A Grandma's Dream

I've discovered that most grandmas have the same dream: Having all of our posterity under one roof at one time- having everyone together.  I've decided it's a universal dream.  I am so excited to be living my dream.  We will all be together all of next week.  I'm sure there will be posts of the happy occasion to come. I learned the universality of the dream when I was visiting with two of my friends. Both are a little older than me- and  have more children and grandchildren than I do.They also are hosting reunions and having all of their posterity together.  I could sense their excitement as we shared our plans.  Linda's comment described how I feel, "I feel like my spirit is jumping for joy."  Linda has eight children and they haven't all been together for years.  Yesterday as I drove past Marilynn's house and saw her out playing ball with her grandkids, some of whom are here from North Dakota, I got so excited and happy for her  I nearly drove off the road as I honked my joy.

We've been in busy preparation for the big event.  Michelle's bedroom is packed full of stuff I've gathered and purchased. I've been baking and cooking up a storm.  My freezer is full of yummy things:  Sugar Cookies with Lime Cream Frosting, muffins, Brownie cookies, Browned Butter Blondies, Scotcharoos, and Chocolate cupcakes.   I wept tears of joy as I felt the spirit of Elijah as I prepared a part to present about our ancestors.  There's something inside of me saying, "This is what life is all about.  This is it.  None of that other stuff matters."  Like Linda, my spirit is jumping for joy.  

Heidi

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My three daughters and I have an online bookclub . We meet once a month via Google Chat( since we all live far away from each other.) We’ve chosen several children’s classics to read, including this delightful book, “Heidi.” I know I read this when I was young, but I had forgotten most of it, so it was like a new read for me. Though it was written many years ago, and is a translation from German, it is well- written and the language very beautiful. I think Heidi makes a wonderful little literary hero as she is positive and unselfish. Children’s books of that time period tend to be didactic. The Grandmama in the story is a bit preachy, but she’s also very lovable and loving- so it’s easy to swallow her teachings. Grandmama teaches Heidi to turn to God in prayer and have faith in Him. That’s a great message for children . . . and adults alike! I love that the book teaches that God is approachable and loving – very uncommon- especially in books written in that period.
You can’t read the book without longing to see the beautiful Swiss Alps, frolic with goats, eat cheese roasted on a stick, and drink milk warm and foamy from the goat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this delightful book.




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My Favorite Things- Midnight Snack

Every once in a while, I just need a midnight snack.  Here's my favorite:

Ritz Crackers with Garlic and Herb Boursin cheese  ( cream cheese is good, too) with jalapeno jelly on top.   Yum!  Jalapeno Cheese Crackers- one of my favorite things!

Out of the Best Books, Volume 3

Out of the Best Books, Volume 3 by Bruce Budge Clark

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I just finished Volume 3 of Out of the Best Books. I love these books and the collection of classic literature/ art they contain. This Volume explores having a glad heart, honesty, patience, obedience, love, faith, and charity. New literary genres in this volume are a play and a speech. In each of these volumes, there are a few paintings and discussions of them. In this volume, I particularly liked a painting by a Mormon painter entitled, "To Them of the Last Wagon." We view a mountainous countryside with a wagon train making it's way west. In the foreground is a wagon stopped obviously for the birth of a new baby. The painting captures the spirit of the Mormon pioneers. It, appropriately, is found in the "Obedience" section.
In the "A Glad Heart" section, I enjoyed the play by Thornton Wilder, but my favorite was a poem by William Wordsworth, "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." That's probably because this poem has been set to music and I've pondered, memorized, and performed it.
In the "Honesty" section, I enjoyed a short story called "The Waltz" by Dorothy Parker. It contrasts what we "say" in social settings (in this case when asked to dance by someone who we don't care for) and what we "think" or what we'd like to say. The message being we have to temper our honesty with being kind.
In the "Patience" section, an essay by Betsey Barton was moving. Betsey, when in her mid-teens was in an automobile accident that left her with a broken back and no hope of ever walking again. The essay begins with this powerful line: "There are, it seems to me,two tragic facts in human existence: We do not appreciate what we have until we lose it. And we only advance through suffering." Lots of food for thought just in that!
The section on "Obedience" included a discussion of "A Man For All Seasons." At the time of the writing of this volume, the movie of this same title was released and was wildly popular- receiving many academy awards. The author/compiler of this book obviously loved the book/ movie and discusses the lessons learned. After reading it, I added "A Man For All Seasons" to my netflix queue.
The highlight of the "Loving Heart" section is a collection of 32 of the best "love poems" every written, exploring all different kinds of love. So, if you need a good love poem, this is the place to go. Several of them really spoke to my heart.
Next was the section on faith. I found it ironic that, by far, the most intellectual approach to a subject was this section on faith. Maybe I was in a bad mood when I read these selections, but I found this section largely uninspiring.
The section on charity, on the other hand, was full of good stuff. Two short stories of similar theme were so very thought-provoking. One called "A Christmas Guest" by Selma Lagerlof( the first woman to win the Nobel Prize) was about a very difficult to get along with man who was lonely and needed a place to go for Christmas. The battle in the hearts of the family between doing what's right and what's selfish- "this will ruin our Christmas" feelings -were so real and memorable. The book ends with a poignant short story of similar theme, "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville (Of Moby Dick fame.) From the point of view of a lawyer who hires a scribe or scrivener who has great needs, but is unwilling to do the work, we feel the struggle between doing what is "just" (Kick him out to fend for himself) and what is "charitable"(let him stay and care for his needs.) It is powerful and memorable, and causes the reader to look within their own hearts to see if true charity is found there.
This volume was another great collection of the best of the best literature. Now, on to Volume 4!

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Be a Builder

Several years ago, after Michelle moved out of the house, I was cleaning her bedroom.  On the shelf was this little wooden block with the words, "Be a Builder" on it.  It had been sitting there for years, and didn't seem too important to me.  I was just going to throw it away, but something stopped me.  "If she's kept it this long, I should ask her before I throw it out," I thought.  So the next time I talked to Michelle, I asked her about it.  I was surprised by her emotional reaction to my even thinking about tossing it.  She said it was given to her by her beehive teacher- Kathy Musso- and it was very important to her. She explained that it helped her to remember to build others rather than tear them down.  Though she didn't use the word, I realized this was her mantra.   Those three little words have clearly affected Michelle's life.  She truly is a builder.  I know she does that for me.   After visiting with her, I feel like the best mom and the best person in the world- because she truly builds me up.  But she also builds other people, even when they're not around, so that I think more highly of them.  I guess that little block and that beehive lesson is where it all started.  She decided then that she would be a builder, and she is. 

Since our discussion, I've tried to also be a builder.  Sometimes I fail miserably, especially when I'm just itching to gossip about someone.  But, at least, the thought crosses my mind, "Come on, Kay, be a builder."
  So, there you have another mantra to consider adopting: "Be A Builder"

To read about other mantras, click here.

Ken's Bike Accident

Ken had a bad accident on his bike two weeks ago.  He is very competitive- against himself.  He has several different routes that he likes to use, and he keeps a record of his times on each of his routes.  Two weeks ago Wednesday, he was hurrying to beat his time, and came around a corner too fast.  There must have been dirt or sand on the road and his tires slid out from under him.  He fell hard.  He brushed himself off and rode home, not realizing how badly he was hurt.  His leg looks the most dramatic as it got a huge hematoma that drained and made his ankle swell.   But the worst injury is to his shoulder.  It still hurts to lift anything.  The xray showed that it isn't broken, but something is definitely wrong.

 But he left this morning on a backpacking trip in the Uintahs.  He filled his pack and could still heft it on his shoulders, so away he went.  Little could stop him, I'm afraid.  So I'm hoping he's doing okay. He's been looking forward to this trip and was pretty determined to go.  I guess I see the appeal. . .

My Favorite Things: A Scene from the movie "A Beautiful Mind."

I love the movie "A Beautiful Mind"- the mostly true story of John Nash, mathematics genius.  Nash had paranoid schizophrenia.  He probably would have rotted in a mental hospital, but for the love and commitment of his wife.  Instead, he was able to manage his disease and in 1994 won the Nobel Peace Prize. I wouldn't say that this is my favorite movie, but I think it's my favorite scene from any movie I've seen.  The scene is right after he's nearly drowned their child.  He's up in the bedroom all alone.  He thinks his family is leaving him.  But instead his wife sends their child to safety and she goes back up to the bedroom and declares her loyalty and faith that they can beat this illness and that she will stand by him and help him.. . and they touch each others' hearts and just thinking about it makes me cry. I love the look of resolve in her eyes, and how she hugs him and the camera focuses on her wedding ring as they hug- the symbol of eternal love and commitment.  I can't find that  isolated scene on you tube, but it's at the end of this collection of scenes in this  beautiful video.  I also love this song, "All Love Can Be" sung by Charlotte Church.  I love the words.  We see so much of romance on the screen, but rarely do we see the real deal:  Love and commitment in the face of extreme adversity.  Grab a tissue and enjoy:


This real-life love scene from the movie, "A Beautiful Mind'- one of my favorite things.

Lavar Hinton Reunion, 2012

This week was the Lavar Hinton Reunion.  Lavar is Ken's Dad, so it involves all of Ken's siblings and their families.  I think there were about 140 people there.  It was held at church-owned Heber Valley Church Camp (otherwise known as Camp Law of Moses- inside joke.)  It was a beautiful setting and facilities.  Ken and I attended with Shonna and her kids.  Because Blake started work as a dentist on Monday, he didn't come up until Tuesday night.  It was nice to have one of our children there as they haven't been able to attend in recent years.   It was fun to mix and mingle with the wonderful Hinton family.

 On Monday, we arrived in the afternoon and got set up.  We then had dinner (barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs), then had a rotating family on family activity, where we met with each other family and got caught up.  After that, we had an evening devotional.  Shonna and I sang "Let the Whole Creation Cry" acapella for that.  Shonna is so talented.  We had just a few minutes to prepare it that morning while we were still at Camerons.  I brought several pieces from my Keynote files and we decided on this one.  She had never seen it before, but sang it acapella  perfectly.  It is so fun to sing with her.  Then Uncle Mark told us fun and interesting stories from the life of Lavar.

Poor Lily bumped her head.

It didn't take Caleb long to make friends with other two year olds and play in the dirt.

But Heidi was his favorite.  She was so cute with the kids.

He also loved Uncle Clark (who gave him chocolate balls)

Activities on Tuesday morning included Minute to Win it, Beat the Ball, and this giant Twister.  

As people got out, they kept rolling it up.

The last four.  The last two were Hunter and his sister, Hadley.  It was quite the competition.  Finally Bryan declared a tie.  

Fun kid activities.

Can you guess what we had for dinner?  The kids loved the spaghetti dinner.

Tuesday evening was skits.  Each group acted out a scripture or other story.  

This is Joseph (Coat of many colors guy) getting thrown in the pit (garbage can.)

Little James stole the show in this reader's theater by the Don Hintons.

Lorene ended the evening sharing with us about her mother- Leora Hinton.

On the way home on Wednesday, we stopped by for a tour of Patty and Hal's beautiful new home.

In her sewing room, Patty has framed this old pattern of our Mom's.

Patty in front of her beautiful home.
We got home in time to watch a movie and the fireworks show.  Thanks to the  Hintons for a fun reunion!

Lily's First Birthday

 Our little Lily turned one, so Ken and I headed up to SLC for her birthday party on Sunday, July 1st.  The Hinton Reunion was starting on Monday (post to come) , so we went a day early so we could celebrate with Blake and Shonna's family and Blake's family.  Blake's parents were kind to host us that evening.  (Don't you love the cupcake chair cover Kristen made them?)

Caleb with his cousins Spencer and Kate

The "Lily" cake and cupcakes

Lily's not too sure about that candle thingy

But the cake is delicious

Playing with her new toys

 I can't believe it's been a whole year since that crazy car ride with Shonna in labor in Ohio!  It's so nice to have them closer so we can be part of the celebrations!