Peter Pan and Growing Up

Not the best quality pic, but a screen shot of
of Disney's Peter Pan, taken of the TV while Luke
and I watched.

My 11-year-old, Luke, had to read Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie for his 6th grade English class.  I was really only semi-aware of this fact.  (Thankfully, Luke is a kid who just "takes care of business" as far as school work.)  Then one unusual weekend night, when only he and I were home.  He came into my bedroom where I was sitting in the recliner watching some mindless show on TV and messing with my phone and said he wanted to watch a movie.  "OK," I mumbled. 

Then he asked, "Where's Peter Pan?"  We own all the Disney movies, but seldom do my kids watch them on a regular basis anymore.  He then announced that he wanted to watch Peter Pan and compare it to the book.  He wisely stated, "The Disney version is a lot different from the book."  I found him the movie and went back to wasting time. 

He then asked, "Mom, can I watch it in your room?" 

I thought that was strange.  I said, "I think you'd enjoy it more downstairs on the big screen with the surround sound." (This was one of the FEW times when he would have no competition for the best TV in the house.) 

 

He then said, "Well, do you want to watch it WITH me?"  I still didn't take the hint.  But after he got it all "set up" (complete with pillows, blankets, and snacks) and again invited me, I realized that my big, tough, 11-year-old football-playing boy wanted to watch a movie (An animated Disney movie no-less) with his mother, so there I sat with him, while he shared his hot Cheetos and hot tamales (quite generous for someone who loves them as much as he does) and gave me a "play by play" on the differences between the book and the movie.  After the treats ran out, he snuggled up to me and began to play with my hair.  (When he was a baby he would play with my hair while he sucked his thumb.  The thumb-sucking is gone, but occasionally, he still fingers my hair.)  And I relished every minute of it.  Coincidentally,  (or maybe not) Peter Pan's whole goal is to "never grow up."  So there I sat next to my "baby," who is no longer a "baby", listening to Peter Pan say "I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up! Not me!” And wishing that my "baby" might never grow up  (or at least grow up MUCH slower than he is.)  But for those few moments (77 minutes to be exact) I got to enjoy the fantasy of Neverland where my baby will always be my baby....

and.....if you remember.....all Peter Pan really wanted after all was a mother.

 

I really hate that this is the SECOND time I am posting this unattractive picture of me on this blog, but it shows exactly how Luke loved to finger my hair while sucking his thumb.  (*And, disclaimer-I really DID read my kids good-quality literature-I actually HATE books like the one I'm reading here.  You know those books based on kids pop-culture.  But unfortunately we own some and the kids liked them, and of course that's what I happened to be reading when this pic was snapped.)

The College Coed Shuffle and other odds and ends

For some reason, BYU student approved housing has different move-in/move-out dates, which often leave apartment-moving students "homeless" for a few days between the dates they have to be out of their current locations and the dates when they can move into their new locations.  (When Analise was a Freshman, we went to Provo and moved all her stuff into our Suburban and lived with her and our family in a hotel for a few days until she could get into her new apartment.)  We've put things in storage, stacked bins in our home, and moved LOTS of stuff.  This last week, we moved Analise and Kaylee out of their current apartment.  Kaylee was able to get into her fall apartment, but Analise had another week before she was able to move into hers.  So we moved BOTH of them into Kaylee's apartment where Analise then stayed during the week (since she had work) and Kaylee came home to Logandale. (Thus Analise was living in Kaylee's apartment for a week.)  For a family that never "moves" (We've been in our current home for almost 20 years) we sure do a lot of moving.

Kaylee moving in with Analise for Spring/Summer 2013 (Kaylee's is the blue bed-Analise's the pink.) 

Analise moving into her new fall 2013 place

Suburban "storage unit. "
Analise's "stuff" between Winter 2011 and Spring 2011 terms

Setting up Kaylee's bed in new Fall 2013 Apartment.  (Soooo glad I don't live in apartments anymore)
This brick-riser set up looks a bit sketchy.  Hopefully, Kaylee doesn't crash down in the night :)

In other news:  Made a trip to our Kolob cabin which we have owned since 2003.  It's only the 2nd time I've ever been there, and I've never spent the night-trips are mostly to "work on things" although Kent did take the scouts there for an overnighter...once.  So I don't know why I was a bit nostalgic about this trip in which we were meeting with a realtor about selling it.  I know the investment would be better spent on our kids' college tuitions, but it's such a cute little place, and smelled sooo nice-all piney.

Kolob Cabin August 2013

School starts tomorrow.  I'm starting 1st grade again.  (I feel like I've already done it 7x-once myself and once with each kids-but this time I'm starting as the teacher.)

Kay Age 6 First day of First grade (my first time :) Fall 1973. 
I'm really rocking the beaded purse and the short skirt.  (Both were actually "very cool" back in the day.  Because I know my kids will look at this and say WHAT. WERE. YOU. WEARING?! ) I don't know if my selected outfit for my first day of teaching first grade can rival this.
 Also note the gift in my hand-each year as a summer came to an end, Corinne and I would get together and make back-to-school gifts for our new teachers-I think this one might have been a "puffed" picture-made by cutting out an image from wrapping paper, pasting it onto  nice background, and then raising or "puffing" up selected parts of the picture by cutting out duplicates of those parts and pasting them on top of small kernals unpopped popcorn or dried beans which were glued  on top of those selected parts on the original picture.  I'm sure Mrs. Howard treasured it. 

Football is underway-scrimmages in Cedar City and Vegas yesterday for Trent and Luke.

Luke and Trent after last year's 8th grade championship game
Trent's team won.  Kent was the coach and Luke served as waterboy.
November 2012

We went to the St. George Temple and did sealings.  I love being in the temple, and loved being there with Kent uniting families for eternity. 

St. George Temple
May 27, 1989 Our Wedding Day
Yep this is pre-photo-shop days.  This was done with a film camera, and Kent really did jump that high. 
The photographer wanted him to throw his arms in the air, but he wouldn't. Trying to even get him to jump took a lot of persuasion.  (This photo was taken where the visitor's center now stands.)

The Little Things

A framed embroidered sampler hangs in my bedroom stating, "Enjoy the little things in life...for one day you'll look back and realize they were the big things."  It seems like there have been a lot of "big things" in my life lately:  lots of "big" needs within the ward (where I serve as RS pres.), lots of "big" needs within my family (the kids at home needing time and attention preparing for school and sports, the kids who have "left the nest" needing support in work, school, and "stepping into adulthood" decisions), and lots of "big" needs professionally (as I prepare to start teaching 1st grade-something I've never done before.) At times it seems overwhelming trying to meet all these needs, and I feel like I'm just barely "holding it together," doing only a mediocre job at best in any one of these areas. 

So last week, as I drove Luke to football, just me and him, and I listened to him rattle on about tackling drills, cleats, and football plays, I was grateful for the realization that for that one small moment,  my life was "perfect."  It was a "little thing," a little moment of perfect bliss, a small oasis in a life of big, complicated things.  For a few minutes, I was not worried about finances, work, and the myriad of needs of those in my family and in my ward.  Instead I relished in listening to this 11-year-old boy in grass stained practice pants explain the intricacies of 6th-grade football plays.

I remember when driving my kids to sports practices seemed like a huge "chore," but when compared to trying to help my young adult off-spring deal with really "big" things (broken cars, rent, housing, majors, careers, jobs, college class schedules, relationships, friends, etc.) and most of the time (OK ALL of the time) feeling totally and completely inadequate and second-guessing all my endeavors in this area, driving my youngest to practice was a refreshing task that I could do "perfectly."  Yep, I may not know how to advise my kids on choosing a major (and even if I should-after all it's their lives), but I DO know how to drive a car, and I CAN successfully deliver my offspring to practice. So maybe by the time my youngest is in college I will be able to "perfectly" handle all of his needs as a young adult, but my older kids will have to "muddle through" with me as I try to do my best.  After all, motherhood is on-the-job training. 

Luke gets instruction from the coach before heading into the game.  Football season 2012

A Musical Addendum

On the same Sunday that Tony and Caleb Morganti spoke in Logandale 5th ward, Kent and Lynae also performed a special musical number, a piano/organ duet of "If You Could Hie to Kolob."  It was beautiful!  (And no, this was NOT recorded on Sunday-Kent doesn't wear a hat and polo to church :) And yes, the only way I could get it to upload was through youtube, so after viewing, you'll get a lot of youtube viewing "options" sorry :(

 

Visitors from "The Land Down Under"

Tony Morganti and his son Caleb visited us last week.  They came all the way from Perth Australia, and spent an entire week with our family.  We felt privileged to have them spend almost a third of their US vacation in Logandale.  (We think Logandale is a pretty great place, but we admit it is not a US tourist attraction, and visiting in July....well....we let's just say Logandale has its better months.) Kent baptized Tony 28 years ago while serving as a missionary in Perth.  Tony has kept in touch with us through the years, and has actually come to the states several times. Check out some of the fun things we did with the Morgantis during their week in Logandale:  (Shown here in no particular order.)

Epic Game of Disney Monopoly.  (The game will never be the same without Tony (aka-the devil :) )  And yes, spoonfuls of peanut butter were necessary nourishment during the long and intense game.

Lake Mead

Luke and Tony tubing at Lake Mead (Trip also involved skiing and wakeboarding)

Visit to the Las Vegas Strip-Luke and "Bumblebee"  (Ironically, I call Luke my "baby bumblebee" :)

Caleb and Tony spoke in our ward (L-5).  (And it was AMAZING!) The Askeroths came to hear them speak and meet the Morgantis.  The Morgantis susequently ate dinner at the Askeroth's later in the week, leaving a "secret visitor" delivered all the way from Australia.  (You'll have to ask the Askeroths how a hide-and-seek game of  a 1" picture of a certain grade-school teacher came to be a family tradition in their home and how this picture made its way half way around the world and back again.) 

Visiting the "Pawn Stars" shop in Las Vegas



Volcano at the Mirage (Yes we DID watch it erupt-this is just before that)

Waiting to watch the water show at the Bellagio in Vegas

Fireworks  (We bought them and set them off)

Tony was tempted:  "Slot machines in the GROCERY STORE?!"

Shooting clay pigeons

4-wheeler riding  (Tony and Caleb also went for a rhino ride with Bishop Evans)

River Rafting down the Sevier River with Kay's side of the family

A Visit From the Land Down Under-The Back Story

28 years ago, Elder Kent Barlow entered the mission field.  He left the cold, snowy Salt Lake City International Airport, and after an almost 30 hour flight arrived in hot, balmy Australia.  After only being in the Perth Australia mission for a few short weeks, Elder Barlow and his companion, Elder Smith, tracted out Tony Morganti.  Elder Barlow's journal records, "We tracted out a guy last Saturday named Tony.  He's about 24, into accounting, and seems very bright.  We taught him a 1st and got a return appointment.  We think he could be promising."  Tony Morganti turned out to be much more than "promising."  Tony was baptized, served a mission in Canada, returned, married in the temple, raised a beautiful family, and continues to serve faithfully in the church.  Tony has kept in touch with Kent over the years, visiting the states on several occasions and calling us every year at Christmas time.  His friendship has been a bright light in Kent's and our family's lives. 

Elder Smith, Tony, Elder Barlow on Tony's baptism day. 1985 (Tony gave Elder Smith and Elder Barlow the carnations-Elder Barlow's is still taped inside his missionary journal.)

Fast forward to just a few short months ago, when Elder Ty Askeroth from Logandale was called to serve in the Australia, Perth Mission.  Ty is friends with our daughters and came over to visit with Kent about Perth prior to entering the mission field.  In passing, we mentioned that maybe he would run into Tony Morganti while serving in Perth, but Perth is a large area, and the chances were slim.  Imagine our surprise, when Tony (at that time "Bishop Morganti" serving as his ward's Bishop) called us to report that he had a new missionary assigned to his ward.  Tony had asked this new missionary where he was from, and the missionary replied, "Las Vegas."  Later, Tony felt impressed to ask again, and this time the missionary answered, "Well, really I'm from a small town outside of Las Vegas called Logandale."  Tony got a big grin on his face and asked this new Elder Askeroth if he knew Kent Barlow.  And wa-la, an instant connection, friendship, and tender mercy for Elder Askeroth on his very first Sunday in Australia!

Bishop Morganti and Elder Askeroth 2012

Last week, Tony and his son Caleb came to visit us.  We had fun... constant, unrelenting fun, but we also renewed a friendship; a friendship that both Kent and Tony feel very well may have been formed prior to their lives here on earth.   It was great to spend time with Tony and get to know him and his son Caleb a bit better. 

July 2013 visit from Tony and Caleb:  Left to right: Kay, Kent, Luke, Tony, Caleb (in front), Trent, Lynae

A post regarding their visit will follow.  But for now that's the "back story" regarding our visitors from "The Land Down Under."

Yikes!

I'm becoming one of those people who doesn't post in over a month!  What's that all about?! All my readers (all 3 of them) will quit reading if I never post.  Well, I have a LOT to write about.  However, we've had houseguests, vacations, camps, etc. etc. You know...unrelenting, exhausting FUN!  And... well, this "Yikes" post will have to do until I can really write something of interest.  In the meantime, here's a sneak preview of what we've been up to the last month  (Ok, in reality it may not be a "preview" if I never get around to blogging about it :)

Luke wakeboarding

Kent and Kay-Vegas at night

Lynae and Kay-Twin Creeks at Fish Lake