60 Minutes of Pure Heaven

Last year for Mother's Day I gave my mom a gift card to the Cottage Retreat and Day Spa at Garnder Village. Well, she has never taken the time to use it so she sent it back to me since it expires the end of May. Today I used it on a 60 minute facial. Heavenly! I like facials so much better than massages. I always feel like I can't relax during a massage because I'm worried about what the person is thinking while they're rubbing my cellulite. I'm too self conscious. I don't care what they think of my face though! LOL Anyway- it was so nice to relax and be pampered and have my dirty pores extracted. :-) It's amazing how quickly an hour goes by when you can relax.... So that Mother's Day gift worked out pretty nice for me eh? I guess my mom is an "indian taker" rather than "indian giver." (Is that a politically correct term to use nowdays? You never know anymore....)

PS- So if I have a "glow" about me it's because of the facial and NOT because I'm pregnant. LOL

Wheeler Farm

I forgot to post my trip to Wheeler Farm with Logan and Claire last week. I had tons of old hamburger and hot dog buns so asked the kids if they wanted to go feed the ducks. Logan suggested feeding them at Wheeler Farm. We stopped and got happy meals from McD's and had a picnic there. (I call that the modern day picnic. What happened to the good ole days where you packed your picnic? Now everyone has fast food picnics...) Anyway, we spent a couple of hours there and the kids had a blast. It was a beautiful day and there were lots of baby animals to look at.

Logan was getting in a fight with this hissing goose. :-)

Claire enjoyed "baa-ing" at the lambs.

The goats were very excited to see the kids.

The life of a pig. How would it be to sit in the mud all day? Actually- it was very stinky!

They have added a country store at Wheeler Farm now. The kids enjoyed having a popsicle. Claire always chooses the blue messy ones that color your mouth and teeth blue. I hate them!

I'm glad that we have a farm here for the kids to visit and that I don't live on one!

Happy Memorial Day

This is an email i received from my dad today. I thought I would share his thoughts with each of you on this Memorial Day.

I visited the cemetery early this morning. It had been raining but the sun came out while I was there for a few moments and it was a very peaceful place. As I looked around at all of the flowers that had been placed on the gravesites my attention was drawn to the thousands of United States Flags that had been placed on the graves of all those who have served in the military and are now buried in our little cemetery. Since it is Memorial Day and it is designated as a day to remember these men and women, especially those who have died while serving, I could not help but think that these little flags were far more beautiful to me than all of the flowers that they shared the scene with. As I drove away, I wondered at the rising generation of today, those who spend all of their time looking for and identifying the faults and shortcomings of the country today. And those who are filled with selfishness who only ask what can I get out of the country, not what can I give back. Will this generation be able to display their fair share of flags on the graves of men and women who loved this country enough to take the time to be of service? Unfortunately this is not just a trait of the rising generation as many of my own generation have forgotten just how good we have it here. The freedoms that we enjoy, the liberties that we take advantage of, the responsibilities that go along with these freedoms and liberties. So, on this Memorial Day and on every day that you have in this country, I hope that you will think about the country that so many have fought for and died for and appreciate the heritage you have been given. Now it is our time to add to that heritage in whatever way we can.

Week In Review

Thought I would sum up the past week's activities as best as I could....

Last Saturday when we had a beautiful day I bought a new pool and slip and slide for the kids. I got it all set up then had Logan come home. He was so happy and surprised. He came in and said "Thanks Mom! This is going to be the best summer!" A few friends came over to enjoy the cold water and hot sunshine.

On Monday, Macy came over and her and Claire played outside all afternoon. They were so cute. They got the chaise lounges out (change lounges as spence calls them LOL) and were such "girls." They layed their towels out and layed in the sun. They played on the slip and slide. Macy slipped down the slide and got off and said with pure excitement "I totally did it!" (I wished I would've had my camera out there with me- but totally spaced it!) I layed out and forgot that it was the first my body has seen any sunshine so got FRIED. Spence took good care of me though with the vinegar and aloe vera.

Since the rest of the week was rainy I decided to declutter some parts of my house. Finally got the top of the fridge cleaned off AND the corner in my kitchen where I have stacked all of my scrapbook stuff- probably since October. It was so bad. (I know for all of you who have seen it you are agreeing with me!) Now I feel like I have my kitchen table back and the corner is clean!

Cleaning the corner was so "invigorating" that I decided to finally paint my laundry room. When we moved into the house we painted the entire thing except never got to the laundry room. So it took me 3 1/2 years to get it done. Yeah! Then I got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the kitchen tile. I absolutely hate the tile and how dirty it gets. So every once in awhile I have to take hours and scrub it with Soft Scrub. (My favorite cleaner.)

SOME FREE ADVICE FOR HUSBANDS: Don't walk into the laundry room when your wife has finished painting it and tell her it's not one of her better jobs. And don't come down from your two hour nap and see your wife scrubbing the kitchen floor on her hands and knees and say "It doesn't look like it's working." And then when your wife responds not so kindly to you, you tell her that she is honery. (Especially after your wife has been scrubbing for an hour and is only half way done AND when it's her time of the month.)

On Wednesday Nathan received the High Five Award at school for getting A's on his last three science tests. He has done great on bringing his grades up. I am proud of him. He spent the day Friday at Lagoon. It was DARE day so they got in for a discount. He went with a friend and I picked them up that night. I was nervous because this was his first time at Lagoon without an adult chaperone. But I sent my cell phone with him so he could stay in touch. He had fun.

Thursday and Friday Logan and Claire watched home videos all day long. Claire didn't even get dressed on Thursday! They were lazy. They got out mine and Spence's wedding video and watched it. Nathan was 5 years old when we got married. It shows him talking on there and Logan looked at Spence and goes "I don't understand anything he is saying!" Logan had a wedding picture of Spence and me and took it to his room. He wanted me to hang it on his wall. I said that would look silly in his room. He told me he wanted it in there. I asked him why and he said "To show respect." Oh, he just knows all the right things to say. Although it was followed with "What does respect mean?"

Saturday night I catered while Spence went out with our friends to Red Lobster and to see Indiana Jones. Nice date night eh? :-) He said the movie wasn't that great. I have been excited to see it but he said not to waste my money. I think I'll still go though just to see Harrison Ford. Has anyone else seen it?

So that was my week more or less. I hope the sun will shine again soon so that the kids can play outside!

Girl Talk

Claire came in the other night and said she was Jackson's girlfriend. I said "What?" She said Jackson told her that she was his girlfriend and he was her boyfriend. I told her she was toooo young for a boyfriend. I said "If Jackson tells you you're his girlfriend you tell him you are too little and then tell him to Get Lost." I made her repeat it to me so she would remember it. :-) You just can't be too careful, right??

Then, yesterday Maddie was talking to me and told me that her friend at school has a boyfriend and that they think they are married already. She said they even have a teddy bear that they pretend is their baby and that they already kissed each other on the lips! I said "Yuck! They are too little to do that." Maddie says "I know. I threw up in the garbage can because that is soooo gross." LOL

So what is with the girlfriend/boyfriend stuff?? Isn't it too soon for that? Or did I just forget? Boys have cooties still don't they? :-)

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my mom's birthday. My beautiful mom- what can I say about her? She is my best friend and I love her dearly. My mom has taught me about compassion, service and sacrifice by example. She got married when she was 17 years old and finished high school in Mississippi while my dad was in the air force. She had me when she was 19 (I think.) My dad was unable to be there because he was in Thailand in the Vietnam war. I think of how hard that must have been to be a new parent and not have your spouse there. She must have been so strong!

My mom went on to have three more kids. Growing up my dad was a member of the bishopric for many years, and then a bishop for four years. He was also on city council for two terms, and is on his third term of mayor. My mom has sacrificed being with my dad so that he could serve the church and the city. She also held numerous church callings. I remember when she was the Stake Young Women's Camp Director. I LOVED IT! It was when I was a young woman so I got to have my mom at camp with me. I also remember the 3 day adventure hike with her. It was so much fun.

Mom also taught me how to have fun. I remember her and her friends were on a bowling team and how much they enjoyed getting together. I also remember her and the neighbor friends laying out in the sun to get a tan and drinking "Tab." Some of my fondest memories was when I'd come home from school and she would have fresh baked cookies or bread waiting for us. Yum! My mom is an awesome cook. That's why I insist on having Thanksgiving dinner at her house every year. She loves to go all out- we always have a ton of food. Two years ago she made about 15 pies! You could say she gets carried away a bit. :-)

My mom owns her own copy/printing and gift store. She puts in so many hours and late nights that I don't know how she even gets out of bed in the morning! Some of the customers seem to gravitate to her and talk for hours about their lives. No matter how busy she is, she always takes the time to listen. I tease her and tell her she needs to charge for listening and for advice like Lucy does on Charlie Brown. :-)

Mom is always helping others out and thinking of others. No matter how tired or busy she is she will take food to funerals or those in need. She is also great about helping out all of us kids with whatever we may need. She is always there when you need someone to talk to. She has a way of making everything better. She is our support system and the one who comforts.

I love you mom and feel so blessed to have a mom and friend like you. Thank you for all you do for me and for all the laughs and the tears. You're wonderful!

"I Choose to Live"

(I hope I get most of the details correct.) Last Saturday, my 25 year old cousin- Ben, and two of his friends went camping in Pecos Canyon New Mexico. They were cutting down a tree for firewood. The tree got stuck on another one and as they were pushing it down a tree fell on two of them- Ben included. His friend, Alan, was killed. Ben had head trauma. His friend went and found help with another couple that were out camping. (This is a secluded area.) The wife went to find a pay phone to call for help while the husband and other friend went back to the scene. The husband kept talking to Ben to keep him awake, carried him to the fire to keep warm, put snow in a t-shirt to wrap around Ben's head. Two and a half hours later Ben arrived by life flight at the hospital in Santa Fe. My aunt and uncle in Wyoming were notified of the accident and took the first flight out. Meanwhile, Ben went into surgery which lasted all night. The couple that saved him stayed with him until my aunt and uncle arrived. Ben had a blood clot in his brain. He now has some metal plates in his head, which he will always have now. We all feel it was truly a blessing that the other couple were there and that it saved Ben's life.

Naturally, we were all concerned that there might be permanent damage, memory loss, etc. But, today Ben was released from the hospital! He is doing well. He comes from a great family and support system. There are 7 children in his family- he is second to youngest. Five are return missionaries. They have all gone to school and are great examples to everyone.

Ben older sister, Mykel is with him now. She wrote this email after she talked to him on the phone. I would like to share the email. It is great inspiration. It is kind of long, but definitely worth the read.

I’ve always been one to ignore my phone when it rings. I’m not sure why, but it just seems like I’m handing control over to someonethat wants to talk NOW, and I have to answer NOW, so I can do what they need me to do NOW. Maybe I’m just not a multi-tasker and it just stresses me out. Actually, that’s exactly what it is. I’m a daydreamer, and when I work, I focus on one thing until I’m done with it. So when I saw my phone ring a moment ago, I was prepared to react the same way I always do…until I saw Ben’s name.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hi Mykel, it’s your brother Ben.”

How could it be that those six words were common to me a week ago, and now carry more depth and meaning than I could ever find in poetry or prose? Now, 20 minutes after the phone call, I’m still thinking about some things that Ben said. I’ve just got to get them down on paper… not just for me, but for him. In one week, I saw Ben go from a 25-year-old to an adult that has seen death, who’s fought for life, and has yelled “I choose to live,” and is now burdened with the task of facing life one day at atime. One thing’s for sure, Ben’s never going back. He’s never going to be the same. My brother Ben isn’t Ben anymore. He’s so so much more.

First, my big-sister instinct kicked in – I needed to make sure he was okay. I asked him how he’s feeling and if he’s sleeping. He said he is feeling really good. His body, albeit sewn and stapled in place and sometimes throbbing, is in fine condition. He goes for walks, he feeds himself, he thinks on his own, He recognizes people. He’s an alive human being. When asked about the hospital food, though, he said he doesn’t have an appetite. I can imagine that Ben’s expectation at this point is to eat something and feel better. But no food is going to quiet his soul at this point. He eats fruits and salads because he knowst hey’re good for him, and breakfast cereal because it’s what people do in the morning. But when the hamburger and fries came, the new Ben pushed all to the side save the hamburger patty! Maybe someday his favorite foods will be enough, but for now it just isn’t.

He mentioned that he’s having a hard time sleeping. Ben has always been the type to enjoy sleep. One of my favorite past times with Benny is to chat on the phone for hours while we analyze our dreams and discuss what they really mean. It’s funny really. We think we’re soooo intellectual and soooo perceptive of our dreams. But in the end, my dreams always have something to do with finding childhood freedom and Ben’s dreams almost always have to do with love and finding his other half. Yes, we get the occasional dream where Ben’s fighting off trolls with a twinkie, and I have my periodic dream where I’m jumping on a trampoline naked, but my point is that Ben loves his sleep. It’s entertainment during the humdrum times of his life.

So to be without sleep opens up a whole new schedule where Ben stares at the ceiling and thinks about last weekend. I don’t know how many times Ben has retold his survival story, but you can’t tell me that thosen umbers come anywhere near the times he has relived his nightmare at night. Last night, Ben said he tried watching the television to “get his mind off things.” Alas, Ben said the shows on TV were creating more brain damage than any tree could have caused. He then described the hour he spent trying to appreciate ladies’ handbags in New York City on a style network. Relief came momentarily with a nature show, but he was frustrated by each scientist’s stretched conjecture. I think at this point Ben would have given anythingto have his DVD collection of Seinfeld episodes. They’re not intellectual but at least they would have reminded him of better times, times when a laugh and Ben were one in the same.

Here’s when Ben really touched me. I asked him if he’d like some books, games, or something to help him pass the time. He created an impromptu speech that really captures the essence of what a second chance really is.

He said he felt different… in his words, “new and fresh.” He described this new energy that felt more charitable, more kind, more …everything. He didn’t want to use his time on things that waste his brain. He wants me to bring him church books, history books, and anything that would expand that feeling he has right now in his chest.

If Ben could have seen me, he would have seen his big sister crying at her desk…realizing that Ben was now her big brother. Seriously, he has something I might not ever understand. He’s been reborn into a life where the air will smell fresher, words will mean more, the voice of his friends will find more value than even the cleanest guitar chord, and his brain and his consciousness will be the greatest gift he’s ever known. Ben is not going to waste another minute. Because he knows that every minute he has was granted by God. And I thank God for granting me with more time with Ben, too.

Ben went on to describe what it was like at the campscene. The first responders constantly asked his name – to keep him talking. He remembers wishing he could go to sleep. He was so tired-- so so tired. Ben told me he kept telling himself to stay alert. He remembers talking to his friend Allen – pleading to hold on because help was coming. In true Ben fashion, he also remembers cracking jokes and doing his best to not fail to entertain.

Most impactful to me was when Ben said he remembers saying in his mind that “I choose to live.” He admits that he’s sure he yelled it a few times, as well.

Live, he did, and Live he will.

Ben joked that there was a time when a search for “Ben France” on the internet would only bring up a Cricket player in Europe. Now, he’s proud to say that there’ll be a link that says “some 25-year-old dummy tried to chop a tree down.” I know he’s just joking, but I could hear it in his voice that he was committing to me and to himself to do something with his life -- to fulfill the mission that God has called him back to life to serve.

To my brother, Ben. I love you, and I’m glad you can hear me say it.

Mykel France

We are so proud of you Ben for being a survivor. You continue to be in our prayers!

My Family Night

Monday I got to have a relaxing family night- away from my family. :-) My father-in-law spoiled me and took me to dinner at PFChang. (one of my fav's!) Then we went to the Opera- Don Giovanni. It was so good. I really enjoyed it. The music was beautiful. I think I may want to go see more operas now. So I lucked out because my mother-in-law was out of town. That's why I was invited to take her place. Lucky for me. :-)

The Tempest

Nathan was in a school play last week. The class performed "The Tempest." Nathan was Prince Ferdinand. They all did so good. I was impressed that they could memorize so many lines by Shakespeare. Nathan was embarrassed because he had the "love" part in the play. He falls in love with Miranda and spoke such words of poetry to her. So he's been teased quite a bit over it. Here are a few pictures from the play. I couldn't get too close and I was trying to videotape with my other hand.

For the Record

I took Claire to Target to get a few summer outfits and some new shoes. Claire loves shoes. She got there and zeroed in on a white pair of sandals that were about 2 sizes too big for her. They didn't have her size in them. I finally convinced her that they were too big. I was getting a bunch of shoes for her to try on when she found the pair she wanted. She put them on and refused to take them off. I told her that she doesn't have anything to wear with them and that I didn't really like them. She was still stubborn and insisted on getting those shoes. She sat in the cart with her head down and her hair over her face. I told her I would count backwards from 5 and that I hoped she would make the right choice. I got down to one and she looked up at me and big tears were welling up in her eyes. She was so sad and heartbroken. Man! Why does she do that to me?? So naturally we came home with the shoes. I'm a sucker- I know. But, I just wanted to say that I don't like the shoes and did not pick them out. Spence said they look like "southern belle" shoes. But, Claire likes them so I guess that's what matters. So if you see her with them on and they don't match her clothes- don't think that I'm the one that dressed her funny. :-)

The Force

I walked into Logan's room this morning to see if he had gotten dressed yet for school. He was up on his nightstand leaning over the back of it. I asked what he was doing. He said he was trying to get his light saber that he dropped behind there. I told him to move and I would get it for him. He said "No. I'm using the force to get it." LOL I said okay and waited for about a minute. It was completely silent and he didn't move at all. Just kept looking down at the sword. Finally I said "Isn't it working for you? Let me get it." I reached over and got it and handed it to him. Then he goes "My force only works when I have my light saber." Gave me a smile for the day. :-)

Family Night

Monday we had family home evening. The kids always want to go swimming so were bummed when I told them no. (once again) I told Logan we were having a lesson tonight on Moroni. I asked if he knew who Moroni was. He said "He was in a war and lots of people were killed. He found a spot under rocks and hid the golden plates." Wow! Thank you primary teachers! I told him that was right. His reply: "Now we don't have to have a lesson." Sorry, nice try. Still having a lesson. After our lesson we had a fire in the backyard and had the Molloys over for smores. It was a lot of fun. The kids had fun together and were being silly. I hope the neighbors didn't mind the noise until late at night! We miss the Molloys and wish they still lived down the street.

The kids liked to start their marshmallows on fire so they could watch them burn and then blow them out. Then they discovered if they threw the marshmallows in the fire they got really big. That entertained them for quite awhile.

Duck..Duck....Goose!

This morning when I took Nathan to school there was a big white "Aflac" goose crossing the street. It was so funny. All of the cars were stopped and just waiting for him to cross. He stopped in the middle of the road and just stood there. Then when I was returning home, the goose had almost made its way to the side of the road. He stopped in the middle of one of the lanes so cars were having to slow down to go around it. He sure was backing up traffic! He would take a step one way, then go the other way. You could tell he was so confused as to what to do. Two girls walking to school were standing on the sidewalk trying to coax him to them. So anyway, later in the afternoon I took Logan to school. I was telling him about seeing the goose. He asked if the goose got ran over. I said "No." Logan goes "Oh dang. I hoped it got ran over so we could have chicken tonight!" LOL Now, I know that grocery prices have really gone up, but I have NOT resorted to road kill....yet. :-)