A near book burning and the last field day...

A few years ago, a friend I were discussing a book written from a parent's point of view about all of a child's "lasts". Agreed, some of a child's lasts are pretty great! I remember cheering for joy the last time I had to do up the twigs car seats. Yahoo! (It may seem like a little thing but it was a celebratory moment for me.) Then the book took a nasty turn, and right there in print, touted in everyones faces the END of all the delightful, endearing, precious things children do. We considered having a book burning! We both have "mother's hearts" and though you may have caught me grumbling during hard times, I totally adore these twigs and the crazy, fun things they do! I love being their mom!

Our girlie just had a "last" and we got to join her. It was her last field day at school. The last field day for our last twig. The twigs have loved field day over the years!

This was one of Hunter's favorite friends back in grade school and now they're at the same High School and still great friends - lucky boys.

We were so busy on this last field day that we didn't get one picture of our girlie - Ah!!!
She came by the booth we were running and got a few pics of us though.

We were making...

and wearing cotton candy on this last field day for our last twig.

Thanks, fantastic teachers and parents who have made field days such fun these many years!

Bye, field days       :)

Embarking...

What an exciting time of year!! Tons of the twigs' friends are leaving on missions to teach people around the world about Jesus Christ and his gospel. I heard last week there were more girl (Sister) missionaries that entered the Missionary Training Center than boys (Elders). Amazing times!

One of the twigs favorite friends came by a few weeks ago, the evening before he left on his mission. It was so much fun to listen as the three of them talked and laughed together one more time!

There's a huge ache in my heart when I see these young men and women embark. At the same exact time I'm so happy for them!

Until we meet again, sweet missionaries...

Mounds to rivers to floods...

The rivers and ponds that threatened our little vegetable garden plants became floods. It rained for days and rained HARD Saturday night! We were getting ready to hit the hay when that sweet warning voice of the spirit said "window wells." I asked the twigs if they'd look through the windows with a flash light into the window wells. The goal was to see rocks in the bottom of the window wells - not water!

They came back and reported no rocks in sight. Yikes! Hunter started coming up with ideas like wildfire - from tarps and buckets to siphons of all sorts! Soon, everyone was coming up with ideas, then improving on them, and a plan was hatched.

It wasn't pretty but it was in the nick of time! Water got to within 1/4 inch of coming in.

It was our own little miracle and we're beyond grateful!

Every Sunday I love hearing this beautiful prayer and partaking of the sacramental ordinance...Oh God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember Him, that they may have His Spirit to be with them, Amen.

I testify of a loving God who blesses us, His children, with His Spirit of warning, instruction, comfort, and peace.  God is good!!    :)

Mounds and rivers...

We'd been hardening off our vegetable starts for a few weeks and Mother's Day was in two days so I approached the twigs and the Mr. about helping me plant our little garden for Mother's Day.   :)

It was a win - win!

As I was marking locations for each plant, I felt/heard the spirit whisper the word "mounds."

I shared the "mounds" instructions with the Mr. and twigs and we got everything planted, staked the tall homemade wire cages around the tomato plants, and were done lickety split. Yahoo!

Then the heavens opened up and it rained...and rained...and rained.

So far, the "mounds" have kept our little vegetable plants up and out of the rivers and ponds that have filled the garden. Thank you Heaven - we're so grateful!!   :)

Green Pond and a crisp hosta in the face...

We brought some friends with us on a ramble out yonder.

Vegetation was just beginning to leaf out on the Green Pond Trail.

We came upon a young couple who were camping and roasting s'mores around a little fire at the pond. What a pretty place to camp! We tried to stay out of their way and went around the other side of the pond to skip rocks.

When we got to the outlet of the pond, there was some fording to do. Sean was walking across the logs with deftness when suddenly the next log he stepped on sank! He took it all in stride and didn't let the sloshing in his shoes trip him up a bit.

Then... came the assault of the hostas. Who's idea was this?

"Hosta" la vista!    ;)

Baby...

Blast!!

Something different is happening with the birds in our birdhouse this spring.

The pair I wrote about here came to a sad end - a little pile of feathers on the grass and lunch for some raptor . No pictures - too sad.     :(

Next came weeks of new birds trying out the birdhouse but leaving after a day or two.

I started wondering if we would go bird-less this summer when, finally, a pair of sparrows came and stayed. I totally love having a front row seat to the egg-tending process. I love listening to the chorus of hungry little cheeps coming from the birdhouse!

Just before the eggs could be laid, however, this intruder invaded our bird heaven!

What's his big deal?    I have no idea.
Is he trying to steal eggs?     Who knows?
He swoops in and screams and squawks and scares the sparrows away every day - multiple times a day.
He gracelessly bumbles down the side of the birdhouse and tries to stick his big annoying head in the opening. 
Blast!!

So the watching and hoping to hear sweet baby sparrow chirps continues...

The "royalest" of friends...

A year ago I posted here about Zac and his fantastic friends 

who voted him Prom King. I wrote...

"I've been thinking what it means when a girl or boy is crowned Prom Royalty.

I believe it means the ones wearing the crowns

have the very very best of friends:

unselfish, kind, thoughtful, generous friends

who see the best in others,

friends who make a difference in others' lives

and never even know it."

“Friendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have.” 
-A.A. Milne"

 

So when Hunter came home from Prom just the other night,
wearing a crown like Zac's,
I was sooo confused.
"Why was Hunter wearing Zac's Prom King crown?

Turns out it wasn't Zac's crown, it was Hunter's Prom Prince crown. 

Wow, what friends!

"When a girl or boy is crowned Prom Royalty. 

I believe it means the ones wearing the crowns

have the very very best of friends:

unselfish, kind, thoughtful, generous friends

who see the best in others,

friends who make a difference in others' lives

and never even know it."

“Friendship," said Christopher Robin, "is a very comforting thing to have.” 
-A.A. Milne"

Prom excitement...

Prom was last weekend. The days before Prom were filled with so much excitement and planning and excitement and rearranging of plans and excitement!!

The Prom group asked if we were available to take a few pictures and we were so excited (there's that word again) because you know what that means? We'd get to spend a little time with the whole amazing group of kids. I know it's often said kids these days are incredible. That's 'cause it's true...these kids are incredible!!

Earlier in the day we went scouting for indoor and outdoor photo locations at Station Park, talked to several nice security guards, and got a permission/waver form turned in. We returned that evening to await the "excitement" of the group's arrival.

Then we got the phone call...they had driven to the wrong location, were at the dance, had missed so much of it already that they just wanted to stay there, could we come to the dance? If not, it was okay. More excitement!

 The dance location was packed with incredible High School kids so the only option was outside in the dark..."excitement". 

These are our "in the dark with a flash" pictures of the excitement!

The kids all looked amazing!!

Thank the Heavens we got a tiny break in the torrential rain storm! You can still see the rain dripping off the white lattice.

What fun, incredible kids! Loved all the excitement!

How about this! Real pictures taken by Hunter's sweet date's Mom. Thank you Mrs. L!!