~ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?~

Happy 4th of July!!!

The 4th of July has never been my most favorite holiday, it is always SO hot and everyone knows how much this "winter girl" likes the heat :)  But, I have to say that having a son with a birthday on the 4th of July has made it even more reason for celebration.  I wanted to have a BBQ with the family and was thinking of something fun to do for the little ones.  I sent Steve and Clark to the store to find a slip and slide ( you know the one that you lay on the grass, hook the hose to and let the kids run and slide on...) A simple little water slide to  keep them entertained and cool.  WELL, this is what they came home with!

My advise to anyone reading this is: NEVER send two overgrown boys to the store with your debit card in search for a  toy...

Bella  (John & Lore)

Charly (Garett and Lisa)

Ruby (Sky & Christina)

Maddison (John & Lore)

Whitney ( John & Lore)

Abigail (Clark & Cami)

Emma (Clark & Cami)

Cole (John & Lore)

SO worth it!

~DAD~

Nancy sent me this picture of Dad the other day and I just had to share!  Isn't he handsome! I swear, the guy just gets better looking everyday! Mom knew what she was doing!

Dad is the hardest working, honest, thoughtful, happy person I know.  He always has been. I remember very few times in my life when he was ever upset...Maybe once or twice with a couple of sons and the weather but not even that lasted long.  Never with me...I was perfect in his eyes. Still am.  Being the only girl has it's privileges :)  I didn't know until I was older just how much I had him wrapped around my finger, if I had, I surely would have taken advantage of it more in my teenage years!  I say that but I know that I could have NEVER done anything that would have made my dad upset with me because you see, as much as I want to think that I had him wrapped around my finger it was really the opposite. There wasn't ANYTHING I would not do for him...Still isn't.  He is my rock in this world of never ending ups and downs, my hero, because every little girl needs one,  and the home to my heart. 

~WHAT ARE THEY~

 

I need help!  I have no idea what these berries are.  They grow on a tree, not a bush, they start out white and then turn the many different shades of lavender and maroon.  They are VERY sweet.  Do any of you know what they are? Yes I did eat them (Adam would not have stood a chance with me either...) and since Eden isn't really an option, I will be happy with the fact that I am still alive and that I was not "cast" anywhere for the time being.  I have honestly never seen these before ( just one more reason one should possibly think twice before popping them into ones mouth).  Anyone with "Berry" knowledge out there please tell me what they are...If they are toxic, well that would be a shame but, a rather pleasant way to go, they really are GOOD!

The last couple of pictures are of the Day Lily's in our backyard.  The sprinklers has just watered them and the sun had just gone down. Everything looked prettier than it really is so, I had to take a few pictures to remind me that even MY backyard can be beautiful at certain times of the year!

~ART CITY DAYS~

 

 

We had a very busy weekend with the little ones. It was ART CITY DAYS, which is Springville City's annual city celebration so the whole week has been filled with different events to keep everyone occupied culminating with a breakfast provided by the firemen, a parade, carnival and fireworks last night. The grandkido's were SO excited to do it ALL!!  It was fun for me to watch them having so much fun!  I worry sometimes that they are going to get hurt running out there to pick up candy that is thrown their way...Why is it that it is SO enticing?  They would think grandma and grandpa a couple of cheap scape's if we were to offer them the same things for treats.  Maybe we just need to line them up on the curb and drive up the road in the car and throw the stuff out the window at them. Perhaps then they would like that sort of stuff from us.  It might be worth a try! 

I took Cole for a hike up the canyon on Saturday while all of the little ones were taking a power nap. On the way home he discovered under some dirt and leaves next to a small oak tree a very interesting rock with gold and yellow and brown swirls in it. It is really beautiful...We are wondering how he could have seen it there. I pass that spot all the time and have NEVER noticed anything there and he goes up on his first trip and comes home with a treasure. Wow, both he and Gage are quite the eagle eyes in the family.  I think that I should take them arrowhead hunting with me!

I am pretty tired after all the excitement this weekend and feel pretty proud of myself for taking tomorrow off. How great is that!  I may just sit back and enjoy myself doing NOTHING!  That is a stretch for me!

I borrowed a couple of pics from my daughter-in-laws blogs, hope they don't mind :)

~NOW THAT"S A DOG~

Cole is 6 and a half, Thor is 3.  Thor is sitting in this picture and Cole is standing!  At 170 lbs. Thor is the most gentle giant you will ever encounter. He LOVES kids and is patient and sweet ALL of the time. Every now and again Cambria, Skyler and Rozzy load him in the car and bring him with them so he can visit with the kids.  Needless to say, he is a "BIG" hit!  Rozzy doesn't call him Thor, she refers to him as "Good Boy"...From the mouths of babes!  Children and animals, does it get any better?

~YELLOW BUTTERFLIES~

Who doesn't love butterflies? They are SO beautiful.  This time of year is especially fun because the Swallowtails are just all over here in the foothills of Springville!  Yellow is one of my very favorite colors so, to see these little splashes of color flitting around just makes me...Well, HAPPY.  ( I know your thinking that it takes very little to make me happy but, I have a husband that will argue that one with you).  They bring back so many memories of good times and the people that I love and those

that I continue to miss.  Kind of fitting this time of year don't you think?

 

 I have to admit that I actually got tired of the cold.  I love the snow but my joints are starting to feel winter so I have been enjoying the warmer weather, not sure I could move to St. George yet but, I am starting to cave just a little when Steve brings it up. If we bought a house on a golf course with a pool do you think that the kids and grandkido's would visit every weekend?

~SEND THEM ON THEIR WAY~

After a rather difficult week at work I was feeling a little sorry for myself and yes probably a little bit angry also. I have a habit of coming home and sitting at my computer thinking that some sort of inspiration will filter into my mind to help me "cope" with  feelings of wanting to stomp my feet, throw myself on the floor and scream "why me?" It was while at my computer that I "Stumbled" on this...I LOVE it, so I thought that I would share it because maybe you will too!

By: Elsa Joy Bailey 


 There are moments in this life when we find ourselves just plain mad.

Something happens that seems unjust, or cruel, or unreasonable, and whatever it is has impacted us or someone we care about. The thing makes us angry, no question about it.

The question is, what do we do with that angry feeling? Is it possible to accept it in without causing damage?

It's possible. Actually, it's more than possible: it's smart.

Just like all the other visitors that stop by our home to say hello, anger is a temporary caller. Most of us have no problem accepting visitors as they are; manners and affection have taught us to pay kind attention to them during their stay. We welcome them in, take their coat, show them to a chair.

What we don't do, of course, is hand over our keys to them and tell them they can have the run of the place. We listen to them, feed them snacks, extend them hospitality. We spend our moments with them and then send them on their way.

So this is precisely the way to deal with any uncomfortable visitors that stop by our mind for a brief while. Irritation, anger, impatience, resentment -- you know their names. They've all come to raise hell, and if we are smart, we will bring them in, sit them down and listen quietly to their story. We may even comfort them: "Sure, I can see why you're feeling that." Because we are generous hosts, we give them a chance to breathe and feel acknowledged. Then we send them on their way -- because they don't, after all, live in our home. They're only visiting.

If, on the other hand, we haven't yet learned that anger is merely a wave of energy -- one that will pass-- we may sometimes confuse our feelings for our identity. If we think the anger is who we are, it is inevitable that we will step into it full force. It is this kind of mis-identity which can do harm. If, after all, I have become the anger that is visiting me, there are all kinds of havoc I may cause -- without noticing that I have handed over the contents of my mind to a distraught and temporary caller.

So the secret of dealing with anger is to receive it without judgment: to neither resist it, or give it ownership of my house. Anger, as all of us know, is a very powerful energy: very persuasive and very contagious.

What I do when heat catches hold of my consciousness is to step out of its noose as soon as I notice it, and invite it to sit down with me for a cup of tea. Deep breath, deep breath, and then I just listen. I let it know I understand why it is there. I even tell it to take its time; hang around as long as it needs to hang around. But in the process of this acceptance, I am becoming free. I am becoming the host, not the victim, of my visitor. And when I am safely out of its fiery clutch, I take steps to address its complaint in a neutral way.

Does this sound like it's too much work?

Perhaps you think it is. Once upon a time, so did I. We all have. For now, I prefer to remain in charge of the house, and keep anger in the role of temporary guest. I honor it, I give it the gift of quiet attention, I may even surround it with Love. But I never, ever let it near the breakable dishes.