It has been requested that the husband post.

I figured that you probably read the title of this post and had the same reaction as Camille here:

Thank you Camille. 

Every morning for the last month I have had the pleasure of getting up and riding this bike to work. I am really quite fond of this bike. It relaxes me. Thanks Levi. 

 I ride to work every morning looking at this: For 5 years I have woken up to this view. For five years I've talked of hiking this mountain again. I received the chance this week. 

Now, mind you, it is the end of June. The end of June usually looks a lot like this at the Hut at Emerald Lake. 

 

 We started hiking at 2am trying to catch the snow while it was still hard. I took this pic after the hike because its kinda dark at 2am.

 If you scroll back up to that picture of the hut above.... I am sitting on the chimney at 5am.

 Perfect. Absolutely Perfect. Wonderfully Perfect.  

 Emerald Lake is um...missing...

 If you look at the picture below, the cornice on the far right, we watched that one fall. Avalanches are a lot louder than you think. And more nerve racking.  

 So thats it. The Summit of Timp. 

 Then there is the matter of getting down. Glissading. If the opportunity ever presents itself to try glissading down steep snow...take it.  

Glissading is the act of descending a steep snow- or scree-covered slope via a controlled slide on one's feet or buttocks, and may be used to expedite a descent, or simply for the thrill. Just have an ice axe and know how to self arrest.

Lastly this picture needs no title, but you get one anyway. 

-Awesomeness- 

So there you have it. The post of the husband. Not nearly as heart warming as Jayne's. Not near as cute as the kids. If fact you're now wondering why you wasted the last 12 minutes of your life reading this. I figure the more I ramble the less likely Jayne will be to ask me to report on what strange activities I have again. For those who are more emotional, now you may shed tears of joy, for I am done. 

Love 

Caleb

Magnum Opus

In a recent perusing of a few of my childhood articles, I came across a journal. Inside the back page of the book, I had written a "things to do in my life" list. There wasn't a date, but from what I gathered I think I was somewhere around 15 when I wrote it. 

It was enlightening to see what my ideas of achievement were back then, and how they have changed with time, and also how they have changed only slightly. 

You want to know what was on the list, huh. I can tell.

I'll give you a few.

• Get married in the temple.
• Heli Ski.
• Own a suburban and have enough kids to fill it.
• Tandem the LOTOJA with Tess.
• Go to Alaska.
• Create something truly truly artistic. A masterpiece.
• Serve a mission.
• See the David.

I've accomplished a few, and have a few to go, and the suburban one might need to get scratched off. Maybe. That is yet to be seen. 

The one that intrigued me the most was the one about creating a masterpiece. I remembered writing it, and wondering when I would do it. I wanted to create something stunning and remarkable and perfect. 

In my art studies in Alaska I caught a little glimpse when I painted this.

The assignment was to paint a self portrait, but this is what came out. It was definitely a self portrait. There is so much meaning and symbolism packed into this painting... it really deserves a post of it's own. As far as the "rules of painting" goes, it's far from perfect and has some major flaws - but as far are as creating goes, I was on to something. 

My professor felt it too, and wanted me to do another one. But I couldn't. I didn't feel ready. I wanted to create a masterpiece, and didn't feel like I could. 

I often thought about my magnum opus over the years, wondering what it would be and when I would accomplish it. 

As I read over my list last week, I realized that the feelings of wondering when it would happen were gone. It had actually been a long time since it had even crossed my mind. I no longer had that desire to create something totally fantastic. 

I had to wonder about this new thing for a few days.

Then, finally, I realized why. Why I no longer felt this burning need to create something truly stunning and remarkable and perfect. 

It was because I already had. 

 

It was you.

And you.

And yes, you too. 

And those others who are still coming. 

This magnum opus is far more frightening than I ever expected it to be, but it is mine. I helped do it. Part of my very self went into it, and I am forever changed because of it. 

Creating their bodies was only the beginning. Helping them know who they are and what they can become  - that is my great work. 

Emmy behind the lens

7:15am this morning, this is where we were. I wasn't about to take any photos with my muddy fingers, so I assigned the photography to Emmy.

Every one of these photos is straight out of the camera, and you'll believe me in a minute.

Liz is bulldozing a few flower beds down at her new house, so I took some bulbs off her hands. Aren't I nice? I'm just the best neighbor. Always there for her when ever she has something fantastic to give away.
This is me defying the laws of bulbs which state that bulbs must be planted in the fall. If they all die, we'll know why there are laws about bulbs.

And over to your left we have Jonah, who wanted to eat his scrambled eggs outside.

Will they live? Please bless they do. They have broken up the snap dragon monopoly just beautifully.

And over to your right we have the half-deflated pool which still works just fine. Hasn't slowed down the play one bit:)

Hmmm... something wrong with your toast, Jonah dearest?

This is Emmy's nest which she made on the porch. It's still a little nippy in the mornings here, but it's nice and toasty by 10:00.

And how do you like our toy pile? You know those really nice outdoor chest things where people store all of their outdoorsie stuff? Pretend there's one of those over this pile.

They followed me to the backyard where I stuck in a few more Irises and Jonah worked on his bum-to-feet trick.

How long will his toes be chubby? Forever? Can I kiss them 1000 more times before they're gone?

The classic Emmy self portrait. She takes one every time I give her the camera.

Parting note: remember my sob story about my broken camera? How I had tried everything, but it was just dead? Lost? Gone forever?
Caleb fixed it. It works flawlessly now.

The batteries were dead.

Good bye forever,
Jayne

Officially Finally

June 20th came, bringing with it the first official day of summer. 

Oh what do you do in the summer time?

 When all the world is green?

Do you run through the sprinklers?

 And get sprayed in the face?

 And learn to be brave, not mean?
Is that what you do? So does Tess.

 "Did you just take a picture of my white legs?"
"Yes, yes I did. And you know I'm gonna blog it."

 I promise that I don't try to take pictures of Lainey with food in her mouth, they just seem to turn out that way.

I love my boy. And also his determination to be a man.

And now on to the thing (one of the things) which has kept me away so much lately:

 Potatoes.
Confession: These are all the potatoes that were never dug up last fall - they're just growing again. Did that take much of my time? No.

 Corn.
We went a little over board on the corn this year; tilling up a whole new plot for it, experimenting with different kinds, learning about heirloom vs. hybrid.
Stick around for the results, they're going to be intense.

 Kohlrabi.
What exactly do you do with kohlrabi, you ask? You're askin' the wrong gal.

 Peas, Spinach, Beets, Raddishes.
I'm showing you this particular bed because it's the only one where everything we planted is actually growing. We're super knowledgeable about gardening around here, and that is why we have such amazing crops.
I wish there was a symbol that I could put at the end of that sentence that meant 'sarcasm.'

Peaches.

These are a source of much anxiety. The leaves are finally growing, but the trees never flowered. There's a nagging thing in my soul telling me that this means they won't actually grow any fruit this year. So far I've managed to suppress it, but it's getting nearer to the surface every week. 

Pray for us. And our green things. And our sunburns. 

Happy Father's Day

I could give a nice, long, heavily emotional, adoring, and totally true epistle on the subject of Fathers and how wonderful they are...

But I think this photo says it all much better than I could.
I can completely agree with Claire when it comes to the Fathers in my life.



Happy Father's Day.

Please bless it stays warm

Hi! It's me. Here I am. Something wonderful and new and lovely has been keeping me from the computer (and the laundry) and I'll show it to you soon, but for now here's a little ketchup catch-up:

News flash: The temperature in our neck of the woods recently passed the 72 mark! That called for some water play.

We needed to go to Salt Lake anyway, so we made a stop at the water fountain at The Gateway. 

300 other people had also had the same brilliant idea, so we shared 'cuz we're nice.

Emmy was hesitant at first, but Jonah had no problem jumpin' right in.

Please disregard the little italian boy on the left, if you're sensitive to that sort of mostly-naked kinda thing.

She did eventually get in, but it was brief. She's more of a standing-water kinda gal. Surprises in any form are not her thing.

We moved on to something a little more (lot more) peaceful after that.

Have you been here? Good chance you have, lucky duck.

We wanted to take Sadie Lady to Temple Square, and the day couldn't have been nicer.

We found some steps which were bride-free and the kids did some exploring.

Jonah was very interested in the fine workmanship, Emmy was very interested in pretending she was freshly married.

Claire was interested in everything. I wouldn't say that she goes looking for danger, but she certainly has no fear. You should see her in the pool! Come to think of it, if you stick around this place, you will see her in the pool soon.

"Mom, is this how beautiful bride's smile?"

Anyone else seeing some similarities here?

And now, back to my lovely time-consuming thing. And maybe I'll take pictures:)