tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18931467542346284362024-02-21T02:05:34.512-08:00bringhurst family"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love."Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.comBlogger158125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-24474522019722995312010-12-08T20:00:00.000-08:002010-12-08T21:11:35.034-08:00DOWN ON THE FARM<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8AH5J863IexyWf9pJ2BaLa0VdXhDgCYCx_2OgCmRwPxv-bY0gdF8qs1I-2Z5ULkoC-naFIikP5jr3XTn0SoxqgWSEXi4tdVQD4FbdbDr62TkTbsOn2q42nMlN0MDOcatQSQl6uLI2Reg/s1600/IMG_0105.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8AH5J863IexyWf9pJ2BaLa0VdXhDgCYCx_2OgCmRwPxv-bY0gdF8qs1I-2Z5ULkoC-naFIikP5jr3XTn0SoxqgWSEXi4tdVQD4FbdbDr62TkTbsOn2q42nMlN0MDOcatQSQl6uLI2Reg/s400/IMG_0105.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548543161625384626" /></a><br /><br />I guess it is safe to say that I live on a farm. I can't think of any other way to describe what we've got going on here. This year I made it "official" when I registered with The American Goat Society as Dimple Dell Farm (doesn't that name sound so adorable?) and destined all new baby goats born here to their own special prefix. This year we had "Dimple Dell Chocolate Chip," (some of you may remember our special little Chip for his unusual sexual orientation) "Dimple Dell Flower," "Dimple Dell Chuckles," and little "Dimple Dell Happy Go Lucky."<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TrUZQjn_jbhd0zq__RdDbEzr_2_Cb757IOIHD0ur70YPERQLelal_KU5_dhMIi8K_sbNzamKrLEYL_MkTyYV3DUf7QtsRSX_3tIKHYwCzXtBnwWe5Lu4ZxjMtoF6ZM8xDHzCJOLRrqmC/s1600/goats+and+animals+2010-08-17+012.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TrUZQjn_jbhd0zq__RdDbEzr_2_Cb757IOIHD0ur70YPERQLelal_KU5_dhMIi8K_sbNzamKrLEYL_MkTyYV3DUf7QtsRSX_3tIKHYwCzXtBnwWe5Lu4ZxjMtoF6ZM8xDHzCJOLRrqmC/s400/goats+and+animals+2010-08-17+012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548543940051795186" /></a><br /><br />A farm is fun and fulfilling. A farm is a lot of work. When the weather gets cold and wet I start to question farm life. The animals must be fed everyday, watered, their poop scooped, and their bedding cleaned. Water hoses must be unscrewed and drained so they won't freeze and break pipes. It seems that as soon as we get one hole in the fence fixed, another is created. Every month somebody has to be wormed, vaccinated, trimmed up or doctored. And did I mention poop? Oh, so much poop!<br /> <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj418cpDayEmeAU_bZuc5O-OsUR7n-99p1PAi-E2xJSGDDUjneKNKgEBeiu8wYGZV576-1MMy_h-Okglc4tjQ9CQCpQ7mZQBJJtJDS9vJLNtqyNqA62Y8SZuty0bO1Fg2i89JayEyGisOo/s1600/goats+015.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj418cpDayEmeAU_bZuc5O-OsUR7n-99p1PAi-E2xJSGDDUjneKNKgEBeiu8wYGZV576-1MMy_h-Okglc4tjQ9CQCpQ7mZQBJJtJDS9vJLNtqyNqA62Y8SZuty0bO1Fg2i89JayEyGisOo/s400/goats+015.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548544771602633074" /></a><br /><br />Today was stall mucking day and I had been dreading it. Kays and I suited up and headed out to fill wheelbarrows full of manure, and as we scraped and scooped, we talked and laughed. And I thought to myself that more moms should have the chance to spend an hour each day with their daughters working at poop containment. After we finished with the scooping, we did the feeding and watering, we fixed a hole in the fence, and gathered the eggs. It was a lovely hour, actually, even though I was a little blue at the tips when we were done. Kaylee said to me, "Mom, look how beautiful the mountains are." And she was right. The view of the mountains was so much more beautiful than the alternative today... POOP.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQbhGpmjOVNiI39qP_AFNI6s8ND4l37-Sgkiej7vdAMLB05rFVNuXsfz0PQihx70i57kYpMI_9PjH1qaKn5_4Qcr418JMsqznhv_NYmF4233kZdEXkVEuSLqhP6pQYKp5npYm2_PZO9_7/s1600/barn+and+sheds+009.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQbhGpmjOVNiI39qP_AFNI6s8ND4l37-Sgkiej7vdAMLB05rFVNuXsfz0PQihx70i57kYpMI_9PjH1qaKn5_4Qcr418JMsqznhv_NYmF4233kZdEXkVEuSLqhP6pQYKp5npYm2_PZO9_7/s400/barn+and+sheds+009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548541908096565570" /></a>Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-56514221227091327862010-11-22T19:11:00.000-08:002010-11-22T19:25:30.282-08:00BECAUSE I AM THANKFULI have a beautiful life full of beautiful people and things. I have a safe, warm home full of love and simple comforts. I have loyal and loving friends, family close at hand, puppies to warm my feet at night, and neighbors who share. I drive a reliable car, dress my family in nice clothes, fill my pantry with good food. I take warm showers and baths. I fall asleep most nights feeling safe and warm. My children have all the opportunities in life that I could want for them. At my house we love much and forgive often. When there are tears, there is always someone to wipe them away. I am thankful for all these things, today, and every other.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-10967870190629822782010-07-21T22:12:00.000-07:002010-07-21T23:07:49.431-07:00HOW COULD I FORGET?So, so many things happen in a day, a week, a month, a year. In May the kids had a dance recital, their first ever (and possibly last), and I didn't blog about it. They danced to "Run Around Sue."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5m5q5WCGAQ-eeRgiiVmHN2Vjc4nC2S6qmcjl5ctjgmxVOHHgEvPQgtWyzIhZ_c2I45HZGKJXme_t0MsEbHueq0iVXVqN6IBfzsg5ruxzGRd0VWlOJuu63womMrGpoTHPgrysK-IOjwWZ/s1600/dance+recital+2010-05-08+004.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj5m5q5WCGAQ-eeRgiiVmHN2Vjc4nC2S6qmcjl5ctjgmxVOHHgEvPQgtWyzIhZ_c2I45HZGKJXme_t0MsEbHueq0iVXVqN6IBfzsg5ruxzGRd0VWlOJuu63womMrGpoTHPgrysK-IOjwWZ/s400/dance+recital+2010-05-08+004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496600307233801298" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuUSazyIonwJ6nnLcPHuj_3XiO5_48jNbtDlmb245PCbRMwrOEApuHGDEbgtID7XLlL_DhE_tkGak74nZlTrHVWyowvv1oYPF_japhqYv54JWxi3ZAirWcscAWRg-bUekteOiHDyJlohR/s1600/dance+recital+2010-05-08+006.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuUSazyIonwJ6nnLcPHuj_3XiO5_48jNbtDlmb245PCbRMwrOEApuHGDEbgtID7XLlL_DhE_tkGak74nZlTrHVWyowvv1oYPF_japhqYv54JWxi3ZAirWcscAWRg-bUekteOiHDyJlohR/s400/dance+recital+2010-05-08+006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496600623512302930" /></a><br /><br />Also in May the kids made their first stage appearance in "A Mid Summer Night's Dream" and I didn't blog about it. Brit had the part of King Oberon, Kaylee played Puck. They were amazing! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gcM5s9PZEfjnD9OPSdxvzcJ-8B5kgMiTljE4ILQfXNTa1OVJzmIJt2DRXLqrLsVBQVj4ySvSanT5KtWoK6WjPrF_ar9V5uy_0-reCe-VypS-0GanH03cQ62nLco8bWTDGS6I-adYRHv2/s1600/kids+play+1.bmp"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 73px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gcM5s9PZEfjnD9OPSdxvzcJ-8B5kgMiTljE4ILQfXNTa1OVJzmIJt2DRXLqrLsVBQVj4ySvSanT5KtWoK6WjPrF_ar9V5uy_0-reCe-VypS-0GanH03cQ62nLco8bWTDGS6I-adYRHv2/s400/kids+play+1.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496601365791391730" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeqHsQyUwNAR8tC2oUvoSRYxqcOlxV4v72Vz33rj8mRY909AWMJVPNWoulQAZ59MEZJxRGJnUwxt0wtSU3I-7xc1vJd22CvDfmmCDEbYnvRBivycWbKv170OWw4lw8epadxPQQI06pl8F/s1600/kids+play+2.bmp"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXeqHsQyUwNAR8tC2oUvoSRYxqcOlxV4v72Vz33rj8mRY909AWMJVPNWoulQAZ59MEZJxRGJnUwxt0wtSU3I-7xc1vJd22CvDfmmCDEbYnvRBivycWbKv170OWw4lw8epadxPQQI06pl8F/s400/kids+play+2.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496601577816869314" /></a><br /><br />In June, after our anniversary in San Francisco, we spent a quick weekend in Arizona. Thank you <a href="http://www.woodardfamily.blogspot.com/">Woodards</a> for hosting us...again! We were on a mission to find just the right winter home for the kids and me. And while the weather in Utah was unseasonably cool that weekend, it was also unseasonably cool in AZ, making it perfect. <br /><br />The last weekend in June was spent in Moab, Ut. with my brother Brett, Mom and Tim. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUYJ_UCYCx68Mcr8zoV8mpKvT5527GKpC5SnGokWu9alXSHJHmQtByydN04cCzhe5ip2hnHUF1HQYgGW2e-IFZeCHk9IHhRq4KBx66EKtqinEl7x6KQPfi4l6ob7duice4niPyI5Nvce8/s1600/millcreek+2010.bmp"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfUYJ_UCYCx68Mcr8zoV8mpKvT5527GKpC5SnGokWu9alXSHJHmQtByydN04cCzhe5ip2hnHUF1HQYgGW2e-IFZeCHk9IHhRq4KBx66EKtqinEl7x6KQPfi4l6ob7duice4niPyI5Nvce8/s400/millcreek+2010.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496601923750369778" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnz9EWheG438ZO4T5e-GORGeuEx-XkMC_e8V1f8LlrXd-UoTptfJwwhNdRW71Rj08s33B_D9Qz0Q57h7r4W-LwK-1TUwo-zy_9_maHVP4XDw-VmPFh5OXJA0IunrClfA9BybrGeRsSakt/s1600/slickrock+2010.bmp"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 98px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnz9EWheG438ZO4T5e-GORGeuEx-XkMC_e8V1f8LlrXd-UoTptfJwwhNdRW71Rj08s33B_D9Qz0Q57h7r4W-LwK-1TUwo-zy_9_maHVP4XDw-VmPFh5OXJA0IunrClfA9BybrGeRsSakt/s400/slickrock+2010.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496602171084471058" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDcF9cB69AAOz-H_bjPaqhutIcFYgWzgn6lfZlXOutE_IasBqYtUzff_xc8nrk8A-mvQXFA7NtVFhg_isxTPO9Z3HamU9mtZAu6qGZXUulvnguzK5nJWFg7xdxRm_4Q_h7dqdVToJoW99/s1600/kaylee+moab+2010.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 98px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGDcF9cB69AAOz-H_bjPaqhutIcFYgWzgn6lfZlXOutE_IasBqYtUzff_xc8nrk8A-mvQXFA7NtVFhg_isxTPO9Z3HamU9mtZAu6qGZXUulvnguzK5nJWFg7xdxRm_4Q_h7dqdVToJoW99/s400/kaylee+moab+2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496602421576364274" /></a><br /><br />July, July, July... July has sort of just happened. July is generally my favorite month of the year. This year I decided to use all the positive energy and optimism of warm weather, summer fun and lazier days to tweak a few little things in my life that I think need improvement. I'm hoping to track my progress over <a href="http://www.onewholelife.blogspot.com/">here</a>.<br /><br />All of these things that happen seem fresh in my memory, for now. But time can make memories fuzzy, less vivid, sometimes even hidden. My blog is supposed to help capture the memories. I need to blog better.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-35849663709396640542010-06-02T09:08:00.000-07:002010-06-02T10:12:32.156-07:0020 YEARS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbb6Zw3B9HMbwvSDH5RF-5El2Y8p3GLmoUoLIhnorSM0YIssv4YWZ9A-Gb4rzhrAc4_4Du6bRxUUwPApAU3LbEit6QjrEt9oEhw_tZ5tjMvGqdkL2v07d0hLlxtTtj1tQ_DwHVmWPBfS3J/s1600/san+fran+alcatraz.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbb6Zw3B9HMbwvSDH5RF-5El2Y8p3GLmoUoLIhnorSM0YIssv4YWZ9A-Gb4rzhrAc4_4Du6bRxUUwPApAU3LbEit6QjrEt9oEhw_tZ5tjMvGqdkL2v07d0hLlxtTtj1tQ_DwHVmWPBfS3J/s400/san+fran+alcatraz.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478221774540566482" /></a><br /><br />Yesterday marked the 20 year anniversary of our wedding day. On June 1, 1990, I became Mrs. Bringhurst, and let me tell you, that was a a rung or two up on the alphabetical ladder! Imagine going all through your school days with a last name starting with S. It moulds you, shapes you, makes you feel like you must fall back in line... Then one day you are a B! Suddenly you can be first (or second) in line, stand a little taller, wait a little less, be somebody! Ahhh.... marital bliss.<br /><br />Since that day we have lived in seven places, owned three houses, had two children, owned seventeen cars, three boats, two trailers, and many, many pets. We honeymooned in Disneyland and returned countless times with our kids. We backed into parenthood and never looked back, sharing nearly every day-to-day, and, exciting new experience <em>with</em> the kids. This year, to celebrate our 20 years of marriage, we planned a trip <em>without</em> the kids.<br /><br />SAN FRANCISCO<br /><br />Have you been? Everybody's been to San Francisco! Except me. I had never been until this past weekend. I LOVED it! We had great weather which, as anyone knows, will make or break a vacation for me. Some of the highlights were:<br /><br />ALCATRAZ! Because I love, love, LOVE history! And this place was full of it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1nGxDO6-eK6WRoYu_rHF6Eo6HL53ARSMDjQLJdCn7mSXu6O_NzvpsmU4EgK0CGGC4HHZFw9mslF3W-4DDexCoq-TV0oTLJPlDN7wy1atg-xlyk-fv35sjsMdbA0j-AAclpHGQm8LjUZ4/s1600/alcatraz.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit1nGxDO6-eK6WRoYu_rHF6Eo6HL53ARSMDjQLJdCn7mSXu6O_NzvpsmU4EgK0CGGC4HHZFw9mslF3W-4DDexCoq-TV0oTLJPlDN7wy1atg-xlyk-fv35sjsMdbA0j-AAclpHGQm8LjUZ4/s400/alcatraz.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478217328974470738" /></a><br /><br />We took the audio tour<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatmY2CgGVNAednMqHnnuf-E0PFvOEVFNpUfaagrAw1XiWRoT4_Q-Nfo1Ku7Z5Tp7BYvjgyWTK2kCVSIX_xVd7rSdHgMsAVmv-JmfbI7pNZC52FtLxzLeejuaVH9KsEC5ZhAuDCJUwdiwx/s1600/san+fran+audio+tour.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgatmY2CgGVNAednMqHnnuf-E0PFvOEVFNpUfaagrAw1XiWRoT4_Q-Nfo1Ku7Z5Tp7BYvjgyWTK2kCVSIX_xVd7rSdHgMsAVmv-JmfbI7pNZC52FtLxzLeejuaVH9KsEC5ZhAuDCJUwdiwx/s400/san+fran+audio+tour.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478217889381900034" /></a><br /><br />I really liked zig-zaggy Lombard Street. Driving it was fun and all, but I want to live there.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4A8TEVxRgG6smJ7zHc_lDg9NDlZWGKwAOhzKM4FItNmr_D-Vo383cB4pmY3loQW40yyzEZQJ_IfBdFYTowD1BFtysknK5kT2clGKyrI9JGUV_l0Erc38uut9Zt5fosKdH_oLxk2OWJbF/s1600/san+fran+lombard+st.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj4A8TEVxRgG6smJ7zHc_lDg9NDlZWGKwAOhzKM4FItNmr_D-Vo383cB4pmY3loQW40yyzEZQJ_IfBdFYTowD1BFtysknK5kT2clGKyrI9JGUV_l0Erc38uut9Zt5fosKdH_oLxk2OWJbF/s400/san+fran+lombard+st.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478218512303201890" /></a><br /><br />And this place, to remind me of my back-of-the-line roots.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPH0SIiiEmSc0TV-Th4lim39kxvbsIieo7r1KBxBY9toNHqOInLXus3LqVSYPBgAgVjw_FmtqUuuffcWYOzJfKcFcrG2dMLApJN3ar0vDQeQtBL2qIRIBnx9jDZMOiG_v5UD2KTrPyTFeP/s1600/san+fran+swensens.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPH0SIiiEmSc0TV-Th4lim39kxvbsIieo7r1KBxBY9toNHqOInLXus3LqVSYPBgAgVjw_FmtqUuuffcWYOzJfKcFcrG2dMLApJN3ar0vDQeQtBL2qIRIBnx9jDZMOiG_v5UD2KTrPyTFeP/s400/san+fran+swensens.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478223533107624882" /></a><br /><br />GHIRADHELLI SQUARE = CHOCOLATE <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFec_SbeqjW6tSvUpj30F3oLrYd8wKxwLs7Zg084fcyiN4RBmgzJ9W_2fhVipPlDQYx_X6S1rjcKnwLo99lYwrXr02sZRQJnePfk0nXuz1DdmGA8EUrEBIO6SBFGeFKCibxPqIu5OAEYq/s1600/san+fran+ghiradelli.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFec_SbeqjW6tSvUpj30F3oLrYd8wKxwLs7Zg084fcyiN4RBmgzJ9W_2fhVipPlDQYx_X6S1rjcKnwLo99lYwrXr02sZRQJnePfk0nXuz1DdmGA8EUrEBIO6SBFGeFKCibxPqIu5OAEYq/s400/san+fran+ghiradelli.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478219057465657154" /></a><br /><br />I loved our tour of old boats. I love old things.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuPs5GRI6O97IbF-Et5iW5wB-qhB-FcXGTv8xBr0xxke6GcqvhI9zLNW1gzUi3gt2aJdju2D8s-dYncTDRQLWgwLpaUwSwehmhPL3OhR1z-3dl0uh0LHC1elHeETwb6oqv2rKjmPCpIFo/s1600/san+fran+balclutha.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuPs5GRI6O97IbF-Et5iW5wB-qhB-FcXGTv8xBr0xxke6GcqvhI9zLNW1gzUi3gt2aJdju2D8s-dYncTDRQLWgwLpaUwSwehmhPL3OhR1z-3dl0uh0LHC1elHeETwb6oqv2rKjmPCpIFo/s400/san+fran+balclutha.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478219509724147090" /></a><br /><br />I loved this place... where I paid $15 for a small bag of cherries.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFiYAj-TffgfJj1wIgnRs6V2pVT54_HiBEm27TtdtKrz8YldHu5bDcqiM7zjU9MOf-JyKKXcoXAfwgqSsFJFA66vLwJ8BTZ7f3mf2iV0Nlf6vcWp2rKh-SHOCF8KLHC2jni-2Ibu0dJB5/s1600/san+fran+fruit+stand.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFiYAj-TffgfJj1wIgnRs6V2pVT54_HiBEm27TtdtKrz8YldHu5bDcqiM7zjU9MOf-JyKKXcoXAfwgqSsFJFA66vLwJ8BTZ7f3mf2iV0Nlf6vcWp2rKh-SHOCF8KLHC2jni-2Ibu0dJB5/s400/san+fran+fruit+stand.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478219796505105666" /></a><br /><br />I loved the seafood, the atmosphere, the ocean. I loved that everyone rode bikes and owned dogs. AND... I loved having this handsome guy, all to myself, for one whole weekend!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcA6V5Qlw3cL_yjYZeITtm8kFdflEdkheBKr_Ly-JsDjML70lMsrIHFYdVBq0kVP0pCskaBkPrkMuMXmH16Vkk2iy1D9a-9CrFJLE985V716EeMMraMBOi7nI9UTYOSoliEQjM_QYBvfj/s1600/san+fran+jeff.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcA6V5Qlw3cL_yjYZeITtm8kFdflEdkheBKr_Ly-JsDjML70lMsrIHFYdVBq0kVP0pCskaBkPrkMuMXmH16Vkk2iy1D9a-9CrFJLE985V716EeMMraMBOi7nI9UTYOSoliEQjM_QYBvfj/s400/san+fran+jeff.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478220794997941618" /></a><br /><br />My only regret is leaving my camera home. Thanks Jeff! For a perfect weekend.<br /><em>*pictures courtesy of Jeff's new camera, that might need a little tweaking* </em>Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-81094121652389712362010-05-24T10:32:00.000-07:002010-05-24T10:39:32.290-07:00WHY DID IT TAKE UNTIL ALMOST 10 AM FOR ME TO ROLL OUT OF BED THIS MORNING?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNl3Wdk4JbOkuL-qyCSQkVzO6fRT05SDsdvb7ae89Dr9Ga1w7sUpF75YeeNbFIAiQz1vcJCwpU250W4TGqogv0KxyYUIu-ll8h5TGqE03z-c18ykXdzhDAsrvF-xO52KMjHHWSGANlOvQ/s1600/late+snow+2010-05-24+006.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNl3Wdk4JbOkuL-qyCSQkVzO6fRT05SDsdvb7ae89Dr9Ga1w7sUpF75YeeNbFIAiQz1vcJCwpU250W4TGqogv0KxyYUIu-ll8h5TGqE03z-c18ykXdzhDAsrvF-xO52KMjHHWSGANlOvQ/s400/late+snow+2010-05-24+006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474892196380265074" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwsyjSU0Ag2vB2JAr3BzMd3Qjtc5VmjJKNvoIs2WK3msoV2IFwJyfjy1yL5JoKBculb9RUGMP0UL6BnrEcY8bdvUdY6wx2hS4cdnzM1Z-qhr6pii-EjaqS3pV_pizs5k5iStBRzUm9NRc/s1600/late+snow+2010-05-24+005.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwsyjSU0Ag2vB2JAr3BzMd3Qjtc5VmjJKNvoIs2WK3msoV2IFwJyfjy1yL5JoKBculb9RUGMP0UL6BnrEcY8bdvUdY6wx2hS4cdnzM1Z-qhr6pii-EjaqS3pV_pizs5k5iStBRzUm9NRc/s400/late+snow+2010-05-24+005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474892034648484946" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3p_4xK3q0b9bk6FJfYz91wqB-u5pRfQPAPbMwELCE-i759r2471Piqwz_pVGJjapw2wHJ2RYwfke1_srOLwCvHsGl-ipsex0u97Iz7IR-OopEbIbFXjJc4YsiZAMxEsVYRV7Fx4R5aaBA/s1600/late+snow+2010-05-24+003.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3p_4xK3q0b9bk6FJfYz91wqB-u5pRfQPAPbMwELCE-i759r2471Piqwz_pVGJjapw2wHJ2RYwfke1_srOLwCvHsGl-ipsex0u97Iz7IR-OopEbIbFXjJc4YsiZAMxEsVYRV7Fx4R5aaBA/s400/late+snow+2010-05-24+003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474891801108347330" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYSrknfTSZ58OrXqF5PwcOl2rTYPozHoEF8R34cOhTZZbE-6giWeI8VowRzv8HdG9QNDmYB1P3r8WInoD_eaXxxFz8Sct5Vy44g3U8eDlnj8tWMCm9qlUbZ2Dx7TzjOgqGj9UuJgC46ph/s1600/late+snow+2010-05-24+001.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYSrknfTSZ58OrXqF5PwcOl2rTYPozHoEF8R34cOhTZZbE-6giWeI8VowRzv8HdG9QNDmYB1P3r8WInoD_eaXxxFz8Sct5Vy44g3U8eDlnj8tWMCm9qlUbZ2Dx7TzjOgqGj9UuJgC46ph/s400/late+snow+2010-05-24+001.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474891497104798866" /></a><br /><br />'NUFF SAID!Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-28062909894486176292010-05-20T23:24:00.000-07:002010-05-21T00:16:49.606-07:00LIVED TO TELL<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhvopUFh3j0AaJKH9UC3ztiEfsQFrH-T2s5ZqFztQ6rJ6ecaRr5JqnS8KzDYdMfHQYrDkE4Y-eYVP-UDHCT1vlUlh4Cm3X8Bl1jnTvbPnNv3nx2PdbiDuRw2YexhBM_TDaJ1q4yEH9fzF/s1600/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+011.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhvopUFh3j0AaJKH9UC3ztiEfsQFrH-T2s5ZqFztQ6rJ6ecaRr5JqnS8KzDYdMfHQYrDkE4Y-eYVP-UDHCT1vlUlh4Cm3X8Bl1jnTvbPnNv3nx2PdbiDuRw2YexhBM_TDaJ1q4yEH9fzF/s400/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473612538361485778" /></a><br /><br />Yesterday my dad had surgery to repair his thumb and shoulder. He was able to have both surgeries done on the same day by two different doctors and surgical teams. Since I myself am an avid hater of anesthesia, I can really appreciate the value of this "working together for the greater good" method of surgery. <br /><br />Tonight we were able to visit him at home and he was doing well and in good spirits. He was excited to show us his helmet and armored clothes to emphasize how much worse his injuries could have been... As if distracting us from letting loose a lecture on the dangers of old men riding motorcycles. It didn't work. We lectured anyway- a little bit. He also showed us pictures taken a couple days after the accident of his bruising and road-rash. The entire right side of his body is a huge bruise. It was ugly and shocking, and I'm not JUST referring to his old man bum peeking out in some of the photos. Giggle, giggle, hee hee...just kidding Dad! Kind of...<br /><br />Then I took some pictures of my own and warned him I would be blogging about it, again.<br /><br />This is just a small section of the bruising<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rE1ftHpllxyIkA3z9-ecQbgJY21LHecbGJMEFE52y2KSXBL1QlOxJ6jiZ8wWLal_N0xNaxoa9gtfgBvhgHrssIIbA2YzBJRKhzEZSNL_OQD44DA0bblBigx5lgin4IoiFcQWgx8bHBd7/s1600/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+006.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1rE1ftHpllxyIkA3z9-ecQbgJY21LHecbGJMEFE52y2KSXBL1QlOxJ6jiZ8wWLal_N0xNaxoa9gtfgBvhgHrssIIbA2YzBJRKhzEZSNL_OQD44DA0bblBigx5lgin4IoiFcQWgx8bHBd7/s400/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473611443424067266" /></a><br /><br />His best scabs and rash are hidden under bandages and clothing<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmcRg07Kudh0AFVIaQLCmNMxwx1ATP5U1InFgncyOiH2vGQLawFi5qL4RMNtAPW0VLNmh6zH1YjW9voMcjKf9lX-2hTL0_lz-WxxC_e06iaTv7g3OFUuGWlpy6-wz5BAQBqknn_IrmERf/s1600/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+009.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmcRg07Kudh0AFVIaQLCmNMxwx1ATP5U1InFgncyOiH2vGQLawFi5qL4RMNtAPW0VLNmh6zH1YjW9voMcjKf9lX-2hTL0_lz-WxxC_e06iaTv7g3OFUuGWlpy6-wz5BAQBqknn_IrmERf/s400/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+009.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473611938863110274" /></a><br /><br />Hwellp, now I know where I got my legs from...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q02CBdUhbxldK_I870V__CoRX00rLdaNm4u7H8x_rq8aUyPsD6wS9HmzwiQa5g6OrJysUcFyMcsbSav0LLOSb2qFtpvnPmTFkWm7W97Ao8VOsAv6e0I9wFO9EX3Vf9862XWuElMxIfQt/s1600/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+007.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Q02CBdUhbxldK_I870V__CoRX00rLdaNm4u7H8x_rq8aUyPsD6wS9HmzwiQa5g6OrJysUcFyMcsbSav0LLOSb2qFtpvnPmTFkWm7W97Ao8VOsAv6e0I9wFO9EX3Vf9862XWuElMxIfQt/s400/grandpa+motorcycle+crash+and+kaylee+crazy+cat+lady+2010-05-20+007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473612235274171826" /></a><br /><br />Then he told us the whole story of how it all happened, and how plainly and simply grateful he is to be here. And I told him how I knew before it happened that it would happen. And I don't know how I knew. Sometimes I just know. And after enough incidences of sometimes knowing, I've learned that the only thing I can do is wait for the phone call. Some things can't be explained, and I'm okay with that.<br /><br />He's here, he's healing, he's a good grandpa, and I'm okay with that too.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-25432385858015361732010-05-19T11:42:00.000-07:002010-05-19T11:56:11.982-07:00HOW CAN DOING SO LITTLE HURT SO MUCH?On Monday I had a whim. I wanted to go for a run. All my friends are doing it, I want to do it too. I made Brit go with me. We went about a mile. I jogged maybe, MAYBE, a quarter of that mile. Yesterday I HURT!!! I hurt from head to toe. I hurt like I'd been skiing all day. I hobbled around, moaning and aching, feeling so sorry for myself. Today I hurt. Not quite so much, but still, so much. Tomorrow I have to get back out there and give it another go...<br /><br />PRAY FOR ME! (or pray for rain)Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-86751172921782160492010-05-12T10:55:00.000-07:002010-05-12T11:15:00.432-07:00WHEN IT RAINSYesterday was a little hectic. And a little stressful (see previous post). Then the rain started. And the heavens opened and flooded us with all that "wetness" that Dan Pope promised for May. And sometime around 2 am this morning, in the midst of all the rain, this happened...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP5CG-3zkkdx_27qwZwZoywnFBePYir3_4tSX_fjx3xpvk-6h9PMp5KeCQmaKftX-AojEYc4ouoOl70GCwfMRyKkMldGq8HCns_W5OhYpvEqx05BL9BtYazgTN2QlEY2_I3-qTmS_wCtb/s1600/lucy+kids+2010+2010-05-12+003.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYP5CG-3zkkdx_27qwZwZoywnFBePYir3_4tSX_fjx3xpvk-6h9PMp5KeCQmaKftX-AojEYc4ouoOl70GCwfMRyKkMldGq8HCns_W5OhYpvEqx05BL9BtYazgTN2QlEY2_I3-qTmS_wCtb/s400/lucy+kids+2010+2010-05-12+003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470444974095132930" /></a><br /><br />Mama Lucy FINALLY had her twins.<br /><br />A boy<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2Y7vH4VyfRKk4eBvpy8DBeJtjqCaLHOUL4N16kYAJ_mhMyrXZOhi_TxE1zEXAB-eavmqJ01IN_Gl6_R8P6f1rDqmRG2dqwyVA68eh2pdlXuDQ2_45ARUpeheOP5NhXwPf5W9TkIF3T24/s1600/lucy+kids+2010+2010-05-12+019.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2Y7vH4VyfRKk4eBvpy8DBeJtjqCaLHOUL4N16kYAJ_mhMyrXZOhi_TxE1zEXAB-eavmqJ01IN_Gl6_R8P6f1rDqmRG2dqwyVA68eh2pdlXuDQ2_45ARUpeheOP5NhXwPf5W9TkIF3T24/s400/lucy+kids+2010+2010-05-12+019.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470445528537204450" /></a><br /><br />and a girl<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQIiOoTJNsSnLt8x1eXWD9Qy1JFWF9lP77pCPcVBUm36Camewx9K8D__oWXMLJNLFu1GlE3rlxkqSgElahJQWu8z2wl2PyYnp3MrLmZS3zOJoq5KW-Qd21PyIhCPcLr-YwLLPh3t24BvZ/s1600/lucy+kids+2010+2010-05-12+011.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQIiOoTJNsSnLt8x1eXWD9Qy1JFWF9lP77pCPcVBUm36Camewx9K8D__oWXMLJNLFu1GlE3rlxkqSgElahJQWu8z2wl2PyYnp3MrLmZS3zOJoq5KW-Qd21PyIhCPcLr-YwLLPh3t24BvZ/s400/lucy+kids+2010+2010-05-12+011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470445821985391042" /></a><br /><br />Lucy had a hard time bringing these babies into the world so Kays and I had to give her a hand (or two) but all three are doing well now.<br /><br />My Tuesday this week started at 8 am yesterday, and ended at 4 am today. My Wednesday started much too soon at 8 am today. I think I'm gonna need a nap. Yeaawn...Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-33625437840640133112010-05-11T09:51:00.000-07:002010-05-11T10:47:22.878-07:00IF I HAD A NICKEL...How many times has this happened to you?... You wake up on a typical weekday morning to take care of children, pets, regular household chores... It's always a little crazy in the mornings, isn't it, trying to get everyone going and out the door? But, once the craziness is done, once the kids are out the door, the animals fed, a load of laundry started, you brew up a nice cup of herbal tea, maybe scramble an egg, and sit down for a nice, quiet, peaceful breakfast. Next thing you know the phone is ringing. It's your dad's wife calling from California to let you know your dad has been in an accident on his motorcycle. <br /><br />Diane: "HE IS GOING TO BE OKAY." (Lots of emphasis on that part) "He is in the hospital..." Me: "Wait up... Hold the phone... His what now?! Motorcycle?!" Diane: "Yes. He laid his bike down riding this morning and he is in the hospital in Long Beach. But HE IS GOING TO BE OKAY." Me: "Is he? Was he even okay to begin with? Because look at the choices he's made! He's a 64 year old man who has never ridden a motorcycle his entire life, who all of a sudden decided to buy one (?) and ride cross-country!" Diane: "Would you mind calling your siblings to let them know? And make sure they understand HE IS GOING TO BE OKAY." <br /><br />Children, talk to your parents! They need to know the dangers and consequences of their reckless behavior! I've seen a rise in the number of irresponsible, devil-may-care choices in Seniors recently. I dare say we may be looking at a new epidemic! No one wants to get the call that their 60-70 something parent has had an equipment malfunction while sky-diving, or blown out a knee on their rollerblades. What happened to the good ol' days of rocking chairs on the porch? Something must be done to stop this madness. Maybe we should start with celebrity endorsed public service announcements...<br /><br />Based on the info I got, Dad has injured his right shoulder, arm, and hand. He's also broken his left thumb which will require surgery and pins to put it all back together. Diane was still two hours out from reaching the hospital so I will have more info later once she gets there and can talk to the docs. I've decided to hold my tongue and not give him a lecture. Looking something like this<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmxllTWtgHzyQDR7lxuixoyxVabsGZOdlSJW6wi9UXnlYLOrqYUft5RdKNMGqCjtwjokXf6F3CSWI-iR9QAqpFz5eeOfF8XJ5_Ql3_GZ34ZSpd9E9KGmlvUmIa6TyRpUoyhBgZ-z-jU7w/s1600/broken+arm.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 342px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitmxllTWtgHzyQDR7lxuixoyxVabsGZOdlSJW6wi9UXnlYLOrqYUft5RdKNMGqCjtwjokXf6F3CSWI-iR9QAqpFz5eeOfF8XJ5_Ql3_GZ34ZSpd9E9KGmlvUmIa6TyRpUoyhBgZ-z-jU7w/s400/broken+arm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470067365521795762" /></a><br />for several weeks is punishment enough.<br /><br />Seriously though, it could have been much worse and I am very grateful that HE IS GOING TO BE OKAY.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-10373040970943405362010-05-05T10:32:00.000-07:002010-05-05T10:35:07.221-07:00WEATHER UPDATE...Dan Pope IS playing mind games with me. I knew it! So far the weather this week has been fabulous! Which gives me hope for Sunday's "something else" to be something good. We should all cross our fingers and toes.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-82364179903587117192010-05-04T09:28:00.001-07:002010-05-04T10:00:14.271-07:00BIRTHDAY BOY!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9AsfaNYVyd4I6vyAUvIYDL_-kHbQs9T9WcwWMnLFN80YYf2B7E8hsRToL0LuK-rOO-zMbjWWN_F2mMMmfdid05fjYfwtfp8Iy3Y62IE57F4XINx_5iPHusYrrZdDPKP8-zpCjJqfIwSM/s1600/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+068.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9AsfaNYVyd4I6vyAUvIYDL_-kHbQs9T9WcwWMnLFN80YYf2B7E8hsRToL0LuK-rOO-zMbjWWN_F2mMMmfdid05fjYfwtfp8Iy3Y62IE57F4XINx_5iPHusYrrZdDPKP8-zpCjJqfIwSM/s400/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+068.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467460134770496530" /></a><br /><br />Brit turned 17 last week... 17! I know!!! It's very strange to be the mom of a grown up man-child. He is much stronger than me, he has this kind of mystery about him that is so not little kid anymore. AND, he has a girlfriend! <br /><br />We kept asking Brit what he wanted to do for his birthday this year and he kept saying he didn't want to do anything. He just wanted to hang out with Sarah (girlfriend). Brit is a pretty straight-forward kind of guy so when he said low-key, we knew he meant it. Sarah, on the other hand doesn't know Brit as well as we do, and had other plans. She asked me to get involved, and while I would never go against Brit's wishes all by myself, I felt like it was safe to participate as long as I blamed Sarah for it. At noon while he was in class Sarah and some accomplices did this to his room:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgSwa6ZpBntNJD6ndfkl6uKFeILuAbVTgswVTAoHB5BD9QtoBlhHb-r9SjzlDGTM-4Q2uri95m8IPtMMPi-OyDK_F5bINboiwwLqX82dzRA8S4YR4oDrUCgF7EYUqQKRY_5XU-GtYEw-A/s1600/brit+birthday+2010-04-27+006.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbgSwa6ZpBntNJD6ndfkl6uKFeILuAbVTgswVTAoHB5BD9QtoBlhHb-r9SjzlDGTM-4Q2uri95m8IPtMMPi-OyDK_F5bINboiwwLqX82dzRA8S4YR4oDrUCgF7EYUqQKRY_5XU-GtYEw-A/s400/brit+birthday+2010-04-27+006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467455781553088322" /></a><br />and this<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HiERzmeOUurDw5SPyCihGc7Z53e_2elX0wsJYe8ynIxquqoObyrUzCYJh0i4uEOTvlV06M5J2r9_Idc_kh3W_3BXvOQxOHiXx-oSbgV6HUqIqNj0wsdfaC_wgL9mIu1NpyjfPdfxHtqc/s1600/brit+birthday+2010-04-27+011.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HiERzmeOUurDw5SPyCihGc7Z53e_2elX0wsJYe8ynIxquqoObyrUzCYJh0i4uEOTvlV06M5J2r9_Idc_kh3W_3BXvOQxOHiXx-oSbgV6HUqIqNj0wsdfaC_wgL9mIu1NpyjfPdfxHtqc/s400/brit+birthday+2010-04-27+011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467456219265267090" /></a><br />the crew<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tWc5DE36p_4AkvATlkrPsYSsUDBdOnE1BnzLki6QETYu0AFGoRZ8rDw3N-7hyphenhyphenRWeYjK6W20dB8gPD57n-atIOYMystTRjuURcyF_bV5Am67__i1uVR6SgqcuJuFMDcJvzXVMS9d9XLFU/s1600/brit+birthday+2010-04-27+004.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4tWc5DE36p_4AkvATlkrPsYSsUDBdOnE1BnzLki6QETYu0AFGoRZ8rDw3N-7hyphenhyphenRWeYjK6W20dB8gPD57n-atIOYMystTRjuURcyF_bV5Am67__i1uVR6SgqcuJuFMDcJvzXVMS9d9XLFU/s400/brit+birthday+2010-04-27+004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467456511471725858" /></a><br /><br />Later, after Sarah lured him away for a few hours, we got ready for her next surprise...<br /><br />The guests began arriving for his surprise party<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTUev7hAqLoMJH74YTQyJjzccu4aHUuVtW8uujlMlkVr55S839caFmriB7SCEJLlpdMb9r8c9dodU1vVTiJKcee67LALuujU_EvIONpaRsqfwVDkqcoPcRRYd1i6ttpOGNHHPj3jthHE-/s1600/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+015.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTUev7hAqLoMJH74YTQyJjzccu4aHUuVtW8uujlMlkVr55S839caFmriB7SCEJLlpdMb9r8c9dodU1vVTiJKcee67LALuujU_EvIONpaRsqfwVDkqcoPcRRYd1i6ttpOGNHHPj3jthHE-/s400/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+015.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467457576530759378" /></a><br />then the birthday boy came home<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEvkvmrShBXuFX4blIamOoH2cKt_1PlIyA7igN8ZBzse_OD4Y1qGE4ywiyQXDwbb0aLZmCi_89HLJOZVD1fwJG03X8z2I_BDMuzNaDKsWEbqUocFBGmM9HRan8E0iQUojPi0oggSAg4Rh/s1600/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+012.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdEvkvmrShBXuFX4blIamOoH2cKt_1PlIyA7igN8ZBzse_OD4Y1qGE4ywiyQXDwbb0aLZmCi_89HLJOZVD1fwJG03X8z2I_BDMuzNaDKsWEbqUocFBGmM9HRan8E0iQUojPi0oggSAg4Rh/s400/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467458032121138082" /></a><br />and everyone had fun playing games and eating junk food<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsYUuSBIYjywyMWeqpbFsjiKRqHdLIAzCjgVyRDKbp7kuXizsTPtFMSmC3urfSmDDA36au1K6e1kYqc-Hq4pBHkiJGsQuFLHwvYQG5wLVquOYpxyDvQTbv_fQ0BBgBbK_MzdVq65K_5qg/s1600/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+010.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibsYUuSBIYjywyMWeqpbFsjiKRqHdLIAzCjgVyRDKbp7kuXizsTPtFMSmC3urfSmDDA36au1K6e1kYqc-Hq4pBHkiJGsQuFLHwvYQG5wLVquOYpxyDvQTbv_fQ0BBgBbK_MzdVq65K_5qg/s400/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+010.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467458874745152466" /></a><br /><br />Except the cake wasn't junk food. It was vegan. Because that was the one thing Brit did request for his birthday... A vegan cake. And bonus, it was really yummy!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOX-hRRRqv_XN57YG2gf0-WStHdjkPXrPmDxl-pbdPVTOmuMWasvgA0QF3F6MSJVSqZMsXQoFj36Q4QgRhZXAoSV03Czk0V_lp2jKf9p_aGvm5UKdK_YrjEhYp24JDF1wcnGp7ra3TAJk/s1600/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+006.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCOX-hRRRqv_XN57YG2gf0-WStHdjkPXrPmDxl-pbdPVTOmuMWasvgA0QF3F6MSJVSqZMsXQoFj36Q4QgRhZXAoSV03Czk0V_lp2jKf9p_aGvm5UKdK_YrjEhYp24JDF1wcnGp7ra3TAJk/s400/brit+birthday+party+2010-04-27+006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467459452113262658" /></a><br /><br />Happy 17th birthday Brit! I hope it was the best yet. You're still my favorite boy. Love, Mom.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-71925324547674401392010-05-02T15:32:00.000-07:002010-05-02T22:26:18.757-07:00APPARENTLY, IT'S SPRING IN UTAH<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5J-oP3JtLy9kAps0lbTMGheAO1T7ya1pclLgqstvYIBGs8m8MWorCLm8vfDL28SmqqNdu71q-mLA_zCFsrOFBXGVhQ0yndbbc_5CYKcthW4USYtqXw5C6z-SDxjFYuNdjLoApG1YjCe-i/s1600/april+2009+006.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5J-oP3JtLy9kAps0lbTMGheAO1T7ya1pclLgqstvYIBGs8m8MWorCLm8vfDL28SmqqNdu71q-mLA_zCFsrOFBXGVhQ0yndbbc_5CYKcthW4USYtqXw5C6z-SDxjFYuNdjLoApG1YjCe-i/s400/april+2009+006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466910252694147922" /></a><br /><br />THIS is the clever little snippet that accompanied my local weather forecast for this coming week... <br /><br />"The storm system is moving out of Northern Utah and centering over the Four Corners area at this time. Precipitation is expected to be fairly heavy near Blanding and Monticello, while showers will prevail over much of the Central and Southern areas this afternoon. As this storm moves out, Monday will be a spectacular day...with lots of sunshine and warmer temperatures. Two more cold fronts will move through the area...one on Tuesday and another one on late Wednesday and Thursday...with possibly something else moving in on Sunday. Yes, it is spring in Utah. <strong>By the way, May is the wettest month of the year, recording on average just a little over two inches</strong>." Meteorologist Dan Pope - Live 5 Weather HD, Sunday May 2st 2010. <br /><br />In case I let myself get comfortable with the <em>"spectacular"</em> weather tomorrow, I should not forget that May is the wettest month of the year! Bring on the rain, May, but let's leave the snow behind in April! And really, it's the <em>"something else"</em> moving in on Sunday that scares me... It's more snow isn't it Dan Pope? Just say it!<br /><br />Hope everyone is having a great spring. Sorry I haven't been reading blogs, I think my brain has been frozen along with the rest of me. Coming out of hibernation soon...Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-74366449490899325472010-03-02T19:38:00.000-08:002010-03-02T20:17:28.599-08:00PROMBrit had his first prom this past weekend. When you homeschool, things work a little differently, including prom. We are lucky to have a family who is willing to organize and sponsor a homeschool prom each year. We are unlucky that they live in the south end of Utah Valley, therefore it's a long drive. Attendance is open to all homeschoolers aged 14 to 18, and, it's a no date event. Suggested dress is Sunday best to black tie formal with all kinds of restrictions about sleeve and dress length (hey, it's homeschool, we have to at least try to cling to the <a href="http://www.foxsearchlight.com/gentlemenbroncos/">"Gentlemen Broncos"</a> stereotype!). Another difference at the homeschool prom is that "appropriate lighting and music" are observed, and the kids all have dance cards to fill. This year was a Shakespeare Ball so the first 1/2 hour was spent teaching the kids a few Olde English dances. I was super excited when Brit decided he wanted to go to prom this year. I had it all planned out for the whole family to drive to Mapleton, take a couple of Brit's friends along, chaperone, watch the fun... Brit had other ideas. He wanted to take a date (cuz he's a rebel like that), and he wanted to ride with his friends. Sniff, sniff. Not only was I staying home, he was driving with a bunch of other teenagers all the way to Smalltown, Ut., AT NIGHT! <br /><br />One of the other moms suggested a progressive dinner before the dance (I'm sure she had my crushed feelings in mind), so we had two couples over for appetizers and salad. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIz5G8sFJgz45Qj1DiTIkJWldRySiDaVRw7QFZLgQEoAEO9WA1CRX7cW9QrgXuAYzhS-c11UkWso503raFf3y_s9CWV7w7TyrHFtmlE4BJmlqkmzTwmAuxMgXLYQwvnsmvCh1H5z0DTAQ/s1600-h/3-2-2010+968.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRIz5G8sFJgz45Qj1DiTIkJWldRySiDaVRw7QFZLgQEoAEO9WA1CRX7cW9QrgXuAYzhS-c11UkWso503raFf3y_s9CWV7w7TyrHFtmlE4BJmlqkmzTwmAuxMgXLYQwvnsmvCh1H5z0DTAQ/s400/3-2-2010+968.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444252119764820530" /></a><br /><br />Soon the kids were off to Aura's house for dinner and a few games before leaving for the prom. I forced a couple of pics before they could get out the door...<br /><br />Brit and Sarah<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nPjYBvdnjLhXcfjTodhuGnqCPvhu9_A_m5J7V8OruMMKFPe6qLn-NQA5cjBd9ylUoyLf-5qKjN2o_YkTX7uy4db8JLk8A-U73t5nmJrtl6S8nS9lb6vRKqqVFvUVslL2N-f90gykdUEG/s1600-h/3-2-2010+971.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-nPjYBvdnjLhXcfjTodhuGnqCPvhu9_A_m5J7V8OruMMKFPe6qLn-NQA5cjBd9ylUoyLf-5qKjN2o_YkTX7uy4db8JLk8A-U73t5nmJrtl6S8nS9lb6vRKqqVFvUVslL2N-f90gykdUEG/s400/3-2-2010+971.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444253116237473394" /></a><br />Don't they look adorable?<br /><br />Aura and Brandon<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKgHRyK7qL_8JLZr_5qzgV013q7rSfXXsZnAIcFPtGBR2MRYhiJjmzvk7q4o2gD6bxDYtfGuCypFVgkDDrRMduYJwWjlrBDIE8U1R3Y-owJRlG3MGz674yJ4Q9H8tvwtqNNjyEdJsrdWe/s1600-h/3-2-2010+972.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKgHRyK7qL_8JLZr_5qzgV013q7rSfXXsZnAIcFPtGBR2MRYhiJjmzvk7q4o2gD6bxDYtfGuCypFVgkDDrRMduYJwWjlrBDIE8U1R3Y-owJRlG3MGz674yJ4Q9H8tvwtqNNjyEdJsrdWe/s400/3-2-2010+972.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444253705308104962" /></a><br /><br />Group photo<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvG6dNy0lMoTWpJlqTbDa_VRlBmXtTHR0mp0aWCkXAFbhxcOgHo24sB6RNBISKhvESomFGNjZAP3ONj3FE02CueTVKqf946E0av7IfDdGG7y7tncazVJhtS0fep3qyRSb4C7BpqOINeSB/s1600-h/3-2-2010+975.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvG6dNy0lMoTWpJlqTbDa_VRlBmXtTHR0mp0aWCkXAFbhxcOgHo24sB6RNBISKhvESomFGNjZAP3ONj3FE02CueTVKqf946E0av7IfDdGG7y7tncazVJhtS0fep3qyRSb4C7BpqOINeSB/s400/3-2-2010+975.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444254096716433154" /></a><br /><br />Aura was a great driver (despite my irrational fears) and brought my little boy back to me. Brit said he had a great time, met some new friends, and even danced...a lot!Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-18807710784251422622010-02-23T12:01:00.000-08:002010-02-23T12:49:36.322-08:00LIFE'S A GARDEN...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjWJs0z7D_pwLwM7VdMyeYgoX2f5VgTE-JPqMWcgz62x9klTvub0e8AqfE_GwwM4XIepzygkn8cjpymOIOzDA9PyaCnKCuoHaKX-P-IQktZ46Ttsw0CUi23793zwnAhia9QdtajHri_P_/s1600-h/garden+tshirt.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGjWJs0z7D_pwLwM7VdMyeYgoX2f5VgTE-JPqMWcgz62x9klTvub0e8AqfE_GwwM4XIepzygkn8cjpymOIOzDA9PyaCnKCuoHaKX-P-IQktZ46Ttsw0CUi23793zwnAhia9QdtajHri_P_/s400/garden+tshirt.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441543641124285842" /></a><br /><br />The past month has been like school for me. I've been learning a lot about health and wellness and I'm tellin' ya, there is such a thing as knowing too much! It's no wonder I had a headache every single day of college! But mostly it's been fun, and good for me. I love to research things. I love to discover a new school of thought, then look at the arguments for and against it. I want to know the whys, the hows, the ins, and the outs. <br /><br />The thing I may have learned the most about this past month, perhaps, is myself. I think I have been sabotaging my own health all along. Not on purpose, but still, not really giving recovery a fair chance. I have my excuses, and they're actually pretty good ones (as excuses go)! But if I keep saying I want to heal, move on, recover, I can't accept excuses anymore.<br /><br />Over the years I have kept my own little medical notes/journals to document my Fibromyalgia and other health concerns. They have been invaluable to look back on when I start to wonder what treatment has helped with what ailment, and what supplements or vitamins, or changes in diet/lifestyle improve my conditions. I've been thinking that as I start to really absorb these large amounts of info on nutrition and wellness that I might document it all online. Maybe it could be helpful to more people than just me? At the very least, it would be an excuse to closely track how I'm feeling, and it might keep me motivated to stick with it! If I did decide to make public my daily successes and failings, they would be found here:<br /><br />www.onewholelife.blogspot.comKim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-26523044809878894252010-01-20T20:43:00.000-08:002010-01-20T21:52:17.507-08:00IT'S TIME TO CLEAN....SEDoes anyone else get that crazy urge to open all the closets and drawers, empty out everything, dump the junk, and start over this time of year? That is exactly what I plan to do... Except it's not closets and drawers I'll be cleaning out this year, it's colon and pores! I will be forced to learn way more about my bodily functions, oh so much more about my "organs of elimination," than I ever wanted to know. You don't even want to know how much you can learn about a person from their poop! So off I go, on a path of discovery, to clean this little house of skin and cells. I'll take pictures! For the past five days my life has been...<br /><br />Breakfast<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB30B7CTHCHXD3A_Z2BN6ob8G32m6r7M5XuseiGLCQT2jQPUqQRdNAfAKoLzpJXyI1ZzGt_LfdL-k8FdkZQI8S6cN58r_WCFs_6qNiKXsiVA0fG-6dAmWWlgM9DqaaVvgtban6i1gUPMEF/s1600-h/enema.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 116px; height: 116px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB30B7CTHCHXD3A_Z2BN6ob8G32m6r7M5XuseiGLCQT2jQPUqQRdNAfAKoLzpJXyI1ZzGt_LfdL-k8FdkZQI8S6cN58r_WCFs_6qNiKXsiVA0fG-6dAmWWlgM9DqaaVvgtban6i1gUPMEF/s400/enema.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429064562559436770" /></a><br /><br />Lunch<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfnsPZEkhrvYwmFASvs5vYwY_WS6W99DEwGceeFk17LdiIuRTwwQ0urHtNLdyBu2Hv4voaY4YZKHTkgrK3ZNGYrY8HSWxC1NeSI8G8veA21B74RfBpnR7hZC1d1h-0G-QzxvTHCPbLeFz/s1600-h/fruits+and+veggies.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfnsPZEkhrvYwmFASvs5vYwY_WS6W99DEwGceeFk17LdiIuRTwwQ0urHtNLdyBu2Hv4voaY4YZKHTkgrK3ZNGYrY8HSWxC1NeSI8G8veA21B74RfBpnR7hZC1d1h-0G-QzxvTHCPbLeFz/s400/fruits+and+veggies.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429064995970204930" /></a><br /><br />And dinner<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3R6aVIx7DS0TT3E_BiSSdxS5vy6rb-dUFxqm5EveraUPZCBZDtxc_cHe0GPtpM9jdowsGj318_n43b_Msbh45d4jRHNym_0MEC7Hk_nNAln-LkDunufGFImfIxE_kBX2-JjrqL1kfwxi/s1600-h/green+smoothie.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 145px; height: 109px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3R6aVIx7DS0TT3E_BiSSdxS5vy6rb-dUFxqm5EveraUPZCBZDtxc_cHe0GPtpM9jdowsGj318_n43b_Msbh45d4jRHNym_0MEC7Hk_nNAln-LkDunufGFImfIxE_kBX2-JjrqL1kfwxi/s400/green+smoothie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429065404092823650" /></a><br /><br />Believe me, that thick, green sludge IS the EASIER way to eat the 2 lbs. of leafy greens I have to consume each day! Wish me luck.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-41913366699342361342010-01-06T11:50:00.000-08:002010-01-06T13:02:42.294-08:00A DAY AT THE LAKE... BRINGHURST STYLE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WAp6MxnA1q-KYHdW9ghTINsWkdNyWvmAjcwiF-T4Df3DdJI7adMNaMMoBiMRI_-9Sdyjr_ejPxHff8OorzDePAsrQ-_VMd0Wrrp6icdAeocpdL1y181gsDtBKTnCAN2jt3vGqeDwgvkY/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+173.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WAp6MxnA1q-KYHdW9ghTINsWkdNyWvmAjcwiF-T4Df3DdJI7adMNaMMoBiMRI_-9Sdyjr_ejPxHff8OorzDePAsrQ-_VMd0Wrrp6icdAeocpdL1y181gsDtBKTnCAN2jt3vGqeDwgvkY/s400/snowshoeing+2010+173.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423734171842668866" /></a><br /><br />The Holidays were fun, and busy, and were filled with lots of things I could blog about, but since I'm an absentee blogger lately, I'll just share activities from last weekend. It was a long weekend so we went to the lake- TWICE! Yes, it's winter. Yes, it's cold outside. Not really the time of year when most families would spend time at the lake. We are not "most families" and taking the road less traveled is fun sometimes. On New Year's Eve day, when Jeff said he wanted to take his boat to the Great Salt Lake for some late season duck hunting, my first thought was that I didn't want the family to be apart on that particular day of the year. My second thought should have been to convince him to take the weekend off from hunting... But it was, instead, to bundle us all up and go with him. I won't bore with the details of finding enough "camo" for everyone, or how ridiculous we all looked, (the pics will speak for themselves)because I'm sure the whole thing was only funny to us. We woke up early, we drove, we launched the duck boat, we huddled together for warmth, we took pictures, we explored. In the end, Jeff said it was his favorite day of hunting all season so I guess our efforts were worth it!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhi4L9FdCr0-0zk_QkR-cbu5rDEyMdVCLWWAt7LmG16PrU8dPvbZWq2EQ6kICwH40oEiK4B1V702xMv2oUsXhNaibqGGi1wlg9FfdMoGkKUv9U1PPhknqCLj4RqyxHwDJ_dJAuF3JAQ-3/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+011.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhi4L9FdCr0-0zk_QkR-cbu5rDEyMdVCLWWAt7LmG16PrU8dPvbZWq2EQ6kICwH40oEiK4B1V702xMv2oUsXhNaibqGGi1wlg9FfdMoGkKUv9U1PPhknqCLj4RqyxHwDJ_dJAuF3JAQ-3/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423721904496944802" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ew_X3Ov5tlMqoAoVkYQMTVFc65SlrMTGqB91I4Oyrh0QwpvdZ5dKj7NUC36n6VEu_hy_l1Rgw2i2kAMnrcxFPJUg4XkDeJ7Ii2-yVG-6pz4LKi0rsTywWCZtsVgBj8jZtcF254PtYLDe/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+002.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Ew_X3Ov5tlMqoAoVkYQMTVFc65SlrMTGqB91I4Oyrh0QwpvdZ5dKj7NUC36n6VEu_hy_l1Rgw2i2kAMnrcxFPJUg4XkDeJ7Ii2-yVG-6pz4LKi0rsTywWCZtsVgBj8jZtcF254PtYLDe/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423722491974932402" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPStW-FKGAvMz0MaXk120j5RnMjAMDtFuxFkpQjw2H8zvxZ0MaCTMEoTWbtkBnFQ0qsi2_Tw51Vi6oq1vLS2ASyskHWJlzCniqfHAsrrpNXXaqerUkAae_Ft9KMOTqz_r6rNvr_f5iqI-0/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+017.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPStW-FKGAvMz0MaXk120j5RnMjAMDtFuxFkpQjw2H8zvxZ0MaCTMEoTWbtkBnFQ0qsi2_Tw51Vi6oq1vLS2ASyskHWJlzCniqfHAsrrpNXXaqerUkAae_Ft9KMOTqz_r6rNvr_f5iqI-0/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+017.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423723119574293058" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JBUuJh2nodehSfzEc2HpbZypI8BPs5HDEFf7sC8jQtNsGS4T9IZSS9mzfmFqEryIioD2-K_SXqs3enb4Gm9_XG_GfebYQwEM-gyOUd26GA-rA_euSM0ycLxK-BAeOFqsh25OdEIaIHTv/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+012.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JBUuJh2nodehSfzEc2HpbZypI8BPs5HDEFf7sC8jQtNsGS4T9IZSS9mzfmFqEryIioD2-K_SXqs3enb4Gm9_XG_GfebYQwEM-gyOUd26GA-rA_euSM0ycLxK-BAeOFqsh25OdEIaIHTv/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+012.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423723530080698914" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnGii3m7h9EwtC85IOYSHRNGBjUG9h_NNrls_FRoZolIwB5n6zumufpBtELHT-BIAGwnHBMA6Xhemu0g9O74bw-rNFI2QmqqKynoy4oge1yOzLo-yYwBdsEljERSggHjZQ1Wafldi9yk0/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+030.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnGii3m7h9EwtC85IOYSHRNGBjUG9h_NNrls_FRoZolIwB5n6zumufpBtELHT-BIAGwnHBMA6Xhemu0g9O74bw-rNFI2QmqqKynoy4oge1yOzLo-yYwBdsEljERSggHjZQ1Wafldi9yk0/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+030.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423724072469871554" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_anCKzo5uh_vE3d3NavloTKV8CGmRtvyy76ZtkfHC3HT-FbwAM2K_BJTK0nVOAiVAWLTzemyF2uXrYoODsEOChT4Gd7zn559ByWPa8UlJkXp1YxOysDCD_0QhgPzsScA_HG9KBOakVpn/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+036.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_anCKzo5uh_vE3d3NavloTKV8CGmRtvyy76ZtkfHC3HT-FbwAM2K_BJTK0nVOAiVAWLTzemyF2uXrYoODsEOChT4Gd7zn559ByWPa8UlJkXp1YxOysDCD_0QhgPzsScA_HG9KBOakVpn/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+036.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423724486705909810" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocrAcUb8eNCZ5VfSnGf8RyvvBMdk7bZo0s45ehLTP-vdj53sZ2RcB1n8peQKBYPfoXLkICY6pUwV5EsBQJlR_Per5bRLx8IOkC3KZ1TlN9VEPBevZQvCGp7lweneL6TtnLOVlxNuqSbQV/s1600-h/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+052.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocrAcUb8eNCZ5VfSnGf8RyvvBMdk7bZo0s45ehLTP-vdj53sZ2RcB1n8peQKBYPfoXLkICY6pUwV5EsBQJlR_Per5bRLx8IOkC3KZ1TlN9VEPBevZQvCGp7lweneL6TtnLOVlxNuqSbQV/s400/new+years+eve+duck+hunting+052.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423725107107672274" /></a><br /><br />Saturday we made plans for an afternoon of snowshoeing in Park City. We invited Mom and Tim to come along as targets for the kids' snowballs. When Park City didn't have enough snow, we kept driving, and eventually decided to give Jordanelle Reservoir a try. The snow was perfect. Fun was had by all.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik50ycNAx4SAFUvobdRPwmA4roeuyozuIhuz2uawqTwu3GBNc8v-m0nYJQeE62oI0l4SoYGs-Gu5RlGFqDuLwwVl7eWZ9M2bAGQmLh7YT5-LVQ58vnj1XBNi0tR15NWwjTGRFtqCAG9qK2/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+109.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik50ycNAx4SAFUvobdRPwmA4roeuyozuIhuz2uawqTwu3GBNc8v-m0nYJQeE62oI0l4SoYGs-Gu5RlGFqDuLwwVl7eWZ9M2bAGQmLh7YT5-LVQ58vnj1XBNi0tR15NWwjTGRFtqCAG9qK2/s400/snowshoeing+2010+109.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423727805393364834" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjck7AV4cY8gJOaEfA5cLItke9R1RWCm29fqDGrrchGfYkesBId4vrKgdh8MlFN2tgnH36qvAvsP66n4qpjEVsT7seL7cLXWCPVmIF6r9t51iOBESujZFu54XmHVOdeX9TlJ87PhjDw8hDQ/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+111.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjck7AV4cY8gJOaEfA5cLItke9R1RWCm29fqDGrrchGfYkesBId4vrKgdh8MlFN2tgnH36qvAvsP66n4qpjEVsT7seL7cLXWCPVmIF6r9t51iOBESujZFu54XmHVOdeX9TlJ87PhjDw8hDQ/s400/snowshoeing+2010+111.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423728301318667314" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCPMrEMBwWZ-JqW5OeQ2cG25952J69EQ0q4Urs-zoftYoPI-7EQvDAJ8F19A0ldjtI_u7qeTyopqF1qT0Rqr387S5kjjmFNyC3eMsEk2xEZZpe3IdSYGR7qnlsbWZ9lM_U4lcUCZByfou/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+124.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOCPMrEMBwWZ-JqW5OeQ2cG25952J69EQ0q4Urs-zoftYoPI-7EQvDAJ8F19A0ldjtI_u7qeTyopqF1qT0Rqr387S5kjjmFNyC3eMsEk2xEZZpe3IdSYGR7qnlsbWZ9lM_U4lcUCZByfou/s400/snowshoeing+2010+124.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423728691718411602" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryKAS4RSsPGBnNwIcH5bJhFaWSJf_OjOwezlgSFWrTKk_Ry3wCx3ETQnu_RYhp0UbXB68bOffV0fkV3LMCfW9raal1k5CQ1FTFga-ylkSOPeVF-mOeM5yaSb0gMWim4vreCCz_7qQ7AZD/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+114.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjryKAS4RSsPGBnNwIcH5bJhFaWSJf_OjOwezlgSFWrTKk_Ry3wCx3ETQnu_RYhp0UbXB68bOffV0fkV3LMCfW9raal1k5CQ1FTFga-ylkSOPeVF-mOeM5yaSb0gMWim4vreCCz_7qQ7AZD/s400/snowshoeing+2010+114.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423729171069207970" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00Ya-aFekIlQOPP30iScWMclX255KK8xlxCJPuzy-wBjU_xWb9yVssSrrulkqgG8Gi_VWf-XxSEvEotzgLoDYxFTNctXdyaJEFSWHHGk50vexIGVBWiJ52CYfuu4LBJ6VxcUq_TS-HgGl/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+135.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj00Ya-aFekIlQOPP30iScWMclX255KK8xlxCJPuzy-wBjU_xWb9yVssSrrulkqgG8Gi_VWf-XxSEvEotzgLoDYxFTNctXdyaJEFSWHHGk50vexIGVBWiJ52CYfuu4LBJ6VxcUq_TS-HgGl/s400/snowshoeing+2010+135.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423729689236772402" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl22yi112TeGG3acpqDQY1eNbAQ_PeuoEd2rtt8sbRAyZdbLjSABBcCCSSVoAmqpIAJ7kDaHI2Tzdty2VTHl17Z664tQ-6ft0aCj_ohsUbUQ0ePeSbkyn2M4v-fNzbjYokuFpx5kjFvP8A/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+154.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl22yi112TeGG3acpqDQY1eNbAQ_PeuoEd2rtt8sbRAyZdbLjSABBcCCSSVoAmqpIAJ7kDaHI2Tzdty2VTHl17Z664tQ-6ft0aCj_ohsUbUQ0ePeSbkyn2M4v-fNzbjYokuFpx5kjFvP8A/s400/snowshoeing+2010+154.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423730202799209634" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvi0DSN1s7hrpi5OJsbPMLd5352gQw0sOKgQlRrZwynHNbbwSlIAnDCVHN_vFKSO_xSFJ2tnCcl4KgUrv0uzLPU9pDK5JUXFtY1TdJustTNOpRGLf7ODo7ty_v-jh9kDQ34kSTdZMa9-9/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+158.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvi0DSN1s7hrpi5OJsbPMLd5352gQw0sOKgQlRrZwynHNbbwSlIAnDCVHN_vFKSO_xSFJ2tnCcl4KgUrv0uzLPU9pDK5JUXFtY1TdJustTNOpRGLf7ODo7ty_v-jh9kDQ34kSTdZMa9-9/s400/snowshoeing+2010+158.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423730855089480338" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6BoneN2JNVhlN-zZUthDlczlQJ6orkU88qKmrJhlp4el6Qq9-a_UsZmp7ZAcA9YqBHLl9r1iUPOeU2Ipd5B9iLGYh3zD88WO8BeoAGRGU7bOVMfzE-CIw8Zvnc07IBYKQaxXaln3seYV/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+159.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6BoneN2JNVhlN-zZUthDlczlQJ6orkU88qKmrJhlp4el6Qq9-a_UsZmp7ZAcA9YqBHLl9r1iUPOeU2Ipd5B9iLGYh3zD88WO8BeoAGRGU7bOVMfzE-CIw8Zvnc07IBYKQaxXaln3seYV/s400/snowshoeing+2010+159.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423731515167197826" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7R2uv-hE0ttoSvii-JzTRP-iObpDnz6NJ1mGZVzDuhyphenhyphenUgRx9an7HNwm3hiQNZ0oSk6fkTPuyysHV0DE9z-V84RT7UDuQw2P81pb6hK6hUbvUqLG0EscR4kMzXCAvFBsfsq1S-A7W5nIs/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+168.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7R2uv-hE0ttoSvii-JzTRP-iObpDnz6NJ1mGZVzDuhyphenhyphenUgRx9an7HNwm3hiQNZ0oSk6fkTPuyysHV0DE9z-V84RT7UDuQw2P81pb6hK6hUbvUqLG0EscR4kMzXCAvFBsfsq1S-A7W5nIs/s400/snowshoeing+2010+168.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423731903374116402" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB9VHC0yXVPOvgKpS27Y0sERNOAk3L4xDHEPdGC2LE6exINVY0aMwceUnwGqjgndnzCBU5Sqh-Aj2yB28LRGBMwglKG7yrO0dB5hjLrjB0-0t-3wLYSleo9RK_9wbaQPWs4-YvcuHdyj0/s1600-h/snowshoeing+2010+176.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijB9VHC0yXVPOvgKpS27Y0sERNOAk3L4xDHEPdGC2LE6exINVY0aMwceUnwGqjgndnzCBU5Sqh-Aj2yB28LRGBMwglKG7yrO0dB5hjLrjB0-0t-3wLYSleo9RK_9wbaQPWs4-YvcuHdyj0/s400/snowshoeing+2010+176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423732682063573266" /></a><br /><br />Before we knew it, the sun was setting, and it was time to leave. After shedding our gear, we made the drive into Heber for some diesel fuel and dinner at Dairy Keen. Both veggie and hamburgers with yummy fries and shakes (or hot chocolate) were called for after a day like that!Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-38297592135318578792009-10-31T20:03:00.001-07:002009-10-31T20:09:48.612-07:00PLEASE, PLEASE, I IMPLORE YOU TO JOIN THIS CAUSE!*Make sure to turn up your volume...<br /><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.nbc.com/o/4727a250e66f9723/4aecfa76c3ee1e7d/4727a2501a2a0f59/721e2789/widget.js"></script><div style="font:10px arial;width:300px;margin-top:3px;"><a href="http://www.nbc.com/Video/library/" target="_blank">Video Recaps</a> | <a href="http://www.nbc.com/Video/library/full-episodes/" target="_blank">Full Episodes</a> | <a href="http://www.nbc.com/Video/library/webisodes/" target="_blank">Webisodes</a></div>Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-3964241110762913942009-10-27T11:26:00.000-07:002009-10-27T11:38:19.621-07:0010 THINGS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb4FUWtkSdRAptnLyT7sAdKsYdN0VZO72PEQq1U5ctWbKih_WYTDX0T_szXyV5FI4HC1dgXyIFQuREYnX6STpSUcnHtHRabzcgiImM9yfKns9Rb086FDsMKAzwcH24q-KCUMTFYfCGldw/s1600-h/jeff+and+kaylee+duckhunt+jeff+birthday+2008+007.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyb4FUWtkSdRAptnLyT7sAdKsYdN0VZO72PEQq1U5ctWbKih_WYTDX0T_szXyV5FI4HC1dgXyIFQuREYnX6STpSUcnHtHRabzcgiImM9yfKns9Rb086FDsMKAzwcH24q-KCUMTFYfCGldw/s400/jeff+and+kaylee+duckhunt+jeff+birthday+2008+007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397350365646622818" /></a><br /><br />1. I love your hands<br /><br />2. I love your endless sense of adventure<br /><br />3. I love your need to surprise me...still<br /><br />4. I love that you are strong where I am weak<br /><br />5. I love your smell<br /><br />6. I love that you make the little things special<br /><br />7. I love your hugs<br /><br />8. I love that you still tell me I'm beautiful<br /><br />9. I love that you are a great dad<br /><br />10. I love that you are smart, so smart<br /><br />These are just 10 things I love about you... I hope you have a great birthday, you deserve it!<br /><br />Love always,<br /><br />MeKim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-28583251259136951772009-10-22T11:57:00.000-07:002009-10-22T14:00:38.866-07:00EVERYTHING IS CHANGING AND I DON'T FEEL THE SAME<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Whc-VxlGLQkTrsNhd3IZZeJA6wuaPYzt0ulLpxNWlL_SiXUBlJLg4v_PNnO_My_kEu1qZWTdeWpvg4EDHNjSJWQ8LVHkJYx9-08TBKQOv6n_FU-epjJ5LXtDrTCLs2Rou_o31jli5qBw/s1600-h/mud+motor+youth+fair+2009+012.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Whc-VxlGLQkTrsNhd3IZZeJA6wuaPYzt0ulLpxNWlL_SiXUBlJLg4v_PNnO_My_kEu1qZWTdeWpvg4EDHNjSJWQ8LVHkJYx9-08TBKQOv6n_FU-epjJ5LXtDrTCLs2Rou_o31jli5qBw/s400/mud+motor+youth+fair+2009+012.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395529371033685890" /></a><br /><br />The seasons are turning around here...<br /><br />Family dynamics change when your oldest turns 16. Mostly, I think, because they can drive, and they become so much more independent overnight! When I was pregnant with Brit I felt completely overwhelmed and ill-equiped to be a mom. I just didn't feel ready to take on the very real possibility that I could totally screw up another person's life! At my baby shower I received a card with this poem:<br /><br />If I had my child to raise all over again,<br />I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.<br />I'd finger-paint more, and point the finger less.<br />I would do less correcting and more connecting.<br />I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.<br />I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.<br />I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.<br />I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.<br />I'd do more hugging and less tugging.<br />~Diane Loomans, from "If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again"<br /><br />That little poem seemed to have the answers I was looking for at the time, and I decided I didn't want to look back with regrets. After a rocky start, with a colicky newborn, parenting became my favorite thing in this world! I loved bedtime stories and blankies, writing on the walls, and hand written love notes, messy kisses, dirty faces, Legos, kiddie pools, gum in the hair. But kids grow up and bedtime stories are replaced by late night talks about anxieties, or fears, or what secrets the Universe holds. They leave Legos behind in favor of iPods, cell phones, and gym memberships. Kisses and hugs come fewer and farther between. At some point you start to realize that being a mom has become more about teaching your kids how to grow up. It becomes just as important to help them start making their own decisions, help them understand consequences, and to push them just a little toward more independence. That part is so much harder than scrubbing marker off the walls!<br /><br />So when Brit told me he didn't want to go with us to Arizona this winter, I was hit with a slew of emotions. Pride. Sadness. Admiration. Panic. To name a few. Brit and Kaylee have been taking classes with other homeschoolers this year that he doesn't want to miss out on. He is really involved with a teen group and doesn't want to miss the activities. And since he already does his own laundry, knows how to shop for groceries, can take care of his meals and the animals, and can drive... Why not? Once I caught my breath, I felt like it could work, it would be okay. Kaylee still wanted to go, right? Right? She would never come out and say it, but Kaylee isn't ready to be without her brother and her dad at the same time. And Kaylee really didn't want to miss out on classes, and friends, and...her brother.<br /><br />Yesterday I made the decision to NOT go to Arizona this winter. Although my son seems to think he can get along just fine without me, and my daughter is willing to suck it up and be my winter buddy, I still feel like being a good mom is my most important concern. And while I do agree that Brit is capable of taking care of himself just fine, I hold to the belief that there are still a few things I can do for him! Don't get me wrong, I have moments of fluttery excitement thinking about "someday" when I can spend entire days gardening, or sewing, or just laying around with a good book. My only concern will be to make it look like I'd gotten anything done by the time Jeff gets home from work. But I'm not ready for "someday" yet. <br /><br />Now I am off to go shopping, for boots, and gloves, and hats, and scarves... And I can't forget a Snuggie... Or should I go with the Slanket?Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-55062449278790392522009-09-23T22:19:00.001-07:002009-09-23T22:36:21.998-07:00TWELVE<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69Pf7LjlTFM92StXBPVljsRychPFACgrA1q98UEcdU-ifDYOAVmyVb_BgSO-r_1xuIrEdS-wkzgqmdo6uQWIXi1Umidxq8iR89d2_Xp7Fu1QgRkdcHIXgzXETfHNislJKmtL9ezMr9SIX/s1600-h/summer+2009+little+cottonwood+canyon+092.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69Pf7LjlTFM92StXBPVljsRychPFACgrA1q98UEcdU-ifDYOAVmyVb_BgSO-r_1xuIrEdS-wkzgqmdo6uQWIXi1Umidxq8iR89d2_Xp7Fu1QgRkdcHIXgzXETfHNislJKmtL9ezMr9SIX/s400/summer+2009+little+cottonwood+canyon+092.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384900880274253218" /></a><br />My beautiful,<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKprt-QUxA7D0ASlKiTfCJ5EyJWaD3bjTMi7RVw3HsIpTGLrWZHBwrkkXn1ENBtQqTsYXc3BznXRMyVEb0v_FRV3PUsHdqPtV5ei9szNMQs65-00P3B8Zswg0xrZrqFmrkj1CaZCy0Rbb/s1600-h/summer+2009+training+jade+037.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhKprt-QUxA7D0ASlKiTfCJ5EyJWaD3bjTMi7RVw3HsIpTGLrWZHBwrkkXn1ENBtQqTsYXc3BznXRMyVEb0v_FRV3PUsHdqPtV5ei9szNMQs65-00P3B8Zswg0xrZrqFmrkj1CaZCy0Rbb/s400/summer+2009+training+jade+037.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384900277536167922" /></a><br />baby girl,<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLNnZZvXIPo27yhFb5IeXJ3PiHR6_HrpSJtbw8YZo7ItuJwqqQ8gjO0psYqrRWsK9gwWZ0_bJwnA3Ac_ztUJvWHlge3k-g62BVCzXsh29X6LxFmo3dCfb9ycsf0Dyl34hMwst4JOhNyzI/s1600-h/summer+2009+Rockport+230.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLNnZZvXIPo27yhFb5IeXJ3PiHR6_HrpSJtbw8YZo7ItuJwqqQ8gjO0psYqrRWsK9gwWZ0_bJwnA3Ac_ztUJvWHlge3k-g62BVCzXsh29X6LxFmo3dCfb9ycsf0Dyl34hMwst4JOhNyzI/s400/summer+2009+Rockport+230.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384901697880240594" /></a><br />is TWELVE!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_zvDaIQ1Agxk48qYXUkPS8kps5cgEHk1MdeSSncYCYhNOaXu93EslcH2cTnME7aIGPWTtPvDFv7cZkH3z6kZkcfMhP2XgspDOqLWLwOUyg2JtHwkP6D8Qz9xP4UfrWMjvbx6a2l5jG5d/s1600-h/summer+2009+zoosnooz+026.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig_zvDaIQ1Agxk48qYXUkPS8kps5cgEHk1MdeSSncYCYhNOaXu93EslcH2cTnME7aIGPWTtPvDFv7cZkH3z6kZkcfMhP2XgspDOqLWLwOUyg2JtHwkP6D8Qz9xP4UfrWMjvbx6a2l5jG5d/s400/summer+2009+zoosnooz+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384902186328051906" /></a><br />And she is my favorite girl, my best friend, my "Angelfish." She told me this was her best birthday ever...Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-78049143304584282522009-09-09T12:18:00.000-07:002009-09-09T12:58:02.744-07:00WHAT'S NEW?So, what have I missed? I've been absent from the world of blogging for so long I feel like I'm starting over! It's kind of like when you don't go to church for a few weeks and you feel a little guilty... But then a few more weeks go by and at some point you're thinking it would be just plain embarrassing to go back at all! Yet here I stand, red-faced at the door, ready to do better.<br /><br />It's not as if nothing has been goin' on 'round here! Brit turned 16 and got his driver' license.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQNSzOql3Kta_L-XO0v8TQuvu6fjuzS1lLRpDrZIBt0xBPTv3cCycjzOCng27g_eife6zfCdNOWaS9oL2T_OlIGLYa5ifbNQooUkagbsjgNNE6fN5lQHh_WCPeBdj_J5IIPZ5CyZnj5QY/s1600-h/disneyland+april+and+clark+fire+2009+022.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQNSzOql3Kta_L-XO0v8TQuvu6fjuzS1lLRpDrZIBt0xBPTv3cCycjzOCng27g_eife6zfCdNOWaS9oL2T_OlIGLYa5ifbNQooUkagbsjgNNE6fN5lQHh_WCPeBdj_J5IIPZ5CyZnj5QY/s400/disneyland+april+and+clark+fire+2009+022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379551777174271394" /></a><br />His birthday gift from Grandma and Tim was a 1988, red, Toyota 4-runner! Yeesh! That kid lives a charmed life.<br /><br />Jeff and I celebrated out 19th wedding anniversary. Seems like just yesterday... sniff, sniff, we were young and beautiful... and so naive! I wouldn't go back, not even for the skinny legs and smooth skin. I like where we are just fine! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYR3Siekb-AFBvkr_bkZtNaVMQC1o_wTIxxmULVIkxZ8ERlBbQrbFg18FxlhUbIOrt16zQBnIhEVzB-w9kibzwp9q9ISkNGvyc_0oELLmecTK47oPGQsFNG8heJjMEuzmf1q5O6FtJl53/s1600-h/wedding+day.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 387px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYR3Siekb-AFBvkr_bkZtNaVMQC1o_wTIxxmULVIkxZ8ERlBbQrbFg18FxlhUbIOrt16zQBnIhEVzB-w9kibzwp9q9ISkNGvyc_0oELLmecTK47oPGQsFNG8heJjMEuzmf1q5O6FtJl53/s400/wedding+day.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379553252223428706" /></a><br /><br />My brother lost his house, place of business, and little dog in a terrible house fire! <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_OfUG0KDWdQ69kOLSLGj0Dke_8zMNA7kNYoiXqDhq4Qvbg5Y7I9nnvY-AdknQ9euZSX_HlwiqQQ3-9gv6LEX3iZv_dJcyYwTh9xPYUG5U_SdLYT6CFvBKnOeXQX2noMry0pEtX7rFnQh/s1600-h/disneyland+april+and+clark+fire+2009+244.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM_OfUG0KDWdQ69kOLSLGj0Dke_8zMNA7kNYoiXqDhq4Qvbg5Y7I9nnvY-AdknQ9euZSX_HlwiqQQ3-9gv6LEX3iZv_dJcyYwTh9xPYUG5U_SdLYT6CFvBKnOeXQX2noMry0pEtX7rFnQh/s400/disneyland+april+and+clark+fire+2009+244.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379554140069379154" /></a><br /><br />I turned 40!!!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9AdaGDUUuddlMsf4WOwFvRpGn2GaGdx5ojCdUo3cCNOO-njONmBT-Lzmf0w9fZSXmFtibCKIZQ2AeY7deNweDvqwm991Lxd3IGxNYEjkBAErJoHy0v-dT0KvC27-R5WA7W1J3MM_jQeF/s1600-h/summer+2009+little+cottonwood+canyon+121.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9AdaGDUUuddlMsf4WOwFvRpGn2GaGdx5ojCdUo3cCNOO-njONmBT-Lzmf0w9fZSXmFtibCKIZQ2AeY7deNweDvqwm991Lxd3IGxNYEjkBAErJoHy0v-dT0KvC27-R5WA7W1J3MM_jQeF/s400/summer+2009+little+cottonwood+canyon+121.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379555174973224866" /></a><br /><br />Jeff, yes Jeff! Brought another dog home!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITad2sJ8z1TmGab9kv2rM_a811ExPYez5fwB5wH2hHxnE9AmT8IFR6BKE4_23IVS_kz0AY319k7E_Z71rJdPzJPcRMvx_fS2E-rHx63JsqeWiLH9tVYgKTR8ucTmIjmFqzLVruOLrmkT2/s1600-h/summer+2009+training+jade+022.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITad2sJ8z1TmGab9kv2rM_a811ExPYez5fwB5wH2hHxnE9AmT8IFR6BKE4_23IVS_kz0AY319k7E_Z71rJdPzJPcRMvx_fS2E-rHx63JsqeWiLH9tVYgKTR8ucTmIjmFqzLVruOLrmkT2/s400/summer+2009+training+jade+022.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379555678456317490" /></a><br /><br />And many, many weekends of camping and boating...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMaUsr3NdqywrBSLd_fvO7BLB06LYnSsR9_KEW5FUm-kCi8pxC2U4JxCabhqneHfpTAD_0ZyM9RvxKySZNSMnuus6unhr-luMHQEQzIlFvHOlE1YpWXynxvbryS5l8UOVmywaRsnrxdcz/s1600-h/summer+2009+east+canyon+002.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMaUsr3NdqywrBSLd_fvO7BLB06LYnSsR9_KEW5FUm-kCi8pxC2U4JxCabhqneHfpTAD_0ZyM9RvxKySZNSMnuus6unhr-luMHQEQzIlFvHOlE1YpWXynxvbryS5l8UOVmywaRsnrxdcz/s400/summer+2009+east+canyon+002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379556197736753730" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCVYGIok90fs3uo_y_Ee4gzkkzy4B0Z4nKhItOmvU0s8r5uFWfBme0N-hbA0TxblfiUb9m2ljjjUsCPnsGe9e4aqb5MNuTtAVQ93ebi7SJPUCcpH5Tb7ilksTJC28DEsNPWy2Fw6TYtet/s1600-h/summer+2009+east+canyon+110.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCVYGIok90fs3uo_y_Ee4gzkkzy4B0Z4nKhItOmvU0s8r5uFWfBme0N-hbA0TxblfiUb9m2ljjjUsCPnsGe9e4aqb5MNuTtAVQ93ebi7SJPUCcpH5Tb7ilksTJC28DEsNPWy2Fw6TYtet/s400/summer+2009+east+canyon+110.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379556863480928338" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KjILCsCZ92nPsPuc0h0V3DpKE4kTEpN_PObsL9vZcBhFsRCb-sh3ebjZnW6EIPHoaI_meVPxjThDJAAHJfdY5sYgQ0or1eXnbaQ6Rd-HoGGpYIAkDBM7SpG1-AlB8nut4Hjnxg6m57qv/s1600-h/summer+2009+east+canyon+159.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3KjILCsCZ92nPsPuc0h0V3DpKE4kTEpN_PObsL9vZcBhFsRCb-sh3ebjZnW6EIPHoaI_meVPxjThDJAAHJfdY5sYgQ0or1eXnbaQ6Rd-HoGGpYIAkDBM7SpG1-AlB8nut4Hjnxg6m57qv/s400/summer+2009+east+canyon+159.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379557296997049426" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ83at_IAR9K6uD8p4ziKJMZg9LK1f4QbAtKGov1BsyAewoUabl0Je57J8RWF4QxOSCWbZE9LY0Q4p-0Yo3vHr2k9s3aylvehvoxr7usTDjoE7cbvJGbg_VbLD0vF1yOprIz2A8fhYeAEe/s1600-h/summer+2009+east+canyon+227.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ83at_IAR9K6uD8p4ziKJMZg9LK1f4QbAtKGov1BsyAewoUabl0Je57J8RWF4QxOSCWbZE9LY0Q4p-0Yo3vHr2k9s3aylvehvoxr7usTDjoE7cbvJGbg_VbLD0vF1yOprIz2A8fhYeAEe/s400/summer+2009+east+canyon+227.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5379558096120008242" /></a><br /><br />The summer came and went in a flash! I can't believe it's September already. My kids are growing up, becoming more independent, changing every day... It's a proud kind of sad to watch it all.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-12340848829234190782009-05-26T12:41:00.000-07:002009-05-26T13:26:34.295-07:00MY MOAB MEMORIAL (Day weekend)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLDYJbBP8E64KOt9fHgyNdNp2XCXd8IbCSJtj7Zvo_8TyJjs4GtitF2RIzJPGqyFblsF4l255Br4B5MzmcQkQbbNg-JVth_K61R_BK6sXhMf8oIXUN6BuoMJJJdxcJoBsoiYZtRZpR4Wr/s1600-h/april+2009+149.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHLDYJbBP8E64KOt9fHgyNdNp2XCXd8IbCSJtj7Zvo_8TyJjs4GtitF2RIzJPGqyFblsF4l255Br4B5MzmcQkQbbNg-JVth_K61R_BK6sXhMf8oIXUN6BuoMJJJdxcJoBsoiYZtRZpR4Wr/s400/april+2009+149.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340231109772851122" /></a><br />For nine years we have been going to Moab, Ut. for some of the best times of our lives, and this year is no exception. Memorial Day weekend is a good time to go because of the long break from work and school. We have had all kinds of people come along with us to share in our enthusiasm for this part of the world... and we love sharing it. This year Jeff's entire family was able to make it along with my friend Elisa and her three kids. Elisa's decision to come was kind of last minute, and since it was one of THE busiest weekends of the year, they ended up in our trailer. It was fun to have a big group all together... it reminded me of the motorhome trips my family made when I was a kid. This year we didn't have Jeeps or bikes so we spent more time hiking and relaxing around camp. I was so sad to leave yesterday... but we do have our memories and pictures... until next time...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLHwaW-7GcsXF63Xy7NtTzE3wPrmyAX2oSRmT8poooC67mNQmXqHyjY0EQ9gMAbqOcE9BzqW2xVxX1CRrzEdEF5ZI0K7OaLlsfHqHf0oNsNr2tlV_uuLPFc0glxLbu8Hr_5noR0oK7RU_/s1600-h/april+2009+147.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPLHwaW-7GcsXF63Xy7NtTzE3wPrmyAX2oSRmT8poooC67mNQmXqHyjY0EQ9gMAbqOcE9BzqW2xVxX1CRrzEdEF5ZI0K7OaLlsfHqHf0oNsNr2tlV_uuLPFc0glxLbu8Hr_5noR0oK7RU_/s400/april+2009+147.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340224042571725314" /></a><br /><br />I said "cheese" not freeze!<br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWE25s8sFCU6UvNpb72sK3rhSOK8Ci4c_NyLSotvsT0G7bwfDP-7JVi3MvJWl6DV6admZCPmuST34JKe6w6L0ZRGfOmR4vG9sxeR6YW4fcgwc9OlEI3trUF9WCfO0BjrVf4JUxaIdTNNR/s1600-h/april+2009+145.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWE25s8sFCU6UvNpb72sK3rhSOK8Ci4c_NyLSotvsT0G7bwfDP-7JVi3MvJWl6DV6admZCPmuST34JKe6w6L0ZRGfOmR4vG9sxeR6YW4fcgwc9OlEI3trUF9WCfO0BjrVf4JUxaIdTNNR/s400/april+2009+145.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340224513077479010" /></a><br /><br />There's some cheese...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjxUKySOwOXzYYby7UWck9vt1aL2FJBF5FSDNP_Sg4iWDr2sJBKXSYo8NfuMWiMgdDnrBd6ub4DC-TG9XhzChcTQpOKhzFyEl7Lk_KjjeR55YDAFQFJt0qgjJXLFAf8xCXHuoJiNSbANd/s1600-h/april+2009+148.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjxUKySOwOXzYYby7UWck9vt1aL2FJBF5FSDNP_Sg4iWDr2sJBKXSYo8NfuMWiMgdDnrBd6ub4DC-TG9XhzChcTQpOKhzFyEl7Lk_KjjeR55YDAFQFJt0qgjJXLFAf8xCXHuoJiNSbANd/s400/april+2009+148.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340225085320248818" /></a><br /><br />Hiking buddies<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_8gsk4MsmnbqjGjTocOML3-6vwpVXfuJS67al9gr00aZnSm5m219i1MfY4xN4A3z_DVnOzNvXDAH0zDpNSXDsNqvcD98Zc-7aq6Bb2ZAzx_soEKv9kYu3k0eLdCCVN1_SxBXiGrOmhmw/s1600-h/april+2009+152.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_8gsk4MsmnbqjGjTocOML3-6vwpVXfuJS67al9gr00aZnSm5m219i1MfY4xN4A3z_DVnOzNvXDAH0zDpNSXDsNqvcD98Zc-7aq6Bb2ZAzx_soEKv9kYu3k0eLdCCVN1_SxBXiGrOmhmw/s400/april+2009+152.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340225483443066690" /></a><br /><br />Can't go wrong with a thumbs up!!!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkTjD6We5tld1rIz3g3g4Yo2bxcHoJw4_53qudXAMJYk14tzGdD41qU5ts-jIz8dlxdjaHJi8gAdQ_1i2cQtly-ouue-6MvmQZqs_CuCrzwf_uop0_UouNgKs0bpvYj4wrwO33b9AEPLy/s1600-h/april+2009+153.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkTjD6We5tld1rIz3g3g4Yo2bxcHoJw4_53qudXAMJYk14tzGdD41qU5ts-jIz8dlxdjaHJi8gAdQ_1i2cQtly-ouue-6MvmQZqs_CuCrzwf_uop0_UouNgKs0bpvYj4wrwO33b9AEPLy/s400/april+2009+153.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340225868808108178" /></a><br /><br />Beauty on the beasts! I bent down to take this pic and that horrible plant bit me!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeJqbZtcQ1c6JVy-l_qzERIr47p0Tf4RY6yAR5SMRD0BiAl5SbxwxKUZP0RX-qcIqViIQhsPE5yJgffpWqqlS-zbHXtU9bvd3gIw8dlYiMrFtdhIDiOa2P19sDewDZ1uQo8hP_nTgtL_S/s1600-h/april+2009+154.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDeJqbZtcQ1c6JVy-l_qzERIr47p0Tf4RY6yAR5SMRD0BiAl5SbxwxKUZP0RX-qcIqViIQhsPE5yJgffpWqqlS-zbHXtU9bvd3gIw8dlYiMrFtdhIDiOa2P19sDewDZ1uQo8hP_nTgtL_S/s400/april+2009+154.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340226221129117538" /></a><br /><br />Cute Kelson Family<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__LTg3GB26aLDl1ZbDRTWyTStMkjbEs4roMxVX0r8oVZNB49zTgE_a6BjmsybSy3dzng7Sl5QqgsuzaRs249h1Z9A04KmpvKsxbcQ7yY6zC_lYLo36tZ3Cv2Lbz-QQJpmFHwa95Inf5UV/s1600-h/april+2009+157.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh__LTg3GB26aLDl1ZbDRTWyTStMkjbEs4roMxVX0r8oVZNB49zTgE_a6BjmsybSy3dzng7Sl5QqgsuzaRs249h1Z9A04KmpvKsxbcQ7yY6zC_lYLo36tZ3Cv2Lbz-QQJpmFHwa95Inf5UV/s400/april+2009+157.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340226661473316258" /></a><br /><br />My babies... sniff, sniff... so grown up.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1cXZmWC0_YLnP7R_bRB0uES4ugEX1jRYkbIaqNnUjLCqtfk-avGYm__oR9Ymf5uf94b2Vsni4a0xDUiHzZSe9lOsde5TfLyHFM9dAgqvpt1MgfcL62d2-EerF-7__hyphenhyphenzdV978SQxGc-Z/s1600-h/april+2009+163.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE1cXZmWC0_YLnP7R_bRB0uES4ugEX1jRYkbIaqNnUjLCqtfk-avGYm__oR9Ymf5uf94b2Vsni4a0xDUiHzZSe9lOsde5TfLyHFM9dAgqvpt1MgfcL62d2-EerF-7__hyphenhyphenzdV978SQxGc-Z/s400/april+2009+163.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340227285503945874" /></a><br /><br />Corona Arch hiking group<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfuEZguHy6YiXNOp5Nihon4Epp8QALrWZTti18zqrfNq5nhxdL8Loc6safy3lOOZbaIh07FPscs2Oj7-24Tq_CUGju9fjR6M256yFLId-xfiITMgN9k5lUDaLp1emNfhklp4wxtMbMN7p/s1600-h/april+2009+167.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLfuEZguHy6YiXNOp5Nihon4Epp8QALrWZTti18zqrfNq5nhxdL8Loc6safy3lOOZbaIh07FPscs2Oj7-24Tq_CUGju9fjR6M256yFLId-xfiITMgN9k5lUDaLp1emNfhklp4wxtMbMN7p/s400/april+2009+167.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340228228459073218" /></a><br /><br />Corona Arch<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMw5bTTRtExXFcMbljOx1mb2pGMR3zvRO2H3s_MyAkD09ehGQdfBLmiN5UzcbhFDSwuScGk5nq0COQsaNmsS-UBBtDbiw6OMg9Vtv0tV5ZynKpCGKTU8mSQ2WDEE4xFWDkYW_a_d5RfYhX/s1600-h/april+2009+182.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMw5bTTRtExXFcMbljOx1mb2pGMR3zvRO2H3s_MyAkD09ehGQdfBLmiN5UzcbhFDSwuScGk5nq0COQsaNmsS-UBBtDbiw6OMg9Vtv0tV5ZynKpCGKTU8mSQ2WDEE4xFWDkYW_a_d5RfYhX/s400/april+2009+182.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340228665633563666" /></a><br /><br />Silliness<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEN375NzyhPguC3mhZiZecIYqul2NxEHBKc43Z-CEdDCkMFCqPVeNJeNVkpbjo3tKBBC_FNm7JRa9T-qTEVlJg88i0q848Tl9gHBynVKfBjeBjeybAMqcS3U6CKvYNbZgMw3uG2MnAdxC/s1600-h/april+2009+186.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEN375NzyhPguC3mhZiZecIYqul2NxEHBKc43Z-CEdDCkMFCqPVeNJeNVkpbjo3tKBBC_FNm7JRa9T-qTEVlJg88i0q848Tl9gHBynVKfBjeBjeybAMqcS3U6CKvYNbZgMw3uG2MnAdxC/s400/april+2009+186.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340229006834695282" /></a><br /><br />Aw... sweetness<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBqlgfAvjgVVxpt2Zjnm29P_h8C-l7S4uV5zxlDmT3q1hj9lIOs-aO2CUfRs8TVZGnL8-RU1igMsgs8CAFcGwGQ_PFT8W6B51ipFhI2tDX7c18uHZqpkU6MzjBCPg4q4FcEn30KpDL3fH/s1600-h/april+2009+187.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBqlgfAvjgVVxpt2Zjnm29P_h8C-l7S4uV5zxlDmT3q1hj9lIOs-aO2CUfRs8TVZGnL8-RU1igMsgs8CAFcGwGQ_PFT8W6B51ipFhI2tDX7c18uHZqpkU6MzjBCPg4q4FcEn30KpDL3fH/s400/april+2009+187.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340229449653847442" /></a><br /><br />...And a little nature lovin'<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcG6Zkm2mgNopvKBACyihMnwt2u3vI3RikVLAXe1fTxo7psFOHhamssRSCDY-pyC_Lrsj4oUI19HsWPoHLexGkcc6VPw48guxHYhZkhqHDqt9H3y3fiPjgNPT5hns6uWF21ZG5U0AQD3Mz/s1600-h/april+2009+173.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcG6Zkm2mgNopvKBACyihMnwt2u3vI3RikVLAXe1fTxo7psFOHhamssRSCDY-pyC_Lrsj4oUI19HsWPoHLexGkcc6VPw48guxHYhZkhqHDqt9H3y3fiPjgNPT5hns6uWF21ZG5U0AQD3Mz/s400/april+2009+173.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340230201996053074" /></a><br /><br />Oh, and a lot of exhaustion at the end of the day...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzyY10GtTZIUOgSPmGZWjbJ50FjrDfk_12h8cZtnHgKCE-BvBMy2WZeNbaB2RtaIAnIbOT0TPW5vThneZV4PBv_csvUrTzjXyrxJmBGvWc3pV8GPEgmamr_HuxbwbqsP4Us8zuFju0V6R/s1600-h/april+2009+192.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzyY10GtTZIUOgSPmGZWjbJ50FjrDfk_12h8cZtnHgKCE-BvBMy2WZeNbaB2RtaIAnIbOT0TPW5vThneZV4PBv_csvUrTzjXyrxJmBGvWc3pV8GPEgmamr_HuxbwbqsP4Us8zuFju0V6R/s400/april+2009+192.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340230647666560722" /></a><br /><br />Good thing for good dogs! Thanks everyone who helped make my Moab Memorial Day weekend so memorable!Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-66684915615496957522009-05-23T00:25:00.000-07:002009-05-23T00:30:03.969-07:00THIS SUMMER...Have you ever had to keep a really big secret? Do you remember how it felt to keep that secret? If it was a good secret, like the time Jeff and I wanted to surprise our kids with a trip to Disneyland, it feels like you could just burst before the big day arrives and you can reveal the great news! Or, like Christmas Eve when you know you’ve gotten the perfect gifts for your kids and can’t sleep in anticipation for their excitement in the morning. Even so, keeping those secrets takes energy and effort, doesn’t it? I’ve kept a few secrets in my lifetime. Some of those secrets have been terribly painful to keep. Lately I’ve been thinking it’s time to let them go… <br /><br />This summer I will travel to the places where my childhood was cut short, innocence stolen, trust stripped away, to help me let go of these terrible secrets. I don’t know what I will feel, I don’t know how or if it will help me, and I am trying not to have expectations, but it feels like the right thing to do at this point. I‘ve been told many times, confronting your fears and losses is the best path to leading you out of them. It’s a path I know way more intimately than any person would ever want to, but the alternative is denial, and that was not getting me far. This summer I will take my mom back to these places, at her suggestion, and hope it will give us both a reason to let go of guilt or blame for things that ultimately, neither one of us could control. This summer I will take my kids to these places, to show them that we all have fears to face, that we all need to keep fighting, and that I am not afraid anymore. This summer I will re-visit a time and place where I was unable to protect myself, where I was vulnerable, afraid, confused, and damaged, but this time I will be strong. This summer I hope to leave parts of me there… The dark parts, the broken parts, the parts that died a long time ago, yet I’ve carried with me for all these years. It’s time for me to lay those parts down where they should have been left to begin with, and to leave a little lighter. One more step on my path to being whole.<br /><br />Why blog about it? Because it is really no secret that 1 in 4 girls, and 1 in 6 boys, will be sexually abused by the age of 18. Look around you, look at your daughters, your sons, your nieces and nephews. Look at your grandchildren, your friends, your neighbors, look at how many people you know, then look long and hard at those statistics. 1 in 4 beautiful, innocent, undeserving, little girls, young ladies, or women may be struggling with the weight of this kind of terrible secret. 1 in 4. There shouldn’t be shame in what was stolen from the innocent. Keeping my secrets isn’t helping me, and is, in fact, a bad example to the 1 in 4 girls whose lives will be snatched by a greedy hand, shaken to pieces, then left to try to put things back together. <br /><br />This summer I will turn 40. It’s about time I made this journey… there have been a few years where I wasn’t sure I would choose to keep fighting. I’m glad I did. There is still a long road ahead, but I believe that I will be miles farther on my journey, after this summer.Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-55975428038442778122009-04-14T16:46:00.000-07:002009-04-14T18:16:24.744-07:00EASTER-MANIA!Easter is a fun holiday, isn't it? It's food, family, fun, and did I already say food? This year we spread the love of Easter around for a few days. Friday was a fun egg hunt and dinner at my mom's... and I forgot to bring my camera, so we will all have to imagine what it looked like. Holidays on my side of the family are really fun now that more grand kids are cropping up. They remind me of years past with Jeff's family... loud, chaotic, and fabulous. Egg hunts are fun at any age though and I remember not too many years ago when Jeff's parents would hide money in some of the eggs and let the adults participate too. Some years, when we were all a little down on our luck financially, it was a a knock-down, drag-out affair trying to get those money eggs!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysR_rwMJl_-DC9bfrirxqnoRrJ8oS3i4cmdXlYc0439Dhcmpj0XCDBKAUbGypoWiuEeDNxHbSaRaaP14nPeiajOuu3yEmWJhnbLYqqLBfUfvmWf6AfoIGK6Y7QsKUljiZ881LFKLZ_Wcc/s1600-h/april+2009+057.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysR_rwMJl_-DC9bfrirxqnoRrJ8oS3i4cmdXlYc0439Dhcmpj0XCDBKAUbGypoWiuEeDNxHbSaRaaP14nPeiajOuu3yEmWJhnbLYqqLBfUfvmWf6AfoIGK6Y7QsKUljiZ881LFKLZ_Wcc/s400/april+2009+057.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324704983677435186" /></a><br />Good times.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ-wH3Pbdvw9Y6MMj9k2ZgMP6Ty-IGNiLKMXl-2Zes9sMd8vssUIM1Ye0ufRkkDMcWK0ikajA1mjo_hGPn0R0dhEG8MRBK34EZs_d-ttUY1JEUINF3zfYgVGcClnxqzyYB6o7AUGg4cIc/s1600-h/april+2009+046.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZ-wH3Pbdvw9Y6MMj9k2ZgMP6Ty-IGNiLKMXl-2Zes9sMd8vssUIM1Ye0ufRkkDMcWK0ikajA1mjo_hGPn0R0dhEG8MRBK34EZs_d-ttUY1JEUINF3zfYgVGcClnxqzyYB6o7AUGg4cIc/s400/april+2009+046.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324705507042422690" /></a><br />Another tradition in Jeff's family is the Easter pinata, which is just a contest of cheating disaster, as little (and not so little) kids wield a long stick and swing wildly at a paper-mache animal.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70rSXo1d7PkAOtDIQDN9j3rOr-J6YZYSLxqz1yD_z4Xs2oCEeJzcuZ0Z_nA2pC-HttovKN3nQPuPpNxIEaSYWJoi17so-IstQK0cBXVo6lAb1ioNVspJw-QcqkGckkzRbltQ1jooMROnj/s1600-h/april+2009+083.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi70rSXo1d7PkAOtDIQDN9j3rOr-J6YZYSLxqz1yD_z4Xs2oCEeJzcuZ0Z_nA2pC-HttovKN3nQPuPpNxIEaSYWJoi17so-IstQK0cBXVo6lAb1ioNVspJw-QcqkGckkzRbltQ1jooMROnj/s400/april+2009+083.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324706983857859138" /></a><br />But, so far, so good, and we've only seen a few minor injuries over the years.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6ejzDkj45PfTEJkCzhMpZBPqPt8Du4wdtetl8jBTs1DnZmK-nav0j1tR-CpRmv9C0YRngdbaotwUOumc6-MYjrrvAIQeGNwvNrp3F76CMCo4_Vajbl1e8xpQzTH4izXuQwphYAFsfXsP/s1600-h/april+2009+094.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6ejzDkj45PfTEJkCzhMpZBPqPt8Du4wdtetl8jBTs1DnZmK-nav0j1tR-CpRmv9C0YRngdbaotwUOumc6-MYjrrvAIQeGNwvNrp3F76CMCo4_Vajbl1e8xpQzTH4izXuQwphYAFsfXsP/s400/april+2009+094.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324708411065400194" /></a><br /><br /><br />As for our own traditions, we stopped doing the Easter basket thing a few years ago once the kids didn't "believe" anymore. At the time it was kind of a relief to let that go, but this year I have been feeling pretty uncomfortable with my kids growing up, and I hate that too soon they will be grown and gone! I know, I know, I have a few years left... but still. So I dragged Jeff out last week to do some Easter basket shopping... to make myself feel better about things. I confessed to him at K Mart that I was really doing the baskets for me, which he said he knew all along. Mr. Smarty Pants! I think the kids liked it too.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Xa-XT4E0PTItNlNCLGheJu1jwvDID8xvdfX2VdzmtT0SMExCikToVNOt24_NsaD0VnP4pw0gfq7T4lKtQI1Qd2m3a9BF9-7jDAne4Z8w-sV8_OcPXJ_XwpqF196TQrie3uRuGrRQ7P0G/s1600-h/april+2009+028.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Xa-XT4E0PTItNlNCLGheJu1jwvDID8xvdfX2VdzmtT0SMExCikToVNOt24_NsaD0VnP4pw0gfq7T4lKtQI1Qd2m3a9BF9-7jDAne4Z8w-sV8_OcPXJ_XwpqF196TQrie3uRuGrRQ7P0G/s400/april+2009+028.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324708956014168626" /></a><br />We had Easter Brunch at The Gathering Place in Gardner Village.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJGOUC14NLrArERxoYZaeom-R2VkVeic-q9tJ5DioDkcFb8SABMC6YAXAqjNDUYdgi1LUfsc7bdDlnDc1i1TOgSmH9g3XLQE-hgQ-_fq6VzJe_6Phqt3T89t47CRy7B3iNTJ45LB1Q6m3/s1600-h/april+2009+026.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqJGOUC14NLrArERxoYZaeom-R2VkVeic-q9tJ5DioDkcFb8SABMC6YAXAqjNDUYdgi1LUfsc7bdDlnDc1i1TOgSmH9g3XLQE-hgQ-_fq6VzJe_6Phqt3T89t47CRy7B3iNTJ45LB1Q6m3/s400/april+2009+026.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324719977282261650" /></a><br /> The food was yummy and we had a good time together. It was Jeff's suggestion to buy egg dye though, so we did, and the kids and I had fun dyeing the eggs Sunday afternoon.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHanQR-YdoDkAy3IYnn7lpZxWuIF8Dj67RptatK6JXrXCabPQoDeyuTQTfMKXbyu2yhEK4o7HCZQ9-jGPHMm9Jf50vize2vsxsoZfQujI32fyhKlnXOhE_ReCw4XYjLzlRoAjhP8LN8eK/s1600-h/april+2009+040.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCHanQR-YdoDkAy3IYnn7lpZxWuIF8Dj67RptatK6JXrXCabPQoDeyuTQTfMKXbyu2yhEK4o7HCZQ9-jGPHMm9Jf50vize2vsxsoZfQujI32fyhKlnXOhE_ReCw4XYjLzlRoAjhP8LN8eK/s400/april+2009+040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324709459835658978" /></a><br />We have chickens who lay brown and green eggs, so technically we don't really need to color our eggs... but where is the fun in that? I did buy a dozen white eggs at the store, somehow they dwindled down to just four by the time we were ready to dye them, so we used some of the colored ones as well.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpecKcFEsJaGBXBhkP7fkXDOsOIi7ZbP-pZQEo6VPVaeQfyqEI2ZcqI_QAJdc1EvflMOLrbvpq9bdllKJ9KYlbhjzEb4shbH6q-Hz-kfVnB3AoUwwxgCyllG7HfYjALWP5VQUFHI3zf90/s1600-h/april+2009+036.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpecKcFEsJaGBXBhkP7fkXDOsOIi7ZbP-pZQEo6VPVaeQfyqEI2ZcqI_QAJdc1EvflMOLrbvpq9bdllKJ9KYlbhjzEb4shbH6q-Hz-kfVnB3AoUwwxgCyllG7HfYjALWP5VQUFHI3zf90/s400/april+2009+036.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324710412866084850" /></a><br />Don't they look lovely?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1uljL-F62CzqBjMQTpI6XDTKn8zlgJ9YJpeqOSQRyRgC4wp8UAnjv4YqFYhyphenhyphenEZRCfDTn7FVzwMxdEPm5hfrDLV3HfrtJFFckip3O1W0PfnZNYpql7mgD31l6vEeb-HrmttQWrSQLB1JH/s1600-h/april+2009+042.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW1uljL-F62CzqBjMQTpI6XDTKn8zlgJ9YJpeqOSQRyRgC4wp8UAnjv4YqFYhyphenhyphenEZRCfDTn7FVzwMxdEPm5hfrDLV3HfrtJFFckip3O1W0PfnZNYpql7mgD31l6vEeb-HrmttQWrSQLB1JH/s400/april+2009+042.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324710978869142146" /></a><br />Mine were the best... JMO.<br /><br />Thanks everyone who shared in our Easter this year! Hope everyone else had a Happy, Happy, Holiday!Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893146754234628436.post-85619339142930719522009-03-25T11:35:00.000-07:002009-03-25T13:09:59.850-07:00JUST SAY NO!I haven't been able to blog lately, not since we got back from Arizona, and I haven't been really reading other bloggers either. There has been a mental block going on inside my head for several weeks that shows no signs of clearing itself out so I thought maybe I'd take a stab at breaking it apart myself. My time in Arizona was a great break from the cold, wet, winter, and it was just what I needed to stay a little healthier this year. It was also a break from the near constant drama that seems to come from being born with (or adopted into) the Swensen name. I really do try to steer clear of so called negative posting, but please bear in mind that I am trying to purge myself of this terrible "block" that is fixing to burrow in and stay a while. <br /><br />I doubt life for the oldest of seven kids is a breeze for anyone lucky (or unlucky) enough to acquire the position. But I've managed to make the whole thing harder on myself by making myself "responsible" for the rest of my siblings early on. I took it upon my shoulders to worry about their well-being, protect them from pain and hardships, and rescue them when protection wasn't enough. Basically I took on a parental role and over time came to be counted on like a parent would be. I can't be sure why I did this since I can't completely remember when I started. I don't think my intentions were bad, and I hope I helped and did some good along the way. Another surprising aspect of taking upon yourself this responsibility is that your own parents will let you! And in a family with seven kids, who could blame them... if one child steps forward and says "I'll do that," who wouldn't say "Sweet!" So now I find myself feeling the aches and pains of my siblings sorrows the same way I would/do for my own kids. And I am trying to deal with the guilt of choosing my own little family first, and basically abandoning my siblings if I can't do both. Yes, I know they have a mom and a dad, and the responsibility of acting as a parent is theirs'. But it's not always so "black and white" in the deep folds of my psyche. My time in Arizona was a well needed break from this enormous responsibility.<br /><br />The problems don't just disappear though. They wait. So last night when I got a late night call from my mom to let me know that my brother was served with papers to strip away his parental rights, and that my former sister-in-law is planning to sever all ties with our family because she has remarried and wants to start a new life, and that we will no longer be able to be a part of my nephew's life, it was just the last straw! And my mom thinks for some reason that if I could just call former sis-in-law and explain how much we love my nephew and how much better his life will be with us in it, and how much more love he would have with us around, that maybe she will change her mind. And I whole-heartedly believe that all those things are true. But I couldn't do it. After thinking about it all night, all I could do was tell her how much we love my nephew, and we love her, and I want both of them to be happy and be at peace. And I have no right to tell her what the best choices are for my nephew, just because I want her to choose something different. I don't know what she needs to do to make her new marriage work, and to feel like she is being a good mother. I couldn't be angry with her, I couldn't condemn her, I couldn't beg her to reconsider, even though that's what I wanted. This is a little boy that we took care of half of every week for nearly a year when my brother lost custody for a time. He became a part of our lives. I bathed him, dressed him, fed him, read stories to him, lay next to him at night till he fell asleep. My kids played with him, took care of him, taught him things, and loved him like a little brother. My heart is breaking to think we can't see him anymore.<br /><br />So what is the cause of all this heartache? Drugs. <br /><br />My brother, it seems, has a harder time making good decisions than most. I am not trying to judge. In fact I completely understand that for many people, real life is something they need to escape from, and self-medicating is a common way to accomplish this. It's not a rare condition. The world can be terribly unfair and downright cruel, believe me I know well how unfair things can get and we all have to try to cope with the consequences. But coping is different than escaping, and this is where I've got to take a stand. I've witnessed and endured some pretty horrible schtuff. I have burned in my brain the kind of material the writers for "SVU" or "Cold Case" might come looking for, so believe me when I say I wouldn't mind a little escaping once in a while. While I won't judge another for their methods, and won't blame them, I will give these words of caution. Drugs are not the answer! Unless more trouble and heartache is what you're after. Or you like mooching off of family and friends, transient living arrangements, burning bridges, and losing jobs. Drugs will eventually get you arrested and sent to jail. Maybe you will even have your three year old son with you at the time and then child protective services will get involved. Drugs will stunt your emotional maturity, make you a burden both physically and mentally on the people who love you, and make it nearly impossible for you to have meaningful relationships. Drugs will not only bring chaos and pain to your own life, but to the lives of everyone you know, to some level, and you will always let people down. Maybe you will lose your privilege to drive, have to rely on the kindness of others to get you to work, or be a slave to bus schedules. You will lie, cheat, steal, and eventually you will lose everything. If drugs don't kill you, you will likely spend the rest of your life trying to recover from all that has been laid to waste during the time that drugs ruled your life. We all want to find a way to deal with our personal pain, but it's wrong to think that what you choose won't affect the people who love you so just say NO to drugs!Kim Bringhursthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06284794672382697718noreply@blogger.com4