Happy, Happy Mother's Day!

Mama Kisses...

Kisses Sweetly Stolen...

Feet Kissed With Spring Soil...

Mama's Gentle Helping Hands...

And Happy Mothering Day to ALL!!!

What's Your Supercross?

By that I mean, what's that special thing you do with that special someone that is meaningful AND fun?

My story begins about nine years ago when I was brought home to live with my parents from York, Nebraska where I had been attending York College. The last couple of years I was there, I had begun a gradual downhill slope of depression that resulted in a pretty good sized "break-down". My sweet Mama came and picked me up and my DEAR friends in Nebraska stuck all my belongings in a storage unit. (Obviously I'm giving you the quick version since my point is not about the depression but the healing from it.) When I got home I had a renewed sense of purpose and discovered how close God had been through everything. I made up my mind to take control of my self-esteem instead of giving it up to the definition the world had assigned me! Part of that control was the decision to take on a project. Projects are the most wonderful healers because when you use your hands to mend and build, your eyes see the process and your heart feels the pride of accomplishment! What better way to be reminded of our lives in the Maker's own hands?


If you know my father you know he rode in Motocross races when he was younger and at the time was still trail riding pretty often. I also have an uncle that raced with my dad who is a master mechanic. Uncle Joe has a motorcycle graveyard in his possession from years of collecting anything he can get his hands on to use for parts. So, with plenty of abandoned motorcycle skeletons and parts at our disposal we went to work on rebuilding a 1970 Hodaka during the winter of 2001. It just so happened that very spring was the first time the Supercross came to Salt Lake City. Seeing my excitement about our project my dad asked me to go with him. Uncle Joe and my cousin Philana came down from Rupert and it turned into a father/daughter tradition. The Supercross didn't make it back to Utah again until last year, but we were there and went again this year for the third time.


I can't begin to tell you what this tradition means to me! This year when my dad asked if I would be escorting him, I replied that I didn't really need to go. After all, I wasn't nearly as fascinated with the details of the race as he and my uncle were. They like to spend the entire day roaming the pits, watching practices, and getting autographs. Do you know what my sweet daddy said to me? You guessed it! He told me he wanted me to come because he enjoyed sharing the experience with me.


So, THANKS Dad!!! I know it's sometimes hard for fathers to communicate love to their daughters, and this is definitely one of the many ways you have spoken it to me!


There you have it folks! Enjoy the pictures, some from the first Supercross (bet you can't guess which ones, yikes!) and others from the last two years.

Children's Book Monday

"Cackle, cackle, Mother Goose,
Have you any feathers loose?
Truly have I, pretty fellow,
Half enough to fill a pillow.
Here are quills, take one or two
And down to make a bed for you."

We have discovered a new favorite in our house; the illustrator Clare Beaton. I haven't seen very many illustrators who embroider their illustrations but it is genius! On our next trip to the library we will be searching for more of her exceptional artwork.

Check out the publisher too: Barefoot Books, they have some pretty cool philosophies.

Right now we are thoroughly enjoying Clare's "Mother Goose Remembers", (another "accidental" find). Every page is a hand stitched masterpiece. She creates scenes that draw you deep into the realm of "silver bells and cockleshells". I mean, how can you go wrong with those beloved rhymes? I was pondering the reason we adore our Mother Goose stories so much, and what I came up with was the fact that they invoke our own childhood memories. I've found myself ruffling through the pages of this book all by myself, feeling like a little girl again!

(Of course since I've had teacher training I have to quickly mention the importance of rhyme and rhythm to our little ones as well...)

Happy Reading...

Lesson in Forgiveness

I've never been one to wrestle with hard core grudges. Most likely due to my short memory, I haven't had to struggle much with forgiving others. Just give me a couple of days to forget the humiliation and I'm over it. Though, I've also never been in a situation critical enough to warrant more than the reluctant pardon given after a bruised ego or broken heart. I've often wondered if I would know how to forgive someone if they really hurt me or someone I loved; more than that, actually pray for them as Christ asked me. I came across a prayer in the "Oxford Book of Prayer" that gave me new insight into the practice of not only forgiveness, but praying for my enemies. I felt moved to share it with you, in case any of you can glean some small bit of wisdom from it as I did.

"O Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted on us; remember the fruits we have bought, thanks to this suffering - our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all of this, and when they come to judgment let all the fruits which we have borne be their forgiveness."

*The prayer written by an unknown prisoner in Ravensbrück concentration camp and left by the body of a dead child

Children's Book Review

Okay, thanks to my sweet friend's gentle insistence, I am writing my first children's book review. Before I do that, though, I must tell you of our decision to attend the weekly story times for toddlers at our local library. It is called "Wiggle Worms" and at the utterance of those two words, my two squiggly toddlers fly to the door with enough speed to send the dust flying! The promise of that precious 20 minutes can calm the worst tantrums and motivate the most sluggish tasks to completion. After they sing, dance, and thoroughly "shake their sillies out"; we grab some books, a couple of videos, and head for home. It is when we started making these sessions a priority every week that the real joy of library books came to reside with us. Each week we leave with our arms overflowing and Elyssa can't get enough! Her favorite thing in the world is to cuddle up with one of her favorite people and READ. She will take her turn and read to us as well. (Coincidently, I've noticed her imagination soaring!) We'll keep our favorites till they won't let us renew them anymore and keep the new ones coming. I've started going in online and reserving any books I know I want ahead of time due to recommendations or favorite authors. That makes the trip MUCH easier with the two little giggle worms I attempt to herd through the laden shelves and tables. I can't tell you enough how valuable this is to us. If any of you are not currently taking advantage of your libraries, I implore you to start!

Now for the promised review... Last week as I was sweeping through the shelves looking for books we haven't seen yet, I came across a treasure!

The Story Blanket by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz

This beautiful story will fill your hearts as soon as you see the cover. After all, who wouldn't want to be one of those adorable eager children awaiting a story on that vividly colorful blanket?! See how the shoes hang in the tree above them and tiny feet curl in expectation below them? Once I opened it and began to read, I fell in love!
In a small secluded mountain village, Babba Zarrah captivates the children with stories while they sit on her brightly patterned woolen blanket. As tender hearted Babba Zarrah fills the imaginations of the wide eyed boys and girls, she notices a hole in one of the little boy's shoes. She knows he will need new warm socks but the village is SO secluded that although they are out of wool, no one is able to get through the snow to deliver more. "Every question has an answer", Babba Zarrah says to herself, as she considers a solution. Her solution is to unravel a little of her story blanket to knit the socks. But wait, day by day the children begin to feel as though the blanket is shrinking while other villagers discover much-needed anonymous gifts such as baby blankets, shawls, mittens, and aprons. (not to mention a brilliantly illustrated cat-coat!) Who can solve the mystery? It only takes one look at the familiar vivid pattern for the children to "unravel" the storyteller's secret. Those clever villagers don't just thank their anonymous benefactor, they secretly unravel a little wool from each and every blanket to heap on her doorstep! The last page alludes to the village's cycle of generosity and selfless friendship as Babba Zarrah sits knitting a new sweater for Alexandra with a curling string pulled from the NEW story blanket.

Ode to The Underdog

Memories flood me

Watching her soar

Legs kicking wildly

I can only imagine

Her utter delight

Wind Rushing

Hair flying

Stomach left behind

Giggles, Screams

Pure Joy!

What's in a name?

Now we're on a roll! Names, names, and more names! Both her favorite babies have names now, only "Bitsie" got bumped to her other baby while her pink baby has been named Lula after the funny little duck Talula in the Maisy books. She has named two of her doggies after her two favorite real life doggies; DeeDee and Cruze.

Baby has a new name!

I don't know how many of you have seen this book, but I want to share it with you because it is one of Lyssa's favorites. It's an adorable book about a little girl named Bitsie who has trouble getting out bed. She rolls over, but "OVER IS NOT UP"! When her Daddy calls "in a bigger voice, 'Get up Bitsie!'", she yawns, stretches, and slips out of bed to run into Daddy's awaiting arms.

Just to show you how much Lyssa loves this sweet little girl, she has officially named one of her babies "Bitsie". This is a first since all of her babies up to now have been "Baby". Last night in the car she asked us, "Where's Bitsie?". We had to ask a few questions and discovered she was referring to her latest favorite dolly. And one more note; while she was with Bitsie, my mom heard her saying that she had to go to the nursery because her baby was crying. My Sweet is playing like she is at church, how precious is that?

What to do on a freshly made bed!

Like mother, like daughter

Today for snack I let the girls share Madeline's strawberry yogurt. Lyssa was so excited to have "mo-get" she was jumping for joy when I gave it to her. I resisted the temptation of picking out soggy strawberries in an attempt to keep my daughter from having the same aversion as myself to chunky yogurt. She happily ate a bite or two before discovering the chunks herself and exclaimed, disappointedly, that she did not actually want the "mo-get". I rescued the soon-to-be wasted snack by offering it strawberry-free. She agreed. Daddy meanwhile was trying to convince her that if she liked strawberries she should also like them in her yogurt. To this she replied, "I don't like fruit in my mo-get!" While secretly smiling, I continued to not offer my opinion. Daddy, on the other hand, laughed and roared, "You're weird!" To which she giggled and replied, "No YOU'RE weird Daddy!" She catches on quick. ;-)