summer home

Sprinklers, shade trees, puppies and paint, gardens and flowers, cut grass and thunderstorms.

 That was how our summer was spent.. We've been in Alabama for a month now and are enjoying it here too (summer lasts longer here, as the leaves begin to change in the north) but are anxious to get back to this place we've adopted as our new home.

eclipsed

On May 20th we were driving through Yellowstone on our way from Utah to North Dakota. Knowing  we would be lucky to see any of it as far north as we were, we pulled over anyway to see what we could. If looking just to the side of the sun, we could see with our peripheral vision, the moon partially covering the sun. But even through different camera settings, this was all we could get.. just a fun picture. I tried to slow down the light intake to the sensor of the camera, otherwise this would have just looked like any other middle-of-the-day-picture.

Couple minutes after this, it got funner still when we saw a brown bear moseying through the woods. I'd show you a picture of it, but I can barely even see it with how far away it was. ha!

just call me Yenta

I remember hearing my mom say that line once upon a lifetime ago, it's stuck with me b/c I thought she was so clever drawing up my own memories of Fiddler on the Roof. Anyway... I am using it again, because 5 years ago... when Mark and I had just moved to Alaska, we went to a Stake Conference in our new area and saw a girl. This girl was pretty. This girl was spiritual. This girl was brave. We had to set up a date with Michael! I introduced myself to the cute girl who bore her testimony at the stake conference and decided to just be bold and ask after a conversation with her if she would ever go on a blind date, "cause I have this cute brother in law.." She was game! So here they are a couple weeks later:

And us.. yikes.

It went great. We all had a blast, with lots of laughs all around. Aimee was hysterical and played right along when Mark wanted to be the banker of his improv game of "Deal or No Deal?"

updated: picture mark found later last night after I posted this

Much to Michael's dismay, nothing much happened after that date. Mark said that he blew it for Michael. I laughed and said, "Probably." ha!

I remember Michael telling me that he had come up ready to leave knowing he had met The Girl. He had that much faith in our set up! What a sweet guy.. but it wasn't meant to be. Yet.

Fast Forward 4 years, and along comes Thanksgiving and Michael is asking me yet again :) if I have any single friends in Utah, and who he should ask on a date. I rattled off a couple that might be single, but then kept thinking about Aimee. I think I said something like, "I saw Aimee's on facebook again, have you thought about getting back in touch with her?" We eggshelled the idea for a few minutes and decided that I would be straight and ask her sister for Aimee's number so Michael could call her. That was the plan. Everything went smoothly; I got the number, sent it Michael in a matter of hours and walah! The strings were being pulled and the magic dust was beginning to swirl. After their Thanksgiving weekend date, Aimee was the one to call him the next day! I still remember how impressed and in awe Michael was with her. The magic dust was really twirling around them at this point, and everything just cruised right into May for the day they had decided would be their wedding date. Michael's Aimee had been won at long last!

facebook swipe

Even though she's sadly out of focus, Emmy is the reason for this picture.
She was SO in love with Michael and Aimee when they came out of the temple. 

Mark was just thrilled he hadn't ruined it for them after all. :)

swiped from Michael's friend Ashley's blog

Mont bestowed his wedding gift of a pretzel to each of them. 

The still wouldn't let them through, so Michael had to up the ante:

Off to honeymoon! 

Athens, Greece

Our last day and a half on our trip (rewinding back to June!), we were in Athens, Greece. I never expected to find myself there. And when I would think about going, what Athens would be like, it was not what we experienced. Movies make it blissful, charming, perfect; of course they do, they're movies. It was hot, muggy, crazy busy, pornography was all over the place, worse things were in shops on so many corners, and the government's chaos was a major part of what our tour guide wanted to tell us about (that last part was interesting though). If I ignore all that, I am left with the good: the history. That was what we were there for anyway. Tessa and I had a lot of fun with our time there. We took a bus tour early in the morning, on which the last stop was to the Acropolis - SO cool.. and SO blazing hot. When we were dropped off at our hotel, we decided we were hungry enough to venture out with a cab. We wanted American food.. it had been like 9 days after all. I unfolded the map of Athens across our coffee table and located a Hard Rock Cafe; much to my relief, Tessa loves those too.

We hailed a cab and in 8 minutes we were there. We ordered the Mediterranean Burger and nachos to share (it was all worthy of a big mmmmm). Looking at our iphones (connected to the Hard Rock's wifi), we took one last glimpse of the map before set off on our way. 25 minutes later, we were red hot and back in the air conditioned lobby. The next morning.. we packed up and began hopping flights to head back home.

Just like it began, it was over just like that. It was truly the trip of a lifetime, and I am so happy I got to take it with my best friend and sister. Till next time! (my hope never dies!)

doing my best

I read this quote today on another's blog and it hit home with how I am trying to live these days. Having two kids at the ages mine are, I am found laughing and smiling most of the time. Then there are those moments.. those 20 minute sections of time throughout the day that leave me wanting to pull my hair out as I try to bite my tongue. Whatever I do, Mont and Emmy remember it; for better or for worse. This realization came a long time ago, yet I am finally having to be that person I want to be, rather than just think about her.

When I get angry or upset over when Mont doesn't give Emmy a turn, or when one of them snatches a toy from the other, they remember that, and when they are the 'victim,' they think it's appropriate to raise their voice and grab their arm. When I see them do that to one another it slows me down and my heart sinks.

Kneeling down, I hold their hands, and show them what I mean for them do. I tell them to speak softly. I show them how to hold the other's face, or hand, or how to hug without the strangle hold. They are such sweet little things, children are. They make me a better person for helping me see my own faults. They help me appreciate the small things in life, like grasshoppers climbing siding, or robins in the morning grass. My children point out the wild and the interesting, the hurtful and the frightening, and also the fun and enjoyment that can be had while waltzing along to a tune we've heard a million times.

Someday, these days will only be memories. Someday, these moments will be longed for. Someday I will ache to hear Mont crying for "Momma" down the hall when my head just barely hits the pillow. One day I will remember the splashing in the tub that wet the floor before the towels could dry it. The battles at every meal will one day be long gone, and I'll be left with quiet and with peace.

I'm already nervous for that peace and for that quiet. I'm enjoying these days too greatly, and I'm afraid for them to end.

Grandpa Benson, Mark's namesake and beloved grandfather passed away this past Sunday evening in his home in his white Sunday shirt. He is now an angel, whom I like to think will check in on our home as I believe my own grandfather to do, and become one who might watch over our little ones.

The full talk that the quote was found from can be found right here. I am so grateful to be a mother, what a blessing it is. I've been thinking these thoughts for a good while now, as I see around me how fragile this life can be. It is very delicate, and things can change in an instant. Mothering is my calling now, and I want to enjoy it entirely, and make the best influence on my children as possible. It is a daunting task, but one I want to walk straight into, with my head held high. Encouraging words like the quote above help me do just that; thank goodness for Heavenly strength and assistance. Alone, I wouldn't stand a chance.

an ode to summer

I love these short videos by Kinfolk. The slow, uncomplicated pace of day to day; reminders to be still and enjoy the calm. Quiet is not always present, but when it is, I love to take it in. 

seedless red raspberry jam

I turned those fresh raspberries into something even more delicious and sugary.. seedless red raspberry jam. I was so certain the jar wouldn't seal because as I was lifting the jar out of the boiling pot of water, it slipped and clattered onto the stovetop. I was just relieved that the jar didn't break!

Everything about the directions I was reading had the word "exact" in bright red and bold lettering every where there were measuring directions, or boiling times, etc. ... I think I must have gotten lucky because my sugars and pectin measuring was anything but exact.

When I looked at the jar 30 minutes from the time I finished, I was pleasantly surprised that the jar had sealed; though, sad I missed that little musical pop. Next time.. I will listen more carefully. Next time will hopefully be this week.

raspberry fields

Earlier last week we went along with some friends to a raspberry field, where we picked plenty of decadent red raspberries. Mont followed me into the rows, then ran right back out and stopped on the grass, turned around and said, "I'm getting dirty!" he's not usually like this, so I reassured him, "That's okay! It's okay to get dirty!" Kids are so whacky.

Emmy didn't love it at first either, but she got comfortable enough, picking and throwing berries (like she would see me do with the bad ones/buggy ones). After a few rows she decided to just plop her backside down and play with sticks and mud. Mont got in on the berry action too, but I soon lost his interest to a nerf gun and older kids.. that was okay, he was all giggles and sprints.

We made away with two pint-sized boxes an felt pretty good about that! Just $6 for all that fun. Now that I've done something with them, I better get back for some more! I hope to stock up on jam for the winter.