The Great Out of Doors

Last week was a lot of hard work, but so much fun as I cooked, chatted and got to know the young women from church and their leaders as we camped and worked together. I had fun baking outside in the most amazing contraptions in order to offer brownies (from a cardboard box), a layered birthday cake (dutch oven), whole wheat bread and cinnamon swirl bread (plastic bin wonder oven). To me it is an adventure to go off the beaten path and try to be self sufficient when the norm is not available.

While I was away lounging in my hammock my sweet husband attacked the side porch. We have been using it for a long while as a workshop, the saw has been set up and the wood stacked for a quick place to prepare the next home improvement project. It has been wonderful, but slowly the sawdust was taking over, and what with the summer settling in, we needed to evict some critters who were becoming too comfortable and needed to be reminded that people live in houses and critters in the woods.

It was nice to come home and see the finished project, not to mention a place to put all of the camping gear while the washer goes through it's regiment to clean it all up again. My sweetheart and a yellow jacket had a stinging run-in while visiting on the porch, and the new refrigerator went kapoot and had to be dealt with (why do things break down just after the warranty runs out?)but all in all a great deal was accomplished outside last week.

The day I cam home from camp I had a house full of little ones waiting for me here at the house. They will be with us for two weeks and we are having fun teaching them the adventures of being outside at Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We have been pulling weeds, planting flowers, strolling down the lane, playing slip and slide, swinging and having picnics, to their amazement, all outside. Cries of "it is hot" have been met with a quick shower from the hose and a tall glass of lemonade. We are learning together that there are a lot of fun things to do outside on a warm summer day. Winter is spent inside doing homework, summer sun calls for fun outside by the pool.

I have hung up the hammock and stocked the freezer with popsicles, it is time for summer relaxing.

What do you do when the days are long and warm?

Girls Camp

Ever since before I was born my family has gone camping.

I love to sleep outside and cook over a fire.

Now I would not love to do this on a 24/7 routine, but for a week, once a year, I am in heaven.

I love the peace of no TV or telephone.

The smell of bacon in the morning sets the mood for a wonderful day.

I enjoy creating a delicious meal for my family using the fire and a few simple tools, it makes me feel content.

I like being able to sit under a tree with a good book and not feel the need to go anywhere.

I like that my children can run and yell and carry on all day long.

I enjoy stories and songs around the campfire in the evening.

It is true that camping is a bit of work to get ready, but over the years I have gathered plastic bins that stay packed with supplies.

It is true as well that cleaning up after is a chore, but I have a wonderful washing machine, and it is camping gear, it will wait on the deck while I get the job done.

This year I am camping with the girls from church, I am the cook.

My husband is worried about me, I am thrilled for the opportunity.

Yesterday I practiced baking brownies in a cardboard box with charcoal, they were yummy--totally amazing.

Today I make the last minute lists to be sure I don't forget anything--old brains need a little help.

Tomorrow we load it up and start a fun adventure.

I am so excited.

Thoughts

The other day we were driving down the road with our grand children. They were watching a movie in the back seat of the car, my sweetheart and I were listening from the front seat.

I heard a profound statement that I have been thinking about:

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow is a mystery

Today is a gift, that is why they call it the present.

What are you going to do with today's gift?



Thank you Master what's-his-name from Kung Fu Panda

My Men

There are eight men in my everyday life that I enjoy being with.

My husband of almost 40 years is my best friend and daily companion as I walk the streets of life. I enjoy sharing with him and being with him. He just retired and we are having a great time learning how to spend our twilight years on a day to day basis.

I have a wonderful father who I admire and adore. He is tall and handsome and loves my mother. He is a steady force in my life who thinks I chose well when I decided to make my life's work that of being a wife and mother. Thank you, Daddy.

I gave birth to three beautiful baby boys who have grown into amazing men. They love their wives and children. They try to make right choices. They steadily work in their chosen professions to provide for their families. I watch them change diapers and help in the kitchen to lighten the load of their wives who have chosen to be full time homemakers. When I visit their homes I feel welcome and happy.

I have three sons in my life that my daughters chose to marry. These fine men treat my daughters with respect and kindness. They encourage my daughters to pursue opportunities to express their talents at home and with friends. They are examples of spiritual steadiness who lead their families in a prayerful attitude. They are men who treat me with gentleness. They are men to be admired.

All of these men, together, help me be who I am. I am surrounded by the strength of truth. These eight stand for what is right, and do not sway, no matter how strong the storm that is raging around them. They protect the women and children in their lives with fierce commitment of love and loyalty.

I watch as they gently guide their children to make choices that strengthen the bonds that help their families stay strong. These are men who are approachable when a discussion needs to happen, they can see the goal we are striving for and lead their families steadily onward.

You may ask how I am lucky enough to have so many wonderful men in my life. It may seem impossible to some to find even one great man, in this day and age, to be with. I have watched them closely, and have discovered that they work hard to be strong and steady yet, kind and gentle. They are men who can be found pouring over the scriptures for answers to their questions. They can be found on their knees asking for guidance when faced with a troubling issue. They can be heard quietly talking, in the dark of night, to their sweet wives, as they lay side by side dreaming and planning together.

These men are not perfect. They occasionally make mistakes, become frustrated and short tempered (like we all do). They can become discouraged and downhearted, every now and then, as well. But, they are quick to recognize then they are wrong and make amends to keep things going along as smooth as possible. They respond well to a kind word of encouragement from those they love and quickly take up the task again of leading in righteousness. These things speak volumes to me of the inner strength that makes them who they are.

I have heard it said that A MAN NEVER STANDS TALLER THAN WHEN HE IS ON HIS KNEES IN PRAYER

I am thankful to have eight tall and handsome men in my life. Thank you for your kindness to me, my daughters and my grandchildren. Thank you for your guidance and strength during a storm. Thank you for your love. Thank you for being who you are.

I have eight men in my everyday life that I enjoy being with. I am loved. I am a lucky girl.

Grandma's Gentle Words

I am a lucky girl.  Both of my grandmothers lived until just a few years ago, when I was well into my adult years.

They both taught me many great things to remember and guide my life.

One item of business that I often have time to reflect on is:

THERE IS NO ROOM IN A HAPPY LIFE FOR JEALOUSLY

I have found that if I start feeling a bit under appreciated or achieved, a good dose of good deeds for others cures that ill feeling.  When the green monster of jealousy rears it's head in relationships it usually comes out in unkind words and actions.  When you are feeling attacked from nowhere it is usually because the attacker is feeling jealous.  I find it best to try not to be that person.

Another of my grandmother's wise words were these:

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR HURT FEELINGS IN A HAPPY LIFE

Sometimes it is best to resolve a matter by talking about the issue with the person who has offended you.  But, sometimes you just have to walk away and let time work it's magic.  It may be best to just lay low for a while. Then, when circumstances bring both of you together, go forward without looking back and dredging up old issues.  The two of you may always disagree, but a relationship on some level is better than none at all.  Remember TIME is your friend in this matter. Give it some time.

As our world swirls with commotion friend will be pitted against friend and families will be torn apart on issues that seem and are innocent at the start.  We live in perilous times.

Grandma also taught:

BE KIND IN ALL YOU DO

SMILE

REMEMBER TO PRAY

YOU ARE SPECIAL TO ME

I am thankful for my wise grandmothers who helped me see the world from their point of view, after years of experiences they could see the good and look past the rough.

A smile makes a world of difference.  Kind words build bridges.  Time heals open wounds.  Prayer mends a broken heart.

Mother

My daughter had back surgery AGAIN last week.

My husband and I are staying with her and her family to lend a hand to the care of her young family while she convalesces.

I am so tired.

I find myself laughing--a lot--at the antics of the children.

I can't keep up, when we arrived the day before the surgery, the house was spotless, now there are games, shoes, homework papers, mail and toys scattered about.

This morning it was time for Eden to get ready for school, Grandma's suggestion of what to wear did not make the cut and Mom needed to be consulted.

The baby is secure when grandpa rocks her but when a boo boo shows up, only Mom's kiss will make it better.

The kids are used to my cooking, but always refer it back to the way Mom does it.

When we were out taking a walk, we knew which way Mom thinks is the best route.

We were looking for strawberries in the garden and stopped to pick out a few weeds, I was informed that Mom says the best way to rid a garden of weeds is to pull out the whole root.

Last week at church a friend gave a wonderful talk on motherhood that made me stop and think.  Motherhood is the hardest job and the rewards are not all immediate, though, that jelly kiss sure is sweet.

Now as I look back over my 38 years of mothering my own children I feel quite rewarded.  My house now is usually tidy (when I am not working on a home improvement project) or it cleans up easier and stays that way until I do something that messes it up.

I very seldom yell anymore except to find my husband who may be out in the back 40 somewhere.

After all of the preparations, dinner is now met with a smile and cleanup help rather than a judgement of "I don't like it" even before being tasted.

Being a full time mom is hard work.  Hard on the nerves, ears, back and brain.

Being a full time mom means no time off, no vacation from responsibility, no breaks.

I have discovered that it is easier to go to work and have someone else do the every day chores of wiping up messes and changing diapers all day long.

I raise my voice in praise and admiration for the women I know who have chosen to be full time moms.

I have 3 daughters and 3 daughters who married my sons who are all great mothers and wives.  They are women I admire.  They are women I am proud of.

They keep up their homes, nurture their children and support their husbands.  They stretch their single income to meet the needs of their young families.

A mother is the center of family and needs to be there to be sure things run smooth--plenty of clean socks, boo boos kissed and dinner on the table.

I am thankful for a good mother and my grandmothers who taught me about the important things in life--family love.

I hope I have taught my daughters well enough and can influence my granddaughters so they know that home and family is an honorable profession.

Bright and Clear

When I was in kindergarten they took all of us to the school nurse's office to view the E chart.  After that brief experience my mom took me to the doctor's office to look at his E chart.  I put my little hand up, down, to the right and to the left, it was fun waving my hand at random.

When my oldest went to kindergarten they had a vision screening for siblings.  My second daughter was three and I wondered how she would be able to decipher the E chart, but to my amazement they showed her small drawings she could name.

My husband recently went to get his eyes checked, they showed him the WHOLE ALPHABET!!!  Then they put this giant pair of glasses on him and asked him if he liked 1 or 2  as they changed the lenses.  Can the answer be neither?

The first day I wore my bright blue glasses I noticed there were leaves on the trees.  WOW, who knew--individual leaves you could see.

My sweetheart was 3 when he got his first pair of glasses.

My daughter was not quite 4.  My youngest son was in Kindergarten.

My oldest son looks very distinguished in his glasses that he has worn for a few years now.

My oldest had 5 children when she got her first pair of glasses and my youngest daughter got hers last month.

I still have one son with perfect vision, so perfect that he is a sharp shooter on the SWAT team of  the police department he works for.  Keep eating those carrots, Kevan.

I have been blessed with 17 grandchildren.  Victoria wears clear lens glasses occasionally because she thinks they make her look smart.

This week I am visiting my grandchildren in Charlotte.  Connor looks so natural in his new glasses.  Last night I was sitting with his mother when I heard him calling from his bedroom.  He had been laying in bed reading and was ready to go to sleep.  He handed me his glasses and asked me to put them in his glass case--so responsible.

He is the first of 17.  He loves his new glasses.  I told him the story of me and the leaves on the trees.  Then he said of course trees have leaves, but it is nice to see them individually.  Connor is in 3rd grade and he can now see the world bright and clear from where he is standing.

I took my husband in for some new frames to go with his bi-focal prescription.  I think he looks handsome and distinguished with his silver hair and the wide ear pieces.  We also chose some sunglasses.  The first thing the children said was to remember to take them off at the beach-- another story for another day.