Pine

Pine from Mastercapture on Vimeo.

This is a short film my talented cousin, Taylor Shumway, put together of the cabin in Pine, AZ. "A second home," as he put it, to our extended family. We are so lucky to have grown up and made so many memories in this place that my grandparents so selflessly shared with us. I love the way he captured and preserved so much of the detail of this house and the town that my great grandmother grew up in and our family has cherished over the years.

Some other photos of Pine posted here and here and here and here ... 

Eedle Beetle

When we nicknamed Eden, "Beetle," we hadn't yet learned how fitting it would become.

Like her brothers, she has a strong affinity for all insects and considers them among her best friends.
In this little girl's world, bugs are someone to confide in, weeds are wish-granting fairies, and the wind sings to her.

I hope my favorite daughter holds on to her 3's her whole life.

Summer

Happy White Christmas

all dressed up and nowhere to go

Eden didn't have a nap yesterday.

We had some of our extended family over for breakfast that lasted until 3:00 in the afternoon, it was that good.

Afterward, we squeezed in a little birthday party prep, a holiday movie and dinner before bedtime. Nobody took the time to force our toddler to get the sleep she so desperately needed.

So, she fell asleep fairly quickly giving me time to fold laundry and movie watch with husband. But as often happens when my little ones are over tired, after a couple of hours Eden was mostly awake again... and ready to party? She found her red sparkly shoes and came down the stairs telling Daddy to take her to the party. She stood at the front door asking for her hat at eleven o'clock at night.

We played along for a little while trying to delay the inevitable and irrational disappointment she would surely express. Once I took her back to bed she cried and cried about going to the party, then fell asleep, sparkly shoes and all.

all is calm, all is bright

This is Christmas: husband stoking the fire, train around the tree, lights and sleeping children. We are blessed.

The End of an Era

"Norma Jarvis Crosby was born in St. Johns, Arizona December 23rd, 1915, passed away August 29th, 2012 at the age of 96. She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 70 years, John T. Crosby and an infant daughter Norma. She is survived by her seven children and their spouses; Steve and Sharon Crosby, Ken and Pam Crosby, Sarah and Lamar Gray, Elliot and Karen Crosby, Norman Crosby, Carla and John Sharp and Annette and Tim Shreeve. Norma spent her carefree childhood years in Eagar, Arizona. She moved to St. Johns where she finished elementary, and high school. It was in St. Johns she met her eternal companion and the love of her life, Johnny. She loved nature and loved to roam the hills around St. Johns collecting Rocks, arrowheads and purple glass. She is loved and revered by her children and over 240 descendants. Services will be head in the St. Johns downtown LDS chapel Saturday, September 1st at 2 p.m. Internment with be at the St. Johns cemetery." 
                                                                                                                      -obituary @ azcentral.com

"Revered" is a good word for this lady. One definition says: regard with respect tinged with awe. That about sums it up. Born in 1915, she lived 96 years with grace. She experienced The Great Depression, WWI and WWII, Vietnam...She watched automobiles replace horse and buggies and a man walk on the moon. She lived in extraordinary times with so much happening in the world and especially in our country, but I would venture to say that her greatest impact on this world was in her home. Married for 70 years, she created 8 babies and a family which has grown to 240 descendants and counting. I would say that yes, she is "revered" by all of them. How lucky I am to have grown up with such an example and the gentle and nurturing influence she had on her family. We all know she is happily reunited with her soul mate, and that even though the Johnny and Norma Era was exceptional here on Earth, that it is not really The End. 

Hullabaloo