CLEAN. HAIR.

Clean, clean,

the more you clean

the more it shines!

She wrote the poem herself. Sigh. I don't want children to think all I care about is a clean house.

Yet, I get in a pretty bad mood when it isn't.

On another note....

I had to trim her hair today.

I have been begging her to cut it.

I have shown her pictures of sick children without hair... encouraging her to donate it.

(I know it is bad to try and guilt her into it. Shame on you mommy.)

I really am tired of it.

But she loves her long hair.

She had a fixation with my hair as a baby.

I thought if I cut it, it would stop.

It didn't.

I had a kink in my neck until it grew out.

Now, she has her own hair to twist around her fingers.

I don't think she will ever cut it.

Besides, she wants to use it as a weapon. (Tangled)

DOWN ON THE FARM

 MJ and CC love it down on the farm.

I have decided we need to get a small farm of our own.

CC was watching the goats today and said to Sister K, "That one sure loves to put up its dukes!"

Sister K thought she was pretty hilarious.

Angel, one of Sister K's goats, is a bit aggressive and she loves to ram the other goats.

CC doesn't think she is very nice.

STORY TIME

Almost every day before bed you will find me laying next to my girls reading them their favorite stories.

Story time before bed is my children's favorite time of the day.

Often, it is my favorite time of the day too.
MJ loves to read.
Lately, she gets upset if she doesn't get to read at least every other page.
I just point to the words and say them. She then repeats them. This is reading to her.
I am certain it will give her a good foundation for reading when she is ready, so I don't mind.

I giggle sometimes at how much life changes.
I remember when I was 21 I went to the library and got a library card.
I checked out some books and brought them home and was reading them
My father was a little stunned and said, "Lisa, you own a library card?"
He had every right to react is such a manner. I have never liked reading.

Yet, here I am at 32 with this massive goal to inspire my children to love something I detested.
Why?
A thousand things I am sure but I am also sure a lot of it can be attributed to their father and my father who are both much the same way.
If there is something they want to learn, they learn it in a book.
Nate knew very little about fly fishing when we were first married and most of what he has learned has come from books.

I want my children to know the same thing their father knows, you can learn almost anything from a book.
And the ability to read is power.

MY FAMOUS UNCLE CHEF BRAD

Well, I haven't taken a moment and blogged about my famous uncle. He is now on televison with his own cooking show. I know a lot of my readers out there will love it. It is all about how to use grains in our every day cooking, so click here and watch him. He is amazing.

BUTTERFLY

We found this beautiful swallow tail butterfly on Sister K's property yesterday.

Sierra has been carrying it around and introducing it to all of her friends.

The butterfly had passed and was lying lifeless on the the ground when it was discovered. Its beautiful body was rescued from being a chicken's lunch by Sierra. I wish we had some velvet and pins to permanently display it.

Another less cute, kind of scary story....

MJ almost died yesterday. She choked on a piece of chicken and couldn't get her breath. I grabbed her and started performing the Heimlich maneuver on her. First, the way you do on an infant and when that didn't work I flipped her up and started doing it the adult way. During the process, Sierra started frantically screaming at the top of her lungs, "Help her mom... she is going to die!!!" I told her she wasn't helping and she needed to go to her room. Thankfully, she immediately did.

Finally, the stubborn thing flew free.

She was fine.

MJ cried for a long while after and finally when she calmed down and I stopped shaking she asked, "Mom, why you were hitting me on the back? Did I have a bug on me?"

I laughed.

Lastly....

MJ is sick today. She is napping right now. I am so grateful.

CHERRY PIE

My girls and I made cherry pies today.

Sierra pulled out the stems and wash them, while I popped the seeds out.

It took a while, but Sierra loved it.

Then we went to Sister K's farm again. She taught Sierra how to date eggs.

She gave her a little science lesson. She is now prepared to go collect eggs every day. 

Sister K told her to take all the eggs she wants and to sell the eggs we can't use.

(She is ready to trade her lemonade stand idea in for a fresh eggs stand.)

After we were done at the farm, we came back home and made pie filling and two beautiful pies.

We ate dessert before dinner and I think everyone should...every once and a while.

It was so good.

I loved watching my children reap the rewards of hard work. 

BACK PATIO

I love these little girls.

CC was giving MJ a piggy back ride through the house today.

They got in the pool in the late-afternoon. The water was freezing.

They got out of the pool and laid on the hot concrete to get warm.

Then they climbed back into the pool again.

Eventually, they were shaking so badly, they called it quits.

They came in and got into their pajamas, bedtime was only in a few hours.

CHERRY IN A BUM

Look at the picture, seriously... look at the picture. (Hilarious.) When I showed CC she couldn't stop laughing. We went to Sister K's farm on Thursday morning. The girls had a blast. I wish I could remember all of the funny conversations we had. Sister K was just getting off her nursing shift when we arrived. She was so sweet and told us to strip her pie cherry tree. We did. We will be having cherry pie for Sunday dinner. She told us to take more spinach. CC was estatic because spinach has become her favorite thing lately, maybe because I may have implied if she eats it she might be able to fly. We also picked fresh peas and got some more fresh onions and garlic. Sierra helped feed the weeds we pulled to the calves. Brother Bob came over and told the girls he was going to let them plant their very own watermelons. He taught them the proper way of planting watermelons and carrying for them. They are both elated.

MY LITTLE MJ

Yesterday, Kadee came over and her three beautiful children. We let the kids play in the little pool. We were sitting in camping chairs at the edge of the pool engaged in a good conversation. I was resting my feet on the side of the pool. MJ was dousing my legs in cold water from the pool. Then she would rub the water into my legs and feet. I felt a little like an egyptian princess with an overly attentive handmade. When I went in to prepare lunch, she kept saying she wanted me sit back down in my chair next to the pool. I ended up wrapping her up in a towel and bringing her in to help me.

This is what we had for dinner Monday night. If you like shrimp, you will love this recipe.

TENT IN BEDROOM = PEACE

My girls were at each other all day. There was screaming, teasing, and chasing.I couldn't take them for a hike because it rained all night... mud. I couldn't let them swim because it was so cold last night and this morning...brrrrrr(The rain here has been crazy. I woke up this morning and there was humidity in the air. What? Do we live in the desert? So strange.)Then this brilliant idea came to mind. I took the mattresses off there beds and made a tent in their room. They played for hours nicely. I even got a quick nap in. Happy mom.
Here is another favorite recipe of mine.

HAPPY FATHER's DAY

CC made her daddy a tie at church today. She is so excited to have him wear it next Sunday.

We will see if he is a good sport and humors her. If he does, I will definitely be getting a picture.

I made a delicious meal. I asked Dad what I should cook him. I told him I would cook him anything.
He asked for these meatballs. I got the recipe from a friend's blog. They are divine.

After dinner, dad took CC out to an open field and taught her how to cast her rod.

He was fixing her rod in our backyard prior to their outing. 

CC wanted to dive into the mini pool we picked up on Saturday. (MJ went with me on Saturday to pick it out and she was so cute. On the way home she kept saying, "Sara's going to be so happy.") We don't swim on Sunday's, so she was dipping her fingers. Hilarious.

SO CUTE

I thought CC was the ultimate fishing girl, but I think MJ has her beat.
I wish I had of had a recording device. My family would have loved seeing her enthusiasm. (It was histerical.)
She was so focused on catching the fish.
She would squeal when she got one and do a MJ jump. (You know the jump. She does a kind of tippy-toe, uncoordinated skipping thing.)
She would reel them in on her own and say over and over again, "Wind, wind, wind."
The minute she set the fish free, she would ask her daddy, "Can I catch another one?"
I always thought MJ would be the one going to a Broadway play with me, while CC and her daddy were off on some back-packing fishing trek through the High-Uintas. I guess not.
CC didn't want to be bothered with fishing.
She set off to find the best rocks she could.
Then she organized them according to color.
She loves rocks.
I think as hard as I try these two little girls may follow in there father's foot steps.

I AM BLESSED

Summer is great, but when my girls are cooped up the teasing escaltes and I don't handle it well.

I have been trying to fill their days with activities.

Monday, we went on a long hike.

Tuesday, we went to the swimming pool for half the day.

Wednesday, we went to a friends house and had a play date.

Today, I was reading a really good book. It talks about service.

I have a strong desire to serve and to teach my children to serve, but often I don't know where to begin.

I remembered something Elder Scott said last conference about his wife.

She used to pray every day for an opportunity to serve. She was always guided to what she should do.

Well, I gave it a try.

I was blessed this morning.

We went to a friends home. Thankfully, I needed to return a bucket she had lent us a year ago.

She let the girls gather eggs from her chicken, feed the cows, and pick strawberries from her strawberry patch. I cut spinach from her garden and she helped me pull garlic and onions.

She gave us fresh corn from her freezer.

She let the girls swing on her tire swing and jump on her trampoline.

I wasn't really able to serve her, but I was so blessed. (Service,has always worked that way in my life. I have always been lifted by those I have tried to lift.)

I asked her if we could come back next Thursday. She said we could.

Her garden is large and a bit more than she can handle. She is going to let us come and pull weeds. I am so grateful. I know the world today would find it odd to be grateful for hard work. But I am so grateful, the girls don't tease eachother when they are working.

A LONG HIKE

MJ, CC, and I went for a hike.

There was no map, but I figured I couldn't get lost.

It is kind of how I learned out to drive in Pittsburgh, without a cell phone or GPS and in a manual. (That last part is significant, even though it might not seem like it. Pittsburgh is made up of hills and driving a manual can be tricky.)

You drive where ever you want to, just make sure you keep track of large landmarks in your mind. When you are ready to go home just follow them backwards.

I did get lost in Pittsburgh, but never so lost I couldn't find my way back home.

Well, I used the same philosophy hiking. It worked, but the philosophy shouldn't be test when you are accompanied by a two year old and you decide to start your hike at 9:00am in the desert.

The hike took twice as long as it should of and I ended up carrying MJ at least half the hike. My back muscles are still sore.

While we were hiking, CC saw a gorgeous pink flower.

She said, "I need to pick that flower." I reminded her that we leave the flowers alone but we can take pictures.

She said, "Well, what if someone else picks it. ...Oh, I don't think anyone else will pick it because it is a cactus flower." I laughed. She said, "Why are you laughing?" I said, "I am laughing because you are so right."

PARADE and PICNIC

 Saturday, we were invited to parade and picinic with CC's cousins.

We decide it would be our final party before departing Utah and heading south-east.

The girls were so excited. Their favorite part was the candy.

For CC it was not so much about eating the candy, but the competition of getting more candy than anyone else.

I have never seen a parade give away so much candy before.

It was better than Halloween.

MJ, would take a quick lick of a piece of candy and then put it down in the trash and pick up another piece.

It was a good way of getting rid of a lot of candy fast, but she was very sticky by the time the parade was over.

Then we had a BBQ at the cousins house. They have a huge yard with plenty of dirt and a rope swing. CC was in heaven. I have never seen her more filthy. Ever. It looked like someone had poured a pile of dust, mixed with twigs and leaves, over her head. Then she had spilt ketchup and mustard all over her skirt.

No, I didn't hose her off or give her a bath, I just put her in the car and told her not to touch anything and drove the four hours home.

HOGLE ZOO, UTAH

This little boy wanted to go to the zoo.

It was his birthday. He turned four. He was in heaven.

We paired the kids up because there were a lot of them and we didn't want them to get lost.

My little Sierra was paired with her cousin. They held hands the whole way. I thought it was pretty cute.

I didn't worry about her and just pushed MJ along and looked at animals.

We arrived at the bird show. No Sierra.

We sat there for a while chatting before someone noticed. We asked her partner where she was and she didn't know. Luckily, I remembered seeing her just before we went into the bird show.

I and my sisters went to find her.

I walked out of the bird show and looked at the hundreds of people passing by and thought there is no way we are going to find her.

We walked over to the carousal hoping she had lingered there for minute. I checked in the bathrooms.

I turned to my sisters and threw up my hands and said, "There is no way we are going to find her."

Michelle said, "What would she do in this situation?" I said, "I don't know?"

We have never had the, if you get lost talk.

I regretted it.

I was filling in my lungs with air getting ready to run through the zoo screaming her name, when my sister turned back and saw her sobbing and holding hands with one of the concession stand workers.

Relief flooded over us and we all got a little choked up.

Sadly, I think the only thing she will remember, about this beautiful sunny day at the zoo, for the rest of her life will be getting lost.

Well, we head back to Colorado tomorrow. Wish me luck. I hope the trip is smooth. I will get a recommendation from my voice teacher, so I can continue singing in Colorado.  

THREE BEAUTIFUL BABIES

Aren't these the cutest cousins ever?

They are all within five months of each other.

I hope they are the best of friends, all their lives.

One of these cuties calls her grandma, dam-ma.

I know it is bad, but it really makes me giggle.

I love it when she screams it.

Today, was cousin Ty's birthday.

We filled up water balloons and had a war. (My brother may have hit me in the back of the head with one really hard. It may have hurt.)

A small orange water balloon became more than a balloon to Sierra, it became baby mango.

She carried it around all afternoon loving it like a real baby.

She hid it snugly in her bed, so her cousins wouldn't hurt it.

She even asked her Aunt if baby mango could go with her back to her cousin's home.

She said, if baby mango couldn't go she couldn't either.

(Her Aunt knowing the life span of such things, consented.)

Well, then it happened... baby mango met her demise on the kitchen floor.

Grandma, not knowing the bond she had with balloon, handed Sierra a mop and said, "Clean it up."

 She sniffed and said to her cousin, "Baby mango died and now I have to clean her up."

Then she went and played and came back and asked, "If I bury baby mango in the ground will she come back alive." Grandpa said, no.

Sierra cried. We tried to hold our giggles in. Some of us did better than others.