What's on my mind...Rain...every. single. day. But I'm o.k. with that. I love the smell of rain on cement and the sound of the rain on our rooftop.
Justin asked me the other day if I was alive during The Great Depression. I know I just turned 35, but really? He laughed..."Well, were you alive at the end of it?" I just have to laugh or I would cry. I remember when my own parents seemed so old to me. Seems that I have finally arrived. That's nice.
Tyler had a bad fall at school last Friday. He said another kid accidentally pushed him off of a high platform on the playground. He landed on his head. The recess teacher put a bandaid on a scrape behind his knee. Obviously no adults saw him fall. I watched him through the rest of the day and he seemed o.k., but the next morning he was complaining of a bad headache and woozy stomach. I was worried about a concussion. Thankfully, we have a wonderful chiropractor (who happens to live in our ward) who does such a great job. I called him at home in between conference sessions and explained the situation. He let us bring Tyler over so he could check him out. After adjusting his compressed spine, Tyler came home feeling so much better. He just took it easy and relaxed the rest of the weekend as his body regained its balance. I am just so thankful that he is alright and feel so blessed we knew how to help him feel better.
Waffle Sunday - A Guptill General Conference tradition we enjoy. Travis grew up with his dad whipping up a wonderful breakfast. This time, Travis prepared a yummy breakfast with the works...waffles, eggs, bacon, strawberries and milk. Delicious! There are so many reasons we look forward to conference.
Baby Echo - It was so neat during
conference to hear Bishop Burton tell the story about my great-great-great aunt Echo Squires. My great-great-great grandmother is Echo’s eldest sister, Sarah Augusta Squires. What Bishop Burton didn’t mention was the story of baby Echo’s birth. It was too cold to have the baby in the wagon, so someone found a cave in Echo Canyon located in Summit, Utah. On November 27, 1856, her mother gave birth to Echo Lavina Squires in the cave while the men took off their shirts (or coats…I think shirts, though) and held them up to cover the opening of the cave to try to stop the freezing wind from coming in. One of my cousins was named Echo after this great-great-great aunt.
I wish my Grandma Jolley was still alive so I could ask her more about this story. If I remember right, Sarah and her other sister chose to leave the wagon train and their family for some reason. I’ll have to ask my mom and see if she remembers more details. (Thanks, Jeri!)
My kind of pets - Frog, Owl, squirrel, wood pecker...bugs. I have seen and/or heard them all this week in or very near to our backyard. They all made me smile. Well, except for the bugs found crawling in our house. Seems to be the sign springtime is here.
Digging us out...I have lots of laundry to fold. We seem to do laundry in bursts. It builds up in the hampers and then we do the marathon washing thing until we have the leaning tower of clean clothes in our bedroom. Sometimes several towers. It's lots of fun.
Everyone needs a blanket - Tyler was under a blanket looking out the front window the other day. He called to me in the kitchen and started telling me about what he learned in his Primary class at church. Apparently, his teacher had been trying to explain how the kids could recognize the feeling of having the spirit with them. Comforting and warm like being covered with a blanket. Tyler said, "Mom, the Holy Ghost is with me now." I walked over and told him that he can feel the Holy Ghost at any time...not just while he is wrapped in a blanket. "No Mom, you have to have the blanket."
We don't live in a barn!This is what Travis tells the boys when he reminds them to pick up after themselves. It makes me laugh every single time. It has become a joke between the boys and me as I get them going with their jobs before Travis comes home from work. In the past, I have tried different chore charts but nothing seems to last very long. A couple of weeks ago, I decided we just needed a "schedule" for the after school hours. So far, it has worked wonders. Happy boys. Jobs finished. They each have time right after Justin gets home from school to watch a show or play the Wii. Just for about 20-30 minutes. Then at 3:15 they start working on their jobs until 4:15. They each have certain jobs that are always on their list and room for extras from me, if needed. Then they move on to homework and time for practicing talents. There is still time for free play before dinner. I feel so much more relaxed and I don't feel the need to nag. So nice.
Speaking of jobs...it's 3:15...off we go!
The boys completed their baseball season this past week. Justin played on a coach pitch team and Tyler played on a K-ball team. Travis was an assistant coach on both teams. By chance both boys ended up with the same color of jerseys...yellow. Between the two of them, we cheered them on at baseball games Monday-Thursday for since the beginning of April. Travis will continue playing on his men's league team through mid-July. Here are some pictures and short video clips from our 2010 Baseball Games: 
Travis is helping to herd (I mean coach) Ty's team this year.
I just love how Brynlee and Justin are looking at each other. Cute cousins!
Travis' Mom and Nicki holding Brynlee's hands with Lance in the background.
Justin and his Titanic.
Travis and his Dad
Before the game on Saturday, we spent the afternoon wandering along the Seattle waterfront. We ate some delicious salmon at The Crab Pot (The same place I ate with my family years ago...remember guys?) and tried some Italian gelato. My favorite part was going to Pikes Place and seeing some crazy fish throwing fun. 
Here we are in Montana this past summer after a hike to see the waterfalls..jpg)
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Here we are at a Halloween party in October 1999 at my parents' house in Provo. These pictures were taken at about the same time the 1999 World Series occurred...
