You Are Kayaking

You have a competitive spirit, but you don't like to compete alone. You do well in a partnership, where you can feed off the other person's energy. If you have the right partner, nothing can stop you. Your energy is infinite!

What Olympic Sport Are You?

Last night I had a hankering for a blueberry smoothie so I went to google a recipe, but got stuck on the internet again.  I ran into a post about jogging that was so funny! click here. A few weeks ago I went jogging with my two oldest. Ella: "Mom, you are going to ruin the bottom of your new shoes." (Yes, I was so serious about this that I had shelled out $6 for the clearance at Payless.) "Oh, you mean they are getting dirty?" "No, you aren't picking up your feet." Rude! I was so picking up my feet, just not very high. You've got to pace yourself. I also found another blog.  You should all look at this. Look at August 5th. Did you see it? Gaston? Are you kidding me? I literally almost died!

Cranium

Yesterday I ran out of time so I will try to grab some today... My sister Ellen and her daughter Crystal came up to Utah while we were there and it was so fun to see them as well as her son Austin who I didn't even get to see last year!  Jenn also came over to my parents house to represent Andrew who had too much schoolwork to come -- we lived it up for him.  My kids really enjoy their company so we stayed up late night after night playing games with them.  They are all so funny and smart, it was just really fun.

One game we played a couple of times was Cranium.  In my real life no one wants to play it with me.  I have only played a few times and I like it so much because I am actually good at it!  Who knew that I could draw something legible with my eyes closed (perhaps better than with them open), spell words backward, and hum a recognizable tune?  Lest I sound like I am bragging, I fear that being good at the skills required for Cranium mean nothing in the real world.  I keep coming upon mommies who have actual, concrete talents like writing, painting, sewing, taking wonderful photos...  and they are all out there creating marvelous things.  I feel something inside me that wants to come out, but I don't know how.  

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."  -Maya Angelou 

That's my line!

It has been so long since I have written I am sure that anyone who has read my meager posts in the past have long since given up on me... I have missed writing, and we have been terribly busy trying to get our lives back on track, so I will try to jot something down quickly.  

The weeks leading up to our westward trek were crazy busy with record label deadlines.  We had the whole child labor thing going on with everyone (including guests unfortunate enough to show up) involved in burning, labeling, packaging, etc. cds for promos.  Then we were off.  I *love* the mountains.  It is always so nice to go home.  We started off with a bang by stopping at Downeast Home on the afternoon of our arrival.  We found a perfectly lovely duvet cover for Ella's room.  It had been eluding us for months, but we found it.  Speaking of elusive, we borrowed "The Scarlet Pimpernel" from my sister during our visit and I had forgotten how great it is.  And speaking of shopping, I did a lot of it.  I didn't mean to, but you really can dress for less at Ross.  And I was looking for some religious art.  It is spoken of often in conference talks, but Matthew and I are always looking for things that are different.  I didn't find what I was looking for on our trip so I spent the other night looking for temple pictures online.  It is amazing how lost one can get on the internet (people's blogs...)! 

Sunday brought my first anecdote.  I was at church nursing in the mother's lounge and in walked a woman with a chubby baby boy.  I am quite partial so I asked about his birthday and so on.  He was born a week before my baby, but was due after.  "What is his name?"  I inquired innocently.  "Phineas, but we call him Phin."  What!!??  Pardon me, madam, but that is my line!  I went off on my tangent about searching for names that are not super common and she then said that she had had the same problem with her older daughter's name -- Isabella!  Oh, it was funny!  I must say that I was more amused than the other mother.  We could probably be great friends since we obviously have the same taste.  My father was right when he said that I would be cursing the world by using the name Phineas since by using it I would be assuring that it would be on the road to popularity and triteness in due order.  Who would have thought?

We went to Lagoon while we were there and had such a great time!  We even went back the next day, which I knew I would regret, but it turned out okay.  The kids were so well behaved.  No whining or complaining.  They are game for anything and don't even need to stop to eat.  My friend, Christine, met us the first day so that was really nice being with another adult.  

I have to hurry since baby is waking up.  We had a wonderful time seeing family and friends.  I really think people who are there all the time take it for granted.  Maybe not.  I just know that I enjoy reconnecting so much.  I went on a little tour of everyone's houses.  Jake and Candis have an enchanting old house and she has made me want a parterre for my own front yard (two peach trees on the corners and a fountain, bliss).  Paul and Rebecca have a new house with a backyard that is full of trees, backs up to a hill, and a creek flowing by -- very feng shui.  Rachel and Chad have added on to their house and it is so amazing.  I admire the vision that that takes.  We spent quite a bit of time at Steve and Jill's playing with Max and the girls.  And we LOVED being with my parents.  They are always so hospitable.  I am sure that we are annoying at times (we irritate myself!) and sometimes I feel like we are Pigpen walking around like human tornadoes, but they only make us feel lovable and amusing and I can only hope to help those around me feel as special as they make us feel.

Back to reality.

Happy Independence Day!

It is a beautiful morning here in Illinois.  Not too humid -- I even went out for a run this morning, but now my hips hurt, woe is me!  I always miss the Freedom Festival in Provo this time of year.  I love to start out the week with the spirit at the Marriott Center and then end the week with the balloons, the parade, a family party, and the wonderful fireworks.  It is different here, but fun.  I live on a wonderful street.  It is red brick and has grass growing up through the pavers in the summer.  The neighborhood has a lot of get-togethers throughout the year and today is one of them.  They ask the city to barricade the street so that we can play in it.  First, we meet at 11:00 with decorated bikes and wagons for a small parade.  One man on the street leads the parade with a truck blaring patriotic music.  Then an old fire truck drives up with the siren wailing.  All the kids and adults climb aboard for a fun ride through town.  He takes several tours so we can usually go a couple of times.  Next, we all join for a picnic on the boulevard and then set up a slippery slide, kiddie pool, etc.  Later, we are going to join some people from church at State Farm park.  For all of you who have State Farm insurance, you should see the amazing park that you helped pay for.  We normally aren't privileged enough to be allowed entrance, but our friends our getting us in today.  My boy is still at camp, so Matthew is driving up there this evening and spending the night and then driving a crew home tomorrow.  I cannot wait until he is home and safe again.

I read the book "John Adams" this spring and it was so wonderful.  I love history and have read a lot about the founding of our country, but this book made it even more real to me.  Abigail Adams said to her husband that their posterity would never really understand what people went through to procure freedom and liberty.  She is so right.  I don't think we do, but I hope today we can think about them and honor them.  I am so grateful to have the life that I do!

Now I must go, because we haven't even adorned the tricycle!  

These are some photos that my sister-in-law Stacie took last summer. Aren't they awesome? I was going to put the collage in with my birth announcement, but didn't.

Some pics of the babe...