WELCOME TAYLOR

Friday, August 15, 2008 our nephew and cousin, Taylor Olschewski arrived @ the Eugene airport around 12:30  in the afternoon.  I had a car full of kids who couldn't wait for him to get here.  The whole scenario:

Maddy:  How much longer until we can leave for the airport?

Jacob:    Mom, when is Taylor's airplane getting here?

Ashley:  I can't believe that Taylor is actually coming to our house today!

Amber:  Clueless about this whole thing.

My kids were so very excited to have one of their favorite visitors here.....let's get playing!!!

Our first stop was our house of course to see the kids' rooms, the yard, the hood etc.  And because it was scorching hot, the next stop for the day was Cottage Grove lake.  We gathered towels, goodies, snorkeling gear and off we went.  The water was warm and inviting the shore uncluttered of people and noise and the Oregon blackberry bushes growing just behind us had ripe, juicy, sweet berries calling out to us. We couldn't resist the taste or the mess that you can make with just a few berries.  We made that a day.  It was home to make sleeping arrangements directed by the one and only queen herself....Maddy.

Saturday came quickly and we wanted to make sure that Taylor had a chance to see the ocean while he is here, so off to the coast we went.  As for preparedness goes, well, I thought it would be at least 70 degrees------not today.  It was an all time high of 58 degrees with a huge, frigid north wind eating through our skin and down to our bone(at least we had sweatshirts).  That didn't seem to stop the kids.  Running, jumping, shell searching(high tide so not many shells), wading, rhino riding, and castle building.  They couldn't have been happier just having one another to do things with. A very fun day indeed.

Sunday was a normal church attending day.  Although I think that Taylor is loving the "Crofts" sunday rules vs. the "Ol-ski" Sunday rules.  Sorry Lisa!:)

We are having fun and know that time can not stand still and before we know it Taylor will be homeward bound and we will all be sad to see him go & I will have to suffer through the ride home with 4 whining kids----it's well worth it.  Thanks for coming Taylor! We still have a whole week left-----let's get playing!

HOW BIG IS TOO BIG??

Whether we live in one or not, we have all known someone who has or we all have been in a house that is bigger than needs be and perhaps bigger than yours.  Beautiful chandeliers, expensive carpet, heated floors, imported rugs(not to be walked on), swimming pools, trampolines, hot tubs, security systems, well maintained yards,walk-in closets that dwarf the average persons master bedroom, bathrooms that take the hired maids hours to clean, a kitchen with all the amenities that will hold and feed hundreds and sadly a mortgage that most often puts many in the poor house.  

Don't get me wrong, big is beautiful, but too big can be unbecoming and even sickening sometimes.  

When we lived in Utah one our pastimes was Sunday drives to look at new construction homes around the Draper area.  We came upon this house that, yes, takes up the whole end of the cul-de-sac at the very top of a hill that overlooks the whole Salt Lake valley and I was literally stunned.  I was floored.  At the same time though I was so very curious at who in the world affords these crazy big homes?  Is it all for show? Who wants so much to live in this size of home when homeless people are in abundance? How can that possible be homey?  How can that possible be good?  Do you know where in the house your kids are and what kind of trouble they are into?

We had the chance to walk through it as I so desperately needed to subside my curiosity about this castle on the hill.  The owner's son had to sit and send people away by the dozens, but we were given the privilege to take a tour that took a good 30 minutes or more!

I can't even begin to tell you what was in this house!  It was UNBELIEVABLE and seemed so not right.  He mentioned the square footage somewhere in the ball park of 28,000 sq. ft.(I believe that is an underestimate) and honestly it was so big that I couldn't comprehend even after being through it. There is a full size basketball gym(with electronic scoreboard) in the basement with adjoining locker rooms(showers, lockers, about 5 toilets). An elevator for the older folks who come to visit, a built in slide in the wall from the 1st floor clear down to the basement for the kids to slide downstairs at their leisure, a kitchen to die for(bigger than a restaurants cooking facilities), a slate roof lined with copper rain gutters and trim, a gun range....yes, I said, GUN RANGE INDOORS, just to mention a few!  We got lost & turned around so quickly. 

 When we visited this last time we went to Utah, I thought that it might be finished since it's been almost 2 years, it's completion is ever so close, but not quite finished.

Is it competition?  Is it stupidity? Is it money?  Is it ego-driven?  Is it "little-man's -syndrome?" What?  Please tell me what it is.  Let me tell you that I lived in a measly 4500 square foot home and after I walked through that monster of a house I felt claustrophobic in our house.

Let me verify something though.  I love homes that are huge and glorious and maybe even a bit showy, but honestly I couldn't live in one.  I love the coziness of a home with average sized rooms, bathrooms, closets etc.  Besides I think that I would be embarrassed to have guests over....very uncomfortable for me. Not only that how do you find the decor for something like that?  It would be as expensive as the house itself!  I hope that they are happy with their choice of house!

Just thought that I'd show you all the crazy competition that lingers in Utah and is pushed aside by many as they too try to attain that mansion on the hill and aim at always bigger and more ornate than the Jones'.

I am happy with my cozy home that forces us to be in each others faces and love on one another. 

Keep in mind...this is one & only ONE house out of the hundreds on South Mountain that are gigantic!  

JANUARY 2005-JUNE2007

The weather was a fluke the day that we moved in right smack dab in the middle of January 2005.  Not a speck of snow to be found anywhere, not even on the side of the roads, where it is usually heaped up in dirty piles, from the snowplows.  It was balmy & about 70 degrees and the sun was pleasantly kissing my skin, when I pulled up to this house,  keys in hand and ready to move in! 

  I remember beginning to unpack the 2 Penske trucks, as Bill was at work for his first day @ South Mountain Dental. The task at hand was overwhelming, to say the least and I vowed that I would NEVER move again! After all, I was very happy to have found this house so close in proximity to Bill's office, my mom's house, my 2 sister's houses, my brothers and Madison's dad.  This was the final house for us!  

 

The house was clean, bright, new, pretty and just plain meant for us.  I began unpacking and my sweet parents and siblings showed up as soon as they could, to help us move our stuff.  I am so thankful for them and their willingness to take the time to come and help. They stayed until boxes with the important items, were unpacked and they made sure that we at least had something to sleep on.  

A short 2 years later, I find myself doing it all over again, only having hired Mayflower to do the moving for us.

The memories that I have of that house on 1183 Summerharvest Dr. are fading too quickly as most memories do so I want to make a log of them for reminiscing.

I remember the very first morning, waking up only to find no  breakfast foods----at all!  The fridge was still empty as we had no time the night before to shop.  So, for breakfast my poor kids ate Ramen(which they didn't complain about).

I remember going to church for the first time and thinking that I was at stake conference or something because clearly there were too many people to just be one ward(come to find out, it was just ONE ward).

I remember our basement flooding that April due to the record amount of rain & the contractors not backfilling properly.  We waded through about 2 inches of water and had slight damage to some of our furniture!

I remember not wasting one ounce of time getting started on our yard and whispering back & forth with Bill as we watched all of our neighbors hire out their work.  We just thought that was bizarre.

I remember the neighbors.  A few sweet ones. A few sour ones.

I remember the day that I found out that I was pregnant with Amber.  I was angry to be quite frank with you.  I didn't want another baby!  Yes we had the space for one, but I didn't have the patience for one!

I remember pulling the kids behind the 4-wheelers after a snow storm and praying that the snow plow truck would forget about our little "dead-end" street so we could play to our hearts content.

I remember the day that the basement was finished.  We went down there every night and loved how much cooler it was down there than on the main floor or worse the top floor.

I remember laying in bed that first night, no blinds, and just staring out the window to the north at the lights on the hill by Albertson's and feeling like it was all a dream.

I remember Christmas and Thanksgivings and Easters and Halloweens etc.  I have the pictures to prove it(somewhere).

I remember that Thursday night that I stomped the "For Sale By Owner" sign out in the grass and wondering if anyone would notice it and even perhaps call.

I remember the next day someone called about our house and that was all she wrote.  No dickering, just sold.

I remember Mayflower packing our stuff into the truck and wondering if we were doing the right thing, but being reassured that we were.

I remember pulling out of the neighborhood without saying goodbye to our friends as that would be too hard for me, I'd just cry and cry and cry!

I remember driving out of Utah and trying not to look back.  I looked though, because that's my own signature way of torturing myself, but I just let go for I knew what awaited me!

Oh, how I remember..........

DRAPER TEMPLE

When we moved to Utah 3 years ago, the Draper temple was just a thought.  There wasn't any physical sign that a temple was to be erected there on the mountain.  While we were in Utah this past month, I made it a point to drive up there and see the progress that has taken place since we left.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it in fact is coming along quite nicely.  Here are a few pics of the beautiful temple with the glorious mountains just to the east of it and a shot of the valley(part of it).  It's just gorgeous isn't it?! It was neat to be right there next to the temple....sometimes pictures don't quite cut it. I pray that many will take advantage of it and go there often to do the work that needs to be done.  It seems so strange that we lived just down the street from this temple, before the foundation was even poured.  It is a beautiful temple & in a beautiful spot on south mountain.  I have to admit that I am a tad bit jealous that we left before it's completion.  Put it to good use all of you Utahn's! 

PITCHER LANE SALON

Lately I have had the desire to cut Amber's hair, but I just couldn't do it.  I did give her one haircut(if that's what you call it) a while back, but we are talking a whopping 1/16 of an inch is all i could stand to take off.  I just didn't want to get rid of that whole "babyness" of it.  The way her curls blew in the wind, the way it swayed back & forth when she ran, the softness of it & oh how I loved her in Pigs.

Well she overheard Bill & I talking about haircuts and she piped up, "I wanna hair cut".  It was over at that point!  I hauled her into my bathroom and took the scissors to her hair.  She did really well for a 2 yr. old.  Just a little wiggling, leaning & turning etc.  I remember thinking, "If I ruin her hair I can take her to the pros who can fix it."  But I do have to give myself a pat on the back......just look!   Pictures say it all!  I love it, but it does make her look older.  Yes I did keep her hair in a baggie......she's my BABY!

I had to add a"before"pic to show how much was cut off!

BEST FRIENDS

This is something that I couldn't wait to post about because my heart swelled with happiness and I did cry real tears when my daughter, Ashley was able to visit her best friend from Utah, Chloe Benton.  

I can remember when our family first moved into that Draper house in January 2005.  Everything so new, so different.  New homes being erected to the east & west of us.  There were a few homes completed, but for the most part the building stage was in progress on most of the houses.  

Not knowing anyone we took the dive and moved in hoping to find people that would accept us for who we are.  Not only did we find that family, they were(and still are) more than we ever imagined. 

I can remember when Aaron Benton knocked on our door to introduce himself to us shortly after we moved in.  He wasn't shy, intimidating, boastful or conceited.  He was kind, welcoming, loving & accepting from the moment we let him through our door.  I was later pleased to meet his wife(my only true friend from that neighborhood), Brooke and their darling kids Chloe & Luke(since then they've had cute little Tess).  We fell in love with their family from the very start.  

Ashley and Chloe became friends after undergoing a couple of shy moments in the field across the street.  It didn't take long for them to become friends and playmates.

Well, I was so touched to have visited them when we went to Utah last week.  Words can't describe the way I felt as I watched Ashley & Chloe ardently embrace one another after one long year of no real contact. They were able to play, giggle, act silly, hug, eat together and just be.  I owe a huge "THANK YOU" to Brooke for her hospitality and willingness to have Ashley spend the whole day at their house.  Neither Ashley or I cannot thank her enough for that great day that two 7 yr. old princesses were able to forget about everything and return to what used to be.  My heart can not decipher which is worse, seeing them say goodbye with a gigantic hug or just not visiting to avoid the emotions that were tearing at my heart.

Here are some of the cute pics that I got of two friends that will never forget one another!

We love the Benton family!

HOME AGAIN

So, as all of my trips to Utah do, this one skipped right by me without notice, as well.  Here I sit at home in Oregon, like I never left.  I have so many memories to tell, hundreds of pictures to share and thousands of feelings surfacing through my skin.  I want to share all of them with you and I will.  But tonight I need to sleep.  I must sleep and my thoughts will be gathered a little better tomorrow.

The drive was great, but already I miss my 3 older kiddos!  Madison, Jacob and Ashley, whom went to Idaho Falls, Idaho, to spend a week with grandma and grandpa Crofts.  The silence is reminder enough, that I couldn't live without them.  I love you kids!( By the way, thay HATED going to grandma and grandpa Crofts. LITERERALLY HATED IT!

Love you all,    mom    xoxo

p.s. I lost about 150 pictures of my sisters and I, our golf game with Nate & dad before we headed home, my grandma and grandpa Taylor and my aunt Sue.   I am very sad to have lost those fun pictures! I will post the cute ones that were saved!

14 HOUR ROAD TRIP

I have only been here in Utah for 16 hours now and my heart is already being pleasantly reminded of my younger life here in Sandy. The house I grew up in, the school I attended for 6 years Which is right behind my parents house, and the summer weather that can change from a scorching 98 degrees to a comfortable 65 in just a matter of moments as the wind and thunderstorm rolls in from the west, the family that I left behind to venture with my hubby & kids to Oregon for the second time, the mountains that beautify the bleak Salt Lake valley. I simply love it here. My whole self is overflowing with memories as my sisters & I talk about elementary school and take a jaunt over to it to reminisce. We talk of good & bad times. We talk of teachers that we remember and incidences that took place. We desire to relive it from a new prospective, as adults.
Just a journal entry to let you know we made it! Between me, my brother Nate and his wife Brooke, we somehow drove that treacherous 14 hour drive through the night killing only 6 jack rabbits out of the 50-60 spotted in the Nevada desert and arrived in the driveway @ a sickening 5:30 a.m. with kinked necks, tired eyes, fatigued bodies, but happy souls....we were beat. We are glad to be here and hope to do many things while we have the time.
Although Utah pulls at my heartstrings and it will always be home, I have to remind myself why we left.

AND THESE ARE THE FEET

I thought that since I recognized my tattered hands, that I should tell about my well-walked feet, because after all, they are what got me to such destinations for the hands to experience what they did.

My feet are like gold to me.  They are a priceless gift that I need to recognize.  I wouldn't trade them for anything and I hope that I never have to.  I often times think how hard it would be if I wasn't blessed with these sexy feet(ok, not sexy just cute & well worn). I sometimes can't decided which I'd rather do without, which hopefully is never a concern I have to face. Hands?.....Feet?.....NEITHER!   I think of the strain and stress that my feet endured as I went through life and the thousands of miles that were walked, skipped, jogged, worked and ran on & I have to admit that they are my love.  I have put my feet through many hours of strenuous work, very intense exercise, and many hours out on the hardwood playing ball.  The callouses are evidence that these feet have been victims of usage gone unnoticed, as many of my needed body parts have and not properly acknowledged as they should be.  My feet  are my life.  They are my transportation when I walk to the park with my kids, or when I walk with them in the yard searching for the ladybugs and butterflies, or when they want me to bike ride with them.  I need my feet to complete my life's passions and goals and I am thankful for them just as much as I am thankful for my hands. They give me the freedom to roam this wonderful earth and to go places that those who are without feet can't go.  Because I have been blessed with my feet I will always put them to good use and once again thank Heavenly Father for them.  As cute as they are they aren't getting a break from the daily struggles that feet go through until they have reached that point of exhaustion. Think for one moment how hard it would be to get along without your feet!  What a wonderful part of the body.  I love the feel of sand, cement, carpet, grass(if it is dry), socks, flip flops, my hubby's fingers massaging, and especially the warmth of a bubble bath to soak my tired feet in. Take a good long look at your feet and be thankful for them!

THE STORY TOLD

I was studying the markings on my hands the other day, as I was deep in thought. I thought about how fast 34 years of life, has literally disappeared before my eyes!  I noticed scars, freckles, veins, the odd shape of my fingernails and even  a modicum of age marks, becoming more visible each day.  I was a bit bothered at the unsightly marks, until I began to remember all the things that these hands have been through....some good.....some bad. 

 

My hands are invisibly tattooed, with my life's circumstantial story written upon them.  Although it is written so boldly and brightly, with fine detail, it cannot be translated by others. The story is of my life, enriched with enthusiasm, tenderness, care, love, hate, anger, sadness, regret, giving & sharing(just to mention a few).  My story can only truly and precisely be read and translated by me, for I am the only one that sees my map of   life, etched upon my flesh, through the same lenses that were given to my soul. I know and remember very keenly, my road, well traveled. 

The story that is upon these hands, begins with a childhood full of many fond memories and many not so good ones.  The fond ones consist of games, vacations,  laughter, playing and loving.  My childhood, according to the story upon my hands, was one of adventure and athleticism. I remember being very active in all sports and quite frankly, I was very coordinated with these hands.  I loved action and adventure and was always up for trying anything. The bad memories need not be told, for often times, I was pushed beyond my limit and proceeded to do things, that I wish I could erase.

 I remember vividly, the chapter of high school. That chapter will forever remain written all over my knuckles.  My hands were indeed requisite, for the passion that I carried in my soul,  for playing basketball.  The feel of the ball on my fingertips, was like a drug injected intravenously. It gave me the drive to excel.  The sound of the ball on the court, still echoes within my frame. This chapter, is by far the most missed and dreamt of, but the remainders of many swollen knuckles, are ever so present.

Somewhere around chapter six, is where the love rolls in.  My hands, for the very first time, held ever so gently, a brand new baby girl.  I remember the heavenly cheeks and arms that my fingertips couldn't get enough of, as I stroked Madison's air deprived skin.  My fingers had never beheld such preciousness and innocence.  Three times again, I had the privilege to relive the feeling of newborn skin, on my fingertips.  I liken it to holding God's hand and being in His presence. The touch cannot be explained to those who have never experienced it.  It is however, remembered by my two hands, that beheld those heavenly digits. That feeling, is something that will never be forgotten and is still imprinted ever so vividly, on and in my hands.

My story continues still to this very day, with new and exciting chapters being locked away & tucked beneath my flesh.  I am thankful for my sense of  "touch", as it has allowed me to write a story upon my hands.  I now have a map, of which I can mentally trace back to those impressing moments and again, drive down memory lane, without getting lost. I get to relive what was written so long ago, with love and passion.

I thank my Heavenly Father for every freckle, scar, age mark, strangely shaped fingernail, swollen knuckle and veins that protrude.  I am ever so grateful for the story, written on my hands.

NOTICEABLY SHORTER

I have always hated it when July rolls around(not to mention summer solstice in June), because that means that summer is coming to a close.  I know that there are at least another 6 weeks of summer left, but the days are getting noticeably shorter and the anxiety of getting school supplies  for all of the kids and the school clothes and choosing between hot or cold lunches all of that is just so buggy!  I hate the thought of getting up before 8:00 again, running the kids into town for school and just the whole homework thing.  It is a very unpleasant thought to say the least.

  

I have enjoyed summer with the kids home.  We laugh, play, picnic and just be.  It's a sad, sad day when you are already looking forward to next summer and here I am in the middle of the present summer as I type!  Typical depressed person?

That's how it goes these days....faster and faster.

THEY DON'T MAKE EM' CUTER THAN THIS!

I LOVE TO FIDDLE AROUND WITH MY NIKON, THAT I PURCHASED A WHILE AGO. I DISCOVERED THE BLACK & WHITE FEATURE SO I USED MY KIDS AS "GUINEA PIGS", FOR THESE FABULOUS PHOTOS, THAT I CAPTURED. I LOVE THE EXPRESSIONS ON EACH OF THEIR FACES, EACH SO DIFFERENT, YET SO TELLING OF THEIR PERSONALITY INSIDE. I HAVE THE CUTEST KIDS EVER! AS ALWAYS, JUST ANOTHER POST ON MY PRECIOUS PEEPS. I LOVE THEM MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY!

I LOVE YOU MADISON!

I LOVE YOU JACOB!

I LOVE YOU ASHLEY!

I LOVE YOU AMBER!

Mom.

HIDDEN SNAKES

I had an unavoidable encounter with a red & gray striped serpent slithering amongst the lush grass the other day as I was mowing with our rider.  I had circled around our yard twice and was just cruising along when I saw movement in the lawn, thought it was surely a snake and that it would kick it in to high gear and avoid the sharp rotating blades slicing and dicing him up.  But he didn't make it!  I knew it was too late when I saw him and I was going full speed and then......the sound.  The sound still haunts me. The vision even more brutal! 

You all know that I am in no way a fan of snakes, in fact if they would just go anywhere but my yard I would be a happy lady. But I do hate to see them get hurt & even worse, when I do it!  I felt so sick to my stomach and then I had to make the passes around again and again....there lay his chopped up little body.  I hate it!  I feel bad.  It makes me feel so bad that it happened.  

Sorry little snake for the lawn mowing accident.  Poor little helpless guy.  

COTTAGE GROVE LAKE HANGOUT

We have had some pretty hot weather here and for the past 2 weeks or so have been going to the lake often to let the kids play in the shallow water while we, the adults converse with friends from the ward.

  As I got to thinkin' one day I thought it would be a blast to buy his and hers three seater sea doos to use for for the family as clearly they are getting older faster than time itself.

  So I went on to craig's list and found just what I was looking for.  We met the seller in Veneta(40 min. away) and we bought them from him.  They are in excellent condition and both of them only have 20 hours of riding on them.  We got them for a great price so we couldn't pass it up with cottage Grove lake just a mere 8 minutes from home.  We are having a blast with them and the kids love to get pulled on the tube.....well I should I love to get pulled on the tube also!

 We do intend to spend our Saturdays and Mondays at the lake until the weather is no longer warm enough.

  So, we are glad that we purchased these "wave runners" and hope to enjoy them with friends(which we already have) & family(if they will ever come out to Oregon)!

Just a couple pics of the kids, bill and I enjoying the outdoors. 

FROM BAD TO WORSE

I like to paint my toenails out on the patio in the warmth of the sun on Sunday mornings. I don't  know why, I just do.  As always, the kids seem to migrate wherever mom is even if I am quiet and I sneak out the back door.  Well, this morning was gloriously warm so I headed out with my nail painting goods and started up.  Amber ambitiously came out and I just can't get my nails done when she is out there so I quickly painted her toenails for her and then got her to head in to see dad and help him make bread so that I could finish up mine.  I was making progress when out she toddles again!  I decided to give her some little nail decals to fiddle with so that I can just get that last coat on and be done. 

So, she takes the decals(I thought) and I was ok with that.  A short 3 minutes later she was sitting a little too quietly beneath the rustling leaves of the trees when I glance over only to find this!  The pictures explain it all! 

Like the lotion and the toothpaste and the syrup(that I didn't blog about) and now the fingernail polish she has yet again got it all over!  What is next?  Honestly friends & family, is my daughter really that sneaky, or am I that non-attentive?  We took her to church with her whole toes painted like that.  She was proud and kept saying, "Look pretty!"

NOW THAT'S A GOOD DADDY

The other night Amber was drawing(on paper) and Bill was patiently watching her doodle her darling doodles and even drawing with her when he started to praise her for her cute drawings.  She looked up at him, stared at him for a moment with that one look that all kids get when they have a wonderful idea brewing in their little pea brains.....and then with the weapon in hand, she decides that his face perhaps could use some cute markings of love.  And so she did! This went on for quite some time....dad didn't budge until amber was finished, and not a moment earlier!   And look!  the artwork is wonderful, very expressive and detailed. 

I believe that Amber's face painting occupation is already in the works.  
I just pray that my kids are blessed with Bill's patience & not my lack of it!
Next time though, since this is Cottage Grove I will encourage bill to go out to the store to show his little girl's talent.  Oh, wait people here wouldn't think twice!

AS LUCK HAS IT

As OUR "housing" luck has it, once again the "for sale by owner" sign that I plunked out in the front today at approx. 1:00 pm,(just out of curiosity), attracted the first caller at 5:00!  I put the sign out mainly for kicks to see who and how many people are really out there looking.  As luck has it for us they are calling already!!  She seemed like a nice lady and was a little overwhelmed at the asking price, but said that she'd talk to her hubby.  

I doubt(and partly hope) that this is just a bored person with nothing else to do but drive around town and call on homes for sale.  We have only been here for 13 months and yes we would like to move and build our dream home, but we want to avoid capital gains too and the biggest thing---WE JUST FINISHED THE LANDSCAPING!!!!!!  

I just thought it was too strange as this has happened with EVERY one of our homes.  I guess if it does sell, we'll live in a shabby home for a while.  Too crazy!

THE BEGINNING

4:00 am the alarm clock sounds---that ever-so-annoying noise that makes you want to rip the clock out of the wall, throw the damn thing across the room hopefully breaking it & cussing at it while it is mid-air. Then, being satisfied with destroying such an annoying invention calmly grab the warm covers and tuck yourself tightly back in for a few hours more. Not today!

Today, I resisted because this is a very special day for Madison.  She is going with a very large group of young women & young men from our stake on a handcart pioneer trek.  She will experience a little of what the pioneers went through and some of the trials that they faced. I was so excited for her and for the experience that she will have,  that the alarm sound never did strike that nerve that it so very fragile.

  

Madison had her non-member friend(Maria Dresser) stay the night to avoid her mother too ruining her alarm clock & her good night's rest. Madison has been inviting Maria to young women's on Wednesday nights and Maria has been very interested as to why Mormons do what they do & she is impressed with Maddy and her values.  Honestly, I am amazed that Maria chose to experience the trek with a hundreds of Mormons not being one herself and really not knowing much about our religion. I pray this will be a time for Madison to teach Maria a little more about the sweet gospel that we so luckily have.  Good luck girlies and Maddy, good job being a missionary.

Here are the cute bonnets and skirts that they made for the trek(isn't she cute)!!!.  I am looking forward to having Maddy back. She has only been gone for 19 hours!!!  I will have pics from when she gets home too(I am sure there will be quite the difference).  

MAKING OUR OWN BEACH

Today we got a wild hair(those wild hairs that seem to come more often to the Crofts' parents than anyone else)and tore(literally broke and crumbled)down the play set with the John Deere and moved the play chips out of the way and had Eugene Sand and Gravel haul in sand straight from the beach of Florence, Oregon.  This sand is to die for.  When I say beach sand, I am talkin' BEACH SAND!  We ordered 24 cubic yards and decided that perhaps that wouldn't suffice and ordered another 24 for delivery next Monday. 48 cubic yards of sand in our back yard!  Wonderful if it can stay in the yard.  My kids spend hours out there on their knolls in the silence of  mid-day sun and used their imagination sculpting, digging, resting, pretending and enjoying the cool, wet sand that is hidden beneath the scorching hot surface sand. 

I have found that when I visit our little beach(with or without kids) and just let the sand tickle my toes and run along the tops of my feet, or if I grab a handful and watch as it slowly sifts through my fingers I get lost in imagination. I dream. I'm calm. I am impressible. All of the above mentioned are quite anomalous....considering Maryann's ways.

  

I have to remember though, when I walk into the kitchen with my bare pigs and shuffle through piles of gritty sand spread so unevenly on the floor, or when the kids' clothes are caked with wet, sticky sand, or the the sand trail down the hall....that it's all fine. It all cleans up so quickly once it's dry. I watch them as they completely enjoy themselves when they play out there and it lifts my soul to see that. It's even better when I get a personal invite to join them in their beach parties.  Granted, I have to be in the mood, but I try to ardently accept all invites(how can I not when I see their beautiful faces and bright smiles and unleashed excitement)?

So in all, we love our sand. I try hard to forget about the small "sandy" stuff.  We have yet another piece of heaven right here in our yard.

p.s. Amber wanted nothing to do with the feet pose!