It's like this...

Hi, I'm Pamela and I'm a Mormon. That's how my profile on www.mormon.org starts out. It's how everyone's profile on Mormon.org starts out---well, except for the Pamela part. There's a link on my blog to my profile there. I don't know how many of you that visit here have ever clicked on it. I'm not sure that I've talked about my faith a lot on here--except most do know that I am a woman of faith. I think perhaps some of my friends and family don't really understand my beliefs beyond a certain point. No, I don't drink coffee. No, I don't drink alcohol. NO, I am NOT the fifth wife in a polygamous relationship and no, I never watched Big Love. I am not a sister wife---whatever that is. And though I've read Dooce , the blog about an x-LDS woman who got fired because of her writings online, I am not her either. She's very witty---I'll give her that---but she has too much of a potty mouth for my tastes. Yes, I am ...

Today I picked blackberries in our back lot. There are a great many blackberry bushes there that have been left to flourish. Not from laziness mind you, but because we love blackberries. Or a mixture of both. As I was tugging the juicy black fruit from their vines I noticed something. (Pontification Alert!) Notice the picture I took up above? The ripened juicy and quite tasty berries are surrounded by hard, green blackberries that have not completed their journey. Clinging stubbornly to their runners, they're nearly impossible to detach. And why would you want to pick these berries anyway? Bright green, extraordinarily sour, they're not good for much. I wondered why some berries took in all the water and the sunshine given them and became what they were meant to become when right along next to them, receiving water and sunlight in equal measure, others did not flourish. They did not grow. They did not progress. Their skins hardened and refused entry to the...

You know what I love? I love that my husband is the greatest daddy on the planet earth. And probably the greatest daddy in the known universe. Each day I'm thankful that I married this guy. Each day I am inspired by his selfless actions and his desire to do the right thing. See that picture up there? That's Ashley in a canoe on Greenlake. After work he dropped Alli off at the pool for swim team practice and then took Ashley to the lake. (I was at work) They went canoeing. Just the two of them. I love the memories he's building with our children and the love he holds for them. I love the knowledge that they will always remember the things he does for them and have that pattern of parental love to guide them in their lives. I am blessed.

And it's never more evident that when you see pictures of your children three years apart... This was taken in 2009. And this was taken in 2011 Where did that time go? So many changes in them, in what they're doing with their lives and how we are as a family. Some of it hurts my heart to think about, some of it is good. Ah, change. Not a fan.

No, not me silly. Well, perhaps a bit, but that's not the focus today children. There is no focus. Unless you want to have a focus, then focus away. Today is Wednesday. I only know that because I looked. If I were Scottish I'd have said, "I kent that.." I've been reading a series of books about a woman who goes back in time through some standing stones in Scotland. It's full of kilts, sporrans, large hairy men with broadswords and lots of Scottish words that I don't ken. Well, I do ken, but if I were to suddenly break out in Gaelic no one here would understand me. Although I'm not entirely certain that I ken Gaelic. What I DO ken, however, is that my lovely summer freedom is slowly coming to an end. School begins on the 12th and I go back to work on the 5th. I've enjoyed my time off. Being a lady of leisure has it's appeal. I ken that. Yesterday, due to an unfortunate and slightly humorous foot puncturing, my husband did not...

It's true. Summer has sort-of-kind-of meandered into the Seattle area. I know, right? Surprise, surprise! And we've been making the most of it. Hence the no-blogging thing for the past month. I'm fairly active on FB, but have sort of let blogger go for a bit. In the past month we've spent a lot of time at the Beach cabin, lost our dog, found our dog (expensive experience!), had some lovely dates with my wonderful husband, spent some fun times with the children and seen my son move out of the house. That last one may or may not be permanent. Haven't seen him since he left except for one evening when he dropped by. Ah, independence and freedom. Remember that? I've had one girl go on Trek and the two youngers will be going to Girls camp the second week of August. Hubby and I are tossing around the idea of going to Vegas while they're gone. I've had my great niece spend the week here with us and when we take her home tomorrow we're droppi...

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...