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! 

SATURDAY NIGHT DATE

I always look forward to Saturdays for many reasons.  One is because I can sleep in, two Bill doesn't have to work and we can all play and  three Bill and I go to dinner EVERY Saturday night together alone.

Well Saturday came and we played at home and after lunch decided to go to Eugene and watch a movie(WALL-E or whatever it's called).  I got to do a little shopping because I can't stand to sit still and watch movies, they put me to sleep.  By the time the movie ended it was around 4:30 and so we headed home with the kids.

Bill and I were talking about heading back up to Eugene where all the good eating is, but then decided not to which was fine with me.  The next thing I know, Bill invites me to take a seat out on our patio table.  He planned dinner out there with just he and I and the best part was that the kids were the waiters and waitresses.  It was the cutest dang thing I'd ever seen. The made-up menu items were darling I have to admit.  It was pretty funny and the weather was gorgeous!  Here are some pics of our "date".  It was a great idea and the kids should be aware that there will be many more of these dates for Bill and I.  I love Bill's cute ideas like this one.  Thanks hub.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

It's late, the party is over, crowd has gone home and I sit here in complete silence.  The only sounds that I can hear are my plethora of clocks that are hanging on my beautiful green wall, ticking away my precious sleep moments.  And the quiet tapping noise of these keys I am pressing.

Today was a good day indeed. We went to breakfast at the Ord's this morning with many people from the ward and what a glorious morning it was.  Sausage, eggs, oatmeal, fruit, pancakes, waffles and bacon.  We then scurried out of there to go to the Creswell parade which all I can about that is......LAME!!!!  We have been to this parade many times before and it was fun and successful, but this one was LACKING!!  Oh well.  At 5:00 we had many of our good friends over for a BBQ with lots of good food and luckily it wasn't hot. We had bunches of fun. Kids....happy.  

We decided to stay home and do our own fireworks as we really do have to force ourselves to be in crowds especially when it isn't that great anyway.  Our kids had a blast with only us and nobody else to bug and get in the way. We are very glad that we stayed home. 

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
signed July 4, 1776

PICTURES THAT I LOVE

SUMMER FUN AT THE PARK

Today was a fun day at the park.  We went to Skinner's Butte park  in Eugene with some friends of ours and the kids had a blast.  I do have to admit it was a little hot, but no complaints here.  My kids had a fun time on the play structures and getting wet in the water structures to  keep cool while me, Carrie, Shelby her mom got some time to chat.  Great times to remember. 

p.s. pics taken with point and shoot until I figure out how to deal with my new fancy-shmancy Nikon.

STOICISM

This is a must for me!  I love philosophy and have always wanted to grasp the concept of being a true 'stoic'.  Like the stoics believed, I too agree that our lives are not entirely our own. Rather than sit and complain about what I cannot control (weight, eye color, freckles, depression, weather, politics, gas prices, speed limit etc.) I will try to master my own actions and more importantly, my feelings. This is a goal that seems far beyond reach, but is closer than I realize.

The stoics believed that serenity comes to those individuals whose will is in accord with the 'Logos'....for right thinking will lead to a reduction of frustration and ANXIETY (is that word meant for me?) In other words, nothing can make me happy, or unhappy without my consent.  Supposedly, all unhappiness is the result of poor thinking, poor character and being confused about what I can control and what I cannot. I love the thought of this, but is it attainable?  I believe it is.

In the words of Epictetus (a wise and humble sage),

"Remember that thou art an actor in a play, of such a kind as the author may choose: if short, a short one; if long, a long one: if he wishes you to act the part of a poor man, see that thou act the part naturally: if the part of a lame man, of a magistrate, of a private person (do the same).  For this is your duty, to act well the part that was given to you; but to not select the part that belongs to another".

I think what he is getting at is that we all have been dealt a different card than someone else.  Why sit and wish away our part in this life?  Live it and live it well.

He then goes on to say, "We do not need to lift our hands to heaven....God is near you, with you, inside you.  Yes....there is a holy spirit abiding within us....No man is good without God".

From many philosophers I have gathered and collected bunches of information that they have tried to find the good in all.  They have looked for the truth.  They have seen the excellence of God in many things, only lacking the whole of it.  They have strategically found bits and pieces of their life's happy journey and have glued them together like a puzzle, sharing with others the happiness that was found, with ONE missing piece.  That piece was not yet known of, yet today we all have the last and most important piece of that wonderful puzzle.  Perhaps timing was off then, perhaps it wasn't yet meant to be, maybe it was a work in the making, for us in the future of these wise sages. Nonetheless, it is what they have found and lived all their life with honor and dignity.  Good on them, for searching for what is good and true.  Sometimes led off track by strange ideas, but mostly hanging on the gut feeling, that started the search in the first place.

My goal is to be a stoic and to be a great one! I want to be that stoic who doesn't get mad at the car cutting me off, in rush hour traffic.  I long to be the stoic who just smiles at the slow lady in the grocery line, who has nothing better to do than chat with the clerk, while I simply just want to purchase my Mountain Dew and leave!  I want to be the stoic who isn't affected when I hear that I've been the topic of ill conversation amongst friends.  I just want to be in complete control of my feelings and not dare let another someone (especially someone I don't know) get the best of me. WOW! I've set a high goal, but I believe that keeping my mouth shut will eliminate a lot of let-downs.  I want to be just what I am...not a bit less and to do it with all I've got.  Quite the goal I will agree, but a work in progress, but  I do know that I and only I, am in charge of my feelings.  Nobody else can force me to feel good or bad, angry or sad, mad or irritated....those are all mine to claim.  My job is to put aside the bad and bring out the good and let Logos do what it will to help me attain my goal.  Wish me luck.....I'll need it.

DID SHE THINK IT WAS LOTION?

As I lay in bed mostly asleep, but a tad bit awake, silently praying that the silence I am relishing will go on for a few more minutes. All of the sudden I am startled by the precious, but whining voice of  Amber repeating her daily wake up call for those still trying to get that last minute of shut eye, "Mom, where are you?"

Here is what I found Amber doing this morning! Yes, it's toothpaste, Colgate tartar control to be exact. The brown doll found her way to the garbage bin, Amber's clothes thrown in the wash, Amber went straight in the tub, and as for the toothpaste on the carpet,  thank goodness my Daisy dog likes mint because she did a darn good job cleaning it up!

Isn't there a rule that states that older siblings are to babysit younger siblings when mom needs more sleep?  If not, I just made it.

NOW WE'RE TALKING WEATHER!

Did you hear the thunder last night?  Did you notice the strong winds?  Did you spot the beautiful lightning?

I did! And for one small moment I felt as though I was in Utah enjoying it's weekly summer thunderstorm.

  

The warm wind that rustles through the trees, the ominous clouds hanging overhead, the rumbling sound of the thunder and the lightning striking across the night sky. This is the one thing that I miss about Utah...the summer thunderstorms.

I heard the wind blowing outside and asked Bill to come

and sit with me on the bench swing and enjoy the breeze.  I was hoping that the kids maybe wouldn't notice us sneak outside and we could enjoy the storm alone and quietly.  NOT!!! Within minutes Jake had his pillow and blanket out there, Ashley too, Amber was in bed, but Maddy came to join us as she was scared to be inside by herself.  My "romantic" idea wasn't so romantic, but fun nonetheless.

I was happy to have captured the pics that I did as the lightning was very fast.  This is my favorite weather for sure and was spent watching it with my favorite family. 

GLORIOUS DAY AT THE COAST

    Wednesday, June 25, 2008, we decided to take a day trip to the Pacific Ocean. It was a magnificent day...not too hot, nor too cold. We like to take these short "day" outings to the coast and be able to come back to our home and the comfort of our own bed.

    We took the two Yamaha Rhinos, so that we could  cruise along the beach a bit faster than walking. When we arrived at our destination and realized that we were the only people there, it was heaven for Bill and I. Neither of us like crowded areas, so this was delightful. We threw all of our stuff in the back of the Rhino's and off we went. Driving along the mile-long trail to get to the ocean, was
lovely!

    After being awe-struck for a moment at the beauty of it all, I realized that my children couldn't wait to dig their feet into the sand. Their first instinct was to find the biggest, unharmed shell, or the perfect sand dollar, or something rare that hasn't been discovered by them at the ocean. We usually don't find the greatest of things here, it's just the company and the atmosphere that makes this little favorite spot of beach seem like our own.

We begin our searches, bags in hand, eyes focused on all the washed up shells. As we are walking along, and just shortly after each of my kids has already found their perfect sand dollar, Maddy spots "Patrick" stranded on the shore. I have never before seen a real star fish just lying around. I was a bit freaked out at the feel of it and at the way he just clung to the rocks on his underside. He was even holding a perfect, exceptionally small sand dollar. Maddy carried poor Patrick around with her for a while trying to decide if she should throw him back or just keep him, because deep down she knew this probably wouldn't happen again. She did the right thing and had dad throw it back out into the ocean.

We had a great day. We all got a bit sunburned, but who cares? It was great!