Hello?? What?!

        It's been nearly 6 months since I last blogged. I have wanted to many times. In fact, I've been in the middle of something and thought to myself, "This would make a good blog post." and that's as far as it got. I have missed blogging. A big part of my blogging is photos and that's really where I place the majority of the blame for the huge blogging gap. My camera and I kind of had a falling out. Totally my doing. My camera is not to blame.

       My camera and I go way back. We have spent a lot of time together over the years. In fact we've spent so much time together that people question when I show up to an event and don't have my camera with me. We've taken vacations, gone on lunch dates,  gone to weddings and funerals, birthday parties, concerts,  hospitals, schools, hikes, walks, cooked together (it mostly watched), visited family, spent holidays together, even hung out when there was nothing in particular to do. Then,  slowly I started spending less time with my camera. I started spending more time with school and homework. Even when I could bring my camera long, I started leaving it at home. I thought I didn't have time. I needed a little separation. It was a welcome break at first, but it's influence lingered. I  found myself seeing the world through my camera even when it wasn't around and I started to miss it. Oh, we've still gotten together for special occasions and  like the unselfish, loyal tree in The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, my camera is always there for me when I decide to turn my attention it's way. I've spent a little time going over some of the good times we've had together and I realized that we were a pretty good team. So, I'm slowly making my way back. We are rediscovering each other and I realize that I can't stay away too long. 

Some of the things I like about my camera (in no particular order):

#1- I'm so familiar with it, but there are still things to learn about it.

#2-It helps me remember.

#3-It helps me focus on the simple things that I love.

#4- It helps me see things that I might have missed without it's company

#5-It doesn't mind playing second fiddle to my creativity and letting me get all the credit.

#6- It's low maintenance.

#7- It's dependable.

A few of the things my camera helped me remember in December:

Watched Poston's Da Capo sing at the Visitor's Center. Adam did great on his solo.

The temple behind a packed audience. After Adam's solo, I ran over to Mountain View High School...

for Emma's school's Winter Sing Concert. I love how random the kid's expressions are.

Emma's gift to Ben was the first gift under the tree. She wanted to get on it as soon as we drew names.

We made this cute wreath with the Activity Day Girls at church. Emma used hers to keep her "To Do" list.

This reminds me of why they say Christmas is for children. Emma looked around our house and made this Nativity for a teacher at school. I love the improvised Wise Men, Mary, Joseph, the baby Jesus, and the Shepherds, but the Sheep might be my favorite. Emma showed me that it doesn't take money to be thoughtful.

We sold our Suburban just before Christmas and bought my parent's Camry. I shed a few tears as I drove it to it's new owners. I miss the size, but not the gas $$. It served our family well for 10 years. *sniff*

Want to remember how cute Annie looked in front of the tree.

This is for my creative friend, Megan. I won the LOVE image on one of her blog giveaways and made this print on canvas out of it and love it. Thank you, Megan.

I love the cozy feel of my our house at Christmas.

Three Wise Men from Pre-school days and a candle topper that I don't put on a candle.
 Also, my cute parents on their wedding day.

Many of our  Christmas decorations remind me of people I associate with them. Angel: Lois, who made it. Ragedy Santa: Janet Turk, who gave it to us one year and one of my first nativities that I got through my good friend, Lynn.

This snowman is one of a pair and I love pulling them out every year.

I really appreciate the cards and greetings we receive every year, especially when we have been horrible about reciprocating. Thank you for sticking with us. We are grateful for your friendship.  Your cards and photos hang on the wall separating the living room from the family room so we can look at them often.

I love this simple nativity.

I also love these stockings made by my talented friend, Lois. I also love that they make me think of her every time I look at them. The family tree is a new addition. We are the branch that veers off to the right on the top. It follows Brian's mom's line going back to William Ridley, who was born in England in 1732.

This Yule Goat sits on our computer cabinet and reminds me of my Swedish roots.

This is one of the few things that stays up year round. Thank you, Tracy, for being so thoughtful. A Swedish star light for my 40th birthday.

This wall makes me happy. A project that I did with my father-in-law over a  year ago.
When I look at this photo I am grateful for Jim (the wall), Barb (the sewing machine) and my parents (the couch-their first couch). Part of the wall came from my friend, Diane's garage and the idea for it's design from her house, so thank you Diane M. for your contribution.

Found this cute sign last summer while visiting my brother and his family in CA.

This was from Bill and Rhonda, but it represents the kindness shown to us by so many of our wonderful, thoughtful friends and neighbors. We're so blessed.

Christmas has meant caramels for the past 25 years thanks to the best missionary companion a missionary could've asked for. Annette's friendship is one of the gifts my mission gave to me.

Swedish meatballs and cinnamon rolls come out of this loved little cookbook that I got from my Aunt Kerstin many years ago.

Even though the "season" is over, I hope to keep the spirit of Christmas with me throughout the year until it's time to climb up into the attic and pull down the decorations again. I am happy to reconnect with my camera AND my blog...and I plan on not being such a stranger, no matter what else I've got going.

Happy New Year!

(I am giving myself permission to do one more Christmas post before January is over.)

A family thread.

A little while ago, my cousin posted a photo of our grandmother on Facebook and when I saw it, I was stunned. There, looking back at me was my grandmother with a camera looking so much like me! I wanted that photo, or at the very least a copy of it. She has been on my mind lately and the photo seemed to be her speaking to me from the dust. The last time I saw her was when my mom and I had the good fortune to travel back to Sweden together for my cousin's wedding in the summer of 1999.

(At the wedding)

A few days before my mom and I left Sweden we visited Langgarn, a small island that is part of Stockholm's archipelago. My grandmother's family had 3 cabins on the island that have eventually been passed down to my Uncles who live in Sweden. For fun, I was mowing the lawn at the middle cabin with a push mower while my grandmother sat and watched me, but pretty soon it felt like it was more than just watching me. She was memorizing me, absorbing me.

Finally, I stopped, went over to her and sat down beside her and said,

"I know what you're doing."

"What?"

"You are soaking me in because I'm leaving."

"Yes. You know that there are nine of you over there now."

She was referring to my family of six at the time and my parents and younger brother who all live here, in the United States. I realized then how much time she spent thinking about her family that lived an ocean away. 

An hour or so later my mom and I walked down to the dock so my uncle to take us back to the mainland. My grandmother sat in a chair at the top of the pathway leading to the dock with another uncle standing at her side as she watched us walk away. She looked like a grand dame, sitting there watching me go. She was my last living grandparent, the matriarch of my father's side of the family. I am so grateful for such a clear memory of our last visit together. She passed away 3 months later. Our conversation became more poignant knowing it was our last one in this life. 

My Aunt was nice enough to send a copy of the photo so here it is:

I love it! And this is also why I love photography. Photos enrich our memories and preserve them for future generations. What a treasure.

How do they do it?!

You may wonder what this is. If you know, then I am impressed. 

After being in the courtroom for two days,  I couldn't help but wonder how the court reporter did her thing. I got a little closer look this morning, but still couldn't see how so few keys could allow her to record everything that was being said. I found the whole thing rather intriguing and often found myself staring at her typing and the narrow strip of paper that kept feeding through the machine. So tonight, while I am waiting to get sleepy, I decided to satisfy my curiosity. That's the great thing about the internet. You can find out just about anything. The above are the keys on a court reporter's machine and you can learn all about how it works here.

There...now I think I can go to sleep. One less thing to wonder about.

Scout Camp...Adam's home.

Adam has been at Scout Camp all week and came home yesterday. Hooray! We missed him while he was gone. When Brian picked him up from his Scout Master's house he said, "Mom's got to get a picture of you!" Having sent many boys off to scout camp and seen what they look like when they come home, I wasn't surprised when I saw Adam. He was wearing his week of camp ALL over him from head to toe. I love that he is still such a boy. I keep telling him not to grow up. 
First of all, his uniform is a little embarrassing for me as a mother and fills me with guilt. It's most likely NOT his shirt, but a hand me down from one of his brothers and I'm sure the rank patch isn't right AND notice the "chalk outline" of what was once a patch above his left pocket. It looks like it was "glued" on. It's not the only patch I have glued over the years. Eeek! BUT...he has a smile on his face and doesn't care about his uniform. I might get that right one of these days.

Aside from all of that, let's move in for a closer look....

What I'd like to point out here is the mustache. His fellow scouter and friend, John, told Brian that Adam had a mustache the entire week. I thought he took soap with him. Maybe it wasn't on the list.

The dirty, untucked, half unbuttoned shirt. The t-shirt underneath doesn't 

look much better.

The shorts had to match the shirt. I asked him if he showered and he said, "No, but I jumped in the lake a couple of times, but that doesn't count." At least he changed his underwear.

He said he was the only one who got this many mosquito bites. Hmm...I guess we forgot the bug spray along with the soap. But seriously, with legs that cute, what bug wouldn't want to take a little bite?!

He came home with his watch, which I was very happy about since I borrow it 

every other day.

They were up in Flagstaff at Camp Raymond, but fortunately not near the big fire.

Just stuff he came home with. I am kind of wondering about the two belts, since he was wearing one. I guess we have 3 scout belts now? Anybody missing one??

Basket Weaving and Woodcarving merit badges. Is it only a mom who would get all mushy looking at these little handiworks? I guess I just picture him sitting up there at camp, with his half buttoned, dirty shirt, mustached face and his grubby hands deep in concentration working on his little baskets and remembering the same boy at the age of 3 sitting on the floor of his grandma's house in his p.j. shirt and little boy underwear, deep in concentration with his coloring book and wonder where the time has gone. I guess he's not listening to me growing up anyhow.