snowshoeing

If you know me at all...

you would know that winter is not my favorite.

I am tired of despising this cold season---

and I am making an effort to get to know it a little better.

So, when Danny and the girls asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I chose snowshoeing!

We bought snowshoes for the whole family (and I bought some more serious snow boots!) and we headed out!  We had received SOOOO much snow this week- we decided not to head out to the mountain spot we planned---and instead trek the golf course by our house.

We LOVED it!!!!!

We were warm outside as snow was falling!

The exercise was invigorating!!! 

(we kept it at a comfortable pace for the girls)

The fresh clean air made us sooooo happy!

it's a gift

She takes after him...

she has his eyes

she is persistent

she plans ahead

she loves to work

she likes other people to count on her

she likes to help

she loves to laugh

...and she can touch her nose with her tongue. 

fallen leaves

sun warming our faces
fragrance of fallen leaves
my girls turning a chore into a game...

i am so glad i hesitated my first response
("NO", "we're in a hurry", "just get it done")
and replaced it with "YES!"
Ellie created that whole pile with her rake!
when they were ready for jumping they even grabbed my camera!
i am so much better off when i stop and listen to them.

space + sunshine

I woke up with a feeling of stress and worry.  I was feeling discouraged and unsure.  What will I do with my life...????  Should I return to school to earn a master's degree???  Should I return to my photography business???  How much will my family need me at home???  What decision would benefit us more????   I started verbalizing this internal dialogue to Danny the second his eyes opened in the morning light.  He was listening and interested---but ultimately his influence helped me let go and realize---

all of our needs are being met
there is nothing but good...hope...and opportunity in the future
instead of stress I should be focusing on the bounty before us...
                     time, resources, family...LOVE

As the morning progressed I began preparing for a gathering we would have in the canyon that evening.  I had promised my friend a salad with beets from my garden.  I asked Ellie and Kate if they would pick some for me.  They had been outside for a few minutes and I heard Kate calling me.  I walked out to see her holding two beets in the air...LOOK MOM!  THESE ARE FROM THE SAME GARDEN.

She was holding one whose diameter was similar to a pencil and another that was bigger than a baseball.  She showed me where the bigger beet came from...it was the sunny side.  We have a big pine tree hovering over one side of this patch of vegetables and the other side is open to the afternoon sun.  The sunnier side just happened to have better spacing as well.  The larger beet had more space and sunshine.

My daytime is beginning to change.  I have had at least one child home with me full-time for ten and a half years.   Our youngest is heading to kindergarten and I have been in a slight panic.  I am not worried that I will have nothing to do.......I have more interests than a 24 hour period could possibly hold....but what should I do?  As Kate held those beets in the air the calming influence I had felt earlier in the morning returned...

                    space + sunshine = growth
                    space + sunshine = growth
                    space + sunshine = growth

I will not close any doors to my future.  I will face each day with sunshine.  I will appreciate the space (time alone, time at home, happy in the space that is mine).  Whatever my future brings me I want to remember to look on the sunny-side of life.

Overture of 1812

Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture @ Deer Valley

The cool mountain air, breathtaking vistas, energetic spectators, cuddled on our blanket eating a picnic dinner~
created an ideal atmosphere to enjoy the delightful Utah Symphony.

The concert was wonderful....

a highlight of our month...

A perfect summer night.

p.s.  Sorry Mr. Tchaikovsky.  Ellie informed me that the cannons were your least favorite portion of this overture...but we thought they were pretty great!

Easter Sunday

 "Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection,

not in books alone,

but in every leaf in spring-time"

Martin Luther

Ellie made breakfast (egg burritos)

read the account of the resurrection from the New Testament (kids version)

the girls hunted for their Easter baskets

(filled with flip-flops, swimsuits, a summer shirt, and candy)

ironed dresses for church

(I surprised myself and didn't buy anyone Easter dresses this year--a first for me--I will have to make up for it next year :))

grilled cheese-tomato soup-sugarsnap peas lunch

made dough for rolls for dinner

a beautiful church service

baked the rolls

headed to Nana and Papa's

Sunday dinner

Easter egg hunt

Kate found the egg with a $20 bill!

(thanks Uncle Bill!)

Candy filled kids...and happy filled hearts.

ten years old

The highlight of Ellie's birthday (for me) was our shopping excursion.  I told the girls I would take them "bookstore" shopping for their birthdays this year.  Ellie and I went out Saturday.  It was so fun hanging out and shopping together.  Now that she is ten our time together has transitioned from me worrying about the little details of her well being (like what is necessary for younger children) to being supportive, listening, counsel giving friend.  I really enjoy just being together...especially in a bookstore.

I surprised Ellie by calling her friend that she has known the very longest- Grace.  They have been playmates since Ellie was six months old.  She and her mom were excited to meet us.  As we walked into the bookstore---there they were...SURPRISE!  We all browsed and visited and browsed.  The girls picked out a book, The Giver, for both of them--- and a stuffed animal (a reminder that for as grown up as they sometimes act---they are still little girls---which makes me happy).  Ellie also picked out a new doodle book---they LOVE those books!  We had cupcakes there and then the girls wanted to go to lunch at Spaghetti Factory.   It was one of my very favorite afternoons.  I think it was for Ellie too!

Happy birthday Ellie!
Love you xoxo

will you be mine?

Thank you Pinterest!

There are many options out there for guilty-time-wasting-online pleasures...

Pinterest is NOT one of them for me.

It is my online library!

It is full of information!

AND saved me for Valentine's day!!!!

The girls were having so much fun putting these together.

Children make holidays so much fun!

We are excited for school parties, seeing friends and our traditional V-day dinner for dad!

The girls wanted to make lasagna for him (one of his favorites).

I am going to try to set up our strobe lights and a back drop for formal pictures!

I hope I get it all done!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!

a day off...

Earlier in the week Danny suggested he take Friday off.   

When he told me he had nothing planned...did I want to hang out????...my heart leapt!

I love days off just hanging out!!!!!!!!

We got the two school girls ready and Danny drove them for me!!!!!!

On Fridays I usually stay and help gather and grade homework for Kate's teacher.

Danny offered to do it---so Sophie could sleep in.

He picked us up in time for Sophie's violin lesson.

We suggested a reward for playing her piece memorized---

a trip to lunch on the train.

We ran an errand, looked for a fuzzy sticker for Sophie's violin, then headed downtown.

We hit one more store and then met Nana to take TRAX to lunch at Haagerman's deli.

After lunch we hung out at the planetarium.

We picked up drycleaning...and then our girls.

We took them out early to go pick up frozen custard. 

(We told them it was going to be liver & onions...they have no idea what that is...but it is the worst thing I remember being fed as a child!)

We picked up...and played instruments.

Nana came to play with the girls....

and Danny and I went out to sushi with friends.

Little things make a big difference~

It was my favorite day of the year!!!!!!

xoxoxo

a winter trip to St. George

On the previous Sunday, Danny and I were planning our week.  I mentioned the upcoming four day weekend the girls had from school.  As we discussed ideas of what to do on our days off...Danny (eventually) suggested St. George and I jumped on it!  Found and booked a hotel within 5 minutes!

JANUARY 13-16

DAY ONE:

We woke up, packed, picked up the house and headed out the door by 11:00.

We picked up Nana in Orem, had some lunch and headed down the freeway.

The girls watched My Fair Lady in the back with Nana as Danny drove.

The movie was over just after Cedar City so we played name that tune/artist with an ipod! (Ellie won)

We found our hotel...settled in and went for a walk.

It got too cold after 10 minutes and Danny went back for the car.

We drove to the St. George temple.

We walked around and then spent an hour in the visitors center...

which we had never done before but loved.

Then we met the rest of the crew (Amanda/Randy/kids and Sharon/Jason) at the Pizza Factory.

Went thrifting @ DI...Amanda is famous for finding amazing treasures at DI.

DAY TWO:

Sharon, Jason, Danny and I went to an early session at the temple while Cil and the girls slept in.

We ate breakfast at the Bear Paw...which was a hit (thanks for the suggestion friends!)
...and stopped by the antique jewelry store on the corner.

We headed back to the hotel and changed for the hike.

We hiked just outside of Leeds.

Before the hike started Amanda shared a story that Grandma had written about in her journal.

Their family had been camping at this very spot (Danny was hanging out with friends in St. George).  Grandma and Grandpa were in Overton so they met them for the day.  Grandma wanted to stay and camp but she was sure that Grandpa would want her to come home with him.  To her surprise, he insisted she stay and play and he would drive back to get her.  They had fun all night long...even though they nearly froze under the "emergency blanket."  They woke up to hearing owls in the early morning.  Grandma didn't get much sleep that night but loved every minute of it.

I loved hearing Amanda tell the story from Grandma's perspective and the hike was BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!

After hiking we went back to change.

Visited our friends the Parmenters!
(The girls and Nana played cards, Sophie played with PrettyGirlShe'sALady (their adorable dog that I wanted to kidnap), and Danny and I caught up with Paul and Alison.

Then we met our crew again for dinner at Texas Roadhouse.

We finished the night hanging out at Amanda & Randy's condo.

 DAY THREE:

We got up early and met Grandma for church in Las Vegas!

It was early but worth it.

Then we all headed to Grandma's house for a little bit of work and a lot of food!

Danny pruned her tree...she watched out the window nervously as he cut off branches.

Everybody else gathered, stacked, swept and raked...and played.

The girls stayed outside in the dirt almost the entire day.

At 5:00 p.m. Judy and her family were there, Mike and Mary and dear Lynn.

We devoured Grandma's famous spaghetti and meatballs.

It was so fun being with her.

 DAY FOUR:

We slept in.

The girls, Nana and Danny soaked in the hot tub...

and I read a book.

Back on the road again.

It was one of our favorite trips!

changing seasons

left- my boot/ right- her hand

It was so warm today!  Our house seems so quiet after our wonderful weekend of house guests, a wedding and Thanksgiving.  I missed having so many people to talk to.  I had a few deliveries to make around the neighborhood so I asked Sophie if she wanted to join me for a walk.  She grabbed a scooter and we headed out the door.  It was nice to say hello to neighbors, even though brief, and breathe in the fresh air.  There were colorful leaves everywhere we turned.  I appreciated so much the last bits of fall hanging around.  I know the seasons will be changing quickly.  As Sophie sped up in front of me on her scooter I thought of this season I have with her.  We spend time each day on reading...practicing, I always have company to run errands and to shop.  When I had three little girls with me 24/7 I couldn't wait for the day to do all of those things on my own.  Now that I have two in school fulltime I realize how fast each season passes me by.  I will really miss it- just like I miss these colorful leaves in the winter.

Thanksgiving

I know this sounds like an exaggeration...but we haven't had Thanksgiving dinner at my parent's house on Thanksgiving day for at least 15 years.  We broke that bad tradition and headed to Mom and Dad's on Thursday!  The weather was reasonably warm.  The kids were excited...other than the dread my girl's were feeling at the thought of eating turkey.  (wimps...heeeheee)  I love my mom's cornbread dressing!  I love my dad's overall enthusiasm for the Thanksgiving feast.  My girls arranged a huge vegetable platter to look like a turkey.  They were pretty pleased and I was grateful for the help.  After our meal we headed to the movie theater to see Hugo.  Have you seen it!?!?!?!  Wasn't it BEAUTIFUL!!!!!  Isn't the story sweet!?!?  We LOVED it!!!!!

We are grateful for our warm homes, plentiful food, a land of liberty, falling leaves, and most of all~ each other.  xo

Halloween Masquerade

If it wasn't for the Passey's halloween party...

I would never dress up.
(Danny and I both loved thickening our tresses with wigs!)

I have never been a Halloween fan but these friends of mine are beginning to convert me.

I love not knowing what anyone is going to be wearing...and walk in on a room of surprises.

They are seriously some of the most creative people I know!

The only rule~

We had to wear masks for the masquerade...

Danny and I counted our eye patches but we should have done more :)

Some of the masks were my favorite part!

Heather and Kelly...thank you for a wonderful evening~

food, friends, and your beautiful home at Halloween is my F A V O R I T E!

(I want to wrap up your fireplaces and bring them home with me!)

xoxo