Thursday, May 28, 2009
STAYcation...
Darin took off some days this week and we decided instead of going on vacation that we would have a staycation. We took the boys to Night of the Museum II, swam, had movie parties, swam, went to Park City for the day and went on the Alpine Slide, and then went swimming some more. My boys were thrilled to have their dad home and love to spend time with him. It was a great weekend, only I didn't bring the camera along for any of it-UUUGHHHHHHH!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Go Wyatt!!
Wyatt wants to be just like all of the other kids in the neighborhood. It cracks me up to watch him riding his scooter-why are we in such a big hurry to grow up? What a cutie!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Odds and Ends...
We have been spending so much time outside enjoying the nice sunny days, that I am a little behind on everything else. A few weeks ago Caitlyn came and went swimming with Wyatt. We put them on a floatie and pulled them around the pool. You can tell from the pictures who weighs more-Wyatt looks like he is going to sink in the pool on his end. They had a great time.
Here's the cheese to prove it.
And the soccer season is officially over. We have loved playing all the games and experiencing our first sport season at our house. Bridger would like to play flag football next. Looks like I will be busy again in the fall, but off for the summer-RAH RAH!
Other than that, I made blackberry and strawberry freezer jam and been keeping the garden growing. Hopefully everything will make it! Hope your summers are all going well!! ENJOY!
Here's the cheese to prove it.
And the soccer season is officially over. We have loved playing all the games and experiencing our first sport season at our house. Bridger would like to play flag football next. Looks like I will be busy again in the fall, but off for the summer-RAH RAH!
Other than that, I made blackberry and strawberry freezer jam and been keeping the garden growing. Hopefully everything will make it! Hope your summers are all going well!! ENJOY!Monday, May 11, 2009
Mother's Day...
Invisible Mother…
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’ Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this ? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude – but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I wasfeeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription:‘To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you arebuilding when no one sees.’
In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their buildingwas fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. Andthe workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing tosacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to hisfriend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’ Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this ? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude – but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!?
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I wasfeeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription:‘To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you arebuilding when no one sees.’
In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their buildingwas fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. Andthe workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing tosacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to hisfriend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Impending signs of summer...
Impending signs of summer: Swim suits and pools and swimming and splashing.
Beach volleyball over the swingset.
Pink sun-kissed cheeks and...
PLANTED GARDENS!!!!!!
I just have to tell you about one of the greatest deals I have ever found online. I bought this pool last year from Amazon for $40.00 shipped! You really can't beat that! Great deals-another impending sign of summer-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :)Sunday, May 3, 2009
Where has all the time gone?
I was going through some old pictures of my kids and came across these. I can't believe that this is how my kids looked a few short years ago! It seemed like I blinked and then they were grown up!
This picture of Bridger reminds me of his favorite hat. He NEVER went anywhere without this hat. When his original hat wore out, we searched until we found two for sale on EBAY, bought them both and when he wore them out, we all had a moment of silence as he struggled to find a new identity and move on. What a great kid! He will always be my superman!
Look at those CHEEKS! I can't believe this is my Wyatt. He would have been 9 months old here. I love his blue eyes and his sweet personality.
This picture of Bridger reminds me of his favorite hat. He NEVER went anywhere without this hat. When his original hat wore out, we searched until we found two for sale on EBAY, bought them both and when he wore them out, we all had a moment of silence as he struggled to find a new identity and move on. What a great kid! He will always be my superman!
Look at those CHEEKS! I can't believe this is my Wyatt. He would have been 9 months old here. I love his blue eyes and his sweet personality. This is a good lesson for me to appreciate each day more. Another blink and they will be gone!
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