one year ago today. . .

This morning I couldn't quit thinking about my little brother and his wife, Kelsey.  After a while, I wondered if there was a reason they were on my mind.  Knowing it was Kelsey's day off, I decided I would just give her a call but when she didn't answer I left a message.

 It was then that I remembered. 

Just one year ago, I got a phone call that changed my life.  Although everything turned out better than we could have dreamed, I hope I'm never the same as I was before the accident.  For some reason our family was given a second chance. 

Today, as a way of remembering, I am going to celebrate life.  I hope you will join me.

Let's make sure that the people we love know that we do.  I hope to take a little time and reflect upon my life and the course I am taking.  Am I doing the things that matter most?  Are my day to day decisions in line with my priorities?  Are my favorite people getting the best part of me, or am I giving them the leftovers?

I plan on giving my children an extra squeeze and thank my Heavenly Father for the things He has blessed me with.  If my handsome husband was around, I'd give him a good smooch or two and tell him what I love best.   I suppose a little love note (via text) will have to do.

I've got a lot to be thankful for.  Don't you?

This is our one and only chance at mortal life- here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the Earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you to not let those most important things pass you by.

-President Thomas S. Monson

clampetts storm lake powell, day two

We woke to sunshine the next morning, and the kids quickly made their way across the canyon to "Lizard Island" to explore.  Soon, they had found some small cliffs to climb and jump off.  The day had begun in style!  Before long, the Stosich family arrived and the kids were delighted to see more cousins.

Later that afternoon, we piled into boats and went exploring a few nearby canyons.  A boat ride always seems to be the best place for naps.

The kids were in awe at all the sights.  Even though I've been to Lake Powell many times, it never gets old. 

If you haven't been there I suggest you remedy that and "Get thee hence!" as soon as possible.

Later that night, the kids couldn't resist a few friendly competitions.  Arm wrestling and leg wrestling were the games of the day.  Kye was the champion arm wrestler among all the boy cousins, but may or may not have been defeated by his Aunt Nan. 

In the end, Emmy showed him a thing or two anyway. 

As you can imagine, it didn't take much to get everyone to bed.  So much fun. . .so much tired.  We all climbed into bed just in time.  Because pretty soon? 

The rains came down and the floods came up.

Our family and the Stosich gang were snuggled up in our separate tents.  Everyone else, however, decided to sleep under the stars again.  Courtney was a bit leery of the impending clouds and warned the adventurers that it might get ugly.  When they were determined to brave it out, he told them that if it started to rain, they could just throw the mattresses and blankets into our tent (it's big!) and head downstairs. 

It wasn't long before it started to sprinkle.  And then drizzle.  We laid awake wondering when the zipper would come flying open.  Before long, the rain was coming down steady.

Courtney unzipped the tent flap and kindly asked, "You wanna call it a night?"

"Nah,we'll give it another ten or fifteen minutes," was Ronnie's answer.  (We're kinda known for our determination.)

Just after Courtney climbed back in bed, the rain started to get heavier.  Pitter, patter, plop!  Before long, it sounded like a steady downpour. 

Courtney was soon back at the zippered flap.  "You ready yet?"

Finally, they caved.  Good thing, too.

That storm wasn't going anywhere.

clampetts storm lake powell, day one

After a long drive, we met the houseboat in Bullfrog and climbed aboard.  Chris and Amy had spent the previous week on the boat with their family (with perfect weather, of course!) and were just going home.  Shawn and Kelsey had been with them for the past few days and stayed overnight with us until we scared them off the next afternoon.  By the time we got loaded and headed out, it was getting to be late afternoon.  Shawn took the wheel, and we headed down the channel to find the campsite Chris and Amy had discovered.   Before long, it was completely dark.

As we turned into the narrow canyon where we would be staying, the kids got a little nervous.  It was their first time at Lake Powell, and I'm sure everything seemed so big and massive!   From their vantage point on the top deck, they weren't quite sure how Uncle Shawn was going to maneuver this big boat through such a narrow opening, especially in the dark!

At one particularly hairy turn, Ryenne looked at me and asked, "Mom, what helps you calm down the best when you are really nervous?"

"Prayer," I answered.

Without missing a beat, Ryenne added, "Yeah, I was thinking that.  Either that or chocolate, don't you think?" 

Pretty soon, there were six children huddled in prayer on top of that houseboat.

With the exception of one little bump (good thing those boats are made tough!), we made it safe and sound. 

After a warm dinner, we all agreed that it is very nice to camp with a few modern conveniences!  Soon, we settled our tired bunch into bed underneath the stars on the deck of the houseboat.  All was quiet when Dallan (age 10) called out, "Mom?  Can I take off my life jacket now?"

We laughed ourselves to sleep.

the clampetts take lake powell by storm

A few weeks ago, we loaded up and headed south with my parents and about half of my siblings.  Destination?  Lake Powell. 

Growing up, Lake Powell was my favorite place in the whole wide world (granted, my sphere wasn't all that large).  My family would go there often for family vacations.  Each time, without fail, it was an undertaking of epic proportions.  We would spend days and days packing what seemed like the bulk of our earthly belongings for a week long (sometimes two weeks!) camping trip.  You can imagine the tents, sleeping bags, clothing, food and water necessary to sustain nine people.  I always hated getting ready but loved the vacations.  Now that us kids are parents, we are amazed that mom and dad pulled it off.  We laugh now (although I think as teenagers were a little embarrassed) at what we must have looked like.  A rag tag group to be sure, usually in an old beat up suburban or van loaded to the gills with gear, and kids hanging from every window. 

I'm sure we looked like a vision of The Grapes of Wrath.

Good times.

Twenty plus years later, we didn't look all that different.  Our equipment was a bit more updated, to be sure, and our mode of travel a bit nicer.  But loaded to the hilt, all the same.  For all of the kids, it would be their very first trip to Lake Powell and we wanted them to love it as much as we had.

This time, Grandma and Grandpa had a houseboat for us to use, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that twenty people can fill up a houseboat pretty quickly.  The plan was that the Stosich clan and our bunch would bring tents and camp out on the beach to help alleviate some of the squishiness. 
 
Oh, how I loooooove tent camping. 

Our plans, however,  were changed a little bit when we found ourselves in the middle of a big 'ol storm system that delivered a record amount of rain, ping pong size hail, and a tornado 30 miles to the south.

We know how to pick 'em.

My husband, being the enterprising guy that he is, figured out that we could set up our tent right on top of the houseboat.  You know what?  It turned out marvelously.  In fact, if you happen to be in the market for a new tent?  May I suggest the Cabela's Alaskan Expedition Guide Series tent?  That thing earned it's stripes, man. 

Pretty soon, Ronnie and Nan caught the vision and set their tent on top too.  (Jodi and AJ's needed to be staked down, and so they were limited to mattresses on the floor downstairs.  Can I just say that there were bodies everywhere?) 

True to form, we headed down the channel in style- two tents on top, wet towels hanging from every surface, and kids dangling out every window.  "Here come the Clampetts," we proudly announced! 

Our week was full of adventures.  We made it through record breaking rainfall (which produced hundreds of beautiful waterfalls).  Nearly missed a tornado.  We were clobbered with hail the size of which none of us had ever seen.  ("Oh hail," Jodi and I said!)  Around the edges, we fit in several hikes (adventures in their own right), indian ruins, cliff jumping, fish and lizard catching, water skiing, and a few minor collisions. 

You know what? 

We had the time of our lives.

Stay tuned for more Lake Powell adventures (Clampett style). . .

fancy nancy

movie night with daddy

A few weeks ago, I scheduled Friday haircuts with Aunt Kelsey for all of the girls (with the exception of me).  I was badly overdue for a cut and hoping for a color but just couldn't find a time to get it done when Courtney would be home to watch the girls.  However, when he ended up getting home from Moab a little earlier than expected, I hijacked the appointment.  (My hair was in pretty bad shape, Okay?  And we all agree the girls look cute no matter what, right?)  Happily, I left everyone to his care and headed for a few hours of me time.  (I first typed the words "girl time", but then realized I get a lot of girl time, not so much me time!)

I had a super evening chatting with Kelsey while she made me pretty.  We decided to go a little darker with my color, but when she was styling it after the cut we were both a bit disappointed it didn't change as much as we'd hoped.  As I was her last appointment for the day, she suggested that we just do it again.  I guess I was enjoying my time off so much I didn't even think to call Courtney, who I'd scheduled a hot date with following my haircut.  As I was leaving in the dark, I realized I'd been gone over six hours!  I looked at my phone to call Court and tell him I was on my way when I had to laugh at the text message he'd sent a few hours earlier. 

It read, "Are you alive?"

When I called him, the first thing he said is, "I was just wondering if Kelsey cut each hair individually!"

We had a good laugh.

When I got home, he  and the girls were settled in for a movie night.  Curlers in the hair, p.j's, and dad's famous popcorn. . .it doesn't get any better.

I sat down by Courtney on the couch to chat for a while.  When I looked over at him, I had to smile when I saw this:

Pretty sneaky, eh?  Football on the headphones, face toward the movie. 

Turns out we just had a hot date at home that night.  I really love this guy.

my bigger little brother

Happy Birthday Shawn!  I doubt you'll read this, but I've been thinking about you all day.

I may be older, but you've always been my big brother.  Big laughs, big personality, and a big heart.

The way I figure it, we must have been standing next to each other in heaven.  It seems to me that when the time came for us to line up for our goods, you must have pulled a fast one.  Turns out you ended up with all the fun and I walked away with the leftovers. 

For instance, I've always admired the way you can strike up a conversation with anyone.  I have a hard time just saying hello.  You always have a few good jokes up your sleeve, always good for a laugh.   Me?  I can't ever remember the punch line.  You have friends the world over.  (Doesn't matter where we go, you always know someone.  It's amazing!)  My circle has always been rather small.  You're just getting warmed up for a good party as I'm climbing into bed.  And when someone gets in a pinch, I can betcha they won't be calling me.  People know they can count on you.  That's a gift, pure and simple.

People just plain like you.

Me too, actually.  In fact, despite the fact that your basket full of talents left me in bit of a lurch, I like you a lot.

I admire you.  I look up to you.  And it's not 'cause you're a good foot taller than I am.  (Turns out that having the corner on the market in the personality aisle wasn't quite enough.  You had to steal everything in the height department too.) 

Did I mention you always walk away from the sun with a golden tan while I wind up with an extra smattering of freckles?  The list goes on. . .




Happy Birthday Bigger Brother.  I love you.