September 3, 2011
That's one thumb up, one thumb down if you can't tell. I wasn't sure what to think about Hodges Canyon's trail.
What you can't see in this picture is the raging torrent of run off and snow melt coming down the trail (yes, in September). Or the knee deep, nearly two feet wide trenches. Or the spare logs washed down the trail. Or the previous water holes, mud, and rocks. Or the three mamby-pamby sissy boys (three grown men) who let us pass them on the trail because they were turning around. Or the top speed of 5 mph max the entire way down because of how difficult the ride was. Or the near roll over Jeff had previous to this picture. Or the fear in my eyes as I realized what I had left Jeff talk me into. Or the few curse words I let slip as I turned the corner after thinking I just might die or at the least break my leg, only to see more muddy trenches with no relief in sight. Or the four or five times I had to get off my 4-wheeler and let Jeff maneuver through a ridiculous trench or slope or tree which happened to have fallen right in our way. Or the sign at the END of the trail saying Hodges Canyon was an "extremely difficult" ride... yeah, had I seen that BEFORE I agreed to seeing what the trail was like just for fun, I would have told Jeff "h-e-double-hockey-sticks no." Or my crazy hair and dirt covered face after taking my helmet off once we made it back to the Bear Lake property. Or my big smile as I told Jeff it was the kind of fun that I had a blast doing but that I never want to do again.
September 2, 2011
It's never too early to give the dwarfs chores, right?
Let's just hope Cole's enthusiasm is still there when he gets assigned lawn care duties or when he realizes the lawn mower is NOT a 4-wheeler.
September 1, 2011
It doesn't happen very often but when it does, I pause and enjoy every second of it.
Every few days Pearl and Cole decide it's more fun to play together instead of screaming at, fighting with, or making a mess. Ok, so they still make a mess. Tonight I found those two crowded in Pearl's room playing restaurant. They were jabbering to each other and sharing all kinds of delicacies. It was really sweet. I love moments like these, when my kids are sincerely happy to play with other.
Too bad the sharing and sweetness didn't last long enough to get their mess picked up.
August 31, 2011
I think I've mentioned before that I'm a pathetic slacker when it comes to doing my Visiting Teaching. For my non-LDS friends, visiting teaching is where you get assigned 3-5 women in the ward to visit, check up on, and provide a spiritual message to every month. You're supposed to visit your "sisters," as we call, them BEFORE the last day of the month. As every month seems to go, the end comes before I've even realized a new month has started. Feeling more than my share of guilt at the thought of missing my visits AGAIN, I called all of my sisters and begged them to let me and my V.T. partner come by for a visit tonight. What I wasn't expecting with my pathetic pleas for forgiveness was to have one of our sisters actually break down and say it was inspiration that I had called when I did. She'd had a really crappy week... with her husband hurt in a car crash, their brand new truck totaled in the process, a huge fight with her mother-in-law, and losing her job which now meant they had no income for at least two months until her husband was cleared to go back to work. With two little kids, I knew cooking dinner was probably the last thing on her mind and the last straw after several days of stress. So I offered to bring her dinner instead of a visit. And while my family turned their noses up at my Chicken Tortellini Bake, I know my meager offering was appreciated.
Even though my slacking paid off this time, I'm not taking any chances next month and will be calling my sisters before the last day.
August 30, 2011
When we got home today, Pearl shrieked, "Mom! There's a quail in the garage!" At first I didn't believe her. Well, I really couldn't hear her or understand what she was saying. Then I looked up and spied a little feathered friend, frightened and perched high up in the garage. He looked petrified so I figured I had enough time to grab the camera and take his picture. One snap of the flash and an open garage door, and he was gone. And if you have quail in your yard, you'll know they don't fly very well... they're much better at running. They sort of flap in this panicked, loud, zig-zaggy way. Needless to say Pearl and I both ducked and screamed. Hopefully this little guy won't be tempted to venture into our garage anytime soon again.
August 29, 2011
I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but I had a moment today where I had to choose between a right and a wrong.
Luckily for my eternal salvation's sake, I chose the right.
I didn't pack a lunch today and had to run down to our building's cafeteria in between meetings to grab something to eat. I ordered a sandwich and picked up a bag of pretzels for Pearl and Cole to eat on the way home. They get a bit cranky on the ride home without a treat of some kind. I sat the bag of pretzels down and told the cafeteria owner what I had ordered so I could pay. Here's the catch though. The owner is blind. So he can't see what is written on your ticket or what you might have on the counter. I was so focused on telling him what I had ordered that I completely spaced telling him I also had a bag of pretzels. It wasn't until I had paid and walked off that I realized I had just stolen the pretzels. I turned around, only to see a suddenly long line, and had this split second thought come through my head, "No one probably even saw or cared about the pretzels. It's a $1.29 anyway... maybe I should just put them back on the shelf. But wait, Karlee (one of my coworkers) was right behind me. How would she feel if she knew I was being dishonest about not paying for these pretzels? Am I honest with all my fellowmen?"
I'm glad I squashed the temptation to just walk away without paying. Being honest, even for something as small as a $1.29 was the right thing to do. It's little moments like these that build true character.
August 28, 2011
Good Mormon wives and moms are supposed to make a healthy, delicious Sunday dinner. The kind with pot roasts, veggies, homemade rolls, perhaps a jell-o salad or two, and of course dessert.
But I'm not a good Mormon wife or mother. My kids got a bowl of macaroni and cheese. Pretty pathetic. Jeff even had a bowl, mixed in with some refried beans and taco meat. By the time Sunday rolls around all my cooking energy is ka-put. Not that it is ever at much of a high during the week to begin with.
Someday my family will get their deserved and traditional Mormon Sunday meal.... maybe when we have grandkids.
September 3, 2011
