Aren't we lucky to be married to hunters

Hunting is just taking off in my family. Do you think I should be worried?

The many faces of Peter

This handsome man is my son. He has grown up so fast and I do mean up and up and up. He has grown fine too. He is kind. He is thoughtful. He is smart. He is creative. He is good with people.

With the help of a great photographer (and aunt) we got to do some fun senior pictures. If you think the life of a photographer is glamorous, think again. I don't think I'll tell you what she is laying in to get this shot.

Pete has spent much of his high school career working on a farm, feeding cattle, doing tractor work, hauling hay and enjoying very early morning watching the sun come up as the cows get their breakfast. It seemed only fitting that we go to the farm to capture some personality pictures of Peter.

I got to help make the magic happen. It was a bit cold that morning. We were racing the sun and the red ears from the cold. But look at the great photos.

Not the cleanest place to be all dressed up. I would not recommend jumping barbed wire in a tuxedo, unless you happen to have very long legs.

That little lady with a lot of sweet attitude was also a big help on our big day. We sure cramed a lot in when she came home. We all miss her.

and on the way home, one more joy of country living. There was no way to get around a flock like this so we jumped out and took pictures like a bunch of city slickers.

If you have stuck around long enough to get to the bottom of this post then I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Peter is known (I thought) as a thoughtful, handsome, quiet boy. Well, I went to parent teacher conference yesterday and his sweet, young, pretty physics teacher said, "He talks too much"! It seems like as the mom I am always the last to know these things. He talks through class with his friends, gets little done and then stays after to do his work once his friends have gone.

So I'm doing some investigating. I started with his friend Ben.

me: "Is Peter loud?"

Ben: "uh, well, depends"

me: "does he talk a lot?'

Ben: "uh, sometimes"

There you have it. From Ben who has to spend a lot of time with Peter, and is a man of few words (at least around me which apparently means nothing), I have a son who is a jabbermouth and who knows what else.

Now its your turn to help me get to know my son. What do you know about him? Pretend I'm a complete stranger to him and assume I know nothing. I can't wait to meet this guy and get to know him better!

My woodsman

This is how Pete practices impressing girls. Dress them up in many layers of stylin' clothes. The latest in coveralls with the well used look.

The truck, the road, the mountain ahead. I spy a dead tree. . . Stop!

Power tools in the hands of an expert. Cold, snow, hard work, all worth it to keep you warm.

Little brothers brought along to entertain the camera lady. Camera lady brought along to take impressive pictures of the conquerors on top of the conquered tree.

WOW!

Apple picking

Conference Fun!

One of many distractions during conference was this box, although it did keep her busy. I love hearing the Lord's prophets and apostles speak to me about what is most important and this time. I feel so fortunate to be able to sit home and have such great things brought right into my home. My impression this conferences have included a need to be better at receiving personal revelation, listening to the Holy Ghost, studying with purpose my scriptures (and these talks).

I have an increased desire to understand temperance. I really enjoyed the talk on temperance. I felt the last conference that I need to prepare for hard times and trust in the Lord. I felt this conference the things I could do to strengthen myself spiritual - kind of a back to the core principles and building a firm foundation.

I also got to enjoy my grandson coming to visit and bringing his parents. He has now received a beautiful name and a blessing. This is our 4 generation picture. It's always fun for me to see how things continue to grow when 2 people fall in love.

Swine flu vaccine

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Although this is a little long I felt it was very fair and helpful. I understand that they are have mass vaccinations in the high schools this month. Take time to decide if it is really necessary for your children.

Homemakers Unite

I have mood swings. I swing from this life is the best! to I can’t take it anymore! I realize it and I wish it didn’t happen but I am learning. I’m learning that a few sweet words can change a day. I’m learning that a listening ear can remind me of my own priorities and give me permission to change my mind and try again. Let me see if I can explain.
I made a new friend last year. In fact we will be celebrating our friendship at a mom’s retreat where we first met. This is not a friend that I see often but she does take time to communicate with me. That makes me feel like I have value. She also writes a great blog where she shares her goals, systems, experiences, and the ways in which she is changing and evolving. She shares the journey without apologies for choosing another form of transportation that still moves her forward to her ultimate goals. I get caught up in thinking there is a “right” way to do things – the right car to drive. We all have similar long term goals of where we want to be. I look around for the right way to get there and think that I can just copy someone else and have the same results they do. Or I think that once I’m in my vehicle of choice, I’m stuck. She shares her current passion but isn’t afraid to say “now I’m going to do it this way”.
I got to talk on the phone with her yesterday. She had generously offered to answer any questions I had – which she helpfully did. Then she reminded me that I have a source of truth. That by going to my source of truth/Heavenly Father, he will let me know what is right for me and my family. So then I wonder why I forget so quickly who it is I want to please and where all truth comes from. That’s when I realize that we are still suppose to help each other. I need to search out options, become educated in possible choices, discuss the situation with my family (because it involves them) and then take it to Heavenly Father and allow him to direct my life. And then she also gave me permission to re-evaluate along the way and let Heavenly Father put me in a different car when it is necessary. I can trust him and not worry that I didn’t finish the way I started. In fact who wants to finish the same way you started?
We as women can be so hard on ourselves as we try to be the best we can be. I was also listening to a talk today that said women in the home are amateurs in the many things they do. Amateur means someone who does something for the pleasure of it. As women at home we have the ability to choose our schedules, to develop our talents, to organize, clean, teach, create as we desire and we don’t have to do it perfectly. We do these things for the enjoyment, the pleasure of it. The enjoyment can be the thing we are doing, the feeling it brings to us or to those we love.
I was catching up with a girlhood friend’s mother a week ago. She seemed amazed when I explained that I was a stay at home mom. She asked if I had ever had to work. No. She reminded me that I am very lucky. I agreed. I am grateful to have been able to be a stay at home mom but I couldn’t help but feel that it isn’t all luck. I choose to stay at home. My husband supports me in this. We believe a woman’s place is in the home. But I don’t get to stay at home because my husband makes a fantastic living. I don’t get to stay at home and have everything I ever wanted. Staying at home is a job in and of its self. It requires so much versatility in making a home run smoothly, peacefully, and orderly. It requires sacrifice. It requires innovation to get by when things are not as abundant as you had hoped. It is a blessing but as usual blessings require work and sacrifice to truly appreciate them. I don’t know if any of this is making sense but being at home, enjoying the freedom that comes through hard work, being an amateur in so many things is what our world needs more of. May I encourage you to read G.K. Chesterton. He wrote some articles at the height of women’s suffrage. He helped me see the beauty and importance of a woman in the home. It is so important and even vital to our society. When we understand even a little bit more the potential, the influence, the sacred mission that we have as women we will not be feeling left behind at home. We will not feel like our own little world is unimportant but we will realize that it is the most important thing there is. And we will give ourselves opportunities to improve, permission to fail and try something new, and a desire to share the highs and lows of the journey with each other.
A special thanks to Shelly for calling cheerfully when I need a pick-me-up. May I be sensitive enough to do the same and open enough in my busy-ness to hear and heed the promptings along the way.