Stuff kids do in summer

The Spy Club I started with my younger sibs way back in 1985, Victoria, Texas - has been reincarnated recently (my mother will be delighted to hear). I suggested it as imaginative play one day earlier in the summer when Grace said she was bored. She took that idea and RAN WITH IT. 

She has gone way above and beyond.

They've had a fund raiser (lemonade stand where they made BANK).

They've purchased accessories at the dollar store with said funds.

They have a secret hide out.

Grace checked out several books from the library on spy techniques for kids - which they all studied THOROUGHLY.

And today they printed club t-shirts, their own design, using freezer paper stenciling.

I found some COOL glittery green fabric paint. I love how they turned out.

Aren't they awesome?

Tillman and a buddy built a tent with deck chairs - taking cover today as the thunder storm came in.

And it looks like we've taken in another sad creature for rehabilitation. Noble and company brought home this dove with a broken wing this afternoon. And even though the last time we tried to save a bird, it didn't go so well, I couldn't say no. It currently lives in Jupiter's travel kennel in the garage - which Noble and his friends redecorated nicely. Noble scavenged some bird feed from somewhere in our garage. Last time I looked in she seemed to be loving her little resort vacation. We'll see if she recovers or not.

They have dubbed her "DEN" - an acronym using the first letters of their names. It is written on the top of the kennel.

Pluto strolling past uninterested.

Summer is kids with freedom. And that's magic.

15 years with Mike

7/11/1997

7/11/2012

15 years of highs and lows. More highs than lows. 

He is my very best friend. 

And I think he is even MORE handsome now than the day we got married.

This year we decided to DO something for our anniversary (usually we're lucky to even get out). So we planned a quick get away to Park City - the city of romance. (I don't know that it has that reputation in the broader population, but since that is where we spent our honeymoon as youngsters, that is what it is to us.) We had a hot tub on our balcony and a view of the Olympic Ski Jump. So, after dinner out with Mike, I commemorated the day by soakin' it up in a hot tub with my soul-mate (ala Uncle Rico).

 The next morning we went out for a lovely run, then french toast breakfast at Kneaders, shopping at the outlets, an hour and a half massage, and FREE SLURPEE's at the Sev in Park City. It's so nice of 7/11 to observe our anniversary like that every year. So if you didn't get your free Slurpee this time, there's always next year.

Mike's anniversary card to me this year:

He's romantic like that. Here's to 15 more years, and then 15 more, and after that - another 15...

I LOVE Mitch-darling.
I could not have chosen better. 

Broken digit.

I KNEW it.

I fell in the kitchen a week ago (that is a funny story - having to do with some new super cute shoes I was trying out), grasping for the bar stool as I went down. My iPad survived the impact thanks to the Hammerhead case, but as soon as I landed on my hands and knees the solid wood bar stool came down too, smashing my hand like no body's business. Holy smokes that hurt. I actually felt nauseous and faint as I got up cradling my hand. I laid down on the couch. It was just me and the little boys - so I asked Sully to go get the ice pack out of the freezer for me. The gashes looked nasty, and my middle finger was swelling up. I wondered if it was broken.  It didn't really hurt much after the initial impact - it felt kind of like I'd jammed it playing basketball or something. It was weak and tender. After 4 days of that, and talking to my dad who spooked me with his hook-finger story (his middle finger is permanently curled after he broke it in a similar way, waited too long to have it looked at, and the tendon subsequently shortened), I decided I should get an x-ray.
I went on Saturday. It took them FOREVER. But the Dr. finally pronounced it NOT broken. They also said they were sending it out to radiology to make sure. Today the Dr.'s office called me back to report that the radiologist looked at it and reversed the call on the field. It IS broken.
Anyway, I just have to keep it immobile for 3 weeks, taped to my ring finger.
And I am more careful walking.

The last shall be first.

Our last (Abner) had his first birthday yesterday...our last FIRST-birthday bash. That phase of our life is officially past. Like so many other phases that have already passed during this first year of his life... Our last first-year. It was a busy day...(like all the rest, right?) Jessie had a horse show in the evening so we had to start the partying early to make it possible for her and my parents to come. My sisters came with their families and Sean too. We missed our oldest boys, and Mike's parents.
I made some yuh-ummy coconut cupcakes. We all sang to him. He stared at us in that sweet, confused way that 1 year-old's do when a crowd is singing to them. So cute. 

With that, my baby moved out of infancy and on toward toddler-hood. And I wished my motherhood-to -little-babies goodbye. (sniff)

He was such a tidy cake eater. He politely scooped the cake into his mouth with one fist, leaving the other in his lap. When he finished the cake, he licked the plate clean. No smashed cake all over his face. We were all very impressed with his manners. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET ABNER!

Last but not least, Jessie (our first) did so well at her show yesterday evening! Her two-handed horse (a term for a young newly trained horse), is turning into a first rate competitor. I will update you later on the rest of the weekend's competition. We're off to watch her.

Monte Cristo

Back in June when Mike's bro's were in town we went hiking at Monte Cristo Peak. The peak itself is sort of scramble terrain and we had the kids, so we just went to the saddle below the peak with views of Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons - and had lunch. It was a beautiful, clear day, a little bit chilly. 

Yesterday I was looking through my pictures, and found these. That outing must have fallen between the blogging cracks, but the pictures were cool ...so here they are. 

We need to get out for some more of this soon. Especially because it is SO HOT down in the valley.

Summertime Miscellanea

(I've been uninspired about keeping up with the blog, which probably means I need to make more of an effort, update, move the furniture, etc.)

 Big news this week: Double-A (Abner) has made major strides (literally) toward bipedalism. I think he prefers it to crawling so he's pretty motivated when he embarks across the open floor, unsupported. He's up to about 5 or 6 steps! Hooray Abner!


Abner the biped from Angie Melton on Vimeo.

Sully turned 4 years old on Friday. I can't believe it!

 Last year on his birthday we were anxiously awaiting Abner's grand entrance. The time has FLOWN by. Sully has made some big changes this year. Potty training (a really big milestone...and one that seems so distant now), preschool and outgrowing a lot of clothes. He's gotten too big for his britches in the figurative sense too. In other words, he's a lot more opinionated, and happy to let you know about it. His personality has also grown bigger - which is saying something for Sully. Yesterday as he sat down for a snack he announced, "Let's get this party started!" Oh Sully.

On his birthday he had breakfast in bed (french toast and fruit and juice). Big hit. I was busy during the day getting the older boys packed up for their trip to Michigan with their grandparents the next day. In the evening we had the chance to gather with almost all of the Sullivan cousins at my uncle's house in Sandy. My grandma was also there with my great-aunt, Patsy. We took a group photo, hugged & caught up.
So rare to see all those cousins. 
 After that we headed back to SoJo for Sully's birthday dinner / present opening. Mike's parents and mine came to celebrate with us.

Here, with his SNAKE CAKE.

 Saturday morning (and I mean early morning - like 4AM) the older boys got themselves up and ready to fly out to Michigan with Mike's parents, where they will be living it up for 10 days with their Melton cousins. I was/am a little homesick for them, but I have to admit things are a lot more docile around here. Mike also pointed out that their room will not look like a bomb went off in it for 10 whole days! But the really important thing is that they are making awesome memories. Thank you grandma and grandpa Melton! 


Last week the kids and I kept ourselves busy trying to fit in some quality bonding time together before the boys left. Library, lunch out, an outing to the pool (some of us got a little toasted) and to see the Utah Symphony in the park. The lineup included John Williams (Star Wars and Indiana Jones!), Sousa, and the 1812 Overture with canon fire. That was fun!

Mike, on the other hand, kept himself busy all week trying to wrap up month-end, which was hard because they had him scheduled for so many meetings, off-sites, and interviewing. So we didn't see him much this week. But he and I did manage a date to Red Butte Garden on Monday to see Wilco in concert. (That was kind of work-related too, since Fidelity gave us the tickets. But I'm not complaining; we had an AWESOME table with center-stage view.)  

I've been trying to keep the grass alive in this drought/heat-wave and watching fires burn in the foothills around us while I do it. It's so dry and hot. (I am SO GRATEFUL our A/C is working again. BELIEVE ME, I am.) We had a special fast at church this weekend that rain will come and for the safety of the firefighters. We're keeping those prayers going.


Once the boys get back from MI it will be pretty non-stop summer camps and stuff through July. One kid going one way, one another. Jessie won't see Noble or Tillman for more than two weeks. And then they'll go their separate ways again. It's one of those things with growing kids. You start to feel like the front door is a revolving door. I wish their lives were as family-centered as they were when they were younger. I miss that. But I know this is how it goes. They are starting to stretch those wings. I just didn't know it would come so fast. This is the part of life when I have to start inventing creative ways to keep the family unit tight. 


I've got one or two ideas. But I'm open for suggestions too.

Viva la vida!

Weeks like this

Some of you may be aware of the awesome week we had last week. Less sarcastically, ;we got a little overwhelmed by life.

1.With too much (stressful stuff) on the calendar 
2. A mountain of dirt to contend with 

3. A heat wave (and the accompanying hit to the bank account)

4. Sick little dudes

Michael said, "First World problems." I know. But still.

A brief explanation:
Last Wednesday everything hit the fan on the same day.  If it weren't for my wonderful in-laws who literally showed up at my door step at the precise moment I was desperate for help, I don't know what I would have done. (My own parents were in the Uintas during the week...I had to keep reminding myself every time I had the urge to call my mother.) With the AC guy working on our fried compressor unit outside, the neighbor dumping trailer-loads of dirt on our driveway, the baby sick, Mike at work till 10 PM and me needing to be at the church activity I had organized that evening - we were short-staffed, so to speak. Very short staffed. I tossed my check book to my father-in-law, and turned my children over to my mother-in-law who cooked them dinner in an 85 degree house. (Saints.)
When I returned home, exhausted, a few hours later I found my neighbor and father-in-law shoveling/dumping more dirt on the driveway and my mother-in-law walking the sick/teething baby in the stroller down the sidewalk. The verdict on the AC was that it had breathed it's last. We wrapped things up for the night, I hugged Mike's parents as they left - and I went in the house and cried. And when Mike got home I cried some more. Because I was exhausted, the baby was still sick, there was a giant mountain of dirt & boulders on the driveway waiting to somehow be moved into our canyon of a backyard, the house was hot & would remain hot for 6 more days until they could fit our install into their schedule. And of course, that new system was going to put us out A LOT of otherwise allocated cash. OUCH.

Anyway, we've spent a lot of time in the basement this week, or away from home - keeping cool.

Walking around Silver Lake at Brighton

Staying on the shady side of the house - much cooler than inside.

Outing to the Planetarium

Splash pad and snow cones at Gateway while we waited for Mike at his office.

And, somehow things work out. I learned some new lessons. I actually had some instructive dreams this week (isn't that weird?) that helped me work through a few things, and come to a better frame of mind.

We went to the funeral of Mike's Mission President Monday. And that was also good for my perspective. It made me want to be better. More full of LOVE. Not so focused on just this life. Because the reasons we are really here are so much bigger. I want to live that kind of FULL life. Full of love for others, full of service, full of simplicity, forgetting myself to find myself. Then, I think, a week like last week would seem like a small challenge filled with many opportunities for good.

Life is about GROWING.

It's Wednesday again.
The AC guys came yesterday. I wanted to run out and give them all high-fives. I was so excited to see them. (Monday had been a scorcher.) By about 2 o'clock we had a fancy new AC unit outside and cold air flowing from our vents again. The dirt and boulders are still there - but another group project day is in the works for the near future. The baby is almost totally over his cold. Also, Jessie's dented cheek checked out with the plastic surgeon yesterday. He said it might always be slightly more flat, but otherwise ok. He gave his guarantee this way: "If she can't get a date to Senior Prom, give me a call." All is well. Or will be.
What a difference a week makes.

Remembering

Today we were watching some old family videos. In the mix were several Christmases at Mike's parents' house from a decade and more ago, and other family gatherings. It was strange to watch ourselves so much younger, to remember what was going on at the time: becoming first time parents, beginning life. But the thing that pulled me in most was seeing Mike's grandparents - there in the moment with us on the TV screen. Both sets. It was astonishing somehow to watch them moving around, laughing, talking, snuggling the babies. Remembering how it used to be.

Time passes. The cycle goes on. Now we've said goodbye to all but one grandparent.

Watching those family videos reminded me that though we feel that we are standing on solid ground, it moves and shifts. We don't step in the same river twice.

Thursday we had grandma Helen's funeral. Then drove to Holden to the cemetery. 

How is it that funerals are such amazing family reunions? We saw all of Mike's brothers, cousins, their children, grandma's nieces and nephews, Alma's (her second husband) family...friends. Love. 

It's been a tender week.

(The only photos from the day are from my iPad. Sorry. I forgot my camera.)

 The brothers Melton. I love these boys.

 The Melton cousins (except for one who couldn't make it to the cemetery).
I love this picture for two reasons: 1.) How often (if ever) are they all together in one place?  2.) The setting. The cemetery at Holden where their grandparents (Helen and Tillman) are resting near by. But also where two other cousins, who passed away at birth, are buried. In fact, this photo is taken right next to those two little cousins' graves. It makes me tear up.

Mike's cousin, Bryant, had copies of this picture for all of us. Tillman and Helen.

The world has lost a LADY.

Mike's sweet Grandma left us this week.

Her time came on Friday night. She had fallen and broken a hip Tuesday. But no one expected her to go so soon after. Mike was able to stop to see her a few times on what turned out to be her last day. Precious time with her.

She is so beloved. The thing I most admired about her is that she was always so THRILLED (her word) to be alive and to be with people. How rare is that? SO positive. SO pleasant. SO grateful...even when her body and mind were uncooperative. Her children and grandchildren and everyone who ever knew her will always revere her. How could they not? What a girl. Can't wait to see her again.

Mike's brother, Jim, wrote the obituary below...

Helen Jessie Johnson Melton Peterson

| Visit Guest Book

4/5/1918 ~ 6/1/2012
Sunny and elegant Helen J. Peterson died Friday, June 1, 2012, of causes incident to age. She was born April 5, 1918 in Delta, Utah, to Abner Johnson and Laura Huntsman Johnson and raised on a farm in west Millard County. Her loving family rallied together at the time of her father's death in 1928 and maintained strong relationships with each other throughout their lives.
A cheerleader and senior class vice-president at Delta High School, Helen later worked as a telephone operator in Delta and as a hairdresser in Los Angeles after graduating from Filbin Beauty College and passing the California state board. On a visit home, she met her future husband, Tillman K. Melton, of Dothan, Alabama, an officer assigned to the Antelope Springs, Utah camp of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Helen and Tillman were married June 15, 1940 in Salt Lake City. Called to active duty with the US Army Air Corps during World War II, the couple lived in Orlando, Florida, and Columbus, Ohio before settling in Montebello, California in 1945, where they raised three children. Following Tillman's death in 1972, Helen continued to lead an active life, spending time with siblings, children, grandchildren, and friends and concluded her employment at Pillsbury Company, where she retired in the late 1970s. She later moved to Utah, where in 1985 she married a childhood friend, Alma Peterson, to whom she was married for 20 years until his death. Helen served in a variety of LDS church callings in the Relief Society, Young Women's, and Primary organizations and as an inner-city couple missionary.
Always cheerful and kind, even until her last moments, Helen was loved and admired by a large family and many close friends. She is survived by her children Brenda (Fred) Myler, Nyleen (Ladd) Livingston, and Howard (Jacque) Melton; 14 grandchildren, 12 living, and 37 great-grandchildren, 36 living; Alma's children Richard G. (JoAnn) Peterson, Caroline Gibson, and Diane (Rich) Stewart; sister-in-law Utahna Lytle and brothers-in-law Boyd (Maureen) Nelson and LeVee Peterson. A viewing will be held Wednesday, Jun. 6, 6:30-8:00 pm, at Broomhead Funeral Home, 12600 S. 2200 W., Riverton. The funeral will be Thursday, Jun. 7 at 10:30am in the LDS Chapel at 12950 S. 1300 W., Riverton, where friends may call beginning at 9:30 am. Interment: Holden Utah Cemetery.
Many thanks to the staff at Legacy House South Jordan, Rocky Mountain Rehab, Sandy Health and Rehab, and particularly to Alex Whitt and his staff at Beehive Homes of Lehi, where Helen spent the last seven months of her life, for their compassionate attention to her needs. www.broomheadfuneralhome.com

Published in Deseret News on June 3, 2012      

                

Grace = 10!

It is hard to believe that she is 10. 

It was a special day for her: I took her a special lunch at school. Jessie (still convalescing from her accident) surprised Grace with a birthday present treasure hunt disguised as her daily chore list - whenever she went to do a job on the list she found another birthday present to unwrap! Grace and I made time to go shopping mano-y-mano. She loves to shop and she loves clothes...so that was fun. Mike's mom made a birthday dinner for Grace. And to top it off, pulled out the doll cake form to make this birthday cake for her...

Jacque has occasionally whipped one of these up over the years for girls in the family and Grace loved it! 

 But I actually think Sully loved it MORE. ^ check out his face in this picture. He was very cute going on and on about the doll cake. So, good work Jacque! You succeeded in delighting more than one grandchild. :) (Also, the fashion design light table is a BIG hit! Thank you!)

                                                                                                  (Look close: Jessie's evolving bruises^)

Grace, we love you!