Abundance

Bronco's Back!

If you're a BYU fan, you've been suffering for the last week.  There just wasn't much good about last week's game against Boise State.  Not much good at all.  But I'm going to cheer you up, because there was one really good thing about that game:   The REAL Bronco is back!

I remember well the last time the Cougars played Boise State on the Smurf Turf (who thinks of this stuff???) It was 2004.  Bronco was the defensive coach. We lost that one, too, but it was a nail-biter.  But I will never forget a scene from that game.  It's stuck with me all these years:  Much like in last week's game, the Cougar defense had to make a goal-line stand against the Boise offense.  It was tough.  There was a time out and the camera showed Bronco coaching those boys.  They held!  Just like last week, the defense held and prevented the score.  The television then showed what Bronco was doing during the play.  He was crouched down, like he himself was on the line with the boys.  He was clapping and encouraging with all his might.  Then when they held, he went crazy.  He was jumping up and down and looked much like the picture above. He was ecstatic.   He hugged and high-fived all of those boys as they ran off the field.  He was so happy and so proud of those boys.  I've never forgotten that.  It literally brought tears to my eyes.  

  

 Then, Bronco was made head coach.  He wanted to bring back the old traditions and he wanted to be like his hero, Lavell Edwards.  We saw a big change in the demeanor of Bronco.  He stood stoically on the sidelines, rarely showing emotion, rarely cracking a smile or even clapping his hands.  He was emulating his hero.  But I missed the real Bronco.  I missed the enthusiasm.  I missed the "I'm in there with you" feeling.  

 Well, last Thursday, when the Cougar defense held the Broncos (not to be confused with Bronco) for four straight downs on the one yard line, we saw the return of the REAL Bronco.  He was crouched, encouraging and intense during the plays.  After the fourth held down, he was jubilant.  We saw him jump up and down and slap the hands and pound the backs and hug those boys as they returned to the sidelines with honor.  Ah, it's good to have the real Bronco back.

 In the years since that 2004 meeting with Boise State, that image of the intense, jubilant Bronco has flashed through my mind many times.  I like to picture that that is how my Savior is with me when I'm having to do a hard thing- a really hard thing.  He's not actually in there with me, but if He could He would be.  But he's crouched on the sidelines, totally focused on me and cheering me and blessing me in every way He can.  Then when I come out the other end victorious, He's there to hug and congratulate and jump up and down and rejoice with me. I really like that image.   It brings tears to my eyes.  It helps me.

So, whether he's here to stay or not, it was nice to have the real Bronco back- at least for a few minutes.

Go Cougars!

If This Old Jar Could Talk

We have two peach trees, so recently bottled some peaches.  I was intrigued by this old canning jar that was among our bottles, so I got online to find out more about it. Wow!  That opened a whole world to me that I didn't even know existed.  People pay big bucks for vintage jars!  This one is especially rare, as the Drey glass company didn't exist for too long.  Drey was purchased by Ball.  They just used the same glass stamping machines, but added their "PERFECT MASON"  stamp. There is a whole culture out there of people who buy and sell vintage canning jars.  Who knew?

But to me, the  value of this old jar is who's shelf it has been on, who's hands have held it and popped it's lid to feed hungry little one it's store of cherries or peaches or pears or applesauce.  Ken's family have been bottlers from way back, so who knows?  I do know that Ken's dad had an orchard, and his grandfather made a living by peddling fruit.  In our early marriage, we spent many a day in Hurricane, bottling with the extended family.  Grandpa would build a big bonfire and we'd sit outside at tables and peel and bottle fruit.  Grandpa would put our filled bottles in huge washtubs filled with water and process the fruit over the bonfire.  It was hard, but unifying work.  Those bottling parties were just part of the Hinton family culture.  Ken can remember the juice running down to his elbows as he helped as just a tiny child.  Wouldn't it be fun to know this bottle's history? I wonder if Ken's mom dumped and strained peaches from it to make her famous peach cobbler to feed her seven hungry boys.  She'd make two huge pans of it at once, and it would all be gone at the end of the meal.   I wish it could talk and tell me where it's been and who it's seen.
  I wasn't even surprised that it sealed just fine and it now sits on a shelf in my basement storage room.  I think I'll save it until my grandkids are visiting so I can tell them about this special bottle while they consume it's contents.  I hope Nathan will visit because he loves canned peaches and slurps them down so fast, you can't believe it.  He definitely has Hinton blood and my mom's blood- she also loved canned peaches.  I'll pass on the tradition of peaches and bottling and sharing and family.  I think that's what canning is all about.

Little Men

Little Men by Louisa May Alcott

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I just finished rereading this classic for our upcoming online family book club meeting. It is so fun to leave our modern world for a while and go back in time to Jo's boarding school of "Little Men." Though I don't think I like this book as much as "Little Women," it is fun to read the adventures of the boys and to see two unselfish people (Jo and her husband, Fritz Bhaer) devote themselves entirely to parenting and teaching. Our modern world could use more of their kind. Let me illustrate with a few of my favorite quotes from the book:
". . . for she believed that the small hopes and plans and pleasures of children should be tenderly respected by grown-up people, and never rudely thwarted or ridiculed."
". . .no matter how lost and soiled and worn-out wandering sons may be, mothers can forgive and forget every thing as they fold them in their fostering arms. . . . "
"She felt instinctively that the more the boy was restrained the more he would fret against it; but leave him free, and the mere sense of liberty would content him, joined to the knowledge that his presence was dear to those whom he loved best."
Reading this book is, besides being entertaining and delightful, a bit of a course in parenting.
I always finish reading "Little Women" a bit troubled that Jo didn't accept Laurie's marriage proposal. This book, set much later in life, makes me feel better that all worked out for the best. Jo and Fritz are soul mates and a perfect team. Laurie also seems happy in his life. Even there is a life-lesson.

View all my reviews

Ken's 40-year Class Reunion

Ken graduated from Hurricane High School in 1972.  His graduating class had 72 people in it.  On Labor Day weekend, we attended the 40-year class reunion. I'm guessing that this reunion was a little different than your class reunions- just guessing.  The best way to describe it is it was  more like a family reunion.  These 72 people really care about each other and are genuinely delighted to be together and see one another. There was no charge for this reunion.  There was a donation jar on the table if you cared to donate (I'm sure that's because there are those in the class that may not be able to come if there were a charge.  There are others very willing to cover the costs if enough is not collected.)  The dinner was much like you'd have at a  family reunion or church potluck- provided by members of the committee.  It was really delicious.  One of the ladies is an expert cupcake maker.  The cupcake display was beautiful . . .and delicious.  The entertainment was, I'm sure different than at your reunion.  Greg Last- the student body president from way back then- held the mike and went through the names of everyone (yes, everyone!) in the class.  The focus was on those NOT there.  "Does anyone know where they are or how they're doing?" They think there are two in jail, but there are also many successful men and women.  One of their classmate's son is the world champion bronco rider- twice!  So, I guess that's the claim to fame.  After going through every name, the other half of the entertainment was a video set to 70's music of the senior pictures of each class member, then a picture of them now with their families.  I must admit, we had the loveliest family of all.  Just my opinion!  Now, this part will make you jealous:   Each class member was given two favors:  a hand-crocheted dish cloth and a small jar of home-canned relish- made by the organizer's mother-in-law.  I'll bet you didn't get THAT at your class reunion.  See, it was like a really nice extended family reunion!  It was really fun to reconnect with these good people and feel their respect for Ken and Ken's love and respect for them.

  Howard and Joni came from Salt Lake and stayed with us that night and Sunday night.  We forgot to take the camera to the reunion, but I did get a couple of shots of the Stuckis in our home to remember the weekend.  Howard was one of Ken's closest friends since toddler-hood.

Joni and Howard

Summer Theater Fun

We've enjoyed, well, I should say I enjoyed more theater than usual this summer.  Ken is good to go with me and put up with it.  I think he enjoys it once he gets there- but, for him, the cost does not justify the amount of entertainment he gets out of it.  We have such marvelous opportunities for really good theater here with Tauchan here and the Shakespeare Festival just an hour away.  Our habit has been to go to one at each place each season, but this year, we got to see or will get to see an extra at each.

We went to Alladin at Tucachan in June with Rick and Sherrie.  It was so well done!

We celebrated our anniversary in August by attending Les Mis at the Shakespeare Festival  

As we drove home from Cedar City that evening, Ken told me of his first introduction to "Les Miserables." He went in the library at Hurricane high school as a young high school student to find a book to read.  He saw this old book- less miser-ables- was how he pronounced it.  For some reason, it intrigued him.  He checked it out and read the whole thing.  He loved it and was very touched by it.  I told him I thought it was the spirit directing him.

Then we attended Scapin with Pam and Roger.  It was funny, but the humor was a little . . .bawdy. . . shall we say?   We found ourselves more embarrassed than entertained.   The acting was fabulous though.  

Pam and Roger discovered this great restaurant in Cedar called "The Garden"  Ken  had to  present an audit in Milford, so I went with Pam and Roger to dinner, then we met up with Ken at the play.  I ordered his dinner "to go" and he ate it on the picnic table at the theater before the play started.  

It was fun to be with Pam and Roger.

Don and Ada gave us a coupon for free tickets to Hairspray at Tuachan- so we get to go there next week.  I've never seen hairspray- so I'm excited to see it.  

You're All My Favorites

One day, when Kristen and her kids were here, I read Brielle and Nathan this cute book.  Shonna gave me "You're All My Favorites" several years ago.  It's a story of a bear family with three little bears.  They want to know which one is their parents' favorite baby bear.  

When I got to this page, I stopped and asked, "Which child in your family is your Daddy's favorite?

Brielle got a sparkle in her eye, and with a sly, little look, she pointed to herself.  She knew the answer, but didn't want to hurt her brother's feelings.  Nathan, in more Nathan-style said loudly,  "It's me, It's definitely me!"  I love that both of them are sure they are the favorite child.  Good job, Jared!  Good job!

Post- Reunion Fun!

Our reunion ended on Sunday, August 5th.  We went to church together, then headed our separate ways.  Shonna and Blake went home to Logan, Michelle and Brian went to South Jordan to be with his family for the week, and Kristen and Jared and we headed to St. George.  Jared had to fly home the next day (then go to Prague on business the next day- poor guy!)  Kristen and the kids stayed with us for two more weeks.  We had a marvelous time.  Shonna was very brave and drove down from Logan with her two kids  on Tuesday and spent the rest of the week with us.  Then Michelle and Brian came back and stayed a few days before flying out of Vegas.  So everyone came except Blake for at least some of the time .  It was so fun to continue the reunion in St. George.  Here are some pictures from the next couple of weeks.

This is apple crisp made by Nathan.  Nathan LOVES to cook.  He found a recipe for apple crisp on PBSkids.org and made it for us.  It was delicious!  

Yummy Apple Crisp.

St. George is very hot in August.  We spent a lot of time in the water in the next couple of weeks.  Sprinklers and popsicles were the order of most days.

Kerplunk!

Okay, who took my picture before I combed my hair in the morning in my "Coat of many colors?"  The kids love Grandma's ipad- and her coat of many colors.

I have a fit bit.  It's a little device -see it there on Nathan's shirt?- that counts your steps.  I was  feeling very lazy one day, so I clipped the fitbit on Nathan and had him run around and around the house.  It was perfect:  I got credit for steps on the fitbit and he ran off some of his endless energy.  Brilliant!  Absolutely brilliant!

The kids love our costume box.  Jacob is wearing my silver shoes from when I was in Madrigals in high school.   That's quite the ensem, buddy.

We played water games one afternoon.

This picture proves that Jacob did indeed get some water in the bucket in the water relay.  I can see it.  Most of it spilled on the ground as he ran.  

The water balloon toss.

In this relay, we had to sit on a water balloon to make it pop.

Jakie could not figure out what happened to that balloon.

The games dissolved into a water fight:  Everyone against Grandpa!

Everyone got sopping wet- which felt wonderful in 110 heat.

When Brian and Michelle were here, we went down to our wonderful city center water park.  The kids had a blast.

"Here, let me get that for you!"

But that wasn't enough.  We had more water fun in our yard after lunch.  It, of course dissolved into a huge water fight:  Everyone against Brian.

"I'm gonna get you!"

We played so hard that little Gabbi fell asleep during dinner.  We looked over and she was fast asleep at the table.  

We did have one trip to the emergency room.  Little Nathan "flew" off the couch and hit his head on the coffee table requiring staples.  Kristen and I took him to the emergency room.  He was SO cute, he had the nurses and Dr. very entertained.  He had us all laughing and was very brave.

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It was sad to see everyone leave.  Feast or famine around here!  Thank you for coming, everyone.  We love you!