Klondike weekend...

Yesterday afternoon, the teenager met with his scout leaders to head out for their annual klondike camp out in the snow. It's his favorite camp out of the year!

Because he loves it so much, he doesn't want anyone to miss out on getting to go... so he calls everyone and waits and waits to make sure they all have the opportunity to go even if it is at the last minute, if he can reach them. Bless his heart, he lives "the more the merrier" concept his whole life not having any siblings to have to share or fight with, it has just become part of who he is. It's a very endearing quality, I love about him.

45 min later, they are finally all packed up and get to head up to camp!
He gave me a big ol' hug even in front of all his scouting friends... I love this kid. I could tell, he was so excited and wanted all the boys going to have a great time; I think he took it on as his own personal mission to make sure they did.

When I got home, I had no particular plans. I am thinking it was a good thing I didn't go out.

Because all the dogs were in trauma mode... two emotional good byes, two bags packed and out the door within 2 days.

They were clingy needy puppies by the time I got back to them.Morgan is kind of a drama queen and gives these big ol' loving hugs; like she has been mistreated and nobody loves her. Dipping her head almost upside down pushing against me hoping I will wrap both my arms around her and pull her in close and tight and never let her go, and only love her and no other dogs in the house.

And Taylor has the sad puppy dog eyes down, and lays her head as close to my chin as she can get it... letting out big ol' puppy sighs waiting for her hugs too. She doesn't move an inch, and watched me eat my Popsicle every lick and bite without flinching a muscle, secretly hoping I would let her lick the stick when I was done, like her Dad ALWAYS does.

I know I rarely get pictures of Rudy, but he is a "blanket hound" and burrows under anything that resembles a blanket and is pretty happy as a clam, until someone rings the doorbell.

It was a quiet night, my bed was full of these needy dogs, but it was quiet.

This morning my bff called me and asked what I was doing... the only one who would really understand and not judge me when I told her I was laying in bed blogging... he he he.

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Also quite possibly the only one, for whom I would leap out of bed and be ready to go out the door in less than 30 min. to go to the Temple with.

She confessed she really didn't want to drag herself out of the house in the freezing cold either, but when I said "yes" she was committed.

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We decided on the way home, it was neither of us being motivated, it was my great aunts; two of my grandmothers sisters that we did ordinances for today. They must have been so excited, and pushing us to be so motivated this morning.

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I am so grateful for the help and comfort we receive from those who have gone to heaven before us. I have felt their love so many times, and I am so thankful for Temples and the peace we can feel there.

I am also really grateful for friends who live their lives close to the spirit and follow the promptings of that still small voice.

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The teenager made it home safe and sound... no injuries or lost scouts, and he had a total blast!

A good time was had by all!

Date with the teenager...

Thursday night was my one night alone with the teenager, so I told him we would go out to dinner. I was thinking something kind of special, like a date night with him. He knew just where he wanted to go...

Dairy Queen... What? No.

I tried to convince him and talk him into many other choices, but apparently he had thought long and hard, and he loved their french fries. There was no changing his mind.

So we went to DQ.

My friend Krista took us there one time when they came home to visit just for french fries, and I think he has remembered that ever since. We even talked about them, I haven't kept in touch and now I have to track her down and call her. Good times.

We had a nice time, but he seemed distracted. When we got home, he changed clothes and was off to play basketball with them men at the church.

I knew I didn't have his undivided attention. Places to go, people to see, things to do... my teenager is growing up and breaking away, just as he is supposed to.

I am so thankful he is choosing places that are good environments, people that he can look up to, and things that are good for him to help him grow.

I "heart" bread...

I love my visiting teaching partner, and just as I suspected from the beginning, it has been so awesome getting to know her better. She is so grounded, she thinks logical when I am feeling all scatter brained (what a blessing), she is very very kind hearted, and she is so genuine. I could tell she was accomplished in the kitchen (I secretly have been wanting to pop in while she is canning... I can tell she has lots of great wisdom there I will want to glom onto), but I didn't know that she made amazing bread until I was responsible for transporting it!

So lucky for everyone involved in this transport, that she is thoughtful and sent some for my family, or the one I was delivering would not have made it to it's destination... I am serious! Before I could even get in the car with it, the smell filled the air and was heavenly.

It was all wrapped up on it's own board the same perfect size as the loaf, and the smell, oh my dear, it was more than I could take. I quickly dropped off the loaf for deliver, and rushed home, knocking all dogs and boys out of my way to get to a knife and butter! It tasted as amazing as it smelled. And before I could even get a picture, it was more than half way gone. Sooooo good! Better than good, it was amazing!!!!

I can not bake bread, it never turns out, it's always a rock!
I have tried tons of recipes. I even have a bread machine. The same results... rock like substance.

I have almost given up, but this bread gives me a glimmer of hope to try one more time. I begged for the recipe even before I tasted it, it was just so beautiful. I hope I can do it the same justice and learn to make it. I have to have this again. I am already dreaming about it and it's only been a little over 24 hours. It was really that good.

How will I be able to say thank you? She may never really know.
She has a brand new home, and hasn't hung pictures or curtains yet, it was something her Mom always came and did with her. I can relate, my Mom is the one who hangs the pictures in my home too. She doesn't have her Mom here anymore, so maybe that will be something I can do with her... maybe we can make an afternoon of it with her daughters and learn to do the picture thing on our own. (Sorry Mom, I am not firing you, but I don't want to be left not being able to do it for myself one day, we have to nurture this art of making our homes feel homey and pass it down to our children). Our homes are our temples too.

I love growing friendships, especially when they include bread!
Thanks Alison... your amazing!

No Boys Allowed...

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man left this morning for Portland on business. I am not conditioned for this at all, he never has to go on trips for work. So even though I have known about it for months, I was pretty much in denial until we had to say goodbye this morning.

I was choking back the tears as I got my hugs and kisses. He asked if I was crying because I was going to miss him, or because I was going to be stuck with the teenager all by myself?

We joke about how much the kid makes us pull our hair out, and what a rotten high maintenance child he is... but the truth is, he is a good kid. He is fun to be around. Most of the time he has positive output, and good energy. He makes me laugh. He sings and dances around the house. He makes funny faces and weird annoying, but funny sounds. And honestly our lives would truely be lost without him.

So I am really looking forward to some time alone with him tonight. We will have a special dinner together.
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Then he will abandon me on Friday when he goes off camping with the scouts for their annual Klondike (camping in the snow). I am still in denial about this one too... as it is always so much easier to send him off when his Dad is up there with him to watch over and keep him safe. This time, he will go it on his own and I have to have all the faith I can muster. I have had to turn off the news because of the many missing hikers, snow shoers, and skiers that have been lost these past 2 weeks. Turned off to the point that I totally missed ground hog day! What? I don't know how that got by me?

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This all leads up to me being... Home Alone! I haven't always handled these moments alone well, then I learned the power of painting rooms, but now that just seems exhausting, I think I will enjoy some bubble bath time and sleeping in and snuggling with the pooches, catching up on the house cleaning, and maybe finding a new book to read!

And most of all NO boys to mess up the kitchen and leave dirty socks on the floor.

This weekend I will cherish...

Please feed the bears/missionaries…

One of my most favorite things is feeding the missionaries.

(I want a sign that says Please Feed the Missionaries, to put out when they come over!)

It's just great to have them in our home, and feel of the spirit they bring with them. It is a great example to have around my teenager!

And because they come from all over, from all different parts of the world, in all walks, shapes and sizes, it's just neat to get to know them and have personal time with them.

The missionaries serving in our ward now, are from Atlanta and Canada (so we talked about everything from boiled peanuts to hockey).

Even though it was their personal day, they still had an appointment after dinner so we didn't get any extra time with them to play games :( These missionaries just keep getting busier and busier... not much extra time off, I guess the Lords work must go on. They are so wonderful to be so diligent at it! I am grateful for the missionaries and the way in which they live their lives to be worthy, and to follow the inspirations from the Lord. I cherished the time that we did have with them, and sent them on their way.

I am so mad I didn't think to get pictures, the missionary from Canada is 6'8", so Jacob wants to be that tall when he grows up now (it's always good to have a goal huh!)

I did remember to get them to sign our guest book.

(last signatures in it were September 08... I am so forgetful... and it's right by the door!!!!)

And the pups were exhausted when they left... I love all the the half mast sleepy eyes, they just crack me up!

SPT ~ I love it when you...

SPT ~ I love it when you...

(my own self portrait photo to be posted later... found this one, I really like it, but misses the whole point of self portraits)

(here is my own photo, not as young and cute without the age spots like the one I found on the internet, but it's our hands!)

To my strong silent mysterious man:

I love it when you hold my hand!

(The exclamation point, because I really love it!!)

Working in the greasy dirty world of mechanics you were always conscious of the long lasting effects of the grease that would permeate every ridge print on your hands.

When the teenager was really small, he loved bath time, it was such a fun experience to play in the bathwater with him and get him out and towel him off. Such precious moments, I recognized them as such even way back then. Of all the wonderful things you did with him when he was little, you would never do bath time with him... one day I tried to force you in there. You explained that because your hands would leave greasy little black fingerprints (no matter how many times you cleaned them... it was embedded) on his pure clean little body, you wouldn't, you just couldn't. I admired that you wanted to, but you respected his precious clean perfect skin, and didn't want it to be dirty. What symbolism that holds for me today.

Now that you don't work in the deep greasy mechanics of your job. Your hands have slowly been rid of the black in the grooves. You have begun to hold my hand more and more.

I love it!

I love your touch.

I love how thoughtful you are when you hold my hand.

I love it when you reach for my hand.

I love it that you want to.

I love how secure and safe it makes me feel.

love all that it says without saying a word.

I love to feel your strength in your hands.

I love to feel the energy in your hands.

When you hold my hand I feel happy inside.

♫ "I wanna hold your hand" ♫