Mothers Day is Coming to Town

And Noble presented me with an early Mothers' Day gift (I think he may have been trying to smooth things over - he was in the hot seat over a late school project he was finishing up).

It had the desired result. Thank you Noble. I love that he left un-checked: Silly, Energetic & Crafty. ha ha ha.

Mike has to go in to work this Mothers' Day - which he is having guilt about. I told him no worries. I feel like the most blessed woman in the world anyway.

I often feel like a mediocre-at-best kind of mom/wife/contributor to civilization. I think a lot of women feel the same at times. A little nagging self-doubt. I think we all want to feel a lasting confidence and comfort with ourselves and our experience. The good news is that seems to grow as we grow. Keep up the good fight ladies.

Happy Mothers Day to all - especially the two moms who balance my life. We will be hanging out with Mike's mom this Sunday. She is so generous and dedicated to her family. We love her so much. She takes SUCH good care of us.

My own mom will be out of town this Mothers' Day - bushwhacking to Toroweap Point with my Dad. Here's a photo of some of us at Toroweap - circa 1995. I have to tell you, it makes me a little dizzy to think about it - even now. It's pretty remote - and the National Park Service website emphasizes, "no one should attempt the trip without ample preparation and knowledge of the hazards associated with remote desert travel." Not that any of that would help you if you stumbled over these cliffs. We literally CRAWLED, pancaked to the edge. Don't even ask about how my Dad got where he is. (It makes me white-knuckled to think about.)

It's an impressive place.

That's my mom on the left, next to me. One of the things I love about her is that she is adventure girl. Life was/is always exciting with her.

Have a great Mothers' Day weekend, mom! - and remember to harness-in if you venture to the edge.

I'm back...and better than ever.

You don't know what you've got until it's gone.

Amen to that.

Our new computer arrived via UPS this morning!! - and our man Tim had everything transferred and running smoothly tonight. Oh man - it is so nice.

So, a bit of an update is in order.

As a family we've finally worked our way through every viral and bacterial malady known to the CDC. Our grand finale was my attempt at the flu and pink eye at the same time (thanks Sully). We appreciated all the well wishes and concerned phone calls over the last month. I think we've fulfilled our illness quota for the next 5 years (and probably come pretty dang close to maxing our lifetime insurance limit). My mom was there when I needed her: picking kids up from school, putting dinner on for my family, folding laundry, the beautiful roses she cut and brought just to cheer me up (it worked). Thanks also to Mike's mom for the yummy soup and the nebulizer just when we needed it.

Three days into my Tamiflu regimen I felt well enough to take a day trip with my friend Kirsten to Heber to print our Christmas cards on a vintage letter press. Her brother and sister-in-law own the studio and press. I had a great time & the cards are pretty cool as well. Here's a picture of me at the press (scroll to the bottom).

Jessie performed with her class last week in A Mid-Summer Night's Dream as Hermia. They did an outstanding job, really. Here's a little clip with Jess - (in purple):

After the play Mike ran into his mission president and his wife (their grand kids apparently go to our school). That was crazy - it's been 15 years. They were so pleased to see Mike and talk to him. I snapped a picture.

As usual we have lots going on. I'm just glad I'm back in the game...and that I have a computer again.

Postscript to Peaches

Mom 1969 - before any of us came along

Dear Mom,

I remember as a kid being conscripted into canning duty during the summer months (along with all of my siblings) because I was raised by a mother who couldn't STAND to let perfectly good fruit & vegetables go to waste. Peaches were about the worst of all the things we put into jars. It was hot work scalding peaches in boiling water, the fuzz stuck all over and itched, and without exception I seemed to ruin whatever shirt I was wearing from the juice and the soupy, peachy water in the sink where we worked cutting & peeling. I inherited the intolerance for wasted food. And now the smell of simmering peaches at canning time is one of the most comforting to me. This week you made sure you were here to help put away this year's crop - either because you just like to bottle peaches - or because you felt sorry for a mother of 5. Thanks for the help. Even more thanks for teaching me when I was younger. * I wish that I had a picture of one of those sticky canning days, somehow we never got around to photographing it. This is probably because all your children were making life miserable for you while we worked. It would be funny to see the looks of disgust. *

Love,

Daughter #2