It's a Crazy Life

Yesterday my parents and I went up to Pierre to see my grandparents and some of his brothers. Family gathers are when I think a lot of things. My newest revelation: isn't it weird what types of memories and things we remember from way back when?
As we were sitting there watching the taped version of Adelyn's vocal concert, grandpa asked my dad what that song the little girl was singing outside the 2nd floor window in Huron when they were cutting down a tree in the yard. My dad replies that it was the Jungle Book song, The Bear Necessities.
That memory has no significant value in life and didn't really help form my grandfather or father into the people they've become. But the memory of it happening, definitely brought smiles and laughter back to the faces of my grandparents, dad, uncles, and all of us as they were telling us the story.
The things our brain holds onto amazes me.
If anyone asks me about my family and reunions, I remember back to camping in Pierre the weekend of the Sturgis biker rally - and playing spoons and cards with some of the bikers underneath the picnic shelter as it POURED. I remember eating watermelon wedges with my cousins that were bigger than our head and having seed spitting contests. I remember watching my cousins Matt and Tim light candles for Sarah's wedding and one of them starting the leaves around the candles on fire. I remember picking oranges off Uncle David's tree for fresh orange juice; and my brother running from the waves on the beach in California and crying when his superman shoes got wet (he was 5 - so not yesterday or anything). I remember Lee's kids and I listening to Chloe and Adelyn tell us "ghost" stories at the campground in Wall as the train went by every 10 minutes...then watching our tent blow away when we all got out in the morning because the wind and storm was so bad (but I distinctly remembering we told my dad and he said, "no the weather and the tent are fine, just go to sleep"). I remember tunneling through snow drifts with my mom's family over Christmas in the church parking lot across from grandpa's.
Obviously there is a lot more to my relationships with my family than these memories - but I think these memories are what make these relationships important. It's not the big things we do with them. It's the fun "blurps" that happen with those people that make you smile, laugh, cry, giggle, sigh, shake your head, or zone out into many more happy memories.
I encourage all of you to allow yourself time to just think, zone out, and remember things in our past that aren't "significant" but make life fun.

Next

The chore of the night:

Relearn how to crochet after a two year break and practice/get started on a couple Christmas presents.

My grandmother (on my mom's side) taught me how to crochet many years ago, when I was about 10 or younger. After she passed away, I didn't think about it or attempt to continue for years. All of a sudden, while I was in college, I got the itch to pick it up again. It's not like riding a bike and that you can never forget how to do it...I definitely forgot. I looked online a lot and got a few starter "learn to crochet" books and started making progress. When I was in Duluth I actually made my brother and sister-in-law stocking caps for Christmas. Who would have thought. Since then, life got busy and I let it go on the way side. Not anymore. As you've probably guessed by the lasts posts, I'm trying to bring back many of my lost talents. I decided I'm going to keep practicing and even make Christmas presents. It's not long now so I gotta get started. This was my first night back at it in about two years. After re-reading the instructions, I picked up on it pretty quick. Hopefully these are projects I can finish now =)

a little rusty

Wood burning - hm, as in fire...now that's easy. As in art? That's a little trickier. My dad brought my wood burner over a week or so ago so I can try to get back into that. I got the itch this week, although I didn't know what to "draw."

On my fridge is a card with the cutest picture on it - so I thought I'd try to do that. Ha, why did I think I'd be that good? Not quite sure, but it didn't turn out too bad...I'll definitely need a lot of practice before it's anything fancy. However, life is great and I got nothing but time =)

Blog Tag

So here's how it goes:

1. Go to your fourth picture folder


2. Go to the fourth picture in that folder


3. Post that picture and write four things about that picture


4. Tag four people with blogs (I'm pathetic with only 3 people and 1 sent this to me...)

My Four things about this picture:

• This was taken in May of last year
• It was Grandpa Owney's (the man that inspired me to play the banjo) Birthday AND the Tinant branding (best day of each year)
• I seriously LOVE everyone in that picture, the best fake/adopted cousins I could have imagined - and that's a mere fraction of all my "cousins"
• Lakeview (LKV) = God's Country

People I'm Tagging:

1. Danielle: http://danielledornbierer.blogspot.com/
2. Moments in Mozambique: http://lsongstad.blogspot.com/
3. Sarahbellum: http://withmuchloveandmanyhugs.blogspot.com/
4. My imaginary blog friend "Joe" hehe

What's That Your Picking???

So here is my new challenge, and that's exactly what it is...a challenge. One day, not sure what really sparked it, I decided I was going to play the fiddle or the banjo (two instruments I've always wanted to learn, but never got the get-up-and-go to actually do it). We one day in August, I apparently got it...I called up my Auntie Mary and asked her which would be easier. She said her daughter Kate always complained about the fiddle being loud in her ear and her arm getting tired. That was enough for me, I chose the banjo. Just my luck, she had an extra banjo (5-string, which she doesn't know how to play) that she was willing to hand over.

Hm, I knew playing banjo would be difficult, however, this is also coming from a non-musical person. I played the flute for a brief time in school (parents said be in vocal or band...I tried band, then went for vocal). Wow, string instruments - not easy! Each hand is doing something completely different, and not either position is normal.

I'm very slowly learning what each hand does - but I haven't quite gotten it down to doing both hands at the same time. I can strum and do the chords, or work on the picking but only in G. Each week I go to my Auntie's band practice so I can hear the chords, which has helped a lot...but it also shows me how slowly I am making progress. That may be to the lack of practice. Sometimes, when things come hard, it's harder to pick them up and try, or it can be that much more of a reason to try it more...it varies by day.

Tonight, I had more fun taking pictures of the banjo than playing, but did get some practicing in as well. What is the first song I want to learn???? Dueling Banjos from the movie Deliverance. Ha, nothing like picking the hardest song to learn, but I figure if I can learn that, I can learn any.

I have my self-set deadline of Father's Day weekend. Therefore, say some prayers for me =)

Disclaimer: Please disregard the awesome gray sweatsuit I'm wearing. They are the sweats from Northwestern College (my freshman year) that none of the wrestlers could fit into, so I got them. Not the prettiest things, but definately some of the most comfortable clothes that I own. I also didn't mean to match them up - I don't usually do that =)

Letter From God

This is something I wrote back during my Sophomore year in College. I was digging through my Lakota stuff to find some definitions/translations and ran into this. Weird how stuff pops up when we need to see, read, and/or hear it most...but anyway, obviously it left and impact with me. So go ahead and read this with it directed to you. Obviously when I wrote it, I had it to me, Elizabeth =) but I think it'd be a good one for all of us to read as a reminder of our Father in Heaven. Love you all!


(To You),

Hi there! I just wanted to remind you that I love you. You are my amazing and beautiful child. No one can love you more. I love you so much that I gave you a great family and awesome friends to spend time with. Just don’t forget to spend some time with me. I always am and always will be right next to you, just waiting to talk. Nothing you do can ever make me love you less. My love for you is Eternal. I love you ↔ this much. So just remember that even though the world can seem so dark and mean and that nobody has a care in the world for you – that I care for you. I care for and love you more than anyone can understand. That is because you are mine. I made you and I love you. If you ever have any doubts, just ask me. I’ll be here with out-stretched arms to take you in and to tell you just how spectacular you are. So really, just know and remember that You Are Loved!


God

Cuddled

As many of you (ha, I make it sound like the whole country is reading this - ok ok, as the 3 out of the 4 that may read this) know, I have been going through a transition in my life. I have become more aware of many things around me.
There is something I have noticed more now that I have before. The most comforting feeling I've ever had...
I was at Target this weekend with my parents and while we've been shopping we've been looking for a "throw" for my couch. Well, in the Bedding/blankets they had the most amazing blankets on the end of an isle. They came in different colors and different sizes (all for the same price! so of course I wanted the king size since it would cost the same as the twin, but mom told me not to be facetious). They were so soft and cozy...how soft and cozy you ask? Well, while I was waiting for the cashier to finish with the person in front of us, he looked back to see how much stuff I had...when he saw the blanket he reached out and touched it, then sheepishly looked at us and apologized saying "I'm sorry, it just looked so soft, I've been here for a long time, I get entertained easily." That's how soft it is - people can't keep their hands off it. Well, I didn't get a King size, I got a full and it's more than big enough for my 5'1" body.
Ok back to the point - when I wrap up in the blanket, I have thoughts of staying in this blanket all day and night and not leaving. I could just lay on my new couch wrapped up in my blanket reading my many books that I have "plans" to dive into. When I'm wrapped up in this blanket nothing matters. Life is lila waste (very good).
It reminds me of being in the comfort of my King, my Father, my Savior. It's all protecting, safe, warm, loving, and comforting. It makes all the worries and fears go away so you can be comfortable and enjoy being You.
I would encourage everyone to find that comfort in something. For me it's my blankets (you know you can never have too many blankets, hehe). We all need to find that peace in something that we do or a place that we go.
Being in my blanket has re-awakened me to this feeling. It's a feeling I've had in the past and it's one I want to continue to search for....