Chapter Three, Big Toe, in which a wimp equates watching with doing

For me "living on the edge" means starting a movie at 9:30 pm instead of going to bed. Or painting my nails something other than pink or red. OK, I'll admit it, I'm a wimp. A non-daring, rules following, creature of safe habits. And since I retain a high level of influence in our family's domestic decisions, our family follows behind me on the path to wimpy living.

So when members of our family display daring tendencies it always surprises me. "What?!? You're not a wimp?! We are supposed to be wimps!! Who's child/spouse are you anyway?"

Such a scene unfolded one day in Utah whilst boating with my family. Bra, my brother in law, noticed a rocky ledge at the west end of the lake and inquired about it. In my typical know-it-all way I explained, "That's Big Toe. Sometimes crazy, drunk people jump off of it. But only in years that the water is high. Like this year."

Then Brother Brig piped up, "I've jumped off of it and I wasn't drunk."

You can bet your bottom dollar that within the minute our boat was speeding west towards Big Toe. Brother Brig cut the motor and we watched a few people make the jump. The boat rocked a little as Bra dove off the bow and swam towards Big Toe. Then the boat rocked again and I heard another splash. In the water was Spouse, my Spouse!, swimming towards Big Toe.

Spouse and Bra used the rope dangling from the rock to assist their vertical climb up the cliff then they walked to the jumping point to have a look. Bra took a running start and jumped first. A clean straight legged entrance. 10! Then Spouse sauntered to the edge and cooly stepped off. And just to show who was boss of the cliff he clicked his heels two times in mid-air before plunging into the water.

Honestly, it was fun to watch him jump. I felt just as thrilled and exhilarated watching him jump as I would have doing it myself. So I guess, I too, did a little living on the edge, right? I mean, right?!?

Here they are, the daring cliff jumpers, peering over the edge. Bra is the red one. Spouse is the white one.

Heel click one.


Heel click two.


And....

Splash!

This one (#2) has a permanent exemption from our "family of wimps" status. He's been trying to drive something since he was two.

She's the king (queen) of the world!!

Aaah. wimp + daredevil = true love.

This is Bra and his family (my littlest sister and daughter). You'll remember that Bra is the creator of "Crustless Bread", which incidentally (ahem) can now be purchased on iTunes! Or Amazon!

Chapter Two, in which there is a lot of sand and water

In our house, the entire kid year revolves around two events, Christmas and Bear Lake. Starting December 26, we look forward to Bear Lake. And whatever date in July marks the end of Bear Lake is the day we begin our Christmas countdown.

As I mentioned in Chapter One, we pretty much do the same things every year: boating, dig in the sand, swim, eat. But it never seems to get old.

Here are some things that made this year different and extra fun:

1) For the first time in a long time Spouse was able to spend the entire week with us. This was a far superior arrangement than the usual situation in which I am solely responsible for our children's health and safety at a huge resort with multiple water hazards. This allowed me to relax more.

2) Our family has reached a new phase in development where 2/3 of our children are mostly independent and responsible. This means more relaxation for me.

3) The lake was unusually full of water, thus the shoreline and beach were significantly closer to our condo. Less walking = more relaxation for me.

So pretty much it was a great week because I got to relax a lot.

I just said relax a lot and now it sounds weird. Relax, relax, relax. Sit back and relax while you view some of my relaxing pictures.

#2, little cousin and #1 out in the tube. #2 was hoping for a bit more exciting ride, but it wasn't happening with these little ladies on board.

#'s 3, 2, and 1 in a dog-pile with some sweet cousins.

Sadly, we were without wind and that is pretty much as high as the kite got that day.

Ahoy matey!

Lean in, I'll let you in on a secret. I actually bought that hat for me. What was I thinking? So much better on #3.

#3 is a slave master at the beach. She gets a vision of the size and scope of the sand castle she wants and then she doesn't let her little cousins rest. She bosses and scolds and surprisingly they all obey her orders. This year in their digging they discovered a live snake!

Chapter One, in which we participate in an extreme sport

Late in the day on Saturday, after a long, weary day of driving, we entered the Valley of the Sun and were greeted by one of its famous monsoon storms. Lightning flashed, rain came down in sheets, the wind rocked our jeep. By the time we reached our driveway, it was over. It was our welcome home after our annual month-long sabbatical in Utah.

The past couple of days I've felt disoriented (and really sweaty) as I've attempted to wrap my head around reality again. In the past month I've spent a total of 10 minutes on a computer; I haven't kept up on my friend's blogs, I haven't read the news. I barely checked my email. So now it's back to dishes and laundry and trying to find ways to occupy my little ones while it's too hot to go outside.

Maybe going through my 340 pictures will help me make the mental transfer back to real life. Don't worry, I won't dump them all on you. At least not all at once.

I'll just start off with.... Go carting!

We spent the first week of July with Spouse's family in Bear Lake, Utah. Our children love to come to Bear Lake and do the same things every year: dig in the sand, play in the pool, ride in the boat and dig in the sand some more. But this year a new pastime was added to our Bear Lake traditions. Thanks to a spiffy new go-carting track, our kids got to enjoy the high-speed thrill of go-cart racing!


Buster and #1 weren't tall enough to reach their gas pedals, so the attendant propped them up with several big pillows. Even then they could barely reach! #1 was practically horizontal!

Buster with one of his favorite cousins and Grandma J.

Here is #1, with a couple of her awesome cousins, wearing the t-shirt she painted.

Come back tomorrow for more pictures from the land of green and mountains and Aggie Ice-Cream.

How survive a swim meet

Six weeks into our first experiment with swim team I feel like I've got a lot to share.

There's nothing in the world quite like the strange experience of a swim meet. If you're considering a foray into the aquatics world next summer here are some points to consider:

1) Prepare yourself for pre-meet tantrums. Your children will moan and grumble, "I don't want to go." But you won't try to talk them into going because frankly, it's not really your idea of fun to sit in 112 degree heat, huddling under the tiny patch of shade you were able to shoulder your way into. Somehow your reluctance to convince them to go will persuade them that they really do want to go after all and at the last minute they'll stumble into their suits and goggles and into the car.

2) Don't be embarrassed that your son is wearing shorts that are basically painted on. All the boys are wearing them. It could be worse. It could be a Speedo.



3) There some really, really fast kids. And even though your kids have gotten faster and faster, there are just some incredibly fast kids. It's amazing.


4) Everyone gets a ribbon. But not the same ribbon. Every place, down to the 8th gets a different color. I'm sure you know that blue is 1st, but did you know that 8th is pink? Or that 6th is maroon? These colors will become very important to your children.



5) Especially when he gets a color he doesn't like.



6) You'll forget your camera when they finally get a color they do like.

7) When it's all over go home and wash off the salt deposits left from the rivers of sweat coursing down your bodily ravines. By the time you're clean you'll find that your kids have proudly hung their 7th and 8th place ribbons on the wall, right next to their 2nd and 3rd place ribbons without any hesitation.

Summer induced imagination

My kids went to Mexico. One morning after their work, #3 started packing her bags and when asked, informed me that she was on her way to Mexico. It wasn't long before our family room was a maze of blankets draped between backs of chairs; pillows, pretend food and stuffed animals were dragged out of bedrooms and play room and used as provisions for their stay in Mexico. The kids crawled under their blanket forts, occasionally emerging to write letters home and slip them under my bedroom door. Later I sent a letter back to Mexico, asking the children to come home soon because their Mama missed them.

It's hard to go to Mexico all day without getting hungry. Fruit snacks and crackers were smuggled into the country. And I'm pretty sure watery tea was served beneath the blankety fortress.

In the late afternoon, when every toy, blanket and pillow in our house were in Mexico I insisted that it was time for the kids to come home. The Great Clean Up began with surprisingly few complaints and mostly helpful kids.

When the house was put back in order and we sat around the dinner table, #3 asked, "After dinner can we go to Mexico again?"


I just love unstructured time in the summer when our children come up with these elaborate schemes. What fun or crazy things have your kids done this summer?

No more school, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks

The last day of school is a big deal for everyone. But this year it is especially significant for our family because it marks the end of what started off as a tough school year. We had just moved 45 minutes away from everything the children could remember as home. But it might as well have been to a different planet for how different things were.

When school began they hadn't really had a chance to get to know any of our neighbors or church friends. The kids were nervous and felt friend-less and out of place at their new (huge!) school. Can't you see the insecurity written on their faces on that first day?




Now look at them: happy and confident. They met their challenge and came out conquerors! As much as I would have taken their beginning of the year struggles from them, I'm pleased that they had an opportunity to be stretched and grow. They know for themselves now that they can do hard things.

{Let's see if I can get them to remember that when it's time to scrub toilets}

#1 and her 2nd grade teacher

#2 and his Kindergarten teacher

Today is the first day of summer break. We slept in.... until 7. I'm looking forward to having my babies at home. I love their games and forts and dancing. I'm not looking forward to dragging the three of them to Coscto with me today.

Goodbye to a beloved friend (of the mechanical kind)

Sad, sad news, folks. My beloved red Kitchen Aid mixer finally pumped out its last batch of bread. After eight years of love and toil, I am really missing my dear appliance.

At least I am comforted knowing its in Kitchen Aid heaven (it certainly earned its place). It served its purpose here on earth, teaching me how to make bread, showing me the joy of beating butter and sugar into stiff white peaks without my arm falling off, treating my family to whipped potatoes and whipped cream.

I can't count the batches of cupcakes, bread and other delightful goodies the red mixer produced for us. Wait, maybe I can. Let's see. Oh! Here we are: 1664, roughly.

Goodbye, my special kitchen friend.

As always, working behind the scenes.