One Weekend's Quest to Find the Perfect Sledding Hill

Living in Iowa was wonderful. We had our own personal sledding hill in our backyard that was easily accessible and frequently covered in snow. Oregon has not allotted the same luxuries. So we decided if the sledding hill was not coming to us, we were going to have to go to it. And we did. Friday's stop was Page Mountain. All of Jonathan's chums at work swore this was the all time best place to sled and were certain it would be covered with snow this time of year. We trusted these long timers and packed up snow gear for the whole family, sleds, snacks and the dog and headed for the hills. We found Page Mountain, but we didn't find the mounds of snow we had anticipated. Disregarding the fact that the mountain had brambles and branches poking out of the snow we decided to give the hill a few good runs and made fun with what snow we could find. I had managed to layer 4 small children in snow clothes, underclothes, hats, gloves, and boots and wasn't about to let the 45 minute dress up session go to waste. So here we are:

Page Mountain

Page in all of its splendor. Where I come from we call this bare-nekked.

Matthew didn't have enough snow where he needed it to make his snow men and forts so he decided to load up the chunks he could on his sled and take them where he needed them. Not what I intended to do on our sledding trip, but he had fun.

Michael rode on Dad, and the dog.

Adam trekked up over and over again. He is by far our biggest die-hard.
Matthew ate wild blackberry bushes, and dirt
Andrew and the blue sky
Mr. Jenson eatn' a little snow...
and a bit of bush.
Jonathan is great to take the boys for rides down the hill. On he and Andrew's first ride it was a bit more chilly than Andrew had anticipated it would be with snow whipping in his face all the way down. He was sweet enough to take the brunt of it for his dad.

So Page was fun, but I think we found something a little bit better...

Union Creek

(Saturday, day two of the quest for a sledding hill)

This hill was so slick that Andrew had to hold onto the pole at the top of the hill so he didn't sled off without his dad. Well, he TRIED to hold on, but didn't quite make it until Dad was ready to roll and did a nice backwards slide all ALONE.

It was pretty funny watching this little kid slide down the mountainside, wish I could have read his little mind.

Matthew and Dad,

and their crash landing.

Mom and Andrew

Adam

Dad and Andrew

Oh, you noticed the red patches on Matthew's head and cheek. Well, he decided to leave a piece of himself at Union Creek. While we were unloading the truck he and Adam ran on ahead to start their sledding. Being the incorrigible age of 5, and possessing the mindset of my little Matthew, you think you can take on any mountain. Well, there are a few factors that not every 5 year old considers when choosing their first run of the day. Matthew sized up the mountain, climbed up and took it on, head first. He left blood stains on the snow, a legacy to be had by future sledders until sun or snow erased his indelible red mark. Being that his crash occurred on the first run down the hill we decided to make him tough it out and stay for the afternoon. He was a trooper. Jonathan and I didn't see the crash, we just heard about what a remarkable dive the kid took from all of the responsible parents that were attending their children on the hill while he and I were hanging out in the parking lot. I guess it was a doosy to watch. Poor kid has a scar.

MLK and Oreos (Martin Luther King that is)

I wanted my children to have a greater understanding of MLK day and our history regarding racial segregation. For family home evening we watched the Disney movie, "Perfect Harmony" which I thought was wonderful. Aside from the three older boys walking around all week singing, "All we like sheep,... have gone astray -aaaa-aaaa-aaaaaaa!" they really had an eye opener. They had no idea there were once issues of slavery and segregation. We threw in a little US history prior to the movie. We sat in front of the TV with our glasses of milk lined up on a cookie sheet catching drips (or on Dad's lap), dunked oreos and soaked in a little appreciation for MLK. I'd recommend it.

Primroses for Anna

Andrew was invited to a birthday party for a little girl that has become his dearest friend in nursery. She was the reason he finally started staying in nursery. She is a sweet little dear. We went to town to pick out a birthday present for her and after looking at toy after toy after toy we settled on some play dough something or other. When we were leaving the store we walked out to find a rack with flats of primroses. Andrew stopped and said, "Mom, wait! I have got to get Anna this!" He knew exactly which flower and exactly which color. No toy could ever hold a candle to one of these. We went back and got the $1.49 primrose. I have never seen a child so utterly delighted to give a gift in all of my life. It isn't so much that Andrew has a crush on Anna, or that he thinks boys give girls flowers, but he sensed the pure beauty of the flower and new it would match the same purity which posses his sweet friend Anna. From within his little boy heart he knew this was the greatest gift. It was beautiful.

Whoop, Whoop 31!

My Birthday! Complete folks with a delicious German Chocolate cake AND homemade frosting (toasted pecans, coconut n' all) YUm! Over Christmas vacation we managed to swing a few week long free passes to Club Northwest. Consequently, we have done a lot of swimming the past few weeks. We went swimming on my birthday and then had the Goff's over for games and pizza. We played "Jungle Jive" which is a fun game with a motion sensor that detects just how graceful you can jive. We ate, played, and the best part... went to bed before 10:00pm. Yes, yes, it is New Year's Eve. Yes, yes it is one of the 3 birthday's Jonathan hasn't had to work since we've been married. Yes, yes, I am an old fodder-dudder. Yes, yes I love it that way.

31 reasons I love me:

1. I have a lot of grey hair

2. I like to drive in silence. No radio please.

3. I don't like to watch movies

4. I prefer khaki's over levi's

5. I am a RAD boy making machine

6. I like dried plums

7. I'm a fan of fiber

8. I don't like to drink pop

9. When I do turn on noise Jenny Oaks Baker is my #1 choice usually always

10. I love listening to Conference talks on my iPad when I cook dinner

11. I hate stepping on crumbs, therefore I wear slippers ALWAYS

12. I don't like critters inside. I shed enough for the whole family

13. I take pride in pigs

14. There are few things I would rather look at than rows of planted crops

15. I love playing the violin and miss it when I don't

16. I love to plant seeds

17. I am fascinated by genetics and microbiology

18. I picked Jonathan

19. I hate being late for church

20. I like to sew

21. I like to sit and visit with old people

22. I love Visiting Teaching

23. I am a seeker of joy not fun

24. I like to thank people by their name. If I don't know the bag boy's name I ask him and then thank him specifically by calling him by his name and expressing gratitude. The same is true of any stranger. An expression of gratitude should always accompany a name. My Grandma Olsen taught my father that and he once taught it to me.

25. By #25 I'm out of ideas

26. I really like quiet and stillness

27. When I am alone with my children my mind races but I don't talk a lot. Actually that is something I would change about myself. Talk more, think less.

28. I'm not a fan of frivolity.

29. I'm practical

30. I am modest in the way I dress, always. There is no grey area, no cleavage (heaven help me) no almost modest. Keep it covered. Always.

31. I have always liked me. I like who I am. I like who I am trying to become. I like people. I sincerely don't think I have ever not liked someone. Ever.

Robot

Life would cease to exist in our home on several accounts without an abundance of diaper and wipe boxes. The boys are really starting to fine tune their robot expertise. The latest robot attire was carefully designed to ensure full range of motion for all appendages. I was rather impressed. It took some trial and error but the the little masterminds managed to find an intricate design that enabled mobility and visibility. Masters...

Who else would you expect to find in the box? Naturally, Matthew.

A big fat whopin' mess.

But it was raining. And they were BOARD. It was SUPER fun.

A cup of rice,

a teaspoonish of vinegar,

a squirt of food coloring,

ziploc bag,

and a shake-down.

Dyed, dried, and lined up. Ready for heaven only knew what.

Michael ate it.

Framed art

Matthew's fisherman

Adam's rainbow

The floor

Hair and everywhere

Andrew's rainbow mix special

Fish in the sea

Andrew really wanted a train, but it ended up a mountain of tears and his exasperated whimpering, "It's a monster truck, not a train!" I tried.

A dash of this and a sprinkle of that

Grandma VanBuren Turns 99

Today is my Grandmother's 99th birthday. Can you imagine living to be 99 years old? What a remarkable accomplishment. Oh how I love her dearly. Grandma VanBuren in 99:

1. Dark ebony eyes

2. Always in a twinkle in those ebony eyes

3. Her garden full of green peas

4. Sittin' on her porch with a bowl of peas on my lap eating until I got full

5. The arch on the car port covered in beautiful climbing roses

6. The mulberry tree in her front yard

7. The irrigation ditch out front we would swim in

8. Immaculate carpet... always. She would walk into a room and the first thing she would ALWAYS do is use her fingers to pick up any small signs of anything on her carpet

9. Picking the mulberries and tracking squashed purple mulberries in on her white perfect carpet

10. Her creamy mac n' cheese

11. The dishes were always perfectly set, a beautiful table spread

12. Rolling eggs down the hill at Joe's Valley Reservoir

13. The bright glittery t-shirt she gave me for my birthday

14. Sleeping on her pull out couch and always rolling to the center

15. The clock that chimed every 15 minutes

16. The smell of Caress soap in her bathroom

17. The back scratcher in her tub

18. Roast and green beans

19. Driving in Grandma and Grandpas's blue car the Boise temple dedication

20. Eating butterscotch discs on that drive

21. The camper on the back of her truck we would picnic with at the reservoir

22. Her whacking Grandpa on the drive home from fishing and screeching, "Fred, you stay awake!"

23. Pictures of her in white standing in front of the Manti Temple

24. She was sealed to Grandpa in the Manti Temple

25. Called to serve in Manti with Grandpa as he was a sealer there

26. Her teeth sitting in a cup on the washbasin in the bathroom

27. Sleeping out in her camper on visits to Orangeville

28. Walking from her house to the gas station to buy a treat

29. Grandma's voice saying, "Oh, I'm alright."

30. The marble game that I would pull back on the knob and the spring would launch it into the marble and it would bounce around until dropping to the bottom. Over and over again.

31. The smell of her home. The smell that you can only describe as love because it was Grandma's smell.

32. Her lipstick lined up on her dresser.

33. Listening to old records.

34. Bright green pickles

35. Participating in Manti on my endowment date.

36. Sitting on the couch in my front room waiting for Grandma and Grandpa's car to come up over the hill and make their way down Bob Barton to our house.

37. The sound of their car rolling in the driveway.

38. Eating Chinese at the Chinese Restaurant

39. Post-um

40. Total cereal

41. Making Grandpa's famous carmel corn recipe

42. Visiting with her and Grandpa in their assisted care home in Payson

43. Her sunken eyes and non-responsiveness at Grandpa's funeral

44. Her complete comeback and turn around

45. Spry and sharp as a tack

46. Always referring to Jonathan as my 'Beau'

47. Eating mutton for the first time at Orangeville's 24th of July celebration

48. Waking up the stick on dynamite going off on the 24th of July each year

49. Her scary dark basement

50. Her telling stories about how Grandpa would kiss her good-bye every single day

51. Falling in love with grandma up by the old mill

52.