Beginning of the end...

It seems like yesterday but was really 13 short years ago, I took my heart in my hands and saw my first "baby" off to school. Part of me felt like my heart would break. Part of me couldn't wait to hear about her adventures and new friends; or to see that first school year through her eyes.
Today I felt the same way.... Today was the first day of Amanda's last year of High School. Again, part of me feels as if my heart will break. Part of me can't wait to hear about her adventures and new friends; or to see the final year of High School through her eyes.

This year seems to be about beginnings and endings.

This year is also a beginning and ending for our Jackie. This week marked the start of Jackie's final year of Middle School. After this year, she will be a High School student. Again, I find myself torn between the bittersweet and being eager to see this experience from Jackie's unique perspective.

There go my babies...
taking wing and flying from the nest.

This day has come much quicker than I like. Still, I look back without regret and forward with eagerness to see what other adventures lie in store. Being "the Mom" has been the biggest adventure of my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Given all that is past, I can only look forward with anticipation for what lies ahead.

Let the adventures continue...

Hang onto your hats,

it's gonna be one heck of a ride!!!

We're jammin'

Saturday we drove up to Brigham City. We bought 10.67 pounds of cherries. Saturday night we sat around the kitchen table and pitted and stemmed all of them. Kev, Deb, Marc and I had the purple fingers to prove it...still do!

Today we made cherry jam and canned 20 pints!!! Two year ago we did this and messed up the recipe so badly that it didn't jell. It tasted GREAT on pancakes and waffles...but didn't do well on toast or PB&J's...

This time I think we did it right. The jars are still cooling off, but the jam looks like it's jellin' just fine! Yay! Guess it's true that practice makes perfect.

Next we're canning the bushel of apricots that we bought on our trip to Brigham City. Apricot jam, anyone?

We runned away!

Yesterday after we sent our children off to Youth Conference for our Church, Kevin and I decided it was time for the parents to run away from home. Being responsible (ok, SEMI-responsible) adults, we didn't run far. We did, however run to a place we've never been before.


We decided to explore another of Utah's beautiful canyons. This time, we went up into the foothills above Salt Lake City, into Immigration Canyon. It was just lovely.

On our way into the canyon, we came upon a little cafe called:

We decided to stop for dinner and were glad we did. The food was wonderful. Now, I am a fan of jazz music - generally speaking. However, I am NOT a fan of improvisational jazz. Unfortunately, we were seated at a table right under a speaker and the background music was jazz-improv. After about 15 minutes, we decided to brave the patio dining area (in spite of the rain) in the hopes that the music would be more background and less intrusive. It worked for awhile. Then they switched the music to a more blue-grass sound. I like blue grass music as well, and initially, this was very enjoyable. Until a woman started singing in what sounded like an oriental style...along with the original blue-grass singer! It became comical as Kevin and I struggled not to laugh too loudly. The kicker was when a third singer joined the first two. The new singer was singing what sounded like a Native American Indian chant. Kev and I decided that this was multi-cultural blue grass music. Asian/Apache/Blue grass, to be exact. It definitely added entertainment to our meal, just not the way the restaurant intended, I'm sure.

We finished our drive through the canyon, and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery accented by the thunderstorm that chased us home!

Could that last song have been a chant for rain???
(if so, it worked)