Name that child

Day 5-Because in 6 weeks sleeping in on Sunday morning will be sorely missed.

I miss those days of just sleeping, simply stated, just sleeping. No reason to wake up, no bones that ache or child that has elbowed you 20+ times throughout the night and you just can't handle one more poke! No looking at the clock and reading 8:03 then instantly feeling that pain of guilt because you've slept too long and so much needs to be done. Oh those days, teenagedom.....ICK!!! Never mind give me the creaking joints, grey hair, elbows in ribs, guilt from sleeping in. I like my 30's, now 40 that's going to be another issue(Jessie ) =)

Beautiful Autumn Red

Day 4-For the autumn blaze maple trees that you adored and ALWAYS make me think of you.

Feeding the masses or otherwise known as Dinner

Day 3-For Friday night traditions started so many years ago.

Pizza and a movie is just as much a Summers Household staple as peanut butter and jelly. The week just wouldn't feel complete without a Friday night movie and picnic style in the living room pizza dinner. Some things just can't be tinkered with, enough said.

Day 2...Emma's Hair

Because you wouldn't believe how funky lucky number sevens hair can get and DANG it can get funky! Little miss curly or "turly" as Emma calls them sure does get a good head of cotton candy hair worked up when she sleeps. Curly Shirley always makes me smile.

A Day in The Life. ... 365 days for dad

Because you meant the world to us.

.

Needing to find joy, the positive side, the stinkin' silver lining, I've decided to find EACH day some snippet of sunshine Duane would enjoy. Today is Day 1 also November 10, 2010, two years since he physically left us to start his new assignment by our Heavenly Father. I earnestly want to fulfill this personal assignment, daily remembering to be grateful, finding those things that make me smile. I might completely fall flat on my patookie and go something like 80 days without posting but that is the task and I'm up to the challenge. Wish me luck and enjoy 365 days filled with the quirks of the Summers household; all seven nut heads, all three puppies, the weird food, the antics and of course me, the ringleader of all the chaos.

Cloudy With a Chance of Sneakers

I love my large family, but occasionally shoe accumulation occurs. Now if only those could be meatballs, that would be a yummy site!

pioneer "giants " in their covered wagon

Jack and Hannah

giddy up

Ben and Hannah heading out to nauvoo

Sometimes He Lets it Rain

Tonight I was given a simple, quick reminder. Molly called me outside to watch a summer thunderstorm roll in, the clouds, the lightening, the deep yellowy orange, it was such beauty.

The storm only took around 20 minutes from start to finish, short and sweet and to the point. I watched the rain start, the wind pick up and the girls giggle with excitement as they danced in the rain getting soaked to the bone.

But it wasn't until the clouds parted and I thought of this classic quote about weathering storms, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass......

...... It's about learning to dance in the rain.", that I truely got the simple lessons from my Father in Heaven.

1. Don't wait, live your life now.

2.Enjoy each and every moment.

3.Get wet in the rain, chilled to the bone.

4.Wrap up in a blanket and cuddle with your kids.

5.At the end of the storm beauty is waiting, peace is waiting.

6.The storm ALWAYS does pass.

I love simplicity. Sometimes He just has to let it rain to remind me of all the simple things in life.

My daily boost

I love my Heavenly Father. He knows exactly when to lead me to my daily boost of faith, strength and hope. Enjoy.

Flowers for Mother's Day

Duane gave me this rose bush a few years ago, it was a mother's day gift. The rose bush almost didn't get planted, typical for Summer's plants. The rose bush has almost died a few times, typical for Summer's flowers. The rose bush daily reminds me of a loving husband still giving me flowers, typical of my Summer's husband. I love my rose bush.

Ben the old man

Ben was an old man tonight for the drama production

The ugly egg, almost

We dipped, we waited, we re-dipped then just gave a great big huff! This years attempt to create "Daddy's ugly egg" was just plain rotten, stinky to the core. Now granted it's not the pretty bright pink like it's neighbor egg or the vibrant turquoise like another fellow egg, but it sure is far from UGLY!
We dyed more than 3 dozen of the the little suckers, and had a mildly stressed fun time. Mildly stressed because well, your dealing with dye and 7 children, stress goes hand in hand with the given circumstance. Only one vat of dye was spilled (vat just sounds better than the little cup it actually was). The bright blue dye attempted to color the white stripped shirt it spilled on, but thanks to my supermom speed that shirt was whipped off the child faster then they could muster up a good holler at the sibling who did the spilling.

And after all the eggs were done, nothing came close to honoring our daddy correctly!!

A little odd that we would choose "Daddy's ugly egg" as our way to include his memories in the Easter holiday. He wasn't an ugly man or didn't even have an ugly bone in his body, but we wouldn't have chosen any other way to remember Duane. He was a little kid at heart, loved to dye the eggs just as much or even more than the kids. He would stripe them, try to create the most festive ideal Easter egg you could think of. But one year, many years ago, his attempt to create the picturesque egg went horridly wrong. The mixture of too many colors, the wrong color combinations and maybe just fated luck, the ugliest egg we had ever seen was created. We LOVED IT!! And so every year he would save the last egg to create "Daddy's ugly egg". A tradition was born and happily continued on my his monkeys. It brings smiles to our faces, happy memories to our minds, all because of one silly little ugly egg.

Hannah for president

I think my four year old could do a better job than our own Congress.

I could've just opened up a box of....

..but I wouldn't have gotten a chuckle out of what Grace said!

Last night for dinner I made homemade Beef Stroganoff, why I don't make it more often is a question to me because I LOVE it!! 6 out of 7 Summers monkeys gave it two thumbs up(I don't think Emma could get past the mushrooms, "dats gusting mom", enough said). Surprisingly easy to make, full of flavor, full of noodles, mushrooms and of course what makes it stroganoff, sour cream. What is there not to love about it?! After all plates were cleaned, minus a few 'gusting mushrooms, tummy's pleasantly full, Grace turned to me and said "Mom, that was great Hamburger Helper!" Curses Betty Crocker for creating a box mix that tastes similar to the genuine thing! It was funny and confusing all rolled up in one. I guess I'll take it as a compliment, especially since I discovered a while back that they liked Hamburger Helper over some of my creations(just wrong on so many levels, my curried pumpkin soup is killer!).

So if your children are like my monkeys and actually prefer HH over your cooking but you'd like the satisfaction of creating it from scratch here's the recipe of..

It's not Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs beef stew meat

4 T butter

31/2 c beef broth

4 T ketchup

2 t salt

1 t pepper

1/2 t garlic powder

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 onion, thinly sliced

5 T flour

1 c or more sour cream

Brown stew meat in melted butter, stirring occasionally. Reserving 1/2 of broth, stir in remaining broth, ketchup, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onions. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until beef is tender. You may need to add additional water while it is cooking. After the beef is tender add mushrooms and cook an additional 10 minutes. While that is simmering blend into reserved broth the 5 T of flour, making sure to get lumps out. Gradually stir into stroganoff and bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, add sour cream and serve over hot noodles. YUM!

Hope you enjoy Kelly and Lisa ;)!

A text message to treasure

A few days ago I was scanning through my saved text messages trying to delete old ones and make room for new ones. I remember doing this shortly after Duane had passed away but making sure to lock any messages that might have been from him. I needed to hold on to any words that he may have spoken to me texts, written or taped. As I entered into 2008 text's, horrible that I have that many I know, I became aware that I was entering into the possible last text communications between Duane and I. Amazing how things just seemed to turn out, not a coincidence I'm sure. The last text Duane sent me said simply..."Take your time".

.

"Take your time".

.

I was probably shopping or out to lunch with Jessie or who knows what, but now it has gained such different meaning. One of my favorite songs is from Brad Paisley "Waitin' on a Woman", you must watch the video to truly appreciate the song, but here are part of the lyrics that make be boo hoo every time I listen:

"I've read somewhere statistics show

The man's always the first to go

And that makes sense 'cause I know she won't be ready

So when it finally comes my time

And I get to the other side

I'll find myself a bench, if they've got any

I hope she takes her time, 'cause I don't mind

Waitin' on a Woman

Honey, take your time, 'cause I don't mind

Waitin' on a woman."

He knew me so well.

One year has passed today since our separation began, seven little babies separated from a wonderful father, a wife separated from her dear husband, parents separated from a loving son. We all ache for his laugh, touch, humor, sincerity, knowledge and little bit of the man that we loved. Duane knew we would need little reminders now and then. So I will read that final text and take my time, enjoy life, cry, laugh, and eventually meet him at that bench where he waits for us, for me. I'll take my time, 'cause he won't mind waintin' on his woman.

I love you Duane.