feeding the masses

My son is on his high school cross country team and yesterday it was my turn to feed the team breakfast after their morning run. This was no small undertaking. I am not much for cooking a lot, and am definitely not one to cook breakfast, my kids don't like it too often, and so to get out of bed at 6:30 in the morning to make sure everything was in order before the team showed up, was a pretty big deal. We (the hubby and I) fired up the grill for the bacon, cut up fruit, which was a big hit, scrambled 4 dozen eggs, and flipped more pancakes than I care to count. They all piled in just as the bacon came off the grill, and we watched as they went through the line, the girls possibly eating more than the guys. They were grateful and appreciative, and that was nice. The most fun thing, however, was the chance to watch our son who has always been pretty shy in social situations, blend in with these kids like he was made to be there. I enjoyed watching him interact with the other members of the team. It was an opportunity i wouldn't have gotten any other way, and if it takes making pancakes by the ton to be a part of that, sign me up for next week, too.

what is exercise anyway

I have always been somewhat of an exercise rebel, never had much of a weight problem, lost weight fairly easy after having my babies, and have never been highly motivated to work myself to a sweat. But alas, I have (within a year or 2) hit the age of 40 where it has been said that things just go downhill from there. I have, espeically as of late, felt a little guilty as I have watched other people exercise, as I see my neighbors out walking or running, and wonder if I can count running in and out of the house to the car and back again, or running of the mouth as I talk on the phone, and surely it burns a few calories to chew those chocolate chip cookies and M&Ms. I used to be able to get myself up at 0:dark thirty and go for a brisk walk with my friends, but after too many summer night phase-10 tournaments with my children, I couldn't quite bring myself to get up that early. I have tried night walking, but without a partner I am bored to tears. So I resorted to asking my family who would like the pleasure of accompanying me on a walk. The reply from everyone, husband included, was wondering if this was an exercise walk. Then they were gone faster than Superman and I was left on my own. Well, I couldn't leave and miss out on everything and the popcorn had my middle name written all over it and I found myself exerciseless (is that a word?) for yet another day, vowing to do better tomorrow. Maybe someday I will be hit with the exercise bug, but for now, I will stand on the sidelines and cheer the neighbors on, watch my kids run around bases, drive them to gymnastics, and feed my son's high school cross country team breakfast, and then go sit down with a good book.

summer daze

I am sitting here at 2:30 in the afternoon, my oldest is at work, and my 3 others are playing assorted computer games. The house is in fairly good condition given the fact that just the minimal housework has been done today, and most importantly, everyone is happy, the 2 youngest are playing together, and no one is crying. I remembered back to a time when I was the mother of 4 small children, one on the way, and the 6th not even thought about out yet, and it was summertime. I woke up all of the children by 8:00 and we spent the next several hours doing "school", learning new things, singing songs, followed by lunch time and quiet time, sometimes headed off to the library for story time and assorted other things. I think I have wisened up over the years, and other than one of my sons who tortures himself each morning by running with the high school cross country team, no one moves until close to 10:00 and I have the house to myself. As i drive to pick up my morning medical transcription tapes, I see children outside playing tennis and riding bikes and have to smile to myself as I think of my kids at home, fast asleep. They do read and practice piano 4 out of 5 days of the week, and we usually go do something fun in the afternoon, trying to squeeze in as much play time before our missionary leaves in 27 days. We stay up way too late with tournaments of Monopoly (which i won last night) or Phase 10, having sleepovers in the family room or living room, whereever everyone happens to be, consuming bowls of popcorn or whatever else we have available (last night it was homemade no-bake cookies baked by my 9-year old and my 12-year old, and being pretty darn lazy. We might not attempt to learn French this summer, and we won't even talk about the family garden, or lack thereof, but I will treasure this time forever, for school routines will come fast enough, and I, for one, intend to soak up every opportunity to relish in the ease of summer.

Look out Brazil, here I come!!!

Austin's night at the prom

the budding entrepreneur

So how can you resist the roadside lemonade stands that taste like watered-down dishwater, or the snow cones with way too much syrup and no ice... that alone would not be so hard, but add to that the excitement of little kids who yell from the corner with enthusiam trying to sell their wares and they are pretty darn hard to resist. My kids have gotten into the snowcone-selling business, with their bag of ice, and 5 different flavorings, and 2 snowcone making machines, one with electricity, and one the old-fashioned grinding way, and I see them sitting outside, after leaving water drippings from the kitchen sink to the front door, yelling from the sidewalk, sign in hand, trying to sell their wares, and my heart tugs just a bit, especially to see brother and sister working side by side, and those poor, unknowing "customers" that consist of the adult neighbors that have become so much a part of their lives, and they sit outside in 95-degree weather to collect their quarters, thinking they have broken the bank. It makes me think of tomorrow and what those same blonde-headed children will be as they make their way in this world, do they have any idea how hard it will be? So for today, as I have mopped up the sticky mess for the umpteenth time, and run to the store for more ice and Dixie cups, I will cherish their desire for working together and what can come from hearing those quarters clink in their pockets.

bumps in the road

Ok - This has been one of those weeks. I woke up last Saturday morning thinking I didn't have much to do, so I offered to babysit some of the grandchildren. I was involved in typical Saturday chores when I get a call from Russ, who is being flown in on a helicopter to the Provo Airport because is father was hours away from dying. We made it in time and sat in the room while Rulon passed away. This was a first for me, and you could literally feel the angels there to take this sweet man home. Life is full of those bumps in the road, some seem like small bumps that you need to slow down for, others like huge pot holes that you must figure out a way to get around. I am always amazed at how life works, when you think things are going smoothly and you then get stopped in your tracks, realizing that someone else is in charge of your life, and isn't that wonderful? So the key for me is to put total faith and trust in He who knows all, let him lead my destiny, and hang on and enjoy the ride.

nothing sweeter than baby girls. This is Jaycie (tiffany's) and Shantel (Ashley's)

Posted by michelle liddell at 9:20 PM 0 comments

they grow too fast
Okay - so I was sitting at Seven Peaks today alone on my towel, the wind was blowing in my face, and I realized, as i listened to all the moms around me trying to keep track of their kids, and calm down, slathering sunscreen, etc., that I was definitely at a new stage of independence' my kids were giving me a little alone time and they all went off playing together. It made me think about how things have changed since the time they were all little. Brandon and I went missionary shopping this weekend to get him ready to go and I am just amazed that the time has gone so quickly. I still have many years of parenting left, and then grandparenting, but it is never quite the same as having them jump out of the tub and having to chase them down with a towel as they drip water everywhere. No sweet little voice getting up from naptime and running to the kitchen to see if there are brown bananas to make banana bread, though this same child still gets excited when he comes home from school to the smell of banana bread. I can sleep until I want to get up because the kids all sleep later than I do, no more singing "If you're happy and you know it" in the car because they are "touching" each other. While I definitely love this season in my life, right now it is my favorite, the memories make me cherish the wonderful gift of motherhood and the blessing of having a big family. And, as I stood at the top of the Seven Peaks tower and watched Haylie go down the tallest slide by herself, she calls it "the wedgie slide", I realized that I was in trouble, because the next time the family all went and I was in my suit, I didn't have Haylie to use for an excuse anymore as to why I coudn't do all the big slides. Happy summer to you all!!

the family

This is our best attempt to get everyone together at the same time.

the first day of summer

Ok - so I have been counting down the days until summer vacation, you know, no more home lunches to make in the morning, no trying to get the kids to practice the piano before school, no energy sapping mornings trying to get children to rouse out of bed. Then the day comes and they run through the door after that pointless 1 and 1/2 hour last day of school and so it begins. I think how fun...we can go grocery shopping together and within a few minutes, they are fighting about who gets to push the cart, asking for unlimited treats, and trying to figure out who gets to sit "shotgun". But this is what kids are right? I have my missionary leaving in July and I just realize they are growing so fast and they are mine (mostly) for the next 3 months....my goal is to come out smiling.