we sing with one accord

This weekend at our family reunion we were doing some reflecting.

Normally for the Herd reunion we go camping in the semi-wilderness, with no shade, no grass, and no indoor plumbing. I was brought up this way, and have used many a fallen log as a makeshift toilet, and many a leaf of mullein or lamb's ear as toilet paper. We used to sleep in tents, even. Paleolithic! But nowadays everybody has trailers (except us, because: poor) and portable stoves, so it's really not even camping. We have become so coddled, in fact, that we complain about the amount of dirt at our usual reunions. But you have to understand: the dirt in question is that fine, soft, silty stuff that gets everywhere, and with which you become one on a molecular level.

So this year, when we got to spread out all over my aunt Lorraine's acre of backyard grass, was a marked improvement. I want to always have our reunions there. Everyone else agreed, except maybe my grandpa, who is embarrassed by how soft we are. We talked about how important it is to us to have nearby running water, and plumbing, and shade and grass. We are used to these things, and we don't care to go without them, even whilst camping.

This is the fault of the pioneers. If they hadn't sacrificed, and worked themselves raw trying to create a better world for their children, often dying in the effort, we'd be sweating and struggling in primitive conditions, and we'd probably be better people for it.

I just feel disappointed that they robbed me of my chance to be a good person.

the drum beats on two notes and only on two notes

I was going to post photos of our Yellowstone trip, and maybe someday I will. But that day is not today. My remorse is minimal.

We have done a lot of stuff so far this summer. I can't even remember it all right now, but there was a family reunion in there, which was fun. We've gone swimming to Cherry Hill and Seven Peaks. We completed our first session of swimming lessons. Everyone did well, even Grant with his curly, infection-prone Eustachian tubes. Those little rubbery earplugs that look like tiny Christmas trees were the ticket.

Willa might be our best child. She is surprisingly helpful, and often really obedient. I don't know what's going on there.

Ike knows how to ride a bike, which he often does barefoot or wearing irrigating boots.

Emmett is a champion hair grower, and likes to ride his bike with Ike. He wears irrigating boots, too.

Grant has taken over his piano instruction and is progressing rapidly.

I have been amazing at taking care of our goats and weeding the garden with the kids. It's a watershed year.

John's heart may or may not be exploding. He's downplaying it. Other than that he's doing a lot of singing and letting me talk him into running for city council.

And that's all the muck that's fit to rake for right now.

suddenly the wheels are in motion

Yesterday I gave the boys haircuts. When I started cutting Ike's hair he asked me not to buzz it, and I said "I'm just going to give you the same haircut as Dad." He said, "Okay, but don't do the hole in it (pointing to the top of his head). Don't do the hole right here that Dad has."

ojos, orejas, boca y nariz

Well, Travis Sorenson Day was a blessed event. It was probably the best one we've ever had, because the weather was perfection. Plus! We had a Travis Sorenson Day miracle! Because Travis himself attended! It was very fun. I made ribs, and I'll say it out loud: they were really good. I hope next year can live up to it.

We visited some graves over the weekend, too. Uncle Alt and Auntie Lois, my dad's grandparents, and Phil. It was nice to reminisce about them. Uncle Alt was a horse trader, and once he had a palomino horse that my parents were going to buy for me, but they chickened out. I think it was for the best, otherwise I'd probably have ended up a hair farmer.

Today we watched Emmett's music program and Ike's graduation (by the way, kindergarten graduation is a dumb invention). Emmett was very insistent that I come to the program, but I don't know why. He just sat up there stone-faced, mumbling the words and refusing to do the actions "because they are ridiculous." Ike did his actions with military precision, and really rubbed it in Emmett's face, but Emmett is immune to mocking and peer pressure. The more you explain that he is wrong the stupider he thinks you are. I think that tenacity and bullheadedness will serve him well in life.

All of the kids got stellar marks in school and I'm so proud of them I could bust. This has been head, shoulders, knees and toes above any other school year. I don't think I've cried in frustrated despair at all!

travis sorenson day 2011

Travis Sorenson Day is this Saturday! It's one of my favorite holidays. Everybody come!

The chickens broke open a bale of straw and spread it all over our patio, so we're thinking we might do a hoedown kind of thing, with barbecueish food. Brisket? Or ribs? Not sure yet. But I fully intend to make those orange drop doughnuts from year before last, because they are goo-ood.

There will be Chicken Poop Dodging, Egg Gathering, Bee Observing, Goat Wrangling, Cat Finding, and (weather permitting) Outdoor Watery Diversions.

So, to sum up:

Travis Sorenson Day

Saturday, May 28th, 3:00 PM

meat and doughnuts provided

entertainment

indoor toilets

bring a side dish or dessert and join us in the fun

TRAVIS WOULD WANT IT THAT WAY

RSVP with the number in your party so we know how much meat to buy

eveybody's gonna stamp their feet, everybody's gonna feel the beat

Last weekend we went to Lehi to sing at a farewell for one of John's former scouts. Normally that sort of thing--bringing in outside talent, if you will--is frowned upon, but we were going to the farewell anyway, and since our friend Jenny is the ward music chairhuman she thought it would be cool if John and I and she and Richard sang an awesome arrangement of "If You Could Hie to Kolob" that I had shown her when they were up here for Easter. So we took advantage of Sandi and Kerry's hospitality and slept over the night before. It was a great visit, and I think we exhausted everyone. John walked all ten children--everybody but Kate--to church on Sunday, so they all smelled like puppies for church.

I can't speak objectively to the goodness or badness of the musical number, since I was part of it, but it certainly felt good. It's one of those wacky Mormon hymns that would have men of science throwing up their hands and exclaiming in dismay, "Creationists! They're impossible!" But it's a rad song and it was so nice to sing with Richard and Jenny again. Here's a secret, promise not to tell: for fun on Saturday night we were singing through "I See the Light" from Tangled--yes, the Disney cartoon--and I cried just a little bit. You guys, what can I say? I am a mess. I just really like singing with them. It's like we have a mindmeld.

Plus the ward is wonderful, and we have so many happy memories of living there. Such a great little place, Lehi. They have animal rights, and maybe they wouldn't put a factory by my house. I don't know. I'd move there tomorrow if it didn't mean we had to leave our families. But I've grown accustomed to being close to John's parents and my parents and our brothers and sisters, and having my mom be able to do our animal chores when we're out of town. It would be a wrench to leave that all behind.

a person bright and lovely is my mother dear

Emmett is home sick with croup today. Croup always sounds so impressive, it makes me feel better about keeping him home. Usually when you keep a child home from school they're at death's door until the bus leaves and fine the rest of the day. But Emmett is still barking like a sea lion, so good for him. He was able to blow out all of his candles in one breath yesterday, so it turns out being a constant talking windbag has a somewhat practical application. I'm just glad that he's able to communicate with those of us who are on a lower intellectual plane than he is. I think he might be able to bend bars with his mind.

The kids really outdid themselves for Mother's Day. Grant brought me breakfast in bed, which I dont' think I've ever had, and he did a fantastic job on the eggs. They were done perfectly and I was proud to know him. Emmett gave me a photo album and a recipe card holder which I used yesterday when I made his birthday cake. Ike made me a lot of cards with drawings of hearts on them. Willa came up on the stand and made me hold her while I was singing with the choir.

John bought me a new phone, since mine is possessed. I have loved it, but it has a mind of its own and I think it plots my destruction.