Where's W-Alisa

So Alisa isn't the best Blogger in the World. I am fine with that, but so many women (and obviously some men, judging from past comments---- you boys know who you are -- Jug, Ryan, etc) obviously want to know what is going on in our lives that I feel inclined to give you-all the pleasure of a post. I feel a touch effeminate by actually blogging (seeing as I have never sent a text message or received free money from the machines now located in every shopping space from strip-malls to TaiPan Trading--- I believe they are called ATMs?-- I feel blogging must be up there with watching Pride and Predjudice, not that I would ever admit to that either, but enough about that....), but I will just pass it off as my civic duty to stave the wondering minds within and without our smallish circle of friends, family, and strange people who link to Alisa's blog from others' pages, even if they have no idea who we are; we could even be Democrats.... Oh the horror.

So Jenny asked what we did over Spring break, and while some of the following will be embelished slightly, it makes up for me leaving out the photos of working our cattle over Spring Break. You know the branding, dehorning, shots, castra.... well making boy calves not boy calves, etc. I am sure that would bore all involved (except for the lurking husbands who visit their wives' friends' -and strangers'- blogs at 2am when they can't sleep or at 7:45pm while she is doing the dishes--- like any good wife would do). So without further ado, here are some photos...... (and yes those who don't know us may look also)


We took the kids and their $2 kites to where I keep my horses (I should claim them as the family's horses, but Alisa gets to claim the kids) and the wind blows almost perfectly for a kite of any nature. After 100 feet of string was at an end from the first spool we proceeded to tie an additional 2 spools (200 feet) onto the kite. Even an adult smiles when they see a kite 300 feet in the air.

After I had my fun with the kite, I let the kids each hold the string for a snap-shot, then I handed the spool to Alisa and told her to real it in. I thought that was rather nice of me, letting her fly the kite for the next 42 minutes, while reeling in 300 feet of dental floss. Yes, I am sure some are jealous of Alisa's great fortune in marrying me.

While Alisa was preoccupied with flying a kite 300 feet, then 299.75 feet, then 299.5 feet, etc, in the air, I took Clay and Eliza to look for shed deer antlers in the 20 acre pasture/bushes, where they each found an antler. This photo is a representation of our little shed hunt, but this was in March when I talked Alisa into waking up at 5am to drive for 4 1/2 hours each way and walk through sage brush flats, cedar ridges, and shale canyons all in search of an antler which a deer had no use for anymore. What a great vacation I planned! She was so happy (at least I perceived her one-corner-of-her-mouth smile as happiness) and said that it was much better than "Buns of Steel"! I may decide to market the workout.

This is the token "aaaahhhhh" photo, of Eliza tooling around with the spoils of her adventures. (In the trunk, hint hint)

Eliza rode a horse. This is Redd, he is a red horse. I also have a brown horse named Brownie. I had an Appoloosa horse named Appy, a Black horse named Blacky, a paint horse named Paint- but we called him #*%&$ for short, and we have a bay horse named, no not Bay, GPS. Eliza likes horses.

The horses are quarantined in a 4 acre parcel for the winter, kept in by an electric fence. So after Alisa had a grand time of flying her kite (hers because it was 300 feet in the air and I got bored) I asked her to check if the fence was hot. Now I know, who would actually grab hold of an electric fence? Well someone HAS to, how else would we know if the fence was working? Oh the humanity if the horses actually were able to leave their 4 acre dirt home and graze on the new blades of Spring grass. So.........

the fence was hot. And so is Alisa.........

by

Mike

Going to California?

For those of us who didn't go to California for Spring Break or otherwise, this is what we are missing-

Maybe I'm glad I stayed home.  

(only because I'm not going)

Spring has sprung

and played another trick on us!

I thought March was supposed to come in like a lion and out like a lamb, and this one was completely the opposite. I guess I've always felt like spring is the trickiest season. You never really know when spring is going to come, even though this year the calendar told us it would be March 20th. And March 20th was a beautiful day with actual warmth and sunshine. I even wore a short sleeve shirt so my glowing white arms could soak up a bit of the sun. Now here we are a good 12 days into the "spring" season and what do we have? Snow!

Here is an example of spring being tricky-

This is Monday morning at 8:17 am

This is the same view, also on Monday, but at 3:22 pm.


Again, Monday at 8:17 am.



Monday at 3:22 pm. Snow? What snow?

Those poor flowers! I have to admit though, any flower that chooses to grow at my house (and especially those that are adventurous enough to come back each year) must be hardy to survive my lackadaisical weed and water schedule- also known as whenever I remember.

So, although I welcome all the moisture we are receiving, I am looking forward to being outside and feeling more warmth and seeing more sun.

My glowing white arms are ready too!

Once upon a time...

...we met, dated, and got engaged.

And 12 years ago today we got married.

In those 12 years we've had-

• 1 dog
• 2 houses
• 3 kids
• 4 surgeries
• 5 successful deer hunts (me)
• 6 cars/trucks
• 7 elementary school teachers
• 8 field trips
• 9 horses (not all at the same time)
• 10 out-of-state vacations
• 11 callings (me again)

and 12 years of many other wonderful memories and fun family life events.

I'm looking forward to the next 12!!

4 Favorites

I'm it!

Favorite Sounds
1- thunder storms
2- kids laughing and getting along
3- aspen leaves fluttering
4- silence


Favorite Smells
1- rain
2- fresh baked goodies (bread, cookies, brownies, etc.)
3- clean laundry straight from the dryer
4- Pirates of the Caribbean


Favorites Away From Home
1- Hawaii
2- the cabin
3- Alaska
4- hiking to Horse Flat


Favorites I Receive From Others
1- mail
2- hugs
3- great recipes
4- phone calls


4 People I Tag (must post in 4 days)
1- Megan
2- Sonya
3- Mindy
4- Jamie

This is the place!

Last night was Clay's last performance in the 4th grade play. I'm still not sure if there was an actual name, everyone just called it the 4th grade play, but it was all about Utah and it's history.

Clay had the part of an Indian dancer and did a great job!! The play was really cute and the kids and teachers sure worked hard on it. It was so much fun to finally get to see what we had been hearing about for so long. I got to help hang scenery and hot-glued (they couldn't be sewn) a few pairs of pants. Luckily we alread had the indian costume and it only needed a couple of alterations to fit a growing boy.

Between attending all 3 performances and hearing the songs repeatedly sung at home, I woke up this morning with "Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic are the three... Rocks- of the rock cycle" stuck in my head (those of you who have/had a 4th grader know the tune!).

Now what will keep those kids busy at school?

Blast from the past

You've probably already heard by now that UVU is hosting a concert straight from my childhood.

Get out your Hammer pants... MC Hammer & Vanilla Ice are coming in concert together on February 27th. I told Mike I would get him tickets since that is his birthday. He laughed.

It's tempting. Is anyone going? Do you want to?

I saw this...

... and wished I had it to do some scrapbooking. It's half-off at Joann's right now.

I also wish I had the motivation to actually scrapbook.

I've been tagged...

and maybe you will be too!


8 THINGS

8 Things I Did Yesterday-

1. Drove Eliza to and from playschool. I know it's only 2 blocks away, but I still drove.
   
2. Hung huge trees and a giant backdrop on the school stage for the 4th grade play.
   
3. Emptied the dishwasher.
   
4. Spray painted a box for Clay's diorama book report. I know I should have let him do it. Next time I will.
   
5. Tried to get 8 scouts to sit still long enough to learn to play marbles to earn a belt loop.
   
6. Tried to find electric fence under the snow so we could move the horses.
   
7. Helped Clay put together previously mentioned diorama.
   
8. Read to my kids.
   

8 TV Shows I Watch-

1. Survivor


2. LOST (I've been to their camp)


3. American Idol (sporadically)


4. Little Einsteins (with Eliza, not by myself)


5. Bargain Hunt


6. Fraiser


7. Does the News count?


8. Not sure.

8 Wish List- I wish for...

1. A trip to Hawaii on my calendar again. I flew to Hawaii one year ago today.


2. A fireplace- I'm cold.


3. A pool- in 4 months I will be hot. It must come with someone to clean it.


4. A bag of Kookaburra black licorice from Costco.


5. The special ordered, back ordered, and now lost wall oven we ordered 4 weeks ago to come in so we can install it.


6. The ability to make great cookies and bread. I am hoping the new oven will help in this department.


7. A saltwater aquarium. It must also come with someone to clean it.


8. 3 more wishes.
   

8 Things I Look Forward To-

1. Having fun as a family.


2. March. Doesn't it start getting warmer then?


3. Watching Clay in the 4th grade play. He's soooo excited!!


4. Not mowing the lawn- thanks Clay!


5. Tyler getting baptized.


6. All the spring flowers in bloom.


7. Rainshowers with thunder.


8. Seeing what the future brings.
   

8 Favorite Restaurants-

1. BYU Creamery- best hamburgers and pepper fries


2. Tucano's


3. Carrabba's


4. Bombay House


5. Elk Horn Bar & Family Dinning ;)


6. Paradise Bakery


7. Cafe Rio


8. Pretty much anywhere I didn't have to cook, and also clean.
   

8 People To Tag-

1. Addie


2. Andy
   
3. Arleen


4. Cheryl


5. Julie


6. Mom


7. Riley


8. Taunie

1- Post rules on blog
2-Answer the six "8" items
3-Let each person know by leaving them a comment.

Is it time yet?

The first Sunday in January.

The last day of Christmas break.

The day I will possibly go insane.

Only 51 more weeks of waiting all morning to attend 2:00 PM church.

Ty's red eye

This is why other people's fingers and eyes don't mix.

Milk it for all it's worth Tyler!

Celebrating the New Year!

For New Year's Eve this year, we barely had plans. I'm not complaining... that is the way it is most years. Our celebrations are so laid back, I don't even have pictures to prove how weak they were.

We started out straightening up the house. I would say cleaning the house but let's face it, all I am doing is re-shuffling what we've been dealt over the last week and a half.

Then sledding for the boys, a nap for Eliza, and a new pillow for me.

Our evening celebrations consisted of homemade pizza- the kids did the toppings perfectly, boxing Tyler (on the Wii), watching original Scooby Doo episodes, and snacking on the strawberry cake I made to brake-in the new bundt pan, Bugles with spray cheese (sounds nasty and it is- kids loved it) and parmesan-basil Wheat Thins (these were nasty too). Mike's back has been giving him grief again so he wasn't up to too much partying, but he was still able to kick Clay's but in Wii baseball.

We watched the ball drop live on Eastern Time and then I suggested we all go to bed. The boys seemed to think they were getting gypped. I thought going to bed at 10:30 was a great idea- won't we all have 365 days in 2009! I also didn't care about that extra second we were supposedly getting, the more sleep the better and I had that new pillow to try out. Kids were in bed by 10:45, and after "staightening up" I went to bed at 11:30.

While trying to go to sleep I started wondering who in the neighborhood was up hammering something at 11:30 pm. Didn't they have something better to do on New Year's Eve? Then I realized it wasn't hammering... it was fireworks. I could tell when it was midnight- it sounded like the Stadium of Fire went off in my backyard. Did anyone else hear that? Or were you the ones actually up at midnight celebrating? Maybe we'll see midnight next year, or now I guess it's this year.

I hope you had a great 2008 and wish you all health and happiness in the new year!