My Word

My friend Jenny from the Denton Sanatorium challenged readers last week to think of a word that describes them. One word, and post it today. I have been thinking hard.

There are many words I would like to be:
Creative
Classic
Compassionate
Able
Artistic
Excellent...

The list goes on.


I had to look at my life, my aspirations, my environment, to see what I am.

I looked for a word that was defined as "a much anticipated masterpiece". That is what I like to think I am. Do any of you know what that word would be? I couldn't find it anywhere, but then again, my vocabulary has decreased over the years. If my toddlers can't understand it, chances are, I may not, either.

I am unfinished.

Not glamorous, not hopeless.

It is evident in my character foibles,
unmet deadlines,
laundry piles,
dreams,
to do lists,
decorating,
talents,
preparations...

It leaves me room to change, accomplish, learn, become.

I like it.

A Visit to Provo

Happy 20th Anniversary to R and I. We celebrated on the 24th by strapping in the 2 littles and taking a drive to Provo, UT. After only a small officer related speeding incident and after finding K at a friend's dorm, we picked up the belongings she would need for the night (along with a large pile of dirty laundry) and headed to Cedar Hills.
We are blessed with great friends. One of whom generously gave us her basement for the week. Look at the beautiful private entrance...

...and a friend to play with!

A Successful Rescue

It took these trained professionals all afternoon to make a man-chain long enough to reach their friends stranded on the chair below. Luckily, they were able to employ their friend, who is 5 inches tall, as compared to their 3, to be the main anchor with some help of a generous "dog-pile" formation.
Upon their reaching him, a loud cheer was said to erupt from the onlooking crowd... R and I.
Please, don't be in any hurry to grow up.

Hot August Nights

One thing we love about our home is the yard. Specifically, we love that the garden half of the yard is flood irrigated. A couple of months ago, we hauled dirt and formed a barrier in the middle so that the trees are irrigated, but the rows are not. It cuts down on weeds to water the rows by a drip system... and really, who needs weeds?

Our berm has caused me grief.
Ron's question to me: "Why is it that whenever I irrigate the berm is fine, but when you irrigate, it all washes away?"
Hmmmmm......
Who has time to ponder such things, really?

So on this hot August night, we once again, rebuild the berm.

And one of us goes skinny dipping.Lesson learned: figure out why the berm washes away so I won't have to rebuild it, AGAIN!

I am no Bobby Flay!

See this bad boy?
(off-centered as it is, sorry)
I love grilled food. I am not a griller.

I had a lovely play date with a friend and her boys which ended up including a delicious, yummy lunch.

Naked grilled chicken. Completely bare except for it's grill stripes.

I loved it and I had never had it before.

How hard could it be?
I followed the directions on the package: Grill until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F.

We had beautifully grilled chicken bricks for dinner. If you could crack through the outside, you could tear away some edible shreds, inside.

It still wasn't half bad when dipped in Bill Johnsons Original, thank-goodness.

The best part is that my sweet family all ate it (or snuck it into the garbage can) without complaining!

Thanks, gentlemen!

Not 76 Trombones

One is enough in our home.

L started playing trombone this summer and T has found it and loves it.
The blast she can force from this abbreviated instrument is impressive!
And as her sister says... Prodigy? Well see...

First day of school 2010

Today, I sent 3 of my 6 out the door to school.
Tomorrow, a 4th will start and then the 5th on August 30th.

Crazy schedule? Yes, I agree. I think it is only the beginning for this year. Here's the line-up:

1 in College: K is at BYU(not too big a pile, but we will take the rest in a couple of weeks!)

1 in High school: L, 11th grade
1 in Jr. high: J, 7th grade
1 in Elementary: L, 4th grade
1 in Pre-school: T, at the Amazing Miss Greta's (Academic Accolades)
1 still home :T, 22 mo.

That is all 6.

All in different stages.

All amazingly fun and interesting.

All hungry when they arrive home, so I'm off to make cookies!

I have been absent. I am continually thinking of things that I just need to write, but then... dang.

#1 My back went out.
Chalk it up to being out of shape and bending/reaching incorrectly and the result is trouble.
That was a Thursday. I was basically out of commission until the following Thursday. I even postponed leaving for a trip I had been looking forward to all summer. Then I decided that I could lay around at home while the world around me fell apart, or I could just suffer through the drive and get to the cabin where Mom and my sisters would feed my children and keep them safe. I did suffer through the drive and then nursed my back for a few days. It was time well spent.

#2 We went to reunion #2. Layton's in Pinetop. When I was unable to go to girls camp due to a change in R's work schedule, he suggested I go early to the reunion. My back injury almost threw off that plan. Fortunately, I was still able to enjoy the reunion. Some of the highlights were seeing family who live elsewhere, watching the kids on the waterfall by the pond, hearing Grandma enjoy that I have learned to make jam, rainstorms under the awning, afternoon naps, and the lady who wore her squaredancing dress from the 50's to church :)

With a quick stop at home to do laundry and pack, again, I left once more.

#3 It dawned on us recently that in order for K to get a campus job, she had to be on campus. Yes, we are sometimes kind-of slow. Even though school doesn't start until the 30th, that is where I am, now, Provo, Ut. It has been a fun adventure with a few oddities here and there.
I have the 2 Tr's with me and K and most of her stuff, and Mom. She came for moral support and to be a driver for the trip home after we leave K. While at the reunion, 2 of my sisters heard the plan and decided to come along for the fun. They are 2 moms driving Bluebell the 12 passenger van with 10 children, 10 and under onboard. It has been a lot of fun.

#4 Today was spent on campus. We read job listings, applied for jobs, bought treats at the candy counter, visited professors in the music dept., toured and measured the dorm, and ate and played at the park.




#5 Tomorrow I will drop off K to live with a cousin and her husband. She will stay with them while she continues the job hunt before she can move into her dorm on the 25th. We will enjoy dinner together.


Then, on Saturday, I will leave and K will stay here.

I hope she starts a blog so I can see what is going on!