ultimate boy party

My youngest child, my baby, turned 10 years old last week. To a child this age, birthdays cannot pass without flare. A big boom. A blast. A bon fire! Well, that is, according to Jeffrey. While mom was out of town doing girl things with sisters and friends, Jeffrey and dad were home doing guy things like.........

collecting wood in the canyon

chopping wood

eating steak

ditchin' school

searching for bmx bike

eating burgers and shakes

planning the ultimate boy party

that's what I call quality time!

As soon as I arrived home the party began. fire and apple pie...... friends and presents.... little smokies and marshmallows. the end

They serve us in return for scraps

All is Quiet while mom does the dishes.

everyone has vanished.

dishwasher humming.

warm soapy water

one last bit of casserole for Gus Gus.
what a good helper!

"Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."

~Roger Caras

Stop this train

Today I am 39. Yesterday I was 29, preparing to give birth to my last baby. Two days ago I was 19 and engaged to be married to the man of my dreams. The day before that I was 9, in the fourth grade adjusting to my new school and new home. And the day before that, I was born on my mother's 27th birthday. Tomorrow I will be 49. Won't someone stop this train?

Next month my dad will be 69. My grandmother will be 99.

I love John Mayer. His song sums up exactly how i feel these days. Time is traveling too fast for me. I'm a passenger sitting in a window seat watching life pass before my eyes in a fast motion. Life......please slow down. I love watching my kids learn and grow and experience new things. But at the same time i want to push the pause button, pull the brake, lock the door, stop feeding my children milk! I know that one day my children will be grown and out of the house. I remember my fasination with my first newborn baby in my arms. I wanted him to stay a baby. I called my mom and asked her if she misses her babies. She told me that she still has them, but in a different form. She said that the joy never ends as they grow and become adults, having babies of their own. I said "ok" and hung up the phone and had a good postpardom cry. Don't stop this train. Don't for a minute change the place your in. she seemed to say.

i love President Monson's talk on Finding Joy in the Journey. I really needed to hear his words and sweet reminders.

"There is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today."

The most important part of my day are the people in that day. My husband and children, family and friends.

"My sincere prayer is that we my adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey."

So what. I'm almost 40. I have so much to be grateful for. Everyday blessings fill my life. I have joy and love. Now i see i'm never going to stop this train.

Happy Birthday MOM!! don't get any older....i don't want to celebrate without you.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

A little reminder of His ways as I walk the path of this earthly life. Early summer we went hiking with friends just minutes from our home. There is a spring at the top of the trail, cascading down with falls and beaver ponds. In late summer, wild raspberries grow all over. It's a fairytopia, a garden of eden, a little taste of heaven.

Especially when you enter these

little pieces

to the equation!
I just love His ways.

Tea Party

Dear Miss Wiscombe,

You are welcome to attend my evening tea tonight at approximately 5:00 pm. You may bring a guest if you wish. And we will be discussing the new book we will be reading this week.

PS You are assigned to bring fresh flowers of your choice and a jar of mandarine oranges! Thank you

Sincerely, Miss Iroz

The Best of Both Worlds

My baby is approaching his 10th birthday. This fact just might take me over the edge if I think about it for too long. I won't think about it. I'll just walk across my street and down a narrow dirt road to Ellie's house and love on her when I feel the need to nuzzle up to soft warm baby cheeks. Ellie lives with my brother, sister in law, and their other 5 children. They have another baby younger than Ellie. Don't get me started on her. She's for another day.

My dogs love to walk across the street too. Whenever they hear the happy voices in the distance they run over and play with the kids. Ellie and Gus Gus, my friendly golden retriever, have formed a special bond over the summer. Ellie finally came to her own 2 year old conclusions that there is no need to be afraid of the big walking carpet.

conclusion #1 he doesn't lick my face clean

conclusion#2 I am now as tall as Gus so we have eye contact

conclusion#3 he doesn't bark at me

conclusion#4 he has really soft warm cheeks

So when Ellie and I

need our fix,

Gus Gus and I come running!

Devil's Food

It is not a sin to bake a cake on a Saturday afternoon. I wanted to rest on Sunday. Ok, I really wanted something yummy chocolate. It is, however, a sin to bake a Devil's Food Cake. Especially if you are trying to loose pounds. We lapped up the batter like it was melted burnt almond fudge ice cream! This is my first attempt at Devil's Food. Key ingredient that makes it different than your average chocolate cake? (Not that chocolate cake is average) Almond Extract Give it a try. Just add a teaspoon of almond flavoring to your favorite chocolate cake recipe and go ahead and dance with the devil. Oh, I almost forgot! Add it to your frosting as well. Mine was the naughty butter cream! Shhhh. Don't tell anyone.

Making Changes

Reading blogs has become a daily ritual for me. I love reading about family, friends and others I don't even know. Ok, strangers. But after reading about people, I don't think of them as strangers, but friends in the blogging world. But a have a problem. I don't take the time to keep my blog updated, as my few readers know! I'm making changes that will help me be more involved in this world of blogging friends. I've decided to post tips and other thoughts that I have in my head. This will give you a window into my head or what I'm up to today. My kids just might have a part in this as well....little do they know.

Rodeo Princesses and Wranglers

If you live in a small town with horses, cowboys and rodeo princesses, then you have to go the Fourth of July Rodeo. This beautiful princess is my little neighbor and friend KB. I just love her green pants. How does a rodeo princess smile and wave while staying on her horse like that? She is so pretty. And her horse is pretty too. I was lucky to get this photo because these girls were going sooo fast around the arena.
I just love KB. She is so AMAZING.

Every year we go to the rodeo. It's great to be with the country kin folk and pay tribute to our beloved country by standing, removing our cowboy hats, holding our hands over our hearts as our American flag is taking a turn around the arena. We sang along to the National Anthem and took our seats to watch the cowboys get thrashed by the bucking horses and bully bulls. We whoop and holler and get wild and crazy! Exciting things happen at the rodeo. Sad things happen at the rodeo. There are lots of wranglers and cowboy hats and cowboy boots at the rodeo. There is always a funny clown at the rodeo.

This is Josie and our neighbor friend Puny. She's not too sure of the calf roping. This is the sad part about the rodeo. She comes from a family who enjoys all creatures great and small. Her household has 408,234 animals from all kingdoms. They even have a marsupial.

Just last week the kids were born. Less than an hour old when photos were taken. Baby goats are so cute! BTW, these are not marsupials.

Puny has been a local all her live long life and never goes to the rodeo because the cowboys do cruel things like this. ooohh, so sad! PS: She went tonight cuz we had an extra ticket cuz Clark broke his leg. We begged and pleaded and drug her to the rodeo.

Then the cowboys in their wranglers set him free, sending the poor calf with a love pat.

The Rodeo Queens are getting ready to chase the frightened calf back into the pen, all clear for the next calf in line to be chased, roped and tied up. Someone please explain to me why we all sit up in the bleachers and witness such carnage and call it entertainment!

Our niece Hannah Banana wants to be a Rodeo Princess when she grows up. I wonder if she understands the calf chasing thing?? Doesn't she look pretty in pink?

Jeffrey thinks calf roping is sad too. I might rethink the whole rodeo patriotic experience for next year. All creatures great and small should be treated as equals!

Josie found another friend. hold on while I get her attention. I think their watching a cowboy hold on for dear life while riding a bull. oh hi! Josie didn't want to go to the rodeo this year. She told us that she isn't a rodeo person. It looks like she is turning into a rodeo person. See that smile? KK has a smile for us too! Of course the girls favorite event is the barrel racing. It was getting too dark to get photos of the fast cowgirls, however. Fireworks were the finale.

update on the invalid

For all who are wondering how Clark and his leg are doing, you can keep reading. If you would like to ask him in person, just come on over and you'll find him............oh yeah, planted in the exact location last time I checked.........on the sofa in our family room. As a mom of an active teenage boy, or any aged child, this small detail is kinda nice. I always know where Clark is at any given time. Sometimes he ventures off to exciting places like the bathroom..yee yee, or up the stairs to his room or bathroom to take a bath. We're happy that he does that.

WARNING!!!!!! Photos below might gross you out. Just a warning. Tuesday, July 1st we went down to SLC to see the doctor.

First, Angelia cut off the splint.

No, it didn't stink but Clark's dried blood was green. Uhew!

I told you it was gross. But no, you didn't heed my words.

There is a long incision on the other side of leg where plate was put in.

Poor baby!
Then they took Clark to the X-ray room. I stayed in the patient room and waited patiently. dootooodooo.

another WARNING!!!!!

And here is a picture of the inside of his new leg.

The Doc pulled this image up on the screen.
And this is when Clark got ill and Angelia had to go get to oxygen tank (wasn't necessary), a cold rag, and 10 minutes to relax and take a deep breath. Kinda like how you are feeling now.

Then gave him a cool boot. It's actually hot and uncomfortable.

He can't put any pressure on leg for a couple of more weeks. We are going back on Tuesday to remove stitches. After the doctor experience we went and got yummy mexican drive thru and frozen custard and back home to the sofa. What is that around Clark's neck? Josie has been looming scarves and such while keeping Clark company in front of the ol' TV. We've been having a "Lost" fest this past week.

Yellowstone Field Trip

May 6th through May 10th, i was fortunate enough to go to Yellowstone National Park with 13 other fortunate kids in my 8th grade class. The end-of-the-year Yellowstone trip was something that I knew I had a good chance of being chosen to go, due to grades. But, i didn't really want to go, I'm really not an outdoorsy person. But, lucky for me, my mother 'inspired' me, or more like, 'convinced' me to go, telling me it was a good 'opportunity', so turned in my application. And, like expected, I got in. After packing, food, and winter clothing, I was on my way to Wyoming in a Le Bus, or a charter bus. In the mornings in Yellowstone were all very much the same. We woke up at 4:00 am, packed a breakfast and lunch, and climbed on the bus wearing snow pants, snow boots or hiking waterproof shoes, hats, heavy coats, sweaters, layers of other pants, layers of socks, and gloves. The reason for getting up at 4 in the morning, is because we were going to be animal sighting. We did sight animals. Like, wolves, bears, buffalo, birds, coyotes, deer, and elk. During the day, we would go on short and easy hikes to geological sites. Like, geysers, hot springs, rocks, minerals, and more rocks....Because of the weather, which was freezing, we did have to sight a lot of the animals and geological sites within our warm bus, which was OK with me. We got back to our Best Western hotel around 8:00, except for one day, we got back at 5:00 because the weather was so bad. On the last day, the day we went home, we went to a i-max movie called Yellowstone. It was good and fun.

After the first day of being on the trip, I was glad to be there, rather then in school. It was really fun, and probably the highlight of my 8th grade school year. The most fun parts of the trip were just being with friends. On the bus, and in the hotel, and in the park. Also, the teachers that took us were much better, and weirder, there then in their class rooms. All together, I thought it was very fun, and I would definitely go again, if I had the chance I would go again.

Do you think it's broken?

Clark's summer fun came to a screaching hault after a motorcycle accident Saturday night. A quick evening ride before dinner turned into a living nightmare for Clark and his dad after a freak incident with a stalled bike and out of control throttle. The two guys went for a dirt bike ride around 6 pm, just up the canyon, minutes from our home. As they were climbing a steep, rocky, narrow goat trail, Clark's bike stalled. David came up slowing behind to the right, accelerating to come up over a rock. Clark lost balance and swung his leg out in front of dad's tire, not realizing the bike was approaching. As David was trying to stop, the bikes fell and his throttle jammed into the side of the trail. The out of control bike swung around and the rear tire hit Clark's left leg. With his bike on top of him and dad's bike trying to eat him alive, Clark was trying to get away and dad was trying to release the throttle. While seconds seemed like an eternity, David was able to get to Clark and set his "L" bent lower leg into place before Clark realized where the extreme PAIN was coming from.

"Do you think it's broken?", wailed Clark between gasps of pain and agony. His dad could only reassure him that it was indeed broken while tearing his pants and making a very cool mountain man splint out of sticks and bike gloves. Luckily the bones didn't tear through the skin and so there wasn't any bleeding, only tire burns that were dicovered later on. After Clark was settled down and dad felt safe to leave him,(about 30 min.) David went down and found a man with a 4 wheeler. He came up and they put Clark on the 4 wheeler and slowly made their way down while David rode home to get the van. We quickly gathered water, ice, pillows and blankets and drove up and found Clark and the man on the 4-wheeler making their way down the highway. We stopped and got him in the van, went back home to get a few more things before heading to the hospital. David and Uncle Casey (my brother who live across the street) gave Clark a priesthood blessing, gave him pain meds, and drove down to Univ. of Utah Hospital. He was soooo happy to finally get there, hoping for some relief the pain and agony. He said the van ride was much more comfy than the 4-wheeler ride down off the mountain however. He felt his bones rattling and clicking as they bumped over rocks and gravely roads.

The ER docs raved over the mountain man splint (displayed on our fireplace mantle for all to see)and told Clark he was very tough and brave and all those guy things. They gave him drugs, took x-rays, wrapped a splint cast and told us he needed surgery. He was admitted and went in for surgery on Sunday at 11:45 am. At 2:30 the Doc came out and said everything went well. Clark came out of recovery at 4:45pm and was doing well. We got him settled and later the nurse came in and asked if Clark has had anything to eat or drink? He told us the doc is thinking of going in for another surgery. Clark was so out of it that he didn't have a response so I was under the impression that he didn't understand what was going on. So we sat and waited for the doctor to come in and talk with us. I told Clark that he might have to have another go at surgery and he just looked at me and said he knew. He was so calm and didn't fret or complain, like I was feeling inside at the time. The doctor told us that after looking over the post surgery x-rays, he wasn't happy with the outcome and knew that Clark's leg was not straight, not perfect, like he had thought during the procedure. So we decided to go ahead with a second surgery. The docs plan was to go in put a plate on the fiblia and replace the rod in the tibia to do over. We scheduled the 2nd surgery for Monday at 3:30pm and he wasn't able to get in until 6:50pm. The doc came out at 10:45pm and reassured us that all is well and he was happy with the outcome. At 11:45 we saw Clark out of recovery, coming out of anethisia itchy and irritable and in pain. I think 2 consecutive days and 2 surgeries did him in. An hour later he was sleeping and we had a long night of crackers and sips of water inbetween sleep and nurses. The next morning he looked great, got up on crutches and Holly come to visit around 3pm making everything better. We had the go ahead to leave and left at 7pm Tuesday night. As Clark reached the couch, reality sunk in and knew he was in it for the long haul!

OUCH!! What a pain!

"I'm stuck here all summer, auggggh!"

Thanks for all of your phone calls, prayers, visits, meals, etc. and concern for Clark. Last night Granddad Ken and Grandma Judy brought over Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" DVD. Kids, if you think you have a "I'm Bored" moment this summer, think of Clark on the couch. Then you might think twice and go outside and run and play. Clark tells us that he keeps thinking of "leg things" that he can't do. I tell him to think of all the things he can do while he sits. He can play the guitar, read, draw, watch TV, movies, YouTube, etc. His appetite is poor and the only thing that tastes good is ice cream. So if you feel like watching a movie and eating ice cream come on over!

We are blessed and fortunate that Clark's injuries were not worse than they are. He's a tough and strong kid and will get through this. It is hard on parents to watch your child go through pain, surgery, etc. This being our first hand experience with trauma involving our kids, we now know how difficult it is. David was able to react fast and do all the right things to help Clark.

Posting, just because.

I (I as in Josie) am posting a post, because my grandmother wants me to--isn't that right?
Well anyway, my mom wants me to inform everyone that she just finished a quilt. Her mexican star wall quilt. It is actually pretty cool.
Rachel wants me to tell you that she is going to write a story that is going to make millions....well, she wants to anyway. And she also wants to make a home made volcano too. She had a school band concert the other night, and did good...she plays the Flute.
We still have a ton of snow left, and im not sure if it is going to be gone by Easter. Everyone that lives up hear is pretty tired of the snow, but it is getting warmer everyday. Even though it snowed again yesterday.
Jeffrey and Clark finally got there new room (my old room) painted and are now using it. Me and Rachel are in the dark basement....but we seem to enjoy it down there.
My mother is still a...watcha call it...a special needs teacher type person. I think she now knows again what it is like to be at school all day long. She has also been quilting, or sewing--whichever. She made my greek costume last week too.
My dad is still working, like usual.
I'm just doing school mostly, homework and school work. I also am in a school play...a greek one...im a muse, and i dead person.
Okay,well grandma now you can read this after your geniolgy (or however you spell it)...Aren't you proud of me for doing what you said! haha okay bye!!

Pomegranates are like Gold!

Where did we get all the Pomegranates? From Grandma and Grandpa's pasture in Logandale of course. Like the Wiscombes, we are also thankful for pomegranates. Thank you for the pomegranates! And thanks to Venita for picking them for us. I was just smart enough to go down to Logandale the same weekend as Venita and load up.

I made jelly with the ugly ones and the pretty ones were given as Christmas gifts to neighbors, teachers, and friends. They were a hit! Thank you thank you for the pomegranates.

It's a New Year 2008

It's January! We all survived the holidays, Yeah! I love January because I feel like a fresh, clean slate is before me. I am motivated to begin the year with new goals and a brighter look for the year ahead of me. I believe that positive attitudes and faith take me to another level.

I usually start out a new year with big plans to not eat chocolate and run every day. Don't we all? This year I have big plans to enjoy life, my kids, my husband when I have him, and do things that make me happy. I am happy when I am surrounded by my family and doing good things. Good things might be cooking dinner or reading a good book instead. Good things might be mopping the kichen floor or sewing on quilt. Good things might be taking my dogs for a walk or taking a bubble bath. Helping with Homework is a good thing. So is going to work. Watching my kids grow and appreciate life and all that it offers them is good. Greeting David with a hello kiss after a long week away is good too. Missing is good. Love is good. Hard times are good. Letting go is good. Holding on tight is good.
All is good. What's good to You?

We have finally started!!

I know it has taken us a very long, long time to finally post stuff...sorry. But we did get to it didn't we even if we are dead last...? But we did, woohoo!
By the way, this is Josie blogging this because no one in my family will do it...and I kinda "vollenteered" to do it. I will probably do most of the blogging on it, but Rachel, my sister, will do some....
My mom made up the name if your wondering....i didn't. haha lol.
Anyway, everything is fun, here in Woodland. It is kind of...no really cold. We have a ton of snow, and it seems to never stop snowing!! Ahhh, the snow is annoying...sometimes.