Morris Farmer's Market

 

 

 

Right off Route 12 there's a huge market we love to peruse each year on our way down to the beach.  There are dozens of tractors lined up all over the marketplace and, if we're early enough, we can catch Easy Merle singing Gospel and Blues.  It's not really a true farmer's market- not everything they have there is local and picked ripe- but it is all truly yummy, even if the grapes are flown in from California and the cantaloupe is packed up from Florida.  It has tractor churned, fresh ice cream which was a huge hit with the knee-high crowd, but what we really love most: SAMPLES! Everything, literally, E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G, has a taste tester. We always drink our way through a myriad of ciders, munch on salsas, and nibble all the fruits.  Then we really get down to business and head over to the sweet and spicy pickles and Texas bloody mary mix.  I won't confess outright, but they may have to re-load those once Krista and I have been through there.



{"gee Linc, that sure looks good. wontcha let me have some?"}

 

 

Carolina Bound

We're headed to the sweet shores of Carolina to have our cares bound up by the sea.

I have an 8 hour journey today - sans toddler, thank goodness and hallelujah! Jeff has graciously decided to bring Sawyer along with him when he flies out tomorrow morning, so I will have 8 hours all to myself! What will it be like?!  I can't remember the last time I had that much alone time.  I'm bringing along some catch-up work and Les Mis (ya know, a little light reading) and I plan on stopping at Cinnabon and doing whatever else my heart desires until my joy ride ends.  Well, really, the fun won't ever stop.  We are all elated to be spending a week together as a family, with our family, at the most glorious spot we know.  Good luck to all my flying family, and double the luck for all with babes.  The destination is worth the journey!

Happy Birthday Allison

 

 

  

 

Happy Birthday to my kind and generous Mother-in-Law today. 

Have a great year!

Weekend Mirths: Mother's Day

 

 

 



I love this last picture the most, because this is what motherhood is all about.  It's getting gussied up and then wrestling your babe, who doesn't give a darn that you're all trying to look nice today, all he wants is to jab his stick at the dog and she's getting away from him. It's tying his shoe because you're going to do whatever to keep him safe, nice dress or not. I love the ins and outs of motherhood.  They make every day a challenge, and every day a blessing. 

To all my "mothers" who have tied my shoes, cheered me on, cheered me up, and followed and supported me on my journey, thank you so much.  You will always be a part of my life. I hope you have the best of days today.

Baby See, Baby Do

I left him alone for 45 seconds, possibly less, and during that time he seated himself at the table, unscrewed my foundation, and proceeded to apply it in swirling, sweeping motions to the lower half of his face.  His technique was remarkable! When I found him, I sat and watched him do his jolly work and I was amazed. He even had the mirror out! Jeff would take this as a sign that I either: a). wear too much make-up or b). apply it too often or c). should ban Sawyer from ever playing with my brushes and empty eye-shadow containers....forever!

I take this, however, as an extraordinary tribute to Sawyer's powers of observation.  He's been tuned in to his surroundings since he was a newborn and always watches the world with an inquisitive eye.  It doesn't take much to teach him a new trick, and the converse side of that is, of course, that it doesn't take much for him to learn something he shouldn't.  He's a little sponge! And my heart is happy to see him grow.  Our next big thing is speech, and with eyes and ears like his, we'll have to be extra watchful of what we say and how we say it, not mention carefully selecting our accompanying gestures. Thank goodness we don't swear! But I'd better watch myself when driving....

It Snowed, So Christmas Must Be Coming, Right?

No, no, no, we didn't move to the North Pole, or Antarctica, or even Alaska (hey Brooke!). And I can tell you from experience, Christmas in May is not nearly as fun as Christmas in July or the ever-popular Christmas in December. But, alas, this is the weather that greeted our grand arrival to Wisconsin, and I'm making the best of it by buying a new coat.  I also keep reciting to myself the advice of my good friend: "Think of it as you get to experience two springs, not two winters!"

Dada Days

 

 
Sawyer and I have been showing Jeff how to have a good time during his first taste of freedom in months.  It's like letting the child of a health food freak loose in the junk food aisle.....a perfect pandemonium of joy and excess.  We're taking him to all our favorite play spots, dragging him around to nosh at all our most delish places, waking him up early and making him stay up late.  It's the final push to soak in our favorite parts of Provo, because in the midst of all this merrymaking, we're also getting ready for our summer move to Wisconsin.  Jeffrey has an internship with Toro and we'll be living there- in the country- until August. Jeff's a whole bushel of excitement and I'm a whole shipment of nervous about being "so far out from civilization" (my terms, don't let Jeff hear me say them), but we're all looking forward to our "extended vacation" (again, my words).

There's a lot to be done before we leave, and some of us are getting all tuckered out.

{a note about this pic: Sawyer LOVES toilet paper. He steals it whenever he can sneak a snatch, then he shreds it, eats it, blows his nose in it, or occasionally, flushes it.  On this particular day, he chose to shred it on a napping Dada. Jeffrey didn't budge, but I couldn't stop shaking with laughter...hence the lack of focus}

He's a Jolly Good Fellow

...and a purdy darn good dad
....and a hard-working husband
.....and a fabulous friend
....and a "nearly there" college grad
 oh and he spat in the face of mediocre this semester and earned himself an impressive GPA, and I confess, I may not be easy to impress in that department, so we're talking POWERHOUSE people!

Naturally, this good fellow deserves a doughnut. Congrats on knocking down winter semester, Jeffrey! Another one down, one more to go!

Easter Shenanigans, Part II-Outfits

Have you ever seen this beautiful painting by the neoclassical artist Angelica Kauffman? It's entitled, Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, Pointing to Her Children as Her Treasures. It contrasts the pure-hearted Cornelia and her sweet children to a vain woman who boasts of her jewelry. The woman asks Cornelia where her jewels are, challenging her reputation and station as the wife of a Roman patrician. Cornelia gestures to her children, responding, "these are my jewels".

This painting epitomizes how I felt about my boys dressed up and headed for church in their matching Easter ties (which I MADE!!!!). The modest role of motherhood I've undertaken certainly doesn't leave much room for real rubies and diamonds, but looking at my boys, I can't help but think I've got the best and brightest treasures in my jewelry box.

Easter Shenanigans, Part I-Egg Hunts

We went to no less than 4 egg hunts this year.  Which was good, because by the 4th, Sawyer knew what was what (and "what" was mostly that the bright round things have sweet, slobber-inducing stuff in them).
1st-the Provo city egg hunt at the BYU Helaman Fields.  Major BUST! The place was packed! We're talking thousands of kids and their egg-hunt-hungry parents. Sawyer almost missed the hunt because he was busy dancing to Taylor Swift.  The one egg we did get was taken by another kid.
2nd-Egg hunt with the Rich clan.  Sawyer was more interested in sticking his finger in the outdoor socket, but still managed to hunt down a few eggs.
3rd-Nursery egg hunt at church.  Finally! He started to catch on and collected eggs full of peeps, jelly beans, and bubbles.
4th-Grandma Janeen's egg hunt, preceeded by Easter dinner and followed by dirt hunting in the garden.