Snow Turkey

"It felt like I was in a snow globe that someone just kept shaking."
That pretty much summed up the first real snow storm of the season.

We had over a foot of snow.
And loved it!

Minus the constant in and out of wet boots and accompanying puddles, soaked socks, and twenty pair of dripping gloves piled up by the back door.

Snow means hats, boot, and gloves, and of course a snowman to guard the front yard.

Cayden told me my snowman looked more like a pumpkin than a snowman.
Madalyn said so too.
We are still in fall mode, since pumpkins and fall wreath still adorn the front steps.
Then they both said, "Mom, try making a turkey."

So the kids and I got a little creative and made what we are sure must be one of the first snow turkey's ever! 
Pretty proud of our significant contribution to world history ;)

Gobble, gobble you might see this on google!

We knew for sure people could tell it was a turkey when someone leaving church on Sunday stopped to take a pic of it.

So proud of our Tom, though he is soon to lose his head..........to 50 degree temps.

Our 17th Anniversary

Luckily there are a lot of "lucky, fortuante, wonderful, happily married couples." 

Luckily I am one of them. 

For 17 years. 

And hoping for at least another 17.

Sisters in the Sedona Sun

 

Sisters trip 2012.

Sedona/Phoenix Arizona. 

My always wonderful and CARING mom and my sisters.

After I moved to Seattle, I needed to see my sisters more.

Sister's Trip Tradition started.

This year we combined my youngest sister's baby blessing (so we had a few boy tagalongs 

for part of the trip).  

That was o.k.  

And babies are always invited because we just have to soak up their squishy, baby love.

As for the big boys.............

Chris shopped and cooked.  Walt helped with the little boys.  

And dad well......dad helped out with the moo-lah!

We decided we needed a new spot. 

Quoting the travel guide, 

 "the majestic red rock scenery and evergreen vegetation are two reasons for the unique energy of Sedona and its tangible regenerative and inspirational effects. 

(We really needed regeneration this year)

in 30 days our family dealt with:

mom got cancer.

nic had new baby.

grandma gorter died.

 grandma frye got very sick.

ang was hospitalized.

tiff was robbed.

 

The red-orange color of the rock is one of the most neuro stimulating of colors.

(Plus it matches my hair).

 It enhances creative thinking and problem solving.

(We played Battle of the Sexes and solved all the worlds problems in one night.  The board game definitively helped us decide most solutions revolve around clothes, food, and beer).

Because Sedona is framed year round by green, visitors are also bathed in sense of hope and renewal, regardless of the season. 

(We needed more than a bath..............more like a dunking and almost drowning).

The spectacular trails and overlooks provide numerous opportunities for prayer, and contemplation. 

 Sedona is also internationally known for the uplifting power of its Vortex meditation sites.

(We prayed, giggled, contemplated, and had way too many late nights and late mornings).

 View outside the home we rented.

 Hiking Red Canyon.

Guides, "Be careful of the rattlesnakes.  This is their home.  

One was on the trail right over there about 30 minutes ago."  

Uhmmm, there just went some of my "peace" in the "vortex of peace."

 Messing around in downtown Sedona.

 This home where we stayed is so unique.

The thick plaster walls were all shades of muted earth colors with built in shelves laden with plants, books, figurines, and trinkets.

Artsy and absolutely one of a kind.

You can't see it in the picture but the railing is made of thick, twisted metal. 

Loved it!

 Messing around at the science center.

 Yoga at the Wild Horse Resort.

Nic gave us our own private class.

We are now all at "heart center."

 How I feel about my sisters.

Some spa time before heading home.

Thank you sisters for juggling schedules and kids and husbands and money to make 

Sisters Trip happen.....again!

Love you!!!

WHAT MY KIDS REALLY NEED

Below I have reposted from Rachel Stafford from Hands Free Mamma.  It was a pointed reminder for me that simple is best!

What do you think matters most to your children? You driving them to lessons and practices, or is it the smile and hug you greet them with after school? If you guessed the latter, you are correct.

Sixteen years of teaching and giving the same assignment every Mother’s Day has led me to the exact same conclusion. You see, every Mother’s Day I would ask my students to give me advice on being a mother. They were to think about things their mother or guardian did for or with them that made them feel happy or loved. The classroom would go silent as the students wrote intensely for longer than they had ever written before. Often smiles would appear on their faces as they reflected on the happy experiences they were remembering. After reading their responses I would add to my list all the ideas they mentioned. Surprisingly, many of the responses were the same. Year after year, in every country I taught, and in every type of demographic, the students were saying the same things and had the same message: It’s the small things that their mothers did that meant the most and that they remembered.
Many moms today feel as if they are not good mothers unless they are racing around, shuttling their children from lessons, to practices and back to lessons again. I’ve had mothers tell me that they want to give their children every opportunity they did not have. While this thinking might bring the mother some comfort, it really does not do the same for their child who is potentially feeling overextended, stressed and tired.
After speaking endlessly about this topic with my students, it became clear to me that children today are involved in too many activities and are in turn becoming less in touch with themselves and their families. In addition, my students told me they really wished for more time to “just play”. Of course many of them enjoy their extra curricular activities, but it is not necessary they said to be allowed to do everything. What they enjoyed most, and what made their hearts happiest was when their mothers did simple things for or with them.
Here is a list of the top ten things students around the world said they remembered and loved most about their mothers.

1. Come into my bedroom at night, tuck me in and sing me a song. Also tell me stories about when you were little.
2. Give me hugs and kisses and sit and talk with me privately.
3. Spend quality time just with me, not with my brothers and sisters around.
4. Give me nutritious food so I can grow up healthy.
5. At dinner talk about what we could do together on the weekend.
6. At night talk to me about about anything; love, school, family etc.
7. Let me play outside a lot.
8. Cuddle under a blanket and watch our favorite TV show together.
9. Discipline me. It makes me feel like you care.
10. Leave special messages in my desk or lunch bag.

Children are incredibly wise and tend to see the world more simply than we do. Perhaps it is time we start taking their advice. Maybe we would all feel a little less stressed and be satisfied with the fact that doing little things really is… good enough.

86 Years Old

 My mom is pretty artsy and crafty and talented and all those adjectives that mean describe the wonder of having art imitate life.

This time, she molded and played with fondant until she made a cake size replica of Grandma Frye's bedroom and her beloved dog, Zoya. 

So cute we definitely didn't want to eat it. 

So cake number 2 served as the traditional birthday wishes, blow it out affair!

 86 years old! 

We love you Grandma Frye!

When you don't have a match a blow torch does well,

even better actually when there are 86 candles to light.  

Who else but Nate, the pyro in the family, would have a blow torch in his truck

(o.k. he loves fires but has it for work too!)

However, definitely against restaurant fire codes, so we huddled around the cake and made quick of the lighting ceremony.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Christmas Greetings 2011

Christmas Card 2011