Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Memorial Day Musings



This past weekend we spent alot of time with family, both sides. It was a very fun and memorable weekend.

Friday we got to do the cleaning thing with Gramma Sharon, Granpa Roy, and Uncle Nathan. Mimi was so excited to give Granpa his present that she actually gave it to him four different times!

Saturday morning was spent trying to tame our yard and get our dutch oven pit dug and lined with brick. That is still an ongoing project, as is the lead abatement in the flower gardens and lawn. We hope to finish the dutch oven pit this week. We weren't able to finish everything we wanted due to the afternoon downpour!


The Patrick's have a tradition of going to the area cemetaries, cleaning and decorating family graves, and taking the time to tell the little ones about the people we are remembering. I think that it really made an impression on Mimi this year. We've talked in the past about her Grandpa John and Uncle Brian, how they live with Heavenly Father now. But she doesn't really know them, or any of the others whose graves we clean and decorate. But when she understood what we were going to be doing, she requested that we all take some time to go up to Canada to clean and decorate Papa Les' grave. Papa Les (Peggy's dad) lived with Gramma Midge and Peggy off and on for a year and a half before he passed away. Mimi wanted to make sure that he got remembered and loved, too.

It really made me appreciate the fact that we do have a time set aside to remember those who have died, in particular, those who have died who also served our country. What a wonderful, humbling thing, to think of all those men and women who gave their lives to preserve our freedoms, who served years and years to ensure that we can live in a free land, and have the many opportunities and blessingss we (all too often) take for granted.

It also starting me thinking that I need to make a greater effort to tell the kids about my ancestors, recent and more distant. G. Sharon and Papa Roy make an effort to get to the cemetaries in Salt Lake every year... I hope to go with them next time so that I can really know where the graves are and hear the stories, so I can pass them on. I have been to the cemetaries before to honor and remember our relatives, but it's been a long time, and we all know what happens with increasing age !)


On Monday morning, we went up to the Patrick Homestead to open the cabin for the season, get the water hooked up and do the small chores to tidy it after being closed for the winter. We made rootbeer and had a quick BBQ. The kids had a blast playing on the swingset, in the sand, on the pool table, and in general running wild, playing with cousins. Unfortunately, everyone else had places to be and were gone by about 1:30pm! Sometimes I wonder if we'd enjoy our time together more if we weren't all constantly seeing each other at my MIL's house...kind of the opposite of "Absence makes the heart grow fonder"? Or maybe it's just that the cabin has been an incredible work-maker for the siblings, so they would rather relax elsewhere. I don't really know, it was just kind of sad to have everyone leave, and have my kids ask where did everyone go? We did enjoy the quiet and the beauty of the mountains. As we left a little while later, Buddy said very sorrowfully, "But I will miss the cabin!"

We finished the day with a BBQ in SF at Gramma Sharon's house. Once again the kids had a blast running wild, on the trampoline, swinging, and (as Buddy gleefully exclaimed after the amen) "Woohoo! Now we can play in the dirt!" They also had a good time with the neighbors, who came over to share the BBQ. Sweetsa-pizza had a great time with Brittany, trying to give her a new hairdo.

Monday, May 22, 2006

The garden is in




Yay! We finished putting in the garden! We got the box cleared out two weeks ago, purchased the plants and seeds last weekend, and finally found some time dyring the past few days to get the garden planted! I sure hope we get a better harvest this year...but I think we will, if only because the main gardener will not be so distracted with impending birth and subsequent newborn...or the whole lead fiasco.

Mimi and Buddy both helped turn the soil, pull the weeds, and plant some seeds. Buddy helped plant some of the lettuce and spinach, as well as the carrots, while Mimi took over planting the tomatoes, peppers, peas and beans. Sweetsa-pizza was in charge of being cute and discovering garden soil...she loves it! Mommy got to do the rest (cucumbers, pumpkin, cabbage and strawberries.)

Now I just have to concentrate on keeping it watered and weeded...supposedly easier tasks with a square foot garden vs. a traditional garden. I love having a garden and the resulting yumminess!

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Success!

Mimi gave her first talk in Primary today! Hooray!

It's not the first time she was assigned a talk, or even the first time we prepared for a talk...after all she's been in Primary for 1.5 years now (and Mommy is in the Primary Presidency). But all the other times, despite all the time spent preparing and practicing, coaching and encouraging, when we got up to the microphone, she would either hide behind me or the podium. If it was a "good" day she would stand next to me hiding her just her face.

When she switched classes at the beginning of the year, her new teachers came back from class the first Sunday absolutely amazed at how much Mimi talks and knows about the scripture stories. Everyone thought that she was painfully shy all the time, not just when giving talks.
But today she not only gave her talk, she read her talk...most of it that is! She wrote the first part and was very excited to read it and have me help her with the few words she didn't recognize!

It was a real break-through day in Primary today!
WOOHOO!

Saturday, May 13, 2006

In lieu of Heber...

I thought that since I seemed to be getting a fairly good response to my last mass-emailing about the Heber Thing (sounds like a monster, doesn't it?), that I would blog the options that have been suggested in place of Heber. This way, people can respond and "vote" (or not). I can't remember which options I've shared with whom, so I'll try to present them to you all here.

OPTION 1
We could do nothing. Those who are planning to go to the MTC with Sue on the 19th will be late to Reid Ranch, but that won't significantly reduce the amount of fun to be had by all and sundry at the Ranch (unless you miss the whole day, folks!) We'll plan to do the Heber Party another year.

OPTION 2
We could rent hotel rooms in Provo or Orem. I know that there are at least 20 to choose from. True, I don't know if they all have pools, but most do. And we have several bowling establishments in the area.

OPTION 3
We could meet at a park for games and a BBQ. Again, there are many beautiful parks in the area...sure to be open in the middle of the week. Everyone could bring blankets and games and a potluck dish or chips, and I'm sure we'd have a blast.

OPTION 4
We could all meet up at one of the water attractions in the are. Besides Seven Peaks, there are the Scera water park and pool in Orem, and the Veteran's Memorial water park in Provo. These would be fun and cool, but I don't think that Sue could join in the fun, (sorry Sue).

OPTION 5
If people are interested, Devin and I could reserve a clubhouse (free of cost, but subject to availability) in the Grandview area of Provo. It has a playground, a patio area (with grill), a kitchen, a large group meeting area (w/ a big screen tv), as well as an indoor pool.

OPTION 6
We could still get rooms in Heber, and some go up to Reid Ranch and some go down to the MTC

If anyone else has ideas, please feel free to suggest and comment here.
We look forward to seeing everyone in a couple months!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Beauty Shop




I admit that I have never been much of a girlie-girl. I don't recall ever willingly wearing a dress to K-12 school. The only times I did wear a dress were for picture day pictures, and not willlingly done. I'm not (too) embarrassed to admit that I still don't know how to put on make-up (despite the mutual activity --2 HOURS!!--dedicated to that "art") , and my hair looks like it hasn't been brushed in days only 10 minutes after I actually brush it. And when I do try to do something with my hair, it just slips out--dratted straight, fine hair!

My children (poor things) have been "blessed" with my fine straight hair. Mimi's in particular has been difficult to deal with. It looks great for the first five minutes after being combed, but not ten minutes later, it reverts to pre-combed looks. *sigh* The other challenge with Mimi's hair is that she has always pulled out any beutification attempt (ie ponytails, barrettes, braids, bobby pins, etc.) She started that as soon as I started trying to put her hair in little pig-tails, when she was one. Thankfully, Sweetsa-pizza is a little more cooperative. I started putting her hair up this week...so far, I don't think her little hands can reach the ponytails! Heehee! (she does pull at the hair below the pony tails).

It has come as an absolute surprise to discover that my little Miss Mimi is all girl. She loves all girlie things-pink, ribbons, twirling, dresses, dancing, doing (fake) make-up, dressing-up, and now she wants me to do her hair. YIKES! I can barely do my own! So here is one example of how we do her hair now. She loves the curls and asks to have them done at least twice a week.


Buddy, however, is much less than impressed with my attempts to style his locks. Anytime I approach with comb in hand, he either runs away, yelling, or lets me comb his hair and then promptly messes it up so it looks worse than it did before I combed it! Thankfully, he'll let his daddy comb his hair. If not, I think we'd go for the buzz!

Here is our latest styling effort on him. When he saw his shadow at first he was upset and made me smooth down the spikes. But after a moment of consideration (and hearing his sister ask for the same spikes) he wanted them restored.

Sunday, May 07, 2006

When is enough ... too much?

So, I have been sitting here at the computer trying to catch up on Blogs, bulletin boards and websites that I haven't had much time for recently. This after a very long day,unfortunately not really a day a rest.
Devin and I have been trading off going to meetings all day. Meetings started at 8:15am for Devin. We had our 3 hour block, then he had another "informal meeting" after church. An hour later he had another meeting. Meanwhile, I had choir practice then an "informal meeting" after that. A half an hour later I had another meeting I had to go to. Devin picked me up early from that meeting so we could attend Nathan's Special Mutual Presentation (he sang "I Know My Father Lives") About forty-five minutes after we got home from that Devin left for yet another meeting!

Now, I admit that this has been a rather unusual day, we don't usually both have multiple meetings, but still...!!!


I think the thing that brought this craziness to my attention was that just now, while playing with her dolls, Mimi sweetly said, "I have to take you to the babysitters, sweetheart. I have another boring meeting to go to! I'll be back soon!" And she packed the baby into the carrier and was off.
It was cute, but it still kind of breaks my heart a bit! I'm afraid that's what she thinks Mommies and Daddies do.