My Daughter The Singer/Songwriter

Two blog posts in less than 24 hours? That must be some kind of record for me lately! The reason for tonight's madness is all about Emily. This girl of mine has some crazy amazing talent and I just couldn't wait to share it!  The first song she wrote and dedicated to my adorable niece Ty.. while I'm not sure of the inspiration for the second song, it's just as lovely to hear her sing it.

Click the links and hear why I'm such a proud mama!

Ty's Lullaby - By Emily Randquist
I Remember - By Emily Randquist

A Mother's Kindness Is The Most Important

One of my oldest girls recently took a trip to Texas to work with her father on videoing a conference. Oh how I missed her while she was gone! I send her off on these excursions with great trepidation because we know there will be difficult challenges at best, and if worst comes to pass, she could be alone and facing danger.  I won't get into details of past conference experiences here, but suffice it to say that my heart sent out a constant plea of "please keep her safe" the entire time she was away.

I was relieved that Madi had a good time at the conference and that she was able to manage the slight hardships she experienced while she was away. When she returned home last night, we were all grins and giggles as we played catch up, exchanging stories of events that occurred while she was away. One of those exchanges still has me thinking today... so much so that I had to put it into words here.

Madi told me how she overheard one side of a phone conversation in which a mother was yelling at her young child for crying about cotton candy that was taken from her by her older brother. Madi's cheerful countenance became serious and her eyes grew sad as she told me how she felt it just wasn't right for the mother to behave that way. I thought about it for a minute before I agreed that it wasn't the best parenting skills that she witnessed, but I also explained to her that mothering is a difficult job, one of the most difficult in life, and it can become a hardship when a mother is left to raise children mostly on her own.

Today I find myself still thinking about that conversation and how it relates to the past experiences of my little family. I won't say that I was a single mother, because I was married most of the years that my children were young. However, I was physically and emotionally alone most of the time. When my young daughters were having difficult days, I was the one who had to calm them and discipline when necessary. Of course, the upside of this is that I was the one who claimed most of the hugs, kisses and snuggles too. I remember very clearly the day that I wrote P A T I E N C E in purple crayon across the front of my freezer door so that I would have a visual reminder as I tended to my active children throughout the day. I cannot remember the events of the day or exactly what I was feeling, but something inside of me knew that I needed a strong visual reminder when my last nerve began to fray.

To this day, I keep that visual memory of P A T I E N C E in my mind. I may not be a young mother any more, but I do know that children are the most precious of all gifts and that a mother is their first and best champion throughout their lives. A mother's job is to soothe and calm the child whenever it is needed. It isn't always easy, especially in today's world where days are hectic and nerves fray easily, but I know firsthand what happens when a child feels alone and helpless and I vowed that would never happen to my girls.

Kindness matters.

I want my girls to understand that laundry can wait, the household chores can be put off a little while longer, but never... ever put off hugging or loving a child who needs you. Time, just like children, is precious.. and once it is gone, no matter how desperately we wish we could go back and change it, we can never get those moments back.

Make every moment count, my sweet girls. One day you will be mothers with families of your own and your patience and kindness will be rewarded in your children's love and laughter.  Be the champion and safe haven for others, especially children.

Always.

Inspiration From My Girl

I'm sitting here talking with my girlie, Carley, on her day off. This girl really makes life fun. Everywhere she goes, she makes people smile, laugh and feel better about themselves and life in general. I am so lucky I get to be her mom!

I have often said that my girls teach me more than I teach them. I know the reality of it is that we teach each other, but I always feel like I get the better end of the deal somehow. Since Carley graduated from high school, she has really blossomed. Adulthood suits her. Every day she comes home with tales of work and friends, almost always laughing, and I think to myself, "She's got everything figured out. She's going to be just fine." That's a great feeling for a mom, knowing that this little girlie of mine is happy and doing the right things. She's got life by the horns and she's rockin' it! So even if I still feel overprotective of her and cringe when she tells me she's taking a California road trip with friends, I take a deep breath and remind myself how responsible she is... and I do my best to let my little birdie fly.

Carley started a new blog a while ago and once again she amazes me. Her writing is artistic and her words are beautiful. I'm sharing it here today because I'm really proud of all she has accomplished.  Click the link below to experience her words for yourself.

Thirty 33 Three Pounds - By Carley Randquist

California- Day Two

I am coming to terms with the fact that I rarely (if ever) have time to myself. I think about coming here every day to complete the vacation story and update about every day events, but it is nearly impossible to find the time. Having said that, I found some time this morning, at the expense of spending time with Hubby, and I am currently considering not going to work today so I can write and take my girls to the new Chimpanzee movie. I'll let you know how that thought turns out. In the meantime, let's get on with the California adventure.

Day two we woke up to a winter wonderland. We were still giggling about the fact that we were in California and there was more snow on the ground than we had seen all winter in Utah! With one shower for four people, three of us being girls that then needed additional time for hair and makeup, it took time to get our party out the door in the mornings. We pushed ourselves hard to be out the door by 9am each day. So much for sleeping in and relaxing on vacation! After a hilariously entertaining April Fool's joke where I managed to burglarize Hubby's suitcase while he was in the shower and thereby convince him that he had forgotten to pack any underwear, we said goodbye to our Tahoe room with the too-small beds and headed out for breakfast.

After breakfast it was time to head down the mountain to prove to the girlies that we really were in California. Hubby's mom lives near Tahoe so we planned a quick stop to say hello. We also visited a cute little produce stand which reminded me of Walker Farms in Vermont, just not quite as cute. I was in awe of all of the orchards surrounding us, easily imagining how wonderful it must smell in the fall when the apples were ripe and the cider mill was operating. In fact, it was so chilly that it could have been October! Hubby and the girls strapped the apple wood we purchased for barbequing  to the top of the Jeep and we headed to a little sandwich place for lunch. I couldn't believe how quickly time was getting away from us. It was nearly 3pm by the time we got back on the road! 

The girlies settled into their sleepy time for the long car ride and I soaked up the sights all around me. We saw miles and miles of orchards which Hubby and I had fun trying to identify as we sped past them. Olives, pistachios, apples, and many other fruit trees lined the highway for hours. The photographer in me wanted to stop for a photo shoot. Sadly, we never did. 

Redding was our next stop on the California tour. Hubby had learned of a sundial bridge there and we were eager to see it. After spending nearly 4 hours in the car, we were ready to stretch our legs! The sun was setting over the Sacramento river as we gaped at the massive bridge that seemed more like an art piece to me. It was a foot traffic only bridge and we had plenty of company! Walnut trees surrounded the river banks and I kept saying over and over how fresh the air was there. Clearly I had been trapped in Utah's winter inversion air for much too long. I had forgotten what fresh air could smell like! We stayed at the bridge until the sun had nearly set and we felt rejuvenated once more.  Now for the tough part of our day.. we had to get to Eureka through the 130 miles of twisty mountain road. We had no idea what we were in for! 

Linzie does a back bend trying to capture the curve of the sun dial.

The first part of our mountain drive to Eureka was beautiful! We were treated to amazing views and sweet smelling air. The sun setting over Whiskeytown Lake was nothing short of breath-taking! We turned around to go back to a scenic overlook so we could take pictures of the lake sunset. The pictures turned out beautiful even though we were frozen to the bone from the icy wind that was howling around us! 

This tree was so amazing! I have never felt bark so smooth, nor have I seen such color! I wanted to take it home!

 

 

After 10 minutes of photo time at Whiskeytown Lake, we were frozen to the core and we were so happy to get inside the warm Jeep! Little did we know what awaited us over the next 3+ hours. So far in our trip we had seen mighty dust storms, fierce winds, heavy winter snow, and Mother Nature wasn't done with us yet. Almost as soon as night fell upon us, the rain started. I'm not sure I have mentioned this before, but I am also night blind. I am so grateful my capable Hubby was behind the wheel, keeping us safe. It seemed as if the winding canyon roads would never end! I was unnerved by the winding roads in the pouring rain, in conditions which I could not see... it was one of the longest drives of my life but we made it safely to Eureka sometime past 10pm and it did not take us long to fall asleep. I wish I had taken pictures of our hotel room in Eureka because it also turned out to be our very favorite room of the entire trip! The beds were super comfy and the room was nice and clean. Ahhhh! What an exciting adventure we were on! 

Day three was our trip through the giant redwoods. I don't recall ever having seen trees that ginormous before! Stay tuned! 

My Latest Excuse...

I came home from work the other night (approximately 30 minutes past midnight) and my girlies were fast asleep, Hubby was waiting up for me with a nice cocktail to share, and together we watched the season premiere of Deadliest Catch. As I sat there shedding every ounce of my work stress, I was overwhelmed by a sense of being perfectly content. I imagined I could feel my sweet baby girls breathing in and out, the deep breathing of peaceful sleep... then I imagined the house itself was breathing in perfect unison with my precious Little Women.

I liked that feeling. A lot.

My family is every single one of my dreams come true. Every day. So please forgive me if I haven't yet posted more details about our California trip. You see, I have been busy enjoying my family. My heart overflows.

I promise I will work on the road trip updates. In the meantime, don't you think these faces are adorable?

California Road Trip - Day 1

Before I get into details about our road trip, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for my wonderful family on this beautiful Easter day. My Hubby and my little women are everything I always wanted in life -A group of my own that is filled with love and kindness. They are my shelter, my heart and soul. I am honored to be mother to my beautiful girls who make me proud every single day. I have watched them grow up before my eyes and even though they are forging lives of their own now, I still see them as my little ones. I hear their little voices and I see their childhood expressions on their faces every day. How did I ever get to be so blessed? Memories are my treasures and I will always hold on tightly to every single one that my girls have given me. I love this little family of mine!  Happy Easter!


The Road Trip

I had worked until midnight the night before, but we were eager to get started on our road trip so I dragged myself out of bed to get dressed and finish packing. Honestly, I'd love to tell you details about the morning, but I was walking around in a fog.. and those memories are just gone. I do remember saying goodbye to Carley, Madi and Emily. Leaving my three oldest girls home made my heart hurt. Who would laugh at my intellectual jokes? Who would keep us laughing with blonde-isms? And who would kiss our noses?  Leaving those girls home alone was torture to me.. we would have some mighty fun shoes to fill.
I prepared my iPod with new music and three audio books that I thought might entertain us. I think we opted for singing along with music for the first part of the day. There was a storm blowing in and the winds were starting to pick up. I remember thinking how lucky it was that we were getting started early - before the brunt of the storm showed up.

Before we knew it, we were on the south side of the Great Salt Lake and the winds were fierce! I pointed out the old Saltair resort to the girls and told them a brief history of its former glory. It wasn't too long after that landmark that the scenery became nothing but blowing dirt and we settled in to our road trip groove. I was still groggy and the howling wind made me nervous, but I tried to relax and let the hum of the tires lull me into a calm place.

I had been telling my family for years about the strange sculpture tree out in the desert near Wendover. I remember people talking about it when I was a teenager. No one could figure out the motive for the sculpture, just that some rich artist wanted to create something huge and place it in the desert. Some people consider it atrocious, others find it curiously interesting. I saw it once when I was eighteen and I have been wondering if it was still there. I kept an eye on the desert for the "tree" so I could point it out to the girls. Just when I was beginning to think the strange sculpture was no longer standing, something very large appeared on the edge of my vision. I watched the shape grow larger and excitedly told everyone in the car that the sculpture was still standing.

The picture doesn't do it justice. This thing is HUGE! It also looks broken to me.. are those pieces on the ground part of the exhibit or did they fall from the sculpture? Your guess is as good as mine. One thing is for sure though.. I still have no idea what this sculpture is supposed to represent!

Our first official stop on our road trip was at the Bonneville Salt Flats.  I can't remember ever visiting that state park and I know it was a first for Hubby and the littles as well. My eyes weren't prepared for the blinding white glare from miles of salt stretched out before us. It seems to be quite the hot spot for taking photographs though.. we even saw a very bearded man dressed up in a woman's dress and high heels getting his... (her?) pictures done out on the salt flats. We ventured out into the howling wind for some photos of our own.

Huge chunks of salt were everywhere!

Our lovely Jeep

Linzie standing in salt crystals

Linzie and Abby at the Salt Flats... cute girls!

Abby found a giraffe puppet in a gas station to send a hello to Carley

Our next stop was in Wendover to gas up and grab some car snacks. We were already shocked over how much higher the gas was in Wendover. I could only imagine how much higher it would be once we reached California. Wendover wasn't as impressive as I remembered it being. It was also getting very dusty from the relentless wind. Needless to say, we didn't stay long before heading back to the road. We had 11 hours of driving to get through on day one and we hadn't even scratched the surface yet!

It wasn't long after we left Wendover that the questioning began. "How much longer until we're there?" My girls were not used to extremely long car rides.. we fly to our vacation destinations. I knew we were in for a long day as I patiently tried explaining the long day ahead to the littles.

The wind continued to batter us as we drove along the highway. Once we hit the Nevada desert, everything around us seemed to disappear into dusty nothingness. I was so grateful that the driving was in Hubby's capable hands. I watched the muscles in his arms bulge as he fought to keep the Jeep on a straight path.. more than once his knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. At that point I was not having much fun. I'm a nervous passenger anyway, and the wind nearly undid me.

Abby gives up and takes a nap

We listened to our audio books and looked at maps.. and when the littles couldn't take the monotony any more, they napped. We kept saying that day one was a day that we just had to get through so we could start enjoying the rest of the trip. Just. Get. Through. It! Everything changed when we reached Carson City, Nevada. The temperature dropped like a rock and that's when the snow started to fall...

A tunnel we went through before we reached Carson City

A tunnel we went through after Carson City! What a difference a few hours made! 

I'll be the first to admit that I was not expecting to see snow on this California trip. The morning we left, the weatherman said it was going to be the warmest day of the year, so I was wearing flip flops! I knew my footwear decision had been the wrong one when I saw all the cars pulled over to put their snow chains on.. those people were all decked out in ski gear. What was I thinking?!

We had seen it all during that day. Warm summer-like temperatures, howling winds, bright sunshine, dust storms that blocked out the sun.. and now we had also seen a foot of snow getting deeper by the second. What an adventure!

We made it to our hotel, checked in and unpacked our suitcases. After changing our shoes (stepping out of the Jeep into a foot of snow while wearing flip flops was not fun!) we headed back to a casino for dinner. We all agree that was the best dinner we had the entire trip! We enjoyed Filet Mignon, crab and shrimp, prime rib, mac and cheese for the littles, salads and every kind of dessert they could taste. Of course we could never eat it all, but we enjoyed sampling a bit of everything!

We had a brief scare when we left the casino parking lot. The Jeep was sliding sideways when Hubby was backing out of the parking stall. We came within an inch of slamming into the vehicle parked next to us. I still don't know how we made it out of that near disaster, but I am so thankful for the angels watching over us and for Hubby's driving skills that kept us, and the Jeep, safe!

Day one was over and we fell into bed.. completely exhausted and giggling over the fact that the snow was still falling. We had no idea what the next day would bring...

Day ONE!

Old Fashioned Road Trip!

Hubby and I decided to try something different for spring break this year. Normally we load up the camping gear, four wheelers, all of our giggling girls and we head somewhere south of us for some chilly (but fun) camping.  However, life is changing around here.. the girlies are growing up and molding lives of their own. Three of my girls have jobs, two are also in college, one of those three had her annual California trip with her choir group scheduled, and our little Georgia peach decided she wanted to go to Florida with her friends this year instead of trekking to Utah for some rugged fun. That left our two youngest or "littles" as we affectionately call them, Hubby and myself. We simply could not imagine a lonely campfire with only four people surrounding it. We decided that we needed to do something completely different to avoid gloomy spirits wondering how much more fun it could be if the other four girls were along for the trip, and just like that a wild idea was hatched.. A six day, 2400 mile California road trip! (Yes, we were crazy. No, we had no idea what we were getting into!)

As the trip loomed nearer, the littles were getting more excited by the day. After they realized we were going nowhere near Disneyland, their imaginations began to shape ideas of what exciting adventures might be awaiting them. California! Isn't it warm there? We will have so much fun! Think of all the things we will do and see! I was still a little nervous myself. I can't easily forget that my sweet Linzie has been prone to car sickness since she was an infant, and I wondered if they would find a road trip exciting at all. My girls have been camping since they were toddlers, but most of our big vacations involve flying somewhere tropical, with lots of snorkeling and beach time thrown in for kicks. To soothe my worry habit, I frequently recalled memories of a road trip my family took to Alaska when I was in junior high. If my parents could load up a truck and camper and three little kids to road trip for an entire month, then surely I could handle six days to California and back. Right?

It was an adventure all right! As usual, it will take me some time to organize photos and put thoughts into words, but rest assured it's coming. I can't wait to tell you all about it!