What we blog about....

 ....are the things that bring us joy and that we want to remember and as I was thinking about my years of blogging, (I think I'm in my 5th year) I'm realizing that it's been a good way for me to rejoice in the good things in my life....one of those being my sister. She and her friend Marie and I headed north to the cool country to take in a play. "To Kill a Mockingbird"...and it was an experience to definitely remember. It was so well done....I was mesmerized through the whole performance and it went by so quickly. If it weren't about to end, I'd put in a plug here and say it's a "must see" but I'll just have to leave it at an "I'm sorry you didn't get to see it"....maybe next time.

 I always like to blog about my tomatoe soup (one of the very few things I'm really good at)....and it's especially nice when I don't have to pay for the tomatoes. Karen brought these to me and I was able to get a whole case of soup out of the box of tomatoes. This will make for some mighty fine lunches and it's always a sign that Fall is in the air...and I do love that.

...and what's more blogworthy than a beautiful summer rain completed by a beautiful rainbow. On our way to Pine Valley, I couldn't help but try to capture this beautiful scene.

So let's all go out there and find something to blog about today. It's raining as I type this....now that is definitely blogworthy.

So, what's the big deal.....

....about A Cappellastock? It's a big deal because I make it a big deal and I have for the last 8 years. I started going to this while on my mission in 2005 and have made it a really big deal ever since and will continue to do so until T-Minus 5 decides that it's really not a big deal....anyway, it's just a whole lot of fun....that's about all I can say and an amazing night of listening to many talented people do amazing things with their voices. Just come join me next year and see for yourself....

This year featured one of my all-time favorite groups," Eclipse"...along with "Delilah" that appeared on the Sing-Off this past year and a group called "The Bobs" (didn't really like their style but they were good at what they do)...and then of course, "T-Minus Five"....always excellent.

I was able to talk Randy into coming even though he didn't know what he was coming to....when asked if he wanted to join me he said...."are there hot dogs there?".....and he did get his hot dog and a dollar taco.....the big "deal" of the day.

After a night at Little America, it was up and early to catch Music and the Spoken Word..... and Delilah was there and introduced by Lloyd Newell. A couple of the girls are LDS....what a great opportunity for their friends to hear the choir....always top-notch awesome and they really are a big deal.

Then down to the Young's where Spencer and Shana's kids have been hangin' out and it's always a big deal to get to stay there with this dream backyard.....with duck's that let you hold 'em and a mom that lets you jump out of the bedroom window onto the trampoline.

Nothin' in this life really is a big deal unless you make it into one....and it's important to choose wisely what you want to make a "big deal" out of. So here's to some of life's little pleasures (or irritations) that once in a while we choose to make into a big deal. My AC is not working.....and it is a big deal so it will be getting fixed real soon.
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Epilogue....the AC got fixed to the tune of $225 and it could be just a band-aide fix...we'll see but I'm grateful for the cool air at this moment in time and there's just one more thing that this family has apparently made into a big deal....B Dubs......and we had some Buffalo Wild Wings recently. Yum!
.......and hooray for garlic parmesan....my favorite.

Stole this off Spencer's blog HERE......

Livin' as large as possible....

...for a couple of old folks but we did get another quick camping trip in....this time the mountains. It was perfect weather...the bees thought so too. Not sure which I'd rather bother me, bees or skunks....but the bees proved to be harmless. Just a lot to learn if we're gonna do this very much. It was beautiful....we found some great camping at Gerle Creek....right by a stream getting in a little fly fishing last night...then off to see Loon Lake. Just a whole lot of awesomeness.....

...and then to top off an already perfect trip, we stopped at Placerville to check out a yarn shop that I found on line. And now,

 .........next stop......ACAPELLASTOCK!!!!!!!!
Another little guy that's livin' large these days....it's Max and he turns 2 tomorrow. What a darling little kid about to be a big brother. He spends most of his time these days keeping up with his two big brothers and does a pretty good job at it.

Happy Birthday, buddy. Have a great day. Can't wait to see you again.

Just another day.....

...but it was a good day!

Twenty-nine and holding.....

...and a great big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Lauri today. She's my original Betty Crocker and has her own cooking blog in case you didn't know and I had a picture of her that I wanted to post but I can't find it (I'll keep looking) of her and her first little kitchen that I got her when she was just two years old and now that she's 29, she's had several kitchens and here's her Lauri's Kitchen Cabinet cooking blog (clickity click HERE to go there).

She is an amazing cook, was first known for her chocolate chip cookies which you can find on her blog and now for her amazing authentic Mexican cuisine but I know her mostly for her mellowness and thoughtfulness....an amazing daughter to me, wife to James, mother to Lucy and friend to all. Enjoy your day today with your sweet family....

.....and speaking of cooking, we did a little camping and cooking these last couple of days as Randy and I headed out to the beach....to CAMP...ya, I camped and he cooked on this nifty little cooker borrowed from Ambyr and Jacob.....probably the first time I've really camped since 4-H....and I was reminded, ever again, why I don't like to camp....don't get me wrong, it was an adventure and beach camping is a whole lot different than Pine Valley or Panguitch Lake camping....we were out in the open on the east side of a dune with the ocean beyond the dune which I loved....but, it was cold....and I don't like being cold......

..... it really wasn't as cold as it looks and I was able to walk in the water and enjoy it. I do love the ocean and seeing the people and what they do. Most of them have dogs that they walk and throw tennis balls to and the dogs obediently chase them hour after hour.....

We made it through a night in the tent....which we shared for a short while with a skunk but were able to get him out before he sprayed us....(another reminder why camping isn't my favorite activity)....

After a night, we headed down Highway 1 for some sight seeing and stopped at Nick's Cove for a little Crab....Randy had the sandwich and I had the mac 'n cheese, yum.....This is an old fishing village and sits on the ocean with reminders of the 20's and 30's everywhere. Cool little place....you can rent a tiny, unique bungaloo for a cool 600 a night....we passed on that one and went on our way to......

.....Sausalito and checked out the houseboats there. People do live here and we checked out a few neighborhoods and found our favorites...and some just plain weird ones. Two girls were painting a mural on their houseboat. Some people just have too much time on their hands.....

...and this is Phil McGovern. He lives on a small fishing boat, pays no rent, just anchors his boat and comes to shore periodically to charge his battery and go through the dumpsters. Cool guy and very willing to talk to us about life on the water. It's been an adventurous couple of days...to say the least and I really enjoyed every minute of it...most every minute of it. I will go camping again....just hope for a warmer day.

She ain't heavy....

 ...she's my daughter.... and as I see these pictures on Spencer's blog, my heart is full as I think about the circumstances last week. Laynee broke her leg early in the hike....Spencer hadn't joined them yet but was able to hike up later and assist in carrying her out.

My family has found great joy in hiking the Subway in Zion National Park for many years. It was never my choice to join them but I would always breath a sigh of relief when they would return with their tales to tell. It's a difficult hike but they've done it so much that I'm sure they are baffled that I worry...but it's just one of those things that mothers do, at least this mother. I know they have had a lot of "close calls" that they have never told me about. So, when I heard they were taking my four oldest grand children, once again I thought about it but that was all...maybe I offered a small prayer but I distinctly remember asking one of them to call me when they returned so that I would know all was well. I didn't hear at all that day but texted Laynee and she told me she had been hurt and had to be carried out.

The more I think about it after seeing these pictures, I get a tear in my eye, not because Laynee was hurt...she's fine, but because my boys were so willing to carry her out the 6 or so miles of rough terrain. Like they said, though...what else could we do? They are so strong in so many ways. Maybe it's the marathon training that they have had that helps them to know they can do hard things...I know they have the physical strength but it's the mental strength that makes this mom proud. They have all done hard things...and succeeded and will be asked to do many more hard things. I'm sure it was just as hard for Laynee to be carried as it was for them to carry. This was a "bonding" experience for my boys and their kids. They will never forget this experience...and Laynee will be forever grateful for her dad and willing uncles that did this for her.

I'm so grateful that my boys have grown up knowing and loving the beauty of Southern Utah and that they want to share it with their kids. I'm grateful that they want to do it together. I always said that the best way to raise sons is with your eyes closed. I think I'm still doing that today. It really could have been worse....we are so very blessed.

Many lessons to be learned here...maybe the greatest was learned by Laynee....we must let others help us sometimes. Why is that so hard?...................
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Speaking of Southern Utah.....and those that appreciate it, this is Jon B. Fish and his wife Shauna. Jon B. and his family lived in St. George when we were all so very young.....over there on Flood Street across from the hospital...and I remember the family well. His father was killed in a terrible  accident leaving his mom with 6 little kids to raise. They were an extremely talented family and good to the core....I remember the tragedy well. The Fish family and Randy's family lived in the same stake for many years and once I discovered they knew each other, I've been anxious to meet them and talk.

We did just that yesterday for about 2 1/2 hours and had such a good time getting re-acquainted and talking of the good times in St. George. These are good people that do a lot of good here in this Sacramento area. So much to learn from them and their willingness to serve.

Something sparked a memory....

.....of when we were kids and used to answer the phone in weird ways like...."hello, Sullivan's summer home, sum er here and sum er not".....or we'd call someone randomly and ask if their refrigerator was running and then tell them to go catch it....oh, we thought we were clever but back to the summer home thing.....my summer home has been filled with lots of good fresh food lately....not due to my green thumb or anything....but like a wise person once told our kids...."if you want a boat (or a pool) go find a friend that has one"....well, I've lived that philosophy with my garden....and we found a friend that has one and he dropped these wonderful veggies off yesterday and I made this delicious casserole with the veggies...(just boil up the veggies a bit, add Stovetop Stuffing and Cream of Chicken soup then bake).....then topped off the meal with this luscious fruit pie (click HERE for the recipe from Lauri's blog).....makes for a great summer meal....

....and, speaking of good things, I found a yarn shop the other day and it was a pure delight to spend a couple of hours there browsing and knitting and getting help with my project (will post later when it's finished).

Keep finding the good things to fill your summer....good luck to all my kiddies getting ready for their first day of school.

Always a fun time....and always good to get back to a schedule.

This is what Laynee gets to wear to school on her first day...you go girl. You always were a "trend setter". Click HERE to read more about it on Spencer's blog.

I have great admiration....

....for people that work hard because I don't, but I also have great admiration for people that schedule in some R & R with their hard work. Randy works very hard and our rest and relaxation this past couple of days has been Lake Tahoe......

.....where we chose to visit some mansions of the rich and famous of days gone by.

We talked a bit about our fascination with how the rich spend their money and these two beautiful places were just exactly what I would have purchased had I had their millions back then. First, the Vikingsholm Mansion, which was a mile hike down to the lake......read about it HERE. Most amazing.

I first saw this when we rode the Dixie Queen a few months ago (this is the view from the front of the mansion) and really wanted to go inside. It was only a mile down...but that meant a mile back as well. .....gained a greater appreciation for the "mile"....but we made it and it was really worth it. Money well spent, I would say.

The next one was the Ehrman Mansion....read about that one HERE. It was built in the early 1900's and was enjoyed by family and friends as they were invited to the property and treated with the highest degree of elegance from amazing beachfront amenities to formal dining every night at 7:30....(complete with a washed and gased car upon departure.)....and speaking of cars......

.....we stumbled onto "Hot August Nights"....read more about that HERE. We enjoyed wandering and admiring the restored vehicles and taking advantage of the craft fair and entertainment.

I especially enjoyed Sharon and the Chevelles....read about them  HERE . I could have listened to them all day...my kind of band. I enjoyed wandering the shops and meeting people, finding out where they are from....etc. etc....just doing the touristy stuff. Loved the beach, the pools and we found some "wings to die for" at Goodfellas Pizza...had them both nights. It was a great time.....now I'm resting from the R & R. So....there you have it. Work is necessary but so is play. It's always fun to take advantage of the beauty that is close by....it doesn't have to be extravagant....just a drive to Pine Valley, Zion, and now, for me,  Lake Tahoe. For the beauty of the earth I am grateful this day.

A shout out today....

......to Evan 'cause it's his birthday and I'm sure he's celebrating in fine fashion 'cause the kid has passion for whatever he does and what a jokster....either playing practical jokes or telling a joke and making sure that you get it like..."why did the scissors cross the road?"...."they wanted to take a "short cut"....get it, grandma, short-cut, scissors".....what a cute kid and it's going to be fun to see him continue to grow and be a "cut up" like his namesake...my dad who was always telling a joke or trying to make us laugh.

It's always good to have an "Evan" around to be the life of the party. Happy Birthday, big guy. I really miss you and hope you have a great day.

(View from our patio).....I feel like every day is a celebration around here with our festive lanterns. They are solar powered and light up each night.......I got this good shot and just wanted to share. I hope we can all find something about each day to celebrate.......

Sometimes it's the simple things...

....that bring a smile to your face and make you realize it doesn't really take much to make your day. Well, my ice maker lately has been making me smile as it's the first time in my life I could just reach into the freezer and grab a bunch of ice and put it in a cup....I know, it's not like having it right in the door of your refrigerator like most of you have but for me, it's the luxury of luxuries as it's what I've always wanted....but could never have because 30 years ago we didn't plumb for it...or that was the story I've been given all my life so in the beginning, I just used ice trays....lately, I've been driving to Sonic to get a bag of their "poop ice" which I do love but for right now, it's here, in abundance and I'm grateful and lovin' it......

....and apartment life is a simple thing as well, actually, it's simply great. When the ice maker doesn't work, I just call the maintenance man and he's right on it (it wasn't actually the ice maker but the refrigerator and actually he wasn't right on it, a few days later but he was on it and we didn't have to do it).

....and speaking of apartment life, Randy created me the patio (or porch)  to die for while I was gone complete with solar ceiling lantern lighting and surrounding rope lights, Adirondack chairs, three exotic flowering plants, blue carpet and a banana plant.....and it's sprouting a new leaf. So many firsts in my life....my first automatic ice maker and my first plant that is actually flourishing....am I lucky or what!!!!!!

And to top it all off, we had our "first" company over for dinner tonight....Ambyr, Jacob, Spencer and Tiare just got back from Tahiti so we treated them to none other than Hawaiian Haystacks straight from Lauri's Kitchen Cabinet blog (Click  HERE)....her picture is better than mine. Also, Grape Salad  (Click HERE). Ambyr and Jacob brought over some official Tahitian Fish Salad which was really good......raw fish and all. It certainly was a festive evening.....and "simply" delightful.

As time passes....

...each year becomes a series of milestones or anniversaries, hopefully filled with good ones and in this family, we have lots to celebrate. On this day, we celebrate the life of a good man, the patriarch of this family. Eleven years ago on this day, it was even a Sunday at 2:00 p.m. that he left this world and we continue to miss him in our daily lives. We would vacation this week each year as he would take the 24th of July off work and take the family somewhere, be it Disneyland, a cruise, or to Pine Valley....

This particular vacation is where Mason and Mandy got engaged and we rented two large vans to transport us, communicating with walkie-talkies (amazing, it doesn't seem that long ago, where were our cell phones?)...but we had a wonderful time. This was our last, real family vacation with him as the next year was spent in and out of the hospital, once again though, bringing the family together during this week.

I've spent the last two days with my girls....and we celebrated his life by having lunch at Little America, another favorite family vacation spot. This was his "home away from home" as he had to travel north so much through the years for doctor appointments and each Christmas we would take the family north to see Temple Square and do Christmas shopping. Lots of good memories at this place.

It was a treat to be at the parade in Bountiful and experience the Stripling Warriors entry. I can't even describe the feeling that came over me when I first saw them marching down the street....at a  parade, the feeling is normally a racous applause but for this entry, I felt humbled and in awe as I saw the 2060 young men coming toward me.....so glad Scotty got to see it from the front row. I asked him how he liked it and he said..."I loved it"....his mom and dad have been preparing him for this experience. Click this link to learn more about how this came about. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865556198/Two-thousand-stripling-warriors-to-march-in-Bountiful-parade.html?pg=all.... it was pretty awesome.

Thanks, John and Diana for saving us a place. I loved just being there. I love parade atmospheres and being with family and friends. Diana provided us all with wonderful popsicles from Pace's Dairy. It was a fun evening....topped off with some fireworks.
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It was a treat to go and watch Scott get his yellow belt....

....reminding me of just a few years earlier when Spencer made that giant milestone....that's as far as he went so we'll see if Scott can progress a little further in the martial arts. He's really pretty good at it and I got to see him break a board. It's been a fun week-end; we packed a lot in. Loved being with my girls and their families.

It's good to be humbled....

...and that's what I've been the last couple of nights as we have watched the mini-series on John Adams. It's so amazing to realize (and see it come to life on screen) God's hand in the creation of this country and the obstacles they had to overcome for our freedom today. I don't know where I was in George Feller or Heber Jones' history classes but it's like I'm learning it all over again and Randy has to push pause to fill me in every other 5 minutes but it has been amazing. This is the time of year that we celebrate our independence and it has been a good reminder to me of how blessed we really are......

....and speaking of America, what's more American than ice cream? Coldstone Creamery has taken on a "retro" theme of offering some of the old American ice cream favorites like plain, old hot fudge sundaes, strawberry sundaes and rootbeer floats. On our date night, we went there to partake.....the manager came out and saw that we were ordering "retro" and asked us to be in a promotional video....we gave him our contact info and I got the call yesterday.

I put on the "big hair" for the night and tried to look as "retro" as possible. I'm not really sure what they are going to do with the piece but it was fun, we made some new friends, got a tour of behind the scenes at Coldstone and got a free ice cream out of it so it was a successful evening....so if you hear me complain about the weight I'm putting back on, just chalk it up to "happy pounds".....

Happy Birthday, America. 

It's a rush....

...certainly a rush of emotions, feelings, memories as we all watch what is happening to my dad's farmland and as I think back through the years there certainly is a "rush", almost a "drowning" of emotion, especially when I remember scenes like this....my mom and dad in their "golden" years, contemplating their future together, his life of work and sacrifice, his "retirement". I'm sure that's not what they are talking about here but my dad was a contented man....had a beautiful wife, took great satisfaction in his crop of hay to feed his cattle all lined up in a row....nothing made him happier....

This was his "office"....a couple of old discarded chairs put to the shade side of the shed, right by the flowing canal (he loved the ambience of the rushing water) and there would usually be a cold Pepsi in his hand....but today, Mom came to visit and he loved it when someone would come join him in his office......

This is what it looked like a few weeks ago as the property has been sold and the developers have moved in. Sometimes I wish things didn't have to change......

...but someone once said..."some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge." (Eckhart Talle)....

....and something new is certainly emerging and I have to admit, it's exciting to watch. It's been sad to watch the land be ravaged and trespassed by strangers who had no clue to the hard work and sacrifice that went in to farming the land, to make a living and many a stranger used it for backdrops for expensive photo shoots with no questions asked.....I have to admit, a tinge of frustration as I see it freely used and I want to yell at the top of my lungs..."do you even know what history is there behind your smiling faces"....they don't but I will take a bit of pleasure in knowing it was enjoyed by so many.

My heart is full as I write this post with my dad as alive as ever in my mind, milking the cows, taking the milk to this "milk house", separating out the cream then bringing it home for us to share with our neighbors or sell as we did to many happy recipients. My dad got up at the crack of dawn to go out and feed and milk the cows, came home for lunch, took a nap, headed back in the mid-afternoon, back home in the evening then oftimes back in the wee hours of the morning to turn the water. I would be awake some mornings and yearn for his return, always fearful that something dreadful would happen to him as he would go out in the dark alone but he always came home. It was just what he did.... and he loved it. He had the chance to do other things but chose to keep and farm the family land as others went off to other ventures. It was a place that was "his" and he took great pride in it. As kids, we loved the hot afternoons that mom would take his lunch to him and we would all sit in the shade of the shed and have our tuna sandwiches and Pepsi....he loved the visits, I just knew it and we had our own swimming pool in the canal....a memory I loved sharing with my kids as they grew. I didn't love riding the horse...I got thrown once and was scared ever since but my kids loved it and my dad loved giving each grand kid a turn and then as they grew older, they could do it themselves. We all loved our dumper rides, feeding the cows and playing on the bales of hay. When he had chickens, we'd let the kids chase and catch them and gather the eggs....they all loved naming the cows but of course, were saddened when theirs was the hamburger in the freezer.

...but something new is emerging....a new neighborhood like the one where we were blessed to raise our kids. It won't be Morningside Park but it will be new and young and built on sacred ground.....I hope those who have homes there will feel the spirit of Hal Sullivan, beloved dad of mine, lover of the land and keeper of the crop....I pray they will raise a crop of children equal to his name and let his legacy live on in Little Valley....I love you dad and miss you terribly. So grateful for the full life you and mom gave me and the memories I have of  "the farm"........