SNAPSHOT SATURDAY- Hula

My cousin Aimee, recently e-mailed me a scanned image of our Grandma Jennie. My mom's mom. Look at the placement of that arm! So graceful...so perfect. She was a beautiful dancer, who taught the art to her children.

My mom is also a beautiful dancer. It's been years since I've seen her do it, but I've never since found a hula dancer whose movements were as refined and balletic in my eyes.

Mom tried to teach me from a young age as well. But I never could get the hang of the hip thing...




Thank you. This has been the first in a weekly installment of...

FOCAL POINT FRIDAY

focal point

 \ˈfō-kəs\

–noun

1.The point at which all radiation coming from a single direction and passing through alens or striking a mirror converges. Also called focus .

2.	a central point of attention or interest

Mom used to always ask us:
"What was the best part and the worst part of your day?" This was her way, of avoiding the all too common: "My day was fine, Mom. Nothing happened." This question required a deeper response.

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With this in mind, I'd like to pick out the "focal points" from each week and record them in this on-line journal of mine: best and worst.

WORST:

I think I broke my finger. Both joints are purple, I can't bend it all the way, and I ain't never gettin' these wedding rings off (not that that's so horrible).

But how could such a thing happen, you ask?

It all seems to stem from the point where Andrew threw a football at me. Rude, right?

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We'll ignore the fact that I voluntarily agreed to play catch with my fall/football season-fever infected husband in the backyard. And that I'm a wussy girl whose stupid finger got in the way, ruining all our fun.

BEST:

It is Spud Harvest 'round these parts. School-age children all through southeast Idaho, are out in fields with their families to help bring in the potato crop. I, on the other hand, spend an entire week relaxin' at home. In my lime green socks.


It is a beautiful thing my friends.
(The week away from work, I mean. Not the socks.)




Happy Friday!

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THANKFUL THURSDAY

The prophet's recent words:

"My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love...

...Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings.This is a wonderful time to be on earth! While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are may things that are right."

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I don't want to get so caught up in the stresses and busyness of life so much that I forget how bounteously the Lord blesses us. So, let me introduce another weekly installment: Thankful Thursday. Here goes...

Changing Seasons- Isn't it amazing the way this earth cycles in such complete, beautiful ways? Every few months, the world takes on a completely different face--just as picturesque as before. It keeps life interesting, provides an ever changing composition for my camera to capture, and reminds me all year of the fact that God is the ultimate artist.

AWKWARD.

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/
Highly recommend. Will brighten any gloomy day. Enjoy just a taste:




Next time, let's give him a Father's Day Present that won't give him such a big head.



He said, “Wanna go to prom? She said, “I guess.”

One more reason to never fear the dentist.

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The Squatters.

In their face.

Authentic all the way down to the rock holding the door shut.

Sexy.

Creepy.

The Offering.

Let's face it. There's nothing more awkward than an exorcism.

The Klingers

DEBUT

I have been contemplating a way to make my busy schedule mesh with my desire for blogging. So, I've come up with an organized system that should limit the amount of time needed to make a blog post happen: standardized weekly installments


For example, today, or Monday, will be the first chapter in a weekly (hopefully) interval of Memory Mondays. I'll try to pick interesting, crazy memories from my life to keep all you blog readers entertained. But as usual, I'm selfishly doing this for me. I need to get these memories recorded anyway--before I get old and senile, that is. And doing it here will keep me motivated and accountable.


ANYWAY. Hopefully, it will make sense over the coming weeks. So without further ado, below, is the debut of Memory Monday...triggered by my recent random browsing of some OLD cell phone pictures...
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Some old pictures brought me back to some good times with an old friend.

Has it ever been obvious that you were supposed to have known someone? Jess and I were thrown together so much when I moved to Rexburg that it was obviously so: same ward, FHE sisters, serving in the same Relief Society Presidency, same early morning janitorial job, and eventually roommates for a year.

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She had a huge impact on my single college years. HUGE. But this may have something to do with the type of person she is, because I suspect she has had a huge impact on A LOT of people.

That's Jessica among some of my other good-hearted roommates.




Mostly, I was remembering the spring break that Jessica took pity on my lack of plans for the week, and invited me to go home with her. Her family opened their arms to their daughter's shy, awkward roommate.

It felt like treading on sacred ground to be welcomed into the life Jess was so passionate about: meeting her parents and siblings, exploring her beloved home nestled in the rocky hills of Wyoming, walking through the family business and sensing the saturation of hard work, sacrifice, and pride attached to it, and watching her lovingly play the grand piano in the living room. Especially when witnessing especially personal events, like visiting the grave sites of her two little brothers, witnessing the desperate love her father has for his family, and visiting with a beloved grandmother literally on her deathbed.

What a trip it was! All the love, laughter, and tears made a significant impression on me.

At one point in the visit, her little brother wanted to embark on a hike near their home. I will never until my dieing day forget that hike.

I had been on hikes with Jessica before. Hikes that included some form of hyperventilation.

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I'm the take-my-time-and-admire-every-rock-view-and-creature-along-the-way type of gal. She is more of the I-will-CONQUER-this-mountain-immediately-or-die-trying! kinda gal.


I reckon that describes Jessica's take on life in a nuthsell.

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But a hike with her little brother? It wouldn't be so bad, right?

*snort*

Jess proceeded to conquer the landscape in earnest, as I expected. But the little guy who was supposed to keep me company during his sister's endeavor, conquered the terrain with a furor unmatched even by Jessica. And then there was the dog. The dog who did not stop RUNNING the entire trek.

The comical image our line made as we marched across those hills is all that kept me going 'til the end: Galloping dog, followed by rugged, energetic boy, followed by fiercely determined young woman, followed by panting, desperately-trying-to-appear zealous roommate.

Otherwise, I may not have made it. But I did. And we were able to return to Rexburg as friends. =)



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{Jess and Amy J--honorary roommate extraordinaire--whose guts I love}

Back in our little brick house in small-town Idaho, Jess eventually found her George...er John...and moved ironically, to my home ward in Gilbert, Arizona. At about the same time, I found my George...er...Andrew...and moved back up to Rexburg. But despite our moving on, this friend has permanently changed me for the better.
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So anyway, I was just rememberin'...

Jess and her crazy, mature, playful, grown-up, alarmingly intense, youthful, focused, story-tellin', sincere, sweetheart of a self.

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CELL PHONE SERIES

Here I am...

Driving home from work...

Looking very stressed and tired.

A stop on Main Street.

My name is Rachel Ashmore, and I am addicted to shaved ice. I must have my daily 75 cent fix.

Turning onto our street...

Looks like that tree turned yellow in the nine hours I was gone. Which means every leaf on that tree will drop in our yard in the next 24 hours.

Walking through the front door...

Messy house, laundry to put away, homework to be done, dinner to prepare, meeting to be to in an hour.

Feeling an inexpressible gratitude for my single working mother. I mean, I have my Andrew. And no kids to care for...and I am utterly EXHAUSTED. How did you DO it??