The Trek Experience

So, it's been two weeks, but Mel, Suzie, and the other teens of the stake are still glowing after their major bonding experience in the wilderness of Wyoming.
To tell all about it would be more words than I use in this once-a-month-or-less recording style; if you talked to them personally, they have an equally hard time putting it into a few meaningful words. Phrases like "a-MAZE-ing," "life-changing," "I want to go back" or "I miss my family/friends from Trek" seem to surface; and why not? The bubble of heavenly and mutual affection, uncluttered by worldly distractions and games, is understandably appealing. (Sounds a little like a mission...)
But this post isn't really to convince anyone that participating in a pioneer trek re-enactment is worthwhile; most anyone who checks in already knows that. It's just to say I'm glad I got to share in the rare and wonderful experience our daughters and youth had, and to have a bit of understanding when they speak with fondness about something that shouldn't, in logical terms, appeal to the tech-saturated, pampered generation that came home humbled, strengthened, and changed - hopefully forever.

Now, some visuals:

Suzie with her trek sibs

Mel pulling with her sibs (both girls were usually pulling - yay for them!)
Sister Fife, and Papa Smurf, the trail boss and camp cook (also YM, YW presidents)





A funeral on the trail - for a plastic baby that really brought the reality of loss home for many youth - including Mel, who represented Great-great grandma Martine Larsen; she lost her dad, sister, and brothers - one a young baby.










Suzie, Mel and all the youth enjoyed the dancing, even though it came at the end of the toughest day.















Suzie and Karla in their pioneer clothes on a sacred hill (Mel was already back down the hill, at the handcart, ready to pull, so we didn't get to have her in the picture with us). I was Mel's "ma", a huge blessing for me in our funny trek family!

My Honey, and Other people I can't live without

Happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day, Tim-Chucks! (They always come close together, so it's usually a big weekend for him...) Here are just a few of the reasons I love you:


You made it possible to have all these adorable grandkids (two of whom are missing from this picture -the two youngest, both girls who are helping to even the score...)- and they keep coming!






You are learning to relax and enjoy the sweet moments...











You're creative, and focus well on a goal... And help teach little people to work with you











You're a fun guy (Once again, the grandchilluns seem to bring it out)







You bought a house with a pool because you knew I would love it! (thank goodness everyone else does too)





Though it's sad we can't all be together all the time (like we were in AZ recently, where we got to welcome our sweet, newest family member),











You've got three generations of love comin' atcha, baby!



So keep it comin, 'cause the fun's just begun!

'Tis the Season...whatever that means

So, we've got Prom, and soccer games, Stake Conference and stake youth activities, and Tim on the road (or more accurately, the plane) too much... Must be Spring. Notice I didn't mention flowers blooming or birds chirping or anything springing - cuz we live in Nort' Dakota, where Mama Nature is the Queen of Fickle!
Oh, yeah, we've had some 70 degree days; the grass is a lovely green, and the trees are actually working on leaves. But Mel and Suzie have both played soccer games recently in 30-something, windy, poopy weather. And Prom night was rain and wind, with a morning-after temp of 34. Brrrrr. Enjoy your spring elsewhere, y'all, because we are enjoying all of life, but not spring weather. Tim's had it - he's heading for AZ again this week, leaving the girls and me. We must deal with all our obligations and required presence on our own.
Who, me, grumble? Why ever would you think that?
Nevertheless, there are pleasant prom pictures to post, so here you go!




Mel enjoyed showing off her date (a truly nice guy who treated her very well; thank you, Eliot), her hair (thank you Sarah), and her dress, all of which made her (and therefore us)happy.

Mel was in the Trib. And Suzie won at State.

So, people here in ND saw it, but all y'all who live elsewhere can look it up: Melanie made the life section front of the Bismarck Tribune, but not because she won anything. (Well, I guess it's all in how you look at life. Real life, not the newspaper section...:) The school newspaper that Alisa wrote for back in the day did an issue on teen drinking and drugs; Mel was featured for her choice not to do either, and the Tribune used it Sunday, March 28. So, thanks to Bailey Carlson, Mel had her moment in the limelight just for being herself: a great girl who's living what she knows is right!
If you want to see the story, go to the Tribune's webpage (BismarckTribune.com), search for "Teen lives life the Straight Edge way", and click story. [Or go to the comments, where AJ gives the direct info. Cool,smart kids. Not so much the mom.]There was a picture in the paper - not there in the online version - but it really didn't do her justice.


Oh, and Suzie won first place, overall and in all four events, at the state USA Gymnastics meet. I don't think she was in the paper, though... [Again, if you're really into this - as sibs often are - check AJ's comment for directions to the quite obscure but nevertheless validating info about Suzie's wins. Thanks, AJ! And thanks for pushing me to learn how for another time...]

WAY TO GO, SUZIE!
ROCK ON, MEL!

Whew. Had to get that out of my system.
And just so you know, that photo is a totally unrelated shot in Chicago. Like the L'ego guy next to them?

Have these April Fools really been married 33 years??!

The aging process is all over us, but in ways that are important we are better people than we were on our first April Fool's Day together. I'm grateful he's hung in there with me, and I'm glad I've hung in there with him -- we sure have a lot to show for our years together!
So here's to 33 more years, my love - on the way to infinity and beyond!

Hey, my family - you remember how the leprechauns would visit and change our milk to green on St. Patrick's Day? (Yes, they still do - much to Tim's chagrin.) Well, in Chicago, the Wee Folk turn the whole river green!

People turn out in masses wearing green in all forms and fashions -- some even combine it with orange.(Do a wikipedia search or something if you don't know the history of Ireland's most Americanized holiday - I'm not going into it here.) We spent the weekend with the Adamzes for Spring Break and rode the train to Chicago for the day, where we saw and did lots of fun things (and skipped many more because it was so cold and rainy), so I thought I would share a wee bit of it with you, though I apologize that the pictures really don't show off the Windy City as it deserves to be shown.

So, Luck o' the Irish to ye (I don't know if that's really very much, but let's not think about that right now), and don't forget your green!

Chicago, as you probably know, is famous for its varied architecture, from modern steel and glass to gargoyles like these guys.

One peculiar shot of "the Bean", a reflective sculpture in Grant Park, right next to the lake. Though this shot doesn't show it, the big-as-a-house object looks like, well, a giant kidney bean - hence the nickname.

The train ride and a trip to the Children's museum provided great diversion from our Nodak winter...




And what use would this post be without the boys?

Thanks so much, Adamz family, for a great time, filled with new experiences and laughs we'll remember a long time!

Grandma talks... And Mommy's a pig!

Back in the day - a half century ago, maybe less - a guy named Art Linkletter interviewed young children on a TV show he hosted, "Kids Say the Darndest Things!" Well, a half century later, maybe less, they still do!
All grandparents love their grandkids, and think they say funny, cute or memorable things. I'm no different, and I'm here to share a few with you:

Stella calls me "Grandma Talks." Maybe it's a kid-size morphing of Cox = Tox; but it sounds like Talks, and that, well, y'know, fits me!

Andrew prefers Grandma Silly. One day he told his mom, "Grandma calls me Roo." "What do you think of that?" she asked him. "It's silly! If she calls me Roo, I'll call her Grandma Silly!" (Did he know my blog already referred to me that way, or did he influence the blog moniker? I guess it's a little like, what came first, the chicken or the egg...)

One day before Christmas, Charlie answered the phone when I called; his bright, happy "Hello, Grandma!" surprised me (he's too young to check caller ID). I said,"Wow, Charlie, how did you know it was me?" He was silent for a moment, then said, "Well, I'm big now, Grandma!"

Xander's imagination requires a new identity for each member of his family every day, these days. Sometimes they are all Shrek characters, or Star Wars, or some other movie or kid-TV identities. He decides, then that's the way it is all day. The next morning - time for a new identity! He even prays for his daddy at work by the day's designated character name! One day I called and he wanted to tell me the day's assignments, all farm animals: "I'm a duck. Dad's a sheep. Zeke's a ram." I asked, "What's Mommy?" "And Mommy's a pig!" What did Shan think of being called a pig? Well, that was the day's role, so she wore it like a... like a mom.

Enjoy those little monkeys - or storm troopers, or green ogres, or "big", aware, wonderful children. And try to remember all the fun things they say; their lines might become part of the ongoing family dialogue!
(For instance: We occasionally say, "I have muscles - I have diahrrea too." All because of a declaration over the fence to a neighbor, from 3-year old Ben!
~ Or there's "Bookhug!" [pronounced boo-kug] from little Melanie's plea for the whole family and everyone else in the house to get in on a Group HUG.
~ Or, a younger Suzie walking out of a room where AJ and Josh were hiding during a family game of hide'n seek, saying, "I think they're under the covers doing something..."
~ Oh, one more - in honor of Alisa's upcoming birthday. She was ever the parrot of popular media, and these lines of hers verify it: "I think - I think it's my new party dress... It IS!" And a year or two later: "Never underestimate the power of BODY LANGUAGE" with some decidedly grown up hip swivels thrown in for shock value... And her most oft-repeated, in the months before Mel was born: "I'm the baby, gotta love me! But not for long!" There's something slightly scarey in the mixed-up phrasing...) Alisa was right -- Gotta love 'em!

TOMS

I'm not sure if any of you have heard of the orginization out there called TOMS SHOES, but basically it is an orginazation that makes shoes, and for every pair of shoes bought (or tshirt, or other merchandise), they will donate a pair of shoes to people in the world who have none. Since 2006, they have given 400,000 pairs of shoes. They recently donated 30,000 pairs to those who were devestated in Haiti. To learn more, see their website, www.tomsshoes.com .
Mom and I were just looking to see what you guys thought of it, how you reacted to it. Let us know.
Love you all LOTS!!
--Mel

Holidays linger as sweet memories; photos help

We bid farewell to our untouchable sunsets - and snow - to spend two weeks in (almost)uninterrupted sunshine with our three families who now reside in AZ: Gibbys, Coxes, and Packards - plus the Frakeses, who drove down from Utah. On the way there (we drove the whole *&^%$#@! way - about 27 hours, though I suspect it could be a little shorter), we stopped in Las Vegas, New Mexico - read that carefully, that's NM, not NV - where Tim's grandparents lived for many years. He was able to find their old house, so you get to see it too...


The house in AZ (an investment property, so don't get all funky thinking we're moving) has a great little display spot - great for displaying Karly, Myles, and other smiling adorable children who missed the photo opp...


Family mob time... I confess, I can never get enough!


Picking oranges from our trees, fresh-squeezed orange juice for Christmas breakfast, playing in the sunshine at a park close by, the beautiful lights at the Mesa Temple...These more than made up for no snow - at least for Tim and me.





In spite of rampant sickness (seems to be part of our Christmas tradition when we gather), we had a wonderful time. Only one hole in my mama/grandma heart: the Adamzes weren't with us. But they had a great visit with Glenn's family, so I try not to grouse. And we did get a bonus visit - Emilie's parents came from California, and they spent New Year's Eve with our mob.
A few more random memories:

Christmas morning, in their new jackets (even in AZ, they needed warmth)

A couple of memories at two different temples...

We drove home through Utah, where we got to take part in Celina Fillmore's wedding! (A Fillmore site will be the place to see Celina and her new husband, and all that goes with a wedding)But my siblings and I were all together, so it was a great time to shoot us in a group hug...


And, though I don't have a picture of it, New Year's Eve was bright and beautiful with a Blue Moon (the second full moon in a month's time- a rare occurance and hence the saying...), my fascination of which has given Mel and Suzie plenty of opportunities to laugh at me. I'm okay with that; I'm pretty sure I'm the only one of the bunch who stepped outside on that bright, clear night to welcome my buddy the moon and the new year at the same time...!
Hope your holiday joys are lingering as sweet memories for you! Make 2010 the best!

A life of extremes...

From this -


To this -









...in a matter of days is a difficult and jarring switch, in oh, so many ways! Christmas in Arizona, January back at home in ND: life is full of extremes, but it's all good.
Stay tuned (but don't hold your breath - you might turn blue :-/) for a sampling of our wonderful Christmas holiday... TTFN!