Did you have a date for Valentines?

I had been joking around asking people if they had a date for Valentines day and when they said no, I replied, "It's the 14th of February."  

Little did I know that when I came up with a plan to have our dinner by candlelight it would become a much bigger love fest.  From the idea of candles, grew nice dishes, a tablecloth, dessert and dressing up.  

Miles and Sarah had ballroom dance lessons and were gone all evening so I ended up feeling a little like Snow White with my 6 Valentines dates.  

As we waited for the last of supper to be ready, the 'mood' music came on and the living room became my own personal ballroom.  My partners were gracious and each took turns.  We even tried a little waltzing and cha cha.  

They were complete gentlemen, using their best manners and holding the chair for me, escorting me to the dining room, offering to refill my glass and serving me first.  

The love fest came to a screeching halt with this messiness.... and it all went down hill from there.  The 'mood' music changed to Olympics and we changed into jammies and relaxed.

Until Sarah and Miles came home.

We lit the candles and began the process again.  They let us know they had had plenty of dancing already before they came home. (the 3 hour samba class was exhausting!)

Apparently the cat was waiting patiently to be invited.  

A Mother's angst

Cleaning and scrubbing,
can wait 'til tomorrow.
For babies grow up, 
we've learned to our sorrow...


So quiet down cobwebs, 
dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby,
and babies don't keep.

-Wendy Lyn

 John -- and family in Victoria in 2009

 Jim -- and the girls, visit early 2010

Jill -- and crew at Christmas time 2009

Channa -- family photo time 2008

 Nova -- goofing with the kids, fall 2009

 Sparky 'Graton' -- at the Oquirrh Mountain 
Temple open house, June 2009

Paige -- and kids... hee hee.. and her animals.  (they DO NOT pose for photos in this family!) 2008

Eden -- celebrating life and her birthday this year, 2010

It's true that babies don't keep, but they grow and add more to life then ever thought imaginable!

Happy Mother's day to all the above mothers and of course to 'Mum'!!  We love you!

Japan and Mexico

Both Japan and Mexico are far away. Their holidays today of, coming of age day and 3 kings day aren't ones I'm familiar with. Hmm.. how do I celebrate?

It was taken care of for me. I received an email from my brother John and his family that live in Japan. It was a wonderful letter and slide show of photos from the last 16 years of their family growing and enjoying each other. It was beautiful! I loved it.

It reminds me that the world is shrinking with each technological advance. These are precious gifts that we can have in this fast paced world to know, learn of, and see family on the other side of the globe. Although I've never visited their incredible treehouse home, I am in awe of how elegant it is from the photographs I've seen. I haven't seen my 2 nephews in almost 4 years, but I know they've grown and matured into intelligent, handsome young men who have gained a passion for life from their dad with a sense of propriety from their mum! I've followed the incredible exploits (wrong word choice I'm sure), of my brother as he's hobnobbed with the upper class and the elite, he's followed his dreams and he amazes everyone he comes in contact with. Although we don't here or see much of Hiro, I know she is that beautiful swan on a pond. She exudes elegance and class, and under the water, behind the scenes, she's paddling her feet and keeping it all together.
You can tell a lot from the photos of a family and John's family photos say,

Love, Laugh and Live!

We love hearing from family and friends. I suppose for a coming of age holiday post, the fact that I would prefer to hear from loved ones than material possessions...must mean I'm growing up! As for Mexico's 3 kings... well those kings brought 3 gifts... I can't think of 3 better gifts than the example to Love, Laugh and Live!

We love the Japanrights!!

Souviens-toi

I wondered if this should be Sparky's Birthday Blog or Sarah's but finally settled on Sparky since it really is because of him, and Sarah has already received this as a gift from him.

Sparky started something when Sarah was born. He gave her a song. He was still going to BYU, and would often come up on weekends alone or with friends to hang out and have a meal! Every time he would come to visit us he would hold Sarah and sing her 'her' song. It was a beautiful song set to Dvorák's New World Symphony. A hymn "Souviens-toi", in the French hymnal 'Cantiques'. It was beautiful music, lyrics and a beautiful moment every time he started to sing.

He has carried this on with his own little girls. Audrey, having "Always" by Irving Berlin, and Alyssa, having "Lida Rose", from "The Music Man". Somehow it must be a little girl thing because I don't recall any songs for Miles or Duncan. Maybe because he wasn't around as much though. But this will always be a special song for Sarah from her Uncle Sparky. We sang it at her baptism and now at ten yeas old, she is learning to play a simplified version on the piano. Thank you Sparky for such a sweet memory.

The song translated...

Remember, My Child
Remember, my child : not long ago,
your divine parents held you in their arms.
Today you are here, marvelously present.
Your gaze still shines with the reflection of heaven.
Talk to me, my child, about that blessed place,
because for you the veil is still thin.

Remember, my child, the forests, the cities.
Can we down here imagine them?
And the night sky, is it rosy or gray?
Is the sun waiting for snow or rain?
Describe to me, my child, the color of the meadows
and the birdsongs of a forgotten world.

Remember, my child: at the dawn of time,
we were friends playing in the wind.
Then one day in joy we chose to accept
the Lord’s grand plan of life.
That night, my child, we promised through love,
and through faith, to be reunited.

Happy Birthday Sparky... Hope D.C. doesn't end up seeming too far away!

Forties File Friday - Valentine Heart

Isn't it funny how long you hang on to believing in things because you want to. I mean Santa, Easter bunnies, tooth fairies they're a part of the magic of childhood. As you grow older you learn the truth and discover typically that they are ... your mother ... keeping the magic alive.

In our home though we had another magical character. He... decidedly HE, came on Valentines. It was the Valentine Heart. He left an individualized note written on a red construction paper heart with an assortment of little chocolaty goodies. (I know Sparky once got a chocolate totem pole... but then that could have been Easter...) This was Dad's doing. Sorry Dad.... not sure what the exact giveaway was but the secret is out. But it's ok. I decided a while back that I liked the idea of Daddy having to take on a holiday of his own! So Patrick has been given the Valentine Heart task around here. Even though we both agreed a Saint Patty's day leprechaun would have been more appropriate with his Irish descent and namesake... but he wouldn't agree to wearing green tights and leaping around!

The telltale tidy writing, the fact that we were the only family ever visited by a Heart on Valentines?, the fact that there wasn't red construction paper handy anymore near Valentines day?? But it made our Valentines that more special... in a day for love and romance, and gushy stuff for adults, we kids had our own little pleasures in a special message of kindness and encouragement.

For other's memories and thoughts click here.