Pushing/Wrestling

The boys (all three of them) love to show how strong they are.

(As we're waiting for it to load, the boys are here signing and saying, "more," "Papa," and "that is a good push," and laughing. I wish I could tape them talking while we wait.)

"Reading"

The oldest has started "reading." He memorizes the story and tells it back to us. This week he would "read" the scripture he was going to share with Primary like this: "Prepare every needful thing." (He was reading Doctrine and Covenants 88:119.)

Here he is "reading" a story from Babybug magazine.

D was a duck
with spots on its back
that lived in the water
and always said, 'quack.'

D. Dear little duck.

(Do you notice that he is not wearing dinosaur pjs?
The killer whale pjs have moved into the acceptable pile, but none of the others.)

Hot Spot Speakings

In Family Home Evening, each Monday night, we have a "hot spot" where someone (usually two little boys) are called to the hot spot and everyone else tells them why they are special. Usually, the oldest loves everyone because they share their toys. Tonight was different. To his younger brother, he said, "I love you because Bambi is an awful good movie."

Introductions

Firefly Watching II by Robin Street-Morris

I don't remember seeing this growing up in Utah, and I haven't seen it every summer, but this summer seems to be the summer of the firefly or lightning bug. Maybe it is because we are finally leaving the drought that seems to have held us down for the past few years; maybe it is because we are all (hopefully) trying to be a little more environmentally friendly.

About three weeks ago, I was heading off to an evening meeting when I saw a solitary firefly outside our front door. I tried waking my sleeping husband, but it was to no avail. The firefly flitted around the pine straw laden dirt in front of the apartment complex for a few minutes, then I had to leave. I wished that my boys were awake so that I could have shown them what I've heard is becoming a rare sight.

Tonight, after a luau in a member of our Church's meadow-like backyard (complete with dancers and the roasted pig's head), the boys and I were making our way to the car. We were leaving a little early because my boys are early sleepers (and they were already 2 hours overdue for bedtime). I noticed that there were many little green lights flashing around the edges of the meadow, and when we got to the car, there were a few right behind it. I called the oldest over and told him to watch the bug because the bug had a flashlight as part of his bum (how else do you explain it to a three-year-old). We watched and the firefly flashed a few times for us.

I am happy that I could show my son this, even though he probably won't remember it tomorrow. Maybe they'll have fireflies in the field behind our new house. (I can always hope.)

Summertime, and the living is easy . . .

How do I know we are now fully into summer here in the South?

1. Watermelon season started. Not only do we eat watermelon almost every day--the oldest would like to eat it for every meal--there is a great family that brings a few watermelons to church and after church is over cuts them open outside so that we can have a few minutes to socialize before heading home for lunch and naps.

2. Blackberries are ripening. We have been picking wild blackberries near the horse farm by the on-ramp to the freeway for three years now. The boys and I made a dash on Friday to see what there was and spent 1/2 hour picking (or eating). This year I figured out how to do it--the youngest goes in the backpack, and the oldest "helps" pick. We ate enough for both boys to eat everything before we arrived back home. We'll head out weekly until the crop is gone.

3. Swimming is an essential part of every day. We go to the (unheated) pool for at least 30 minutes every day. The oldest still thinks he's a fish (even when he doesn't have his float suit on, which were going to have to do something about), and the youngest is tolerant, especially when he gets to jump in and have horseraces.

4. The AC has finally been turned on. We waiting as long as we could, cooling things down with fans and windows, but we finally gave in. Of couse, the temperature is set for 78 or so, so it isn't freezing, but it is a fresh coolness after coming in from the humidity.

5. Bugs. The flying kind the sting/bite and love my legs. We (I) also saw a lightening bug the other night.

6. Strategic parking has started. If I need to go out in the afternoon after naps, I have to make sure that I park the car in a spot that will have been shady for at least 1 hour before we need to leave. Otherwise it is too oppressive to get in the car and go.

7. We are doing the summer reading program at the library. This is the first year that the oldest is counting minutes instead of books, and the rewards aren't as cool, but the youngest just needs to turn his paper in to get his free board book. He has already read his books.

8. Lobsterfest invitations are out. For those of you who knew me (and Genny) way back when (2001), you know that we started an annual lobsterfest, which we kept up until we both moved. Now my little sister (hi, Kira) keeps it going, and she just put the invitations into the mail. I won't be there, again. But we'll celebrate by moving into our new house that day.

These, and a few other things, indicate that summer is truly here.

Oh, what do you do in the summertime,

When all the world is green?

Do you swim in a pool to keep yourself cool,

And watch all the clouds float by?

Is that what you do?

So do I.

Girls' Camp 2009

When I was a young woman, I loved Girls' Camp. I looked forward to it all year long, relished it during the week I was there, and remembered the highlights until camp preparations started the next year. Maybe that is why I went to camp as a youth until I was 18, and then as a stake leader (assistant camp cook) the next year, and then as the final day supply dropper offer the year after that. After I returned from my mission, I was called as the assistant ward camp director, and it was different, but still great.

I was surprised how hesitant I was, then, when I was asked to attend the camp meetings our first summer in the South. (Now, I wasn't called to be the leader or even to go, but going to the meetings was hard.) Maybe I worried that nothing could live up to Camp Shalom or that I was being disloyal to my camp heritage. I don't know.

This year I was asked to prepare the evening devotionals for Girls' Camp. I couldn't attend all the meetings because stake meetings overlapped (and my dear husband serves in the stake) and with one car and two boys, it didn't always work out. But I prayed and went to work. I worried that I would totally mess up or that what I thought would be great would end up not being great.

In the end, I was only able to attend camp for two days (one overnight) to make sure the most difficult devotionals worked smoothly and help out where I could. I hadn't realized how much going to camp helped me feel capable of things--like emergency first aid, dinner preparation, entertainment, etc. And I realized that even though camp in the South is a lot different than camp in Utah County--72 girls in my ward my first year versus 28 girls in the stake out here--camp is still camp, and I am still good at camp.

So if you need someone to teach dutch oven or box oven cooking, or how to start charcoal without using lighter fluid, or basic first aid, or fire starting, or proper maintanence of dutch ovens, or anything campy like that, give me a call. I love it, and somehow, after who-knows-how-many-years, I still know how to do it.