Taking the Time

I'm so glad that my family took the time this summer to go visit my dad in Monticello. Otherwise, my kids wouldn't have the memories of cutting wood, shooting guns, cook outs, or playing with Grandpa.

We got the news on a late Monday night, October 19th that my dad had passed away from complications of Diabetes. It came as a complete shock! Just two days after his 58th birthday.

I'm glad we all called him on his birthday...it was always a good day for him when his birthday was on the opening day of the deer hunt. I'm glad my brother, Jesse, and my sister, Rachel, were able to spend that weekend with him. I'm glad his sisters and nieces and nephews were down for the weekend. I'm glad he seemed so happy this past year. I'm glad he called and talked to us all the day after his birthday, for Maika's birthday...He told her she was the best eight year old he knew. I'm glad he thought his grand kids were pretty darn cool! I'm glad my dad taught me to love the beautiful creations of this world.

I miss my dad! But, I'm glad that we had great and some not-so-great memories. That's what family is about, getting through things and coming out loving each other in spite of it all!

In loving memory of Robert Curtis Holden. October 17, 1951--October 19, 2009.

Weirdly

This cute little girl just turned 8! (This picture is from a few years ago, but we're hoping to get new ones in the next couple of weeks.) She had a fun birthday. We got to go out to breakfast Saturday morning and to the church Harvest Party, Saturday night. She loves playing with the Bendaroos she got and looks forward to getting a set of Scriptures with her name on them when she gets baptized next month. We love you Maika!

Now, a funny story. Last night she was complaining of a sore throat and said it made her talk weird. I told her to go to bed and get some rest. Her next question? "Mom, if I wake up weirdly tomorrow can I stay home from school?" I couldn't help but crack up! "Yes, Maika, if you wake up weirdly tomorrow you can stay home." She woke up weirdly...

Oh, Nalani!

I wish my scanner was working right now! I have a stack of notes from Nalani that I would love to scan in and be able to hold them over her head for years to come.

Most of you know how sweet and darling Nalani is. Her sparkly eyes, her little lisp when she talks, her random hugs. I'm gonna let you in on a little secret though: along with the sugar, spice, and everything nice...this girl got some sassy thrown into her recipe.

This summer in Jackson, I was teasing her about loving the Jonas Brothers...she got so mad at me that she didn't talk to me for two whole hours. I'm not lying! Then in church this last week, I made her get off my lap because she was being too noisy and wiggly. The next thing I know I'm getting notes from her folded up tight. I was expecting something cute...a stick girl with crazy hair and a smiling sun? No. A big heart with an X through it, all in black crayon. Kind of funny. Until you have four or five of them in your collection.

This morning she got in trouble for answering the phone and being rude while I was on the phone. More notes. More black X'd out hearts. What am I gonna do with this girl? It's a good thing she's so cute and sweet the majority of the time:) And, this is fair warning to everyone out there...you don't want to get on her bad side. Believe me, I've been there and it's hard work getting back in her good graces.

How do you say?

Is there a nice way of telling people that the bow/flower/head band/combination of all three on their new born baby girl's head is too freakin' big? Or am I just waaayy out of style? When Logan was born I was forbidden by Kelly to stick anything but a tiny bow made out of tiny ribbon on her head. I must have converted to his way of thinking 'cause as far as my opinion goes, things are just getting out of hand...

Now that my girls are bigger and actually have hair I like to put flowers and ribbons and such in it, but their heads are bigger too....lots bigger than the flowers adorning them! Just sayin'.

Safety Glasses

The other day I was driving with the kids in Kelly's truck. Nalani found a pair of safety glasses and put them on, then looked at Maika very seriously and asked, "Hey, did you know Dad was a scientist?" She then proceeded to tell people all day long that her dad was a scientist...funny girl!

Dilly Beans

This summer my mom gave me her big pressure cooker and cold pack canner. I have been searching yard sales in hopes of finding old canning jars and have hit the jackpot a few times. This morning I got about 40 jars for ten bucks. Now I have quite the collection and need to start filling them with stuff. I have hopes of canning pears, peaches, salsa, and tomatoes, and I already made about 36 pints of strawberry jam. We went a little crazy picking those strawberries:)

My garden has been producing a ton of green beans! So today, I channeled my Grandma Holden. She made the BEST pickled dill beans! I remember raiding her pantry many times, swiping a bottle of these babies, and running out to her orchard to eat the whole bottle before she could find out about it.

When I would return to her kitchen with an empty bottle (and I can hear her voice in my head), she would just smile, shake her head and say, "Oh Heavens, Aundie!" (Aundie was my nickname back in the day.)

I can only hope they taste close to Grandma's...

P.S. Siblings: I'll send you a bottle for your Christmas present:)

Blue Mountain

On our recent trip to Utah for Kelly's family reunion, we took a little detour to Monticello to see my dad. While we were there,we (meaning I,) wanted my kids to experience one of my favorite childhood memories...cutting fire wood. I thought it would help my dad out too, since that is the primary source of heat for his house during the winter time.

And, just so you know, this is what my dad's house looks like during the winter! So, you can tell he probably needs quite a bit of fire wood:)

Okay, back to the nice hot summer weather! Besides cutting wood, my dad brought a few guns for us to shoot while we were there. Here is Maika. When she got the gun in her hands her arms just fell, I don't think she was expecting it to be so heavy. Logan was all business, I think she even hit the soda can she was aiming for, after taking awhile to figure out how to see through the scope.

Bronson couldn't wait to get his hands on those guns. He didn't want to listen to Grandpa's Gun Safety Lecture, he just wanted to pull the trigger. I think he was just wanting to be like Indiana Jones:) It's hard to be a three year old and have to listen and obey...

Nalani wanted absolutely NOTHING to do with shooting the guns, but Kelly and I took our turns too. I'm still a pretty good shot, if I do say so myself!

Kelly had a go with the chain saw. I think he had a good time, too. We were cutting some huge trees that had fallen during the winter snows. All our backs were pretty sore for the next few days.Nalani had fun riding the tree-horse we made. I used to love doing this when I was little, too!
Here's my dad with my kids. In the quakie trees. Quakies (Aspen) are my absolute favorite tree! I love hearing the wind blow through the leaves!
Logan and Maika.
Our family picture.

Thanks for indulging me Kelly and Dad! I just love the sights of the mountain on a warm summer day. I love the smells of the chain saw, the saw dust and the wood. And I love the sounds of the wind in the leaves...just takes me back to being a kid again! The only thing that could have made it better was if Grandma was there to make her ground roast beef sandwiches!