Thursday, July 7, 2011

Fossilized

The Salt lake Valley was once part of an inland sea. Well, I guess it was really a saltwater lake.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Bonneville

The Great Salt Lake is Lake Bonneville’s remnant. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Salt_Lake
It’s salinity level can reach 25%. By comparison the oceans have an average salinity level of about 3.5%. Not much lives in the GSL besides brine shrimp (sea monkeys). You can’t sink in the lake. I don’t know this from experience though, it is not someplace I’ll be swimming any time soon.

In the middle of the GSL is Antelope Island. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_Island
We, as a family have ventured to Antelope Island a few times, mostly when we have visiting family and a couple of times with school field trips. The island itself is incredible. Mountain Overlooks, Beaches and Prairies. Oh, and did you know there is a herd of Buffalo on the island?

There is a trail in the Salt Lake Valley called the Bonneville Shoreline trail. On the east side of the Valley it marks the highest point of the long gone Lake Bonneville. It is a marvelous stretch to bike and hike. My family decided to hike it last Saturday night to watch the summer sunset.

Oldest has a rock collection. He has been collecting these rocks for a couple of year. They have some interesting shapes and colors. This evening on our hike he announced he wanted to look for fossils. “Great! Go for it! If it makes you Happy!” were my thoughts on that announcement. As we hiked we encountered a rather large beetle, some teenagers on top of the H rock, a dog who was more interested in the scent he was following than us, a women who had moved here from Portland only a few days before and a rock to add to the collection.

Oldest had ventured down to a lower trail. It was very narrow and by my guess not somewhere many people stop and look down at the ground. Many bikes and feet have been over this spot, but not many eyes. Oldest called me down to him, “I Found A Fossil!” I went to look and called to my husband.

Oldest found a fossil! It is either a shell or a plant. I’m leaning toward a shell. We dug the rock out and have added it to the collection. A pretty cool addition for sure!


Friday, June 3, 2011

ARK - Acts of Random Kindness

Sometimes I am amazed at where my thoughts go, but they always take me where I need to be.

The other morning, as I was driving to work, my thoughts went in a direction I wasn’t prepared for. I was feeling down on the fact that I haven’t done much exercise lately. After my marathon, I was burned out, but at the beginning of this year I started going to some group classes. They were hard and I loved the challenge of them. Then, around March, I gave up sugar. I started to feel sick and it lasted a couple of weeks. I don’t know if it was my body protesting no sugar or if it was truly a virus. But I didn’t want to exercise so I didn’t. I’ve started adding exercise back, but not as much as I want.

So I’m driving and all of a sudden I’m crying. I’m sad and embarrassed that my marathon time wasn’t better. What? Why this? Why now? It was an amazing accomplishment. I was proud of it, wasn’t I? Damn PMS!

I pulled into my coffee place (Cafe Expresso on 900 S and 1100 E.) I love that place. I know all of them, not really by name, but I see them regularly, they remember my drink and always have a smile.

Now, I go to this place at least once a week, and I’ve had my 26.2 sticker on the window for 6 months, but this was the first morning that anyone asked me about it. My coffee friend asked me if I had done a marathon. Why this morning?

All of a sudden, I’m proud of my accomplishment again. Thank you. Thank you. We talked about it for a minute and then she was off to the next customer and I was off to work feeling good about me. It could have made me feel worse, if I would have let myself go there, but I didn’t. Kindness must be acknowledged.

You get what you need, when you don’t expect it, but you have to be open to accepting it.

Have you experienced an ARK lately that you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about it.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Oh Baby!

Yesterday I got to spend a couple of hours alone with Littlest. We went to the bookstore to get a couple of books. Littlest wanted to get a Chuggington book with his birthday money and I wanted to get Mr. Popper's Penguins to read to the boys before the movie comes out later this month.

Our conversation in the car going to the bookstore went something like this.

Littlest - Where are we going?
Me- To the bookstore.
L- Where is it?
M- You know where Barnes and Noble is.
L- Across the street from Oh Baby.
M- Where?
L- Across the street from Oh Baby
M- Old Navy?
L- No, Oh Baby!
M- Oh Baby?
L- Yes!

Love that kid! XO


By the way Mr. Popper's Penguin is a great book.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

May I?

May I tell you how much I am looking forward to summer? This year has been crazy and chaotic. Having kids at two different schools made for a huge challenge when trying to coordinate who needed to be where and at what time and who was taking them. Also having them both at co-oping schools made the challenge even bigger. Add on being 1 million miles, ok only about 1500 miles, from the nearest family member didn’t make it any easier. HEY! WHERE’S MY VILLAGE? Next year they are both at the same school. HOORAY! There will still be challenges, but they seem more manageable, at least they do now, ask me again in the fall.

May I tell you how much I am looking forward to summer? Oldest is participating on swim team for the first time this summer. We started swim lessons with our boys when they were about 1 year old. My husband started them so early because he was afraid of water and didn’t learn to swim until he was an adult. He didn’t want his kids to miss out on all the fun stuff he did as a kid. We will be spending many hours at the pool this summer. I seriously cannot wait.

May I tell you how much I am looking forward to summer? Vacation! I love spending time with my family in unstructured ways. Ok, so I structure vacation a bit. But we have fun spending time together. The hardest part about being a working mom is when my kids ask why I have to go to work. I give them the right answers and they seem to understand it, but on vacation, I don’t have to go to work. We can spend the whole day together discovering. It’s the absolute best!

May I tell you how much I am looking forward to summer? Sunshine! Where is it? This May has been the rainiest I have known since moving to Utah. Bring on the 90’s and sunshine.

May I tell you how much I love my family? They are the best things that have ever happened to me.

I Love You Guys!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Math and Birthdays

We have been counting down to Littlest’s birthday. This is the first year he is over the top excited about it. I asked him this morning how many days until his birthday. I told him that today was the 9th. He paused for a second then exclaimed 10.

He’s been fascinated by numbers (and letters) for years. He could count to 10 early, even in Spanish. This past weekend at Oldest’s soccer game, I had him count to 100, 5 times, so I could spend a few minutes watching the game. He proceeded to circle a tree for the next 7 minutes or so counting diligently to 100 multiple times. (He even lowers his voice while counting the 70’s)

Littlest turns 5 years old in ten days, the day after he “graduates” from preschool. Bring on Kindergarten.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Those Eyes


I opened a drawer in my desk, found some old pictures and there was there were those eyes.

Those eyes are big and brown. They are the deepest, richest brown I have ever seen. They are almost black. They are the first thing everyone notices.

Those eyes are smart eyes. They are engaged, taking in everything. They see the world and how it works. They solve complex puzzles and then go in search of more challenges.

Those eyes smile at you. They sparkle, they laugh. They play and tell jokes and crave fun.

Those eyes cry too. Some of the biggest, wettest and most sincere tears I have ever known.

Those eyes belong to Littlest.

My heart belongs to him.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Iago




I’m not sure how much longer you will be with us.


You’ve certainly made it longer than we thought you would when on Christmas Eve 2008 we found a huge tear in your skin. You have Cushing’s Disease. I didn’t even know what that was. You became a rock star at the Vet. The disease is incredibly rare and that clinic had never seen a case in cats before. The Doctors and staff fell in love with you as they tried to figure out how to control it. For 2 years you’ve been good. Everyone there knows your story just with the mention of your name.


You’ve been a wonderful friend. You helped Oldest discover his love for animals. Did you know that he gave up Birthday presents and asked his friends bring donations for an animal shelter? His smile when we delivered the food, toys and other things for the cats and dogs without homes was priceless. You gave him that generosity. He is going to miss you. Thank you for loving him and teaching him compassion.


I’m going to miss you too. One thing you are is vocal. You have told us when you were angry because we have left you, in good hands mind you, for vacations. You have a little quirk that is adorable. You crinkle up your nose when we rub your chin. You love to sleep at the foot of my bed and meow when I move, just to let me know you are there and not to kick you.


Last night your skin tore again. We rushed you to the vet and they kept you overnight. The vet called a little while ago and they are not able to sew it together to heal. We are going to bandage you up and bring you home tonight. We are awaiting the results on your Cushing’s test again. Sadly, I’m expecting the worst. I don’t know how I’m going to do this a second time in less than a month.


One thing I don’t want is for you to be in pain. Your eyes are still bright. When they start to fade, I’ll know.


I love you.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Goodnight Desdemona




Dear Desi

You came into my life almost 17 years ago. It was during a time that I was very sad. My previous cat friend had just died in my arms a month earlier. J and I went up north to the farm to get you. My sister had picked you out for me.

I loved you from the moment I saw you. You have beautiful black and white marking that resemble a cow and an endearing black mole to the left of your mouth. I knew right away that you would make a great friend. J and I didn’t want you to be lonely so we brought your brother home with us too. We named you Desdemona and your brother Iago. When most people heard your names they looked at me with curiosity. I would then offer them a dollar if they could tell me the origin of your names. No one could ever do it. Some people would guess it was Shakespeare but couldn’t pick the right play. It was a fun game.

For almost 10 years you and Iago were my babies. The first summer you lived with us J bought you and air conditioner because the apartment we lived in didn’t have air conditioning and it was very hot. You guys were troopers moving first from Milwaukee to Madison and then across the country to Salt Lake City. You hate car rides and both you and your brother were very vocal all the way across Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming. But we made it and you settled in nicely.

I didn’t know how you would handle the new additions to the family, but you loved Oldest and Littlest. You were always shy, but never mean.

When Iago got sick a couple of years ago, I thought for sure we would lose him, but he pulled through. I never thought I would be saying good-bye to you first, but here we are. You have kidney failure and have lost so much weight. Your sparkle is gone and you don’t jump up on our laps and give that gentle mew. You look sad and tired.

Last night, you let the boys pet you and take pictures with you. I held you and cried and asked you to please let me know when it was time. I don’t want to see you go, but I’m ready. I know you will let us know when you are done. Thanks for your friendship and for being a part of our family.

I love you baby girl.