8.24.20 A weekend runaway/family reunion

The family is of God. It is my primary focus and daily work. This weekend we took a rare opportunity to run to Twin Falls to visit with family and celebrate our 99th member a new bride for grandchild #4 Corey. Isn't that awesome 99 people in a family. These two are number 64 and 66. Newel and Merle. 

Breakfast the first morning. I love all the action and all the visiting. We love to chat. 

Anna got the flower arranging job. Addie helped by harvesting some greenery outside to help add some distinction to the bouquets. 

After Addie had her hair done for the day I couldn't pass up the chance to capture these two looking so similar. Aunt Denise and Addie. 

A random shot of the kids just playing and enjoying the beautiful summer day. 

I hope we have a lot more of these get togethers. It is so refreshing and important to strengthen each other, to relax, and to celebrate covenants made and families starting. Family is good. 

Bruce enjoying the balloons removed and shared from inside the groom's cool car. 

I love that kids rotate holding babies, playing, talking, helping. I love that Greg's Aunts are always available. This time I was consumed with babies of my own and soaking up conversations. It was so relaxing to be together and away from our troubles on the farm. 

It was also uncle Matt's birthday the horde around was super happy to help with that leftover wedding/birthday cake. 

The two hosts Kevin's house and cooking Kristi's party. 

A friendly football game. Notice even Bruce got to play. I so appreciate that the uncles are willing to play. The hard working dads rested for a change letting their tired bodies recouperate and recharge inside. 

Of course the day was rounded out by some target practice. Again facilitated by fun Uncles. 

Some weer tuckered out and some just didn't want them to miss out. This is Brenda's beautiful little Viv trying to wake sleepy Lia. 

Almost all the little boys waiting for dinner. Oldest is Reed at 10 youngest here is Jeddy Flake age 2. Bruce has been begging all day to go back and play with his cousins. 

 A normal weekend, traditions upheld bonds strengthened and renewed. Lessons learned, heads lifted and hands lightened. It's always good to get away and it's great to come home. All had a good time and were encouraged to keep on keeping on. It is far more important to be a family than hide alone. Even with the possibility of getting sick the love and unity that we felt is more important. Life is good and we are blessed. 

8.19.20 More rodents

The kids found this near their garden a while back. Yuck! But I do much prefer dead rodents to alive ones. A juvenile pack rat we think. 

The garden has produced a lot of vegetables. Tomatoes and beets, carrots today, corn, zuchinni, green peppers, and green beans. Yum Yum! These kiddos have been persistent and working on weeding and cultivating almost everyday this extended summer break. 

We went to visit a dear gardening friend and her daughters shared their pet guinea pigs. More rodents. The kids love them I stay back and try to ignore they are petting giant gopher like animals. 

And my two big helpers. Love these two. They have grown so much this year emotionally and mentally along with physically they are becoming reliable skilled helpers. 

 As we work through the year we are now at canning season we are also attempting home school. These two plus Afton are my main focus this week, they are doing well and we are adatping to learning together. The toddlers are much more difficult to manage than the baby on top of the school requirements. I'm happy with the curriculum and happy with their progress and abilities.

 I got word today that after months of waiting and testing I am just lumpy in my throat I have no signs of cancer. I am beyond relieved. This has been an very physically challenging four months for me but now with the all clear we will proceed on free from worry and fear and tackle the next task at hand. Life is good. 

8.13.20 Angel cake

We scored and got some eggs for about  65 cents a dozen. Therefore we have a lot of eggs and the plain old scrambled preparation gets old. Looking for a new eating style and looking to challenge the cook she tried making angel food cake from scratch. First cake she did alone almond flavor it was great! I mixed the second cake thinking i knew better with coconut flavor. Her cake consistency was better mine was more to our taste preference. 

Nice consistency if a bit heavy for angel food cake it was sill delirious and devoured! She is not happy to have her picture taken.

Lia loved getting to scrape the remains those tasty overdone parts that are just right! I was struck by the simple joy of it all. 

 

This summer has been an roller coaster ride waiting to know the future. From political events to personal health concerns it's been quickly up and down and then settle in to wait. I'm thankful beyond relieved that so far in all the tests and waiting, life looks to be pretty normal for the foreseeable future. The word cancer was a big question mark. I'm pretty hopefull and so far all signs indicated that is not the case. There is something to be gained from pondering if life is radically changing. 2 years ago when I had a similar experience while pregnant with Lia and was told she or I might not make it. It was similarly frightening and surreal. This time it was less panic and more worry. Today I see these small moments, bits of success, and general life as blessings we can be so normal. Boring is good! And we will thank God and all the angels that attend us, that for now we can just do our routine and enjoy some fresh homemade angel cake. 

8.12.20 Full circles and Canning Beans

I am blessed with a full house. For most of my married life, I have either been pregnant or taking care of a young baby. That means my hands are usually full and I spend a lot of time preparing food, feeding picky kids, then cleaning up their creative messes. I like canning because it shows accomplishment. I like feeling secure because we have what we need. I like the taste of home canned produce. 

However, I get tired of the mess. I get discouraged with the enormity of such a huge process that has to happen in a short amount of time. I get sore from the contortions and the physical exertion required to  k,yut rhgfvbn complete the process in those short windows of time. I feel strong when I am done but I feel anxious while I am working through it. 

15 years ago, I had only 3 children and was pregnant with my 4th. My oldest was 3. I was attempting to can what we needed. The first step to canning, thankfully for so many years my dad has taken care of the planting, watering and weeding of the plants, is picking. I was out in the patch with my young crew picking beans. I may have shed a tear or two wondering how I would ever get enough picked to make it worth my time to can. My visiting teachers were over 75. They were spunky tough women who had conquered much harder tasks than picking beans with toddlers. I had mentioned to one what I was going to be doing that day. Those spry older sisters showed up and picked beans with me for an hour. We visited and they shared my load and lightened it considerably. They said with smiles they had a great time picking. I did too. That act has stayed with me over the years of truly meeting someone's need when they really needed it. I've tried to do that too, but most often just come up short. 

This year has been a fight emotionally and physically to get through the beans. We did it though and after several reprimands and showing of just plain grit we were done and our shelves were full. Addie washed everything and put it away yesterday.

Last night a text came from my sister the Relief Society president. She informed me that a lady who has a three month old baby just had a terrible day- where one older son accidentally burned another brother and the beans had to go. I offered to can those beans knowing it would be easy for my crew. But then I stopped to think that maybe those beans were old and we should just pick her some new. So since our dinner was exceedingly late due to procrastination on the cooks part, we went to pick beans. And with each sharp exclamation of dislike and long pause of visiting instead of picking, we picked more beans!  We came home with a lot of beans, and when I saw the good condition of her beans realized we had worked enough to share. 

So we canned her 30 quarts of beans and then some more, and then some more for us. I began to loose steam physically so we also donated beans to the local food pantry. We are blessed to be able to share. Because -while we were sharing our time, a ward member was helping Greg with a very CHALLENGING diagnostic problem that has had Greg flummoxed for weeks. 

Finally between the two of them, and because of all Greg had already tried, repaired, and studied they found the solution to be pretty easy. But because of all the challenges of modern engineering my mechanic/engineer husband could not find the next step. This ward member and friend was fresh eyes and now after a few hours consultation the problem is found and the solution is close at hand.

So the circle of service and sharing talents or abilities continues. Not everyday am I found serving someone outside my home while we are likewise being served. As I age, I'm able to payback some of the generous gifts I was given when younger. Having a large crew means we can accomplish a lot, although to do so is a full frontal battle with only a one-woman opposing army called Mom. This is not trench warfare here, rather straight up British head-on-charge. The mom cannot fall or claim defeat they have to keep charging. No matter the snideness, laziness, reluctance, and or hiding/playing/sleeping encountered. 

This lesson of the green beans and pickup is the result of many prayers of frustration, desperation, and hope that were offered. The answer came through others being able and willing to serve. We are so sincerely blessed to have each other. The forced government policies of no contact are evil. People are made to be together, loving, and helping each other. Sometimes we need help and sometimes we give help. I am thankful for both, and thankful for beans which add comfort and peace to a home. Life is good. 

8.11.20 Summer cousin fun

We are fortunate to have spent some time with our cousins this summer. They have fun houses and are a different scene than our own yard. How thankful we are for their invitations and patience. My dad celebrated his birthday with a family swim party. Of course he swam. Interesting that he went swimming with his very modest and reserved (at least to me) parents. My kids awe people as most Saunders proceeding my children do not know how to swim. 

Most swam but some did not, it is just so pleasant right now the weather is under 100 and is just begging to be enjoyed. 

The younger girls there are a lot of them, and they are friends. WE shop at the same stores and have matching swimwear on a couple of the girls. I love that they have such a good time together. 

Another evening we went to the reservoir and played in the water behind motor boats and on boats we could paddle or just float on. 

And the older girls discussing who knows what? Probably just relaxing. 

 Life is good in all this social distancing and isolation talk we are fortunate to be together with family quite often. Simple joys make for a pretty great day. I've been reading about places of retreat and fortifying armies and hearts. I like to think that these activities and friendships fall into those categories. 

8.10.20 Harvest time

My phone showed me memories from each year I've been using the google photos app and sure enough each year we are preserving garden produce. I have pictures of the older kids also cutting beans. Year by year August is full of harvesting! I'm thankful for gardeners and farmers who allow me to keep teaching my children the confidence of self-reliance and completing big jobs!! There is a lot of work involved in growing, picking, and then preserving food for the coming year but with the effort comes the assurance of satisfaction and having enough, also that you can take care of your needs. 

That is not to say that anyone is especially excited to pick and preserve or pull weeds but they have come to accept the season and find joy in parts. Movies while snapping, rewards for work, lots of tasty eating both while picking and later, and added bonus this year spending time with cousins while picking. The same cousin, Natalie, happily serenaded us for hours she's a cutie. And her gracious parents picked a lot of beans for us. Mr. Merle Man limited my ability this year coupled with a nasty case of mastits this canning weak was an effort of sheer will. 

Lovely early tomatoes from a most generous friend. We blended them and made pots of sauce. Oh the smell is divine. 

And work almost complete. Now to wash, label, and place on the waiting shelves. 

Reeds first harvest of corn to our house. Ambrosia deliciousness. Planted by hand, weeded and watered by the same hands. Picked, shucked and devoured by more hands. Summer is a delight, we ocupled this with fresh picked zuchinni, farm raised steak and some melons. Food doesn't get much more real and tasty than that. 

Food always taste better when you work for it. This today instead of just diving in the pivot had a flat tire that had to be fixed. My young crew has grown muscles, ability and agility and gamely fixed that tire in about half the time of previous years. It makes a difference to have more muscle.

While Greg and I advance in age and aches these younger ones also advance in strength and energy. It's a nice/hard balance. Greg did come in dirtiest of all so maybe he did most of it. But truly we are so thankful for the crew we call ours. They are truly the reason we are able to and chose to farm. 

Another summer tradition caramel butter pecan ice cream. Yum when it's hot and the day has been long nothing is better before bed. 

 So our summer rolls on the same and different as before. We are thankful for the blessings that are ours and thankful to continue learning and instilling simple traditions into this eternal circle called family life. With buckets and buckets of ice cream, we are rich and life is good!

8.9.20 Yardsales!!

I've been working to do some fun stuff with the younger bunch. I saw a post on facebook for a large garage sale. Garage sales were magical to me when I was a kid, unknown treasures abounded along with freedom to look at all kinds of beauties I had never dreamed of beforehand. Thus, I suggested we check it out on Saturday. The kids were excited yet innocent to the garage sale experience. Prior to attending we picked tomatoes and shared them with friends. We gave some to grandma Lasley who has an amazing collection of dolls. Livy loves to look at those lovely ladies. She stated she was going to get a doll at the sale. I cautioned her that she probably wouldn't be able to find a doll like grandmas but you never know. When we arrived I gave each child a dollar and told them to look before deciding. They wondered the tables wide eyed and dreaming of what would be best. 

My mom was there to help herd and we didn't loose anyone or break anything! They each found what they dearly wanted shown below. 
Reed found bags of cars and a bag of toy soldiers complete with a toy tank. I have been looking for some special toys for homeschool time. This was a major score. 

True to form Livy found a special pretty doll!  I found the shorts she's wearing modest, comfortable, and the right price. I love garage sales!

My maternal grandfather ws an especially great yardsaler. He helped outfit my older kids with toys and clothes for most of their young years. He had an especial knack for finding deals and great buys. 

 Millie got a clock radio which she was so pleased plays music. I found all three girls later in their room chilling listening to 80's rock music. Millie was hanging over the edge of her bed swinging her ponytail in pure delight. It was such a funny scene, but being the mom and not wanting to encourage raucous music in my home I told them to change the station and turn it down. 

Afton found a writing pad of paper she is so anxious and hopeful to learn all that her older sisters know. This makes me have hope for teaching her, hopefully she will learn quickly and easily! She also found a crown which she happily wears occasionally.

I also found some pants and a new tv/vcr combo that has proved essential for canning green beans. The jeans were a great find as Reed's pants just needed to be trashed. So now the girls watch for yard sale signs and want to check each one out. My grandparents would be pleased to see their bargain hunting legacy passed on.