Snow Ball Fight!!!

Melodee holds a hail stone.

Well... actually they were balls of ice not snow! Monday night the skies unleashed balls of ice as big as base balls with reports of a few soft ball size stones. It was one of those days that had been hot and muggy all day long. The weather forecast called for some severe thunder storms so we were kind of watching - but it was nice enough that we even had a picnic in the evening.

Not long after bedtime was when hail storm  started alias the snowball fight. I'll let the pictures tell the bulk of the story..

Top half of a broken window shows an approximate size of the hail stone that broke it. The bottom glass was broken out as well but the photo didn't show it as well.

Living Room window - This picture also shows the damage to the window frame as well.

Kids bedroom window - they were not in there at the time as we had them all hiding out in the center of the basement away from any west windows!

Another broken window

Holiday trailer...

The suburban. We counted about 20 places that looked like a place of impact.

Chunks taken out of the shingles on the roof!

Shredded poly-carbonate roof

Of course the only side of the tree-house that was damaged was the side with siding.

Car windshield.

The Rhubarb took a beating

The morning after the storm - the yard is strewn with leaves, fruit etc.

You can see the dings on the chimney even though  I couldn't get the camera to focus properly.

The greenhouse is pocked. From the inside it looks a lot like bubble wrap that has been popped!

The garden actually fared pretty good, the onions took the worst of it is seems. Potatoes are still happily blooming!

Well, that was a little too much excitement for bedtime, it took everyone a while to settle down and for security, NOBODY felt like sleeping in the attic! It really had sounded terrible. You can hear it pretty good in the video Naomi took:

It is funny how calm one can feel even when nature unleashes some of its most destructive forces against you. The kids were in a panic (which you can surmise from the video). We sent them downstairs immediately, mostly to keep them safe but partly to give them a place where they could calm down. I was so proud of them... as Chad and I scurried about getting boards that could be put up against the breaking windows and trying to keep the damage to as much of a minimum as possible given the furry of the storm, the kids followed our instructions to go downstairs and at the base of the stairs they all dropped to their knees and petitioned the only One who could calm the storm. And the storm was calmed, oh, the stuff outside was still happening, but the panic and worry that they had all been feeling departed almost immediately. The inner storm was over and the one outside was winding down. What a joy and a blessing it is to have children so full of faith. They are truly a delight to us. Despite the extensive damage that we sustained at our house, I know we are no better off than most of the people in town. Very few houses didn't have damage. Most all of them lost at least one window and of course any with vinyl siding on them have extensive damage. I'm pretty sure everybody have shingles that look like ours. School was closed for the remainder of the year with exception to an awards ceremony and year end barbecue. They lost probably close to half of their west windows which was the reason for the closure.

I am so grateful for the knowledge of a power even greater than that of mother nature. Truly with God, nothing is too big to overcome or endure and always there are blessings flowing almost constantly into our lives.

Long Legged and Horsing Around!!!

Digital camera's are so much fun to have. I love the ability it gives me and my kids to capture those goofy moments that might have otherwise been overlooked...

One long legged girl...

Another long legged girl!

Pillow fight anyone?

Now that's a mischievous look...

Just enjoying family life... and it keeps on getting better and better! What a joy and delight my children are!

Canning Again in Season

Well, I should have started a month ago, but today I harvested the first of my rhubarb.

I chopped it up...

And juiced it...

Now what to make with it...

I love to can. It is one of many things I can do as a stay at home mom that takes care of the family. The joy I find in filling my cupboards is something I look forward to each year, and then as I use the produce I am again thankful to my Heavenly Father for the bounty we enjoy. We are greatly blessed by the Lord.

Lessons from The Garden

Well it is no secret that I love the garden. Part of the reason I love it so much is because I learn so much as I spend my time there.

The Path of Love

 This is a narrow pathway, just wide enough for walking. It is actually only just one year old. Prior to this we had nothing more than a trail. The problem was that the trail did not define where the flower beds started and often, particularly during the winter and early spring when things were dormant, the flowers would get trampled.  I love having a well defined path. It marks the way through the yard and keeps everything growing as it should. Life is like a well marked foot path in that when we stick to the teachings of the gospel found in both scripture and from the words of the prophets then we can be assured that we will not harm anything that is lovely and beautiful - particularly others. We are assured of this because the path we are encouraged to walk is one of love.

Always Worth the Wait

 Uniquely beautiful, this white peony is fairly new to my garden. I have had it for about 3 years now. I bought it off a discount rack. It was small and didn't amount to much at the time. Last year it grew but was still to small to produce a flower. Yet knowing that it would eventually flower, and that when it did it would be worth it, I continued to tend it. This year it is still small but it has one glorious blossom on it. An it was definitely worth the wait. It is unlike any peony I have ever seen and it is beautiful in its purity and design. In life we too have to learn to be patient and wait for others to bloom. Certainly there was nothing I could have done last year to make it bloom, it had to do so in it's own time. Timing is important in our own lives as well. The Lord has plead that we will keep ourselves pure and virtuous. Virtue is tossed too and fro these days like a worn out boot, but this flower reminds me that virtue is ALWAYS worth the wait because its fruits are glorious and beautiful!!!

A Flower Family

 Three irises, three uniquely different flowers yet all are from the same family which work together to unify the garden. These flowers remind me each time I look at them that each family member is a wonderfully important individual with great potential and divine worth. Each of these flowers have developed different qualities of colors, size and style. Families are similar in that each member develops different talents and qualities that complement the rest of the family.

No such thing as 'fast food' Faith!

 I am not always a patient gardener - sometimes I feel like I need to dig up a seed or two to see if it is actually beginning to grow or not. However, I usually manage to stop myself before I can damage any tender young shoots. Sometimes faith can feel like this. Life is filled with many experiences, some hard and some not so hard, but most require faith and when faith is needing stretched it is important to remember to water it and let it develop. Faith never develops overnight and always requires constant attention and tending much like a young garden. I know that over time this garden will produce a wonderful array of delicious food.

From a Different Angle

 This is not a spectacular garden. In fact, if you look at the pathway picture above you will see it the way I see it almost every day. However, I was out taking photos the other day and discovered a very pleasing angle in which to view this garden. I find it stunning. I am reminded that when we look at a situation in life from the same old angle all the time, we sometimes miss the blessings and joys we might have otherwise enjoyed.

Climbing Upward in Happiness

This is a first time flower this year as well. I fell in love with clematis several years ago for it's vine-like qualities and large showy blossoms. In fact some clematis flowers bloom twice in the same year. I love the determination of this plant. Not only does it grow 6-8 feet in a year, but it is so filled with joy that it blossoms twice during the year as well. It reminds me to always look upward, no matter what is underfoot, if I focus on my Savior and strengthen my faith, making corrections as needed, I too will be filled with enough joy to figuratively 'bloom twice a year' which is more than is usually expected from a perennial flower.

Seminary Grad

This was an exciting weekend because not only did we celebrate Beth's grade nine graduation but we also got to celebrate Alisha's seminary grad!

This is quite an accomplishment because it recognizes Alisha for attending early morning seminary for 4 consecutive years. Back in my day, we only had early morning seminary once a week, so it is much more of a commitment for these kids that go every day! What impresses me the most, is that they do it themselves. I don't have to push and prod. They get themselves up, and get ready on their own, and by 7:00 a.m. they are for the most part out the door!

Seminary grad this year included that attendance of Alisha's grandparents who traveled to the city with us for the occasion. Alisha beamed as she received her diploma - a symbol of all the sleep she sacrificed for spiritual knowledge.

 Here she shows off her certificate out in the foyer of the Stake Center.

I know that the Savior is as pleased with her accomplishment as her family is.

I love this photo. Her face glows golden in the setting sun that was pouring in through the door highlighting the sheer joy on her face. What a beautiful girl - inside and out!

I can't help but think of one of my favorite scriptures at times like this:

Truly, there is no greater JOY than to see my children progress spiritually. I am sure that Heavenly Father feels much the same as He sees us make good choices blessing and serving our families, friends and neighbors. I am also sure that his pain is equally excruciating when He sees His children turn from truth for then their joy is lost and his has turned to sorrow...

May we always walk in truth and be blessed with exquisite joy!

Awarded to...

Naomi!!!

It seems like a long time ago, but I guess Remembrance day was only 6 months back. Naomi was invited this month to attend the awards ceremony that the Legion holds every year because she had placed in the Remembrance Day Literary Contest for a poem she had written.

That was a big day for her because just that afternoon the two of us traveled to Lethbridge to get the top wire put on her braces. It made her mouth hurt a bit as she is now all rigged up with springs and wires and all that stuff. Of course a trip to the city isn't complete unless we see Shylah... so a couple hours after her appointment was over we headed home. We had 10 minutes and then headed into town for the Awards ceremony.

I have to say, I LOVED this ceremony! I think schools could take some notes. They gave out a whole pile of prizes to lots of kids as well as to the Legion members themselves. They didn't give big long speeches about each award, they just announced it and called the winner up. It took no more than 15 minutes to do all the Remembrance Day awards. Naomi took 2nd place in the poetry contest and received a cash award. Another 5-10 minutes later the Legion awards were done and then there was time for refreshments and mingling. It was pretty nice.

So this picture sums up the day pretty good. Naomi is not only showing off her prize and certificate but also her brand new top wire that makes her mouth hurt. What a joy it is that she still feels like smiling!

I think life is sometimes like that. Things sometimes happen that cause hurt, but the deep down happiness and peace we spiritually cultivate bubbles out and spills over the sorrow and the hurt is extinguished. Naomi's teeth hurt but her happiness carried her through the discomfort. What a blessing it is to know the source of happiness, and to be secure in that knowledge.

The Second Grad

At the beginning of the month we were pleased and excited to celebrate another grad in our family - this time it was Beth who graduated from Burdett and will move on to high school next year. I used to stress getting prepared for these kinds of things, but this year I just haven't bothered stressing - stressing is too much work!

With Beth's graduation on the heels of Alisha's, I was kept quite busy sewing. Once Alisha's dress with its 'Double Bubble Trouble' was done I was ready for a sewing break! At that point I had Beth's dress all sewed with exception to the hem and the neck finishing so I wasn't feeling too pressed. I finally got a chance a couple days before grad to measure up the hem so it hung right. I hemmed it Friday morning before company started arriving for the celebration that night. Before attending the banquet I took the opportunity to take some grad photos of my girl.

 The meal was wonderful and the program was enjoyable. Beth was predicted to be a BYU art teacher that often visited Naomi on her ranch....
I'm not sure about the Naomi having a ranch part, but I think they got it right when they later talked about Beth writing a book.

 Beth introducing one of her fellow graduates.

Beth and Anna cleverly announcing the guest speaker.

Graduations are exciting. I love to participate in the recognizing of not only my own children, but all those who have accomplished a major portion of their education. In Burdett, many of the students that graduate from grade nine do not go to high school - so for them this is the only school graduation they will celebrate. Beth and a few others will move on. Next year Beth will go to school with Naomi again and I'm sure they'll leave their own distinctive mark as they move through school. As for me, there is so much joy associated with seeing my children stretch and grow that it is not really possible to put it into words. I love my Beth. She is such a wonderful girl, with numerous talents, interests and abilities. She holds a distinctive place in our home and family.
I am so blessed!

Overflowing...

Well it has been our goal for just over a year now to have not only a fish pond in the back yard, but to also have an upper pool that flows into the lower one. This month we got it!!! I can't get enough of being outside, and hearing the relaxing sound of water flowing. As I look at my life, I see it much like this pool, with blessings constantly flowing - I love the reminder that the water garden gives me. It is a joy to be outside with so many reminders of the goodness of God in my life. So here are the pictures...

 Loving it outside.

 I think this is a moth - I thought it was kind of neat and it appeared as I was filling my pond.

 There it is - from the north. You can see the water flowing from the upper pool into the dark hole beneath which is the lower pool. I've got a few more flowers to put in pots to complete the garden and we have one more floating ornament to add.

Here is the completed pond from above. Who knows what I might like to do still, but I love how it has turned out so far. I love the sound of the running water, it is not only relaxing but soothing and it makes it that much more enjoyable to be outside in the yard. I can only imagine the satisfaction and joy the Savior must have felt as he created this earth for us and looked and it was 'good'.

Studying Together

During General Conference this last spring I was impressed with a talk that spoke about needing to know and understand the plan of salvation. I have come to know that this is true and feel a need to reteach it to my children. We have been doing this in Family Home Evening now for a couple of months. We take as many weeks as it takes to get through all the material and then move on in topic so it is slow going but oh - so worth it! I love this plan. I have decided to put our booklet pages on this blog so my children can continue to follow along with us even when they are no longer living at home. I love each of my children so much. They bring me such joy.
Plan of Salvation Booklet
Plan of Salvation Quotes
Agency Quotes