Creation and Compassion...

Tonight womanhood was celebrated in it's finest through the General Relief Society Broadcast! I love this tribute, it is always uplifting to me. Elder Uchtdorf's talk was entirely changing to me. I am going to memorize it, make no mistake. It was one of those talks you could study every Sunday for a month and you couldn't get it all. My Heavenly Father took on a completely new dimension of personality to me. Understanding that God is a God of Creation and Compassion. That it is inherent within us to want to create something, leave something behind that wasn't there before, it's a trait from Him. Anyway, I won't gush (though I feel like it), let's just say it was inspiring and enlightening!


I did find myself aching for my sisters in Park City. Oh how I miss their smiles, cohesion, stories. Kent told me to stop trying to fit the sisters here in a mold, like I'll look at one and be like "oh there's the Bev of the ward," or "oh it's Suz" or "she paints like Linda". Just let the women be who they are, and love them for it. Lead with love. But oh how I miss my sisters.

Here are some pictures of the little lumberjack!

Say what?!

There is a reason that you think of flannel when you think of the great northwest - because it can be freakin freezin'! Here is Harry donning his Pine tree attire. Kent is very proud of his little lumberjack boy!

When life gives you apples...

Call me sunshiney, but I started thinking that the "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade" theory could extend to our current predicament involving 3 HUGE boxes of apples. When life gives you a truckload of FREE apples, make applesauce. Harry, sitting in his throne of destruction, surveying the destruction. I had no idea that canning really and truly is an all-day, all-encompassing thing.
Some of the finished product. We added 2 cups of frozen blueberries to each patch, for health, antioxidant and color reasons. Little girls will eat it if it's pink, right?
Meet Becca, my visit teaching partner, a true sweetheart. This half-pint was the one who gave me the idea in the first place.
She brought the tools, know-how and sas and laughs. Gotta love it!
Bella assisting in the clean up efforts.

Picking Apples...

We picked the apples in our backyard. They are of the "I have no clue" variety, it a pleasant sour green color - care for some?! I don't know what to do with them, but it was something fun to do with the kids. Picked apples..

...and found a lady bug...
...and chased the lady bug....
...and interrogated the lady bug...

and talked about the ladybug.

What was that nursery rhyme:

Ladybug, Ladybug

Fly away home

Your house is on fire

and your children all gone

all except 1 and that's Ann

for She crept under the frying pan.

If you have heard this nursery rhyme and have any idea what it could possible be about, please share it. It has always been a puzzle to me.

Tennis anyone....

I don't bother explaining that there are other careers she may want to consider besides ballerina. What's the point? At least she thrills at the sound of Tchaikovsky right?! Ballet 101
Alright, Tennis is a totally different story! Don't worry, sweetheart. That fact that you hit yourself with the racket is an inherited trait. I am so so sorry.
Conversation afterwards, "Mom, I'm not very good at this. Let's just stick with Ballet, OK?"
But, as a parent, I do feel there are things to be learned here on the tennis court. Life lesson Numero Uno: If Junior hits a flying ball towards your head do you a)duck b)run c)cry or d)whack that ball right back a junior's head so he knows how it feels.

Sorry sister, you're in it for the duration. (which is only 3 weeks and cost $20, how can you say no?!)

PS there is minimal whacking in the beginning stages of Tennis. So truly there is no harm for her...yet.

And Harry...just happy to be alive.

Where's the fire...

I get more done before 8:30 am then most people do all day. Seriously, it is the only time of day I have energy, it's all down hill from there. So with running for the day behind me, the breakfast done, scriptures read, floor vacuumed, lawn mowed, weeds pulled, kids dressed, a book read (it was a really good morning, this is not normal) and I stepped out of the shower to get dressed so I could go visiting teaching (about 8:45am). When I catch the scent of smoke, not food-burning smoke either. "Bella are you OK?" I scream downstairs, dripping wet and worried. "Fine mom...just eating brown sugar." Oh good, I was worried.

But then the scent got stronger, and visible. I threw open all the windows and it got worse. What in tarnation is that? So I decide to call the NON EMERGENCY Fire Station, thinking at this point that it has to be a short in the wall. 3 and 1/2 minutes later, the bless-their-hearts Firemen pull up in FOUR (count them, 4) trucks. This is not a great way to meet neighbors by the way. Saying Hi my name is.....and we are normal I promise. Anyway, they searched everywhere for the smoke and NADA, ZIP, ZERO, ZILCH until......dun, dun, da, dun....they check the furnace which we have never used nor even turned on and they found warped out, plugged up filters that were disintegrating in the furnaces 140 degree motor. The filters which the property company said they had just replaced. REPLACED, MY EYEBALL! Anyway, it's been a day. I am so completely done. But the firemen, in order to do as little emotional damage as humanly possible to my trembling Harrison, they left the kids hats, stickers, and a non-smokey stuffed animal. There is always a silver lining. What a morning!

I need to blog about this little princess. The first time I saw her, I cried because she looks so much like my friend's little girl who just passed away in May. They are about the same age. Anyway, she came over to play with us today and we had so much fun. She is SUPER FAST, smart and so funny. Bella and I just laughed at her.

Dooo dads and Hmmmm haaasss.....

Today we went for a ride in the chariot to do errands. On the way back, we saw a friend standing in a garage sanding things. We stopped, assessed the situation and started sanding. It was so much fun and we ended up meeting a really nice woman, whose wood it was that needed the sanding. And of course in true, pay-it-forward style, the neighbor came out, sized-up the chariot's flat tire and.....fixed it!! How cool is this ward?!


I love Harry's reaction at the end of this movie. Bella loves taking pictures and watching herself on the camera. Harry...well in true-to-man form, he wants none-of-it!

It begins...

In an effort to welcome and embrace the upcoming football mania that is sure to grasp hold of the Gardner residence, I will post those moments that help remind me of the three blissful sportsless months of my life (meaning only 2 hours a day are dedicated, not 6)! Any thoughts on coping tactics for the NFL season, chime in and sound off....I am open to options. Although it is too bad about TB's unfortunate beginning this season. Ok. This is an old picture, but Bella asks for "her Jake" at least once a week. These two do have a betrovement deal, let's hope it sticks. We adore this boy!
Bella was on a picture taking spree. Cheese!
And that's where it ends today, because my camera and my computer and the thing that connects them, are all in a fight - what's a girl to do?!

Farmers Market and Human Race...

Two posts in two days - what is with me?!

Ready for church.
At the park, I need to remember an extra outfit when we go.
Demure doll face! prepared for the sprinkles.
No I didn't just drink the bubbles!

Farmers Market Fountain. We are loving the farmers market here - miss you park city-ites though. Here, they have the most amazing produce. Our favorite are the Hood Strawberries - they sell out everyweek, so we try to get there early. Those strawberries must be the butter equivalent of the berry world because they melt in your mouth. We get a 1/2 flat that doesn't make it to see Tuesday.

Kent woke up this morning and decided to run a 10K. I love that about him. I train for 6 months to run a half marathon, and he hasn't run for 1 full year - not even once, but he decided today was the day to participate in NIKE's Human race. It is a 10K held in capitals all over the world at the same time. The route just took him all over NIKE's World Headquarters - stunning. Of course he did wonderfully. You're amazing sweetie!