1 Day

What a difference a day makes.

24 little hours.

Brought the sun and flowers where there used to be rain,

 There's a rainbow before me.

Skies above can't be stormy.   

 What a difference a day made.  And the difference is a lack of yous. 

Slumber

I tiptoe through the early morning house.  I stretch my legs in the dim morning light.  i sit on the porch with scriptures and watch the sun come up.  I listen to the snores coming from the family room, the slumber partiers are still slumbering.  I lift the blanket to discover the identity of the snorer.  Meoke!  The party consisted of Move Over with Dorris Day and James Garner, you know, the one where she is presumed dead since she's been on a desert island for 5 years and comes back to find him married; popcorn, peach pie, dominoes, UNO, and slumber.   I think I'll let everyone sleep in this morning while I enjoy this sun streaked, cool, peace.   

The Power of Guilt

Too much guilt weighs me down, immobilizes me, and places me in a dark place.  However, I am a proponant of guilt in moderation.   I find my guilt benefits those I love.  When I go out for an evening with a friend or indulge in a small bit of spending, my small bit of guilt moves me to superhuman efforts for my husband and kids. The house is never so clean and I am never so kind as when I have indulged just a bit. 

Guilt stuck our house again... in a positive way, to my way of thinking!

After the "very bad day", I woke in the middle of the night for a drink.  A sign was placed on the fridge. 

Curiosity moved me to Ladybug's bedroom, where I found several sign ups for her free cleaning service. 

In the morning two apron bedecked entrapreneurs set up shop outside my bedroom.  Not to be outdone, they had their own cleaning forms ready. 

Happily, I engaged both companies.  Meekly, yet creatively they took out the garbage, changed sheets, and wiped mirrors.  Little Mother told me that the apron made her work better.  As an apron fanatic, I had to agree.  There is something about an apron that tells your mind it's time to work. 

I did wonder after today, what horrible things I would have to endure to get another wonderful cleaning day out of my children. 

Dodi and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I thought you'd enjoy a self portrait of yours truly today.   Here are some of the highlights of my day:

•  Ladybug ripped the vaccume cord out of the wall and it broke off.  
• Friends came over and played in the basement.  Costco table was broken and everything  (including beads, and newly organized boxes) was spread over the floor.  
• Ladybug charged Sunshine with murder on her mind, knocked them both over injurring both and throwing a hot dog with ketchup and mustard on the carpet. 
• 2 children I don't know jumped into my car and stomped the antique plates I'd just purchased for a shower into small smithereens.
• Husband took chair downstairs to help bad day.  Slipped on magazine a friend left on stairs, strained knees and legs, flipping chair into the wall and left a foot long hole in the wall.

Dodi and the terrible horrible no good very bad day.

For those of you who say you envy my "perfect" life, I thought I'd give a little reality. 

I don't really like chocolate, ice cream makes me sick, What to do with a day like this except put everyone to bed?  Tomorrow has got to look really good in comparison. 

Ben Rover

Nestled along a branch of the flathead river, the Ben Rover cabin is a quaint quiet retreat from the world and it’s hustle and bustle.   

Equipped with an outhouse , an outdoor pump for water, propane lanterns, and no television or electricity, we were forcibly led to follow the patterns of nature and focus on people instead of manmade items without the ability to reciprocate our attention.  Lazily, here, we finished our vacation with Greg, Deonne, Alex, Josh, Cody, and Megan.  We planned no more hikes, sightseeing, or adventures, just those silence and peace could offer. 

You’d think that the kids would go stir crazy.  Yet, we saw less of them here than the rest of the trip.  Each team of children took a turn at warming the water and hand washing our dishes.  They eagerly volunteered to work the hand pump outside for our many water needs.  They fished together and with their fathers.  They found a mud hole and spent hours creating a spa of sorts.   

Here, Alex was given a mud bath, but squishing mud between your toes with a special chant was the special entry code so I did not partake.   

They built mud wells and chimneys, swimming holes, and secret enclosures.   

They played Go Fish, War, Apples to Apples, Checkers, Truth or Dare and made up their own secret handshake type thing.   With a dollar each, they rode bikes to the Polebridge Mercantile, purchased their treats then engaged in an elaborate sharing scheme.    

We only called them in once when a bear was spotted some 50 yards from the cabin.  Briz and his brother fished and fished.  Briz particularly took time for his little Sunshine and among games of “baby” and “bear cub” helped her with her rock collection which contained a hot dog rock, a cheese rock, and other beautiful specimens. 

I read.  I napped.  I wandered to the Polebridge Mercantile.   

I pondered.  I questioned Deonne endlessly to know her better and learn what I could from her.  Such luxury.  We ended our 10 day vacation, well rested, and well loved. 

Backcountry Backpacking

Once on a warm summer day, a family set off to have an adventure at the crown of the continent, Glacier National Park. 

To really get to the heart of the crown, they walked through old burns and forests with dense underbrush. 

Every few minutes Sunshine blew her bear whistle and Little Mother sang a friendly bear song to let the bears and wolf we passed know our location.  Ladybug’s sharp eyes kept everyone supplied with berries.  There were strawberries smaller than their pinky nail, bursting with honeyed sweetness; raspberries, not fully ripe but tart and tangy; and huckleberries, plump and purple, dripping with juice. 

Over 5 miles into the wilderness, they camped near Logging Lake.  This is one of the few Loon Lakes.  Loons are very picky about where they live, so when you are at a Loon Lake, you are at a very special spot.  The family woke to their calls echoing across the lake each morning.

 
The children learned to hang their food high in the air, way way above their dad’s head. They went to the bathroom in a special pit.  Everything the family did was to preserve and protect the plants and animals in this special place.   There was an endless supply of craft materials to create with.

They set up shop, buying and selling craft materials.

The deer did not mind the company.  In fact, they sought it out throughout the day.
 

They ate with the children and swam with them. 

The Ladybug spent all her time fishing and catching frogs. 

The Little Mother and Sunshine became Pocahontas and her dog Lily.  They spent most of their time in their underwear in the Lake. 

The poor mom became a victim of the perfect ecosystem. 

The mossquitos missed human flesh and didn’t mind the poisionous Deet at all.  They ate and ate and ate the poor mom till she was quite sucked dry.

 One night a beautiful storm hit the mountain valley.  The mom and the Ladybug were awakened in their tent by bright flashes of light and violent shaking claps that echoed over and over the lake.  The mom leaped out of the tent to save their drying belongings.  She met the dad who left the other tent.  They raced around then escaped soggily back to comfort frightened children in the tents.  The Ladybug clung to the mother and hid her head.  In the other tent, the Little Mother did the same to the dad.  The mother threw back her head and laughed at the storm.  Soon the Ladybug was laughing too.  They laid and listened to the storm till the tent started to drip on their heads.  Soon several inches gathered around their feet and above their heads.  Their packing mattresses kept them just above the flood that gathered around their bodies.  They giggled till the downpour turned to a drizzle.  They left their floating tent and wandered around the dark for a while.  Realizing that they were breaking the bear rules, they knocked on the other tent, and asked sanctuary.  Everyone scooted over till there was room, and the dad gave his sleeping bag to the mom and the Ladybug to share.  Everyone slept till late in the morning.

 They all gained a bit more courage.  Well, all but the Dad.  It's pretty brave taking a bug hating wife and 3 little girls under 60 pounds carrying 30 pound packs deep into bear country.  The Mom faced her bug nemesis with quiet acceptance, Ladybug from facing the storm, and Little Mother and Sunshine from packing and hiking longer than they thought they were capable of.   But, that’s not surprising.  After all, anytime you go into nature, you return with more than you were looking for.