First Grader, Flat Nathaniel and his flat cousins:

Every first-grade class at Mt. Loafer Elementary listens to their teacher read "Flat Stanley", then trace body outlines to be sent all over the world to family and friends. Flat Nathaniel first went to visit Russell and Natalie in Michigan. He must have liked it there because during a game of hide-and-seek, he decided to stay hidden. What could be done? Who would the real Nathaniel hold up when he gave his report? Flat Russell and Flat Natalie to the rescue! (Thanks Summer and we hope our R & N cousins enjoyed their afternoon activity.) (Hey there Noelle, Jonah, Maron, Jenson, Jordon, and Gavon! Mrs. Bradley said we have made history. In all of the 12 years of our school's history, this is the first time we've had flat cousins. She's OK with another class photo with any other classroom cousins if each child takes only a few minutes of class time. That pretty much makes it an open mailing invitation for butcher paper tracings of any of you. Let us know who is planning to send a Flat cousin so we can wait for all of them before asking for class time. Thanks!) Nathaniel actually gave his report yesterday and I just slipped into class today to quickly take a photo before they did rotations. I'm sorry Russell that I didn't get a good shot of Flat Russell. I just had the children stand up where they were on the carpet. I didn't even have Nathaniel stand in the middle holding both with his class mates on either side. that would have been a cute photo. BTW, Flat Russell and Flat Natalie will be hung in the hallway for the rest of the month before I can mail them back. I will post the flat cousins with Nathaniel's first grade class photo in a future blog. Ken is going to make a video of Connor and his triathlon in St. George this past weekend and then post it here. We love you all and look forward to any flat cousins that may be mailed.
-Heather Shea Meads

Jessica's First Day On The Road

Hey, Jessica here!
So yesterday I finally went and got my driving permit... Yeah, I know what you guys are thinking... but as long as I finally have it, nobody can say anything, right? Right...
Anyway, my first driving around Spanish Fork was awesome, I just got a little mixed up on a few things, but all-in-all, things went pretty smoothly, and I'm way exited to start driving some more. I was surprised that I was so comfortable, I expected myself to be freaking out a lot more than I did...I will admit, going 55mph down a curving hill was kind of nerve wracking for me, but I plan to definately get used to it. ^_^
I took my mom to maceys, and then penguins copy store, and then last night, I took my parents to Coldstone's to get a strawberry cheesecake ice cream. I insisted it was a good enough excuse to celebrate. lol. So I think I can officially log about half an hour.
I do have a good reason to get some more driving done, since I applied to Maceys as a "courtesy clerk". Fingers crossed, I guess. I told 'em I could start working next week, so... hopefully next time you see me I'll have some new clothes on from the mall or something... maybe smell like some new stuff from Bath and Body, who knows.
Anyway, TTFN, tah tah for now!
And I'm sorry this blog is a year and a half late... haha
Love ya guys!!
Jessica

Square Foot Gardening: A Family Project--NOT

How can I get mad at Benjamin and Nathaniel for this?!

Connor is only lacking one requirement for his Family Life Merit Badge: He has to lead his family in an at-home project that will benefit his family. About two weeks before he began the Boy Scout Pow Wow for this merit badge and two others, I had finished reading Misty Meads' copy of the book, The Square Foot Garden, and had gone on "a Barnes & Nobel date" with Ken and skimmed through the newest revision of that book. I had even gone on a Home Depot shopping spree and bought all materials needed for raised garden beds. Connor did what every twelve-year-old scout-in-need-of-leading-a-project would do: He asked me if he could take over my in-process project and call it his for the time requirements. So at F. H. E. that week we made the announcement that we would be building "square foot" garden beds as a family and planting a variety of seed packets therein during the week of Spring Break (this coming week). I was encouraged at my family's enthusiasm for this family project that night. Little was I aware . . .

As an adult I veiw things differently than my children. No one may question this. I know that Monday through Friday of next week is Spring Break for our school district, and I knew that all four of my children were excited for Spring Break to come. Thus, I announced a free time for all yesterday once school was out and then went quietly about some unfinished Cub Scout business while I knew my boys were outside enjoying their freedom. I saw both Ben and Nathan come in for drinks or what have you smattered in dirt. This IS the norm here, afterall. I'd ask, "Having fun?" They would reply, "We're building something to surprise you, Mom, so don't come out yet 'til we're ready--k?" (Still, the common-goings-on for our family. All of our sons like playing hard, digging, and building forts out of the wood pile, etc. Most of the time they like to surprise me with the final project.) Ben and Nathan were cooperating as brothers and Connor and Jessica need not worry about their bedroom belongings because my boys were outside not in for all of yesterday. At dinnertime I went out to say that I'd have to see it in-process because it was time for them to come inside and eat.

I found them digging a square shaped trench next to the driveway beaming with pride. And then I saw all of the opened seed packets, small garden tools, and watering can next to Ken's truck wheels. I was to learn that they were more excited about our family's square foot garden than I thought. They announced that all of the seeds were planted and watered. They had chosen this spot because the sun was shining on it and "it has good dirt". They had even started building a stick fence to keep out the animals by pounding in a few pieces of fire wood, and wondered if I'd let them come back out after dinner chores because it wasn't a school night. Now this is a "Mother's Moment".

They pointed out the ONE center area of fresh dirt where they'd taken turns digging about a foot's depth and planted EACH AND EVERY seed from every opened packet. (We've planted gardens before but Ken and I always pointed to the 2-inches-or more-apart-places we wanted them to put a seed.) They just didn't have the room on the side of the driveway. Anyway, they figured that watering in one place would be a lot easier and could save time ... and water. I didn't feel a lecture about the cost of all of those seeds, etc. was appropriate. It made me smile. It made me laugh. And oddly, it made me proud that they showed the initiative.

Saw a bumper sticker today...

This was classic. You would only see something like this in Utah. It said:

Heck is a place where people go who don't believe in Gosh.

Purty funny...

I WANT this table

I was looking for a round table to seat 6 and I found this amazing table. How I wish....

Initial Post

Welcome to Camp Meads! It may sometimes feel like a wilderness adventure, but as long as we are hiking together as a family, life is good and we can enjoy / treasure the journey! Being as this is our first post, I will make this short and sweet. I just got back from California with Mom. We went to celebrate Grandma Graham's 90th birthday, and visited with Uncle Mike and Aunt Delpha, Uncle Don, Julie, Megan, Madeline, Kimmy, Thomas, and Kayden - though not in that order. It was a timely trip for me and most enjoyable. I really liked seeing Mom, Aunt Delpha, and Uncle Don being siblings together. I liked hearing them talk of their childhood and; even though I knew them to be frustrated with the situation, I liked seeing them work together for the benefit of their "Mama". I like that they still call her that. Highlights of the trip: I attended my first Catholic Christian "Sacrament" Sunday Services, I had fun visiting with Uncle Don and TRYING convince him I was not a pre-teen the last we met (Saturday morning Uncle Don claimed he hadn't seen me in 20 years, and by Sunday night he was sure it was more like 30 years. That would make me 10 years old the last time he saw me! I saw him the Summer before I married Shane. I was 23.) , and the most fun . . . I played my first game of canasta! All in all it left me with the desire to remain in touch with family. Thus this attempt at following the shining examples of Summer and Andrew and creating a Meads family blog site. Thanks for blazing the trail Andrew and Summer! I hope I will blog often enough for the purpose. Well, I said I'd keep this short, and I keep my promise. Tah tah for now!
Heather Shea Meads