is very near and dear to our hearts. It is our restaurant of choice when it comes to a quick, yummy, fast lunch , together.

It is clean, the service is above and beyond. They constantly refresh your beverage and when your little one gets hurt they bring out stickers and ice cream cones. They have disposable plastic place mats and sanitizer wipes for germs. The play place smells of disinfectant which immediately puts my fear of swine flu and other diseases at ease allowing me to just enjoy the delicious salads and chicken sandwiches. They offer little cups of Cheerios for their future customers and each table has fresh cut flowers for you to enjoy. I could go on...and on.

One particular lunchtime, the manager came out and asked if our family would like a tour of how it all goes down in the back. Boy howdy, would I ever! It goes along perfectly with my fetish of factories and my favorite TV show on Food Network, Unwrapped.

The tour exceeded all my expectations. "Backstage passes." The boys found several hidden cows along the way, we got to say hola to the nicest Spanish crew in the back, see how they make secret recipes for their chicken, taste the best lemonade (Sunkist supplies Chick-fil-a with the most lemons out of any other place in the world- who knew?) which only has 3 ingredients: water, lemons and sugar. We learned all about what it takes to keep the drive through going so efficiently and watched them in action during a busy lunch rush. The boys LOVED ending the tour making their own ice cream cones.

Oh we will be back...lots.

A Keeper.

I heard a really good poem this last Sunday about mothers and I found myself constantly tweeking it in my head while I listened to it to fit my mom because her circumstances have not been the "norm".

She will probably never be famous and not important to the world, but to me she is royalty in every way possible. She has dreams and wishes but scoots them all aside. She is humble and kind and like a beach at sunset, she provides many with peace. She is fun and sweet and has the most amazing sense of humor. She is positive and happy. She is refreshing and beautiful. She is my glass of fresh squeezed lemonade and her morning calls are my cup of coffee. She works hard and steady all day, everyday and though she may not come home to a castle, she is a queen.

Did your mom read you stories like Teeny Tiny, and you all had to hide under the covers because she did all the parts with the different voices to make them scary?
Did your mom let you carve Ivory soap in the backyard?
Did your mom ever go without food so that you and your brothers would have something to eat?
Did your mom ever faint when she got off the phone with you because your voice sounded like it was in pain?

Then you have a good mother.

Did your mom ever let your newborn sleep with her and bring him to you for feedings just so that you could get some sleep?
Did your mom ever have to bite her tongue almost completely off when you were 15?
Did your mom ever have piping hot bread with homemade jam ready for you when you got home from school?
Did your mom ever get the uncontrollable giggles with you in the back of church durning a meeting while others glared at you making it worse and unstoppable?

Then you have a good mother.



Did your mom ever stay up the entire night praying for you?
Did your mom ever help you develop compassion for older people or those struggling with challenges?
Did your mother ever make dinner, talk on the phone, sew a button, and go through the mail at the same time?
Did your mom ever teach you how good it feels when you do something nice for someone else?
Did your mom ever comfort you while you were having postpartum depression?

Then you have a good mother.

Did your mom ever teach you how to bathe a baby?
Did your mom ever make your scarecrow and swan costumes for Halloween and dance?
Did your mom ever go to work while all the other moms went to lunch just to make ends meet?
Did your mom ever plant and grow a garden in the backyard to make it look and feel like the grounds of Buckingham Palace?
Did your mom leave you a legacy and not even know it?

Then you have a good mother.

Did your mom make sure you had a fun lunch and snacks for field trips and track meets even though you knew it wasn't in the budget?
Did your mom ever answer the phone after the 49th time you called her that day and acted like it was the first time you called?
Did you mom ever cry with you because you were having a bad day?
Did your mom ever make your room feel good enough for a princess, with cute bedding and a valance for your window, even though it was the laundry room?

Then you have a good mother.

Did your mom cook a hot breakfast every morning for you even though she had to get ready and go to work?
Did your mom ever teach you that a colorful plate is a healthy plate and cheer you on at the grocery store when all the food on the conveyor belt was a rainbow?
Did your mom (and dad) ever drive 1 and a half hours to watch you play a high school basketball game in Shiprock and let you ride home with them so that you could avoid the sweaty bus?
Did your mom ever dig through the couch cushions to find enough change to buy chocolate chips for cookies to make with your cousins?
Did your mom ever give you EVERYTHING and although it might have not been much it was all she had?

Then you have a good mother.

Weekend in the Woods

This weekend was much needed for me. Everyone is experiencing a trial of some degree or another. Some are heavier at this point in time, but all will go trough difficult moments at some time in life. True friends, family members, and your faith is sometimes all you have to get through the day. These cousins, Aunts, and my mom have gotten me through so much. Perhaps it is the bond of going trough the fire together that has brought us so close, but whatever it is, I'm grateful for them.

Aunt Pam explained our weekend perfectly:

"I was trying to explain to Wes why there's a different feel when it's just the girls. The TV didn't go on once. The visiting went on...and on. There were naps and walks, aerobics, and ta-toe sessions...thanks to Nat. There were priceless moments of spiritual enrichment and emotional therapy. The food was out of this world! Mostly it was a just what everyone of us needed. Mostly it was an absolute blast! I don't know if we could have laughed any harder or any longer."


These are Nat's ta-toes. If you look really close you can see that they have pink ribbons. We loved having these because of our support for Aunt Pam surviving breast cancer and completing her last treatment with a victory. Back flips and high fives!

The House at 202

Each time we go to Granny's house, I try to absorb all the details that give that cozy little place at 202, a feeling of warmth, security, and an unimaginable feeling of love. I often think about what makes this feeling radiate into every person that walks in this home, but beep down I know what it is.

Perhaps it is Aunt Diane offering Lemon Meringue pie and everyone gladly accepts. Silence fills the room for the first time all day as the Aunts dab their mouths with the napkin. Then, two minutes later, the silence is broken with their fork gently hitting the plate scraping the rest of the crumbs- wanting more but know they must save room for the chicken and rice dinner to follow later that evening at Aunt Kathie's house.

Perhaps it is the stories that are told of the "olden" days, as the Aunts sneak the car out of the driveway late into the night, to go and get a steak in the basket at the A&W. The climax builds as we find out just how impressive Aunt Pam's skills are. Right before the stop sign- after getting the okay from her sisters, she guns the gas pedal, puts the car in neutral, shuts it off and glides past the stop sign turning a slight right and into the driveway as if never leaving their beds. Brilliant.

Perhaps it is Aunt Diane's contagious enthusiasm to show my boys how to float boats in the nearby ditch, or going from room to room reminiscing about all the memories that have been made in those humble walls- like the time I faked sick just to miss school and be sent to Granny's while mom went to work. I layed on the couch with a soft bluish sheet while Grandad sat in the chair and Granny stretched out on the other couch. She would always ask if I was hungry and I would always say...yes, hoping for her steamed potato specialty with the perfect amount of butter, milk, salt and pepper. It was my magical cure and after my mysterious illness would always vanish.

Perhaps it is a combination of many things, but of one thing I'm sure. There is a special light and a deep rooted foundation. And the secret is right in front of me. Granny and my Aunts have always put the Savior first. And the best part? Anyone can have these feelings if they choose to.

I

Aunt Peggy, Aunt Pam, Uncle Doug, Uncle Sam, Dad, Granny, Aunt Diane, Aunt Kathie

The Plamer Palace

What a trip for us. We loaded up the car for a quick weekend to my stomping grounds, Farmington. Oh how I have missed the people of this small town. The first on the list, cousin Kami.

We pulled up to her house and were immediately greeted by the worlds most beautiful flower and my personal favorite, the tulip.

A warm welcome, hugs to her littles, and off the meet the 4 new additions to their family. The chicks.

I grew up within walking distance to the Children's museum and spent many an afternoon there with friends and cousins. I wanted my kids to experience the shadow room, where I broke my pinky toe, the puppet shows, the rocks and fossils. I was pleased with the upgrades since my childhood and loved the noodle forest.

Off to a fun lunch at Costa Vida with GG, Josh, Crissy, the boys, and the Palmers. So fun to visit and catch up.

We left feeling a fire start beneath our bottoms- motivated to work on our 72 hour kits and food storage. Their little "store" is amazing.

Good food, fun chats, and cousin time filled our plates, defiantly leaving us hungry for more.

The Reason I Blog.

I just finished our first "blog" book. This is how I journal. My kids ask to read this book everyday. If there was a fire, I would grab this first.

Favorite Treat.

My dad turned me onto something very tasty. When he was a little boy, he and his best friend would pick berries from the back yard and eat them with milk and sugar.

I tried it and....it was good.