the cabin

We spent our growing up summers (and Thanksgivings...and occasional Easters...and sometimes inbetweens) at my grandparents' cabin.  Grandpa and his brother built it 50ish years ago.  On their own.  When my mother was a small girl.  So, obviously this place owns a decent chunk of all of our hearts and favorite memories.

Years ago my grandparents sold their portion of the cabin and they now summer in Pinetop.  Which is lovely.  But part of our hearts still belong to the cabin near Ellison Creek.  So when my mom called and said she spoke to her cousin about us staying there for a week, I was elated.  This is a place I wanted my children to experience. 

And they did.  For a week they ran around the same forests, creeks and lakes we used to frequent.  With many cousins.  For a week my sisters, mom & I played hours of card games.  For a week I took many pictures of dirty faces.  And I'm having a whole mess of trouble deciding which to post.  Because I truly love all of these little people.  So this picture overload is mostly for them and their mothers.  In memory of a week I thoroughly enjoyed (despite my crying breakdown after seeing two mice on night #1). 

the whole cousins crew (16 strong!) on the front porch (minus a hiding Noah, that is).

Aidan with Crew (who told him, "I always want to be on your team, Aidan").

Baylee the queen of the swing

Andee, 14 and a very good sport with this slew of littles.

London, completely unthrilled to be getting the camping hair-do.  I remember well the days in that painful seat.

Caleb in the car, where we bonded.   

Talin, Davyn, Collin 

the kitchen view of the outside diners.

the bedroom view of the outside play.

at Woods Canyon Lake

Crew

planning adventures with Andee

actual Adventuring with Andee

Reagan loved everything about being out & about free roaming.

Ryder

the day I cured Sav's foul mood with mascara & lip gloss. 

my A taking a rest

Talin definitely had the most impressive beading skills of the bunch.

I love A's chubby hands at work.

Madee.

Baylee

beading was a serious stress to the Scott boys.

There was also rock painting.  This was Andee's.

Collin

Davyn (whose mother made him paint shirtless).

I didn't get the finished project, but Grandma Cyndee wowed us all with her true artistic skills.

the "adventure packs" Cyn & I sewed up.  They all carried around pen & notebook & collected along the way.

Megan & Caleb at Tonto Creek.

D & Savs at creek.

London (a genuine germaphobe) took her time getting in.

her little sister had no such trepidation.

feeding fish

Crew at fish hatchery

Davyn at fish hatchery.

Caleb in his eternal quest for freedom.

(most of) all the cousins at Woods Canyon Lake.

where they all ended up nude.

I couldn't resist vintaging this curly girly.  Her forest elation was a Joy.

Wyatt's birthday.  Yes, we let them eat cupcakes with filthy faces.

Crew pushing A.

Wyatt at Woods Canyon

This is my favorite picture.  We left first.  And when Aidan said good-bye, this spontaneous hug-fest ensued.

Call me crazy, but I love planning activities for all of these littles.  Their enthusiasm for learning about animals and the world entire is a joy. We definitely need to start planning regular all-family reunions!

the summer of Davyn's swimming

He finally came into his own in the pool this year. 

Realizing his body is much stronger than he had previously supposed.

It took off on its own really.

Despite his own internal Timid.

And now, there's simply no holding back...

I so love these two. 

a new tradition

We're only two months into this *new tradition*, but I can already tell that it's a keeper so I thought I'd share.  The first Monday of every month is now our PIE night (on lazy nights like this Monday that can translate into a quick pudding parfait, of course..no one complains about homemade when you pretty it up.  May was a true strawberry pie...click here for a phenomenal recipe). 

It's not really about the dessert anyhow, though that's definitely part of the lure.  The idea was actually born with the worship of Jody Gonzalez in my first married ward.  She was my visiting teacher for years and I learned so much about the type of mother I wanted to be from this woman. 

This was something her family did.  The PIE stands for Priesthood Interview Evening. 

On this night, our Family Home Evening starts with the typical prayer, song, and family business, but then the boys and I each take a turn having an interview with Jim.  During Aidan's turn, I play with or read to Davyn.  And I likewise spend time with A during D's turn.  During my turn, they start in on their PIE.

My time with Jim has been invaluable. We talk together about the boys, about what we both need to do to make our home a better place for their raising.

As for the boys...I have been very moved lately, looking at them and thinking about the inevitable "growing up" that's already happening faster than I can even register.  These two are future priesthood holders and I want them to be prepared and armed against the world with an understanding of how significant their priesthood offices will be.  Of course, their testimonies grow with their Sunday classes and weekly FHE.  But this alone time, talking with Dad about where they're at, who they are, and what they'd like to work on...well, it has already affected the spirit of our home.   It's a tradition I want my children to grow up with as a constant.  I want them to remember monthly moments with their dad.

And I want to make a pretty dessert once a month.  At least.  Won't they remember me for that?

regrets & Remembering

I don't have many regrets in life, but there are a definite few.

Like the time I was coerced into asking an ASU boy to my senior year Christmas formal.  The Regret:  In my ultimate discomfort of awkward angst, I treated the poor guy as less than human for the entire evening.

Or the time I wore a dress.  And walked over an air vent that revealed my legs and unimagineables to everyone who happened to be in between classes on that fine day in front of BYU's Kimball Tower.

Or the time I saw a whole herd (seriously, what's the official term here?) of Harley's picnicking at a park in Prescott, Arizona.  I hardly remember why I was there, but I do remember having an extraordinary urge to walk into their midst and see if anyone would give me a quick ride.  And I nearly acted on the inclination.  Shouldn't riding on the back of a Harley be on any good bucket list? 

Well, that regret was resurrected to my mind on our weekend trip when I saw this.  I was hoping to come in for a close-up, but the traffic stars did not align.  But, seriously.  The man had horns on his bike helmet. 

And I definitely thought...If I were a biker chic, I just might want horns, too.  Wouldn't you?!

Every Memorial Day weekend the Scotts head to Luna to visit and clean graves at the little cemetery on the hill.  It is where Jim's brother Jayson is buried.  And I really can't think of a more lovely and peaceful resting spot. 

Aidan raked.  Aggressively.  Until T stepped in with a gentler hand.

Davyn trailed the grandmas and Tasha, placing new flowers around headstones.

 

...and hopped on a horse for the first time ever.  Seeing the lack of saddle and gear, I think he was a little nervous.  When Michael asked if he wanted to get on, D's wary query was, "is it Wild?".  Indeed it was not.  But he was still anxious to get back off.  Aidan, on the other hand, wanted to ride down the road.  I can't imagine feeling secure hopping on a horse bareback style.

My biggest regret of the weekend was asthma.  And the current state of my organizational skills. In the helter skelter scurry of getting packed up for our weekend in Luna, I forgot my breathing machine and inhaler. So our trip had to be cut short when lungs got tight and breathing became labored on Sunday afternoon. Staying with the chance of a full-on attack simply wasn't worth the risk to me.

My poor little guys were heartbroken. Aidan sobbed when Jim started packing up a day early. "I...I...I just want to stay in Luna....forever." In our own beds on Monday morning. D asked me where he was going to grow up. "Um...here, with me, in Queen Creek," was my uncertain reply.  To which he said, "Oh. I just wish I could grow up in Luna."  I love that they love our yearly trips, their grandmparents, their cousins, the forest.  These are days they will always Remember..ones that will forever be curtained in the shimmery magic of childhood as they look back over the years.   

my oh my.

Jim is flat-out scared.  I'm simply stunned...and disbelieving.  Why? you might well ask.  Last Tuesday's doctor's visit and ultrasound revealed that this child in my womb is indeed and without doubt a girl. 

Can YOU believe it?!

Will she mesh with this?!