Summer...Thanks for the Memories

Dear Summer:

Come back...I can feel you drifting away from us.


These carefree smiles you bring me each year...it's such a gift!


Joy & elation!


It's worth the laundry and the sunburn.

Stress just washes away in the warmth of your sun adrift in the water.

Sailors paddle to shore to seek out adventures unknown.

So much to discover...

Canadian geese and families of deer met us as your sun began to set.

We tried new things this summer.

We brought friends along for the ride.

I even braved the waters while everyone had a good laugh at my expense!

It's gone to fast. There you go...

...Thanks for the memories...

The Perfect Plan

Okay, listen up Mom, Bex, Liz. I've got it. It's time we all moved closer together. I've got 2 vacant brand new houses on both sides of me. Mom, one is a single story which would be perfect for you and Doug. You wouldn't need a large house if we all lived nearby. Bex, you could take the other side. Liz, you could live around the corner in a brand new one -- the biggest with the huge lot that will be ready soon -- or buy the house we just moved from! (Nathan and Peter could have a ball shooting Rattlesnakes in the summertime!) Bex, Mom, we'll put gates inbetween yards so Doug can wheel on the path and watch the kids swim and Bex -- you wouldn't have to have a pool cuz you could just use mine. It's a two-fer. Liz, your kids could just ride their bikes around the corner. Everyone could carpool to and from school, seminary, etc., and we've save tons of time and money living life this way. None of us would need food storage because Mom's could feed a small village for several years. AND -- we'd never been sick or ailing because Mom would pipe-feed Reliv through the water pipes and we'd just get it through our faucet. AND -- Mom -- you'd live closer to Tony & Cathy so you could help them when needed. Craig might feel inspired to move, too. It really is the perfect plan. You can't argue with me. Plus, I'm in the best ward in the county. You'd love it.

Of course, there'd be rules. Mom, your garden would not be allowed to encroach on my flower landscaping and Doug's TV volume would have to be in check. Bex, you'd have to put a tall lock on the gate because of Mitchell. Plus, I'd have to put a lock on my fridge! Liz, you wouldn't be allowed to invite us over for whole wheat waffles. I'm drawing the line right there. But I'd be happy to be a regular provider of white bread bagels and popsicles by the pool.

So...who's in?

Runner's Up

It was a LONG, HOT weekend. We were at the soccer fields for 11 hours each day. But it was WORTH every sweaty second of it.

I'm not much of a sports writer, but I am a sports fan, a soccer fan, when it comes to my girls. Lindsay never ceases to amaze me with her size and speed -- overcoming girls nearly a full shoulder and head length above her as she pushes her forward position to put balls in the net. She came out of this weekend with 3 goals and helping her team into the final with the only goal in one of games to give them the "W". Her team played up a year to go to the final to play girls from the Amazon. Well, okay, but they were stinking tall! Fed purely on beans and rice. THEY WERE BIG. We lost, but held our heads high. These kids were barely standing at all as they played the final in 108 heat. It was CRAZY. They were so happy to have made the final at all -- certainly not a result any of us expected when we entered this tourney in a U13 bracket. Happy with 2nd as they got medals instead of 1st place bags. Lindsay's words: "What do you do with a bag that small? I'm glad we came in second and got the medals, instead!" I'm teaching them early...strive for the hardware!


Lindsay holding the 2nd place cup with her Placer '98 U12 team!

Then there's Mal. Sweet, quiet Mal. Who forgets all of that when she plays on the field. I love it when I can see she's getting tired of being pushed around out there and starts fighting back and winning the ball. It's so fun watching the different teams play -- Mal is a defender so we watch her completely differently than we watch Lindsay. It's like a different game and we love to see her do what she's supposed to on the field and all her footwork. She's a "header" queen despite her size. She is great at being first to the ball above and beyond the size out there. She won many a ball and was a playmaker as she helped the forwards have lots of chances to set up goal winning shots this weekend. They, too, made it to the final which went to PK's (penalty kicks). Sadly, they lost in PK's -- which is a rough way to lose a game after you dominated field play -- but again, it's all about the hardware. We were thrilled to have made a final. This was a mostly losing team last year and this year has been totally different. Much stronger team that ACTS like a team. A refreshing change. She, too, played her final at 3:30 pm in the 108 heat and played the full duration of the game with no rest on the sideline besides half time. She kept up her speed and agility and we couldn't be prouder of her and her dedication to her position and the game.


Mal is on the far bottom left with her Placer '95 U15 team! At least she's not the one on crutches!

I've got some tough cookies for kids. Fun, fun, fun! Now, let's play ball!

Finding Nemo

I have a 6 year old boy who, this summer, graduated from frog to fish in his swim class. Often, he is an engineer, or a builder, or an army guy. Even Luke Skywalker. Or Anakin. But today...today he was a fish. We went swimming at the Aquatic Center for a break from the heat and the big girls ditched us for the Olympic Pool. This was a perfect opportunity to strike up a one on one conversation with my 6 year old son. They have a lot on their minds but don't always share. Boys aren't like girls that way. The conversation started something like this as we were washed up on shore and resting in the beach entry as "waves" bumped up against us:

"Mom, you know I'm going to be grown up one day."

"I know. You are. Are you looking forward to that?"

"I don't know."

"What do you think will be great about being big?"

"I'll be able to swim good. And I could drive."

"Will driving be fun? Where will you drive to?"

"It'll be fun, especially cuz I can drive to Disneyland. I will be big so I can ride on Indiana Jones. And that other one that shoots straight up. I'll be 52 inches."

"Gosh, that is fun. Won't you be scared of shooting straight up."

"Probly. (Probably). (Laugh). I will be scared. But I won't know the way (to Disneyland)."

"Yes, but you'll be big enough to read and understand maps and directions. What else will you do when you're old?"

"I dunno. Work at the shop. But that won't be fun...that'll be boring." (reference: shop = Dad's business).

"But you can drive the forklift and you'll make money! What will you do with your money?"

"Buy lots of LEGO's."

At that, Nemo dives off into the water. A 6 year old boy's mission in life...attain more LEGO's and go swimming, LOTS.

I love 6 year olds. Their priorities are right where they should be. And just like Nemo's father, I'm going to have to find a way to let go when the time is right. For now, though, he's still happy at home in our little anemone, where I strive to keep him safe from harm and feel happy watching him blow bubbles and splash water as I continue to discover who Nemo is and will turn out to be.

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming.

Pinch Me -- Am I in Arizona?

Let's see what's good about living in Arizona this time of year? Serious A/C anywhere you go? Ummm...I'm thinking...yup, that's it! It's just too dang hot. Trust me, I've visited twice around this lovely "age your skin 10 years in less than a week" season.

But, hello! I live in perfect climate Californ-I-A! Except for the week I moved and the last three days. We just came out of Ice Age (3D) (which I slept thru the first 10 minutes...getting older)...and my thermometer read 109! Yes, that's 109. It was as if, POOF, instantly, everyone was in a bad mood. All 6 of us! It's TOO hot. Miserable. The car burns, the asphalt parking lot eminates even more heat, skin throbs and sweats while walking from the car to the theatre.

And now, what's worse, I'm home. It's dinner time. I feel like I was attacked with a vacuum hose that sucked all my energy and I am left with no strength by which to stand upright, let alone focus on cooking a meal. That would take the strength of a dinosaur, or at least Julia Child (who is dead, so that isn't saying much), and I am neither.

Oh me oh my! When did I long for these long, hot summer days? When will they be over? And tomorrow, yes tomorrow, brings a 6 am wake up call to get to the soccer field by 7 am for the beginning of 4 games: 8 am, 10:30 am, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm. Sitting, sweating, inducing heat stroke, suffering. And that isn't even the kids running on the field!

Somebody please. Pull the trigger. Put me out of my misery. (And this is my BEST Mitchell impersonation)...(insert dragged out words and nasally voice with bursts of sobbing):

I'M SOOOOOO HOTTTTTTTTTTT! I CAN'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, thanks. I feel so much better now. Hey, Bex, what's for dinner?

Good Intentions

People really DO mean well. I know that.

Yesterday in church someone sat next to me that I have had a chance to see or speak to in a while. She said: "You look really great! Have you lost a bunch of weight?"

A bunch??? I'm trying to remember if I went through a hippo stage recently. While not my thinnest ever, I don't recall feeling like trumpeting my horn, either.

Really, what good came come from that? I think I was just wearing a flattering outfit and maybe I wasn't retaining water. I'll have to remember what I ate the day before to make me look so thin in 24 hours. I know she was really being nice, so I am going to stick with that and let it make me feel happy. After all, no one says that meaning to offend.

Yet, while I don't live life by a scale, I must tell you that I haven't lost a bunch of weight, as my daily clothes remind me. Still, I'm pleased by what was intended as a compliment. Sadly, I'm sure it was just my latest visit to the hairdresser that gave my weight a run for the money. I was just having a really good hair day!

See, honey, all those trips to the hairdresser really do pay off. They make my butt look smaller!

:)

No Benjamins

Grapefruit, is that what is on a $100 bill??? Well, no one handed me any of those, but we managed to scrape together about $300. Give or take. That's good, I guess. It was a lot of work, but we did manage to send away some big stuff that we never have to see or move or maneuver around again! Hooray!!! Then we donated the rest. That was like cutting an umbilical cord for my hubby, but he survived. Just like childbirth without the stretch marks. Anyway, we can now make our way through the garage. It's not empty, but it's better!

Count Your Blessings

Even when drowning in self-pity, some story comes along to kick you right in the "reality". There have been several instances of life-changing reports close to home to make me pause and take stock.

How I'm lucky:

I have a lot of love around me. Not right next door, necessarily, but over the phone lines, via email, and even blogging. I think we take it for granted. Some people seem to have a million friends, but they are still lonely. I don't think I'm lonely even though I'm not a "group" person so much, but that is probably because I've learned (slowly) to let love into my life on a more regular basis. It is a great deterrent to lonliness.

I have a lot of support. Even if my life ended right now as I know it (and I managed to get through the shock and the nervous breakdown (LOL)), I know I'd have people there to help us through. If horrific things happened, I would not be alone. And in life, these things do happen and are happening to people I love and care about. I hope they know we are here to support them, cuz when it's my turn, I'm sure they'll be there for me.

I have a lot of laughter. We laugh a lot in my house. My son is always trying to out-joke everyone at the dinner table. If someone manages a good laugh out of the group, he'll try to one-up. Laughter has gotten me through my life. Someone recently said they remembered me as an angry teenager. And oh, I was. She didn't see the half of it! But I still think I always laughed. If even at myself. The last few years, sometimes I had to laugh or I would have ended up crying. Or both. "Laughter & tears. Two of life's sweetest emotions." (I think, from Steel Magnolia's, Dolly Parton's character Trudy). Time + Crisis = Humor.

I'm grateful. I have a lot. Not stuff, although we are blessed that way also. Just good things. My sisters and I have a mutual admiration club (or MAC), most days. I have healthy, wonderful, loving children. I have a devoted and hard-working husband. I have friends and a lot of family. I have a home. I have work. I have volunteering. Friends. I have 4 parents not including my amazing mother-in-law, all different and unique, that have all touched my life and continue to do so in different ways.

And on a shallow note...candles. I adore candles. Illuminations left my life, but I still have Yankee. Nothing puts me in a good mood faster than a delicious candle, a long-distance phone call and a couch. And if it's raining, a fire! And then a cooking show. (I love watching them...didn't say I loved cooking!)

So if you haven't already, count your blessings. You'll feel better instantly and you'll realize you're wasting time!

Live, laugh love. Cuz life is short. You won't want to miss it.

Will You Take a Quarter?

Tomorrow is the BIG day! The day my husband has been waiting for. For years, even. Well, at least two. Four houses later and 2 years. (Yes, that's the official count in a 2 year span). And I know, I can almost GUARANTEE we will be asked: "Will you take a quarter for this?"

Yes, it's Garage Sale time. The DREADED, miserable garage sale. Some people LOVE bargaining (Lane, I would be referring to you, here). I hate it. The price is the price. It's a GARAGE sale for Pete's sake. It's already cheap! Don't question my price! I know it's all part of it, but I loathe the process. Almost as much as buying a car. Or a house.

Even though I'll come out ahead. My garage will be emptier and my trash could be other people's treasure. We could make money. Decent cash. "FREE" money. Sounds like a win-win. It's a rare Saturday that we have free, and we're gonna spend it up at 5 am out in the driveway. Do you see my point here?

Plus, I've just moved. For the 3rd time in 2 years. Getting ready for a garage sale is like adding insult to injury. It's MORE work! I must confess -- I'm feeling pretty done.

My husband, on the other hand, is giddy. Tingly. He LOVES buying a car. All 8 hours. The whole process. I get hives. It's like we're going hunting and he's ready for some fresh meat. And then there's the "what if no one comes?" -- I will have wasted my whole morning and be tired -- a double whammy.

I have siblings and a mother that love a deal like no other. My mom has picked up several treasures at local garage sales. I'm the one that almost buys the new puppy at the garage sale not yet for sale that has nothing to do with used stuff. That gene skipped me. I just like buying what I like or need at the time, regardless of cost. (STOP laughing, Bex, Liz). I mean, if I need it...

That doesn't mean I always get what I like, and I LOVE a good sale, but NOT a negotiation. I'm a straight shooter. It is what it is. Don't argue with me. I'm fairly certain I parent the same way.

Ah well. This, too, shall pass. When I was getting my hair done this morning, my sweet hairdresser (who has tamed these tresses for years) said: "You made it! You got through all that hard stuff). So I will be triumphant, once again, and conquer the angst and the agony in this said garage sale.

And then...I'll take a nap.

Compliments of Grapefruit

Getting together with familiy is always a time to treasure. What remains are memories! Thanks, Grapefruit. (From the sister who forgot her camera...just as well, don't you think?)!