The bloggin' blues.... plus Teen Q & A

What do you blog about when you don't have anything to blog about?

Hmmm...let's have some rare introspection....

This week was a real break from the craziness of the earlier weeks.   

Coming off of end of season races, awards banquets, 

Hahahaha!!  That's too funny!  It's upside-down Rachel!!

concerts, parades, photo shoots and ward quilting projects, 

One of the girls working on a quilt (one of 5 quilts!).

it's been kind of nice to not have a million places to go all at once.

So, what did I do this week?  

I got caught up a little.

I bound 4 quilts.

I cleaned my room and bathroom.

I caught up on laundry.

I made a menu for 2 weeks.

I began editing pictures from 3 photo shoots (last week).

I finished a pillowcase doll for the boutique.

I cleaned the kitchen.

I have been asking myself a question - since last Saturday. 

Have I forgotten how to have fun?

Okay - rewind to last week.

 Dan wanted to do something spontaneous.   I forget what, but I remember feeling that it would just be too much trouble. 

And then I realized, I don't know how to have fun anymore!

(This picture proves it - as do all our pictures!!  I'm never in them having fun!)

It's become really hard for me to let go and relax and just do something fun!

That's really sad.

So, I'm trying to change that.  And it's really hard.

I'm always thinking about stuff I gotta get done, or things we hafta pay for, or how much time is there, or that I just don't feel well enough. 

So - my goal for this week. 

DO SOMETHING TOTALLY UNPLANNED & SPONTANEOUS!

Last spontaneous thing I did - took a ride with Dan to the top of a mtn. at Heaton Ranch.  It scared the ba-jeemies out of me!!  But it was memorable!!

Weird goal I know, to plan to do something unplanned.  

I'll let you know how it turns out.

Meanwhile....

Here's a Teen Q & A:  

Q:  Why do adolescents delight in embarrassing their parents in public?

A: They are holding grudges for the little corduroy jumpers with the choo-choos on them and the white frilly booties and over-sized flower bows you put on them when they were too young to fight back.  Each time your teenager embarrasses you, he is remembering the time you licked your hand to press down those little stray hairs on his head for the photo shoot.  Pray he/she never remembers the 'taking their picture naked' episode.

Danny -  naked! 

Braces Off! & Teen Q & A

Well, Rachel finally got her braces off last week!!
Yippee!!
After having them on for nearly 3 years (but who's counting?) it was a Red Letter Day!!

Here is the "Before" shot. Isn't she cute??

This is a "During" photo - still a cutie!!

And here we are "After"! Beautiful!

Just look at them Pearly Whites!!

Okay - now she's scaring me!!


All righty! Here's the next TEEN Q & A:

Question: Why does my 15 year-old daughter stare at any shirtless teenage boy that she sees walking down the street?
Answer: Because she hasn't yet learned what every grown woman knows, which is that if a guy is walking down the street without a shirt on, it's because he doesn't have a job, a car or enough money to buy decent clothes.

Cleaning the church

What is more fun than a roller coaster ride??

Being pushed by your brother in the wheeled trash can down the halls of the church!!

Our family got the lovely assignment to clean the church on the Saturday of our "Utah Halloween".
Sound like drudgery?
Hah!
Not with this family!
It turned into a fun time with lots of antics.







Thank you to our budding photographers, Rachel & Jessica!!

Teenager Q's & A's!!

I need some motivation to write in my blog more often.
So, I am starting a little column.
Feel free to send in questions!

Question:
A carload of teenagers leaves Salt Lake City at 9am traveling 50 mph. At that rate, how long before they are all hungry?


Answer:
Don't you hate math problems? I do. Besides, this is a trick question, because you will NEVER find a carload of teenagers willing to only drive 50 mph, AND it would be a miracle to get them all on the road before noon. Also, they are always hungry, so pack a cooler!!

Next time:
Teens and phones....

Whiskers in the Sink

A very long time ago - over 20 years - a very wise woman said to me out of the blue,

"If I had a nickel for every time I've thought about leaving my husband, I'd be a rich woman by now".
This wasn't some flippity, restless young mom either. She was in her late 60's - maybe 70's, and had a relationship that I admired. They had raised 7 children together, moved around quite a bit, and traveled later in life. Her simple confession to me gave me comfort and changed the way I viewed my marriage.

I thought about her this morning, when I saw the whiskers.

But, thank goodness I do think of her.
Because if it weren't for her unguarded remark to me years ago, I'd have come unglued about myriads of things over the years. (OK, I do sometimes still freak out over small stuff, but it's better than it could have been.)
I remember after my Dad died at the young age of 57. A few months went by, and one day my mom made the comment, "I'd give anything to be cleaning up after him again".
Wow! Talk about putting the small, silly stuff into perspective!

So, even though I felt a bit annoyed at having to clean up his whiskers, it passed quickly when I remembered both mentors. Even though I've complained about whiskers, toothpaste stuck to the sink, candy wrappers or cereal bowls left in the car, and tons of other "small stuff", I'm glad to have him around. Love looks over the unimportant things that can drag us down.
You see, it's not so much about having the perfect marriage, or always getting along, or having all the bells and whistles, that make a relationship work.
It's about being committed to 'being committed'. (I'm not talking about insane asylum stuff either!) Commitment doesn't mean that you're going to stick with something just when it's smooth sailing. Commitment means weathering the storms and rough seas also.
It means putting up with whiskers in the sink!
And we won't even BEGIN to go into all the things
that HE puts up with in me!!

State - Soccer and XC

I have only 2 girls left at home in school.

Yet, somehow, those 2 girls keep me busier than when I had all 6 in school.
Recently,we made 2 trips up north in less than a week for:
State Playoffs in Girls Soccer
and
State Cross Country meet.
Very different outcomes.

Jessica played in the soccer playoffs - 2nd round.
Bonneville vs. Pine View
Warming up...
Although Jess saved countless goals
from being scored on us
they still managed to slip a few in.
We were unable to score on them
It was a rather brutal game as we were defeated 6-0.
Jess did an amazing job as keeper. No one could have done better!

Next, Rachel ran in the State XC meet.
Pre-race jitters
PV Varsity girls - at the start line

Mid -race concentration & determination

Post race happiness!
L to R: Kaylee, Rachel

Kaylee finished 1st and Rachel 2nd for PV. Overall, Rachel took 29th in the race with a time of just over 20 min, and still had plenty of energy left.
PV girls placed 10th!! And PV boys took 1st! An exciting day.

On a philosophical note, you know what I like about team sports?
It's the word TEAM.
It's great to see your kids "get it".
To put the team interests over the interest of the individual is something we try to teach our children from day one - TEAM WORK
But, I also LOVE how the TEAM can develop the character and talents of the individual.
So, as I said before, "very different outcomes", YET, they were very similar outcomes.
My girls are better individuals (and so are their older siblings) from being a TEAM PLAYER on a TEAM and working toward a common goal with that TEAM.

So, while I take a breather, and feel blessed that it's over for a bit and life can slow down, I know it's temporary. There will be TEAM sports in the future - cuz it's a great thing to be a TEAM PLAYER.

Autumn - Oh how I love thee!!!

I count "the ranch" as one of the blessings in my life.

It includes the wonderful cousins that have "adopted" us into their Red Cedar Lodge family.
There to greet us are cabins, wild turkeys, a clear trout-filled reservoir, green grass, tall pines, deer and snakes, and pink cliffs towering above it all.
Fishing with friends
Also included are loved ones, great conversations, and lots of good food.
Oh, how I love this place.
It heals my soul to be up there.
It is even more beautiful and heart-warming in the fall.
The colors this year were amazing and the weather was perfect! All by itself, Autumn is my favorite time of year.
I love the crispness in the air, the whispers of change as evidenced in the bright-colored leaves, the smell of wood stoves burning, and the cooler weather!
Dear cousin Misty invited us up for UEA weekend!!
We packed up the car and our family and our visitors on Friday afternoon and stayed until Saturday night. (We wanted to stay longer....)
We sure appreciate the invite!!
We LOVE you Misty!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
This is the life!!!