Hailstones in My Freezer

A couple of Saturdays ago I was getting ready to pick some fall greens and tomatoes from the garden.  Arming myself with a few bowls I decided that I needed one more.  I opened the cupboard to get my large white Tupperware bowl. Finding it missing from the cupboard I remembered that I hadn't been able to find it numerous times that week.  In our home, that is not uncommon.  People are always using things from the kitchen for non-kitchen related things and I eventually find them in one strange place or another. 

So I started asking around to see if any of the kids knew where my bowl was.  It didn't take long.  "It's in the freezer Mom."  Of course!!!!  Why didn't I check there?  I opened the freezer in the garage and there was my bowl……filled with hailstones!!!  Doesn't everyone keep a giant bowl of hailstones in their freezer?  We brought the bowl in the house and Olivia ran a little water over the outside to loosen the hailstones from the bowl.  They had melted slightly before being frozen and now they were frozen in a chunk inside the bowl.  I thought maybe they would take the icy blob outside and play with it and watch it melt.  But no…it had to be carefully placed in a kitchen garbage bag and put back in the freezer to await next summer.  That is when they want to take it out and play with it. 

So how did hailstones end up in my freezer?

A couple of weeks ago we had a hailstorm to beat all others we've ever seen.  We had finished up with Family Home Evening and were getting everyone ready for bed when the storm started.  Teeth brushing and tucking in were set aside as we huddled by the front door watching in wonder.  The hailstones bounced off the ground as they hit.  They made a tremendous noise landing on the roof.  Of course, David had to eat a few of them.  Jacob and Nathan bravely stepped off the porch only to be painfully pelted by stones, many of which were larger than peanut M&Ms.  Pretty soon everyone, girls and boys, were all trying to gather up hailstones to "put in the freezer."  At first cups were enough.  But eventually, nothing would do but….THE BIG WHITE BOWL.  It was a memorable family time.  We were just enjoying each other and the awe-inspiring power and beauty of the storm. 

Jerry and I regularly plan fun activities for our family to do together, but sometimes, the unplanned, spur of the moment fun that we enjoy together seems to be the most memorable.  I think every member of our family will fondly remember enjoying that hailstorm together more than any trip to the swimming pool or zoo. 

I am reminded of a story that Dallin H. Oakes told in his October 2007 conference address entitled, "Good, Better, Best."  He told of a father who took his family on a series of summer trips to different historical sites.  When he asked his son which of the trips had been the most fun for him, his son answered that his favorite summer memory was the time that he and his Dad laid out under the stars and talked. 

Elder Oaks wisely concludes,

"Super family activities may be good for children, but they are not always better than one-on-one time with a loving parent."

Quality time with brothers and sisters, Mom and Dad are the key to strengthening family relationships and building beautiful memories.