Bear River Park and more

In light of the Thanksgiving Holiday coming up we've decided to keep something like a "gratitude journal". I've been struggling here and there with "the blues" and my husband and my son have been struggling with being just grumps in general some days. The days are getting shorter and colder and it is taking its toll on us. I thought focusing on the blessings we've had in our lives would help us all, there have certainly been many.

I've decided to write a bit between now and the end of the month about things I've been thankful for in my life. My Thanksgiving Posts. In no chronological order and no significant order at all, just what is on my mind. I'm sure I'll also add updates from Spencer and John. Spencer wrote last night that he's thankful for Grandparents and Polix. He's a lucky boy, that kid. He has wonderful involved Grandparents. Oh, and a dog that is his shadow.

Anyway, this picture was taken years ago at Bear River Park in Evanston. I've really been missing that park lately. I've been thinking of the healing place that it was for me and how it became like a friend. So many memories there. I spent hours and hours and hours on those trails when Spencer was a baby, and more when he was older. At first I wore him in a sling or pushed him in a stroller. My wonderful friend Rose (who happened to be the mother of a childhood friend) was a large part of those walks. We'd meet there almost every evening and walk for at least an hour or more, sometimes taking turns carrying my baby. I think back to how theraputic that time was for me, the conversation, the sunset, the walking. I learned and grew so much. Other times Spencer would be in the little seat on Doug's bike and I'd be on mine and we'd go ride on those same trails. I never would be over being amazed that my baby could sleep in a bike seat (especially when the parts of the trails his dad liked best were not the nice paved ones you see in the picture).

Sometimes I'd sneak to the park alone to walk and think. Even these times, or perhaps especially these times, were so healing to me.

As Spencer grew and changed so did my relationship with this park. Soon it was the place I'd take my little boy for long walks and exploring bugs and throwing rocks. Many times I'd end up somehow having to push or carry a tricycle and a little boy back to our house.

It was a magical land for Spencer and so it became so for me. As he grew there were many conversations with my little boy and many adventures we had at that park. Add to that the wonderful and heartwrenching things that have taken me to the trails there and the friendships that park has housed for me, Happy laughing times with my great friend Chad; tearful-figuring things out times with my dear friend Amy; Spencer's first Birthday party with our little circle of friends that had become our Evanston family. Yes a magical place.

But more than just the park and times I've had there I'm also thankful for the years that those times mark. Being a kind of single mom. I say 'kind of' because Spencer's dad was always involved and supportive and we had wonderful family and friends, I really had a great support system and never had to "do it all alone". Still, I look back with happy memories of the years that it was just the 2 of us. Spencer and I against the world. It was the time of learning and growing. For both of us. I learned who I was, how to stand up for what I believed in, how to be a mother. What I learned suprised me. That I was capable of loving so recklessly and so fearlessly. That I could give so completely. That I was so strong. That my role as his mommy defined me, it was a role that fit, that I felt, and still feel, is the most important thing I can do and my favorite too.

I wouldn't trade what I have now, a home with John that is more often than not bursting at the seams with kids. But I do cherish the memories of times when it was just my little boy and me. In our tiny apartment with the Big yard and the Big tub, playing Bob the Builder and super heros. The laughing and dancing and reading stories, going on trips. Quiet evenings with hot chocolate and christmas lights. I wonder how much of these memories that I hold so dear will Spencer carry with him? Will he remember those nights as a baby and toddler being rocked or walked to sleep in my arms? The days of laughing and learning and exploring? The brief moment in time where his life revolved around me and mine around him? Probably not, but I do hope that even though not remembered it lends something great to the man he'll become. I know it has been a huge blessing in my life.

Then, Now, Tomorrow

"Don't waste your effort worrying about what you have not done.
Spend your time working on what you now can do.
It's amazing how much you can accomplish when your heart is in it.
Drop the doubts, self-criticisms, and anxieties, and positively put your heart into what you're doing.
Enjoy the delicious feeling of making real progress based on your own focused efforts.
Have fun watching yourself accomplish as you complete each task.
Taking effective, meaningful action will put you in a positive frame of mind.
And that will open the door to many great new possibilities.
Go beyond wondering about it, or thinking it through, or planning for it.
Just go ahead and get it done.
Choose your destiny and delight in the fulfilling effort that makes it happen.
You can do it, and now is when."

- Ralph Marston

(by the way, the internet lives at our house now so I may be a post-a-holic for a bit, bear with me! :)

Happy Halloween Party a couple of weeks ago

A little later than usual but here are the pictures from our Halloween party this year. We had it on the 24th of October. It was so much fun! The menu consisted of only Halloween themed foods and beverages, always a hit. The entertainment was mostly just visiting and laughing with friends, with a little Karaoke for good measure, because really what is an afternoon at our house without singing? Oh, and some "blowing stuff up with dry ice". We like to encourage young scientists. Not rednecks, scientists!

The treat of the afternoon was that the kids went downstairs and set up a spook alley for the adults to go through. Terrifying. Really. At least the clean up was.

The kiddos were a grim reaper, a dead bride, a glamorous witch and a zombie this year (skunk, em, mak and 'boomstick') . John and I were cave men, er- I mean cave people. I wish I'd gotten a picture of my dad, he came as...my dad! The kids were so impressed with his costume and how it looked so much like what he wears everyday!

The time of year for giving

Our 4-H kids have decided to do a holiday service project.
They're doing a toy and book drive to gather gifts for the children of families in need this holiday season.
They're asking for donations of New of Very Gently used toys, books, games, dvds and other age appropriate media or money donations to buy these items.
Its so much fun to see these kids get so excited about helping other kids. I love that they are so enthusiastic about this project. They have worked hard to get their donation boxes and flyers out around town. They've set big goals to
Any help to this cause would be greatly appreciated. If you are close by and would like to donate anything please leave me a message or email. If you aren't nearby and would like to help that would be great too just get in touch with me. (we can utilize mail or paypal:) Keep in mind that even a couple of dollars to this project would help brighten the day of a child. Forward this post or tell your friends, help these kids make a big difference this year!

These are some pictures of a couple of the kids in the 4-H club delivering some donation boxes.

Inner Peace

This image was labeled "Inner Peace".
Something about this colorful Mandala touched me today and I kept going back for it. Maybe I've found a little inner peace. Maybe I'm looking for a little inner peace. Maybe it is both at once?

Maybe we have been busy

The photo above is one of our favorite places to go. The National Museum of Wildlife Art. Even their website is great, my son loves going here. My goal is to go at least once a month since we have a membership and they always have new art.
The photo below is one of the 'Halloween' foods we'll make this year, the photo is from Taste of Home's website. Isn't it cute?

You'd think I'd been busy or something with no new posts in a month.
We've been a tiny bit busy, getting back into the groove of a new school year, getting ready for 4-H to get rolling again, we've really been busy getting well after that crappy cold we all had! And not yet busy but will be soon getting ready for our Halloween party.
The snow the past couple of weeks, as disgusting as it is to have snow this early, has put me in the mood for sewing and getting gifts ready for Christmas. Now if I can just keep that motivation until I'm all ready for Christmas!

Also, my friend has an amazing deal going on now that you just have to know about. She is amazing with a camera and has just launched a business and is charging just $50ish for family pictures! Go look at her blog and if you live in the area go get your pictures done! http://backatheranch.blogspot.com/

Our summer in a few random pictures

Here, in no particular order, (definately not chronological) are some pictures from our busy busy summer. I wish we had the internet at our house, I'd be much more on top of all the blogging I wish I could do! My birthday is coming up, thats what I really want for my birthday, internet at my house!
At Spencer's after baptism picnic, some of the Clinger girls.

Marleigh, my BFF Emily's baby. Isn't she so stinkin' cute?

At "Hog's head" or something like that, a fun place Jen introduced us to. The kids had a blast!

I figured out how to get my shy husband to loosen up and have a fun time at social events!!

Teresa's beautiful wedding, it was perfect!

I'm sure he gets the funny face making gene from his dad.

So much fun with my boy this summer. I love spending time with him, he's my favorite!

Polix on a fishing trip.

Nat says this is the tallest guy she met all summer. I wonder if she met anyone as tall last winter?

Playing at McGrossy's playland.

Cutie Cute beans. We went school shopping for special "aunt/niece" dates.

Wowza, goofy kids. I love them!

Davey and his Dad at camp.

Nataloo and her Dad at home. I think she looks most like him out of all the kids. Their cowlicks' are even in the same place!

Much much rock painting happened at our house all summer. We entered many painted rocks in the fair. Many ribbons were won! When Karissa was around much skin and hair and clothes got painted too! She's very artistic!

4th of July parade. This is the 4-H club that Spencer is in this year. He had a great time and did so well at the dog show! We're so proud of him and Molly!

We were suprised to see David and Tia in the parade on the 4th. We didn't even know they were in town!

Getting ready to be in the parade.

Officer Clinger trying to figure out what to do with these hooligans.

He arrested them. Probably a good idea.

Handcuffs. Not something I'd thought of using as a parenting technique before, I wonder if it'd work? Isn't it the same as tying them up and locking them in the closet? I hear that works too.

Koolaid kites rock.

Future buckle bunnies? No. Taylor and Abby watching the rodeo where Spencer and a few of his buddies rode calfs at the fair.

And after the real riding there was mechanical bulls to be ridden.

My rodeo boy.

We've had a fun summer. It ended much to fast as always. I'm already dreading snow. I am looking forward to more time to get some sewing projects done from my 'want to do list'.

I asked the kids what their favorite parts of summer were. Natalie LOVED any time she could spend with her best friend cousins Sydney and Makaylyn. Sami said her favorite was being with her cousin Lena. I'm really glad the kids were able to have so much time with cousins this summer. I think it is so important, and so much fun for them. I love that they all have cousins near their ages that they get along with so well.

A few memorable things this summer:

~Sami checked out EVERY non-fiction book about dogs from all three libraries in our area.

~Natalie and Mak got their first "bras" (short t-shirts that they called bras) they were so excited that they wore them OUTSIDE of their shirts to show that they were wearing them. Silly girls!
~Natalie proved to be the "grasshopper whisperer". No matter where we were she could catch numerous grasshoppers.

~Spencer was sure that there were werewolves near our house and didn't like me going outside in the dark, he was not hesitant at all to let John go brave the night though.

~Natalie believed Spencer about the werewolves but also thought there were people with knives and hooks in the closet. (We are hoping her mom doesn't let her keep watching the movies she watches there.) All in all we slept with lights on, oh, 90%of the time!

~Hegit~is Natspeak for Headache.

~The road we live on is the best walking, bikeriding, fishing, crashing road around.

~No matter how little the popsicle it still gets sticky all over everything.

~No matter how little the kid it still gets mess all over the house.

~As I'm writing this trying to figure out what else happened this summer I realize that mostly I learned how to send kids off to opposite corners and naps (not a skill a mom of an only child uses much). I spent tons of time emotionally and physically and mentally exhausted from trying to tame my step-children (and thier dad:). Good thing I love them all so much!

Happy Birthday kid beans!

And because it is his birthday, here's looking back at another birthday this boy celebrated. Wowza I love love love that kiddo!
Time seems to be speeding on by much too fast. My husband is trying to figure out a way to stop time so we have more time to hang out. I hope he gets that "to do" project finished this weekend!

more scrapbook pages

Here are a few scrapbook pages I recently put together. Halloween 2004. How cute is my 4 year old? That wonderful little boy is now 9!! How crazy is that?? Happy Birthday Skunkie!!

The cowboy that lives at our house

Spencer was in his first rodeo!! Here are some pages I did about the day, there are more pictures (some great ones of our fashion conscious Natalie and her goat chasing event) I'll post them later as I don't have those pages with me right now. (again, moaning about no internet connection at home.)
Anyway, Spencer LOVED it and is excited to participate in more rodeos in the future. He feels that he has a great start on his bullriding career! I'm a little baffled at how my tiny baby is almost 9 and beginning a bull riding career, crazy growing kids!

how does your garden grow?

The garden finally is living outside instead of in my living room!
I had such excited eager helpers that things didn't end up in the nice rows I'd imagined in my head but thats ok, everything is growing anyway!

We won!

We won we won we won we won we won (sing that to the pink panther music).

I was so excited about my husband being the week's winner at this little bookstore in Evanston I almost called my Evanston friends to have them drive by and see his name in lights! ( I controlled myself and didn't....mostly).

It was so much fun spending this gift certificate. John thought it was cool because he's never won anything, too bad he's not oh so excited about books. Luckily though, his wife is!