Afterthoughts

Three weeks. How do you sum out your thoughts on a spectacular visit back to the mainland? Living the military life is an amazing adventure but the downside is being far away from my family and friends...those who gave me the wings to fly and now stand back and watch me soar...and crash. It was the chance to spend time with family on the mainland that got me pumped up enough to step onboard and endure a seven hour plane ride even though I know that HS is an easy travel companion...it was the thought of LD wailing in my ear that scared the hell out of me. I survived and could still hear out of at least one of my ears. As I wrote in my inital arrival back to the mainland, seeing my sister crying as we walked towards her solidified my reasons for believing that it was important to see them.

It has been many years since I was last in Colorado. Growing up without a steadfast state to call home, Colorado has always been a fitting choice since it is the one place that I remember always visiting and having a blast in with my grandpa. Flying back and seeing the Rocky Mountains as we made our descent into Denver brought tears to my eyes. I love this state and the region around it. My roots may have been uprooted more times than I care to count, but it is obvious after spending time once more in the west that I am and will forever shall be a western woman.

My desire to head back to the west was also fueled by my need to see dear Aunt M and the farm. I always feel refueled and energized after spending time with my family there. The people there are some of the most dedicated, hard-working, and wonderful people I know. I love them dearly and thank each of them for providing the same sense of love that I remember growing up to HS and LD.

Splash!

Today we had a blast with friends in the backyard. The morning was filled with giggles, shouts, and making the ground saturated until mud puddles formed. We stopped just in time for a nice lunch before our friends had to leave.

All the fun of today brought back instant memories of sprinkler days...those from my own childhood stash of memories and of course, who could forget those of a spirited little boy at LD's age running into the sprinkler full throttle with only a diaper on in Monterey? I have a feeling this beach ball will be out frequently after witnessing the splashing and squeals of delight! Who knows...LD just may decide to run in a diaper in honor of her dear big bro!

Penny for your Thoughts

Outside my window...the sun is shining brightly and the trees are swaying in a rhythm with the trade winds.

I am thinking...about great times spent on vacation traveling from the farm to the mountains with my crazy mom, sister, children, and niece.

I am thankful for...pictures that will tell my story long after I'm gone.

From the kitchen...coffee is brewing filling the air with a smell that has become my morning addiction.

I am wearing...shorts and a comfy top and wondering if they match.

I am creating...an album showcasing an awesome adventure of five gals and a boy.

I am going...to finish the laundry and then tackle the flower garden.

I am reading...two novels and enjoying the book light that my sister bought me.

I am hoping...the end of HS's summer will go slowly so we can treasure it more.

I am hearing...LD and one of her playmates chatting as they try to sit in LD's little chair...together.

Around the house...HS is completing his daily school preparations, Kendo is staring out the front window, and LD is yawning signifying it is almost time for nap.

One of my favorite things...chatting over coffee with a girlfriend.

A few plans for the rest of the week...cleaning, baking, enjoying a beach mornin' with friends, and going out on a date with HH to Roy's.

A picture to share...

Mountain High

For as long as I can remember, two songs frequent my desire to sing as loud as I can whenever I'm surrounded by mountains: The Hills are Alive by Julie Andrews and Rocky Mountain High by John Denver. I know two things for sure about myself: 1. I adore the praire and 2. I'm a mountain lover. It was refreshing to feel the coolness of the mountain wind, smell the pine wafting through the breeze, and delight in the babbling of the streams as we hiked with only the sound of the kiddos and the birds providing the music.

The preverbial saying, "the apple doesn't far from the tree" has once again proven itself. Both the kiddos are clearly as addicted to the mountain high as I am. HS couldn't get over the fact that finally we were in a world of constant wildlife viewing. He scanned the horizon for the tell-tale sign that an antelope heard was near...white butts flashing us in the blueness of the sky. Elk with their gigantic antlers laid out as if they were sunbathing and chipmunks chatted from boulders as they flashed their tales in our direction. Who wouldn't have ben engrossed? "mommy, we don't have this at home." he said as we were watching a marmot checking us out from his hole. "nope. we have wild pigs, though..." I replied with a sigh. "mommy, that's not the same."

LD was infactuated with the snowbanks. Yes, in July, we found snow and she tramped along it with a smile that stretched from ear to ear. Until she landed enough times on her hindend..then she decided it was best to view the white ground from the warm embrace of mommy's arms. She enjoyed picnicing under the trees as hummingbirds buzzed to and fro in the sunlight. She giggled as I tickled under her chin with wildflowers and showed her determination to keep up with big brother and cousin R by hiking without assistance down the trail (she did have her harness on attached to me, but her chubby little legs kept in time for the majority of the hike...).

The voyage through the mountains was spectacular. The kids got along great and shared many moments together just clowning around. LD was able to feel the wind whip around her hair and giggle until she had tears. HS become a Junior Park Ranger for the second time...he had already earned the title at Volcanoes National Park, but now he can proudly show off his badge from Rocky Mountain National Park. The three adults on the trip, well, what can I say, the altitude can make you just as silly as the kids!

I can't even begin to express how much I just enjoyed being within something so much larger than myself. It is no wonder that John Denver made millions off the Rocky Mountain High song....for anyone who has ever sat a moment in God's playground of majestic mountains pondering their life as nature unfurls her most splendid creations at your feet, the high lasts long after you have departed as a changed soul.

The Final Bell

There is something about returning to the place you went to High School. For some reason it makes you feel all giddy again, the terror panics, and drama ensues and then peace runs through the minute you see your dearest friend that made all the growing up pains worth it.

Heading into Cheyenne, I was washed in memories of days gone by...come on now...it has been seventeen years since I walked down the hallway as lockers banged shut signifying the end of another great chat session before the bell buzzed loudly and teachers started handing out tardy slips. Even with the drama of high school, there are places in this town that will remain etched forever within the hidden gems of my youth:

~ F.E. Warren A.F.B...a place that breaths history, class, and beauty. This would be the place that I would fall in love for the first time and have my heart crushed a year later, learn to drive and receive my one and only speeding citation, instill a sense of the ever present military family, and where I would fell madly in love with old historic homes.

~ Governor's Residence...how many girls do you know head for tea at the Governor's residence? Cheyenne is so small and exudes the spirit of a "hometown," that every year, girls from the two local high schools are invited to a tea celebrating the ending to their senior year.

~ Frontier Mall...the site of my 1st job. Working in clothing retail was a boost to my already growing self-confidence and taught me the true value of saving my earnings as well as giving me the first dose of the importance of time management.

~ Football field...all was always well when I was screaming my head off for our football team... #1 in state for two of my three years. "What do we like? T-Bird Meat!!! How do we like it? RAW! RAW! RAW!!!" still pulsates through my head when a good game is playing and I want to shout out something.

~ Music Room...time spent in show choir gave me some of the best time singing and being part of something much larger than my own voice could carry. I loved being on stage belting out the music and watching the applause for the group. Traveling around competing in various arenas were some of the best memories I have of bus trips.

~ Taco Juan's...the best super nachos you'll ever eat...I would devour them during lunch with all the toppings I could possibly lay my hands on and still not gain a pound. Ahhhh...the days when my metabolism would allow overindulgence.

Traveling around Cheyenne for two days with the kiddos was invigorating as HS's eyes widened when he saw where mommy had spent her "teen years". As I walked up to the school doors, I could hear the laughter coming from the music hall, the giggles as I entered a beloved teacher's room (most girls were madly "in love" with him), and face the shadows of the many people who gave me some of the best days and moments intermixed with the worst days as the quest to "fit in" drove most of us insane. High School. Would you go back?

Tears

The time always arrives on the farm that I detest. The mornin' of our departure. Times haven't changed for me even though I'm now 35. Tears ensue and last walks of staring into the fields as though it would be my last time seeing this treasured place haunt my thoughts and tease my brain long after I've gone. I adore the farm. I am so thankful that I have had something like this to help form me. Not many people have ever been on a working farm. They don't understand the call of the farmer who struggles to make ends meet just so that the rest of America can have bread. I have an appreciation for the land that was instilled in me from the time I was HS's age. My family believed in the necessity for understanding nature's rule over this land and the importance of exploring the possibilities that existed within the fields surrounding the farmhouse.

Ever step I take on the farm with my kids is akin to wandering down the far recesses of my mind and breathing new life into those memories. Although I never realized that what I grew up adoring would then be passed to my own children, I'm thrilled that they each are taking something from their time spent with my DA (dear Aunt) and my wonderful cousins. It delights my soul that like me, I watched HS wander the fenceline surrounding sheep, saying not goodbye, but "see you soon!" with tears in his eyes as LD held her chubby fingers out to the wind and closed her eyes for a moment as a huge smile crept across her cheeks. At just the right moment, the tender embrace of DA brought us all back to hugging before completing the moment we dreaded the most: traveling down the backroad taking us further from her and the land we love.

Bugs, Guns, and Bustin

Where is HS? I wonder as I open the old farmhouse door revealing a beautiful sunrise over the red hue of the barn. It quickly became HS's ritual to devour breakfast before sprinting for his shoes and then beginning his exploration of the hidden worlds around the farm that his imagination would help make reality. Each year we make our trek to the farm, HS babbles long about all that he plans on doing during his stay. Each year he adds to the list of favorites. This year, however, has been enriched by his age and things that he never thought of before became highlights of his days.

"Mommy! Lookie! Come quick! Over here!" He hollers out to me from beside the old hen house. I obviously do not go peer at what he has discovered fast enough as before I could even turn to walk in his direction, HS has already made it to my side grasping a bright green grasshopper between his fingers. The progression of his bug discoveries continued throughout our week and a half visit. By the time we were leaving, HS created habitats in plastic water bottles for grasshoppers, woolly caterpillars, and even small pollywogs and tiny frogs. All of which, he sought out and captured.

This has also been the year that HS has discovered "men" things. His quest to help out with chores always placed him with the guys. He rode a tractor through the potato field, carried buckets of feed to the sheep, and went far into the fields to help check on the wheat and spread fertilizer. His time wasn't always work. Laying out tools and then enjoying listening to how they all were used inspired him to want his own tool belt for his pliers, hammer, and screwdrivers. Helping draw a target in order to use to practice his BB gun rifle aim delighted his heart. Near days end, HS's favorite spot was near the windmill, listening to the big guys teach him secrets to perfecting his aim, and enjoying laughing as they participated in BB gun competitions.

Cattle were always present when I was growing up. Calfing, branding, and walking the fences entertained me. For my kids, the cattle are still around, but the hen houses are vacant and the pens that once held lots of head of cattle now have sheep roaming. HS, like LD, adores the sheep. Only, for HS his love affair with them goes beyond just their cute little woolly faces. Mutton bustin' is an event that keeps you on your toes and for most little guys who grow up on a ranch or near livestock, the temptation exists to see just how long or how far you can get with riding one of the sheep or calves. When HS was 4 he rode a sheep for the first time and was hooked. This year was no different. He rode like a rodeo champ and loved hunting for the best ride with me and one of our cousins. This year he has an even bigger story to tell about his wild rides...a huge hole where one of his front baby teeth used to be now proudly serves as a reminder of his last ride on a yew named, "Chica."

Ahhh...the farm. The thrill of the bug finds, BB shoot-outs, and mutton bustin' are imprinted in his seven year-old mind.

Princess Dirt and Sheep

You never know exactly how LD will react to anything. Claim it as the stage she is in (toddler hell as I affectionately categorize her current behaviors) or the personality she has had since birth and you still come up on the same summation: she is sensitive. Well, not on the farm. She has totally surprised me and kept me thrilled that she is indeed a chip off of my block. The farm suits her. The house is warm and inviting, but it is outside that she spreads her wings and soars on good ole' Nebraska wind.




The sheep have been an instant connection to LD. From the first moment she laid eyes on them she has been enthralled. Her future as a sheep whisperer seems secure as she only has to walk into the corral to attract hordes of faithful followers looking for conversation and a nose rub. LD merrily wanders around the sheep poop avoiding any obstacles and can spend an hour fiddling with the feed buckets, checking Thor and Cisco's food and water before giving them a fast hug or tap on the head (two huge dogs that tower over her and have heads bigger than mine), or walking up to the top of the dirt pile and surveying the pen and her new found kingdom.

One thing that this farm has a plenitude of is rich gritty soil. There's nothing better than traveling down the dirt roads on a walk and watching the dirt kick up around your feet as they whip of dust spirals that look like miniature tornadoes. On our daily walks around the outskirts of the farmhouse, LD can't resist sitting down and running her fingers through the dirt. She peers into the tall weeds as grasshoppers jump, squats by the ditch water and giggles as tiny frogs jump and splash before she sits down to move the rocks. As she meanders down the road she sings her own special song while playing within the random enormous ruts that the trucks and mighty tractors have left behind after a rainy day. When she perchances upon an interesting rut, she sits some more just feeling the dirt or uses the rut for her own personal slide.

By the time we return back to the house to relay our tales of our latest jaunt, it typical for her to peer up at me with her large, blue, inquisitive eyes as dirt specks and smears on her cheeks and nose become her version of make-up. As she wanders into the house to chat with everyone, you can't help but giggle as she sashays in with a big dirt spot on her behind and maybe some sheep spit or poo on her front side.

To LD this farm has inspired her to enjoy a kingdom that beckons her with the whispers on the wind and the gently baaing of the sheep. When she answers those calls, for the moment she gives into the endless possibilities, she is no longer just my LD. She becomes a Princess. The Princess of Dirt and Sheep.

Open Spaces and Imagination

"The openness of rural Nebraska certainly influenced me. That openness, in a way, fosters the imagination." ~Matthew Sweet

Chorus of Mouths

A trip that is three weeks in length, with ten people around at any given time on the farm, is bound to provide endless conversation. Some memorable, some not so. There are some that you hear and giggle so hard your belly hurts. Once the laughter subsides you want to question your own hearing. Sometimes, you just can't make this stuff up.

"You only had one tomato sandwich~you're a pantie waste!" ~My Dear Aunt

"They tell me I'm in the golden age, but I haven't found any of it yet!" ~My Dear Aunt

"Ok, time to find someone to love!" ~LN

"CHS (Cousin Handsome Son) I'm going to marry you in the morning!" ~LN
"Huh? What are you talking about?" ~HS

"I'm going to fall in love with you, but not today." ~LN

"She's just a nice lady from Kansas..." ~DM (Dear Mom)
"I guess that's what you'd call her as she swayed and kept a quarter over one eye and had a crazy dog companion named 'Elvis'!" ~Me

"Well, go ahead and pout back there and then snap out of it!" ~Me

"I've always loved feeling the wind rush around my body when we are out here!" ~Me
"I just feel so alive!!!" ~LN

"My mom and I are going into the sheep massage business when we get back to Hawaii!" ~HS

"Is it pick on L***** day or what?" ~DM

"Then I threw up on everything and she's not going to need me back for a while!" ~DP (Dear Papa)

"Hey, your HS is so big he broke the seat of my tractor!" ~My Cousin

"I tell ya there was only one fishin' grandpa on this side of the family...and I'm not it. I gave him his first pocket knife...I just don't want him cutting his finger off while I'm not around." ~DP

Love of Fluff

Here is the barn
Where I like to go
It's as tall as a tree
And cozy, you know
Here is the barn,
I'll go there with you
To pet a sweet lamb
And cuddle it, too!

The kids are enthused about everything that deals with the farm. The people, the land, the equipment, and oh how they adore the sheep. My cousins many years ago began raising sheep in addition to the cattle, and for all of us we have been infatuated with their silly personalities. With each little sheep and lamb face you peer into a new little personality. I could watch their behavior for hours as they clamor over to get food, baaa for their little ones to catch up, or assist those that decide the grass is tastier on the otherside of the barbwire fence and then promptly get their silly head caught.

HS takes off with my dad everyday to participate in chores. He's thrilled to help. "One day, I'm going to be tall enough that I can do this all on my own!" he says as he helps heave corn into the bucket and then opens the fence. "When I come back I'll be sitting in the tractor going everywhere in the fields!" he continues. My LN is with my sister busily babbling as well as my sis prepares milk for the bum lamb..."look...I'll feed the lamb, OK, mommy?" Usually once she arrives at the lamb she's squatting near it and trying to pet her and love it up.

One big thing I've discovered about LD: she hates being inside when we're at the farm. Mention a walk, shoes, or the word outside and you'd better be able to race for the door, put on your shoes at rapid speed before LD makes it to the door. Once outside she makes a B line for the sheep and greets them with a powerful "baaaaaa!" Although tiny in size, she still is a great little assistant as she meanders around sheep poop, lambs, and yews making sure that those that will stand for a moment get a nice pat or two on the head.

The call of the lambs beckons. The fleecy bodies, inquisitive eyes, and sounds of these gentle animals lure you in after chores and dare you to not sit for a while and get lost in the creamy colored fluff of the flock.

On the Road

The sun rose and the day that we have been counting down to in great anticipation had finally dawned. Traveling to the farm in western Nebraska has always given us motivation to rise early, eat quickly, and get moving to a sacred spot in our hearts. It may lay within a state that the majority of people never get to drive through let alone stop in, and it may be so remote that for miles and miles all you can see are praire lands, fields, and tree claims, but for me, this part of the country provides a sense of stability, strength, and calmness. The drive is 6 hours from Denver but as we awoke the knowledge that we would be enjoying family at the farm by nightfall was enough motivation to get us packing the van as quickly as three women, two children, and one toddler could go.

The van is a Kia Sedona. It is packed to the gills and resembles more of a pack horse than a van at the moment. HS and LN take up the back seat and spent the majority of the time giggling, singing loudly as they listened to their respective MP3 players, and swapping travel tales of yester-year. LD watched out the window as the praire whizzed by and napped peacefully...for an hour. My seat is in the middle next to LD and as I enjoyed the music of the older kiddos, LD made sure to provide her own rendition of songs and chatted to me of all that she was seeing. During quiet moments, I read. For the first time in a year or more I've almost finished a book within days of turning the first page. I'm in reading heaven as I sit in that seat. LS (lovely sister) and LM (lovely mom) take up the front seats and have their system worked out on spotting food, gas stations, and tuning the satellite radio to the rockin' beats of the 80s.







We were on the road and that van was a rollin'. For every mile, every laugh, and every song that we belted out with the radio, we were one step closer to the embrace of family. Ones that make our hearts sing and have provided some of the warmest childhood memories I have. As we headed up the dirt road that would lead them to the LA's (Lovely Aunt's) farm the kids squealed with delight! Shouting, pointing, and yelling ensued as we careened closer to the tree claim. As we rounded the bend and made the last turn of the day, we madly honked on the horn, and saw the best sight anyone can see out here: our farm "home" and the wonderful people who we are lucky enough to have in our family. Let the wild farm rumpus begin!

Roarin' Good Time

The roar of a lion cut through the air as we walked into the flora surrounding the Denver Zoo entrance. The kids stood for a moment in amazement as they contemplated which direction seemed more enticing. The selected path led us straight into the lion's den and the fun began.

The kids marveled at the lion's might and were thrilled to identify all the endagered and vanishing animals (HH, you said to work on HS's Wolf trail...I'm doing it!!!). LD sat up straight as a nail as she peered into all the enclosures that have been designed pefectly for little eyes...glass from ground to rail. Zoos have certainly done a major transformation since I was a kid...they are more akin to nature hikes through various countries. See the world in one day and enjoy the animals that live throughout it.

After a full day exploring the zoo, LD was snoring even before my mom pulled the van out of the parking garage. My LN (lovely niece) lasted until we were on the main road. As for HS, he created his zoo world within the confines of his mind as we sped down the interstate.

Aquaholics

It has been years since I've gone to a water park. I don't really count the onsen experience in Japan...that was on a totally different level of water fun than what we enjoyed today. We suited the kids up, packed a fantastic picnic lunch, and squeezed six of us into an oldsmobile. As I was contemplating how my butt could easily slide across a seat since it has changed in size since my elementary school days, I giggled to my sis and announced, "the Griswolds have nothin' on us! We're off to Pirate's Cove! Aaaarrrrrr!" Off we were. Three kids sittin' in the backseat with HS wanting to sit next to my dear niece, my niece wanting to sit in the middle, and well...LD was tickled pink to be at the center of discussion.

As we stood in line, we took the opportunity to douse the kids with sunscreen, enjoy pirate music, and watch the endless sea of kiddos all eager to be measured by the pirate crew to see if eating all those veggies the night before had allowed them to reach the magical 48" where all slide dreams can become one's reality. HS passed the test and proudly displayed his wristband as if he'd won the grand prize at a state fair. My niece was just a twitter that we were going into the pool, and LD's eyes caught the famed statue of the Pirate himself and was awestruck.

What were the favorite memories from the day? Well...

*watching HS and LN (lovely niece) traverse the pirate's ship with my sister at their heels
*listening to the squeals of delight as water fountains danced and twirled around LD
*enjoying splashing near the mushroom waterfall with LD and LN busily giggling as the water tickled their toes as they lay on their backs
*taking a ride down the lazy river (which had one wicked current!) with HS and LN
*turning red as I heaved myself onto the innertube while also trying to hold on to the innertubes of HS and LN before they floated away...without me and without exposing one of my breasts or more to the very long line of happy water riders!
*eating our picnic under the shade of a tree as happy chatter filled the air
*witnessing my LD's love affair with a big pirate statue as it began singing during a family picture...it would all end with a blowing of kisses and a wave as she looked over her shoulder walking through the exit gate

and the most unexpected of them all...

*giggling so hard I thought I'd burst with DS's (dear sister) mother-in-law gripping the back door of the Oldsmobile as we drove down the road with the backdoor ajar because it wouldn't shut and LN holding a wet napkin over her face determined to allow her almost swollen eyes to get a reprive from the burning of the chlorine.

"Are you OK, Love?" I questioned her after looking at the door holder, the drowned rat (LD with her hair all askew), and then resting my eyes on my LN.
"Oh, yes, Auntie. I'm feeling great now."

It has been a great day. The kiddos are snoring as they take their afternoon naps with visions of tubing, sliding, and prancing around in the spray garden filling their dreams.

Note: Since I'm not around my own computer, pictures will have to wait until I'm back from vacation...until then...check out the website and picture us there! Pirate's Cove website can be found at:
http://www.piratescovecolorado.com

Note 2: My DS is expectional at many things. Fixing broken lock latches on car doors can now be added to her list. Voila! The door now closes..and stayes.