Summer in Summary

Whew! Now that we are full-swing into the hectic school schedule, I am determined to record what I failed to do as summer went along. So, here goes . . .

Baseball. For our family this year, summer meant baseball games. Nate played on a competitive baseball team for the first time, the Davis Dawgs, and boy, did we get our fill of baseball! Truthfully, I loved it (once school got out, that is--it was a bit too much with everything else involved when school was in session). I mean, I have never been a baseball fan; in fact, it was only a year ago I told my husband something had to give, and I thought it should be baseball. That's when he told me he thought our son might be really good at it. Oh, great! I'm sorry to say that's exactly the expression that went through my mind. So, we thought we'd give this a go, and I have to say I'm glad we did. Turns out Nate is pretty good at baseball and he really loves it, so we spent a few afternoons and weekends each week at the ball park.

He had such great coaches. This one is Scott Robinson, the head guy. He's so passionate about baseball. Nate loved him and all the coaches.

Such a cute team of boys, I just have to say. They won second place in their league.

This was in Park City at some major national baseball tournament. Teams from all over the western United States were there. It was a ton of people!

The boys had a chance to trade pins with players from other teams.  It was cool. Nate was really sick with a double ear infection and strep throat (we found out later), poor boy, so he's not looking his best.

This was his team walking down Main Street in the parade. It was such a fun experience, even in the rain.

Swim Lessons: Boston and Regyn absolutely love to swim. And since we have great friends who invite us over nearly every week of the summer to swim at their incredibly nice pool, it's imperative these kids learn to swim well (this coming from a mother who never did learn to swim well and is basically scared of water). This year was especially fun because their cousins came up to have swim lessons with them. It was great fun.

Wow--she looks like a swimmer!

Are these two cute or what? I can hardly stand it!

Beautiful back float

These three girls are the best of friends--I hope it lasts for life.

This photo might not look impressive, but I'm telling you, some of these girls were scared spitless of the water at first and wouldn't even stick their noses in. By the end of the week, this is what they were doing for fun. What growth!

Regyn loved her teacher! She was truly awesome!

Perkins Family Reunion: It's not very often that my mother's side of the family gets together, so when my Uncle Larry, who lives in Kansas, suggested a little reunion at the Pine Creek Ski Resort in my hometown of Cokeville, Wyoming, we just had to go. It really was great seeing people I haven't seen in years. And all the kids quickly became good friends. I know it meant a lot to my grandpa. It was worth it just to see him soaking it all up. He's such an important person in my life and always has been. He lived right next door to us growing up, so I went over almost every day. My grandma passed away three years ago and I will always miss her, but I'm sure glad we could get together and share memories and laughter with everyone else who could come. Oh, how I wish I would have been able to get a picture of the whole gang!

My Grandpa. What a guy. 

My parents talking with my cousin, Celeste (woman on the right) and her college-age son, Jaden. Wow does time fly!

Here is my mother with her younger brother, Craig. My poor mom had an eye infection and so had to wear sunglasses.

These two are a hoot! They were born just hours apart, but their personalities are night and day. I got the biggest kick out of listening to their conversation. Olivia and Paisley--what little darlings!

This was my husband pretending to be having a good time.

Kamille and Nate. These two have been best pals since I can remember. I hope it never changes.

I can hardly stand how cute these cousins are.

They all wanted to eat together, so they just kept scooting over to make room. I wondered how many plates that one little table could hold, let me tell you!

Upstairs Neighbors: One fabulous benefit from our family moving to the basement is that a darling family moved upstairs from us, the Wardens. We truly love them! They moved here from Alaska, and because the mom of the family, Smadi (shes' from Israel--I love her name), got deathly ill with a pregnancy right after they got here, they spent six months back in Alaska where her mother could help her out. She was totally bed-ridden (what a sacrifice to bring a child into the world, let me tell you). Finally, in May they moved back (after the baby was born) and we sure enjoyed spending time with them this summer. Especially the kids. It's like they had cousins move upstairs or something. They all get along great and have a ball together. I think it's an amazing blessing. I need to get Paul and Smadi's picture taken so I can add it here. Also, I will try to take one of the baby, Jordan. Such a cute family.

Nate and Nathan (nothing like two Nates running around together)

Daniel and Boston--do these two look like trouble or what? Daniel makes us laugh so hard. 

Cousins: I know I posted a whole lot about cousins not long ago, but right before school started, some of our favorite cousins came for one last visit. As always, they played until we forced them to stop for sleep. They just never tire of each other--it's amazing! Here is what they looked like at the end of the day, however. Since we live in tight quarters there isn't a lot of room for guests. Four of my sister's kids slept together in one bed--see below. You have to sleep landscape style (rather than portrait) when you have them many sleeping partners.

Then there were my kids.

I have to show this a little closer up. I could not believe Boston could sleep this way.

Hyrum Dam: Our last big bang the weekend before school started. Our insurance agent, who just happens to be Dan's old neighbor from Hyrum where he grew up, invited us to bring our family to Hyrum Dam to go boating with him and his family (everyone needs an insurance agent like this, I tell you). We had a fabulous time! It was such a gorgeous day and my kids got to do stuff they don't normally get to do. I was happy to simply enjoy the breeze and the beauty and the boat. It's always so much fun to watch your children have a good time. I never understood that until I became a parent, but it's truly better than having fun yourself. Such was this day.

Beautiful Hyrum Dam

Five darn fabulous kids, I just have to say.

Is it a bad sign if my 10-year-old is often checking his muscles out?

We even got brave and went as a family on the water rocket. Berkley loved it (the boat pulled us very slowly).

Nate got his first shot at knee boarding. He had a great time.

Hallee and Berkley--I love Hallee's smile.

Berkley really enjoyed the boat (and the other kids enjoyed the pop). I was happy  just to be there.

This is Eric Derr, our insurance agent. I feel bad I didn't make it home with a picture of his wife and boys. He was so much fun. He had a hat on that said FBI (Farm Bureau Insurance) and told us about a time when a man came up to him and asked if he would pretend to be an FBI agent for his grandson, who was enamored with the FBI. So funny!

Love that smile!

 And then there was the car ride home . . . needless to say, we wore them right out. I love days like that.

Ah, summer. There really is nothing like it. Ours was so carefree and happy and just the right amount of busy. Of course I couldn't record every little event and moment, but man, it was good. Now we are back to a grueling schedule and I feel tired all the time. How grateful I am for so many happy memories, though. Life is good. It is just so good.

First Day

I thought this day would never come. I know how bad that sounds, but let's get real--when school doesn't begin until AFTER Labor Day, it's like anticipating Christmas the first of December, and it simply feels like it will never arrive.

Now, don't get me wrong. I absolutely love summer! And after nine months of a rigorous schedule, I want nothing more than to lay low and enjoy my children, which is exactly what I did (more on summer to come later). But then there's this inevitable itch that starts forming inside of me around the first part of August--the itch to have organization again. It might have something to do with the fact that my children seem to run out of creativity and enthusiasm for free time, resulting in a lot of TV watching. Or maybe it's due to the fact they all start whining to me about how bored they are. Then again, it might be that I am tired of picking up Popsicle wrappers and other snack residue all over the house. Whatever the reason, school starts looking enticing again.

When everyone else in the world started school and we still had nearly two weeks of summer left,  I thought I might go crazy. Football was in session. Soccer had started. Volleyball was underway. Still no school. But alas, the day arrived--finally!

First off--Jr. high! Hallee was so excited she could hardly sleep. Talk about ready to move on in life. She came home from school the first day and told me she didn't know how she managed to endure elementary school all these years:). Here is a picture of her with her good friend, Zowie Robinson. Poor girls--I made them stand with the sun in their eyes.

An hour later, my elementary kids were ready to go. No, I can't believe Nate is already a fifth grader, Regyn a second grader, and my little Boston is in kindergarten. Wow! It just happens so darn fast. We decided to have a little more fun with their pictures. And apparently Nate had already spilled something on his shirt and had tried scrubbing it off since it wasn't hot enough that morning to sweat that badly.

This one is my favorite.

Man alive, I love these kids! And I'm not like some moms. You know, the ones who cry when their kids enter school. I have always felt like each child was so ready to take that step in their lives, I couldn't help but feel anticipation and joy right along with them. Sure I missed them. And yes, I felt a little nostalgia at the fact my baby had grown right up without even asking me if that was OK, but overriding all of that was the sheer excitement that he/she was ready to be away from home for a few hours and learn like crazy.

After waiting weeks for this day to come, you would think I would have it all together that first morning, but golly darn, I sure didn't. Of all the days, I woke up that morning with a severe headache and couldn't even get out of bed. My husband came to the rescue with some medication and tried to take over until I felt I could force myself up, but I felt behind schedule the entire day. Still, determined to make it special for my kids, I managed to hand-select a cupcake for each of them at the bakery to put on their plates at dinnertime. Plus, we drank lemonade instead of plain old water with our dinner. I know. I know. I really splurged. But let me tell you, the kids thought I was the best thing since Velcro! They told me I was the best mom ever when they saw the lemonade. I couldn't help but chuckle inside, thinking how nice it would be if lemonade for dinner would always be such a treat to them because something tells me it won't.

Regyn couldn't help but pose, pretending to ogle over her tutu donut.

If school starting wasn't enough of an adventure, wouldn't you know, it was also Dan and my anniversary that day. Fourteen years. Man, have they flown! I knew I had to pull something out of my hat for my sweet husband, but I had been so absorbed in preparing for school, I hadn't thought ahead to come up with something great. I've learned when you don't have something great, you do the next best thing--something ungreat. So that's what I did.

My dear friend Sara volunteered to watch Boston and Berkley so I could take Dan to lunch. Looking horrid (not really the way you want to look on your anniversary--it's kind of one of those days you'd like to pull off stunning, just so your husband has some inkling of a remembrance of why he was attracted to you all those years ago), I picked Dan up at work with thoughts of grabbing a quick lunch together and smiling at each other over milkshakes or something.

Wrong. He got in and told me we needed to go to the DMV to register our new car while he was on his lunch break. Not exactly what I had in mind, but being as flexible as Elastagirl, I went with it. As luck would have it, everyone else in the county had the same idea and the DMV was swamped. We took a number, stood in a long line to get food at Zupas, ran back to the DMV to find they had already called our number, got a new number, and shoved our sandwiches in while sitting in our car in front of the DMV. Very romantic, let me tell you.

All in all, I survived the day, which I felt was no small accomplishment. Now we've been in school three days of school, and by golly, I'm feeling a little more stable every day. I just might get in the swing of things yet.

One more thought--today marks the two-year anniversary of my brother losing his wife, Zoe (more about that back here). I never want to forget her or what I learned through losing her, and so I just want to end today by saying how grateful I am for every day I have with my husband and children. Some days are just hard and some days feel like utter failures, but mostly, this life I have is so fulfilling and so amazing and so worth it. I am grateful from the bottom of my heart to be a mother to my five children, to have that privilege and opportunity, because it forces me to be better and to live life to the fullest. So, if anyone reading this blog is a mother, know you truly are irreplaceable and that the work you do every day really does matter. So, soak it up. Make today count. Find all the little pieces of pure joy and satisfaction this day brings because you just never know about tomorrow.

Flushed Away

Piano lessons.

Ugh! That's sort of my response when those two words come up. I, of course, am a piano drop-out and so have this nagging desire for my children to not have the regret I do. That means I want to sign them up for piano as soon as possible and then patiently tutor them through years of lessons until they master it well enough to at least play all the hymns and some other enjoyable music of their choice.

OK, so maybe instead of "patiently tutor" I should say, "nag, beg, force, coerce and manipulate." It never starts out that way. I mean, my two oldest children were just as excited to start piano lessons as I was for them to start. But then, it slowly wore of--the excitement, that is. Until, inevitably, I have found myself paying for weekly lessons without hearing the daily practice. That makes for slow piano learning, let me tell you. We seem to be on the 20-year plan when it comes to mastering those hymns, and I just can hardly take it.

Truthfully, Hallee is doing well (finally). She is to the point of practicing without complaint and without urging. Thus, she is making great progress. I love it!!!! There is hope for her.

Nate, on the other hand . . . well, let's just say, it's not quite that way. Let me explain.

Nate started lessons a couple of years ago and has done quite well. That is, until he became so actively involved in sports (his first love by a mile) that his free time became more limited. That led to a decreased desire to use some of that free time up practicing the piano. Now, I can hardly blame the kid, but still, 20-30 minutes/day just doesn't seem like it should kill him.

Here he is at his last piano recital in May. Doesn't he look like a piano player?

Long story short, this summer I finally decided to put my foot down. I had tried the reasonable techniques most mothers used: reward systems, encouragement, sitting down with him to practice, praise, etc. No results. There are times when moms have to pull out something more, when they have to dig deep and really come up with something good. Or maybe desperate is a better word.

I called Hallee and Nate into the bathroom one day a couple of months ago. I showed them a $10 bill and asked them how they would feel if I just flushed it down the toilet. Hallee immediately caught on to the object lesson, but Nate was a bit slower. "Why would you do that?" he asked. I simply repeated the question. "What would you think of me if I just ripped up this $10 bill and flushed it right down the toilet?"

"I'd think you were crazy!" Nate finally said. Aha! The desired response. That's when I ripped up the money before you could say "jackrabbit" and flushed it down the toilet--right before their bigger-than-saucer eyes (I just have to say it was worth it just to see the expressions on their faces).

My husband had come in at that point. My frugal, save every penny and count every penny you ever spend husband. "Was that real money?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course," I responded. "This powerful lesson wouldn't have been effective if it wasn't."

"Are you planning on doing that again?" I guess he realized we had TWO children in piano and thought I may have plans to do it twice. I shushed him. He was ruining the moment.

I looked at Nate, who was smiling in shock and disbelief and I think even a little respect and pride for his crazy old mom and said, "This is exactly what I'm doing every week when you don't practice the piano. I'm flushing my money right down the toilet, and you're right--it's crazy. In fact, I'm not doing it any more. You either practice or you're done." And then I left them all in the bathroom, wondering if I had inhaled too much cleaner for the day.

Now, I'm not suggesting to anyone that this is the way to light a fire under your children, but for me, it was my last great attempt at helping my 10-year-old understand the full commitment. I told him to think seriously about his choice because if he quit now, it wasn't likely he would ever start up again. To his credit, I think he did seriously consider his choice, and in the end, he decided to continue with lessons.

Another victory! Mom-1, kids-0. Not exactly.

The very next day, Nate began complaining once again about practicing. His lesson was the following day. He told me he had changed his mind. He really did want to quit. I told him it was too late. He complained all morning the next morning about having to go to his lesson. I ignored him. We drove to lessons. He came out ogling about how much he loved piano. I mean, was I on a roller coaster ride or what!?

This went on for a couple more weeks until I finally could stand no more. I sat him down, and using the best analogy I could think of--a sports one, of course--I explained to him the necessity of practicing. "You wouldn't expect your baseball coach to simply let you show up to the games, would you? You wouldn't expect to get better without practicing, would you?" He seemed to understand the concept when it came to sports. Piano? Not so much. Finally, I realized I was trying to save a sinking ship, and we decided together to let piano lessons go.

I wrote a heads-up e-mail to his amazing piano teacher but told Nate he had to talk to her in person to let her know he would no longer be taking lessons. We drove there the next day. We sat in front if his teacher (who, by the way, is so nice and such a great teacher and so easy to talk to). Nate whispered in my ear that he wished he was dead. There was an awkward silence. Finally, Nate said, "I think I'm just more of a sports guy." His teacher told him what a privilege it had been to teach him and that she would always leave a spot open for him if he changed his mind. And then we left.

Nate was soaring. I was nearly crying. I mean, seriously. I was hoping to raise a well-rounded individual who was somewhat cultured. My chances of that seemed to be gone now that he had quite piano. I knew in my heart he would never do it again. Life was only going to get busier, his demands greater. This was really it.

That was three weeks ago, and I'm sorry to say, I'm still not completely over it. But I'm OK. And I know Nate can still be a contributing member to society without playing the piano, but it sure is hard to let go of the pipe dream I always had of him being an amazing athlete AND a piano player. I guess I'll just have to settle for amazing athlete. And kid. Because he is a great kid. And I love him so much I could burst.

Life will go on, but I just have to say, I seriously don't know if I can commit any more children to piano lessons!

BYU Education Week

Just got back from BYU Education Week and my mind is in a flurry. And my heart. It was a wonderful experience. I have always wanted to go but could never swing it. This year I did. Thanks to Hallee and Nate (and Dan, of course) being willing to take care of things at home for a few days, I stole away with my mother-in-law and went to Provo. My darling sister-in-law, Jen, let us stay at her home there and got up early to fix us delicious breakfasts every day--omelets and smoothies and such. She's such a great hostess, seriously (man, I wish I would have taken a picture of her--she's darling). Never mind that she has four small children, including a 4-month-old baby and a husband who is equally wonderful but seldom home due to the fact that he is a graduate assistant to BYU football. Enough said, right?

Anyway, the last few days before it was time to leave I seriously debated whether I should go. I mean, I was dying for some inspiration and focus, but at the same time, I was deserting my family in the process of gaining what I hoped would make me a better mother and wife. Kind of ironic, don't ya think? In the end, I packed my bags and went, feeling only a little bit selfish. As I was headed out the door, Regyn began crying. "Why do you have to leave?" she asked. "I'm going to go learn how to be a better mom," I said. "But you already are!" she declared. I loved her for that comment. I took her in my arms and told her how much I loved her, then walked out to the car with a bit of a heavy heart.

Here I am with my booklet, my notebook and my bag of snacks, also my name tag.

Here is the booklet of classes. The theme this year was from Proverbs: "Where there is no vision, the people perish."

Not for long, however. I woke up the next morning eager to soak up as much knowledge and guidance as I possibly could get. The hard part is deciding which of the many amazing classes they offer to attend. Seriously.

Here is one page of the list of classes. There are tons more. Everything from gardening to food storage to parenting to legal issues and much, much more.

I ran from class to class all day, not even stopping for lunch. I had packed some snacks in my bag and munched on those during the breaks. One great thing was that one of my dear friends happened to be there all week, too. And I'm sorry to say I didn't get a picture with her, either, dabnabit. We attended some classes together, which was fun, then shared a wrap later in the afternoon and went to dinner together with her and her family that night. I was so tired by this point but she talked me into going to one of the night classes. It started at 8:30 p.m. (I know--late, right?). She told me I would not be disappointed.

She was right. The presenter was Scott L. Anderson. The topic was "A Perfect Brightness of Hope." It was a wonderful experience. The air was thick with the spirit. I laughed. I cried. I felt a desire to be better. It was everything I needed. I found myself so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for the spirit that teaches us more powerfully than anything else could. I went to bed that night tired but grateful.

Next morning I was just as eager. I again spent the day mulling over classes, jotting down notes and just soaking up all the information I could get on topics relevant to my life right now. It was like I was a seedling in a drought and the heavens had just opened up and poured light and knowledge down on me, livening my senses and awareness of all I need to do better in my life. I felt God's love so powerfully I could not speak. I felt like I was opening my mouth to the rain and just swallowing its living waters in as large of gulps as I could.

That night my sister-in-law, mother-in-law and I went to the Vocal Point Concert. What a treat! They were awesome. Their singing is amazing, but what impressed me the most was their charisma and their goodness. It emanated from them every time they spoke or sang. I highly recommend that opportunity if you ever get it. I loved it!

Don't know why this is sideways. I corrected it, but it keeps going back this way. Sorry.

After two-and-a-half days and 19 classes, I started home feeling refreshed, renewed and grateful. I had learned so much. I had remembered so much. Mostly, I had felt so much. And all of it made me want to be better. I realize the hard part is to live what I felt, to implement into my life the inspiration that came to me about my relationships and my responsibilities and my life, but at the same time, I must also remember it happens one day at a time. I can't conquer it all in one fail swoop, so I have to be patient enough to do what I can today.

One thing I seriously hope to do is keep this blog up better. My goodness, I have struggled with that this summer, and I'm sorry to say I have missed recording some darn good stuff, memories I never want to forget.

Life is so good. It's hard, but it's good. I start thinking about how good the Lord has been to me and I find myself asking why? The only thing I can figure out is that He just loves us more than we can comprehend. I felt that so strongly this week. God's love. It's amazing. It's truly more powerful than I can ever understand, but it's real. And if there's anyone He's more than anxious to bless, it's mothers and fathers. Families. We are not alone on this trek called life. And boy, am I grateful! I could never do this alone.

More soon.

Random Summer Happenings

Wowzers! I am so far behind. Summer just keeps flying by and I very seldom even make it to the computer (which, I have to admit, has been kinda wonderful). Whereas I use to be on this puppy every day, I think it's been . . . well, since my last blog post. . . since I've even sat down at this thing. It's been fabulous to not be tied to it, the down side being I have missed recording some things. Oh well, here are a few random occurrences floating in my head today.

You know how your kids will sometimes show up after church or school with a little bag of seeds to plant? It's usually because they had a lesson in Sunday School that tied into faith or planting seeds, or because they are learning about photosynthesis or something in school. I decided a long time ago I'm not a fan of these little bags of seeds simply for the fact that they always get my child's hope up that some miracle is going to grow from them, when in reality, we're lucky to even remember to water them once or twice in a month's time.

Anyway, Nate came home from church at the beginning of the summer with a bag of the dreaded seeds. I didn't think much of it. I've learned to act excited, then conveniently get rid of them a few days later when my child has forgotten they exist. This time, however, he was so excited, he found a little pot and was determined to plant his seeds. Thankfully, Hallee reasoned with him that if his seeds were what he claimed them to be--watermelon and zucchini--they would probably need to be planted in something larger than a little pot. I thought this was the end of the story.

I was wrong.

About a month or so later, I was weeding in the back yard when Nate rushed to stop me from pulling what I thought were two rather large weeds, claiming he had actually planted his seeds in the side yard, right by the downstairs entrance. I was surprised, to say the least, since I had thought the matter had been closed long before and that the seeds had magically disappeared. I avoided picking his plants and moved on.

Well, another month later, and this is what we now have:

Those are two large plants, let me tell you. This all happened with absolutely no care. Apparently, the sprinklers water them (my husband also almost pulled them out as weeds a couple of times) and they get enough sunshine to thrive. Who knew?

To top it off, one of them is actually growing zucchini!! It happens to be the plant Nate told us was the watermelon, but who's keeping track:)

One of the zucchinis was pretty darn large (this coming from someone who's never grown anything before, so maybe I'm naive).

Here's Nate with his proud zucchini (I mean, here's proud Nate with his zucchini--the zucchini probably isn't too proud:)

Boston picked one up and said, "Doesn't this look like my smile?" I loved it so I had to include it.

Then here's another Nate moment. I realize I've blogged a lot about this 10-year-old kid lately, but he happens to take a lot of parenting energy, even though he's a great kid. So, I feel like I've spent a lot of time and energy on him this summer. Anyway, he went to the gym with Dan and me the other day. In the process of our work-out, he happened to make a comment about my thighs. I didn't actually hear him, but his dad did and got after him a little bit. Now, I absolutely don't want my son saying negative things about anyone's body so I was grateful Dan immediately pointed out that it was disrespectful, but I also have to admit he was right about my thighs--they are flabby--and knowing his sense of humor and the mood he was in, I wasn't offended.

However, when I went to bed that night, this is the note I found on my pillow.

Sorry this is sideways--I changed it but it didn't stay, for some reason.

A closer look

In case you can't read it, it says, "To Mom, I am sorry that I said that you have fat thyse. You look great for your age. Love, Nate."

I love it! His spelling cracks me up, to say the least, but the "looking great for my age" was the kicker. I learned long ago you can either cry at the things your kids say or laugh. I try to laugh most the time. This one definitely brought a chuckle and smile. That kid is a corker but he sure has a good heart and I just love him to death.

On one of our trips to Cokeville this summer, I got such a kick out of Regyn and Boston and their darling cousins. I mean, these kids are ingenious. Most kids would come up with the idea of selling lemonade or having a little yard sale or something to make a little money, but not these kids. They came up with something much more unique. Selling rocks.

The part that really makes me smile is the sign. It doesn't just say, "Rocks for Sale," but rather, "Cool Rocks for Sale." What makes them cool? Well, I'll tell you. They colored them with markers and crayons. These are no ordinary rocks, mind you. These are cool rocks!

It looks like they had trouble spelling the word, "sell" but finally got it almost right. It just makes me smile.

I just love the randomness of summer. After nine months of tight schedules, it's so great to enjoy the spontaneity of summer life. I can only handle about three months of it and then I'm ready for a better routine again, but for now, I'm so glad it's summer!

Shine Where You Are

My children will attest to the fact that I'm one of those mothers who is not short on words. I'm not one to sit back and allow life to occur or choices to be made without sharing how I feel about it. It's one of those things I'd kind of like to change about myself. I mean, I would love to say that most of what spills out of my mouth is golden words of wisdom, but let's face it--it's not. I think it might be more easily described as annoying than inspired, but I just can't seem to refrain from sharing my feelings when the people involved are ones I care about so darn much. I'm sure my children roll their eyes when I'm not looking, but then again, I can't help but think that some day something I say will ring in their hearts and minds and help them through something difficult.

The only problem is I often wonder if my kids get it--if they even begin to understand what it is I'm tyring to teach them or what point I'm trying to make. My guess is . . . maybe not. But then again, maybe they understand more than I think. For instance . . .

For the first time ever, Nate has been playing on a competitive 10-U baseball team the past six months. It's been a lot of things--demanding, exhausting, fun, involved--and more. Definitely a learning experience. As is common with many kids in many sports, Nate really wanted to be a pitcher (ugh! I just have to add that his mother really isn't crazy about the idea for many reasons, one being the pressure that is put on pitchers--not really looking for that for my son) since pitchers play such a major role on a team and are very involved in every play.

Here is a picture of his baseball team, the Davis Dawgs, after they won second place in the state tournament. I just have to say, these are the cutest darn bunch of 10-year-old boys I think I've ever seen.:) Nate is one the back row, third one from the left. His coach has his arm on his shoulder.

Instead, he's a center-fielder. Not very exciting. I have seen him some games making extraneous effort simply to stay focused and ready since some games the ball doesn't fly out there all that often.

Okay, so it's not this bad, but you get the picture. Center field is not where the heat of the action usually is. But pitching, on the other hand, pitching is right in the middle of it all.

So, Nate has worked and worked at becoming a better pitcher. He begs his dad to go out with him and catch for him every spare second he can, and he's even been desperate enough to wrangle me in to catching for him. In fact, a couple of months ago I asked him where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do for a date, and guess what he said? Go to the park where he could practice pitching to me (just what every mom wants to do, right?). We ended the date by getting Krispy Kreme donuts after watching a baseball team play for a while. We didn't know anyone on either team, but after my arm wore out from catching his pitches, that was his next choice. I mean, this kid is very self-motivated. He isn't afraid of hard work.

That's why it broke my heart when he came to me one night and in tears explained to me that he really wanted to pitch and he didn't feel his coaches were giving him a fair shot.

Whew! What to say. Another difficult parenting moment. I'm telling you, they are popping up everywhere, and I've learned sports brings them up even earlier and more often. Anyway, I wanted to give him sound advice, to empathize with his frustrations without blaming the coaches, to help him see the bigger picture. So, I of course, after offering a quick silent prayer for inspiration, started trying to help him understand that his worth on his baseball team wasn't less than someone else's just because the other kid pitches and he doesn't. I pointed out how fast he is and what a good base runner he is. I explained to him how important the center-fielder is as he is sort of the captain of the outfield. I reminded him how good his arm is and how many times he's made great plays from the outfield to get someone out on first base or at home.

This is Nate running the bases. He doesn't look like Speedy Gonzalez in this picture, but I'm telling you, the kid's got wheels.

Had to throw a picture of Nate batting in. He's pretty good at that, too.

Finally, I said something like, "Nate, have you ever considered that maybe one of the reasons your coaches don't use you as a pitcher is because you are so valuable as a center-fielder?" He paused to consider my question, so I took this as a sign to continue. "I mean, there are a number of kids on the team who can pitch well--even better than you can--but I've only seen one who plays center field like an all-star, and that's you. I know you'd like to be more a part of the action, but what matters more is that you perform the best you can where you are every time the ball comes your way. It's not so much where you play as how you play." I finished with this, "You just have to shine where you are, son."

He seemed to be comforted a bit by my words, although not completely satisfied. I knew it would not keep him from still practicing his pitching every chance he got, but he seemed to grasp what I was trying to say. I didn't think a whole lot more about it until about a month later.

Dan and I were riding with Nate to one of his baseball games when Dan turned to me and told me that he had been informed at work that day that he was not going to be considered for a new position, a promotion, he had applied for. It was obvious as Dan talked that he was disappointed with the news, and so, I of course, was trying to comfort him and reassure him of his worth as an employee there. Then, out of the blue, this came from Nate in the back seat:

"Dad, maybe it's like me with baseball. Maybe you are so good at what you do that they can't give you a new job because they can't find someone else to do yours as well as you do it. You just need to shine where you are, Dad."

Tears immediately stung my eyes. My 10-year-old had found the perfect thing to say, and even more importantly, he had learned something valuable and passed that knowledge and experience on to someone he loved. It was kind of a sacred moment.

He got it! He actually got it! Those words kept repeating in my head, and I found myself grateful, as I have been too many times to count over the years, for the inspiration I had been given to help Nate through a disappointing time. And then to witness him turn around and share what he learned with someone else--even his dad--was just a moment of pure joy and satisfaction to me.

And so, although I still say way too much way too often, I'm truly grateful for the inspiration that comes to moms when they really need it, and I need it almost daily. And I've decided to take the same advice I gave and shine where I am! After all, I may not be everything I hope to be, but I'm still valuable, and I just have to look at Nate to remember that!

Cousins

One thing I absolutely love about summer is the time spent with each other and with extended family(in fact, we've been having so much fun, I'm now even further behind in recording our lives on this blog, darn it). I am soaking up the time with my kids, just breathing them in--laughing, talking, playing with them. It's what makes summer one of my favorite times of year (that, and the warm weather--how did I grow up in Wyoming with 30 degree below zero weather in the winter? It ruined me!).

One huge blessing in our lives is the relationship we have with cousins. We are fortunate enough to live within just a couple of hours or less to most of Dan's and my siblings, making it possible for our children to get together regularly with their children, and I think it's just the greatest! Truly, my kids' best friends are cousins. Doesn't that rock? Seriously. If we ever move away, this will be what I mourn the most. So, here are a few pics of my kids with their cousins this summer. I love capturing moments of sheer pleasure and fun, even if my camera isn't great, especially the one on my phone.

So, here is to all the cousins . . . We sure love you!

We ended the school year with a little 4-on-4 volleyball tournament. Hallee (#34) got to play with her cousin, Jasmine (right next to her, #14), which she absolutely loved. They  got second place in the tournament and had a blast! Jasmine lives in Rexburg, ID, so they play for different club teams. It was great seeing them play on the same team for a change. (btw, the other two girls are friends of Jasmine's--from Rexburg--can't remember their names at the moment).

Some of the cousins took swim lessons with my kids, which meant they stayed for five days at our house--so fun! Here is Kaybree getting ready to jump off the diving board.

Regyn did so great this year! This is her knee dive--doesnt' she look graceful?

And here is Mylee doing her back float (or maybe this was "monkey, airplane, squeeze"--not sure).

These three girls are absolutely inseparable. They can play for 12 hours a day together and then cry when they have to separate to go to bed at night. They are such good friends--it's priceless.

And then there's these two--the Bopsy twins. LOL! Boston and Mireya are two little peas in a pod as well. They boss each other around all day and enjoy every minute of it. They truly love each other.

I even caught a picture of Hallee doing her famous handstands in the water. Wow--are her legs long or is it just me?

I absolutely love this picture! We were swimming at one of my dear friend's house. The kids had a blast. This was the last day before going home from their week-long stay.

The only shade they could find. Eating popcorn on the front sidewalk.

Did I mention these kids have talent? Talk about popcorn popping on the apricot tree! These kids popped it right into their mouths.

And this is the sleeping arrangement when cousins come to stay for a week and we live in a basement. Out comes the stored mattress. We just snuggle those kids all together like sardines, and they don't mind a bit.

These amazing children even did their reading every day. Do they look astute or what?

These two again. I just can't get over how darn cute they are together--even if they do tend to get in a little mischief now and then.:)

Then there was the volleyball camp together in Green River, Wyoming. Of course we had to have a dance party one night. Here are a few of the moves the girls were making (this first one and then skip one and the one after that--sorry-don't know what happened to the order I thought I had). I love it!

From back to front: Kamille, Mylee & Kaybree, Regyn

This was at the volleyball camp, too (I'm sure you're wondering where all the volleyball pictures are; I mean, we did play 6 hours of volleyball a day, but my mother took all those pictures and I don't have them, unfortunately. I only took shots of the fun we had in the evenings, for some reason). We took the girls to a spray park. How they had any energy, I don't know. The first girl in the picture is Andri Dewey, one of the darling girls we stayed with.

And then there's the Fourth of July with Conger cousins . . .

They were pretty excited about these fireworks, and yes, it is still daylight. Couldn't wait until dark.

And lastly, if this isn't the cutest thing you've seen in a while, here are the baby girl cousins latest picture together--now 13-14 months old--destined to be best friends as they grow up. Am I biased or are these little girls adorable?

Brylie, Berkley and Makyla

Last one. Can't get over these beautiful girls. Poor Brylee had a huge bump and bruise on her nose between her eyes due to a bad fall the week before. Becca (Brylee's mom) found these cute matching outfits. Love these girls!