SNoW dAY!!!






































The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? ~J.B. Priestley

A Saturday in Switzerland…

We took an 18 hr layover to have this Saturday. Matt was in meetings until late fri afternoon. This Saturday is our day together to venture out into the beauty of this country, which it has limitless amounts to offer. We opened our eyes, ( sleepy tired eyes because of the foreign neighbors next to us. unknown language. paper thin walls gave way to the madams high screechy, screaming voice and her male partner who sounded just like Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond only not speaking English and talking very very loudly. oh and I must not forget to mention the smoking that must have osmosised through those same walls into our room many times during the night while he hacked up a lung) to a bright outdoors, fluffy flakes falling, and a snow covered landscape. The plan for this day was to visit a quaint little French city, Ancy, on the other side of the lake. The entire morning was spent in bed eating leftover pizza from last nights dinner, clicking through the 3 somewhat English speaking news channels, a various other things. Still snowing at noon, we decided to only drive into Geneva and eat at the Movenpick. Off on our adventure, still snowing heavy. Programed M into the (what Matt says) outdated tom tom, still snowing. Into G, right straight to our destination, around the block 3 times, more snow no Movenpick. Matt says there is one by the airport. Program that in and off we go, but not very far. Cheap car, some name Leslie doesn’t know, begins to slide as we head up the slight incline in the direction of the airport. Many nice men push us and we go some more until the next hill and stop light. No go. Car up ahead stuck also. Cars passing us. Train passing us. Matt, white knuckles, red sweaty palms. Leslie gets out to push, actually does pretty good for a bit. Runs besides the car and just hopes Matt can make it up the hill. Doesn’t. Leslie trys to push again, several men leave the sidewalk to help, but I think they are saying in their, not nice, unrecognizable words, “stupid Americans driving this dumb little car up this icy steep road!” Go again, until the next incline, decide to turn around, probably illegally. Snowing heavy. Think it is best to just head back to the hotel and hope the journey is level. It is. A few grey hairs later we make it safely back to the hotel, go buy some snackys at the local grocer, Migros, and curl up together to watch a great movie on the fancy high tech gadget Matt owns. Leslie always calls it the wrong thing. Today, this Saturday together in Switzerland, was perfectly wonderful. Really. No, really it was, we are serious!
“I believe in happy endings, starry skies , and dreams come true.” -Neil Diamond

We do too.

other summer stuff

Peter Urmston Fam came to visit, minus the Peter and then leaving the Porter. We have had great fun with the latter and Coop is glad he is here, so are we. Melanie also stayed a while and Addi was in heaven. Thanks M, come again. That invite is extended to all you other little (or big) cousins out there.


Matt had young mens camp in Moab and we went down after. It was so much fun. Hiked up a beautiful canyon and jumped some cliffs into pools of water.








Had watched Nat geo tv and guys running on water so the kids thought they would give it a try. The tryed really hared but were unsuccessful. As you can see by the photos, Addi was very engrossed in her own activity.

moab

trek

The trek was an unforgetable experience. We went for our ward youth conference. We have incredible young men and women in our ward. They were unbelievable in spirit and in deed.

I love these women I have been priveleged to work with and camp was terrific.

girls camp

Kait is a very funny girl.
We love her dearly.

“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” -John Bowring

Today........

....... I miss my babies. I am guessing almost all mothers young or old have heard this said, “Enjoy it while you can, they grow up so fast.” So, today I was busy in my very lonely kitchen (except a little happy music playing in the background) making a yummy potato dish for the ward dutch oven dinner tonight and it was SO quiet and empty.

Not many years ago, I thought I lonnnnged for the quiet when there were babies helping me on the counter top and toddlers running around my feet. Running out to check on the little boy playing in the mud or the tiny girl climbing a great big tree. REALLY!! I swore I would never say it. That older mother( I'm only 42) with all the grown teenage kids telling me to ENJOY it. Not that I would go back. I love where my life is today and all my big kids running around, mostly independent. Drama from the prom queen. Stinky teenage boys and 1 big boy manchild ripping deeeesgusting flatulence during our TV viewing and then laughing hysterically about it.

But seriously!!! I really miss my babies today. Those head pounding, hair pulling, sleepless nights, cry your eyes out crazy days with young children. I'm going to say it, enjoy those little moments . One day, and much sooner than you think, they won't be there. It is so sad, now I'm crying. A wonderful visiting teacher gave me this quote years ago and it still hangs around. Edith Hunter said, “The walks and talks we have with our four-year-olds in mismatched boots have a great deal to do with the values they will cherish as adults.” They will be adults before we know it. Time does fly and they do grow up so fast. Okay, now I feel better. I will go back to my empty quiet lonely and, yes still messy, kitchen looking forward to their speedy return and smiling faces. At that point I will try to find joy in what we call “piranha hour” at our house. Cherish them.

"No gift bestowed upon us is so precious as children.

They are proof that God still loves us. They are the hope of the future."

-- James E. Faust (Ensign, May 1987, p. 80.)

SUMMER LOVIN'

lovin' the pretty ponies, friends, mountains, riding, ponies...





lovin' kait and her smiling face and her smily face scare that is healing so nicely...


lovin' the bridge and jumping...

lovin' coop and he is really lovin' his job...
































lovin' addi andthe pretty updoo cousin candice gave her, darling...







lovin' candice because she came to visit for a bit. she is fun, and pretty, and daring, and adventurous, and brave, and fun. we love candice...











lovin' the snakes...


lovin' the waterfall...





lovin' the hot pots and aunt lenas adorable boys...

































lovin' lava hot springs and the mile high platforms...



lovin' the homemade go carts and preston, id......








fishin' at the reservoir...


















and our newest affair.... burraston or as we affectionately say, "the swinging pond"












lovin' the swings, happy, happy, happy...


will you come join us soon?

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on
the grass on a summer day
listening to
the murmur of water, or watching the clouds
float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.
~John Lubbock

gooooooo bronson!!

work and play

The boy graduated. Yipee! One down four to go. Love this SMUG mug. One day your a kid the next your a grownup. Is that how it works. Nice hanger. I'm sure he thought mom would be mad if he left it behind. What a thoughtful boy/man. Thanks to all the fam and friends who came or sent cards. Much appreciated. You are all awesome and we love you.



Our baby came. Filly, will be a pretty little buckskin like her daddy. Sassafras, Sassy, cause she IS!
Grandma Mary loved this baby so much and the other 2. Oh how you should have heard her complain when we sold them. You would have thought SHE was taking them home with her. :) :)





When mom got back from girls camp she found this little girl ALL tied up in knots, the result of youtube contortionist videos.
...and these little girls got to go on a photo shoot with a good friend of ours from HI. She spent all evening with us giving me some really good photo tips. Thank you, THANK you Shauna, you can find her here.


WORK, the new fence that Matt got for a STEAL of a deal to go around our precious pasture for the pretty ponies.

Lots and lots of PLAY,

























..and more
PLAY!!





















and more...











Never knew a ditch could be so much fun. Oh, yes i DID.








More work, 83 bales (would have paid $5 a bale/$415), we paid our neighbor $90 to cut and bale.
Total savings=$325





















“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” - C. Swindoll