I have Paperback Writer to thank for this illustrious award. Along with the award came the instructions to share about things I love. Hmmmm... Well there are the obvious things, like I love my family, dancing, and reading. Nothing too exciting there. Here are some of the less known loves in my life:
1- Traveling- I love being able to see new things and explore new places. My trip to New York was a dream I never thought would come true. My favorite trip however was my last trip to Red Lodge, Montana. Everyone thought I was nuts for going since my daughter was only three days old, but that was the best recovery experience yet. No unwanted visitors knocking my door down, no house to clean, no meals to make. Just me, my family and a few of my closest friends, in a beautiful setting, doing what we love, folk dancing. (I didn't dance, but it is still fun to watch)
2- Long hot showers- you know the ones with no small voices on the other side of the door, knocking, crying, and calling "Mommy!"
3-Music- I love music of many shapes, sizes, and volumes. I can tolerate most anything that has clean lyrics, none of this stuff where every other word is an obscenity. For me, music has the power to calm, to energize, to enlighten, to give hope, and especially to heal. The playlist on my ipod is very diverse, it contains everything from european folk music, to church music, to 80's rock, to show tunes. When I am in need of a calming, soothing moment, when I can take no more, I turn to my music for some peace and hope.
4-Collecting- I collect lots of things, whatever strikes my fancy at the time. Porcelian dolls, specifically in ethnic costume, Cabbage Patch Kids, travel knicknacks etc. Colton is the same way, we are forever wandering the isles of thrift shops or at yard sales looking for treasures. Colton is a great treasure hunter, he is small enough to get down low and he sees what others miss. My husband calls us a pair of pack rats.
5- Ice Cream- I love ice cream, any flavor. My grandpa loved ice cream and I have many memories of sharing ice cream with this rarely seen but greatly treasured person in my life. I remember fresh peaches and vanilla ice cream, trips to the small grocery store in nowheresville Texas to pick out flavors for everyone. I also remember getting my tonsils out when I was seven, and my other grandparents brought me red, white, and blue ice cream on the 4th of July as a consolation for feeling so bad on a holiday. Ice cream was always the reward for a job well done when I was a kid. Ice cream carries too many good memories to not be loved.
6- Spicy Food- The hotter the better. Mexican food, salsa, jalapenos, the more the merrier. I put hot sauce on everything. My children have learned to ask before helping themselves to my food. I have learned that if I want it to my self, apply hot items liberally.
7- My camera- I absolutely love my camera. I love the creative rush I feel at capturing memories "on film". I love the ability to preserve the details of things I want to remember always. I look back at pictures of my children and see how much they have changed and all they have accomplished and I am so greatful to be able to see these things. I am glad for the ability pictures give me to share my life with others, folkdancing means nothing to a lot of people until you show them a picture. How many people do you know that can say they know what a very premature infant looks like? If you have seen Colton's scrapbook you know. My camera gives me the artistic outlet that I can't find elsewhere. I don't have enough artistic ability to satisfy the creative desires in me, but my camera is the tool that helps me do what my hands cannot. My camera is the tool that tells the stories my writing abilities cannot.
Okay, enough weirdness from me. This is what happens when I try to make sense of life at 3am. I am supposed to tag others, but I feel kind of weird picking on someone, so if you feel so inclined please share. I would love to learn more about all of you.
We had a great time as usual in Logan with our family. We took Grandma with us this time which was fun. Rylan and Grandma have really developed a good relationship so he enjoyed having her there for his birthday. Grandma bought the beautiful cake you see above.
We had a pinata full of candy and toys to celebrate. Alyssa had a great time trying to beat the thing open.
We also went to the Cache Valley Fun Park and played arcade games and did our usual bowling. There isn't much else to do in Logan in the winter. It was far too cold to be outside. Even Grandma got into the games, she has the best luck of anyone I know.
Aunt Mandy and Uncle John provided the favorite birthday gift: a new skateboard. Rylan can't wait to get out there and practice. He wants to get good enough to go to the skate park and learn some tricks. I'm not so sure about that. I am afraid he would break something, or a lot of somethings.
I think all the excitement got to be a little too much for Alyssa. Every time we put her in the car she went to sleep on the shoulder of the person sitting next to her, in this case Alyson. I couldn't have come up with a better birthday weekend. We will have to do it again soon for Alyson's birthday. Maybe next time we can go to the nickle arcade here in Salt Lake.
