It's like this...

Hello world! Schools out, I'm supposed to be 'out' until September but somehow I keep needing to head into work for just one more thing. Which is fine---I'm thankful to have a job. We went camping this weekend. Normally my idea of 'roughing' it would mean I go somewhere where cell coverage is just a wee bit spotty--this place was roughing it and THEN some. But first a little about our nearly 12 hour drive to get to the middle of nowhere. And I when I say nowhere , I really mean it. This was nowhere in a BIG way. In a bear, rattlesnake and coyote kind of way. Where the mosquitos were the size of Boeing 787's but with better take off and landing capabilities. We went to Lake Ellen. Don't ask where it is--just know that if you want to experience nature without all the nasty ammenities like showering, flushing a toilet or getting a cell signal, this is your kind of place. First we followed this man. Yeah, yeah ok. I used the Alien Booth app...

There's a wonderful column out on CNN by Jeff Perlman. It's called A father's day wish: Dads, wake the hell up! That's a link there by the way. Just roll over it with your cursor and you can click on it to read the entire piece. In this column he gives ten commandments to fathers. It's brilliant. And I'm grateful that my husband keeps all ten of those 'commandments' and more. I've been blessed with a man who is incredibly unselfish with his love and his time and, well everything. Until I met him I'd never known someone so kind hearted and caring. Our children have all, at one time or another, come to us and told us about someone they know who is living with a verbally abusive father. They then express their gratitude for Lance. I'm thankful they realize just how much their father loves them. He loved them enough to change their diapers, to take on more than a few 3 a.m. feedings, to walk them in the park or to swim with them i...

My girl Alli likes to go for drives in the evening. It's either to get out of the house or to see how fast she can drain my gas tank. After we barbecued some burgers this evening, she gave me 'the look'. That hopeful puppy dog look that I'm loathe to deny. Since we hadn't had time on Monday for Family Home Evening, we decided to have it tonight. On the go. So off we went. Generally she likes to go at night in the dark, but as summer is on the horizon it's staying lighter later. We talked Daddy into going with us, though he probably should have stayed home and gone to bed. He has to get up so early---but he had the best time out of all of us I think. We went to the park on south Lake Union. It's been there for awhile, we've just never gotten around to visiting. Alli and Ash by the pond. Lance says that people run their little remote controlled boats on this pond. No one was using it while we were there. The park was pretty big and boasted t...

The sun came out to play today. Gorgeous blue skies, big white fluffy clouds and actual sunshine. As I walked out of my office today, I noticed they were cutting the grass and I took a few deep breaths of that memory-inducing scent. Reminds me of care free blue-skied summer days as a child. Dad or my brother would be cutting the grass and the smell....oh the smell. Like the sweet smell of the lilacs that are in bloom right now, I'm swept back in time. I close my eyes instinctively and *see* my life before I became the adult in charge of so many things. The pressure in my chest eases and I relax. Oh...the scent. Obstacles that seemed insurmountable to me then, now appear as slight crumbs, easily crushed beneath my adult foot. Is it maturity that causes those past trials to seem insignificant compared to current struggles? No, I don't think that's it. Not really. Perhaps it's like going through school. First you're in Kindergarten. They don't teach you ...

Eagles, hummingbirds, bluejays, seagulls, ducks, Herons, crows, gold finches, seahawkes, red winged black birds, crabs, sea lions and vikings are just a few of the wild life we saw this weekend while at the beach cabin. The only surprise were the vikings. The tide was fairly high when we arrived. The ferry line was long---but we didn't mind. Our destination is always worth the wait. I've not been well all week and so this was just as much a time for me to rest as it was for the four of us to get away from the city and let go of the stress for a few days. The weather cooperated, for the most part. It rained at night and gave us beautiful days. I slept a lot, or sat in a nice beach chair in the sand with a blanket and my Kindle. I walked a bit when I felt up to it and collected some beautiful sea glass. Do you see the rose colored glass? That's a rare find. Later I also found cobalt blue and light blue, both unusual. I'd love to find some red glass some day...

Sweating.... Freezing... Sweltering... Arctic... Rinse, lather, repeat. We had a death in our four footed family today. Kellogg was an aged orange tabby with little body weight when he was left to us by a neighbor that moved and didn't want to take him along. "He's an outdoor cat, he'll never come in your house" said the man. When it got cold, I opened the back door and coaxed him inside. How could I not? Although this poor ball of fur had fur, that was about all he had. And he stank. He smelled like death, only worse. So Old Kellogg became an indoor cat. He had a meow that sounded more like a croak crossed with a hoarse chirp. If I wasn't sure cats don't smoke I'd have pegged old Kellogg for a 3 pack a dayer. My father alternated between yelling at the orange ball of fur to stop following him and caring for him in a very tender way. You'd have to know my father to understand. Ever since we were little, my father has been the ...

When I got up yesterday morning, I knew something was a little off. Phooey. Felt like the flu. Just a touch---maybe I was ok. I had to go to church because my Ashley Rose was giving her first ever talk in Sacrament meeting. Lance had to work so he couldn't be there. Plus, I like going to church. It fills me up for the week ahead. Hey little nasty flu bug, you have some very poor timing. So I went. And since Lance couldn't be there, I recorded Ashley's talk for him. I'm pretty proud of my littlest angel. I think she gave a wonderful talk for her very first time. I'm not sure you can hear it very well---but if you want to turn it up and listen, you'll hear something sweet and precious from a twelve year old with great faith. After she was done I made arrangements to have someone else take my Primary class and I went home, where I've been ever since. Oh nasty flu bug. Not. A. Fan.