The Dash

I had the rare opportunity to spend the weekend at Sundance with my whole family. It also happened to be my birthday. My sister gave me a wonderful book entitled "The Dash" that seems so fitting to my life right now. I hope you enjoy it.

THE DASH
by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
form the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the following date with tears,
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth
and now only those who loved her
know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own,
the cars...the house...the cash.
What matters is how we live and love
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real
and always try to understand
the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
and show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives
like we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
and more often wear a smile...
remembering that this special dash
might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say
about how you spent your dash?

A Little Place I Like to Call Cabo

Is it really necessary to travel to a foreign country or some exotic place to have some quality family time? Well, for us it seems to be! Our lives and our boys lives are so busy and packed with activities, responsibilities, work and school, that I knew if we didn't plan a week to take them on vacation, it would never happen. So months ago we planned a week in San Jose Del Cabo in Mexico, or I guess it's technically in Baja California, but it's still part of Mexico.

The Cabo Azul Resort was our beautiful home away from home for the week. It was right on the beach, and even though we were warned of rip currents and not to swim there, we did anyway. Well, David and the boys did, I'm a little more chicken than they are!

Another view of the resort. You can see Devin's hands as he splashes in the pool. It was really cool because you could swim right up to the bar and order a drink or food. Way cool!

One of the activities we did was a horse ride along the beach and by a little river. Jaron's horse was not very cooperative, or maybe he just sensed his rider's anxiety. Neither Jaron or Devin had ridden a horse before, so it was a good experience for them.

It was so hot that day, but luckily the breeze off of the ocean helped cool us off!

The three amigos, on one of our trips to Cabo San Lucas. This is where we went for most of the activities, shopping, etc. San Jose Del Cabo is much smaller and quieter and we liked it that way!

We waited at a little beachfront restaurant for our turn to ride the waverunners in the ocean.

We ate so much good food while we were there! We never had a bad meal, every restaurant, even the ones that were just burger places or bars took extra good care of us and made us feel welcome.

We met actress Missy Pyle in the airport in Salt Lake City on the trip home. Devin was very excited to meet her!

Imagine our excitement when we found out that our resort was near Cactus World! They were always closed whenever we walked by, so we had to take our pictures through the fence! Bummer.

One of the most fun activities we did was parasailing. I even got brave and did it, and it was a blast!

On the parasailing boat. In the background you can see Lover's Beach. On one side of the beach is the Pacific ocean, and on the other side is the sea of cortez. It is the southern most point of Baja, CA.

I asked Michael to spell out what he had been thinking about all week long, and this is what he wrote! No surprise there!

A week together in Cabo was the perfect way to end our summer. David and I loved having all of our boys together at one time, since it happens so rarely these days. Now it's back to school for Devin, and back to college for Micheal and Jaron. Our time with them will be very limited, so we will cherish the memories of this trip for a long time to come!

Where is our Summer Going??

It's been a crazy month, and my blogging has sadly fallen to the wayside. So let me catch you up on what has been going on in our family. My little boy Jaron turned 19 years old, so I guess that means he's not a little boy anymore! We celebrated by going out to dinner at Manuel's and a movie (Knight and Day). It's hard to believe that he is that old already, and has one year of college under his belt! I am so proud of him in every single way, and I'm so glad that he grew up to be the sweet, genuine, caring person that he is. He had a big workshop/audition on July 5th, so he couldn't make it to our annual trip to Flaming Gorge. But, I think it was worth missing it, because the people loved him and told him he will most likely have a long Broadway career. Duh! I could have told them that! Love you, Jar-no!
Devin had a big month too! He was in the Heritage Days Parade with the Student Body Officers for 2010-2011. They spent hours cleaning the boat, getting decorations and banners made, and decorating it. I am glad he was nominated President, because I know what he can do. He will be a great leader and example to the students of Syracuse Jr. High next year, and he is gonna rock that school! Way to go, Dev!
Our annual trip to Flaming Gorge was a little sad because Jaron wasn't with us, but it is such a beautiful place that as soon as we get there, I relax and forget all of my worries. (well, almost!)
It's so fun to watch Michael wakeboard! He is getting better and better every year! He seems to have a natural ability for it, and it also helps that he has been skiing since he was about 10 and wakeboarding since the age of 14. Did you get that I love him so much and am super proud of him? Yeah, you probably did!
Devin is an extremely good knee-boarder! He also has been doing it for many years. He loves it, and watching him jump the wake and have a great time brings a big huge smile to my face!

So that is the beginning of our summer for 2010! We still have some awesome things in store for us, like a family vacation to Mexico that we are really looking forward to. It's just zooming by so fast, it's hard to take it all in. So I will try to remember to be in the moment and enjoy it while it lasts!

Weeknight Chicken & Pasta

This is a new recipe that I tried last night and my family loved it! It is very healthy and fairly easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 C uncooked whole wheat bow tie pasta
1 small onion, chopped
I small red pepper, chopped ( I substituted a roma tomato)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1-3 Chicken breasts
1/2 C reduced fat sour cream ( I used more like a cup)
1/4 C fat free milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried taragon
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp. minced chives


Cook pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute chicken in olive oil until cooked thoroughly. Cube and set aside. Saute onion(and red pepper if using) until tender. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
Stir in the chicken, sour cream, milk, tomato and seasonings. Heat through.
Drain pasta; stir into skillet. Let simmer together for a few minutes.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and chives.

1 1/4 C = 394 calories, 9 g fat, 28 g protein

One Boy, One Girl

We were all so excited! The big day had finally arrived and Jessica was in labor with the twins! After months of being hospitalized and on bed rest, she was finally going to be rewarded with two beautiful babies! L to R: Me, great aunt, or as I prefer to be called, second grandma, great-grandma Jean, aunt Nikki, and G-ma, Debbie.

Kinsley was born on June 2nd and weighed 7 lbs. She is a perfect, beautiful little girl!

Kyson was born on June 3rd and weighed 7 lbs 2 oz. He is a handsome, perfect little boy!

Proud Grandma, my seester Debbie, holding Kyson with Devin helping. Daddy Bryce is sleeping in the backgrond.

Danny loved holding Kyson and we had to beg him to let us have a turn. He will be a really cool uncle.
We are so thankful that these two beautiful babies have joined our family, and that they made it here without any problems or complications. What a blessing!

525,600 Minutes

One year later, on Mother's Day, we decided to re-create my favorite picture with my boys, only this year we included my Man!
So what has changed in the past year? Michael finished his 2nd year at SUU and fell in love. Jaron finished his 1st year at BYU and got into the Young Ambassadors. Devin finished his 8th grade year and was elected Student Body President for next year. We added another family member, our dog Molly.
What has not changed in the past year? We still have each other, and we love being together! We still argue about things that don't really matter, and we still have dreams to fulfill and obstacles to overcome.
One year later, we are still here, and we are still a family. And even though life has it's ups and downs, challenges and disappointments, it also has so many wonderful gifts. I am thankful for the gift of my family. They are my greatest treasure.

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Note** We are not communists and did not realize that there was a swastika in the background of the above picture!

Why I'm Glad I'm a Mother

Of all the pictures I have ever had taken with my boys, this one is my all time favorite. I love the symbolism of it. I am walking hand in hand with my children on the road of life, and I want what is best for them always. I want to be there for every triumph and heartbreak they experience. I want us to always be a strong, united family. I don't want anything to ever tear us apart.
I love being Devin's mom because he is so passionate about life. He loves learning new things, and he is not afraid to be who he is. He loves playing the cello, and has a love of music. He makes me laugh every single day without fail. He is my baby boy, my little buddy, my trusted friend.
I love being Jaron's mom because he is honestly the most talented person I have ever met. He has a giving heart, and will help a friend with anything at anytime. He is a deep thinker, and loves to analyze life and people. He is very wise for his years. He also makes me laugh daily, and my heart spills over with pride whenever I think of him.
I love being Michael's mom because he is such a joy to be with. He has a quiet strength that reminds me so much of my dad. He has a very dry sense of humor, and can also be really silly at times. It is hard to get him to pose seriously for a picture. He has always been an overachiever and he works very hard at whatever he does. He is one of the kindest people I know.
Being a mom is the greatest job in the world, and I am blessed to have been sent three of Heavenly Father's most valiant sons. I love them so much that it makes my heart hurt sometimes.
We goof around a lot, as you can probably tell, but there is always love in all that we do.
Last Mother's Day was wonderful because Michael had just been home from his mission for a few months, and I got to have him with me in person instead of just a phone call. This year will be even better, because all of my boys will be home from school for the summer, and we will all be together as a family for a few months. So whether I get a card or a cake or a book, it really doesn't matter to me, as long as I get to have all my boys with me, it will be the best Mother's Day ever. The biggest reason I love being a mom is because I get to be with my favorite people on the planet, and take a little bit of credit for how great they turned out to be!