Cantaloupe Conversations

I really like cantaloupe. It has a sweet refreshing taste and it's always been my favorite melon. Sometimes picking out a cantaloupe can be tricky. There's the "push on the blossom end" trick to see if there's any give. There's the "scratch and smell" trick to see if it smells fresh. I've also bought them and turned them blossom side down on the counter for a day or two to let the sugar run through it before cutting and eating it. Sometimes we think we have a good one, buy it, take it home, cut it up, and it's already rotten inside. We've spent a lot of money on cantaloupe and maybe half of the time we get a really good one that we just love. The other ones end up in the trash.

I have a friend who I love dearly. We live a few states away and only see each other occasionally. Most of our communication is done over the phone--she doesn't do computers. I love it when we have a good conversation but most of the time it's hit or miss. When I see her name on caller ID, I immediately worry: will it be good or will I be frustrated when the call is over? I have to answer the phone just so I can answer the question! When I call her the worry is the same--will this conversation be a good one or frustrating? I never know what I'm going to get. I try and direct the conversation as much as possible, but a lot of times I end up saying, after only a few minutes, "Well, it was good talking to you, I've got to run." It's like I've just cut up a bad cantaloupe.

I've invested a lot in this relationship and sometimes it does pay off, but I wish it would be more consistent. Even when you pay for something, there's no guarantee that it's going to be good when you get into it. I should be enjoying the sweet taste of friendship more than I am. I wish it could be good everytime. I guess it's hard to tell exactly what's under that thick skin.

I will keep buying cantaloupe though, because there's hope, and hope is something that has always helped me to keep on trying even when things are rotten. Because I know that when I do get a good one, it's really good.

If You Give a Pig a Pancake . . .

If you clean out a closet, chances are, you'll find some hangers that are small kid-sized hangers and you won't need them anymore because your kids are getting big.


And you think to yourself, hmm, "Who could use these small kid-sized hangers?" And if you think to yourself, chances are, you'll think of your sister who has a 5 year-old, a 20 month-old, and another on the way and you think, "Perfect! I'll send them to her!"

And if you think you're going to send something to your sister, you think you need to send something fun for the kids as well. And if you want to send something fun for the kids as well, chances are you'll be in Kroger and find cute hair bows for a great price. Perfect for Hanna.

And, chances are, if you buy something for Hanna, you'll have to buy something for Zach. So, if you think you have to buy something for Zach, chances are you'll call your sister and ask her what Zach is into. And chances are that if you call your sister and talk to her she'll tell you more than Zach's love for Buzz Lightyear. She'll tell you that she doesn't need any hangers. "Please don't send me any hangers!" She'll also tell you how the pregnancy is going and her quest for healthy eating.

And if she tells you how her quest for healthy eating is going, chances are, you'll happen to be sitting at a Weight Watcher's meeting when "Healthy Cookbooks" are half price and, of course, you'll buy one for your sister.

And, if you're doing all of this stuff for your sister, you'll be thinking about her a lot and you'll find the perfect stitching project that will be really quick. And you do it!

But you can't be stitching all of the time so you go to Target to find a Buzz Lightyear and you get the perfect one for Zach.And while you're at Target, you hold Buzz Lightyear in your hand and think, "All I got for Hanna were hairbows. She needs a toy." So you go to the next aisle and find a doll for Hanna.

If you did all that thinking and shopping while you were at Target, chances are, when you get home, you will want to just sit and stitch and finish the project.

If you finish the stitching project, chances are, you will decide you need to frame the stitching project and you will go to Michael's in search of a frame.

And if you go to Michael's in search of a frame, chances are, you'll find one---that needs paint.

So you paint it really fast and while it dries you do the dishes and sweep the floor and wait. And chances are, if you do housework while you wait, it will dry. And you put it in the frame and you are happy and think you are done.
And if you think you are done, chances are, the frame will not fit in the box that everything was being packed in.


So, you find a new box and it fits! Yay! But if you find a new box that the frame fits in, chances are, you will need tape.

So you know you have tape somewhere and you look and look. And chances are, if you look for tape, you will find it in the laundry room on a shelf next to a pile of hangers.


And chances are, the pile of hangers will remind you that you have a pile of kid-sized hangers that still need a home.

(Anyone out there want a pile of hangers? They must be picked up, I'm not sending them anywhere. )

Nesting

Erin came home yesterday. We hadn't seen her since Christmas, which has been very weird. That's 7 1/2 months without seeing your child. I know she's all grown up, college student, has her own life, all of that. But, there's something nice about all sitting around the table together, laughing, eating, just all being in the same room at the same time!

So, this last week, in preparation for our daughter to come home, I've been cleaning, oranizing, and planning. And in the midst of it, I decided to start a new project. I've been wanting to make a little wall-hanging/quilt project for the laundry room. Something in red to match the new washer/dryer that we got a couple of weeks ago. So, what is it about my brain that makes me want to take on a new project when there's already enough busy-ness going on in the house? I seem to always do this. When I get busy, I add more to it.

The term "nesting" came to mind yesterday while I was mopping, vacuuming, wiping down bathrooms, getting J to football, making cookies, and quilting, simultaneously. Yes, that is exactly how my life was at 8 1/2 months pregnant, 5 times over. I get busy and then add more. Why not? And when I thought of the term "nesting," I cracked myself up. I think I actually laughed out loud (while I was wringing out the mop). I was expecting a daughter and I could hardly wait. It had been almost as long as a pregnancy since I'd seen her--of course I was happy and getting ready! The labor was definitely easier--just a drive to the airport, and no reflux or diapers to worry about. Just lots of hugs and stories and staying up later than we thought we should. Girl stuff and family stuff--the good stuff. I'm so glad she's home!

Summer of Connections

If I had to pick a theme for this summer, it would be "The Summer of Reconnecting."

It started with our own family ties being strengthened.

Sibling to sibling and husband to wife.
And then spread from there--
The drive-in movie with lots of cousins.

Laura, Sue, and LizLunch with friends from high school. It's been years since we did this--maybe 10 or more.

And I think our connection is stronger than ever.

Boating with family. Abby, Katie, Caitlin, and Sean--cousins from 3 different families.

It was amazing how much we enjoy each other and love each other.

Benj and Jeff sporting their life jacket diapers. My prediction: friends for life.

Family get-togethers. This one with cake and ice cream. Yum! Kent and Marca

Mom and Chris

Liz and Galen

Loraine and Mandy

Mart and Marci and family. Wish you were still in Texas!

Liz and Jani--We hadn't seen each other since we were 10! It was so good and strengthening just to see her and her family and know that she's doing well.

Great way to spend an afternoon--shake at Granny's, catching up with an old best friend.
Jace and Uncle Jon scooting around on the 4 wheeler. Benj and Dad, fishing. Enough said.

Cottrell cousins--some of these cousins I haven't seen since I was 10.

It was the first time I'd met their spouses.

Hopefully, it won't be that long til we get together again!

Jace and Troy racing in the pool.
It's crazy how the years get away from us.

I can't believe how long it had been since I'd seen, face to face,

people who mean so much to me.

Friends who were there for me when times were really tough,

family who will always be there for me, through it all.

It's been a great summer,

reconnecting with loved ones

and making some amazing new memories.

Kayaking at Washington Lake

We are so blessed to have family that loves us. Uncle K invited us to go kayaking. He took a day off work, rounded up 9 kayaks, oars, life vests, trailer, etc. The kayaks were ones that he had made with his scout group a few years ago. Homemade kayaks--very cool. Aunt M put a bunch of food together and away we went headed to the Uintas.

Washington Lake is high up in the Uintas at 10,000 ft. elevation. It is awesomely beautiful. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth--I'm sure of that.

We were up so high the only peaks above us were above the timberline.

First, lunch. Roasted hot dogs on a stick. Perfect campfire food. We also had lots of other good stuff including toasted marshmallows.

After eating, we found a bit of beach and unloaded the kayaks.

Cousin I giving B a push off.

S and her cousin A. They were the first ones to tip over and they loved it. The water was cold but they got used to it real fast.

C in her stripey kayak.

J taking a break--I love this picture.

Chris in the "parking lot."

B and his cousin, J, thoroughly enjoyed the day. By the end of the day they were kayaking pros.
Beautiful scenery.

It was just an awesomely amazing, exhausting day. We loved everything about it!

Downtown Salt Lake City

One of the best things we do when we come to Salt Lake City is to spend a day downtown. The last few times we have gone downtown, we have taken TRAX. It's a good thing. The kids think it's an awesome adventure and they learn how to use public transportation. We don't have to worry about driving or parking. Everyone's happy.

On this day trip, we brought along cousins, Amy and Betsy. In this picture, my kids are doing their typical crazy poses and Amy and Betsy are wondering what's going on.

The reflecting pool in front of the temple. B's walking around the far edge.

Every time I see the Salt Lake Temple it amazes me that it took the Pioneers 40 years to build it. Every block of granite had to be carved by hand and brought down by wagon (until the railroad went in about halfway through construction) from the granite quarry. It is a beautiful, amazing building that will be standing strong and secure for all time.
I have always loved the gardens around Temple Square.

I think I took more pictures of flowers than I did of the kids.
The beautiful Salt Lake Tabernacle where the famous choir sings every Sunday morning. The pioneers built this also--without one nail. Beautiful downtown!
Merrell family tradition dictates that we have lunch at The Lion House Pantry everytime we're in town. Every time. And we get dessert and rolls. Every time. Love that tradition. One of the dining rooms in the Lion House.
This next picture is of the Beehive House. The Beehive House and the Lion House were both residences of Brigham Young. They are situated next door to each other. In the Beehive House he not only lived there with some of his very large family but it was also his office as he served as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Governor of the territory of Utah, and he was also in charge of Indian Affairs. Behind the Beehive House you can see the tall Church Office Building as it stands now.
We took a tour the Beehive House and saw all of the rooms and the antique furnishings. It's been taken care of very well. I love seeing how people used to live before refrigerators and electricity and running water and plumbing. Brigham Young was a carpenter and the house is amazing.
Above is one of the many bedrooms and below is a picture of the school room that was upstairs in the house. President Young believed education was very important.

We also saw wonderful things in the visitor's centers that are on Temple Square and spent lots of time in the Church History Museum. Lots to do and see downtown!