June 29, 2010
The COUCH!!
Did you you hear about the couch that got deposited on top of our horse trailer? Last Thursday night I had gotten back from a ride about 10:15 p.m. so it was kinda late. I quickly got ready for bed, said my prayers, then heard something strange outside. I thought someone might have hit the trailer with their car, so I looked out our blinds. What I saw took a minute to compute in my ready-for-bed brain: There's a COUCH on the hay rack above the horse trailer!!
I woke up Dallin, who climbed up on the trailer and lifted the couch down to Dad and me. What do you think we did??? We put it on the corner with a "FREE" sign on it. Someone was SURE to take it off our hands!!
Just after doing that a truck came up Red Mountain from the south. The guys in the truck must not have noticed us, in the dark, as they pulled to the stop sign. The passenger had a camera in his hands, with the window down, so I said, "Hey, do you want to take a picture?" The guy was kinda shocked, and one of the other guys in the truck said, "Go, go, go!!" Then the truck quickly turned LEFT up Canyon View Drive. We figure we gave THEM a surprise they weren't expecting, too!!
I looked out the window around 1:00 a.m. when I woke up for no reason...and the couch was gone!
The next morning Dallin saw someone had posted on Facebook that they had found a "FREE COUCH" on the corner... Funny!!
I woke up Dallin, who climbed up on the trailer and lifted the couch down to Dad and me. What do you think we did??? We put it on the corner with a "FREE" sign on it. Someone was SURE to take it off our hands!!
Just after doing that a truck came up Red Mountain from the south. The guys in the truck must not have noticed us, in the dark, as they pulled to the stop sign. The passenger had a camera in his hands, with the window down, so I said, "Hey, do you want to take a picture?" The guy was kinda shocked, and one of the other guys in the truck said, "Go, go, go!!" Then the truck quickly turned LEFT up Canyon View Drive. We figure we gave THEM a surprise they weren't expecting, too!!
I looked out the window around 1:00 a.m. when I woke up for no reason...and the couch was gone!
The next morning Dallin saw someone had posted on Facebook that they had found a "FREE COUCH" on the corner... Funny!!
June 28, 2010
DALLIN TURNS 17!!
It sure is a different scenario being "the youngest" kid having a birthday at home. There's not a bunch of commotion, it's not hard to figure out when to eat so that everyone can be here (oh, wait, Kristy STILL didn't make it for breakfast OR DINNER...busy, busy girl!) We only had to cook ONE package of bacon, and MOM actually did the "Tradition, Tradition" dance!! Holy cow!!
Dallin sure is turning into a fine young man. We are grateful to have him in our family and we love him TONS!!
June 27, 2010
June 25, 2010
Splatalee Ann!!
NAT'S DREAM JOB in Montana was more like a "nightmare" today!! Nat took a ride out, leading with a less-trained horse, and had quite a spill! They were crossing a river at one point when her horse freaked and started bucking IN THE RIVER!! Nat was doing fine til the horse went down, slamming her into some rocks and pinning her under water...her foot was wedged in the stirrup as the horse started to lunge to get out of the water, but she managed to pull her foot out of the boot (MY $230 boots I had given her!), as the horse bolted. The boot floated downstream with the fast moving water...Nat's face was cut and bleeding where it hit a rock, and she's pretty sore all over. She had to walk back to the ranch...AND no one was there because of stuff the owners were doing in town, two hours away! She called and told me about her ordeal, for which I was very grateful! I'm always glad when you kids feel like you can call and tell me the scary stuff that has happened to you, if for no other reason than to know we will continue to pray for you and cheer you on!
I told Nat to take be sure and take some aspirin, that I was very happy to trade my $230 boots for her life, and I was proud of her for getting back on the horse (who ran back to the corrals) and riding him around so he didn't think it was okay to buck in the water.
RIDE 'EM COWGIRL!!! We are SO grateful Natalee's relatively okay. (The pain will go away after awhile!!)
I told Nat to take be sure and take some aspirin, that I was very happy to trade my $230 boots for her life, and I was proud of her for getting back on the horse (who ran back to the corrals) and riding him around so he didn't think it was okay to buck in the water.
RIDE 'EM COWGIRL!!! We are SO grateful Natalee's relatively okay. (The pain will go away after awhile!!)
June 24, 2010
Acupuncture!
Believe it or not, Dad and I went on a date. . .to the acupuncturist!! How cool is that?!?! Dad's back and shoulder have been giving him some trouble, and my lower back has gotten "tweaked" a couple of times the past month. Since Mark Montgomery gave me a WONDERFUL gift last year of "free acupuncture for immediate family members for life" I haven't really taken advantage of it, mostly due to a very busy schedule. That is crazy!! I forgot how TOTALLY relaxing it is to be there for an hour.
With it being Dad's first time, he wasn't very relaxed. . .but I was SO proud of him for being willing to go and to try this even though it was out of his comfort zone!
The other cool thing...he just walked in the room and said, "You know what I just noticed? I'm walking normally!" (not his "side-winder" walk when his back is hurting...) I go back tomorrow (Dad and Dallin are going to Youth Conference), and both of us go back on Monday.
Who says we're too old to try new things???? ^_^
With it being Dad's first time, he wasn't very relaxed. . .but I was SO proud of him for being willing to go and to try this even though it was out of his comfort zone!
The other cool thing...he just walked in the room and said, "You know what I just noticed? I'm walking normally!" (not his "side-winder" walk when his back is hurting...) I go back tomorrow (Dad and Dallin are going to Youth Conference), and both of us go back on Monday.
Who says we're too old to try new things???? ^_^
June 23, 2010
Ever Learning...
June 23, 2010 – Wednesday
Parenting is an interesting experience. Many times over the years I have been taught as I have endeavored to teach you children. I guess that's the case in many situations, not just parenting...the teacher learns more than anyone else.
For example, when Amelia was 10(?) and her soccer team really needed a coach, she asked Denzel to be her coach. Of course, I encouraged him thinking this would be a REALLY good thing for him to do for his sister. He kind of back-pedaled saying he was too busy. I told him, "If you are too busy to coach Millie's team, you inadvertently send her the message that you don't care about her."
Well, the Holy Ghost took my words and taught me with them. Dad and I had been talking a few days earlier about what I could cut out of my schedule since I was feeling VERY overwhelmed with all the things I was involved with...our balloon business, the wholesale food business, the bread business, AND seven kids! But there wasn't anything we could see we could cut out.
However, when the Holy Ghost replayed my words to me,"when you are this busy, you inadvertently send your children the message that they aren't important to you..." I felt slammed with reality. And, when the Holy Ghost talks, I listen! Within one week I had sold the balloon business, and given up my route with Wholesale Foods. We would find a way to make things work financially. And we did. I ended up helping coach Millie's team, and it was memorable!
There are MANY such circumstances I've been involved in with each of you children. I think I'm learning...I HOPE I'm learning... what the Lord wants me to learn.
Now, another case in point...last night Wyatt (Nat's boyfriend) and I had a lengthy talk about his decision to not serve a mission. As you can each attest, I have LOTS of feelings about the importance of a young man serving a mission. However, ultimately, each individual needs to make their own choices. (They get to choose, but they don't get to choose people's reactions to their choices.) As we talked about many different aspects, one of the things I shared was regarding our willingness to serve the Lord. If worthiness isn't holding us back, but we're not willing to serve the Lord, that may be just as problematic.
Anyway, as usual, I took my own words to heart and did a personal evaluation of MY desires and my life. Am I willing to do what the Lord wants? Are there things I'm holding back from the Lord? Do I serve Him in every way I possibly can, or are there things I need to improve? (Like visiting teaching, attending the temple more, reading my scriptures more...I AM doing good with my goal of not saying the "C" word anymore!)
So, this morning I had a cavity fixed by our new stake president, Dan Frei. I told him I've often remembered his example. He was surprised and said, "of what?" I replied, "A little over 4 years ago you finally achieved your dream goal of purchasing and owning an Elk Ranch. I knew you enjoyed hunting and that this was a dream come true. Then you were called to serve as a mission president, which was NOT what you had planned. And yet you were WILLING to put your goals, your dreams, your wants aside, to serve the Lord. Your example has been a BIG influence in my life."
At this point President Frei gave a small smile and said, "The day before we left on our mission, as I drove away from the ranch, I cried. It was hard. And yet, the ranch is still here. I don't have any regrets." And that mission to Brazil was for THREE years! He missed his only daughter's wedding. He sacrificed much. But he was willing. I hope I can always live MY life in such a way that I don't hold anything back from the Lord.
And I hope each one of my children will have the same desires to do what the Lord wants, even when it's hard, or inconvenient, or not the most fun, or even scary. There's one thing I DO know...we can NEVER give more to the Lord than He gives back to us. There may be times when it seems like the Lord is requiring too much of us. All I can say is, "TRUST HIM!"
Love,
Mom
Parenting is an interesting experience. Many times over the years I have been taught as I have endeavored to teach you children. I guess that's the case in many situations, not just parenting...the teacher learns more than anyone else.
For example, when Amelia was 10(?) and her soccer team really needed a coach, she asked Denzel to be her coach. Of course, I encouraged him thinking this would be a REALLY good thing for him to do for his sister. He kind of back-pedaled saying he was too busy. I told him, "If you are too busy to coach Millie's team, you inadvertently send her the message that you don't care about her."
Well, the Holy Ghost took my words and taught me with them. Dad and I had been talking a few days earlier about what I could cut out of my schedule since I was feeling VERY overwhelmed with all the things I was involved with...our balloon business, the wholesale food business, the bread business, AND seven kids! But there wasn't anything we could see we could cut out.
However, when the Holy Ghost replayed my words to me,"when you are this busy, you inadvertently send your children the message that they aren't important to you..." I felt slammed with reality. And, when the Holy Ghost talks, I listen! Within one week I had sold the balloon business, and given up my route with Wholesale Foods. We would find a way to make things work financially. And we did. I ended up helping coach Millie's team, and it was memorable!
There are MANY such circumstances I've been involved in with each of you children. I think I'm learning...I HOPE I'm learning... what the Lord wants me to learn.
Now, another case in point...last night Wyatt (Nat's boyfriend) and I had a lengthy talk about his decision to not serve a mission. As you can each attest, I have LOTS of feelings about the importance of a young man serving a mission. However, ultimately, each individual needs to make their own choices. (They get to choose, but they don't get to choose people's reactions to their choices.) As we talked about many different aspects, one of the things I shared was regarding our willingness to serve the Lord. If worthiness isn't holding us back, but we're not willing to serve the Lord, that may be just as problematic.
Anyway, as usual, I took my own words to heart and did a personal evaluation of MY desires and my life. Am I willing to do what the Lord wants? Are there things I'm holding back from the Lord? Do I serve Him in every way I possibly can, or are there things I need to improve? (Like visiting teaching, attending the temple more, reading my scriptures more...I AM doing good with my goal of not saying the "C" word anymore!)
So, this morning I had a cavity fixed by our new stake president, Dan Frei. I told him I've often remembered his example. He was surprised and said, "of what?" I replied, "A little over 4 years ago you finally achieved your dream goal of purchasing and owning an Elk Ranch. I knew you enjoyed hunting and that this was a dream come true. Then you were called to serve as a mission president, which was NOT what you had planned. And yet you were WILLING to put your goals, your dreams, your wants aside, to serve the Lord. Your example has been a BIG influence in my life."
At this point President Frei gave a small smile and said, "The day before we left on our mission, as I drove away from the ranch, I cried. It was hard. And yet, the ranch is still here. I don't have any regrets." And that mission to Brazil was for THREE years! He missed his only daughter's wedding. He sacrificed much. But he was willing. I hope I can always live MY life in such a way that I don't hold anything back from the Lord.
And I hope each one of my children will have the same desires to do what the Lord wants, even when it's hard, or inconvenient, or not the most fun, or even scary. There's one thing I DO know...we can NEVER give more to the Lord than He gives back to us. There may be times when it seems like the Lord is requiring too much of us. All I can say is, "TRUST HIM!"
Love,
Mom
June 21, 2010
Good Things To Come
Dad saw this...told me about it and I watched it... (Even though it talks about Kanarraville, it's filmed in Ivins!!) The point is excellent!! KEEP WALKING...GOOD THINGS ARE TO COME!
June 20, 2010
June 19, 2010
Horses & MORE horses...
On our way to camping at Zion National Park, Kristy and I stopped by to the our "old" horses. They are reproducing FAST!! I think all the mares are ready to foal again...after having foaled last summer! Sheesh!! There are seventeen now! (Not counting the two studs!)
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