I hear the clock...

I just got the last of the kids off to school and I'm sitting here enjoying some time on my laptop (most certainly on Pinterest.com). It's weird to only hear the clock ticking...blissful and bittersweet at the same time. At the same moment that I realize all I can hear is the clock, I look across my uncleaned counter top and I am struck by the items sitting there and how much they tell about my life at this moment (well, parts of it). I know this little vignette is important and I grab my camera and take a picture exactly how it is.  My eye first goes to "Ping Ping," Andrew's beloved penguin that he still loves. He may be twelve years old, but that tattered penguin is still special to him. My eye quickly goes to the other items: 1- Pokemon cards from yesterday's hangout with friends (Sarah and Andrew hanging out with Stuart and Danny M.) 2- Piano books from yesterdays lessons (of course they aren't put away yet) 3- Jenna's homework packet for the week (She is making big strides in school...yay!) 4- Remnants of a Diet Coke (Yes, I had one for breakfast-gasp, with left over chicken and rice no less. I am not a breakfast person...give me some real food in the morning. And for the record, having Diet Coke for breakfast is not a habit for me.) 5- Note pad and pen (I just wrote a note to Jenna's teacher about volunteering.) 5- The tiny piece of pink paper that Jenna did her spelling words on. (too funny)

It's really kind of strange to find myself at this place in life. No kids at home during the day, diaper changes are a distant memory, no mid-day pick-ups from preschool or kindergarten, no more story time (Who am I kidding, I pretty much only did that w/ Josh and Andrew!), no more co-op shifts. That chapter has come to an end. Yes, my house will stay cleaner...until 3:30 at least. I know this moment of realization is only preparing me for when there won't be that 3:30 break in silence....only an empty nest to host visits from it's previous dwellers. Sometimes we get so tired and weary from the daily grind and we wish it away and then when it's almost gone we realize what we had; the good and the bad we are leaving behind...the good and the bad that lies ahead. Blissful? Sure, who doesn't enjoy some quiet, me-time and cleanliness? Bittersweet? Yes, and it stings bad. And I cry...all because of a mess on my counter top.  All I can do is clean up the counter top and let the clock keep ticking. Because it will.

Girls Camp 2011

I can't believe another girls camp has come and gone. As always, we had a great time and the girls got along splendidly. This year we used all things pirate to complete our them, "Treasure Island." With 29 girls, we had a record number go this year with 11 if those being new girls (7 new beehives and 4 new move-ins). I was a little worried that with bigger numbers it might be difficult to keep things as harmonious as they have been in the past. Silly me...these girls are awesome! This year we were in tents and had no showers....so we were roughing it more than last year. In these rustic surroundings, there are a lot more chores to be done the girls did great job stepping up. One thing I hope to improve on next year is our hike. Our success rate wasn't as good as it should have been so maybe we need to do more to prepare them emotionally and physically for the exertion. Some of the highlights this year were: the newspaper fashion show (a tradition of dressing up the YCL's), seeing the Bishop sing and dance with the girls and doing the zipline. We had a particularly touching moment when one our young women (who is partially paralyzed from a recent stroke) was able to  participate in the zipline. Everyone was cheering as they hoisted her up to the platform. How wonderful to feel the love and see the big smile on her face. Yay young women....yay girls camp...and most of all YAY for my incredible camp committee amd YCL's!!

A highly anticipated visit...

We were so excited to have the Ellis family (well, most of them) spot by on their way home to Colorado. Sarah had been talking about seeing Christen for months now. She was so excited she went out and bought matching lockets for them with her own money. We had a great time going to the movie, eating out and mostly just hanging out. I love that friendships continue through distance and time!

*I love the little "friends" in the photo that Sarah and Christen created from taffy.

Tween?!

Another child in our house has left life in single digits! I can hardly believe Sarah is 10...TEN years old! When I asked Sarah what she wanted for her birthday she said, "Oh, just clothes and jewelry...maybe a gift certificate to Clair's." Now, I don't know about you, but I think she fits squarely in the "tween" category. For further evidence, all you need to do is look at what she is wearing in these photos and where we are celebrating. No more Gymboree ensembles. No more princess parties. (Nope, I am not going to get sentimental...no, no, no...I will just keep telling myself that.)

First, the clothing. A couple weeks ago, she was trying to describe to me the kind of shirt she wanted. "Mom, it has this little jacket thing attached," is what she told me. I wasn't sure when she was telling me, but once I saw it I was pretty sure and when she unwrapped it, I knew I'd been exactly right. She also loved the "tunic" shirt I gave...only problem was, it apparently needed a black belt to complete the look. I obliged by sewing up a little black sash (see photos).

Second, the party. She was quick to tell me she wanted to celebrate at Boondock's this year. I'm glad I didn't see this one coming because I think I would have been much more sentimental about not doing a little theme party at home. Maybe I expected to do princess, butterfly and kitty parties forever or maybe I am in total denial that my little girl is growing up. Regardless, the party was hit...a huge hit and that makes me nothing but happy. It was such a joy to watch her having so much fun with her friends....she was in heaven. While watching all the girls at the party, Chad and I maybe an observation. Sarah has a wide variety of friends and that is just cool. I love that she can have so much fun with a variety of ages and personalities. I think finding commonalities with people is so important and I hope that Sarah continues to do that. I am so thankful for her truly unique and creative spirit...for those of you that know Sarah know exactly what I am talking about. She is special. She is one of kind. She brings so much joy to her family and those around her.

Here kitty, kitty....

This year was Jenna's very first friend party! She was so excited to have a real party this year (we only do friend parties every other year). Jenna had no problem deciding what kind of party she wanted...a kitty party all the way! With so many creative ideas floating around, I had no problem finding cute things to do. Jenna loved handing out her kitten invitation (found on Etsy) and she also loved helping me get ready for the party. Just before the party as I was running around trying to finish everything up, I exclaimed, "Where did the time go?!" Without missing a beat, she hollered from the other room, "It's on the stove, Mom!" I love, love this age.

As each of the girls arrived, I told them they would come as a little girl and leave as a kitten. While they were waiting for everyone to arrive, They got to practice licking like a kitten with a popsicle. (yes, I tried to turn whatever I could into a kitten theme)  We then started our first game in which they would be given their new kitten name. My little helpers (Sarah and her friend Maggie) had strung yarn every which way in the basement and the girls had to follow their string to their new, unique kitten name. I think my helpers got a little carried away with the string as it got a little tangled and confusing, but still very fun.

Next, we created name collars with ribbon and tags. Then, they were given a set of "paws" (socks with pink felt paws). Once they had their paws on, it was time to start the next game. I had two boxes wrapped in layers and layers of paper. The girls then had to paw their way through the layers. I love this game (and have used variations of it in many parties), the socks make it take longer and what kid doesn't love unwrapping something? When everything was unwrapped, the kids found two of their party favors; kitten ears and a kitten tail.

To make the transformation complete, I had my helpers paint whiskers and nose on each girl. They were so excited....I have never heard so much meowing (yes, it was loud!). They all began running, hopping and crawling (and of course, meowing...lots of meowing) like kittens all over the house.

Finally, it was time for cake and presents. In true Jenna form, she got a little embarassed and shy when everyone started singing to her. Look closely at the photo....she has her head turned to the side with her tongue twisted in her mouth....so funny, so Jenna. The girls loved their kitten cupcakes and kitten party bags. I think it was all a success. Jenna slept with her kitten tail pinned to her pajamas....I don't think I could have been given a better compliment!

Babies grow up

So my baby turned six today. I am trying really hard not to think about it too much. I keep pushing down the sentimental memories of Jenna when she actually was a baby. I swore I would never "baby my baby," but the hard thing about that is when you have your last one, you are never forced to move onto babying the next one and so you just kind of get stuck into always seeing that child as a baby. It's these darn milestones that force us to face reality a bit. We all grow up and that's a good thing, right?

As soon as Jenna realized her birthday was approaching, she began counting down the days. "Six more days, Mom...then I will be six," she said while holding up the appropriate amount of fingers. Without a doubt, this last year has shown a big jump in Jenna's maturity level; emotionally and educationally. It hasn't been without a lot of work though. She has really worked hard this year and it has been exciting to see so much growth. With each sight word learned, I have seen her confidence grow. If you know Jenna, you know she is a bit shy and that shyness usually exhibits itself with a ornery-tinged scowl. This personality characteristic has made learning certain things a bit of a challenge; she doesn't like to be wrong and it's been hard for her to find the confidence to try whether she knows the  right or wrong answer. Nothing has made me more proud of her than to see her keep pushing forward and allowing courage and confidence replace the fear of failure.

Last night, Jenna whispered to Chad that she wanted all of us to be hiding and surprise her this morning. This morning we all gathered around her just after she woke up and sang "Happy Birthday" to her. In typical Jenna fashion, she tried to hide her smile as she was shrinking into Chad's arms from embarassment. So funny to see her love the attention, but still not liking being put on the spot at the same time! Today she had a special lunch date with G'ma and G'pa Jensen, got a special phone calls from Aunt Tammi and G'ma and G'pa Medeiros, opened some fun gifts (she loves "I Spy") and had a dinner of her choice (Chuck-a-rama). I think she had a great day and she will get to celebrate all over again when she has her very first friend party next week!

Spring Break: in photos (lots of them)

The MIM (Musical Instrument Museum) was incredible. This museum featured instruments from every country in the world. The exhibit is interactive and the sounds cue as soon as you walk up to the display. It was amazing finding common threads in so many different cultures. The discovery room at the end was a big hit, too. I would highly recommend going here....just bring some Advil (loved it, but it can be a little overstimulating!)

I have been wanting to visit this place everytime we come to Arizona and I'm so glad I made it happen this time. Ok, really it was Chad who made it happen since he is the one who stayed with the kids so I could "get my art on." I was so intrigued by the beginnings of this desert workshop and it was really neat to move through these spaces the FLW created and lived in. Being in the physical space really gave me an "ah-ha moment" to design philosophy. Fabulous stop for someone who loves art and architecture...pretty sure the kids would not enjoy this (it's pricey, too).

On our way to Bisbee, we made a quick stop in Tuscon for a Sonoran Dog (Mexican hot dog) and to see this old Spanish mission. It was visually beautiful (loved taking lots of photos if you can't tell) and I think it's always great when the kids can be exposed to different cultures and religions. 

Ok, seriously, what a cool town. Think Park City, but kind of cooler; there are so many more old buildings, it's grittier and less commercialized. There are no major chain hotels; pretty much only small, locally owned hotels in old buildings. In fact, we stayed in the old YMCA (Gym Club Suites). We loved walking the streets...it really felt like it could have been 100 yrs earlier. So many old buildings....so much eye candy. One of the highlights was going on a walking ghost tour of the town that night. The kids just loved it.

  

One of the trip highlights for sure! We were going to spend the day in Tombstone, but on the advice of some locals we were told it was just a tourist trap and to head to Rattlesnake Crafts instead. Huh??  What are you talking about?We said the same thing! As if this place doesn't sound strange enough, it was 15 miles of the main room....15 miles of dirt road. That is a lot of dirt road. To be honest, I'm surprised we kept going. We thought for sure we were lost and that we would end up being the storyline for "The Hills Have Eyes 3." This place was so quirky, so unique and so worth it! I have never seen anything like it. A random, historical junkyard in the middle of the desert is the best I can describe it. Just look at those photos; from an old jail ball and chain to old cameras to old war helmets....and even a bear head, this place had a little bit of everything. It was awesome. An old couple from Chicago retired here years ago and they spend their days making crafts from rattlesnakes and gathering (and being given) old junk. They have organized it and generously let anyone wander through. The only stuff for sale are their rattlesnake items (including rattlesnake jerky-they were out when we were there) and rocks. They even have a bin for the kids to pick out some free stuff.

The Medeiros Family Thespian Club??

It seems many members of this family have been participating in theater activities as of late. This is a new thing for us and it's been fun to try new things.

In January, Sarah auditioned for West Jordan's production of "There's a Monster in My Closet" and was given a great part (with 60 lines!). She is loving every minute of memorizing and rehearsing as she gets ready for the April performances.

Before Christmas, Andrew auditioned for his class' production of "Macbeth" and was asked to play the part of Macbeth! His teacher had written a comedic adaptation of the play. The part would be shared between the 2 Acts with another classmate. In true Andrew style, he dug right in and quickly began memorizing his lines. I was so excited to see him perform especially since he wouldn't let me practice with him at home. I couldn't wait to see how he would project his lines. It was so fun seeing him up there giving his lines without a single stutter! It was wonderful to see how well prepared the kids were....and how much humor there was. Well done, Andrew!

Every year, our elementary puts on a Kindergarten Operetta and it really is highlight for the kids and parents. This year, "Jungle Book," would be performed. It has been so cute to see Jenna's anticipation and excitement as her class has prepared. She was asked to be a snake dancer. They danced with little ribbons attached to a stick and I tell, Jenna was right on! She was whipping that little ribbon around right on beat, all the while her shy smile peaking from underneath her hat. What fun!

Milestone birthday!

Happy Birthday Andrew! I can hardly believe he is 12 years old. Of course we parents say that with every birthday, but it's the truth isn't?! I can still remember him as a toddler with a cute (big) head and angelic (big) eyes and now he is ready for mutual nights and passing the sacrament. He has been working hard to be prepared for this next step (of receiving the priesthood) and I know he is ready. This year, his birthday just happen to fall on Tuesday, which, coincidentally, is mutual night. He was so excited to join the ranks of the youth in the ward.

A girls night out...

Last night, the boys of the family were on a campout. Yes, a campout. In February. In tents. The girls and I were much too happy to be left at home! As soon as the boys left, we began our planning. We had fun getting a little dressed up. The girls asked if they could wear a little make-up so I let them have a dusting of sparkly eye shadow, blush and a little mascara.

I was pleasantly surprised when Sarah requested sushi. Jenna was thrilled when I told her she could get pot stickers (I know, they call them gyoza. We call them pot stickers....Jenna calls them "pop stickers). Since this was turning into a full-fledged night out, we swung by the theater on our way to dinner and picked up tickets for "Tangled."

Once we arrived at the restaurant, we were seated at the sushi bar. The girls had fun watching the sushi being made and they loved using the chopsticks (see photo of Jenna). Sarah loved her sushi. I did, however, gasp when she dropped, not one, but two pieces of sushi on the floor. So sad to see that yummy pile of money sushi now inedible.

After dinner, we headed to the movie. We had already seen the movie, but we loved seeing it again. When we got home, we all snuggled into my bed and when we woke up this morning, we had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast. Jenna declared, "I love girl's weekend," and Sarah said, "This was the best ever!" I have to agree...what a fun it was to have some special time with my girls!

HELLO, Hello...hello.....yep, there's an echo in here

So for the five of you that occasionally read my blog, I am posting! Some of you have been bugging me to come back to blog land and I will try to oblige your requests. You know when you get so behind on something and you don't even know where to start, so you just don't start? Yep, that's me. Like the rest of you, I've mostly been trying to keep up with life and keeping up on my blog just fell to the bottom of the list (ok, it totally fell off the list).  I am going to try to catch up on some past events and I will plug them in by date. Let me warm up my fingers and take a deep breath....here's to catching up.

Rockin the jazz band

I think it's been pretty clear that Josh is following in his dad's footsteps with his love of music and guitar. When his friends from school asked him to join the jazz band, he was excited and we thought it would be a great way for him to broaden his musical experience. Twice a week, he has been going to school early in the morning for practice. He mostly enjoys it... except for the getting up early part... and the lugging an amp and guitar to school part. His hard work is paying off. Josh was asked to be a soloist for the Christmas concert. He was really excited and he did an awesome job. The band played some great songs. Our favorite was the Chicago classic "25 or 6 to 4." Way to go Josh, good work!

Thanksgiving highlights 2010

The food was devoured before I thought to take any nice food shots so, I guess that means it was good! I did however, get some pie photos. Dessert is what is most important, right?

I think I was a little stressed to be focused on photos. Our pipes were frozen at home so my mind kept drifting to thoughts of bursting pipes or no water. You have no idea how much you take running water for granted until you don't have it. You also have no idea how easy it is to be taken advantage of (try $800 from Neerings Plumbing).

Oh wait, this post was about Thanksgiving wasn't it? In spite of the looming stress, I was very grateful to be with family (and yes, thankful for pex pipes that don't burst).  It was wonderful to have Chad's parents and G'am Ginger join us. We also loved hanging out with Jason, Jana and their kids. Full bellies and family....all in all,  a great Thanksgiving! I almost forgot the best part of Thanksgiving: not dropping a full dish of yams and sparing myself from being a screaming, swearing lunatic (ie. last year's Thanksgiving). Yes, I think my family was very grateful for that.

What runs in Vegas, Ragnars in Vegas

Chad and I must be gluttons for punishment or we just needed to make our schedules more complicated. We just ran the Las Vegas Ragnar with our South Jordan Slackers team. After this summer's Wasatch Back, our team was lured into signing up for the Vegas Ragnar with the promise of a special "Saints and Sinners" medal. The temptation was too much and we all caved. It all seemed like a good idea....back in June. As the weekend of October 23 approached we found this time of year to be much busier to arrange family schedules. The distance also complicated the logistics of pulling it together. We all wondered what we had gotten ourselves into and if we could pull it off. However, once we were actually in the car, we quickly remembered why we did this and why we love our team so much. As was expected, we had an awesome weekend. Not expected, was the non-flatness of Nevada. You thought Vegas was flat, too, huh? Well, it's not. It's quite hilly actually. There seemed to be a disconnect between the printed elevation gains and losses given to us in our race manual and what really was really in front of us. We also found the overall crowd to be much younger (and more crass...to say there were some interesting team names and vans is an understatement) than the Wasatch Back. It was like a weekend fraternity race...we felt old! We may have been the "senior team", but we kicked some young booty. We came in 29th out of 276 teams in our category. We beat our projected time by over an hour. Our time was 28hrs and 38m. And yes, we got our "Saints and Sinners" medal! Go South Jordan Slackers!

It was exciting to finally make Josh's Eagle Scout status official. Although he did his Eagle project over a year ago, he still had a few merit badges to finish up...and then there is the board of review which takes awhile. He received his award back in July, but we were finally able to celebrate with his Court of Honor on October 16. We were able to share the night with two of Josh's friends that were receiving there Eagle's as well. I have to give huge kudos to our amazing scout leaders, without whom none of this would have been possible. Glen Thorne is khaki to the core and really knows how to get these boys to earn their awards.

September tradition

Each September brings our annual visit to the Utah State Fair with Grammy. The kids always look forward to a few rides that make mom worry if lunch will stay down or not. We always love seeing the animals and each year we are surprised by what we see and learn. This year we loved seeing all the chickens. I thought I'd never say a chicken could be beautiful, but there really was some pretty poultry! I had no idea there was such a variety in colors, sizes and feathers! No fair experience is complete without some food. Moochies meatball subs, shaved ice and kettle corn were on the menu for this year. Maybe next year we will try a fried twinki (or not).

Fun now...sleep later

I don't think I could be anymore pleased, excited and uplifted with how girls camp went! I will admit my stomach was in knots before camp. I was well aware that this would be a singular opportunity for the girls (and leaders) to bond and set the tone throughout the rest of the year in Young Women's. I have heard of many girls camps that have gone awry with pranks and drama. In our ward, we have a strong policy of "no drama...no pranks." I don't know why I thought this year would be any different. The girls were amazing! No pranks, no drama...just lots of togetherness and fun. Sure there were a few very minor complaints and some minor sickness, but nothing that was unreasonable. We had 18-24 girls at camp (depending on the day), with 10 being their very first time (and these "first years" did great). We even had a non-member join us! (Damiana had only moved into the neighborhood from CA 2wks prior and  she came...it was amazing!)

This year was stake camp and we went to the Heber Valley Camp. It has the reputation of being the "princess camp" and for good reason, too. Our pavilion included a walk-in pantry, hot/cold running water, two gas camp stoves and....a refrigerator!!! For real. Yes, I enjoyed a few cold diet cokes during the week. The large main pavilion had a kitchen where stake meals were prepared and...a water and ice station for the girls to fill-up water bottles. This camp was planned by President Hinckley and apparently, the water/ice machine was Sister Hinckley's touch. This camp also included great hiking trails (we say a baby owl...very cool), a lake for the girls to canoe on and challenging ropes courses. The entire camp has several campsites (we were Camp Sariah) and can accommodate up to 2400 girls at a time. There are service missionaries that run the camp and keep it secure. 

We had so much fun playing several "Minute to Win It" games. Eating Oreos off our faces by only using our facial muscles and picking up cotton balls with Vaseline on our noses were our favorites. We even got President LaMunyon to do it! The girls also loved making friendship bracelets...yes, just like the ones  we did when we were younger. However, the games and songs definitely are not like the ones we did when we were younger. They are much more physical (man, you get a workout) and more complicated. 

If there was one (and only one) thing I did not love about camp, it was sleeping on the wood bunk. I am too old and my double layer of foam pads did diddily squat. Air mattress next time for sure. That being said, the cabins are very nice and clean.  Throughout the week,  the weather was wonderful. We had one afternoon of rain and hail, but we were still able to complete all our scheduled activities. If you ask me, a bit of rain just makes things a bit more exciting and interesting. Only bummer about that was it was on the night Chad came so we didn't get to do much hanging out...we were in the cabins and he was in the priesthood tent. 

I came home with the biggest smile on my face. I was practically skipping down the halls at church the following Sunday. I could hardly wait to see the girl's parents to tell them how wonderful their girls are and how much fun we had. I truly feel so lucky to have this opportunity to be with the girls. I love them. 

A new beginning

For the last 5 years (time flies!), we have been attending Jordan Ridge Elementary. We really loved that school and had a great experience there. However, I felt it was time we returned to our neighborhood school. For my kids, I felt strongly that they needed to be among their ward/neighborhood friends. Not that my kids can't have friends outside of neighborhood and school boundaries, I just feel that once Jr.High and High School roll around, I want them to have good friendships that are easy for me to watch and be a part of. Not that education isn't important, I just feel strongly that friends can have a great impact on educational successes. As a parent we all try hard to make the best decision, but we never really know which way that choice will go. I hope the thought and prayer we've put into this move will serve my children well.

With that being said, there were a few extra butterflies on this first day of school. It's never easy being the "new kid" and Andrew and Sarah really had brave faces and positive attitudes today. I am proud of them for handling this change so well and I hope it continues to be a positive experience for them. I am thankful that there are some neighborhood children in their classes and I hope they will accept them into their circle of established school friends. After kindergarten testing, Jenna will have her "first day of school" next week (waahhhh...my baby!!!) There were so many things I loved about our previous school, but we are looking forward to becoming part this school's community.

By the way...pack an overnight bag

I knew Chad had made dinner reservations and arrangements for the kids to stay at my mom's on Friday night. I was looking forward to a quiet night at a clean home (it doesn't stay clean for more than 10 min at a time) after dinner and a movie. However, Chad had made different plans. As we were discussing the plans to get the kids to my mom's house, he casually said, "You might want to pack an overnight bag." Well okay! I was totally surprised and couldn't wait to hear about what he had planned.

We had dinner reservations at Tiburon in Sandy. It was delicious. I had the lamb and Chad had the roasted chicken. We will definitely go back sometime. Next we headed to the Grand America dowtown. Have you ever stayed here? This was my first time and wow, it is amazing. Our room was just beautiful. It had a sitting area, huge bathroom and a gorgeous view of the east side of Salt Lake. After check-in we headed to the Gateway for to see the movie, "Salt." After the movie, we enjoyed an evening walk throught some of the gardens at the hotel. When we returned to our room, we found our bed turned down with a robe, chocolates and music softly playing. In the morning, we had breakfast on the patio next to the beautiful grounds.  As if this wasn't enough, Chad made spa appointments for us at Sego Lily Spa. We both had 90 min treatments. What an indulgence! This was such a relaxing fun weekend with Chad. I can't thank him enough for going out of his way to surprise and pamper me.

16 years

You think we look a little young when we got married? Yea, I'm pretty sure they checked my birth certificate at the temple. Sheesh, I look like I'm 14! It is so fun to look at these photos and remember how we felt when we were dating and when we first got married. It was wonderful. But, you know what? I wouldn't trade it  for what we have now. Last week Chad sent me this email:

I was just looking at our blog. Sometimes I need to pinch myself that you chose me. I am proud to be best friends with you and can’t believe it has been 16 years. I feel like we have always been together and couldn’t picture myself with anyone else. We have beautiful children. I feel privileged that I get to be their father. Just wanted you to know that.

Love you! Have a great day!

And to think he wonders why I chose him...I can't believe he chose me. 

Don't you just love the old school posing on the photos and wow! what great '90's attire!

Time well spent...

Megan and Cameron asked to take Josh and Andrew camping with them. They don't have kids of their own yet so this is either good practice or good birth control. Well, actually, for the later, I need to give them one of my younger kids. I digress. After picking up some much needed supplies (Pop Tarts), they headed for the hills of Timpanogos and the waters of Cascade Springs. Megan and Cameron didn't take it easy on the boys...they backpacked in for about a mile. As you can see, they found a beautiful spot to set up camp. This was Andrew's first official camp-out and I know he a great time. Thank you Megan and Cameron!

Celebrating the Otterstrom in us

My mom had a strong feeling that she should pull together the "Otterstroms" for an impromptu reunion with her sisters and some of the cousins. In attendance were: my cousins Rick and Ron Otterstrom (My Uncle Tom died young of melanoma) along with their spouses and children, Marylin and Gary with Jen, Becky and Kenny, Aunt Sue, Pat Thiriot (G'ma Ruth's sister) and Carly Thiriot (mom's cousin).  We missed seeing Tom and his family as well as all the Williams cousins. It was wonderful to see them and see how their families have grown. I am so glad that my mom thought it important enough to bring many of us together to remember our Otterstrom roots.

Lost and Found

   Occasionally, our cat, Jewel, likes to go outside. I wish she would just stay inside, but it's hard to deny her of her natural instincts to explore the outdoors. She's wandered off a bit, but has always quickly returned...until last Sunday.
   By the time church started at 1:00 the kids were worried. Unprovoked, Sarah took the initiative to have it announced in primary. I really thought she'd be on our doorstep when we got home. When she wasn't, I was a little worried. We printed up a little flyer with her photo to take with us on our Sunday walk. As we approached the first person we saw, Sarah began telling her about our cat. She could barely get a few words out before she was overcome with tears. That night, we put food and water on the front and back porch just in case she came back in the middle of the night.
   When we woke up in the morning and there was still no Jewel, I knew something had happened. Either she was "gone" or someone had taken her in. It broke my heart when I found Sarah wrapped in her blanket on the front porch calling for Jewel (I snapped the picture from the window). I felt our best hope of getting her back was to take quick action. I posted an ad on KSL and we then printed up some signs and made small flyers. We posted the signs at each entrance of our neighborhood and few beyond. We then taped the flyers on the doors of our neighborhood. By the time we had gotten home, someone had called. They had Jewel! The morning before a family had found her meowing on the back porch and they let her in. The gal that found her said they weren't "cat people," but they thought Jewel was the sweetest cat...even her husband was smitten with her.She said they were going to walk the neighborhood to see if they could find her owners, but who knows if they would have found their way to us. I'm so glad we put out the flyers so we could have her home sooner than later.
   As soon as we got her home, we went straight out and bought her a tag with her name and phone number on it. Lesson learned. Later, we made cookies to take to the family who took such good care of her until we could get her back. We are so thankful to have her home and we are all keeping a closer eye on her...with a few extra loves of course!

It's always fun when...

...friends come to town! What a special treat to have Karen and Diane in town at the same time. We meet at Chili's for dinner where when enjoyed chips and salsa (of course!) and lots of laughing. After dinner, we did some quick shopping. By the time we were done shopping, we were ready for dessert, so where did we go for dessert?? Chili's, of course. It was great seeing our earlier waitress do a double take as we returned for molten lava cake! Even though it was quick, it was wonderful to have a night to reminisce and reconnect.