A walk on the greens...

As I got off work yesterday I checked in with the teenager at home who working on projects around the house for me... and he was finishing up about the same time and then headed out to play a round of golf (big surprise). So I asked if I could tag along and walk the course with him, since I needed to add some extra walking into my training for our Wyoming pioneer handcart trek and conditioning out in the heat etc. Much to my surprise he agreed.

So I got to be "flag girl".

One might think this would be a leisurely casual walk, but just keeping up with a 6'3" stride is a very fast pace for me, but on top of that he got his father gene's and has to do everything a "mach V" speed including getting from one hole to the next, so it was almost an all out sprint for the 1st 5 holes for me.

I didn't complain, and just caught my breath while he was golfing.
After all, that was why I went... to get the exercise.

Then we caught up to some older gentlemen golfers, and the teenager loves meeting new people on the golf course, so he asks them if he can join with them... they were super nice and welcomed him in. He is so good about introducing himself and shaking their hands. It is neat to see him growing up into a man. He has all the confidence in the world on the golf course and no inhibitions at all!

The two men step back and let him go first, he sets up his ball, goes through his lining up routine, then sets his club pulls back his swing and crushes it! I almost laughed out loud at the sounds that came from these two men... it was gasps, then oooos, then elation to see the ball landing right up on next to the green!
I think that might be part of why Jacob likes to play with new people... the shock and awe
has to be a real confidence booster :)That is something I love about golf, everyone routes for each other, you can compete and still be really happy to see another player do well. It was so neat as "the mom" to kind of stand back and just let him play his game, see him interact and how kind he was to his elders, and just watch how "in his element" he is on the golf course. I hope he always loves it this much!

Jacob loved this guys golf bag... it was a light skinny little old school bag that held like 3 clubs and he put it on a light weight roller cart. Just perfect for him to manage by himself.

I guess when you have played as long as him, you really can narrow it down to the basics so you don't have to pack around all that weight!

They had played 18 holes that day and when we finished up and said our goodbyes, they said they were headed back to their apartments for lemonade and air conditioning and a nap.

So cute!

Happy 3rd Blogiversary!

I can't believe I have had my blog for 3 years. Time has gone by so fast especially in relation to the teenager... but I will admit some weeks are slow in regards to posting. The first two years everything seemed to be new news... so many things I had never journaled before. It was such a great way to pull my family closer and nearer to our everyday lives. But the 3rd year was tougher, I really had to reach inside and remember why I keep this journal.

I had to remind myself that tracking helped me to progress.

By keeping track of my life, I can look back and make changes to the things that I want to improve.

There are some priceless times of everyday life that I just don't want to forget about.

There are moments in time, I just want to cherish over and over and over again, so that I don't forget how sweet the joy can be.

I love how reflecting on journal posts later later help me to see myself closer to the way others might, and that helps me to grow in humility.

I love having a place to keep photos in order and safe.

I love my blog, it is hard work, it takes dedication, it takes some commitment... I am glad it doesn't keep track of how many times I have re-designed it, or rearranged it... and I can't believe it has been so long since my last re-do... time to move furniture again.

4th of July 2010...

It was a pretty quiet Fourth of July for us, especially since it fell on a Sunday this year.

Probably my favorite part of the day was singing The Star Spangled Banner at church, I loved that they had us stand to sing it. I think we should stand to sing all hymns, but I don't have kids to wrestle either.

We made some homemade ice cream, my first attempt at black licorice which was pretty good, not great, but good... and the teenager made some chocolate, which would have been super good except his last minute decision to put chocolate chips in it which accidentally turned it into chocolate chips with a little ice cream around it; it was pretty much wrecked, but a very small batch and he ate it anyway. I didn't have any charcoal briquettes so instead of the traditional grilled food, we had meatloaf and mashed potatoes and gravy.

I am so lame on traditions sometimes... but I felt good to have made a home cooked meal for my boys since I didn't have any church meetings (rare occasion these days)... so it was a personal victory for me.

Then since the boys didn't want to go watch fireworks anywhere... I spotted a few from the back porch. It really requires a tripod to get a good shot, but I managed to get something to remember the day and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy in this country.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!