A Liquid Moment In Time

Today I perched on a covered swing, in the rain, with my Sweetheart. 

Gleefully sticking my feet out from underneath the temporary shelter, I delighted in the refreshing sting of raindrops blown across the exposed skin of my summer-tanned toes.

The rain came down HARD... 

and sometimes sideways. 

The determined storm had no time for gentility, no interest in repose.

Thunder cracked overhead in ferocious agreement.

We admired our lush gardens showered by Heavenly torrents,

as we simultaneously marveled at the fire glowing hot in spite of the downpour.

The intoxicatingly fragrant heat lunged toward us repeatedly 

as the wind whipped the trees in a tribal dance.

The bbq could wait.. 

When Clouds Come Your Way...

If clouds are going to follow me around,
they are going to be THIS kind of cloud!

If anything is going to cover me,
it will be the love and support of my family. 

Life Is Wonderful!

Before you start thinking that I am all sunshine and rainbows, inspirational poster buying - chicken soup for the soul reading kind of person, let me share with you my Facebook status post from the other day:

Schwinntastic Summer Mornings!

Waking up on summer Saturday mornings, the barrier between past and present is as thin and shimmering as heat radiating off of blacktop. The bedroom window is open to accommodate the cool morning breeze and the birds chirp their conversations loudly as if trading stock on their own feathered version of Wall Street.

Keeping my eyes closed, I imagine myself back in my childhood bedroom.. the one with the big yellow and white Waltex flowers and green carpet firmly worn from many years of foot traffic.  Back then there would be no question of sleeping in. I would wake up wide-eyed and anxious to begin the day. There were places to go and people to see! My child-sized feet practically skipped across the carpet as I raced for the drawers full of neatly folded clothing my mother had put away for me. Grabbing whatever was on top, there was no thought or care for fashion selection, I quickly dressed and bounded out the bedroom door. No time for bathing or showering in the morning, that ritual was reserved for much later - to wash away the evidence of a day spent outdoors, long after the sun had set.

A quick search of the house usually turned up my mother in the backyard, hanging the freshly washed sheets to dry in the sweet summer air. We spent hours playing among those damp cotton wonders. To my child's imagination, those sheets would become the billowy walls of mystical fairy realms. To this day, I have never smelled anything as sweet as laundry that has been dried by swaying in the gentle breeze.

After a quick breakfast of lumpy Cream of Wheat, I was out the door! My trusty Schwinn was my constant companion as I sped from one destination to another. I can only imagine the gleeful site of that mob of kids riding their bikes down the middle of the road, our numbers steadily increasing as we went from one friend's house to another, in search of the perfect activity to occupy our summer day.  The motorists might not have appreciated the (mostly) harmless gang of kids oblivious to lanes or rules of the road, but we didn't care. We were young and unafraid. The world belonged to us and we were eager to explore it!

Back then we didn't come home until the sun was setting and mothers all over the neighborhood could be heard calling their children's names from various front porches. Dinner was dished up and waiting on the table and we ate it cold (microwaves were something out of sci-fi movies at the time) as we replayed the day's adventures to our mothers through mouthfuls of peas and potatoes. Mumbled acknowledgments of "Mmm hmmm" were offered from Mom as we summarized our day, editing out the delinquent parts that would earn us a scolding or worse.

I was often asleep as soon as my freshly bathed head hit the pillow. None of the worldly worries that cause sleepless nights for adults could touch me back then. The world was ours and we appreciated every day that we were given to command it.

As my house begins to stir on this Saturday morning in 2010, I reluctantly leave behind the memories of tomboy summers and childhood abandonment. To quote a favorite author, "The world has moved on."  Well said, Mr. King! My girls wouldn't know what to think if they had a blood blister on the bottom of their foot.. I imagine they would freak out about it rather than curiously poke at it with a pin. Schwinns have been replaced with iPods and laptops and summer mornings pass them by as they sleep in. The magical golden morning sunshine has long gone when these modern teens join the world around ten or eleven in the morning, completely unaware of what they have missed.

I wonder what their memories will hold for them when they look back on their childhood. What will they have to recall in place of  freshly washed laundry hanging out to dry? What wonderment will they retell their own children in place of robin's eggs discovered in the hollows of the clothesline post, or flash mobs of children loudly singing pop tunes as they pedal down the middle of the road?

I somehow can't imagine iPod or Internet stories holding enough magic and charm to become timeless childhood memories recalled and retold, but I hope that they will recall their childhood with fondness when a bright summer morning comes calling.

Lost Your Muchness? Job Can Fix That!

This morning I woke up to a cool breeze (thanks, Babe!), a sleepy fuzzy head next to me and golden sunshine creeping across the bedroom floor. Nice!

By the time I finished getting ready for work and headed out the door, my muchness had vanished.  I explained it to my girl this way - It's like waking up, feeling like you could use a little warmth and getting a bucket of ice water dumped over your head instead.  Not so nice.

I then had the honor of driving two of my girls to their nanny gig, which is always a happy drive, but it wasn't quite as happy as the ducks frolicking in sprinklers as witnessed the other day. Hmmm... I began thinking to myself that my muchness had been washed down the shower drain. Muchness, you see, can be a fragile and tricky thing.

I drove to work in the traffic, which should be a four letter word. Too crowded, too bright, and too smelly. Muchness now a distant memory. By the time I reached my desk (There is a desk under all of those stacks of paper needing my attention, right?) I was 100% convinced that the muchness was completely missing.

The horrible fluorescent lights in my office don't help one bit on days like this. Why not just stick red hot needles in my eyes and get it over with?

Emails, phone calls, moving piles of paper around the desk, chat with boss, and more phone calls.School registration is in full swing so I pretty much spend all my time on the phone and work on stacks of overdue paperwork from my bed while everyone else is sleeping. Sounds fun, right? (This is why the Excedrin disappears from my cabinet at an alarming rate. I should own stock in the company!)

This is a PR pic from Mini's. I am not a creepy stalker.

I was handling a particularly difficult phone call with a potential vendor when the office door opened and in walked one of my favorite business people in all of downtown Salt Lake City - none other than Job, of Mini's Cupcakes. Job has delivered many lunches to our faculty meetings and he is always smiling and happy! I could see he was carrying a bag and I quickly wrapped up my phone call, thinking that my boss had ordered lunch for herself and some business people she mentioned she was expecting this afternoon.

I greeted Job, who greeted me back with his infectious smile. I asked him what brought him to our office today and he smiled even more as he explained that he had brought us cupcakes. He made no move to hand me an invoice for a signature so I asked quizzically, "What's the occasion?"

More to-die-for grins from Job as he replied, "Because it's Thursday!" He continued to smile as if I had missed the obvious. By this time I was smiling too, muchness well on the way to being restored, and I called my boss out to say hello to Job as well.

Job went on to tell us that there were also sandwiches for us, in addition to the box of cupcakes, because we are regular customers. The most interesting thing about the entire situation was how I could not quit thanking HIM for the "Thank You" that he had brought to us! Irony, I tell you.

I stole these pictures from Mini's Cupcakes Facebook page.

We visited with Job for a few minutes, explaining what our school is about and learning that Job coaches girl's Jr. High basketball.. basically forming a stronger bond with our local crack dealers cupcake suppliers. I already adored Job (how could you not when he is super friendly and has a smile that could melt polar ice caps?) but now I have an even greater appreciation for the guy behind the smile. 

Then there's the six.... (SIX!) chicken walnut *died and gone to heaven* sandwiches and SIX designer cupcakes all boxed up and cute. Nice touch! I told the boss to take them home but she insists that I take them instead. Umm... okay! Twist my arm!

The treats are fun, and absolutely the best example of excellent customer service that I have seen in a very long time, but the true superstar here is Job because he brought back the muchness that I had lost earlier today.  I had no idea that the universe had such a wacky day in store for me today but I am glad to be back on top.

Thanks, Job and Mini's Cupcakes!  Leslie, you've got great staff working for you! 

This is an example of the lunches that we get from Mini's Cupcakes. Their salads are TO DIE FOR! My favorite sandwich is the Turkey, and the lunches all come with little cupcakes. We don't order lunches from anyone else for our faculty meetings!

I'd Like To Be A Duck

This morning I had the privilege of  driving one of my oldest daughters to her summer nanny gig at my parents' house. No, she isn't my parents' nanny, she watches my adorable nephew, Pirate Jack.

When I left the house wearing flip flops, my Moab t-shirt from the previous day and the bottom half of my Christmas PJ's, I had no idea I was about to encounter one of those mornings seemingly conjured straight out of a Homes and Gardens magazine.  If someone would have warned me, I would have planned ahead and worn some pedal-pushers, white Keds, Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis sunglasses and a hat with a ginormous floppy brim. At least then I would have matched the Home and Garden theme, rather than the tired mom who stumbled out of bed and got partially dressed before deciding that the rest of the clothing ensemble could be worked out later. In my defense I ask you, what good is working from home in the summer if you can't leave the house at least once in your PJ's?

The intoxicating air was sweet and warm, the farmer's fields were golden with their organic bounty, and a family of white ducks played in the sprinklers on someone's front lawn while a little old lady fussed over her flower garden. We were even treated to a glimpse of the purest right of passage in human existence - about a million tiny people with over-sized smiles to match their over-sized backpacks as they stood on the lawn of the elementary school while their parents snapped photo after photo of the first day of kindergarten.

Driving that picturesque route, I found myself  simultaneously wanting to be a duck, a little old lady working in her flower garden, a 5 year old sporting pigtails on the first day of school, and the proud owner of a Sweet Corn produce stand on the side of the road.

Magical!

To complicate matters, I had to drive past my favorite store on the planet... twice!  J&J's Nursery is the best place for garden lovers everywhere and I gravitate to it like a junkie looking for a fix. The only thing saving me from dropping in this morning and trading my children for organic fertilizer was the fact that I was wearing pajama bottoms. Darn the luck!

Now as I sit here, in front of the decidedly non-organic computer screen, I fantasize about ignoring the umpteen billion work emails mocking me with their bold text and Times New Roman font, trading my pajamas for my summer capri jeans and then running away to J&J's for a check-writing frenzy that would leave me giddy with gardening pleasure.

*Sigh*  

Hubby has no idea the amount of restraint I am managing right now. Although I haven't quite made it to focusing on my work this morning, I am controlling the intense urge to frolic in the summer sunshine.... for now. Hubby should be thanking me!

Shadow Family

Last week I was hunting for a new picture for my blog header and I considered this one because I really do love it. As we stood on the rim of this canyon, all decked out in our riding gear, I told Carley to take a shadow picture. She couldn't get the angle quite right so she handed the camera to Bill who graciously snapped this family shadow photo for me.

I wish this photo had sound, because I would love for everyone to hear the conversations going on at that particular moment.

"We have to hold up our arms or hands. Otherwise we just look like logs."
"Everyone stick your arms out in some silly way."
"Our what?"
"Our arms?"
"Wait, what?"
"Arms!"
"Like how? This?"
"Any way is fine, just make your shadow interesting."
"I can't get everyone in, scoot together."
"Now you can't see me at all!"
"Haha! You're a blob!"
"Put your elbow on my head."
"My elbow won't reach your head."
"Everyone touch elbows!"
"I'm still not even sure what we're supposed to be doing."
"Smile!"
"Smile?? Seriously??"

Giggles and laughter rippled up and down the line of shadow people as the sun set on the canyon rim.

As much fun as it was, as much as I love the photo and it turned out exactly as I had hoped it would, I cannot use this photo for the blog header. You see, there are only 7 shadows.  One is missing. It took me forever to figure out which shadow was conspicuously absent from the picture. I get so used to having all of us together that my brain simply cannot make the connection when a person is missing. Trying to identify that person from a shadow only complicates things further. Memory should have kicked in and helped me immediately, but I find that system to be operating more and more sluggish as the years tick by.

It bothered me. It really did.

When my aging memory finally showed up to the party, I remembered that our Emily was in Cali during that trip. She wasn't there for the shadow portrait at all. This picture would have been perfectly perfect had she been in it with us. Maybe next year.

My oldest babies turn 18 in December... soon they will take their shadows and begin their own new adventures away from the nest. I worry that my pictures will be steadily emptier. If  this shadow picture of 7 bothers me so much, what will I do on the day when it is a shadow picture of 2?

Much like Peter Pan, I do not want those shadows to get away.

Recognizing A Good Life

Look around you and notice your surroundings.

I cannot ignore the fact that our family has been given multiple opportunities lately to gain a better appreciation for all of the blessings and conveniences we have in our lives.  Of course we appreciate what we have, but how often do we actually pay attention to the things we have that others do not?

Act of Random Kindness

Today Carley, Linzie and I had an experience that lifted our hearts. We were presented with an opportunity to help someone in need and we did so without hesitation. It may have been a small thing, but I am glad that we were in the right place, at the right time, and we did the RIGHT thing!

Toy Story 3 - Hot or Hype?

We are about to embark on the Toy Story 3 journey. I have heard so much about this movie (but no plot details) that I cannot wait to see it! I actually think my cute hubby is more excited about it than anyone else. But what I'm wondering is...

Will it live up to the HYPE? 

I will let you know the verdict when we return!

My Guy Rocks The Dad Life! (Except for the Minivan - He'd rather walk!)

Dad Life from Church on the Move on Vimeo.

Dedicated to my love.. the one who willingly took on the challenge of being worshipped and adored by a household of women!  

Bear Lake - July 4, 2010

The Boat Anchored Just Off Of The North Beach

Ahhh summer!  It is summer, right?  We took the family to Bear Lake for the holiday weekend, with grand hopes of fun, sun  and memories in the making.  We got the fun, and the memories, but only some sun and lots of wind and cold galore!

Never Surrender!

I may be tempting the bad luck genie by writing about this, but oh well! Today we are busy making preparations to leave for Bear Lake tomorrow! WoOt! This is complicated by the fact that Bill and I both have to work today. But believe me when I tell you that my list is going strong and a mile long!