first blood

Yeah, one might think that recording such a picture is lame, and it is, but fellow mountain biking weirdos will understand why recording the first bike inflicted wounds after my surgery is important. It somewhat symbolizes a passage through an unseen barrier back into the sport. One of my great passions in life is mountain biking. It is a sport that truly fits my personality. It is wonderful to be outdoors and enjoy the beauty of God's creations. When I am alone on a mountain overlooking everything that He created I feel closer to Him. I am a person somewhat partial to higher elevations and mountain biking gets me there. Biking across the tops of mountain ranges fills a part of my soul that otherwise would be left empty. Let's face it, I also love the dirt, the sweat, the challenge of an obstacle, or the grind up a huge hill that makes me want to hurl.

The road back to mountain biking has been a lot longer than what I and the doctors expected. Aside from dealing with the physical challenges I find the mental challenges the toughest. One being that I find myself more protective of my body after that fall. That is why getting over the first wreck is important. To help push myself more, as in tough climbs, I imagine Jeff Diehl aside me saying, "Do you know your going 3.5 mph? You really should be at 10 mph. Come on! Push it harder!" Grr! He always had a way to get me riled. Or I might imagine Mark Bolton come up from behind. "I can't left Bolton pass!" These guys along with Mark Anderson, Mike Perdue and Rich Eddy were in a riding group that I tagged along with in Colorado. I miss having such a good group of friends to ride with. I am riding with some guys from the local bike shop now, but who can compare the guys that introduced me to Nutrolls as trail food, the fact that having your camera on the trial is almost as important as a spare tube, (well that is an exaggeration), and "The Cowboy Song" by Thin Lizzy? Love the rocky trails in CO for me guys.

homeschool drudgery

I am using Homeschool Tracker to try to be more organized this year. Time will tell if the two us us will get along. I down loaded it free from www.homeschooltracker.com

little reminders that I'm living the good life

Like many of you I struggle to keep an orderly house. There is always was one mess after another, and I only have two children to follow. Each child has their own cleaning responsibilities and our system works fairly well. Yet I still get frustrated returning to a room that was just cleaned to find it strewn with toys. "Another mess to clean," I think to myself. One day I started to look closely as the mess that I thought was haphazardly placed through out the room. It was a battle scene, one of Zayne's many. The apparent thought that was taken to create each little scenario within the battle impressed me. I didn't see a mess after that but the evidences of a young boy with a lively imagination. I do not want him loose that imagination and wonder as he grows older. I now let him keep his little, creative messes out for longer periods and relish in the imagination and the focus it takes to construct such wonderlands. I have even started to photograph his creations so they are easier for us both to see taken apart.

Another time I was in the kitchen after the evening straightening routine and the children were in bed. Relaxing and pulling Dan in for an embrace I noticed a flaw in the my orderly room. A khaki colored army man was hiding out in one of my plants with his gun aimed toward us. I pushed aside my initial annoyment, laughed, and became grateful for the reminder of the playful little boy tucked up in bed. So now whenever I can sense aggravation for things left about the house I remind myself that I am blessed. I am blessed to have a little girl that played with that doll on the couch. I am blessed that she still wants to play with all those stuffed animals on her floor too. The balls in the yard remind me that my children are healthy enough to play. The book left in the tree tells me that my children love to read. The dirt by the door left by little feet makes me grateful that those little feet enjoy the outdoors. The stuffed duck wrapped in the newspaper, plastic bag, tucked in on the shoe shelf tells me that I am blessed because. . . it shows their creativity? (I wonder what was going through their minds on that one)? I often tell myself, "Having these blessed, messy reminders is easier to live with then without." Then I can holler in my best June Cleaver voice, "Joshi, Zayne. Please come pick up your stuff." I wait. "One . . . Two. . ."

lake powell

Cousins, aunts, one uncle, Grammi, Bampa, sand, sun, warm smooth water, cards, dice, meteor showers, fishing and a good book. Can things be any better? Oh, and yes, I did water ski and wake board. Thanks Grammi and Bampa for a great time!

organization. . . ugh

This is the start of another school year and you'd think I'd have the organization thing down by now. Ugh. I am looking for a program that I can put in my course schedules that adjusts to missing days and making up days. I want a program that shows me how many more lessons we have to do before the end of the semester. I know a program like this is out there; I just cannot find one that I like. I downloaded one last spring, but alas, I cannot find any record of it on my computer or through the google search engine. Any hints from you other homeschool mothers?

1930's wife

94 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Yes, that score was totally surprising to me too. Dan would be even more surprised than me I am sure. Take the test to see how you rate.

http://www.magatsu.net/maritaltest/

small town life

Yes, I am loving the small town life. I love walking or biking everywhere. I love that everyone is friendly. Haven't met a grouchy person yet. I love walking Dan the five blocks to work and having two cars pass us in rush hour. I love Dan coming home for lunch. I love mountain biking from my door. I love the sense of community. I love that the average speed is 21 mph, even in a 35 mph zone. I love. . . I could go on and on.

The pace of life has slowed down for us and we welcome that change. We are in the honeymoon phase of this lifestyle morph. All the rosiness might wear off as time passes, especially when winter hits. The two mountain passes were closed ten times last winter, blocking off the town from the world. One thing that Dan misses is a place to open up and let his car fly and some clover leaf on-ramps for corner hugs. I dislike having a Walmart nearby. This might sound shocking to those who heard me say before moving here, "At least they have a Walmart." The area surrounding Walmart feels busy and worldly. I'd rather shop at the multiple Mom and Pop shops around town.

Its been nice loosening the apron strings a bit. The kids have free reign to walk or bike wherever in town. I make them take a cell phone to keep in touch. Sometimes I make myself stay home instead of frolicking with them for the few remaining days of summer. I believe they need time to experience and explore childhood without their mother hoovering about to grant or deny permission. I feel much more comfortable doing that here than Richmond.

Last week my nephew Devon visited from Utah. He is such a good kid. If all young men were like him Satan would be pretty frustrated and God's work would get a big push forward. It was great to go camping, tour Pendleton Woolen Mills Factory and basically just enjoy him.

Raingutter Ragatta

All of us parents have a certain amount of pride when talking about our children. It is normal and healthy to have such pride and it is the opposite if that pride is lacking. Yet, sometimes some of us error and let our pride lead us to boasting about our children's miraculous feats. I consciously condescend to this boastful practice by gloating that Zayne slaughtered all the other little cub scouts in a multi pack Raingutter Ragatta! Yeah Zayne!