Family Time – Page 64 – Letters from Home

Spring Lake ramblings

Round House

I’ve allowed myself to slip into a deep summer reverie; I’m working (yes, it takes work for me) to enjoy every minute of summertime. I work too hard and enjoy too little most of the time. Silly me.

Our stay at Spring Lake was so brief, but very special.

Sunday was our last day at the Round House. After church, the kids enjoyed a quiet afternoon at the frog pond. Richard read a book; I walked around the property, taking photos. I wanted to remember the feelings of the day and I hoped pictures would help. Aunt Susan was in my thoughts all day. I looked down the road where she grew up and took time to think of her as a young girl, running around this little town.

Secret Garden

The Secret Garden, always such a special place, with its places to sit and rest and bits of interest like the Thinking Rock, tiger lilies, yellow brick pathway, money bushes, and more remains true to its name.

Pathway

I love a good, rustic pathway and the rustle of leaves as I move down the lane.

New Oak trees

New oaks at my feet and a canopy of tall oaks over my head taught me new life lessons simple and profound and not easily expressed.

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I studied the tiles for an extra long time, smiling at the thought of a young Aunt Susan not being able to resist taking a pretty tile home many years ago.

restful spot

On the deck, the usual restful spot awaited me, bathed in green light filtered through the trees. I found a plaster of paris mold that Dad made in 1961 of a seahorse sitting on a table there. I smiled, picturing Dad just a little older than Daniel.

Enchantment at the Frog Pond

Echoing through the property was the sound of my children laughing and splashing together at the frog pond, enjoying the details so carefully created by Dad. This may be one of his most powerful lessons: children need rocks, dirt, and water to be happy.

Explorer

And here, these things are in abundance.

Ross children

The kids sought me out and asked me to take a picture of them on Grandma’s swing. Pow! I felt so much gratitude for them…

Timpanogos

My wanderings took me up the road, to the spot that was burned last summer. The foreground still looks marred, but the view had the same effect that it always has on me. I had the usual sharp intake of breath as I tried to comprehend it all. I’ve never felt this powerfully about any other place. And again the view taught me quiet and powerful lessons impossible to describe.

And there was healing in the thoughts of family, home, heritage, and a loving Creator.

And then I walked down the hill and we drove away from my own personal Walden Pond, resolved to live with more simplicity, more faith, and greater effort to find joy.

Tanks Ablaze

The competitors

As a warm-up for July 4th the next day, Paul and Care invited us to Tank Wars at their house. After dinner, Paul shared his fireworks and we doctored up some tanks so they had some real power. Here, the competitors assembled for the carnage…

Timothy and Mark's tanks

They proudly displayed their arsenals.

Paige and Mom's arsenal

Paige and I even prepared some Barbie Carnage Tanks.

Timothy reacts

It was dearly entertaining to watch the reactions of the kids…

Mark reacts

This was Mark’s first experience with fireworks. He was mesmerized.

Ruby and Timothy react

It was loud, but most of the kids watched from the edge of the curb, which is as close as we would let them sit.

Solomon reacts

Cutie Solomon was amazed.

Paige and Ruby

Ruby and Paige were less impressed, but found some things to chat about.

Isaac "likes smoke"

Isaac confessed, “I like smoke!” as he chased it down the street.

Ammon reacts

Ammon was just happy to be there.

Charlotte reacts

Charlotte blew patriotic bubbles since she was too young to make a tank.

Tank Carnage

Tank Wars Day 1 was a fiery success. Tank Wars Day 2 took place at the Round House with even more competitors with a larger army of tanks. Installing that hornet rocket on my Big Mama Tank was definitely against my better judgment a great idea!

Hip, hip, Parade!

Parade 1

We drove 14 hours to attend Provo’s July 4th parade with cousins and family. You can’t beat a really good parade. Mom always loved the parade more than the kids. I’m finally getting it and I’m pretty sure I loved it more this year than I ever did before. Why?

Daniel in tree

…Because the parade gave Daniel a chance to climb a tree;

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I got to sit with my siblings and their families at the old TPM homestead on University Avenue, in a place so traditional that even Mayor Billings searched the crowd, mouthing the word, “Sanchez” to his daughters trying to find us from the convertible in which he sat for the parade.

4th of July Tank

We saw a tank in action. Now when do you ever get to see a tank rumbling down the road?

4th of July Missionary standing ovation

There was the standing ovation for the LDS Missionary float. I lifted Mark on my shoulders and he caught the excitement and waved to the missionaries with all his might.

Henry

Our nephew, Henry was in a band in the parade. So was his sister, Katie.

Why do I love a parade more than ever? Well, it’s all about beautiful things; it celebrates youth, honors old age, and makes me feel patriotic and reminds me of my childhood. That’s something to get excited about.

Wondershirts

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So, I have this embroidery machine that really makes me happy and Michael’s had t-shirts on sale for $2.50 so it was determined that we will have Embroidered Wondershirts for the 4th of July parade. (The parade, by the way, that we are driving 14 hours to see…and it had better just be “partly cloudy” as forecasted.)

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Luckily, Michael’s also had the essential Pop Rocks available, too. Ahh, the simple pleasures of July 4th traditions!

Sarah Sees Sahuarita

Bryan and Sarah at the lake

Yesterday, Sarah and Bryan had a Sahuarita experience. We took them sight-seeing at the lake.

water lily blossom

We showed them “our” pond where a water lily was in bloom for the occasion.

tortoise ride

Daniel and Mark showed off the tortoises.

Mark runs free

And Mark enjoyed some freedom.

Daniel and Timothy puppeteers

In the evening after a meal of fajitas and watermelon, we embarked on adventures in entertainment. Audience admission was a slot to perform in our talent show. Richard played piano, Paige danced (on film), Daniel played piano, Timothy produced, directed, and acted in a Potato Head Puppet Show, Sarah sang an awesome solo, and I played the guitar and as we all sang together.

Bryan on the harmonica

Bryan gifted us with his debut harmonica performance. Nicely done, man!

We like to Move It

Mark’s talent was all about dance, running, and a basketball. He then got us all moving to one of his favorite songs, I Like To Move It…

We Moved It some More

And then we were all on our feet, dancing despite the storm outside…

Defying Gravity

And suddenly my hair defied gravity and for this and many other reasons, I call the day a success.

Newlyweds

Thanks for giving us a reason to celebrate, you two.

Cause for Celebration

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Our Tomato vines produced their first ripe tomato! It was cause for celebration.

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The kids and I spent some time setting up a nice table under a big tent in our back yard.

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We prepared a Mexican food feast with homemade salsa, guacamole, and fruit salad…

First Tomato Party 005 and desserts…

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Susie came, too.

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We enjoyed our dinner together outside.

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When it got dark, the lanterns lit up our night.

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We spread out the blanket and we listened to an audio book outside and tried not to think about possible rattlesnake attacks in the grass (Thus explains the psychotic look on my face…)

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Good night.

Reminisce with me

Confession: I read Reminisce magazine. Cover to cover every time. I have to pace myself so I don’t engulf it all at once. Sometimes I cheat and read from the back… just the small articles, so it doesn’t seem like I’m reading ahead.

Which leads me to ask, “Of what value is my craze for the past?” and, “From what source does this interest come?”

As to the value, I guess my nostalgia is part of my character. It’s part of who I am. I celebrate small moments. I appreciate the details of people’s lives. In addition, my sweet memories are a comfort to me.

During the times when I was sick and in pain and during the 3 summers punctuated by surgeries, I retreated to some of those memories and places from my past to get through it all.

I think I have always enjoyed the company of my grandparents because I was naturally interested in their past. I truly appreciate the deep friendship I have with my Grandma Ruth. She is the one who surprised me with a subscription to this magazine. I have 30 years worth of letters from her. Once she called me when I was in a bed in the emergency room because she couldn’t stop thinking about me. We tend to gravitate toward each other in our thoughts until one of us decides to just pick up the phone and see what’s going on. Our connection is a blessing to me.

Which leads me to the answer to the next question, “From what source does this interest come?” In truth, the deeper yearning that I have is not for the details of the past, but for the people. And love is a gift of God, and a desire to bless our ancestors is still another gift. Malachi promised in the last days that “[Elijah] shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” so the earth would not be cursed. This probably means many things, but to me, life is much sweeter, knowing the sacrifices made by my ancestors so I can live as I do. It also helps me want to be more diligent in my temple attendance so I can be a blessing to them.

Thanks for stopping by. And if during all my ramblings you have had a chance to reminisce on something happy, good for you! And extra points if you remember buying Smarties lollipops from the pharmacy up the street or a candy shop.

Jam

I made jam today. It tastes so good and it makes my family happy.

Mark’s 3rd Birthday

Our Mark turned 3 today, so we celebrated. This was one great day. Richard stayed home. We were all together. We watched the kids play and we ate cupcakes. Bliss.

First, Richard made waffles because Mark loves ’em. Then we headed off to the zoo. Mark wanted to see an alligator…you know, like a three year old wants something. Tigers, Lions, peacocks, giraffes, monkeys, tortoises all entertained us, but to Mark, it was just an endless search for an alligator. We kept searching, sure that we would come across an alligator eventually. It was around 100 degrees by 11:00 when we left the zoo.

But we did find something that at least looked like an alligator five minutes before we left. Anyone who has had a 3 year old can feel our joy at that discovery.

We sang Happy Birthday to Mark around 20 times. He loved it.

And every time we sang to him, he blew out his candle… until the wick disappeared and the wax melted into his cupcake.

In his prayer tonight, he said, “and thank thee for that we could have my birthday party at the zoo and and thank thee for that we could open my Dinoco present and thank thee for that we could open all my presents…”

We love you, Mark.

Amen.

Fathers and Sons

This weekend was our ward fathers and sons campout. We went to Parker Canyon Lake and had a great time! A little “boys only” time is good once in a while. Friday night we fished, swam, roasted hot dogs, and slept in our tent. Saturday morning we were up with the sun at 5:30 and had bacon, eggs, bacon, pancakes, and bacon. 🙂 We got some more fishing in along with a little canoe ride.

Timothy wins the prize for most fish caught. He caught two. That doubles the number of fish he’s caught in his life. Check out the variety: 1 catfish, 1 trout, and 2 bluegill.

Daniel wins the prize for most innovative. We only had one fishing pole so he went on a treasure hunt. By himself he found abandoned fishing line, sinkers, and a hook. He borrowed a worm from someone. He fished by dangling his line over the side of the dock and what do you know? He caught one! I wish I had a picture of his setup.Here are some pictures that I do have.