The return from..

Girl's Camp. My daughter has returned from an awesome week of girl's camp. She had such a great time. This year was a real adventure for her because they went on a high adventure white water rafting trip. This is one of the young woman from our ward who our daughter has become a big sister to. This is also our daughter's piano student.

Unloading the goods. Boy are they stinky, yes the equipment and the girls. I could smell bon fire smell the minute I jumped out of the pickup. I took 3 extra girls home and boy 5 girls who haven't showered in four days, a dog who was sweating from hanging out in the hot truck. Boy of boy did it stink to high heaven.

Doesn't she look cute in these pjs. We call them her jail bird pjs.
Here is a link to the whitewater rafting trip.

http://www.southernexposurephoto.com/mp_client/pictures.asp?pagenum=45&action=viewphotos&size=fullsize&id=15425090&eventid=186549
The daughter's pictures are #45-55!

She is on the with the great big smile on the left front side of the raft. She was the windshield. She had the time of her life!!

Pre Girls Camp...

For camp all of the girls had to sew their own PJs. So one quiet day my daughter set out to complete the project. (this is the finished project, I posted it first so you would get the whole picture.)

She looks so intent!!

I love watching my kids hands when they are creating things. It makes me very very blessed as a mother that they are so willing to work on their talents.

This is such a fun little machine. It has now sewn clothes in Illinois, Wyoming, Texas, Scotland, Norway and back to Texas. It is definitely a well traveled sewing machine.

Those beautiful hands again!!
My daughter was so tickled with the PJs. It was a great project for her to work on her sewing skills. Next up on the list is a skirt. That is on our list for this week!! Stay tuned for that project.
As I am writing this blog I wish you could hear what I am hearing. Alex is in our living room playing some of the most beautiful church music. She has to play in church next Sunday so she is trying to decide on which song she would really like. Her music feels our home with such beauty, peace and contentment.

To lazy to...

Many of you are probably wondering why the blog is still an expat blog and why my profile is still taking about my ex-life?
Well I at first thought I was too lazy to change it, but then I tried and it didn't work, and then I haven't had time, because I am still playing taxi since we still only have one car, I am teaching Alex how to sew and cook well not yet but we have been socking in the supplies, I have been trying to get my food storage orders organized and ready to send, I have been completing 9 hours of University courses, I have been helping to take care of the horses, I have been doing genealogy like crazy because I am going to the temple a lot, I have been helping a friend in need, BUT I haven't been cleaning my house (that is a never ending job, I forgot what the red dirt of the desert does and how it sneaks in through the windows, doors, and cracks.), and let's see what other things can I come up with so that I don't have to sit down and figure out how to change it.
BUT if I changed it then you might not know who I am. Are you kidding I don't even know who I am on most days!!
So I guess for the time being I will leave it and we will all pretend that I am still the expat living the crazy life instead of the woman who is settling in and JUST BREATHING!!
I really like that saying. I might have to write myself a note and paste it somewhere to remember it!!

Then and Now...

This time a year ago I was venturing out side of my house looking at beautiful flowers, moist ground, green grass, miles and miles of water, sail boats coming into the harbor, mountains that shot right up from the water's edge.

I was hurrying to get ready to go to the ranch. Making my list of things to buy during the summer to ship back. Dreaming of riding my horse and 4 wheeler.

What a difference a year makes.

(This is a winter picture but I just love it so I decided to throw it in!!)

The flowers have taken on a much different look, it only rains once in a while, it is 96 degrees on a good day. The mountains are a cloud of red dirt stirred up by the wind, rain only comes once in a while, the grass is only green if you water the heck out of it. The horses paw into the dirt and then lay down to keep cool. BUT I am loving it. I love the desert. I love how mysterious it is, I love how brutally hot it can be during the day and then as soon as the sun disappears below the horizon (of which as it is going down lights up the entire sky in brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows) the evening breeze brings in a quiet coolness. I love the brown landscape and then suddenly there is a burst of color. I love when a lighting storm moves through and the flashes of lighting light up the entire sky relieving the darkness of it's gloom.

BUT... what I love the most is there is not shopping list because I can hop in my truck and be there in two minutes. (of course it takes you 10 minutes to find a parking spot, park and walk in) but never the less there are not major lists, no massive shopping days.
In fact we are spending the summer together as a family right here. (First time my husband will be able to be a part of my daughter's birthday in 9 years. He is so excited). This summer the ranch will be come our holiday home for just a couple of weeks, instead we are having a birthday party together, watching movies, going swimming, the daughter is going to work on getting her driver's license, the husband will come home to a house full of family instead of it always being empty and always feeling alone, the daughter is going to learn to sew and cook the majority of the meals, the son will have his family around him to hear of his wild horse breaking tales.
BUT most of all I AM JUST GOING TO BREATHE and enjoy the quietness and then JUST BREATHE again. Change is good sometimes!!

Paying it forward...

Many years ago I have a very dear friend who would swoop in and take my son once in a while for a couple of hours. They would go on an adventure and he would return happy, and full of stories of the adventure they had been on. I was so grateful to her for loving me enough to know when I needed some time. But I will eternally be grateful to her for the way she loved my son. He always knew that his Sannie loved him with all of her heart and that he was very special to her and that in her eyes he was tops. I always have hope that at some time I could pay that forward and find a little someone to take on adventures and to help him to know how important he is. I am so grateful to now have that chance.

THIS IS MY BEST LITTLE BUDDY...
We ventured off to McDonald's and had lunch and he would wave to me from the top of the play ground.

Then we ventured out to water the horses. He really really liked this guy who we
call Stormy.

Then he played ball with Rooster. I am not sure who had the most fun, Rooster or my little buddy.

Let me describe my little buddy to you. He has angel kisses on his nose, he has blue eyes, his favorite color is green, he only allows good, funny boys in his room (he told my son today that he could come in his room because he thinks my son is funny), he wasn't sure of dogs until he meet Rooster, he has another brother and three sisters. He has lazer eyes because he is so smart. He likes being two super heroes at once. His favorite super hero is batman because he likes batman's car and motorcycle. He is so smart he put himself in time out when he made his brother cry. But the best part is he loves me more that out into outer space. I am one lucky person to have such a good friend.

Hey little buddy thanks for such a great day.
His mother is one of the kindest, most patient woman I have ever meet. This little guy is one of 5 children. The oldest 7 and the youngest a few months old. But the think I love about her the most is she always has a smile on her face. But more than that she has such a light that is always shinning through her eyes.

I am so grateful to be able to know this little family and to be able to pay it forward after all of these years.

The Yard Man...

It is Saturday and guess what time for YARD WORK!! I am usually the yard worker, well at the ranch, but Steve has always been the yard worker at our regular home. He got an EARLY FATHER'S DAY present.

The weapon of choice!! It will trim bushes, shrubs and your hair if you really wanted it to. The box advertised extra long blade.

The yard man preferred for it to be an electric weapon, he is afraid that with old age setting in that the HUGE gas one may get to heavy over the years!! (I am not sure that this thing will last that long but oh well!!)

"Man is this a great weapon. Just wait until I can attack these bushes. They don't even stand a chance."

"Oops I needed another handle to be able to control this weapon"

READY... SET... ATTACK... "Man is this thing smooth. But wait I can't get to the top I thought they said this had a long blade. But wait... Like I said if a man has the right tools any job is easy..."Steve has really turned into a ladder man. First the ranch and now here.

Get a close look at this weapon in action.

Isn't this yard man awesome!! Check out those muscles. He can even do it one handed. Everything looks so great in our yard now. We look just like everyone on the block. But not really our yard always looks great. I think the Yard man is secretly hoping that his yard will get the reward for yard of the month in the subdivision!!

My Dad...

It is almost that time of the year when we honor our fathers. I know I am a little bit early but I also start to think alot about my Dad as summer time rolls around. Because for the past 8 years this is the time of the year when I am getting ready to go to the ranch and am getting so excited to see my Dad. He and I have always had a very special relationship. But since my Mom died in 1996 he and I have grown closer. We share a very special bond. We can ride around in his truck and not say a word, or we can talk and it is comfortable. I love to hear his stories of when he was a kid and growing up in our valley.

He has always worked hard and continues to do so even at his young age of 29. If I told any of you how old he really was I would be reprimanded. He never like anyone to know how old he is because he really doesn't look at as old as he is!!

I am always amazed at how at home he looks on a horse. No matter which horse he climbs on he quickly has that horse doing exactly what he wants it to do. He always says "you have a real cowboy on you now so you better mind" and they do!!!

This is his stances when he is thinking about something.

My Dad and my husband have a very special relationship. It has developed over the years into a real genuine love for one another.

He is a man who loves his grandchildren and children. He prays for us constantly. Worries about us always. Puts our names into the temple. Talks loving to the grandkids, or talk sternly to make his point to them. Everyone of his grandchildren just love him with all of their hearts. They think his is cool, funny and a great friend. We love you Dad!!