Spaghetti Slurpers

Chad told the kids that they couldn't be good Italians unless the knew how to slurp spaghetti.

They love to practice!

Blackberry Jam

Lest there be any doubt...

not everything I put my hand to turns out as I wished. SHOCKING, I know, but TRUE. My lovely down-the-street neighbor called me one evening with an invite I couldn't pass up: to come pick blackberries off his overloaded berry bush. With my super-abundance of blackberries I decided to make jam, which I have never done before. I consulted my trusty Ball Canning Cookbook, found a recipe for reduced sugar jam (substituting half the sugar with honey), and proceeded to crush and boil and stir for all I was worth. I was a little in doubt about how to do the test to check if my jam was set, and that was my eventual downfall. Looking back on it now, I realize the sign I missed, but at the time I thought my jam was good to go. I carefully bottled and processed my work and listened to each jar seal with a pop. Hours later when I checked the cooled jam I found that it was still soft-set. Oh the horror! It tastes good but is sadly runny. I carefully placed each jar on our downstairs pantry shelves and consoled myself with the thought that when the end of the world comes, my family will survive by eating extremely soft-set blackberry jam. ;)

Who Cries Over School?

Well, I do apparently. Why, I wondered later, was second grade the tear inducing year? I finally figured it was because this time I didn't have to put on a brave face. I smiled and encouraged at the beginning of kindergarten and again at the beginning of first grade in a new school. If Merritt had looked up and seen his mother in tears, what fear and trepidation would it have inspired in his little heart? Today, though, it was all old hat. Same school, lots of the same friends, safe and sane sameness. We walked hand in hand to the second grade door, and then he let go and it was "Hi Andrew...Hi Mara...Hi John...Goodbye Mom!" I stayed with the milling herd of parents who were watching their little-big ones and snapping pictures. After Merritt's new teacher lined up her class like so many ducklings, he once again noticed me and said in surprise, "What are you still doing here Mom?" Was a healthy dose of "I can take care of myself!" underlying that question? He marched into the school talking excitedly to his new classmates and never looked back...and I finally cried.

Families Can Be Together Forever

Pictured in back: Chad, Lori, Heidi
Front: Sonny, Carol, Jeannine

Chad's grandfather, Amedio, came over on a boat from Italy that docked at Ellis Island in 1915. He and his sister were sponsored by a friend of their father's and came out to Utah to live and work. Chad remembers his grandfather as a loyal, hard-working, wise, tough old Italian and he loved him very much. Chad was very pleased, therefore, when he was asked to act as proxy for his grandfather in a temple sealing, which extends the bonds of marriage and family beyond the veil of death. Chad's cousin Lori acted in behalf of their grandmother Hazel, and sweet cousin Heidi stood in for her mother, who passed away from cancer of the brain three years ago. Amedio and Hazel's three living children were all present.

First the parents were sealed together and then the children to them. The Spirit was incredibly strong and I was so touched by the love of family. "I always want to be with my own family," and I am grateful that the Lord makes it possible for our most precious relationships to last beyond this life. Our loving Heavenly Father and his generous son, Jesus Christ, provide that opportunity to all who want it, what a beautiful act of mercy and love! Though Amedio and Hazel did not have the opportunity for a temple sealing in this life, their children sought it on their behalf in order to link their family into the eternities. That, to me, is the love of heaven felt on earth and it is a beautiful thing.

"Much of the work that goes on within temples is concerned with the family. Basic to an understanding of its meaning is recognition of the fact that even as we existed as children of God before we were born into this world, so also shall we continue to live after death; and the treasured and satisfying relationships of mortality, the most beautiful and meaningful of which are found in the family, may continue in the world to come...Through living proxies who stand in behalf of the dead, the same ordinances are available to those who have passed from mortality. In the spirit world these same individuals are then free to accept or reject those earthly ordinances performed for them, including baptism, marriage, and the sealing of family relationships. There is no compulsion in the work of the Lord, but there must be opportunity. This vicarious work constitutes an unprecedented labor of love on the part of the living in behalf of the dead."

- President Gordon B. Hinckley

"Why These Temples?" - Liahona, June 1992

The Cheapest Water Park on the Block

I would love to take my kiddos to fun water parks or swimming pools, but seeing as we need a new roof and I need new glasses, well that pushes certain "we-wish" items to the extreme bottom of our priority list. I figure that is why God created sprinklers - it's good, cheap fun!

As soon as I turn on the sprinkler, Grant sits right down on it. That is fun for him, but not for everyone else so I have to take his hand and run with him through the sprinkler a few times so that he gets excited about doing that instead.

Every pose Merritt does is some sort of dinosaur/monster pose.

Merritt is the King of the Sprinkler People!

I LOVE Grant's face in this picture! That expression is gleeful fun with a big splash of "Gosh this water is cold!" thrown in.

Grace and Grant giggle like loons when Merritt chases them with the sprinkler.

We've spent a lot of time at the Backyard Water Park/Sprinkler Extravaganza!! I love to watch the kids play together and have fun...and I love having time to do chores in relative peace and quiet. ;)

Guess How Much I Love You?

Dear Merritt, Grace, and Grant:

Here's a little reminder for when all is not peaches and sunshine at our house, I love you so much I chased down an ice cream truck on a hot day. Do you remember? We were playing "tickle hide and seek" where I count, you hide, and when I find you I get to tickle you. I had just tickled Merritt good, my last find, when I heard the tinkling music of an ice cream truck. Ordinarily I don't have any cash on hand, but that day I had three dollars, surely enough for a treat. How surprised you all looked when I shouted, "Be right back!", bounded out the door, and raced down two streets waving my arms and hollering for the ice cream man to come to our house. You all sat on the warm rocks in our yard watching your crazy mom and wondering what in the sam-hill was going on. Bringing back the ice cream truck to you was a great moment for me, it was like I had caught a fish "thiiiisss big!" Merritt, your eyes about bugged out of your head when you realized there was a truck full of ice cream that drove around all day bringing treats to little kids. All the wonder of childhood was in your face, an ice cream truck is a magical thing. You all picked an item off the dollar menu: Grace you had an orange cream while Merritt and Grant had a vanilla ice cream bar with a crispy chocolaty shell. We sat on the swing in the back while you ate ice cream and soaked up some of summer's last goodness. I was purely happy and you were all a mess, especially Grant...remember his face? I love you all so very much, never forget okay?

Mom

Beginning to Harvest

It's funny to think back on the tiny plants that first poked their brave heads out of the soil in my garden. They are all grown up now and yielding their edible yumminess to my little family. I ventured into the garden to do round one of the corn harvest. Grace, of course, followed me. She loves the garden because she adores mud and likes being helpful and picking things (you should have seen the small pile of green tomatoes she presented me with one day). We walked the four short rows of corn and harvested 10 ears. Grace pulled the corn down with vigor and delight, and watched the earwigs scatter with disgusted interest. We marched back to the house with our armload of corn and had some for dinner the next day...it was delicious!