Toasted Marshmallows and WHAT???

We went over to some friends for "treats by the fire".

(I can't really call it a smores party, I'm converted... keep reading)

I think I want some big rocks now, to build a fire pit in my back yard.
It was so fun hanging out...

The kids loved getting together and playing while the fire got to "roasting stage"...
including "the teenager"...

who had them doing tricks so they could see themselves on the camera. A whole new game invented right on the spot!
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I was so happy he went with me... I just wanted to get out of the house, and my strong silent mysterious man was so tired; he went to bed early.

They had stuff for smores... YUM!

I was really happy that years ago, my brother taught me how to make the perfect marshmallow, even though I don't have the patients to make it perfect... I like them anyway, except charcoaled.

But still I know the secret to a golden brown one!

Thanks Ralph, not everyone has an appreciation, but I still do :)

And she had peanut M&M's to stuff in the middle of a marshmallow for a fun variation!

And get this... roasted Starbursts!!!

I didn't pay too close attention in science class; but I was pretty sure a starburst would melt off the stick and fall in the fire.

What a recipe for disaster when you have a group of small kids... can't you see the obvious outcome of tired children losing a much awaited treat into the scary hot flames of fire... that just spelled TEARS to me... and LOTS of them!!!

But NO, to my surprise, they were yummy... and end up (when you let them cool to the perfect temperature as not to burn the skin off the roof of your mouth) a little soft and creamy on the inside with an almost crisp, but not crunchy outter skin... YUMMMMY!!!

It's my new favorite fire roasting treat... I did have to make a regular ol' smore just to make sure... but yep, I went right back to the roasted starbursts.

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And they are not messy at all.

So much fun, learned something new, hung out with my teenager without yelling at him. I know that sounds bad, but he has really been testing the separation into adulthood thing lately... it's challenging when he still lives at home and we have our own set of rules, THAT HAVEN'T CHANGED SINCE HE GOT HERE 18 YEARS AGO!!

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Oh what a fun night out... I need that!

Thank you to our "Duck" family friends!!

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They are big Oregon Duck fans; and I thought I might get beat up when Mom pointed out I was wearing a Washington Husky shirt (the enemy)... but their little girl liked the "doggie/wolf" on my shirt, it was cute... so I was safe!

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And congratulations, they are expecting a new baby girl duckling in January, Yay!

Bragging Rights...

Meet my niece, Hailey she is an amazing song writer and has a beautiful voice!

And I am so jealous how well she plays the guitar too!!

(you should hear her on the piano.... over the top WOW!!!

Very talented young woman!)

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I am so proud of her, and happy I can finally use one of my "bragging right tokens" as her aunt, on my blog... go check her out on YouTube at "Sometimes We Sing", and see for yourself!

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http://www.youtube.com/user/sometimeswesing

Happy Anniversary...

August 30th was the 7th Anniversary of our second wedding.

I was secretly hoping to not have to cook.

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man is always so nice to take me out for our anniversaries. We missed getting to celebrate that way together this year, so I will have to take advantage of a rain check later, when I really need a dinner break.

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I have so many good memories from that day 7 years ago and what it meant to have our family back together. It was a very big leap of faith for all of us. Would we be able to forgive? Had we changed our course direction enough to be able to build our lives on a different foundation? Was the love we shared enough to survive any trials we would inevitably face in the future?

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Yes! And just some of the things I have learned from that part of our journey -

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1. To err is human, forgiveness is divine.

2. It takes two baby ♫

3. Life is short; if you think you might regret not doing or saying something... do it today, you don't know what tomorrow will be.

4. Be charitable towards the one you love; they will be charitable in return.

5. Children are happy with every kind of expression of love they receive; show them everyday that they are loved. We all need to feel loved.

6. Happiness is a choice.

7. It is okay to let the phone ring during family night and not answer it... nothing bad happens :)

8. There is great peace in music and nature.

9. Be kind with others shortcomings... I have my own that they are kind enough not to mention.

10. If it is important to me and I want him to notice; Don't expect him to get it by dropping hints, or willing it to him mentally, just TELL HIM.

11. Focus on what I have in life, instead of what I might be missing.

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I don't necessarily regret having gone through the adversity we have faced, God has strengthened us through our trials, and refins us. He is like the silversmith putting us through the refiners fire as silver... The heat purifies the silver and cleanses it of toxins, but the silver must be held in the center where the heat is the very hottest. And if He holds it in the heat too long, it would be destroyed, so He must keep His eyes on it the entire time it is in the heat. And He only knows when the silver is completely refined when He can see His image in it.

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I know we will face more trials and adversity in our lives, I know that He never ever left us alone during any of our previous trials.

And I know with God ALL things are possible.

Word of the year 2010...

I think I am ready to post about my word of the year for 2010; nine months is a long time to wait. But it is so personal and touched me on a level I hadn't really expected this year.

I started choosing a word of the year to help me move beyond the past and look ahead. I had so many years behind me that I had started off hoping to be a better mom and wife, make a new focus on our finances, get in shape, and many other goals, and so often the year would pass without much personal growth occurring in my life.

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So when I learned about the process of picking one word, I would lose the list of things I wanted to change, and instead narrow them down to one word. A word to focus on during the year that would help inspire me and create a vision for my year ahead.

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I have taken a couple of months pondering a new word since I started this process, and 2010 was no different... I had a few I was throwing around in my head in October and November (I typically think clearest during the fall anyway). And in December I made a trip to SC to see my brother and grandmother, and I found a charm in a local hardware store (of all places) that said "Fly"!

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It struck me and I really liked it. Thinking about one of the big events that were approaching for 2010, the teenagers graduation, it seemed like I was facing a new season in my life.

I was a step closer to an empty nest.

What would my life look like when he moved on and I didn't have the same daily focus?

At first those thoughts could be sad, but I tried to look beyond and see the opportunity for my marriage and for myself. It was a time I could learn to develop my talents, work on self improvement, focus on my relationships... "FLY"... it summed it up perfectly for me personally!

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So I bought the charm and put it on my necklace right away.

It was different from the rest, but this was a different year than the rest too.

I liked that it symbolized that change.

But I needed to wear it, I needed to own it. I was not sure if I could live up to the lofty expectations such a word would carry?

I could not just let the year go by without getting off the ground.

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So I didn't want to put it in writing until I had time to internalize it. Time to own it and an really come up with some ways to FLY!

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The first 3 months of the year it was painful, I had either forgotten what my big goals were in life, or they had changed and I needed to find new things to set my sights on. I had no ideas? A few hobbies to look into, but nothing that would really help me FLY!

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With my new word, I was reminded of when I first started dating Jim... I had started taking flying lessons to get a pilots license in California. When I got pregnant with Jacob, I decided I should be responsible and keep myself grounded... so I stopped and I never went back and got my license.

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I am not sure if I still want or need to, I am exploring that in my heart again.

But I have always loved the idea! I LOVED flying. It is very different in a small plane, than in a commercial jet. I love to drive by the local airport, I get to see it all the time on my way to one of my clients offices.

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And I have noticed that since I chose my word... I have had many many reminders that

I CAN FLY! Those feelings of being passionate about something that I love!

Achieving something outside of my box.

I wanted to feel that way again!!

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Here are just a few of the reminders I began to receive....

I often have my camera with me... but not turned on and ready to go.

I drive by this airport at different times, on different days and it is not a busy airport.
There are so many for lease signs on the hangers and buildings that surround it... I often wondered if it would not operate much longer.

The first month after I chose my word of the year, as I spent much time pondering what and if I could do to get out of my box and do good things again? Could I find something that would help me grow?

It was during this first month that I saw a plane or helicopter taking off or landing every single time I drove by.

It was neat at first.... it always made me think of the time I was learning to fly. It was scary and exciting, I had to learn and study things I didn't know I had the capacity to know.

But I loved it... these sightings brought back so many encouraging thoughts, that I could achieve great things, if I had the desire.

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Then over the next month, more sightings...

Then I began to keep my camera on the seat when I would drive by...
And more and more sightings.... some far away, and you could hear the planes engine approaching from so far away until it came into view... On dark cloudy or windy days when it didn't seem like the perfect time to take a plane up... or bright sunny days when it did...

The blue sky seems so endless...
I began to have an understanding in my heart, I can achieve anything I can dream...

I can FLY!

And the confirmation came from God! I feel badly it took soooo many flights for me to realize it was HIM, but I finally got it one day when I heard a plane, but never could see it... I found this rainbow instead.

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So over the past nine months pondering my word... I am learning, I am learning allot about myself. I am learning that just like I did not just get in a plane and FLY... I have to learn to more about lift and drag in my life... you can't just say it and it happens; but if I am patient and persistent, there will be flight at the end of the runway!

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I found the kite photo from my header, a while back, and it was a beautiful reminder for me to FLY.

I love kites! I really loved how in this photograph, there were many all tied together.

It may not be in an airplane again... I don't know if it will be with a career, or in a hobby, or in my relationships or with my health, or in many areas of my life, but this year, I am going to FLY!

Men in suits...

Yesterday was a very special day for the teenager... he was ordained by his father and had conferred upon him the Melchizedek Priesthood. We are so proud of him and for all that he does in his life to follow Jesus Christs example. He has a beautiful testimony and strives to do things, and be in places to deepen his testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Most of the time, the teachers become the students... and that is the case with our teenager, he teaches me everyday! It will be so fun to watch him in the next phases of his life.

He has a buddy since we moved here that has a birthday a week after his, and so they have encouraged each other and accomplished many of these milestones at the same time over the years. Conor went first and was able to stand in on Jacob's ordination for his very first act in the Melchizedek priesthood. So cool!! We are really proud of these young men and can't wait to see them in the Temple, very soon!