It's Elliot to the resuce

I have been craving an Oreo Shake. Last night at dinner that's what I wanted for desert. We couldn't think of anyplace to go get on but Jakes. I didn't want that much ice cream. So instead we stayed home and did dishes. Tonight when dinner was over the subject came up again. This time John jumped into action. He asked Elliot if he would run to the store for Oreo's and ice cream. Elliot said he would go. John cleared the table and I put things away and did dishes, while John made dinner for tomorrow. I can't wait. All I will have to do is set the table and move the "prayer angel". Maybe that will turn into a blog some day! WHAT A TEAM!!! Elliot returned with Oreo's and ice cream to save the day and put the craving to rest. RIP oreo shake. I enjoyed every last drop of it.

Happy Ground Hogs Day

Today we know if we get more winter or if spring is just around the corner. We are supposed to have 6 more weeks of winter. If it happens the way the last 6 weeks have, I am OK with 6 more weeks of winter. It's amazing to me how much thought is still put into a little "whistle pig" when we have so much great "weather" technology. I think it would be so great to go to Pennsylvania and visit the ground hog some day. I guess I will add that to my bucket list. We went outside to see if we could see our shadows also. Guess what, we could. So I guess we will be looking forward to the next 6 weeks and anxiously awaiting "WINTER".

Roll Em

We went and saw "A Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons" OK so I may not have the title just right buy you know the show I am talking about...don't ya(my new sales tactic line) I loved that movie. I was not shocked when I saw the baby because I had heard all about it but that was some great make up. What a fabulous story that we all see things from a different view but sometimes we are all on the same page. Maybe we just get there at different times. I loved the whole part. I cried at the beginning when the daughter was in the hospital with her dying mother. That was too real. But by the end I was OK with the outcome of the story.
This is the second movie we have seen in the "theater" the other movie we saw was "Marley and Me" That too won my 4 stars. I cried the whole way through. What a great ending. Letting kids know life goes on and some things in life are not fair. Every one would want a fair life for their kids...wouldn't ya?(there it goes again)OK enough about the movies. It has been fun and a nice time to just go out and spend time with the big screen.

Tea anyone?

The big news was I was engaged. My mom was so excited. She asked me about my "shower". I told her that I didn't want to have a "shower" per say. Thank goodness Lori (my sister) backed me up. I didn't want to play silly games and have people worry about what they were going to do when it was their turn. So I told her I would settle for a "Tea Party" That used to be one way we would spend an afternoon together. Mom would make finger sandwiches and something sweet and I would make tea, and set the table. I would always invite my dolls and she obliged and sat by them helping them enjoy the tea party also. I would get all dressed up and ask for my hair in ringlets. Those were always good times.
What a great way to get a bunch of women together to enjoy food and stories.
Today I was thinking it is due time for another "tea party". Things will be different this time. We won't have to scrounge around for tea pots. I have my very own collection. We don't have to get all dressed up and I can guarantee you I won't be wearing ringlets in my hair. Now it is just up to buying some great new flavors of tea to try out and setting the date. Is it out of the world to have a party just because? Do I need to come up with a reason to have a little get together? Maybe by the time I can find a free weekend I will come up with a great reason to have a tea party. Oh, yes boys can come to the tea party we do have a puking frog for them to have tea out of.

Hardware Photos

Imprompto Party, mom's style

The family got together for our first quarterly party. Dad thinks it is too much fun to only get together for the holiday so we have put our best foot forward and attempted to meet and eat three or four times a year. Today was the first one this year. Not bad because we are only in the middle of January. All of the "Utah" kids were there. We miss Wayne and his family and Paige and her family. We will have another get together when either of them come to town.

We met at the funeral home. That is the only place to gather when it is cold outside. We ate dinner and visited and enjoyed watching and participating in guitar hero rock band or some such thing. All I know is we had a good time. See you all in March for Mom's Birthday party.

Hardware Ranch

Today was a fun filled day. We got up a little late. I started out making a cake for the family party tonight. John enjoyed a little more shut eye. When the cake was finished I woke him up so we could get the errands done that we needed before we hit the road for Cache Valley. We were heading to the OEMM meeting. The plan was to ride out to see the elk after the meeting. We got to Hyrum and stopped at Gene's. When we got up the canyon we found Skyler there. We sat through the meeting and then went out to ride the wagons and see Elk. The line was rather long so keeping the 2 year old entertained was a bit of a chore. Dad and Carol got on the first wagon. We took their picture and then sent them out into the elk. Then is was our time to get on the wagon. Skyler was excited to see the horses. They were huge. We got out into the meadow and the horses stopped so we could take some of the cool photos you can see in the slide show. Anyway, when the horses would start to walk it would jerk the wagon really hard. That would send us all flying into each other. Once we were done on the wagon we went back into the visitor museum to look at the animals. Especially the "cats" they were very intriguing to see. One had his mouth open and you could see his teeth. That was COOL.

So, tonight the tables are turned, Mandy is still working and I am at home making dinner and blogging. Oh and don't forget I'm still doing laundry and being the washing machine nazi. i don't understand why it is such a big deal to follow the washing instructions that are attached in side of them. It is put there specifically to help you keep your clothes looking as nice as possible. I get that it is easier to just do it how ever you want, but with the price of clothes these days it just makes sense to do it the correct way. Possibly that is the difference in our ages, and probably it is the result of having beat my head against the wall all my life and finally realizing that you don't always have to go against the flow. I mean I've seen significant changes in the way things happen in the world because of the concerted effort many of us have put in to changing them, but I also know that there are times when it doesn't really accomplish much to buck the system; ergo follow the directions in doing the wash. After all, most of the new fibers that are being used to make clothing now days are a result of US, the dissidents of the world, demanding better methods of producing things. WE are the reason that we all don't wear cotton, wool and linen fibers. WE wanted things a little better than we had a children. Now we have it, treat it with respect.

Enough of my soap box. Bella went to Furburbia today for her final puppy shots and to get a voucher for her spay and rabies appt. The woman who runs the rescue in Summit County was amazed at how big she was. She was also dismayed that Bella did not have a name tag on her collar. I didn't have the heart to tell her that the baby never leaves our sight, but promised to go get her one. At least one person in Utah will sleep better tonight knowing that our dog will have a name tag. I wanted to ask her why we had a micro chip implanted, but decided discretion is the better part of valor. And talking about dogs, Rex went to the doc on Monday for his eye and general rash. They increased his dosage of meds and it is showing a significant improvement after only three days. Now we just have to wait and see what kind of freak he becomes.

Well, miss thing has finally walked in from work, finished the dinner that I had on auto pilot and announced that it is time to eat. She also has been watching over my shoulder to see what I'm writing instead of waiting to see it with the rest of the world. I close now with a hope in my heart that things in your world are going as well as you wish and praying for your continued safety and love. Laters

behind every successful person is a basket of dirty laundry

Last night after dinner, I asked John if he would like to clean up after dinner or go start laundry. You know that is a tough question. If that were up to me I would choose to clean the kitchen. Johns idea of Monday night includes football or baseball or basketball. Not cleaning up after dinner. He looked at me and rolled his eyes knowing that if I did laundry it would all be done in three piles, four at the most and that's only if there are towels to wash. If he wanted laundry done "right" he would have to venture down stairs to sort all of the clothes my "DNA make-up" and "labels". He made the deal to do the laundry. I had to clean up the kitchen and put leftovers away. If there is anything that I dread doing it's the laundry. I think the only time you should do laundry is when you run out of undies. Some people would even think then it is questionable. Laundry feels like it it the road that goes on forever. The party that never ends. No matter how hard you try there is never and end and I just don't find the satisfaction in doing it. I guess I need the immediate reinforcement of a kitchen with every thing behind the cupboard doors. I guess I learned the lesson. If I don't do it right the first time, I don't have to do it again. So I will continue to clean the kitchen and I won't have to worry about the laundry. Instead of being the old lady who doesn't know how to get gas, I will be the old lady who doesn't know how to do laundry because my husband always took care of it.

Family Night

We all got together last week on a snowy Tuesday for family night. It seems like forever since we have gotten together. We ate dinner and visited, and watched Alisa blow snow. That was very entertaining. At least you would have thought so as the rest of us stood around watching her. We had a great potato bar and visited with each other. Madi kept us all in line. We should let the 5 year olds be in charge. She does a great job at getting us to do what she wants us to do. She put on a great guitar show and told us all when to clap, how long to clap and when we could sing or not sing. What a great way to relax and enjoy each other. At the end of the night a huge family hug before any one could leave. Love you Madi!

So after Mandy's inccent harping, I have finally decided to post a comment. Usually by the time I get home all I want to do is sit and knit and watch tv, if you know Mandy at all you know that she is a bundle of energy just looking for a place to happen. She thinks that resting is for sissies and keeps us going until we fall asleep from exhaustion.

I was very lucky to be found by Mandy, she helped me through some pretty tough times. And even though I complain about always being on the go I wouldn't trade anything.

I've thought a great deal about writing a blog, but if you know me as well as you think you do you know I'm a procrastinator. I'll be adding little asides as time permits and inspiration dictates. I usually keep to myself so don't worry if you don't see things for a while. It usually takes something pretty major to get me to talk about it.

I do hope that as you entertain yourself with our little notes, that you remember how lucky Mandy and I have been in finding ourselves in love with one another and how lucky we feel to have each of you in our lives, even if it is only vicariously.

Snow shots

Rex in the snow. Just off the walk. Bella and Elliot playing. Elliot having a little crunch! I promise I do feed him. He just likes to eat snow, I guess.

Snowdaze

Today the snow has not stopped falling. We got a few inches yesterday afternoon. Our last trip out to shovel last night was at 8:00pm after dinner. It turned into a neighborhood party. Nothing beats shoveling like doing it by moon light.

Today when I let Bella out (6:00am) there was only a skiff of snow on the deck. Thank goodness. I didn't want to have to shovel after my shower. Well, by 9:00am there was a good three inches. I shoveled my drive, the neighbors and helped the gentleman a few doors down. When I cam back for lunch there was more snow to be removed 2-3 inches.

It has not stopped all day. The plow did make one trip down our road. If you can just make it out to 24th you have it made. I met Sam outside again at 3:00pm to shovel we shoveled and joked and let the dogs bark and play and then in parting he said, "See you in about four hours. I don't think it's going to stop."

Elliot and I ran to the store and when we came out the snow was done. Well it's back now. We went out back to give the dogs a run. Rex didn't want to get to far off the sidewalk to "use it" but Bella liked running in the yard. Most of all she likes jumping on Elliot. On our way back in Elliot stopped for a little crunch....clean, white, snow.

Here's till tomorrow.

Party big or go home

We took a vacation, or at least a pause from the everyday life in O town and went to Lava Hot Springs. It's kind of like stepping back in time a few twenty years or so. Ok, maybe not that long ago. They do have credit card machines.

The ATM is held together with duct tape. There is only one grocery store, one liquor store, (not state owned) two bars, four restaurants and some of the nicest people you will ever meet. It is a great place to go when you want to get away from life in our fast lane.

There is not a lot to do when you go to Lava. You can eat, drink, shop in a few stores (when they open), visit with the locals, and sit in hot water.

Some time you can even do two of the above mentioned things at the same time. It is amazing to me when you do go to Lava how many Utahn's you can meet. Some times you already know them:)

We met a few friends there for a New Years Eve party. The best part was everyone can party because you can walk through town. First we went to the "town square". It's a small piece of property about the size of our back yard. They were cooking kabobs on the fire and making a snow creature, listening to music and enjoying each others company. This was a lot of fun to be outside and visit with people and enjoy each others company. When Debbie send some photos I will post them also.

After that we went to dinner. Then we went to the bar. You have to keep in mind by this time on a regular day we are usually home resting and getting ready for tomorrow. We made it to the new year and beyond. It was a lot of fun. When we got tired of one bar we just made our way to the other one.

The next day we went shopping and just hung out. After dinner we sat in on a locals jam session. It was a lot of fun. It's great to just sit around an pick and strum and enjoy the company that comes along with it.

Friday we went to Pocatello. Wow what a crazy town. The streets apparently were only designed for good weather and snow. It was raining and the streets were full of inches of water. Walking down the sidewalk was a dangerous spot. The cars could splash you! Then Scott, Debbie, John and I went to "Marley and Me" It was a cute show. A tear jerker for sure. Then out to dinner. By now it was snowing and blowing. After dinner we made our way back to Lava. Saturday was a restful day. Except for the screaming drunk cowboy who we couldn't get rid of. Greg and Jill came up and hung out with us.

Sunday came quickly and it was time to re-join reality. How nice it is for a small escape. Plan on being back in Lava for February 5-8 for the Fire and Ice party.

Ah, the new year begins

So, we made it past New Years. We are off to the winter races once again. Snow is falling, We are shoveling. If you will remember back to January 9, 2008 we had a huge snow storm! They weather guy said it would only snow 3-4 inches. We had 2 feet within an hour. It kept snowing and didn't stop for days. When it did end, we had no more front lawn to put snow on. The piles were a good six feet next to the driveway. We had to re-shovel snow from the driveway side to the pine tree side so we could keep clearing the drive way. By the end of February last year I swore all I wanted for my birthday was a snow blower. When we tried to buy one last February they were all sold out. When August rolled around I had completely forgotten that all I wanted was a snow blower. So here we are again, snow falling, me wishing I had only remembered to ask for that snow blower. You guessed it, we didn't buy one last year. So this winter once again, I can take an hour of off my gym time because I can count the shoveling time. Today's snow was great fun to shovel. I got my broom out and took care of the deck that way. Bella loves when it snows. She spends most of her time running around trying to catch the falling snow. The rest of her time she spends trying to catch the snow I am throwing. Today the snow was light. It was not hard to shovel. When I finished clearing the driveway I was out on the road and realized that if we have three more snow storms before the end of the month, and they accumulate any amount of snow I will again be moving the snow to the other yard so I have a place to shovel. Enough about the snow. I love it! I love spending time in it. Most of all I like watching people drive like idiots in it because they think they know better and can out smart the snow.