Dark as Space

There may be only an inch of we're lucky, but we'll take what we can get

I got my chuckle in early this morning, which was a good thing because today is a Snow Day. It is also Martin Luther King Jr Day, so we didn't have school anyway. I would be willing to bet on my house that school will be canceled tomorrow and most likely Wednesday, maybe Thursday. Storm is coming in and my driveway is mostly ice now. Here is a picture of this fun:

My boy found a Dad to have a snowball fight with, he claimed he couldn't throw snow at the girls :-)

I read scriptures with my kids this morning, which isn't a daily event (but should be). We read from the Book of Mormon about Lehi's Vision. We talked a little about a few aspects of the story. One part refers to "mists of darkness" where people couldn't see where they were going. My son began a long dialogue about how Grandpa and Grandma's basement is like the mists of darkness because it is so dark down there. He began demonstrating how he has to grope with his arms and walk very carefully to get to the bathroom.

Not only was this funny this morning, but I was reminded of what he said last summer when we visited my parents' home. I got after him for something or other and he emphatically said, "But Mom, it is as dark as space down there."

My childhood basement was very dark and I have lots of memories of monsters and bad guys hiding around the corners. I also remember one older sister, who was always considered "The Fearless One", whom I caught racing around the corner to the upstairs with a look of sheer relief.



Cemeteries aren't scary

This post has been waiting in my "treasure trove" of posts. Last summer, the kids and I spent time in a couple of cemeteries. We usually do. It sounds so morbid to admit it, but the cemetery in my hometown is so peaceful (not that I'd be dying to hang out there at night -- ha ha, "dying" ha ha ).

Last summer, the kids and I walked up the hill to the cemetery. I'll just share a few pictures and see if you can guess who got a hold of the camera by the end of the visit.

On the way up. I adore those mountains and I love the kids too.

This is where my father's parents are buried; look carefully, and you'll the Twin Lakes

My "diva" daughter

Bless your souls Nickels, I don't know you but I'm glad to have you in my digital files

Again, could you request any better resting place?

Walking Home - they made it the whole way, I swear the journey was 3 times as long when I was a kid. . .

Pepper

I had mini-peppers for lunch today. Hopefully, you've seen them in the grocery store. They are both convenient and tasty.  While eating them, I remembered my very first "pepper" experience. My parents (probably mostly just my dad) don't like peppers. When I was about 14 years old, my church group went to a big buffet place, I think it was called "Chuck-a-Rama" and believe me, my teenage friends had all kinds of names for that place. Anyway, when I went through one of the lines, I saw a green pepper on display. I took it and took a bite out of it (not sure if I took a bite while still walking through the line -- let's just hope I didn't). My good friend Kim, couldn't stop laughing at me eating that pepper. She told me it was for decoration and not for eating whole. I've always liked peppers, so I'm thankful for my odd introduction. :-)

Where's Baby Jesus

This could be in one of those magazines or book of story compilations at Christmastime, but here goes:

A few years ago, I bought my first nativity set, a fairly child-proof resin-made grouping of the familiar pieces. I guess when the company said, "child-proof", they weren't considering hard-wood floors but that is for another day :-).

My little girls have loved playing with the nativity (as I hoped they would) and it came as no suprise to find pieces missing. I looked and looked. Baby Jesus was missing as well as a three-legged, one-eared lamb (thank the hardwood floors and excitable children).

Since this is my "happy" blog, I might as well mention another decoration that makes me very happy, that is my wooden beads that you can see in the top of the picture. I love them.

I had just about given up hope when I was packing up some other things. Wouldn't you know it, Baby Jesus was hidden in a candy dish.

This is where you come up with your own ending or moral to the story. Something like, "don't let the real reason for the season get hidden in the candy dish."

I found Winter

It is January.

You'd never know it though, I barely need my jacket during the day. So, some friends and I found winter. We had to go way up on the mountaintop, but we found it. The snow was gorgeous. The scenery breathtaking. Ahhh, I love skiing (cross-country, of course; downhill is fun too, but for me, for now x-country is the way to go).

Of course, I didn't take any pictures. But, I will post some pictures of me in the past since I ALWAYS wear the exact same thing when I ski. And, skiing ALWAYS makes me happy. My husband proposed to me while cross-country skiing at Mesa Falls, near Yellowstone. I wonder if I can scan a quick picture of that blessed day :-).

I didn't go with my little boy today (this was taken years ago) and there was definitely snow on the ground everywhere this time.

Also taken forever ago - but this picture really makes me smile