Short Time

What could you do in four years?


You could earn a college degree, travel the entire world, remodel your house, serve 2 church missions, or finally harvest asparagus.

Or you could learn how to roll, sit, crawl, walk, talk, run. You could try hundreds of new foods, play dozens of new games. You could learn how to hold a bat, throw a ball, swing a racquet (and light saber), bounce a basketball. You could learn how use a computer, spell and write your name, say the alphabet, count to 20. You could watch hundreds of movies & cartoons (some of them educational, some of them the same one, over and over). You could learn to sing dozens of songs and rhymes, listen to and look at hundreds of books. You could learn how to pray, say "sorry", ask "please." You could give and receive thousands of hugs, thousands of smiles, hundreds of hand-holdings, hundreds of high-fives.

What an amazing time we have on this earth to learn, grow, succeed, fail. And this little guy is just getting started!

Pushing Daisies

 I mentioned earlier this week that our daisies were beginning to explode. They are amazing, and quite their own little ecosystem.  Strong, resilient, beautiful, simple, sometimes overpowering :), there are lots of lessons to be learned from them. If I had to complete the Environmental Science merit badge, I'd sit and watch all the bugs & bees that explore our daisy forest.  And when they get too proud and haughty, they are properly humbled by a good cutting. I especially love that they came from grandpa's garden in California. They remind me of family, heritage, and a pioneer spirit. I love 'em!

 I asked Scot if he would help me get a picture of the daisies. He's usually running or working, so the littler kids get in the pictures. Notice what happens below when he finally gets that spotlight:

Very telling, don't ya think? Mmm...I've sure there's a subconscious message I should be getting from this.

We are going to miss him the next couple weeks--he'll be at a couple different scout camps. He thinks we're just going to miss him doing his chores, but that's only partly true. :)

Hard Day

Some days are just harder than others, and for Maggie, today was hard. Here's a few things I observed today from her point of view. I'm sure she would add 5 additional items related to sibling torture.

1. The pool was freezing, and rain was falling during swim lessons.
2. My back was itchy and burning all day because someone missed a few places with the sunscreen a couple days ago.
3. I fainted when Mom was doing my hair. "Mom, my forehead hurts"...[slump].

She spent the afternoon reading a book on the couch, feeling much better. I am grateful that I can't take credit for making the pool cold.

I do love this picture I took for her grandma today. Doesn't she have a sweet profile?

Here's to a better day for all the Maggie's in the world...and especially those in this house. :)

Rice Paddy

 

Scot has asked that we revisit his past request of growing rice. If we continue to receive rain like we are today, I may seriously consider it. It's hard to believe that just hours earlier we were swimming in the hot sun. Now all the flower beds are overflowing with water; thunder is crashing on top of thunder, rain is still pouring.

Can you see where we should be planting rice? Unfortunately that's where my zinnia seeds and asparagus are supposed to be growing. (Although I can't blame the neighbor kids walking through it on the rain!) Today (and every day it rains) I'm grateful that we have a good sump pump and a dry basement.

Moving Up the Ranks

Congratulations to James for working his way up to 1st Class in scouts. This week at the court of honor he was awarded his badges for both 2nd and 1st Class.
This week we are looking forward to swimming lessons, scout camp packing, and finishing up some serious projects (both mine and the kids').
The daisies have exploded...I'll post some pictures this week. :)

On a different note...
Have you ever been to an opera? Last night was our first opportunity, and it was amazing. I loved the scenery. The singers were incredible. I thought it was fun to dress up and sit inside the beautiful Music Hall, with its great acoustics. Brian may never go back again, but I'd love to go again--perhaps something not quite as tragic as Rigoletto, but are there any non-tragic operas? :)

Free Time

Brian and I have done our best to make sure the kids have no free time this summer. Chores, extra projects (like pulling nails and hacking weeds), merit badge pre-work can really suck up a lot of time. Almost makes me feel sorry for these kids...until I realize they have plenty of free time. This is what I find them doing at strange intervals through the day:

Waiting for the Perfect Day

The perfect day has been a long time in the waiting. Like all the crazy heat/cold/tornados/rain that have been around the country, we've all but skipped any perfect days. Today was well worth the wait. :) We were finally able to work in the yard without breaking a sweat (by just stepping out the door) and hike a bit at Woodland Mound.

Our first choice was the Nature Center, since we don't go very often. However, upon arrival, we learned that Modays are not longer free (an obvious result of not going very often). I wouldn't pay the fee. Not really sure what my moral delimma was...but I wouldn't pay it. I probably spent the same amount in gas driving to Woodland Mound!

These pictures are from a different hike, early in May, but along the same Seasongood Trail. Today Scot ran the trails, meeting us at different spots, Maggie was the "leader" (her own designation and not received well by anyone else), and the rest of us ran in spurts. It was definitely completed in record time, but the cool, calm beautiful just kind of lifted us over the hills and through the prairie.

We also explored the Seasongood nature center a little more. They have some fun (and educational) things. And, of course, we finished up with the playground.

So excited for this perfect day. I'm going to use the rest of it baking bread and making cookies.

Primary Talk by Amy

Today Amy gave a very special talk in Primary. I, of course, had it going a whole different direction, but she was insistent in what she wanted to say. As I wrote what she said, I knew that her version was much better. :)

"Jesus is our Savior.
He died for us.
I love him.
In this picture, He is holding a lamb.
He is taking care of it and making sure it is safe.
We are like His lamb.
When we follow His commandments and do what He asks, He takes care of us.
In the picture, it looks like He really loves the lamb.
I know that He love me, too. He loves all of us.
Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

Hope you have a wonderful Sabbath Day!