A Musing Mother 6

My mother-in-law is an artist. A few years ago she discovered Bear Lake. My family has been going to Bear Lake since before I was born. We go every summer and LOVE it. My mother-in-law has been painting beautiful pictures of Bear Lake for a few years and I have loved every one of them. My favorite picture has been the watercolor she painted of the store at the marina called "Cisco's." I watched while it was in progress and quietly coveted it. This is what she gave our family for Christmas. Hubby plays jungle basketball twice a week. He has broken a toe and rib, sprained his ankles, and often comes home with bruises or a back out of whack. He loves it. Every time he comes home with a new injury, I just roll my eyes. This year I designed a t-shirt. He has one white and one gray so he can wear it either team he plays on (darks or whites). I designed these t-shirts and a sweatshirt for my family. This was my secret and clever Christmas gift. I am simply impressed with myse...

Lunch out with Grandma Judy and Grandpa Ken, the Taylor family 6, and Steve and Leila Taylor. Brothers Taylor Boys Mom and her boys

Collin Ray. Kevin Cronin from REO Speedwagon. We're really BFFs. Juice Newton and me. BFF. Brand new Sunday (See November's "Sunday Will Come.") Getting spiritual before the REO Speedwagon concert. Backstage at REO Speedwagon Concert. Oh, did I mention I had a backstage pass?

The life of a pirate. Pioneers Cub Scouts and making Diet Coke explode with a Mento. There is no reason nor occasion for this. Three year old still trying to steal the show.

"Why won't the paparazzi leave us alone?!"

When we were kids we had a Christmas Eve party with singing and exhibition of talents. When I say talents, I mean that I played "Silent Night" every year on the piano because it was in C Major. When we were feeling saucy, Joey and I would do chin puppets. We've stopped our delusions of grandeur and now have a dinner and open presents from cousins and grandparents and my parents. This year we all chipped in and bought a nice picture of the Logan Temple. This June my parents will have been married 50 years. My dad thinks he looks funny when he smiles so he doesn't smile. I got a lucky shot. My mom gave us each a basket with little goodies including towels, hot pad, chocolate, a book and 100 $1.00 bills tucked into different places.

Back to our old dog, Maggie. When she died two and half years ago, we planted a tree in her memory. We called it "The Maggie Tree." It's been struggling for about a year. It produced leaves this summer but seemed to lose its leaves earlier than the other trees in the Fall. Today, much to our chagrin, it had broken off and was being carried around by our new dog, Sunday. My girls were beside themselves in grief. The last living thing that connected them to the old friend had died. Sunday got the worst of it for desecrating her memory tree. Somehow having Sunday come is sometimes just a good scapegoat. She's in the doghouse right now. Oh, when I say "doghouse" I really mean the garage. You know, it's much too cold for a dog to be outside. Uh, huh (picture me standing with my arms folded and one hip sticking out. Add a skeptical look to my face. There. That's it).

I knew it would be an tense day when I got up and looked out the window. The heavy white clouds were a foreboding sign. I got the older three kids up to go to ski lessons. They dressed as warm as they could. Nothing could prepare them for the coming day. As we hit the point of the mountain, it started to snow. By the time we got to the canyon, we were starting to slide. Once at the ski resort I got out to put on ski boots. My back was quickly covered in snow. One child said, "Is it safe to ski on a day like today?" I replied something like this is the best kind of day to ski. I hoped they didn't hear the tongue in cheek. I stood in the lodge and watched them until they got on the ski lift for the first time. I then went back and forth from the lodge and the van where I could put the heater on high and be warm. The snow dumped on me. I could only imagine the *fun* the kids were having skiing down the mountain. Two and half hours later, my children found me. They had gone i...

I spent a lot of time today at the elementary school. I took the day off to attend to my children's different activities and learned lessons about the difference between children and adults. None are shocking but certainly cause introspection. 1. Children have no personal space. The adults at the school pack the kids into the multi-purpose room like sardines. Not only do they not mind, they try to scoot closer. They don't mind bumping elbows, knees, even heads. They laugh. Their knees touch the chair in front of them and they don't mind. 2. With very little adult management, children do what they are supposed to do. They don't have to be controlled in order to be orderly. They have fun but they know the rules without over-analyzing them. 3. Children find wonder in nearly everything. Their eyes shine. Their life is an adventure. For a few moments today, I remembered what it was like to be a child. I miss that.