this is my year

{one-year-old}

{and my momma told me to be bold}

{to rest}

{to take five deep breaths}

{to just be still}

{to dance it out}

{to sit in the quiet}

{to ask for what I need}

{to even ask for help}

{to tell my story}

{to choose love}

{to seek joy}

{to let myself be held}

{to nourish myself}

{to stand in the light}

{to reach out my hand}

{to see the everyday beauty around me}

{to believe in me}

{to let in laughter}

{to get outside}

{to listen}

{to follow the sun}

{to sing}

{to say yes}

{to open up just a little more}

{to set boundaries}

{to nurture the song inside me}

{to play}

{to let go}

{to notice gratitude}

{to share what I know}

{to believe in me}

{to find my shine}

{to choose love again and again and again}

{yes, yes, yes}

Mirror Image

The day of remembering all the years once loved and hoped for.

Celebrated with a beautiful trip past Provo falls.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad! Since it’s start in 1963, this day is a photography event that celebrates the passion for adventure in our family. I snapped a photo and joined the celebration. 

Sheepdog Festival

The day ended with the Sheepdogs and bagpipers.

Samak

Is just Kamas spelled backwards. And here's a look backwards at mom and dad 53 years ago. 

This dude

He floated on a boat with colored clouds to outrun all the others. Midday, they left Bear Lake in its wake to the music of Summer songs.

Homecoming??!

Since our return home from the oval, the hours seemed to slip away, like specs of candy and roses.

He also went camping with her family this weekend at Palisades near Manti. 

New month. New mindset.

On my way...home from work today. 

Renegade

Some new photography work of the ice. Stanley cup. Four time champion. New coach.

Next season coming up.

Feel The Fear...and do it anyway

Some more photos of the scene. In pairs. 

Hope you're having a good summer. 

More soon...

Everything comes to you at the right moment...be patient...be grateful

There was the matter of Serenity. I washed yellow shirts in one batch, green in another. When the green batch was filled to almost the top, they were standing in the storage room and set aside the tent and sleeping bags. I added a touch of fabric softener so the shirts wouldn’t static and lowered the lid. Four years, going to school and selling security systems, and returned from Oregon here three days ago of recent split with her boyfriend. Ten minutes later the yellow and green clothes were done, each batch was folded before the friends were done with their water and the doggies, Rocko and Mocha, left off steam on a patch of grass. Once Serenity and I hugged, she asked about delivering babies, and I cried as I told them about the beautiful one last night. I offered the boys cheesy eggs and toast, one piece topped with strawberry jam, the other with honey. Morgen had been gone since yesterday and didn’t have much appetite, except for smiles from Reney, which he tugged on some shorts and pleaded with her to give. Anything to improve his spirits and help him boat on the lake for an extra hour or two.

Love Your Space

I read the last pages of Husband's Secret before bed. It was too early to call Mom and talk about the lasting affect it would have on me. Instead, I opened the rice crispy treat, For excellent care, and held off sleep another 10 minutes. I caught the last speck of night from the sky and kept it.

Don't stop until you're proud

He hoisted his grey backpack over his broadening shoulders next to the house. Two brothers were in his face. He walked up behind me last night and he pleaded for me to fill up his gas tank and give him some money for food. “To go camping,” he replied. Then they were off. Senior in college, just like that.

I Feel The Whole Zoo When I Am With You

The zoo at twilight: giraffe, train ride, sea lions for hours through a picture window, faint blush of sunset, lion stroll, bird show for everyone from work, white polar bear watching from the hill, crickets sing in tall grass, para-glider circling to land, north star hundreds of light-years away.

Let Summer Linger

With the hot sun overhead, they landed tail whips in the drive. I sat in the lawn chair ten minutes before retreating to the shaded steps. Sushi and edamame dinner. They slurped and twisted the beans until all the salt was off. We hopped in the car afterward for a trip to Walmart for school supplies before I headed to work.

Crash Into Me

I kept thinking that beautiful is something I needed to be. But... not now. I'd rather be...angry, intelligent, witty, klutzy (call me Crash any day), be interesting, or funny, and adventurous, crazy, or talented - there are an infinitesimal of other things to be other than beautiful. And what is beautiful anyway?? I'll make my own definition of amazing, always. That is so much more important to me than beautiful, ever. 

It's A Better Place

Golden and Bright Again

Take the moment, and make it perfect.

The wild boys were back. They tussled and tore through the house. One slept the other didn’t. When the little one woke, I made cinnamon rolls, peaches and milk for breakfast, which they happily ate up before sprinting off for school. When they both were in their schools, I turned the corner and recertified for my CPR while the mannequin sat in the corner.