Sunday, July 26, 2009
Our Adventure
The boys and I recently took some time and went up to visit grandma and spend some time at the ranch. We had a great time. The highlights were as follows: Watching Ice Age at the drive-in theater . The boys got to watch "real cowboys" go onto the range - Scotty was so excited to see them in the whole getup - the hat, chaps, spurs, boots . . . and he was really excited to see a cow up close and personal - not just in the field as you drive by. Working with the boys to cut down and stack some dead trees, then waking up in the morning in paradise - it was greener than I ever remember seeing it at this time of year, and it was peaceful. Marc came up on the weekend and we went to Yellowstone for the day. And we got some very good quality time with family members - Gramma Great, Cody, Teri, Victoria, Jody, Cara, Hannah, Kimball, Blake, and Frieda. The boys really love gramma and asked, "Can we stay here forever?" They still ask if we can go see gramma great now (yeah no problem just 3 1/2 hrs away). The real kicker is that we had such a fantastic memorable journey, but I lost my camera on Monday of the first week - and so have no pictures of any of the fantastic things that we got to do. It was found on the day that we left (makes me wonder what the purpose of that was).
After taking a short poll - we discovered that we pretty much all had the same favorite time. It was on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. We went to the Yellowstone Lake Lodge - went through the lobby and out the other side across the road and down the hill. There is a very small beach with black sand. It was perfect for our little family. Bradley was thrilled to be put down to grab and taste test all of the sand that he could. The boys and I took off our shoes and kicked around in the water. The boys picked up rocks and threw to their hearts content. Marc, watched with his eyes closed as he lay back on the warm sand. And I took a step out a little further and enjoyed the first cool and cloudy part of the day. I rubbed my feet and hands in the gritty sand and it felt like a wonderous massage. After all of my skin felt so soft - I stretched my hands out to the sky, put my head back, closed my eyes and just enjoyed the breeze as it blew against my face and hands - I took a couple of deep breaths and then to top off the moment of sweetness - the sun came out to shine on my smiling face - it was just as if just on me - I felt that Heavenly Father just shed one of his tender mercies upon me to remind me that he knows exactly where I am.
After taking a short poll - we discovered that we pretty much all had the same favorite time. It was on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. We went to the Yellowstone Lake Lodge - went through the lobby and out the other side across the road and down the hill. There is a very small beach with black sand. It was perfect for our little family. Bradley was thrilled to be put down to grab and taste test all of the sand that he could. The boys and I took off our shoes and kicked around in the water. The boys picked up rocks and threw to their hearts content. Marc, watched with his eyes closed as he lay back on the warm sand. And I took a step out a little further and enjoyed the first cool and cloudy part of the day. I rubbed my feet and hands in the gritty sand and it felt like a wonderous massage. After all of my skin felt so soft - I stretched my hands out to the sky, put my head back, closed my eyes and just enjoyed the breeze as it blew against my face and hands - I took a couple of deep breaths and then to top off the moment of sweetness - the sun came out to shine on my smiling face - it was just as if just on me - I felt that Heavenly Father just shed one of his tender mercies upon me to remind me that he knows exactly where I am.
Yellowstone Bubbler
Michael was really fascinated with the concept that there is a volcano under of this bubbling fun. The mud pots were a favorite of his.
Old Faithful
Here are some pictures that are probably better than what I would have taken - minus my family being included.
Ode to the 4th
This is a bit late - first I had computer issues and then I went on a trip - but better late than never. I did want to pay homage to the 4th of July. In my mind there is something truly magical about this holiday - though in reality it is one of the holidays that is the least "commercial" - I don't know if that is the right word to use - but there is no Santa for the kids to distract them from the true meaning, there is no Easter bunny to lead them down a path of candy and fun, there are no other diversions of made up characters that lead us away from the purpose of the holiday - yet there is (at least for me) a great deal more encompassed in the 4th of July than just a celebration of Independence for the country that we call home. I have always appreciated the holiday as a celebration even as a youth - the meaning of our freedom only became more apparent as I was blessed with the opportunities to have experiences abroad and to understand our freedoms through the lack of freedom that others in this world had/have. I admit that once home it is so easy to take these things for granted. So for me, the 4th is - in part - a yearly reminder of my true blessings - the opportunities and abilities that I have available to myself that we all check off as "human rights" - these things are not a given.
But in addition to the reason for the holiday - the 4th is the essence of summer. Now that I have children, it is even more fun. Everything is still green, the sun is shining bright, the excitement of adding water is always added to the mix. I love the glint of my toeheads in the sunlight, the bright smiles, the laughter in the shade of the tree while sitting on the grass, the leaves rustling and flowers swaying in the gentle breeze - then add to that the colors of red, white, and blue, sprinkle in some family and neighbors, splash in some adventurous activity and then finish it off with a bang of fireworks - you are then served with a fantastic ritual full of nastalgia, fun, gratitude, and excitement.
From year to year only the details really differ. For our family more "traditions" that hold are going down to our local veteran's house to watch his fireworks that he buys just for the neighborhood kids. There is the 4th of July Breakfast for our ward - this year I got to lead the primary in some patriotic songs (which resulted in Michael, and therefore Scotty, singing Yankee Doodle for the whole of the next month). This year we accompanied Marc
's family on an excursion to the mountains for some playtime in the water and SNOW. Came home for a nap and then galloped off to the fireworks at the golf course where we sat so close that we had debris falling on us from the fireworks. There is just a sense of togetherness and good cheer, everyone you see on this day has a smile - everyone has a favorite part - maybe it is the watermelon, perhaps it is the barbeque, maybe it is just a day off, for me there is apprecitation for the frequent sight of the American flag and actually seeing people honor it.
I am also thankful that in this world where everything seems to desensitize us to things that are simply wonderful, where we seem to laugh less, shudder at the appalling circumstances less, care about the moral issues less - that here is a day that a child "digging in" brings a genuine chuckle, that a surprise splash utters a real squeal of surprise, and that a bang of fire - great or small - still is accompanied by sounds of awe and wonder. So I hope that your 4th was as wonderful as ours, I hope that you took time to be thankful, and I hope that you can find a reason to smile in remembrance.
's family on an excursion to the mountains for some playtime in the water and SNOW. Came home for a nap and then galloped off to the fireworks at the golf course where we sat so close that we had debris falling on us from the fireworks. There is just a sense of togetherness and good cheer, everyone you see on this day has a smile - everyone has a favorite part - maybe it is the watermelon, perhaps it is the barbeque, maybe it is just a day off, for me there is apprecitation for the frequent sight of the American flag and actually seeing people honor it.
I am also thankful that in this world where everything seems to desensitize us to things that are simply wonderful, where we seem to laugh less, shudder at the appalling circumstances less, care about the moral issues less - that here is a day that a child "digging in" brings a genuine chuckle, that a surprise splash utters a real squeal of surprise, and that a bang of fire - great or small - still is accompanied by sounds of awe and wonder. So I hope that your 4th was as wonderful as ours, I hope that you took time to be thankful, and I hope that you can find a reason to smile in remembrance.
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