Fire in the Hole! But all not lost for Christmas Dinner!

The oven element started to burn like a blow torch! We turned off the oven, poured baking soda on it, still it burnt bright! FIRE IN THE HOLE!....so's to speak!
We cut the main power switch and the fire fizzled out, but not before the element broke into pieces. How would we ever cook Christmas Dinner???
Madison and Afton wrapped the potatoes to bar-b-q in the back yard...since the oven caught fire! (That was Jimmy's idea!)
Jimmy worked on the quilt for Troy (Shauna did a LOT of the sewing...where was she when we were taking pictures??!!) He monitored the potatoes cooking on the bar-b-q!
And then we pulled out the Turkey Roasting Pan (That's all we use it for is cooking turkeys!)
It worked like a charm on the Prime Rib Roast!!!! Delicious Dinner!

A new dinner tradition for the FamLea! What an amazing "save" by the boy scouts of the family!

Emergenetics Night

We have discovered the obvious---at least in one corner of the FamLea. Everyone is passionate and has an opinion. The less obvious is that not everyone is alway open to share their opinions or to respond to others' opinions. This is self preservation on all levels and is more appreciated after having realized everyone's thinking preference and the collective dynamics of the famLea during our Emergenetics experience yesterday.

The strengths from the Emergenetics and our famLea that I see is people prefer building relationships but we speak different languages in trying to accomplish this task. Sometimes the history, emotions, and individual battles make moving on difficult. Life is not easy, but it's worth the hard work.

Don't lose site of the goal when enthralled with the life battles. It's like the farmer plowing his field, he has to constantly look up and go to a spot that is a distance target in order to have effective and efficient rows in his field. Life is hard, and growth is part of that process.

With the distribution of thinking preferences...it is likely everyone won't agree with everyone all the time. That's normal and ok. But allowing others to be themselves---understanding but not agreeing---is part of the self-growth. My dad would recite the Serenity Prayer including a phrase he emphasized something about--change the things you can and let go of the things you can't change. You have heard me say that you can't change other people. But you can change yourself, which will have effect on how other people respond to you. Life is tough, and it's easier to want others to change...rather than change ourselves.

I believe what I took away from our trainings was 1) to remember to "ask" (be transparent) rather than try to fix or tell others how to fix things, and 2) practice reflective listening! Tall exercise for me, but I'm committed!

Mine & Dad's famLea target across the field is the Tree of Life that Lehi dreamed about! Hold fast to the rod so we can all eat the fruit together! Fight on (work hard) because the goal is worth the pain of self-growth in the process! How does that clever saying go? Something about being on earth is what we are here after is the here-after!

FamLea Triathlon Team Practice ...Plus

The Famlea Triathlon Team Plus!
Practice. Lake Las Vegas. Hot. Fun.
Missed Rob at Scout Camp.
Ok..so the pictures are out of order. Your job is to put them in order.
I won't mention how long it too just to find and upload these things!

We all rode bikes (even me!) I made it twice around the short course. Eric made it three times around the long course. Jim and Troy were up there somewhere.
Then Troy and Eric ran, and ran, and ran...then jumped right into the lake!
It was a good thing Eric's heart monitor was water proof!

My First Red Rock Biking Experience!

Jim and I shot out of bed at 4:30 am when the alarm buzzed! Jim handed me the "power bar" I was directed to eat before I did anything--so it could digest. I choked it down with a gallon of water then we donned our biking duds that were laid out the evening before in anticipation of my very first "long" bike trip up to Red Rock Canyon. (Jim is old hat at the Red Rock ride...he's gone at least twice!) With the bikes loaded in Jim's cute red truck, we headed to the rendezvous to meet Eric (our second born) and Bill Fischbeck (our nephew) at 5:30 am. Intentionally, we were there early and left a note on the dash of the truck for them to catch us on the trail. We knew my speed was not up to theirs! But alas, just as we sped (at a nice leisurely pace) out of the housing developments and began the climb into Red Rock...my front tire went FLAT! I insisted Jim continue and I walked back to the truck. I walked by Eric and Bill swishing past. They, too, wanted to help me but I insisted they try to catch Jim. Would you believe it? I reached the truck by hoof just minutes before Jim, Eric and Bill arrived by wheel!
In the words of Scarlet, "There's always tomorrow!"

1st FamLea Grandkids Camp!

Famlea Grand Kids Camp 2008

Eric came to the Springs Preserve along with Jamie, Grandpa, me (Grandma!) and all 8 kids! Bath time was a riot!
Learning to share and play together was good for cousins.
Evening break (for Grandparents) as the kids eat pop corn and watch Enchanted!
Everyone had to serve themselves...especially since they helped make the food, too!
Cousins helped one another a grew closer as friends!

Grandpa loved reading and the kids loved listening!
The hot slide was mastered with a towel!

Calico Basin was a fun hike...Madison rode around on Grandma's bike! Grandpa rode his bike back to town!! (He's training for the Triathlon for real!)
The buddy system worked great for hiking...turned out we used the same buddy system all week! We matched the kids by cousins with older ones in charge of younger ones (but not in their immediate family.) Great bonding and eliminated any "issues" of who was in charge! :)
Swiming cousin time!
The library time waited until we ate treats provided by Aunt J before we went in to find books, read books, and even took books back to Grandma's house!

The season for Grand Kids! What a great FamLea Grand Kids Camp we had the last week in June! (I'm just now showing signs of recovering.) We had all of our 8 grandchildren---5 of which are 4 or under! Jimmy's Madison (10), Cassidy (6) & JD (2); Eric's Afton (6), Eliot (4), & Simon (1); and Jamie's Gracie (2) & Ainsley (1) were the five. Robert's two that were a twinkling here on earth must have been looking down from heaven. Jamie helped each day, Troy stopped in one evening and saved the day swimming and playing with everyone...Grandpa was always a great "save!" just when I was about to drop. In between changing diapers we hiked to Red Springs at Calico Basin, swam a couple of times a day in the pool, visited Springs Preserve Museums, cooked green, blue, & pink pancakes, made and ate frozen grapes on a stick, played games, dress-ups and cars, and occasionally took a nap. We threaded beads and drew pictures, read books and told stories, and bonded in ways you just can't do without taking the time. (Quanity coupled with quality is the BEST!) See...there is a time and a seson for everything. I'm just happy that at the end of camp parents were delighted to take their little ones home to sleep in their own beds!

Building Bounder!

Some can run fast and leap buildings in a single bound! I'm not a building jumper, but I am dancing as fast as I can! And then there is that Jamie Lea Braithwaite daughter of mine! She came to my school yesterday (Saturday) and helped me under her rules. We had to stop after 30 minutes work and stretch, move around, and break up the focus. Me? I focus on the project and don't even hear the timer's ding! Jamie commenced organizing my office, every paper, pencil and paper clip! And to think we only took two timed periods!

Now you need to know, Grandpa Jim B. took Gracie and Ainsley to the cafeteria to work on posting a newspaper article on the Read All About It bulletin board and play around while Jamie focused my energy in my office. I Just don't ask any questions about what they do, just if they had fun! And they always have fun with Grandpa! Yes, he can leap pretty high, too!

Road Trip

Today we are on a road trip.
Grandpa, Cassidy, Gracie and me (Grandma)!
What a delightful time of life!
When we arrived at Afton, Eliot, & Simon's house we were greeted with excitement and fun!
It's too bad that in my techno world...I can't figure out how to download the pictures!
Let me describe one: Grandpa, sitting with his new bike helmet with Gracie, eating string cheese, bananas, and nuts while sitting on his tool box in the back of his bright red truck!
We love road trips!

4. Show Up (together)!

The Laws of Love from the Leas always includes showing up together.
It's just not the same when you are in love and apart than when you are in love and together.
Coming and going. In the rain and sunshine. Yesterday, today, and all of the tomorrows.
Be together whenever you can.
Life is too short to be unhappy. Decide to be happy together.
Forever.

Laws of Love by the Leas (Continued)

(These questions thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Jameson)

5. Ask....
"How important is it?"
AND....
"How much is enough?"
AND ....
"In 50 years, what's it going to matter?"

Laws of Love by the Leas

Laws of Love by the Leas

1. Maintain unconditional love.
2. Always be about unselfish service.
3. Never have unexplained expectations.
4. Show up (in heaven, too) together!

Lea Language

What is "language?" What is "Lea Language?"
Why is it important to understand the communications both verbal and nonverbal?
Well....when we are all in the same small space, it is critical we understand what our communication actually "means!" Believe me...it isn't always the words....but what is the meaning behind the actual words? Or sigh, or glance, or chuckle?

Jamie (by way of Garth) is going to write the Lea Language so we can all understand one another.
Now....who will interpret the rest of the languages? (Lyman, Wells, Woodmansee, Braithwaites, and Hewitt Languages?) Oh, my....our world of communication is expanding exponentially!!