Squirt the Shirt by William

Something fun I did in Michigan was visit my Uncle Dave's Creative Arts Studio.  The day I visited they were having a street fair and there was an activity called "squirt the shirt".

There are five squirt guns and each one squirts a different color paint.  You hang your shirt up and just squirt it until it's all messy and colorful.  It felt like shooting at some sort of target like the ones at Cabellas.  This was a messy and exciting activity.  The shirt that I squirted smelled like paint but soon I got use to it.  It's fun wearing my new shirt but sometimes it feels like I'm wearing a dirty shirt.  Still I like it.

Inside the studio I painted a submarine plus a red race car.  James painted a purple wizard and a yellow fish (it was more maize than yellow).   It is a really fun place to go with Nanny and Poppy.    

Back from the Best Adventure by James

The boredom was overwhelming, packing up boxes, labeling, and taping them up.  It was work, work, work until our Nanny and Poppy rescued us.  We packed up our backpacks and headed off on our second annual trip on the California Zephyr.  We rode the train from Grand Junction, CO to Chicago, IL.  On the train we passed the time looking out the window and talking to Nanny and Poppy.  The most memorable moment was when we crossed the Mississippi river, it took about 75 seconds to cross.  

In Chicago we switched trains onto the Wolverine then arrived back to Nanny and Poppy's house where more fun awaited.

My mom said we could only go if we promised to write in our journal everyday.  I'm glad I did because now I can remember it for years and maybe even read it my own children and grandchildren someday.  Here are some quotes from my journal:

June 4th

"We stopped in Fruita, CO to go to a dinosaur journey museum but it was closed.  Then an employee said, 'you can visit for 30 minutes, admission free'. "

June 5th

"I had a tour of Great Uncle Larry's property.  I saw his garden, fish pond, and green house....I wish I had my camera with me then"

June 6th

"We boarded the California Zephyr.  It is the second longest Amtrak train only beaten by the Texas Eagle.  It was so scenic until we got to Denver.  We passed through a 10 minute long tunnel."

June 7th

"We crossed the Missouri river in the morning.  We loved seeing all the farms.  I spotted 3 water towers and one lightning bolt.  We then crossed the Mississippi river."

By June 8th we were already at Nanny and Poppy's house and there is too much to write about.  I hope this post will show people how fun it is to spend time with your grandparents.  I hope to take my own grandchildren on a train trip someday because riding the train was way more fun then taking the airplane back to UT.

Good Neighbors

There is a tradition here in Utah that when new neighbors move in you leave them all sorts of treats and goodies on their doorstep.  Pictured above is the entry way to our new home in my parents basement, I suppose it is our doorstep as well.

My mom heard we were home and called down to us announcing that my Dad had made us a loaf of sourdough bread. She then bounced it down the stairs until it landed right there on the second to last step. Those who know my mom will know how funny this is. This was not the first nor will this be the last of things that will be bounced down the steps in our direction.

Paul was cracking up when he came home, I left it there for him to see.

The other funny thing about this is no one makes better sourdough than my dad. I don't know how many years he has been nurturing his start but he's got a good strand going. Paul requested that I master it while we are here. But I say if my dad can bake then Paul could also. I may suggest a weekly man's baking night so my dad can pass on all his great kitchen skills.

This is sure to be a memorable summer with my parents.

Most Painful Move

It was painful but we survived.  Perhaps our moving muscles are just so out of shape because we have lived here longer than anywhere else.  It's been almost four years and in that time we have  doubled both in children and stuff.

Also complicating the situation point B is still to be determined. Right now our stuff is comfortably waiting in a storage unit while we are comfortably squeezing into my parent's basement apartment.  We decided after all the headache of trying to sell our home for so long it might be wise to "hold our cards" awhile, especially considering the dropping real estate values in MI. It will be fun and simple living down here with lots of time for outings, field trips, and hanging out with Oma and Opa.

I think the lowest point of moving week was the day the stomach flu hit. My mom was the hero that day and packed up what remained in the house. She came back and immediately helped clean up after all the sick children. All the while I was unmoved from the couch with my own bucket.

Paul's parents were also heroic in their timely visit. All week the kids were fed, cared for and entertained allowing me to focus fully on sorting, packing and boxing. The kids were having so much fun that I was able to pack up their surroundings without much protest.

But the biggest hero of them all was Paul. I can't remember seeing him work so hard. He just strapped on a back support belt and ungrudgingly carried away load after load. He suggested visualizing this move in units of labor and when all is settled in at point B there would be a total of 1,000 units of labor expended. Right now I suppose we are at about 400 units of labor, most of which was accomplished by Paul. I feel guilty because I know all that canning I did added to the labor. But Paul was uncomplaining and has instead been fantasizing and maybe only half joking about a career in manual labor.

But before all the work began and even before our house was under contract we had planned a road trip to CA.  As we loaded into the car Paul handed me a print out of President Monson's talk Finding Joy in the Journey.  I kind of chuckled at it since we were already 3 hours off from our estimated departure time and the kids were clambering for snacks even before we backed out of the drive way.  We determined the trip would be fun, we would find joy in the journey, even the hours of driving to our destination.  Before we reached our destination however, we received the fateful call from our realtor with news of an offer on our home.  

As we continued our driving journey we discussed the broader journey that awaited us.  I would be lying if I didn't add those miles were filled with tears, excitement and frustration.  Paul once again advised me to read the talk and I have continued to read it several times as I have struggled with the transition and uncertainty that awaits us.  But I have now determined to let go of the control freak inside of me and instead enjoy each day during this transition.  And as long as the stomach flu does not hit again I will from now on call it our great adventure.     

Garage Sale Report by James

 

Our garage sale was a big hit

 With barbie houses and building  kits

During the sale I sold some snacks

But some people thought the snacks were just quacks

 

We got a lot of profits from the sale

But we didn't sell food like Indian Kale

I liked the garage sale a lot 

And the weather was really hot

 

(Our garage sale was only a minor hit but everything else in the poem is true).

This garage sale was junky but cheap.  According to me it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.  I had a snack stand with gummy bears, chocolate milk, Austin variety packs, water, and Capri suns.   I made $17.64 (really I made $18.14 but took two quarters to complete my state quarters collection and shared the rest), mommy made a lot, and Peter made $2.25 .  

A lot of people came to our garage sale, my estimate would be 75 people were here.  

Stuff

I am experiencing a great aversion to stuff.  This is my garage pre-moving sale and there are even more piles inside.

My good friend and neighbor came over and helped me pack up my kitchen today.  She is Bulgarian and was able to share practical sense with me as I dusted out the cupboards deciding what would be wrapped and packed and what should be set aside for the moving sale.  She described the simple living arrangements in which she was raised and how it enabled her to focus on hard work and education.  

This was enough to give me the courage to let go of the fancy serving dishes I use only a couple times a year and even all the trinkets I picked up in China several years ago.  As I saw them sitting in the open box awaiting their unknown destiny I asked myself, "did they really enhance my life"? The answer was a definite "NO"!   

When one sister saw how much stuff we were unloading she asked if both Paul and I were experiencing a mid-life crisis.  Another one commented, "you're just cracking early".  I will argue it is just the opposite, we are wising up early.  But I'm not all the way there yet because I still plan on dragging 5 plastic bins of fabric and 10+ boxes of books across the country with us. 

Memorial Day

We joined our family brigade to visit the graves of our ancestors at the Salt Lake Cemetery.

Peter later commented to me, "Mom, graveyards are nice places to visit but it would be too sad to live there.  But if you did live there they could write on your tomb you lived there until you died".  

      

The girls traced their fingers along the letters and straightened all the flowers.

James sweetly asked if he could be buried next to his brothers because they never want to be separated.

I left with pleasant memories of my grandparents running through my head and grateful for the legacy and example of ancestors I've never met.  This was a great family activity.